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Many people have small pouches in their colons that bulge outward through weak spots. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. About 10% of Americans older than age 40 years have diverticulosis, which, when the pouches become infected or inflamed, is called diverticulitis. The main cause of diverticular disease is a low-fiber diet.
More than 30% of American adults, and about 12% of children utilize health care approaches that were developed outside of conventional medicine.
Prostaglandins were first isolated from human semen in Sweden in the 1930s. They were so named because the researcher thought that they came from the prostate gland. In fact, prostaglandins exist and are synthesized in almost every cell of the body.
There are 20 feet of blood vessels in each square inch of human skin.
Aspirin is the most widely used drug in the world. It has even been recognized as such by the Guinness Book of World Records.