In 2005, the now 74-year-old published his first autobiography, titled “Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: and Other Things I’ve Learned”, giving readers an intimate insight into his life as a child: suffering from polio, travelling with his actor father and trying to deal with his beauty-queen mother’s mental illness.

Alda contracted polio at the age of 7. “There was an epidemic in those days, and that was before the vaccine,” he told Tavis Smiley in an interview following the release of the book. “And there really wasn’t any treatment except Sister Elizabeth Kenny,” he added.

This treatment, developed by the eponymous Australian nurse, involved wrapping burning hot woollen blankets around the limbs and administering extremely firm massage in order to stretch the muscles and prevent them from going lame.

The actor described his therapy as “extremely painful” and remembers having to endure it “every 2 hours, for months”. He said: “Everybody who went through those treatments knows what I mean. They were just awful. And my parents, who had no money, had to–they didn’t have anybody to administer these treatments. They had to do it themselves. So here your parents are torturing you against their own will. You know, they don’t want you to hurt.”

Yet, polio is not the only pain Alda associates with his childhood. In his autobiography, he talks frankly about his mother, a former Miss New York, and her serious mental health problems.

“As a boy, I didn’t understand how ill she was. … It’s hard to understand what it was like in those days — no one spoke about mental illness. It was a thing to be ashamed of,” CNN cites the author.

Alda goes on to admit to his own anger at and shame of his mother, whose manic episodes were sometimes so severe she tried to stab his father and attempted to escape from a moving plane.

“I couldn’t have written [this book] 20 years ago. I couldn’t even talk about it 25 years ago. I not only wouldn’t talk about it in public, I had friends I wouldn’t talk about it to,” he writes.

Despite this, the star claims to have drawn a lot of strength from Joan Alda, who he says was tireless in treating his polio and “tried really hard to be as good a mother as she could…despite the fact that she was so incapacitated”.

Images: Wikimedia Commons

Cyrus’ teeth do not look like they did when she was 14. The Hannah Montana actress and singer is said to have had extensive cosmetic procedures, including whitening and altering the gums to make them less visible.

In 2008, she said “I’m really nervous for the surgery. But I’m sure it will go well. I can’t wait for my new smile. I love it already,” according to Crushable.

The operation was expected to take 18 hours with approximately 2 weeks to heal. Since then, Miley has not stopped flashing those chops.

The extent of the work done is disputed. Star Magazine goes one step further, according to Popcrunch, by suggesting that the 17-year-old’s new teeth may altogether not be her own.

Cyrus’ pearly whites allegedly popped out on the set of a photo shoot, according to an insider, who told Star Magazine: “Her eyeteeth – the pointy ones – are connected by a bridge, and they came out and hit the floor in front of her. Everyone froze.”

Did she make a mistake by having surgery? If so, she’s not one to admit it. Despite the cosmetically enhanced smile, Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter claims she is a fan of natural beauty and even her ‘crooked’ teeth. Posing for Elle magazine in July 2009, a very adult-looking Miley stated: “I like these crooked. I love my teeth.” Whether the further comment “my dad won’t let me fix my teeth or cut my hair” has anything to do with the matter, is another question.

Other celebrities who have had their teeth fixed include actors Demi Moore and Tom Cruise.

Images: Steal Their Style on Picasa and Wikimedia Commons

After a falling out of bed and seriously injuring herself in July, Gabor underwent hip replacement surgery. The following month, she was hospitalised again to have two blood clots removed, and rumours grew that she would not be able to fully recover. Her publicist, John Blanchette, told Reuters that the star intended to “spend her final days at home”, while husband Frederic Prinz von Anhalt “said he did not want to torture her anymore”.

If this is indeed the end for Gabor, she need not worry about having had a life half-lived. The Guardian’s David Batty described her as ‘the embodiment of the phrase “famous for being famous”’.

Sari Gabor was born in Budapest to Hungarian parents around 1917 (the exact year of her birth is disputed). After attending a Swiss boarding school, the young Zsa Zsa was discovered by Richard Tauber on a trip to Vienna, who invited her to perform in his new operetta. Later, she moved from the stage to the screen.

As the star of many 50s and 60s B-movies, Gabor was not considered to be at the pinnacle of thespian talent. Yet her coquettish performances and her public appearances made her irresistible to the public…and to men of high standing.

Zsa Zsa Gabor wed a total of nine times. Her short-lived marriage to actor Felipe de Alba in 1983 was almost instantly declared invalid, because the actress was officially still tied to husband number seven, Michael O’Hara. Due to her many divorces, Gabor reportedly once said that she was a “good housekeeper”, because every time she got to keep the house. And the reason for so many marriages? Gabor, who is Catholic, does not believe in living in sin, the Guardian states.

Among her husbands were hotel tycoon Conrad Hilton, British actor George Sanders and Barbie doll inventor Jack Ryan. But she wasn’t to find her prince until 1986.

Frederic Prinz von Anhalt is an American socialite, born in 1945 under the name of Hans Lichtenberg. In 1980, he allegedly paid Princess Marie-Auguste on Anhalt to adopt him in order to acquire the royal title. The princess was said to be on the brink of bankruptcy at the time and agreed to the transaction. The rest of the von Anhalt family has never recognized Frederic and due to German laws Prinz von Anhalt is just his surname, not an official title.

At 64 years, he is almost 30 years Gabor’s junior. “We didn’t marry for love”, he reportedly said. “It was a friendship, but when you’re with someone over a certain time you fall in love.”

Together, the pair has adopted several men, who have also inherited the Prinz von Anhalt surname.

In February, Frederic announced that he would be running for Governor of California, but later withdrew his candidacy due to his wife’s ill health. Today, he is said to be keeping vigil at Gabor’s bedside and trying to make the most of the time they have left together.

Click here to read about Zsa Zsa Gabor’s fall, Zsa Zsa Gabor in critical condition and Zsa Zsa Gabor getting last rites in hospital.

Other celebrities who have recently been in hospital include Pink, Dean McDermott, Katy Perry and  Cheryl Cole.

Images: Wikipedia

In fact, Cruise was once so conscious of his chops that he refused to have his photo taken, according to his once co-star Patrick Swayze . The pair starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Outsiders in 1983, Sky News reported, when they were both still unknown actors.

Swayze’s memoirs were published just a few months after the Dirty Dancing star died of pancreatic cancer and reveal that Cruise was so uncomfortable with the state of his teeth that he declined invitations to appear in magazine shoots.

Of course, his shyness dwindled with success. Top Gun catapulted Cruise into Hollywood’s elite and made him into a worldwide heartthrob. With extra incentive and plenty of cash, the star invested in a glamorous set of pearly whites, which he still confidently sports today.

But even teeth as good as that require their fair share of maintenance. In 2002, Tom Cruise’s publicist silenced rumours by confirming that the actor had indeed been making extra trips to the dentist, according to People.

“Yes, Tom Cruise has braces — I don’t know what else to say,” Pat Kingsley told Reuters. The braces were due to stay on for “year or so . . . He’ll take them off for movies. To him, it’s no big deal.“

The Mission Impossible star had apparently embarked upon the treatment after a trip to the orthodontist with one of his children revealed that the then 39-year-old’s teeth were out of allignment. Cruise reportedly wore see-through braces with only the single wire strung over his upper teeth clearly visible. He showed off his fantastic new smile at the premier of The Last Samurai in 2003.

Another celebrity who has invested in getting her teeth fixed is actress Demi Moore

Images: Alan Light on Flikr and PR Photos

Swedish company Obstecare were able to devise the test thanks to research carried out at the University of Liverpool. The institution’s scientists claimed to have identified the primary cause of a failed uterus during childbirth as an excess of lactic acid.

According to their studies, the uterus, like other muscles, produces lactic acid when it is working hard. However, too much of the substance can stop contractions. Doctors usually administer a hormone called oxytocin to help revive contractions, but not all women respond to it.

Obstecare’s test works by measuring the levels of lactic acid in the amniotic fluid. High levels could mean a vaginal birth is not possible. Such information could save women hours of painful labour and help doctors establish whether they should perform a C-section instead.

Johan Ubby of Obstecare commented: “A high level of lactic acid in the amniotic fluid indicates that the uterus is exhausted. To stimulate this kind of labour with an oxytocin infusion would be like asking a marathon runner to run an extra 10,000 metres after he or she has passed the finish line.”

He added that the new system of testing has already begun in hospitals in Norway, Sweden and Belgium.

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“Sexually it was crazy. That’s all I’ll say,” he said. “It was like napalm, sexual napalm. Did you ever say, ‘I want to quit my life and just f*****’ snort you? If you charged me $10,000 to f*** you, I would start selling all my s*** just to keep f****** you.”

A speechless Jessica refused to comment on Mayer’s observations, but later admitted she couldn’t read the article because it upset her too much. “It made me so sad. It was so discouraging, because that’s not the John I knew,” she said on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

In early 2009, Simpson’s personal life came under the scrutiny of the press once more. The 29-year-old whipped up a media frenzy by stepping out in a pair of high-waisted jeans, showing off her not-so-skinny frame. Shock and embarrassment aside, Simpson said she felt guilt when stories about her “mom jeans” broke.

“The sad part about it is that when everything came out, I didn’t want to sit down and talk to anyone about it because I felt guilty,” she told Oprah. “I felt like if people look at me and they’re a size bigger, they think they’re fat because of what the media was saying. I didn’t want to feed into it.”

In fact, the attention became so overwhelming the singer claims it began to seriously affecting her state of mind:

“The judgment of people. … Those voices are sometimes in my head when I fall asleep,” she admitted.

But Simpson was not prepared to slip into depression and has been working hard at getting her self-esteem back.

Now she says: “I’m comfortable with me. I love my curves. I’m not ever going to be a size 0 and weigh 90 pounds.”

Earlier this year, the star appeared in a new reality TV series on VH1 called “The Price of Beauty”, where she travelled around the world finding out how far people are prepared to go in order to look good.

Having paid the price of beauty herself, Simpson revealed her sensitive side on the show.

“I’m very vulnerable (and) very open. I don’t have anything to hide,” she remarked, according to the Associated Press. “I want people to know I am just a normal girl that faces normal issues just like everyone else.”

Other celebrities who have battled weight issues include Sarah Rue, Nia Vardalos, Drew Carey,  Kyra Sedgwick and John Goodman.

Images: Wikimedia Commons

Asthma is a condition affecting the airways. It makes the little tubes leading to the lungs overly sensitive, causing them to become swollen and inflamed. The triggers for an ‘asthma attack’ can vary, as can the severity. It is a common illness, with around 5.4 million sufferers in the UK, according to Asthma UK.

What causes it?

The exact causes of asthma are unclear, although certain factors are known to trigger the condition. These include:

• Infections of the lungs and airways
• A family history of asthma, eczema and other allergies (children who suffer from eczema are more likely to develop the illness after puberty)
• Having bronchiolitis (a common lung infection) as a child
• Environmental factors such as pollution and inhaling second-hand smoke. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are more at risk of contracting asthma.
• Cold air, as well as allergens such as dust mites can trigger an attack

What are the symptoms?

When an asthma attack is triggered, the airways become inflamed. This means they begin to swell and produce mucus, narrowing the passage through which air is transported to and from the lungs. This often leads to:

• Coughing and wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• A tight chest

These symptoms vary in duration and severity. They are often worse during the night or with exercise. A serious attack often develops over a period of between 6 and 48 hours, according to the NHS, so there is usually plenty of time for the sufferer to seek help.

The health specialist also states that patients should look out for the following as indicators of a worsening attack:

• A raised pulse rate
• Increased wheezing
• Feeling agitated
• A drop in the peak expiratory flow rate (a test used to diagnose and monitor asthma)

How is it diagnosed?

A doctor is usually able to diagnose asthma by talking to the patient about their symptoms and checking their chest and breathing. He or she may also use a peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) test.

How is it treated?

There is no known cure for asthma, although there is now a large volume of medication available to manage the condition. A doctor can provide the best advice on what kind of treatment is most suitable to meet the patient’s individual needs.

Knowing what triggers your asthma can go a long way in helping to prevent attacks. For those whose condition is severe and prone to complications, it is advisable to get vaccinated against influenza. Stopping smoking and generally leading a healthy lifestyle can also help combat the illness.

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What causes them?

The heart delivers blood to the legs through a series of veins. In order to be pumped back to the heart, these veins have valves which open and close, pushing the blood upwards. Veins in the outer layers of the legs, called superficial veins, can become varicose when these valves become weak and thus less efficient in pumping blood back to the deeper veins. This allows blood to collect, making the veins appear swollen.

Any vein in the body can become varicose, but due to the extra pressure the problem is more prevalent in the leg region.

According to the NHS, other factors can also increase a person’s chances of developing the condition, including:

• Genetics – you are more likely to get varicose veins if members of your family have them
• Age – veins begin to lose their elasticity with age
• Obesity – being overweight puts extra pressure on the veins
• Your gender – women are more susceptible than men
• Your job – you are more at risk if you job involves standing for long periods of time

What are the symptoms?

For most people, varicose veins do not cause much physical discomfort but are merely unattractive. Sometimes, however, other symptoms can arise, such as:

• Dryness and itching around the affected area
• Heavy, aching or restless legs
• Swollen ankles
• Muscle cramps
• Burning or throbbing in the legs

How are they treated?

People who do not experience discomfort due to their varicose veins usually do not need treatment, but sometimes seek it for cosmetic reasons. Popular methods include:

• Compression stockings – these relieve swelling and help the blood flow up to the heart more easily, but do not prevent more varicose veins from developing
• Surgery – there is a popular procedure called ligation and stripping, whereby the affected veins are tied off and then removed from the leg. This does not affect blood flow, as deeper veins take over the work
• Sclerotherapy is suitable for those with small to medium sized varicose veins. Chemicals in the form of liquid or foam are injected into the veins, causing them to close down and allowing stronger veins to take over. The long-term effects of this type of treatment are still unknown, but it has proven to be successful in the short term
• Radiofrequency ablation uses a high frequency electrical current to heat the vein and cause it to shut down
• Endovenous laser treatment – a fine laser is passed inside the vein, damaging it and causing it to close
• Transilluminated powered phlebectomy uses suction to remove affected veins with the help of an endoscopic transilluminator and a small incision in the leg

Images: Wikimedia Commons

Triggers vary from person to person, but often include stress, fatigue or depression.

For most people, there are no symptoms of infection other than the sore little blister that eventually appears in the region around the mouth. Sometimes, however, the virus can bring on severe symptoms on initial infection. According to the NHS, these can include fever, a swollen throat and glands, dehydration, nausea, headaches and irritated gums with painful sores in and around the mouth.

How often you get a cold sore also varies. Some people can become infected but never get one because the virus never becomes active. Others get them once in a while and some can develop them frequently.

How do I get rid of a cold sore?

Unfortunately, there is as yet no cure for the herpes simplex virus. However, there are an increasing number of highly effective methods for treating a cold sore.

The first outbreak is usually the worst and should be treated with oral medication, according to About Dermatology. Anti-viral drugs are effective in reducing pain and the amount of time a cold sore takes to heal as well as the number and size of lesions.

Topical treatment can be used for recurrences. Popular creams include Topical Denavir, Acyclovir, Famciclovir and Valacyclovir. It is advisable to start applying the cream at the very first signs of a cold sore, which may include burning, itching or redness. The medication serves to relieve symptoms and shorten the life of the sore by several days.

Suppression therapy has not yet been approved by the FDA, but research suggests that people who have more than 6 outbreaks annually could benefit from it. Patients would take a daily dose of medicine generally used to treat symptoms in order to suppress any future ones.

There are, however, those who favour a more organic approach. BBC show ‘Grow your own drugs’ recently claimed that lemon balm can be effective in treating cold sores and showed viewers how to make their own all-natural lip salve.

The ingredients consist of:

• 21 tbsp (approx. 50 g) fresh lemon balm leaves
• 3 tbsp wheatgerm oil
• 115 ml olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp beeswax
• 5 drops tea tree oil

Click here to view the full recipe on the BBC website.

Images: Wikimedia Commons

The purpose of the appendix is unclear. It has previously been suggested that it was once used to help digest plants and has been made redundant by human beings modern lifestyle. But more recent studies have shown that the organ may be the home of ‘friendly bacteria’, used by the body to improve digestion and help fight infections, according to the NHS.

It is a widespread condition and usually occurs in young people between the ages of 10 and 20. In America, it is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).

What causes it?

The exact causes of appendicitis are not known, but it is thought that the condition is usually brought on by an obstruction of some sort. This could be faecal matter, a foreign object or in rare cases a tumour. Once bacteria from the foreign body have entered the appendix, they multiply rapidly, causing the organ to swell up. If no action is taken, an inflamed appendix can burst and infect surrounding areas.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of appendicitis vary and the condition can be difficult to diagnose. The NLM points out certain signs to look out for:

• Pain around the belly button, mild at first and becoming increasingly severe and gradually moving to the right lower abdomen
• Reduced appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Diarrhoea or constipation

If the appendix bursts, the patient may feel temporary relief. However, this is just until the lining of the abdominal cavity becomes inflamed and symptoms worsen significantly.

How is it treated?

The patient should seek immediate medical advice if they have persistent, worsening abdominal pain, fever or blood in the vomit or stool. Although there are many illnesses which can cause these symptoms, it is important to exclude appendicitis. A doctor is usually able to identify the condition by gently exerting pressure on the right lower abdomen area and suddenly releasing it. The sufferer would feel increased pain.

In mild cases, the condition can be treated with antibiotics, but more often the appendix is removed surgically – a procedure known as an appendectomy. It does not usually take long to recover from this type of surgery, unless the appendix has ruptured, in which case the healing process can be significantly longer.

Celebrities who have suffered from appendicitis include singer Brett Michaels and broadcast journalist Suze Orman.

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