Index

Low thyroid among Americans ranges from 5% to 20% due to variables constituting what’s normal. But for those diagnosed and receiving treatment, there’s a warning about the most commonly prescribed medication for the condition…

Sugar has serious drawbacks, but do you have to go sugar-free to stay healthy? Not if you switch to this truly natural sweetener that not only satisfies your sweet tooth, but also reduces four significant risk factors for cardiometabolic disease…

For decades, doctors prescribed one medication for enlarged prostate. It turned out the same drug could be the answer for hair loss and, now, heart problems. But there’s a catch to getting these benefits safely…

Wouldn’t it be great if fighting obesity was as easy as adding one specific food to your diet? Well, according to multiple studies, this may be possible with a food that’s been eaten for thousands of years…

For years, the answer to depression has been drugs that often don’t work and lead to depressing side effects. But an 11-year twin study provides unique insight on food’s strong link to the mood disorder…

When life gets stressful, stress eating on high-fat food is a common reaction. But that bag of chips compounds the dangerous impact of stress on your heart. The right drink, though, contains nutrients powerful enough to dial it back…

Many factors affect heart disease risk, like poor lifestyle choices that can set up heart problems down the road. But some actually speed up that risk, like two conditions that bring about the potential for heart trouble almost three decades sooner…

The holidays are about celebrations. They’re also about alcohol, sweets and salty savory treats and big meals that can leave you with a permanent heart condition. Here’s how to avoid holiday heart syndrome and the signs to watch for…

After menopause, fat is the primary source of estrogen. Body mass index may not accurately measure body fat. This matters because body fat is linked to hormone-positive breast cancer, an underestimated deadly cancer risk…

A mild stroke could be a wake-up call. But a severe stroke changes your life in ways you can’t bounce back from. Before it’s too late, do something about the most important risk linked to severe stroke…

Aging gracefully is about more than just adding years to your life. It’s about enriching those years with health, vitality and connection. Golf can help because it’s more than just a sport — it’s a pathway to a longer, fuller life. 

Vitamin D is linked to positive impacts from healthy aging to prevention. Its effect on blood pressure has been inconclusive, however. But new research finds it may be a matter of when and who vitamin D can help the most…

Obesity is at the root of most disease, from cancer to heart disease. But it’s most closely linked to is diabetes, hence the term ‘diabesity.’ But another hidden factor driving that connection has been recently uncovered…

Gabapentinoids have been seen as a safer alternative to opioids for pain. However, they carry with them their own risks — including one debilitating condition that could be a death sentence for older adults…

If you have risk factors for heart disease, including hypertension and diabetes, a case of pneumonia can increase the stress on your heart further leading to some serious complications. But if your doctor approves, you can start working to prevent that possibility now…

Coming out on the other side of a cancer diagnosis is no small feat. But survivors often live looking over their shoulders. Scientists have identified one particularly high risk factor that could leave cancer in the rearview mirror…

Visits to the ER for heart attacks increase during the winter months. Experts say there are three levels of people for whom this is more likely, and one group never sees it coming. Here’s how to avoid being one of them…

Everyone loves giving and getting gifts. But it seems we enjoy gift-giving a bit more. Turns out the old adage “it’s better to give than to receive” is actually true in terms of the response it elicits from your brain…

Menopause is a dangerous time for women, beyond breast cancer. So how can you keep ‘the change’ from stealing your health? Whether you’re perimenopausal or post-menopausal, start now to avoid these 5 threats…

Glitches in cognition are unsettling, even if doctors say not to worry. It’s hard to know what the future holds. But supporting brain health with a macronutrient that’s validated to improve things fast, is easy.

Licorice is candy. But in traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s a medicinal herb. Its powerful effects are why guidelines determined how much was safe to eat. But they were wrong about how little can have deleterious effects…

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. It’s also a leading cause of stroke. Risk of devloping it climbs with age but it can also run in families and take your risk even higher. Do this one thing to slash it…

I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to slow aging. Understandably, there’s some skepticism when products claim to. But it can be as simple as avoiding the things that accelerate your rate of aging — like these foods…

For years, people with gout have been shamed for causing their own pain. It was thought their poor diet elevated uric acid which contributes to painful crystals in joints, like the big toe. Now we know there’s more to the story.

If you can bang out close to 10,000 steps a day, more power to you. But there’s a more effecient way to rev up your metabolism and burn 60 percent more calories. This is one health hack that may sound too good to be true, but here’s why it works…

Garlic has long had a place at the table and in traditional medicine, where the potent bulb is linked to heart health, reduced inflammation and a strong immune system. Now, taming aggressive cancer cells can be added to the list…

After a heart attack, it makes sense that you’d want to sleep more. But the need for sleep is more than the physical exhaustion of going through a traumatic health event. It’s a signal for healing that if not heeded could mean a 2nd heart attack…

Nothing jolts you awake like a leg cramp. Sometimes they’re associated with a serious condition. Other times, they strike from too much or too little exercise. Say hello to this vitamin and goodbye to the pain…

Apple cider vinegar is a versatile household staple, from brightening salad dressings to unclogging drains. It’s also touted as a health elixir. How can you separate the hype from the real benefits? See what the doctor has to say…

Environmentalists have sounded alarms about the harm it’s doing. But a more dire warning may be the estimated nine million premature deaths that happen each year because it’s hardening our arteries. As a doctor, this is how I’m protecting myself…