When you hear the words “immune system,” you probably think immediately of your body’s defense against seasonal maladies like cold and flu. A strong immune system is definitely an asset in protecting you from these and other invaders. But it turns out the immune system does a lot more than protect against microbes and infection.

When you’re feeling sick and just want to find relief, you trust that the prescription your doctor sends you home with is not only going to help you feel better but that it’s also safe. But a word of caution… there is a common antibiotic you need to think twice about if you take other medications regularly, even if your doctor says you need it, or you could end up with a heart attack.

The common cold is far from dangerous, but it still makes you miserable by walloping you with a cough, a headache, congestion, a low-grade fever and that awful fatigued feeling you get when you’re sick. But the next time you’re laid up with a serious cold, you have a big bright side to think about… colds may be able to prevent the more dangerous flu virus from infecting your airways…

People with stomach cancer (gastric cancer) often don’t show symptoms until the disease has reached advanced stages. The common bacterium H. pylori causes stomach cancer, but even if you carry this germ in your digestive tract, your diet can help keep you from falling victim, especially if you’re a fan of cranberry juice…

As we get older, some vitamins and minerals become especially important. We don’t process them as well and need to get more of them from our diet to protect ourselves from health complications that will make our golden years not so golden.

Researchers have known for a while that a case of the flu is hard on your heart. In fact, serious heart complications following recovery, even fatal heart attack, can occur. But until recently, they haven’t known exactly how prevalent the danger could be…

Research shows that about 1 in 10 people deal with negative effects after taking antibiotics. This could include anything from chronic diarrhea to the sudden appearance of allergies to issues with blood sugar. But of all the potential impacts antibiotics can have on your health, there’s one that’s starting to appear more common — and more serious — than all the others…

There are trillions of bacteria, both good and not-so-good, colonizing your gut. Now, researchers have uncovered the staggering extent to which those bacteria impact your health. It turns out bacteria are directly tied to specific diseases. Time to get serious about your microbiome…

A lot of people see all-natural honey-based cough medicines on the drugstore shelf and think they need something stronger and more serious to tame their cough. But that just isn’t the case. Not only do popular drug-based cough medicines come with more risks, but they’re also not nearly as effective as plain old honey, according to the latest research.

The COVID-19 pandemic combined with our usual cold and flu season is going to make this autumn one of the most challenging ones we’ve ever faced. We need all the help we can get, especially those of us on the mature side, since the immune system naturally weakens with age. Luckily, a new study shows that taking a multivitamin could offer some critical protection…

Obesity is a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses. But research reveals that being obese also increases the risk of becoming severely ill from a COVID-19 infection. And unfortunately, once a vaccine is developed, obesity is one factor that could lessen its effectiveness…

If you’ve wondered about the benefits of a flu vaccine, here’s something to consider… If you already get it every year, you’ll be glad to know you may be getting something else: protection from another, seemingly unrelated disease that can rob you first of your memories and then of your life.