Latest Stories

Artificial sweeteners have a sordid past. Each time a new one is introduced, usually years later we see the detrimental effects. The newest kid on the block is no different: IBS, sepsis and insulin resistance, and you may never know you’re ingesting it…

If you’ve been told your total cholesterol is “borderline high,” you’re not alone. That’s a common scenario for about 85 million Americans. But what does that mean exactly? And should you be worried? The doctor says that depends on several factors…

Vitamin D has a long and enviable list of ways to maintain good health. But there’s a catch: If you’re not getting enough, its preventive benefits are beyond your reach. Research into ongoing deficiencies reveals the complexities of why you may have to get personal to maintain optimal levels.

Certain types of body fat are better than others. White fat isn’t one of them. Accounting for most of the body’s fat, it amounts to stored calories that if not burned, keep adding up. But brown fat ramps up metabolism and controlling it is in our reach…

Menopause is not fun. Hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain… it all adds up to a really unpleasant time. But researchers have identified three key elements that can relieve the worst symptoms, and know exactly why they work…

Exercise has proven itself as effective as medication at relieving depression symptoms and risk. But being depressed makes it hard to be motivated enough to commit to a regular routine. Fortunately, to benefit, it doesn’t take as much as you might think.

Caffeic acid is a component of coffee, and a growing body of research indicates it may be responsible for many of the health benefits on coffee’s growing list. The biggest are due to its unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier that make it a powerful preventive measure…

People who carry the APOEe4 gene have a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer’s. But it’s been a mystery why some carriers don’t develop disease. The secret lies in the blood-brain barrier, and a discovery that may finally open up a route for real protection…

Emotions like anger, sadness and anxiety have long been associated with heart attack. We often imagine one big event that pushes our emotions over the edge and sends us to the ER. But it’s the short bursts of anger you should be worried about unless you’ve already got some protection…

Sodium is an essential nutrient the body needs — but only in small amounts. The problem is in the typical American diet, there’s no shortage of it, and it doesn’t just raise your blood pressure. It may be the missing link that explains why stomach cancer rates are on the rise.

While you’re asleep, restorative processes take place. If your sleep is interrupted so are these important processes. That’s just one link between sleep trouble and blood sugar trouble research has identified, even when following a healthy diet…

Cancer doesn’t only strike humans. It can steal away the lives of our pets. In fact, one in three dogs will develop cancer in their lifetime. Research is revealing a strange factor that can make it more likely your dog will be one of the statistics — it’s a risk our pets share with us…

What if adding two specific foods to your day could not only help you drop pounds, lose inches and significantly lower your body mass index, but also rescue everything that’s wrong with your health? It sounds too good to be true, but these are the facts…

Research is learning more about the cellular hallmarks of aging — those that happen at a level we don’t see, but can sneak up and pull the rug out from under your feet. One of those is sarcopenia which can leave you frail and dependant, unless you drink a daily dose of trigonelline…

We’re hearing more about bird flu lately. The virus known for infecting poultry has jumped to cows, goats and even pets. Some experts also believe human transmission may be underreported. So, many of us are rightfully asking the question, “How concerned should I be?”

Loneliness is something we’ve all experienced at one time or another. Maybe a friend moves away, a loved one passes away or a co-worker leaves and your lunch buddy is now gone. For seniors, however, loneliness isn’t always short-lived. And we’ve learned it contributes to a deadly cycle…

Chronic musculoskeletal pain can impact your muscles, bones, joints and ligaments. It can be unrelenting, and research shows a surprising connection between this type of pain, inflammation and brain aging. An essential fatty acid may attack all three…

If you’ve been a lifelong smoker, you might question whether it’s even worth the trouble to give up the habit now. A fifteen-year-long study found how to quit so you can live nearly as long as someone who has never picked up a cigarette in their life…

If you’re tired of those deep purple and red splotches that happen with the slightest bump and make your skin look beat up and older than it should, there is an answer… and, it’s easier than you might think.

Every day we get reports about how to improve brain and heart health. But if you can’t breathe, it’s all for naught. With one of the biggest threats to your lungs around the corner, here’s the one supplement to boost healthy lung function…

A study aiming to understand what factors elevate risk in families susceptible to cancer ended up discovering a deeper mechanism linking an essential “energy consumption pathway” to cancer development. Here’s how it works and what activates it…

Everyone knows exercise benefits the heart. And we assume it’s because our heart muscle gets stronger and blood pressure, cholesterol and weight get lower. But there’s a key step that happens before that — and it starts in your brain…

After decades of research proving the many health benefits of olive oil, we’ve gotten the message. But it may be a little cloudy. To lower risk of heart and cognitive problems, cancer and risk of death with a spoonful a day or two, only one olive oil stands out…

Many people with fatty liver disease live a fairly normal life. But almost a third go on to develop an advanced form of liver disease, and experts have not understood why, until they made the connection to a key protective mechanism…

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that current treatments can only slow. But a missing link between B12 signaling and MS has the potential to fight neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, not only for MS but also for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s…

Prediabetes is a silent sign diabetes isn’t far behind. Watching weight, blood sugar and cholesterol could help you avoid it. But if you find yourself in prediabetes limbo, like 10 million other adults, researchers say a common vitamin could be a big help…

In my work, I see the data regularly and know that colon cancer has been on the rise for several years. As more and more research is being carried out to get to the root causes and slow the tide, a disturbing revelation may have just been found in a surprising place — the mouth.

Gaining tight control over your daily blood sugar levels by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, stressing less and getting good quality sleep, will all help control your morning readings. But there is one simple trick that may help even more…

The sympathetic nervous system is part of the involuntary nervous system that increases heart rate, blood pressure and also contributes to anxiety and depression. Finally research is realizing how heart disease, anxiety and depression can promote each other and worsen outcomes…

Having a pet is not only heart-warming, it’s good for you. So it’s only fair we protect our pets and keep them safe, too. This can be especially challenging during the holiday season. Here are more than a dozen tips for making the season safe for your furry friends.

Pain is often poorly understood until you realize that pain, depression and anxiety are frequent fellow travelers, thanks to a bi-directional feedback loop. If you only seek treatment for what’s happening in your muscles, joints and nerves, it could be a painful journey…

Summer is almost over. And with winter just around the corner, you’ll want to give up the one thing that can make you pack on the pounds like a hibernating bear. And no, it isn’t a stew or casserole that’s the culprit…

You may think poor vision simply raises your odds of bumping into things. Unfortunately, there may be more to it than that. A growing body of research indicates a strong link between vision problems and the development of a condition we all dread…

Garlic has been used medicinally for centuries. And modern research has found it can stand up to many strains of bacteria. But what about the common cold? Let’s see how it stacks up…

Parkinson’s disease can progress quickly, stealing bits and pieces of your life as it marches on. There’s no cure — only treatments. News of a study that has found potent Parkinson’s protection in your daily cup of coffee was a must-read for me…

The CDC recommends flu shots by the end of October. But for the last five years of available data, vaccine efficacy hasn’t breached 40 percent, and if you’re over 50, it was even less. Hopes are higher this year, but surviving flu season is best approached from multiple angles…

Nexletol® is a fairly new cholesterol-lowering drug. It works through the same enzymatic pathways as statins, but affects a different part of the pathway and doesn’t share the same side effect profile. It’s been touted as a great alternative for patients who can’t tolerate statins. But is it?

Time-restricted eating could mean skipping meals for a day. Or just eating every day during an 8 or 9 hour period. I like the latter. But one thing’s for sure: It could be one of the best things for your health, say scientists who saw how it effects 70 percent of genes…

We’ve all heard the health pros and cons of drinking alcohol, and that the more you drink, the more the cons tend to outweigh the pros. So, as long as you just have one drink a day, you’re okay, right? Not if you want to keep your blood pressure under control…

Fatty liver may be one of the most rampant problems of our time. It’s also a sneaky condition with few if any signs or symptoms until it progresses. It’s also highly preventable with the right lifestyle choices. But researchers believe a simple and inexpensive prebiotic can help a fatty liver slim down…

Are you exhausted, worn out and just plain tired? The problem could be a common medication, available over the counter or prescribed by your doctor, to help relieve stomach pain and indigestion. Problem is, it interrupts how your body turns food into energy…

Studies have shown it doubles weight loss, slows brain aging and brain atrophy and decreases liver fat. It could be the one diet to answer all our problems. Here’s how to go “green” for a big brain and slimmer waist and liver…

We’ve all heard about the benefits of exercise for lowering blood pressure. Simply walking on a regular basis promotes pliable blood vessels and arteries which in turn supports blood flow. But would you believe there may be an even easier way?

When you don’t have blood sugar problems, most of us don’t give our insulin levels a seond thought. But research has found that as we age, what’s happening in the brain can differ from what’s going on in the body…

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids your body can’t make. Without them, you could be in a world of hurt if you don’t consume enough, not just because they’re essential for life, but because research is zeroing in on how one in particular blocks pain signals…

Move over HIT, here comes VILPA, and if you’ve been beating yourself up for not exercising and missing out on benefits like a lower risk of cancer, find out how adding a little gusto to every day activities can lessen your risks of developing certain cancers up to 32 percent!

If you’ve not embraced olive oil yet, what’s the hold up? It’s packed with taste and health benefits that decades of studies are bringing to our attention. And what it can do to safeguard your brain keeps coming up again and again. Now, we can add reduced risk of death to the list…

Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal that is of no use to the human body. It’s a carcinogen, affects blood pressure and induces bone damage. And it’s difficult to avoid. But a large study just found another good reason why women especially should try hard to…

If your liver was in trouble, could you tell? Probably not. By the time you or the doctor might, liver disease has often progressed and caused damage. That doesn’t mean you just have to wait and wonder. In fact, there are two major reasons to get your liver tested…

Hold onto your wallet, because you won’t need an electronic step counter for this: Sure you already know walking is great for the health of your heart. But I bet you thought you’d need a lot more than 500 steps to make an impact like this…

It seems that too much advice only warns us off foods that are unhealthy, when all we need is some simple advice, including food swaps, that can help us choose what to put on our plates every day to avoid the number one killer of Americans and add years to our lives. Well, here you go…

Most of us think of age as the number of years we’ve been on the planet, but the truth is not so simple. No matter your chronological age, certain things in life can make you older than your biological years. Of those, we used to think smoking was the worst, but not anymore…

Low levels of vitamin D have been shown to go hand-in-hand with conditions ranging from osteoporosis and heart disease to Alzheimer’s. But there’s a mineral deficiency that could be working against all your best efforts to get enough of the valuable vitamin D your body needs…

We’re finding out that when it comes to chronic disease, when you eat may be as important as what you eat. Researchers are finding that an early breakfast may be key to reducing the risk of this common condition that sneaks up on far too many of us…

Who says you can’t have good times after 50? With a healthy body and a strong spine, the sky’s the limit. But if yours isn’t as supple and strong as it should be we’ve got age-friendly exercises and supplements to get your vitality back…

Certain factors can increase a person’s risks for heart trouble. Like a broken record, we’re warned to eat right, exercise and not to smoke to keep all our numbers low. But for diabetics there’s one risk factor that’s been found to worsen them all…

Whatever the time of year or our excuses, the weight we wanted to lose may still be hanging around — on hips, thighs and middles. Don’t feel bad. Even with the best laid plans, when trying to lose weight the odds are stacked against you — unless you know an inside secret…

As we age, our lean muscle mass declines, but that doesn’t mean we’re helpless to stop it. There are many reasons to preserve it. If you need one more, consider what research has found about its connection to Alzheimer’s…

Type 2 diabetes is considered preventable. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Other conditions can make it harder to reverse, including obesity, hypertension and metabolic syndrome. But there is quite a bit of published research that indicates an ancient seed could help…

Stiff arteries, a harbinger of heart disease, can happen for a few reasons. But mostly, it’s another age thing we just have to deal with. But research has found that for women at least, 2 modifiable factors can protect against it — at any age…