Latest Stories

Genes have come to the forefront of research into obesity, adding a layer of complexity. A study into one gene sheds light on the thyroid, a small organ with big influence on the repression and enhancement of gene activity…

Women are fortunate that, for most of their lives, heart problems are of little concern. That changes in menopause, when it becomes a significant threat. Four factors can increase the danger, but one in particular needs addressing sooner than later.

Summertime is here and that means markets across the country are once again selling that sweet, juicy fruit kids and adults alike wait all year for. And we’ve got good news: If you eat watermelon, you’re getting much more than a tasty treat…

Diverticulitis is a painful inflammation of the colon that becomes more common after 50. But diet, lifestyle and some conditions can increase your odds. If not treated, complications can be life-threatening. Here’s what to know…

Low testosterone and aging are often blamed when men have trouble in the bedroom. But a six-year study shows an unrelated health problem, easily remedied, may actually be the impetus for a man’s sexual health decline…

Given that it’s a normal physiologic process and not a disease, women are expected to just endure menopause and get on with it. But misery is not “normal,” and neither is accepting the harm it does to your health…

Superfoods get their reputation because they’re nutrient dense and do for your body what it normally takes a variety of other foods (in copious amounts) to do. Or because they contain that “one amazing” ingredient, like the natural answer for your sinus problems…

In the last two decades, there’s been a significant increase in deaths from obesity-related ischemic heart disease. Let’s talk about why obesity drives heart problems, the type of fat that does the most harm, who’s most affected and what to do about it…

The cause of Alzheimer’s is elusive. But studies that find an association with certain conditions or practices provide clues for prevention. The more we learn about what causes brain shrinkage, the more healthy habits we can adopt to keep it healthy and plump as long as possible.

Even if you don’t play golf, but have a golf course in your neighborhood, you’ll want to pay attention to this. You could face more than double the risk of developing Parkinson’s, and it may start in your groundwater…

With the incidence of leaky gut and celiac disease on the rise, people are left suffering as doctors struggle to get to the root of the problem. Luckily, researchers are shining a light on how leaks form in the gut lining, providing hope for treatments that work…

Does a cloud of gloom descend on your Sunday nights? There’s a biological reason for that. Our complex relationship with Mondays is deep-seated and dangerous and poses a real health threat, even after we’re retired…

Prostatitis is a common condition that can cause pelvic pain, urinary issues and sexual problems. In addition to conventional treatment, here are six ways to deal with a prostatitis flare up.

Never leave a doctor’s office until you’re satisfied with the answers you get. A misdiagnosis can happen more often than you’d think, especially if you present with symptoms linked to conditions doctors frequently dismiss…

Discussing vaccines can put people on opposites ends of the spectrum, but if you’re somewhere in the middle and you’ve been thinking about the shingles vaccine, a growing connection to dementia may be the deciding factor for you…

When we think about heart health, bones usually don’t come to mind. But growing research shows a powerful connection: the same choices that impact your heart can affect the strength of your bones…

With age, skin cell production declines, resulting in thinner, paler and less elastic skin, which contributes to the signs of aging, as well as the bruises and cuts that take longer to heal. A vitamin could reactivate the genes essential for skin renewal…

Statistically, becoming an intensive care patient means you’re more likely to die. Researchers have found a unique way to identify those patients at greater risk so they can turn that around. But it starts before you end up there…

PFAS are “forever chemicals” that poison your drinking water and sneak into your body via furniture, clothing, take-out and dental floss, too. They’re hard to avoid. And now we know how they cause disease: by destroying the most important parts of our immune system…

There’s just something about the world’s most popular beverage. And this time it’s too good to pass up, especially if you’re a colon cancer survivor or just looking for that special ingredient to live your longest best life…

Obesity has been linked to cognitive decline, even Alzheimer’s, but researchers questioned if it really was the weight, which can take years to gain, or the high-fat foods harming the brain. In just three days, they had their answer.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has no known cause and no known cure. But scientists are seeking to change that. Their explorations into AMD’s mechanisms have uncovered a surprising link between AMD and heart disease….

You might be surprised that a cardiologist has something to say about colon cancer. But we’re seeing a parallel: what causes heart disease earlier in life may also be a setup for aggressive colon tumors.

One factor related to cognitive decline is brain shrinkage, also known as brain atrophy. As brain size decreases, connections between brains cells are lost and that leads to problems with thinking skills, memory and even performing daily activities, But a Japanese diet may keep your brain plump and sharp…

Chronic fatigue syndrome has puzzled doctors for decades. People with the debilitating condition have felt left out in the cold and worse, told “it’s all in their head.” But several recent studies have found that low blood levels of an important nutrient may be to blame…

Women in menopause tend to lose interest in sex. Considering it can become painful, that’s no surprise. What is surprising is that a “pleasure prescription” may be just what’s needed to overcome this challenging time of life…

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has millennia of evidence backing up its remedies. Which is why when searching for the next cancer breakthrough, researchers have turned to an unusual medicinal herb with a solid reputation for acting against cancer cells…

Metabolic syndrome can lead to serious trouble impacting different organs in the body. But it’s the combination of diabetes and obesity that can wreak significant harm on the liver. Here’s what you need to know…

After climbing for decades, it looked as though human longevity had hit a ceiling. But sometimes you can accidentally trip a switch that triggers a protective mechanism. When you drink coffee, it’s an ancient longevity switch hidden in your cells.

Medications for four categories of conditions make it difficult for the body to handle hot weather by reducing its ability to sweat or increase blood flow to the skin. That can result in heat-related illness or increase risk of heart attack. Are your meds on this hot list?

When the word “benign” appears before essential tremor it implies “not harmful.” But the word “mild” before “cognitive impairment,” doesn’t mean you’re only “mildly” losing your memory. It can get worse, and a surprising association with tremors is why you need to know that…

Most of us still aren’t eating enough fruit. That’s why in a crunch you may reach for a “made with real fruit” alternative. But how much fruit is really there is anyone’s guess. The only thing for sure is the added sugars. Here’s how to tell the good from the bad choices…

While most of us probably think that Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS is genetic, the truth is 90 percent of people who get the disease have no family history. But research has honed in on the toxic secret driving ALS and the sex-specific link…

When you fall asleep tonight, the dishwasher in your brain will turn on. It won’t keep you awake while it silently washes out metabolic waste left from the fuel your brain needs to run on. But if you’re not sleeping well and your neurons aren’t up to the task, waste buildup could spell trouble…

Exercise isn’t easy, even if you’re young, fit and healthy. But it can get even harder with age. If you’re worried about your blood pressure but find exercise difficult, you can still lower your numbers practically as much simply by sitting less…

Polyphenols may keep cardiovascular and neurodegenerative conditions at bay, but how they do what they do in the body has been a mystery, until now. Researchers have nailed it down and provided a nice list of benefits you don’t want to miss out on and the foods that supply them.

Some of us are healthy agers, while probably a lot more of us are rapid agers. Being in the latter group means your body is much older than your driver’s license may say. What if a blood test could clue you in to heading off that destruction and deterioration?

Living with mild cognitive impairment can keep you up at night wondering if memory lapses are just that, or if they will progress. In other words, if you have MCI how likely are you to develop Alzheimer’s and will you or family members be able to see it coming?

Is feeling old keeping you from doing the things you want to, even the things you once enjoyed? Studies have shown that “feeling” can have a real impact on your health. Here’s how to ditch it and start feeling younger overnight…

For far too long, too many misconceptions about eating eggs have had us second-guessing: Are eggs good for us or as bad as they say? Fortunately, attitudes are changing and research like the latest shows giving up eggs can lead to cracks in your health when you need them most…

Rheumatoid arthritis comes with a 50 percent higher risk of fatal heart problems. That makes it less surprising that people with RA often have high blood pressure. Luckily, research found a solution with benefits that accumulate for long-term blood pressure reduction.

The colon is the last stop in your digestive system, so it stands to reason that food can significantly impact the risk of colon cancer, especially red and processed meats. But new research shows why that risk is even higher for some of us, and how we can take it down…

Sometimes if you have leg pain, the cause is obvious. But there are times when you may not be sure what’s going on. And whatever the source, no one wants to suffer through pain, wondering if the cause is anything serious or not. Here are 10 reasons you could be experiencing leg pain…

Prostate cancer therapy hasn’t provided many choices other than surgery or radiation. And given the life-altering side effects those options cause, it’s time for some good news — as in less-invasive and fewer side effects…

There are multiple factors that can contribute to high blood pressure that are reversible. The ones that come to mind include excess weight, smoking, inactivity and poor diet. But have you considered the impact of anxiety, stress and depression on your numbers? Here’s why you should…

Men and women are different in many ways, including heart disease: Men may have the higher risk, but women face a higher rate of mortality. But women have an unfair advantage that can reduce that risk as much as 30 percent with much less effort than men…

For most allergy sufferers, spring can be absolutely miserable. If you’re tired of antihistamines that put you to sleep, give these natural allergy remedies a go, and watch out for the dehydration factor that can make your symptoms worse…

A lot of things can impact a man’s ability to achieve an erection, including age and health. But there’s another factor that you may not have considered — and it involves an increasingly popular activity common among young and old alike…

The idea of suffering a stroke is a scary one. And what makes it even scarier are the potential long-term consequences. Researchers have known a link exists between stroke and higher dementia risk, but now they know that risk triples in a surprisingly short period of time…

For many people dealing with type 2 diabetes, kidney problems will crop up. Diabetes injures the kidneys, keeping them from cleaning the blood properly. But if you can eliminate one food compound you’ve likely never heard of, you might stop that threat in its tracks…

When it comes to living healthy in a polluted world, most of us will go out of our way. That may mean choosing organic produce or grass-fed beef. But when it comes to green cleaning, it looks like most of us are paying a premium for a false sense of security.

The menopausal transition usually begins between 45 and 55. But a growing threat has been connected to rapid ovary aging as much as 10 years before a woman’s last period. Speeding up the biological clock is one thing, but harsher menopause symptoms and a higher risk for heart disease is another…

A sleep divorce may not sound like a good thing. But sleeping separately could be great for your relationship. Here’s what experts say about the pros and cons and how to approach it so it’s a successful strategy for you, your partner, your relationship and your health.

Most of us know that metabolic syndrome encompasses several conditions and is sort of a stern warning to get your “house” in order or face the serious threat of heart disease. But the worse metabolic syndrome gets, the worse your cancer risk gets too…

Plaque buildup clogs arteries and can lead to stroke and heart attack. This nasty mixture consists of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste, calcium and fibrin. But a shocking new ingredient seen in surgically removed plaques may make them even more dangerous.

Microplastics are inescapable. They invade pretty much every system in the body and ferry other toxins in. But when they’re in our food and water what can we do? Reduce them by 90 percent right in your kitchen, no special equipment needed…

Most people stretch to warm up cold muscles before they jump into some heavy-duty exercise. But what if stretching IS exercise? Check mark! And even better: what if it reduces arterial stiffness at the same time it reduces stiffness in your body, and helps you live longer?

Statins are commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol. But while it may seem like a no-brainer to take a medication your doctor says will reduce risk of heart attack or stroke, you could be increasing the danger to your brain…

The particular phytochemical compounds blueberries contain, known as anthocyanins, have been shown to decrease dementia risk and increase blood flow to the brain. But you can imagine how excited researchers were to see changes in just 6 months — and they weren’t even fresh berries!

Sugar may taste sweet. But its health impacts are anything but. And artificial sweeteners have lots of problems of their own. The best advice? Unless you want to risk AFib and stroke, quench your thirst, not your sweet tooth…