Latest Stories

Atrial fibrillation or AFib causes an irregular heartbeat. When blood pools in the atria (top chamber) of the heart, stroke risk increases. AFib is not the same as heart palpitations. Here’s how to tell the difference and the vitamin that may keep the condition at bay…

Sun exposure is a double-edged sword. The good side: vitamin D; the bad side: photoaging. But it goes deeper. Sun exposure can further throw a post-menopausal woman’s hormones out of whack, making her more vulnerable to significant health risks…

By age 50, up to 80 percent of women suffer with uterine fibroids. These non-cancerous tumors cause lower back pain, heavy bleeding, exhaustion, pain during sex, complications during pregnancy and bladder trouble. Research shows a tea habit may help…

The anthocyanins found in purple, blue and red plants pack a powerful punch against a host of inflammatory-related conditions and blood sugar issues. But researchers digging deeper into the impact of these powerful antioxidants have discovered an interesting quirk as to why they’re so effective at reducing diabetes risk…

Electronic screens expose your eyes to the damaging effects of blue light. But what many don’t know is, the sun is a significant source of blue light and, just like UV rays, blue light prematurely ages your skin. But unlike UV rays, sunscreen can’t protect you…

It’s a lab-made chemical originally used to help treat certain skin conditions. It’s similar to a hormone produced naturally by our bodies that increases production of skin-darkening pignments. But it’s a killer tan that you want to avoid at all costs…

You’ve heard it time and again: eat healthy to protect your cardiovascular health. Yet stroke is the one cardiovascular condition that doesn’t seem to be influenced by diet. So, what can you do? The answer is another lifestyle factor (not exercise) that affects us all at one time or another…

There are many good reasons to maintain a healthy weight. And most of them are on a long list of dangerous conditions. But it’s actually a health issue no one’s sounded an alarm about yet that may put anyone dealing with obesity in the danger zone…

Much research has connected artificial sweeteners to not-so-sweet health issues, while health agencies continued to maintain their safety. It’s no wonder we’re confused. Now a recent declaration by a leading global health body has only made things murkier about this possible carcinogen…

Sleep is essential to our well-being. But we’re still learning how it helps prevent disease. One surprising finding? Deep-sleep brain waves reboot the body’s sensitivity to insulin, resulting in a more effective control of blood sugar the next day…

Are you destroying your wellness with the food you buy at the supermarket? Learn about the seven deadly ingredient sins you may be unknowingly committing when you fill up your cart at the grocery. By purchasing health-promoting foods, instead, you can help your heart and lower your risk of cancer. Here’s how to make those crucial supermarket aisle decisions.

There’s no question arsenic can be poisonous in large amounts. But are the small amounts we’re exposed to over time in rice and drinking water really that bad for us? Research points to yes. In fact, a recent study has underscored the connection between arsenic exposure, insulin production and sensitivity and type 2 diabetes…

Remember that super sexy foodie scene from the steamiest movie to come out of the late 80s — 9 1/2 Weeks? In “that” scene, the two romantic leads share some sensuous snacks, including grapes and strawberries, while sitting in front of an opened refrigerator. But do you know what was missing?

Menopause can be a nightmare of hot flashes, depression and fatigue. Luckily, there is an answer in a 10,000-year-old traditional Chinese practice that has helped many women overcome these challenges and reduce the severity of menopausal symptoms…

Brain shrinkage is linked with aging and cognitive decline. So the more we know about pumping up the volume, the better. Despite research linking the habit to health problems, going down for a nap may be the easiest way to keep your brain volume up…

For most, the common bacteria H. pylori has no symptoms. But for some it leads to all sorts of gastric problems, like heartburn, indigestion, gastritis and gastric cancer. Now, research has found a troubling factor that can ramp that cancer risk way up…

More than four out of five CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, which is why doctors pay such close attention to warning signs like blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But it looks like there’s another important level they should be paying a lot more attention to…

Numerous studies indicate that alcohol and a disease-free life just don’t mix. But is something about beer different? It’s been tied to fewer infections and blood clots and less inflammation. And now we may know the secret behind its health-promoting benefits…

Besides a long list of side effects, antidepressants don’t always work, have been linked to dementia and cause weight gain. But according to a comprehensive review, there’s a free solution that works better than medication and the only ‘side effects’ are health and happiness…

Once diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, there’s little that can be done. That’s why prevention and slowing progression has been the main focus of research. But one early symptom already has a well-researched solution that could be the intervention we’ve been looking for…

St. Augustine, Florida, is said to be where Ponce de Leon discovered the legendary fountain of youth. If you’re looking for a lovely vacation, St. Augustine is a great choice. But if you’re looking for your own fountain of youth, how about an option heavier on science than myth…

No one wants to think they’ll have a stroke. The fact is, in the U.S., one occurs every 40 seconds, and someone dies of a stroke about every three minutes. But multiple studies show one habit can help you not only survive stroke but increase your odds of a full, unimpaired recovery.

Since the heart-diet hypothesis introduced in the 1950s scared most of us off of animal fats, the FDA and AHA have assured us vegetable oil is a beneficial alternative. But there’s a dark side to a major component of vegetable oil, and you probably didn’t even know you were eating it…

It’s the most common cancer of the female reproductive system, yet there’s no screening test to detect uterine cancer. That’s why knowing these symptoms and risk factors is so important, especially if you’re over 50 when your risk is highest.

If it’s not shocking enough that dementia kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, how about this… you may be taking a common medication right now that increases your risk of developing dementia by as much as 50 percent!

If you still cringe at headlines about fitness and health, you may think the benefits only apply to elite athletes. You’d be wrong. A 9-year study on almost 650,000 average Joe’s has proven you can pick the level you can commit to and make a dent in your dementia risk…

At least 9 million deaths worldwide each year are caused by pollution. And more than 60 percent of those deaths are linked to cardiovascular diseases. With numbers like these, researchers are working to identify the worse offenders and they’ve come up with three to watch out for…

Inflammatory bowel diseases affect millions of people, and though the exact causes are not fully understood, here’s a clue that’s hard to ignore: the most commonly used artificial coloring in American grocery items has already been banned in most of Europe for reasons you should know.

What do you think is the dirtiest place in your house? The bathroom or the bedroom? Both have their issues, but if you guessed bathroom, you’ll be shocked to learn a germ-filled slumber can expose you to an exponentially higher risk of dangerous bacteria…

While lifestyle changes can help defeat blood sugar problems, they’re not easy to stick to. But, if you’re still able to manage your condition without resorting to medication, you’d probably like to keep it that way. Here’s a tip researchers say will help…

Many supplements claim to enhance sports performance and even muscle gain. But what if you want to maximize your fat burn without mazimizing your workout? If that’s the case, there’s household machine you should crank up before your next workout.

It’s no secret that nutritious food, exercise and a low-stress lifestyle can add up to a longer, healthier life. But is that enough? It doesn’t have to be, when research has uncovered a treasure trove of nutrients that can help. And now they’ve found you can boost their effectiveness by taking them at the right time.

A little hair loss is natural — we lose about 50 to 100 hairs from our heads every day as part of the normal hair growth and turnover cycle. If you’re losing far more than that, there could be a number of reasons. Could stress be one of them? Here’s what a Harvard study found…

If you’ve given up the guilty pleasures of a perfectly cooked steak, dripping rich juices, butter melted just perfectly onto your biscuits… or your favorite cheeses, hold up. Research has revealed that not only is the evidence against saturated fats weak at best, those fats may even be vital to our health.

Chemicals have been developed to make our lives easier and safer. But is that always the case? More and more studies are finding it’s not. In fact, something as innocuous as the dust in your home can pose a cancer threat, thanks to chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system.

If you’re at risk for heart disease, you may be avoiding meat, especially red meat, and eating more vegetables, per doctor’s orders. While more of the green stuff is always a good idea, a 10-year study has found some good news for meat lovers: All meat isn’t off the board — just this group found to significantly raise the danger risk for your heart.

When you’re anxious, your heart rate and blood pressure go up. The function of your arteries is also temporarily impaired. So, what can you do other than try to Zen out or medicate? Tantalize your taste buds with the drink that wards off stress-induced cardiovascular events.

There are a number of reasons people diet, but if you had to narrow them down, they’d probably all fit in two categories: to lose weight and to improve a health condition. What if you want it all?

Most people don’t know that obesity doesn’t just place a strain on your body, but on your brain as well that can set you up for Alzheimer’s. Maintaining a healthy weight can lessen the risk, and it may be a little easier with the one nutrient that feeds your brain and helps you lose weight.

Keeping your teeth and gums clean can go a long way toward protecting the health of your whole body, including your heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. In fact, good oral health has been linked with an important measure of heart health: your blood pressure…

Things change with age. But you don’t have to settle for poor blood vessel health, high blood pressure, and senior moments just because a few extra years have passed — not when you know how to kick up production of an important compound that can get things going in the right direction in as little as 10 days.

If you’ve been discouraged with results after dieting, the problem could be your gut bacteria. Researchers identified a pre-diet step that boosts the benefits of
a healthy diet and helped participants lose weight, get control of their blood pressure and even cut down or eliminate BP medication.

Chances are, if you’re 65 years of age or older, you’re currently taking at least one prescription drug that could cause a dangerous fall, a hip fracture, head trauma and worse. Coinciding with the rise in medication is the rate of death from falls. Here’s a list of the worst offenders…

While research shows going vegan could help you lose more weight, ward off type 2 diabetes, and even protect against certain cancers, the news isn’t all roses. If you go vegan and aren’t careful, your bones can suffer. Research shows three nutritional deficiencies leading to trouble…

Have you been told that belly fat is just part of menopause? It took a female doctor to realize that only about half of women are plagued with weight gain at this time in their lives. So she dug in and found out what else was contributing to that extra weight…

One of the complications that comes with heart failure is a “reduced ability to exercise.” After all, it makes sense that if your heart isn’t pumping as well as it should, it would be harder to go for a run. But a growing body of research is showing that exercise may be exactly what’s needed.

Exercise can help you “keep on keeping on” so you can enjoy your favorite activities into your golden years. But recently, researchers found out it can also spur your liver into producing a protein that could help preserve your cognitive abilities as you age.

Your home can be even more polluted than the air outdoors, given the chemicals lurking in household objects like furniture, rugs, window coverings and even scented candles. Living without all of these things may seem impossible, but a good start would be to switch out the one biggest contributor to toxic air and dust in your home.

Following a heart attack, there’s a lot of fear. No one wants to risk going through that experience again. But movement is essential to improving qualtity of life after a heart attack. A simple technique with loads of other proven health benefits is also proving to help survivors get back in the saddle again.

Intermittent fasting is linked to everything from weight loss to reduced inflammation and the improvement of conditions associated with diabetes, like insulin resistance and A1C levels. But starving yourself for hours may be unnecessary if you get your breakfast timing right…

Identifying cancer can be a difficult, time-consuming and expensive process requiring different tests, exams and scans. Researchers are looking to make the process more efficient by using artificial intelligence to help identify cancer cells by their altered pH levels…

Brush and floss at least twice a day. It’s advice you’ve heard all of your life. But sometimes things get in the way of caring for your mouth the way you should. But if you let your dental hygiene slip, the risk goes beyond gum disease.

Going keto or carnivore may be trendy these days and have benefits for certain conditions, even though they leave out a lot of healthy foods. But what about lowering your stroke risk? Researchers are finding those healthy foods may give you the most protection against stroke…

More American adults die of heart disease each year than from any other cause, with cancer a close second. It seems like a lot of work to try to avoid both. But is it? Research shows just trying to avoid one of these killers can protect you from both.

Bladder leaks are embarrassing and can really cramp your lifestyle. But as common as the problem is, it’s not easy to talk about. Worse, some women accept urinary incontinence as something they just have to tolerate. That doesn’t have to be the case…

Normally, blood pressure follows a daily rhythm. It rises higher during the day and falls at night when we sleep. But what does it mean if you consistently have higher blood pressure at night than during the day? You could suffer from reverse dipping and face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

Trying to avoid fat in your diet isn’t easy. But avoiding hidden sugars is next to impossible. Here’s some incentive: A surprisingly small amount of sugar daily can cause your body to go into fat production overdrive and steer you into diabetes or fatty liver disease.

Not only are hibiscus flowers beautiful, but they are also very good for your health. Loaded with more antioxidants than even green tea, hibiscus can help attack the inflammation that’s the root cause of many diseases. In fact, researchers are exploring its use in the group of conditions known as metabolic syndrome…

When you eat foods that are not organic, not only are you being cheated of more healthful nutrition that should fight disease, you may get a dose of a toxin that’s stealing your sleep hormone and increasing your risk for metabolic disorders, like diabetes.

A diagnosis of heart disease is a serious wake-up call. Some people heed that call, while others wonder if the diagnosis is the beginning of a downward spiral they have little control over. Well, a very large study has proven it doesn’t have to be, as long as fish is part of your diet…