Latest Stories

Depression is considered a serious mood disorder. But there’s a big difference between having a blue mood occasionally and being depressed. It’s not usually something you can just push through, and that’s just one reason to seek help. Another is the increased risk for stroke…

Polyphenols are a subset of phytonutrients that are especially “bioactive.” They’re known for drug-like effects in human health. Considering the plethora of nutrition in the Mediterranean diet, finding it’s helpful in cancer treatment is no surprise…

As we get older, our sense of balance can weaken somewhat. But if you’ve seen your balance worsen in a way that’s not gradual, something else could be going on. Here are twelve health issues that can make you less steady on your feet…

Is it any wonder that 80 percent of Americans living with osteoporosis are women? By nature, the odds are against us. And now we’re learning with every breath, it gets worse. Air pollution is eating away at our bones, but we’re not as helpless about it as it might seem…

When we think about weight loss, we think about dropping body fat. But when you lose “deep” fat, you drop risks for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Problem is, it’s a lot harder to get rid of than regular fat, unless you eat this green fruit daily…

If you think you don’t have time to exercise, you’re far from alone. The recommended amount of 150 minutes a week often stops people cold. What if, in the amount of time it takes to drink a cup of coffee, you could reduce several risks that often lead to an early grave?

It’s no secret that having a good sex life can make your whole life feel better, your relationships run more smoothly and boost your confidence. But problems can sneak into the bedroom that create more frustration than joy. Here’s a secret every man should know…

There are many proven reasons breakfast has earned the title of “most important meal of the day.” And the popular practice of fasting is proving yet another reason why: a chain reaction set off by inflammation that can make you sick easily and more often and set you up for heart problems…

Research has demonstrated the power of young blood to rejuvenate older bodies, making hearts and muscles stronger and minds sharper. But you can’t walk into your doctor’s office and ask to be hooked up to an IV of blood from a 20-year-old. Here’s what you can do…

Astrocytes are star-shaped cells in the brain that express receptors for hormones, including ghrelin, which signals hunger, and its counterpart, leptin, which signals fullness. But just 10 days of the wrong foods dismantles that whole system…

Given how deadly a heart attack or stroke can be, it helps to get as much advance warning as possible. But too often that’s not the case by the time the heart signals a problem. But there’s another part of the body where researchers have discovered a tell-tale sign that may save lives years in advance.

If you follow a few simple rules, you can drink tomato juice until your heart’s content (and your heart will be very content — and healthy — with lower BP and cholesterol!). That’s what people in this study did, and look how it worked out for them? Ready to give it a go?

Snoring, waking up gasping for air or with a headache in the morning and feeling tired and irritable are all signs of sleep apnea, a condition that affects more than 29 million Americans. A new study has found an easy way to reduce your risk of sleep apnea in under 20 minutes per day…

Will a banana a day keep heart disease away? Let me count the ways… bananas are high in potassium, a mineral that plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy heart. Without enough of this mineral, your heart and arteries simply cannot function the way they’re supposed to.

If you think forever chemicals are new, you’d be wrong. PFAS have been around since the 1940s. That means most of us have been around long enough for PFAS to have taken advantage of a vulnerable window of time when they set us up for disease later in life…

The health and longevity of people in blue zones is just one reasons for tons of research on omega-3 essential fatty acids. They’ve held an ancient secret that in today’s world is still proving they’re not only essential because we can’t produce them on our own, but good health depends on them.

Blood clots in response to an injured blood vessel. It’s a normal response even to a paper cut. As the bleeding stops, the clot is no longer needed and dissolves. Things don’t always go as planned, but who would have thought an artificial sweetener could make things worse…

You wouldn’t think being a spectator at a sporting event would have a positive impact on your health. But it does — at least when it comes to one sport in particular, whose fans could put just about anyone’s Fitbit score to shame…

Studies have shown that not sleeping enough and having irregular bedtimes and wake-up times can put your heart at risk. Now, researchers have connected the dots between poor sleep and a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke…

Chronic constipations affects more Americans than care to admit. If you’re one of them and reach for laxatives for relief, take a close look at the type and how many you use. Your future brain health may depend on it…

Over the years, we’ve learned more about how the health of your mouth can affect your entire body. But oral health risk factors that contribute to stroke prompted research into how caring for your mouth could save your brain from silent damage…

A daily spoonful of olive oil could tame a lot of health ills. But what makes it so healthy? For years polyphenols, phenomenal plant compounds, got all the glory. But a component that makes up almost 80 percent of olive oil’s composition is stepping forward…

If you’re age 65 or older and considering surgery, know your risks. Especially if the surgery is elective. You’ll need to weigh the chances of a newly recognized risk and what it could do to your life… against the potential benefits you’ll get from having the surgery. And it’s a threat your doctor may not be aware of yet…

The word “diet” conjures up images of deprivation, tasteless foods, and constant cravings for what we can’t have. But deprivation diets set you up to fail… unless you have willpower like Superman. Instead of starting a new “diet,” pledge to gradually change your “eating style,” and you’ll have greater success.

Strange as it sounds, obesity is a form of premature aging. But though that’s been well established, experts were still shocked to see how similar obesity-related neurodegeneration is to changes in an Alzheimer’s brain…

Ever hear the expression, “out of the frying pan, into the fire”? It means going from a bad situation to one that may be even worse. Like taking a drug linked to heart issues, bladder cancer and liver toxicity and giving it new life as an Alzheimer’s treatment.

Within each of us is a unique ecosystem of bacteria known as the gut microbiome. When it’s well-balanced, well-being flourishes. The same can be said for your social biome. And whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, helping yours thrive entails more than quality or quantity…

The ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling, swooshing and clicking of tinnitus can drive anyone crazy. And though doctors have tried for years to help, there’s been little known about the causes of the condition — until now. It turns out it could be sitting in your medicine cabinet at this very moment…

Inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, can be painful and debilitating, causing chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, bloody stools, weight loss and fatigue. If you’re in your 40s, certain medications can increase your risk of developing one…

Tinnitus can be caused by hundreds of health issues and external stimuli. But one recently identified source is something we’re all exposed to at one time or another — and it’s not-so-great news for people living in urban areas…

There’s no question obesity is a serious disease that’s spreading among Americans. And scientists are working overtime to find ways to treat it beyond the usual diet and exercise. One group of researchers may have found an answer hidden in a common vitamin…

Do you spend lots of time on your laptop or smartphone or binge-watching your favorite shows? If so, you could set yourself up for sleep trouble. Here’s why those screens are trouble, along with a simple solution for better sleep and sight…

Brushing and flossing your teeth is about far more than just avoiding cavities. In fact, the health of your mouth is tied to serious conditions from diabetes to heart disease. But until now, the reason wasn’t clear. Now researchers know it’s tied to a particularly powerful immune cell that, when hyperactivated, can circulate through your body to do major damage…

Asthma can be deadly. The symptoms include coughing, tightness in the chest and wheezing. Because there currently is no cure for asthma, management of the condition is the best our health care providers can offer. However, recent research is proving those treatments can come at a cost…

Some recent research has made me feel a lot better about my pretty minimal exercise program. The research insists that even a little bit of physical activity every day can improve health — but I was shocked at just how little could help me avoid disease and live longer…

Doctors and scientists have long suspected a link between Alzheimer’s and sleep apnea. What they haven’t known is exactly how similarly these two conditions damage the brain. Now, researchers have untangled the puzzle and why, if you’re living with sleep apnea, you need to make brain health your top priority right now…

Resveratrol may be great for your heart, but there’s another natural antioxidant that your body absorbs much more easily, and that does the same thing and more! Found in blueberries or supplements, it just may be the help your blood pressure is looking for…

When you have type 2 diabetes, managing your disease includes avoiding food that could cause your blood sugar to skyrocket. Going too low could also be a problem. But integrating dietary care into daily life could also be as simple as adding beverages shown to impact your health in a very positive way…

Triglycerides are not all that important for heart disease risk on their own. Rather they’re more significant depending upon the company they keep and whether they’re very high. The combination of low HDL and high triglycerides is a particularly worrisome profile. For that reason, let’s talk about how to get them lower…

Right now, costly therapy and questionable drugs are the approved treatments for OCD. But cannabis may hold potential for providing a break from the chronic cycle of obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors those struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder deal with on a daily basis…

Living with inflammatory bowel disease can make you feel like you’re on your own since the medical community hasn’t been able to agree on the cause or how to reduce your symptoms. Luckily, a new study has found the answer. It comes down to just one ingredient in a long list of foods to avoid.

One in four American households includes someone who suffers from migraines, and more than 90 percent of sufferers are unable to function normally during their attacks. Treatments have included drugs that don’t always help and advice on avoiding triggers. Thanks to research into the effect of light on migraine, there’s new hope…

CoQ10 is an essential nutrient that works like an antioxidant in your body promoting heart health, slowing down the effects of aging and powering trillions of your body’s cells. But a couple of factors are notorious for stealing it, including this list of common medications…

The debate about whether non-stick pans are safe or not has been ongoing for two decades now. While manufacturers will tell us they pose no health risks, researchers have sounded warnings about serious toxins directly linked to disease. Here are several factors that could influence how much of those toxins are leaching from your pans to your food.

Not getting enough quality sleep is linked to some heavy-hitting health problems, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer. But there’s a more immediate benefit to getting good sleep than preventing future illness: It’s proven to make life less difficult and more enjoyable right now.

These days, having a “bag of tricks” to help quiet your mind is indispensable. Not only that, but it can also help prevent all sorts of stress-related illnesses. Here are 10 things you can do when your mind is racing. See which work for you and keep them ready…

The use of proton pump inhibitors to treat acid reflux over a long period of time has been shown to produce some serious side effects, including bone fractures and gut infections. Now there’s another ailment long-term users of PPIs have to watch out for — diabetes.

Have you ever wondered why salt can lead to or worsen high blood pressure? Even stranger, why are young people less sensitive to salt’s effect on blood pressure? Curious researchers have found it comes down to slowed production of an anti-aging factor known as the Klotho protein…

When you read about supporting a healthy gut microbiome, bacteria may be stealing too much of the spotlight. That’s because your gut contains a lot of fungi too. And the type and amount of fungi in your gut could have just as big an influence on disease risk as bacteria do. In fact, fungi could even play a big role in your Alzheimer’s risk…

We’ve all heard about the many benefits of drinking green tea. But did you know that the polyphenolic compounds present in green tea have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties that promote healthy skin? Not to mention catechins that have potent therapeutic effects on various skin conditions. Grab your tea bags and start the bathwater…

Millions of Americans wake up every day to pain that won’t go away. From low back pain to arthritis, chronic pain engrains itself into the life of the sufferer. Now research has found that if you’re living with chronic pain, you might be facing something even worse, a dramatically higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Time to stop the pain…

LDL cholesterol is the cholesterol that’s parking in your arteries and causing blockages to build up. It is also the cholesterol that’s toxic to the lining of your arteries (the endothelium), increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Obviously it’s nasty stuff, so let’s talk about how to get less of it, and dispel some myths while we’re at it…

Prunes have been associated with constipation for so long that they’ve almost become a joke. But if you’re concerned about osteoporosis, you can stop laughing right now. Even in the worst of circumstances, like the bone loss that happens with spinal cord injury, prunes have shown incredible bone-saving power…

Obesity is associated with a long list of adverse health effects including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But research is showing that extra weight, especially around the middle, can not only shrink the brain but make recovery harder if you suffer a stroke or other brain injury.

Saying that exercise is good for your health is nothing new. But saying and doing are totally different things… Considering that the stakes are pretty high — including a longer life span — a comparison of different forms of physical activity has discovered which one best holds up its end of the bargain…

When you think about the fountain of youth, the first thing that comes to mind probably isn’t poop. But what if I told you, researchers now think it’s the key to halt age-related decline and preserve cognitive function? Ponce de León would roll over in his grave! Here’s how scientists are using it, why, and what you can do to get the benefits without the ick factor.

Do you often buy fresh veggies and fruits only to have them rot before you can eat them? The problem may be with some common mistakes most of us make when washing or storing them. Here are ten pointers on how to keep your produce fresh until you’re ready to eat it.

Did you ever paint by the numbers? When you have a guide to follow, anyone can be a Picasso, right? Did you ever wish eating better could be that simple? It can. You can put more nutritional value on your plate and fewer calories. Best part, no complicated diet plan to follow…

Endocrine disruptors are everywhere. In the clothes we wear, the furniture we sit on and the products we slather on our skin. They lurk, waiting to tip our hormones from a healthy balance and cause disease. Luckily, a brand-new study found a simple way to lower the levels of these disruptors in your body. ..

Generalized anxiety disorder is common, and in these difficult times, more of us are getting a taste of what it’s like. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the best treatments, but it can be difficult to access. And medication isn’t ideal for long-term use because of side effects. Luckily, there’s an easy way to relieve anxiety symptoms in the privacy and safety of your own home…