Latest Stories

Evidence keeps stacking up that the gut microbiome plays a strong role in MS. And recent findings reveal systems that may be manipulated for new treatments, perhaps with supplements that promote protective bacteria — without the side effects of medications.

As part of the brain’s reward system, the hormone dopamine contributes to feelings of pleasure, happiness and motivation. Low levels do just the opposite and may indicate serious neurological conditions. Here’s your mind and body on dopamine…

Mitochondria are tiny organelles that power our cells. Convention says they begin to slow down and kick off aging. But some ramp up, then burn out, taking your energy with them. Scientists have an answer that seems counterintuitive, but they say works…

You go to the doctor for your yearly check-up and say to him, “Doc, I want a pill that will make me stronger, smarter, healthier, disease proof, age-proof, thinner and with great skin and strong bones. Got anything like that?” In a perfect world, the doctor would say, “Yes, I do. It’s called vitamin D.” Here’s why…

If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may be operating under a false belief about your situation… You may believe that once you’ve crossed the line into type 2 diabetes territory, there’s no going back. You’re stuck with this disease for the rest of your life. But that’s far from the truth.

As someone who sits at her desk all day long, I’m a prime candidate for diabetes, heart disease and dementia. Obviously, my work day leaves only minutes to spare. But to lower blood pressure and blood sugar, that’s literally all I need…

There are many different types of dementia, but no cures. One type though, known for severe behavioral changes, has been found to be rooted in a cause that could be repaired, reversing the disease..

Each time I bring up the potato’s less than stellar qualities, it upsets some folks. I know you love your potatoes. I did too. But the science says that eating too much of this vegetable is just not good. Think Leaky gut, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome…

Hearing loss is often lumped in with a long list of age-related changes many of us have a high chance of experiencing. Unfortunately, it’s not always a benign condition. Trouble hearing could be an indication of a condition that leads to stroke…

Doctors prescribe statins to lower “bad” cholesterol and to lower risks for heart attack or stroke. But do we really need to take a drug that can elevate risks for diabetes, liver damage, and neurological and cognitive problems — especially if there is any doubt it’s not at all what it’s cracked up to be?

You probably already know there are two types of cholesterol: HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). HDL supports heart health and fights inflammation. But, when it comes to HDL, too much of a “good” thing may hurt your bones…

In the supermarket aisle that holds diet foods, you’ll find bars, shakes and an array of other processed foods that are supposed to help you lose weight. But there’s a superfood great for aiding your healthy weight efforts you’ll never find in that part of the store…

You can’t pick up a product these days without finding not only instructions on how to use it, but warnings on how not to, usually because one person did something most people with common sense wouldn’t dream of. Let’s talk about vitamin D and that guy…

Some dark chocolate brands, even organic ones, have been found to contain dangerous amounts of cadmium and lead, heavy metals linked to hypertension, kidney failure, nerve damage and more. Take precautions if your favorite is on the list.

Mountains of research and our doctors tell us a meat-heavy diet is a fast track to early death. But if you’ve embraced meatless burgers and other mock meat substitutes, you’re cheating your body of vital nutrition. It starts with ‘deception’ on the ingredient label…

Being kind to others feels good. But the benefits extend even further than that. Science shows acts of kindness have real effects that impact physical health, from depression to heart health. Check out these 5 you can get more of…

Fast food, offering tasty and effective transport of unhealthy fat, is horrible on the liver. And the heart. We’d be kidding ourselves to think we could give it all up completely and forever. But knowing where the point of no return is would be really helpful.

CBD products are growing in popularity. You can find tinctures, gummies and even topicals made from phytocannabinoids (pCBs). Topicals are non-intoxicating and include creams, balms and oils. One more thing you may want to know: they may be the next thing in anti-aging skincare…

Obesity can steal your heart health. Now, research shows it could steal your vision, too. Obesity appears to be a trigger that uses inflammation like fire on DNA and may be the reason some people get age-related macular degeneration and some don’t…

The neurons in the hippocampus, the brain area responsible for memory and learning, depend on brain-derived neurotrophic factor for their production and survival. But BDNF’s potential to halt cognitive decline and how to boost it is what should really interest you…

Stroke is a growing threat with age. In fact, after age 55 that risk doubles every 10 years. But people under 60 do have strokes. How can you know if that’s a probability so you can do your best to avoid it? See where your blood type stroke risk falls…

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: it’s important to keep your body hydrated for reasons like termperature regulation, waste elimination and much more. But its effects on sodium may be the best kept secret yet…

You’ve probably heard weight loss is 80 percent diet/20 percent exercise. So, if you want to lose weight, focus on cutting calories and complement that with a modest calorie burn in realistic daily workouts. But for maintaining the loss, the same rules may not work…

Blood tests are part of annual health physicals for most of us. Sometimes, though, tests may be needed beyond the basics, including more advanced and in-depth tests for disease risk profiling. Here’s your insider’s guide to blood tests…

There’s just no denying the power of a healthy diet to reduce disease risk. But the payout gets bigger when you stick with it, as in reducing your risk of early death, period. But there is still the stroke conundrum…

Is your doctor overlooking the most curable cause of high blood pressure? Nodules affect one-in-twenty people with the condition. Researchers found that a urine test and new scan help detect patients who come off all their medicines after treatment.

I still remember the last visit with the doctor I saw for my blood pressure problems. She took my blood pressure and then matter-of-factly told me: “I guess your high blood pressure is gone.” And I was taking exactly zero medication. She didn’t know why, but I did. I had given up…

There’s a one in four chance, unbeknownst to you, you’re living with a common liver condition, and it’s damaging your heart right now. Researchers are so concerned, they say we can’t view the heart and the liver as completely separate functioning organs any longer…

Sister André was a supercentenarian, someone who lives significantly beyond 100. When she passed at 118, it reignited a well-known longevity theory. You may think you know all about the French Paradox. But few know what it does for artery health is its best-kept secret…

Frailty increases risks for infection, disability and hospitalization. This makes preventing frailty a vital part of healthy aging. You may still be active, but there’s an easy way to know if frailty is sneaking up on you, in time to do something about it…

Based on available research, a ketogenic diet may be associated with improvements in cardiovascular risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes and HDL cholesterol levels. And now, it certainly looks promising as a nutritional intervention for heart failure.

Do you take your temperature and regularly find it hovering around 97 degrees? Or feel sure you have a fever only to find the thermometer reads a “normal” 98.6? There are several theories as to why this happens, but if you’re like me, you want to know if it’s anything to worry about. Here’s what we’ve found…

Shingles can strike anyone who’s had chickenpox, although older adults tend to be more susceptible. This painful, burning, itching rash takes time to heal. But you can relieve its symptoms through a number of natural means while waiting for it to disappear…

Taking a low-dose daily aspirin has been widely accepted for decades as an easy way to prevent a heart attack or stroke. But aspirin’s safety in prevention has been challenged over the last couple of years, and now it’s a call you should leave up to your doctor. Luckily an old test may provide new insight into whether it’s worth the risk for you or not…

While we tend to hear a lot about cancer of the lungs, breasts and colon, liver cancer tends to be ignored — kept as kind of a dirty little secret. Yet, deaths from the cancer are skyrocketing. But there is good news. A brand-new study has found a simple way to keep your liver healthy and decrease your risk of liver cancer dramatically. And it has to do with how much you eat.

ARDS is a dangerous respiratory condition in which the lungs’ ability to provide the body’s organs with oxygen is diminished. In the most severe cases of COVID-19, patients can progress to ARDS. While debate continues over which drugs may help patients the most, new hope is coming from an unlikely source…

If you’re a woman, simply not socializing enough can put your heart at as much risk as if you put on weight, regularly take medications with cardiovascular side effects or eat a lot of salt.

From preventing osteoporosis to shoring up your immune system, vitamin D is one of the most important supplements you can take. But most people are barely getting the minimum when there’s good reason to get more. To avoid frailty, stay strong, fit and active, higher amounts matter.

You may think of artificially sweetened beverages as a better alternative to sugar-laden drinks and a good way to avoid weight gain. Surely one is at least heart-healthier than the other, right? That’s not just wrong… it could be dead wrong.

For many years, omega-3s have been reported to be heart healthy. The Mayo Clinic recently quanitified that as a fact in a review of 40 clinical trials. And now we’ve learned that in the event of a heart attack, these fatty acids can make all the difference…

Colorectal cancer is most commonly treated with chemotherapy. But the most widely used chemotherapeutic agent is only effective in less than 30 percent of cases. More and more researchers are turning to nature to try to broaden the array of effective therapies, and one plant is stepping up to the plate…

Your doctor put it all on the line: Lose weight or have a heart attack. How would you do it? Diet? Exercise? Bariatric surgery? It’s a lot to think about, but the Cleveland Clinic has some pretty shocking information that may help you make up your mind…

Research has proven that small particles breathed in from polluted air are connected to Alzheimer’s. Now we’ve learned they can lead to Parkinson’s and motor neuron disease. This brain damage starts at an astoundingly early age because with every breath, aluminum, iron and titanium may build up in your brain…

People with type 2 diabetes are often told to avoid potatoes because they’re high on the glycemic index and thought to raise blood sugar. But a new study shows potatoes may actually be the starch of choice…

Research has indicated exercise may improve the prognosis of cancer, but experts haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly why. One theory was that exercise activates the immune system to support the body’s ability to prevent and inhibit the growth of cancer. Now researchers know why it works, and not just in mice…

We’ve seen plenty of research on brain plaques and tangles, the telltale signs of Alzheimer’s. But experts may have linked the disease’s beginnings to a surprising cause… one that bolsters a long suspected association with diabetes and increased risk for this mind-robber — sugar made in the brain.

Flavanols are natural antioxidants found in certain fruits and vegetables as well as tea and cocoa. They have well-researched benefits that just keep piling up, like substantially lowering blood pressure to help support arteries and prevent strokes.

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…

Have you been spending more time on your laptop or smartphone or binge-watching your favorite shows since the COVID-19 lockdowns began? If so, you could be setting yourself up for a danger no one expected from a pandemic. Here’s how those screens are putting your health at risk, 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…

We’re all wearing masks and keeping distance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. But continued research into coronaviruses is providing new ways to keep us safer. Since the virus significantly replicates in the throat and is expelled through the mouth, an unassuming product on your bathroom vanity may help lessen the spread…

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…