Latest Stories

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…

Phthalates are colorless, odorless “everywhere” chemicals. They go by a host of names, but they’re all endocrine-disrupting chemicals. From thyroid to menopause trouble, women are hardest hit. Now, they’re why you can get diabetes from your shampoo…

Before you head off to the nail salon, there’s something you should know. Gel manicures may look lovely but they expose you to a very real danger. Just like the sun and tanning beds, those nail dryers pack a serious punch of UV radiation…

Exercise is one of the most powerful anti-aging tools we have. But even though physical activity can improve health during aging, evidence also shows that inevitably those beneficial effects decline. Research shows with the right intervention, they may not have to…

If you’re one of the 80 percent of people who suffers from low back pain at one point or another, there’s something that you need to know before you see your doctor: the prescription they want to give you probably won’t work. Even worse, while it does little to nothing for your pain, the drug could lead to problematic or even dangerous side effects…

It’s no surprise that women’s bladders get weaker. And Kegel exercises have long been recommended to improve pelvic floor strength and relieve bladder leaks. But that didn’t always work well enough until they added a second step…

Weight loss has never been easy. That’s why Wegovy sounded like a fairy tale. In truth, it’s a cautionary tale of miserable side effects, disrupted hormones, a black box warning and rapid weight gain that doesn’t live up to the hype for everyone.

Everyone has trouble sleeping occasionally, with the most common causes being stress, anxiety and depression, neurological problems and pain. But there’s another group of middlemen that can make sleep tough, and they reside in a surprising part of your body…

Nuts are givers of great health. Almonds have been called the world’s most nutritious nut. Walnuts have been known to crackdown on chronic disease. And pistachios have been hailed as natural weight loss helpers. But what is the best nut for lowering cholesterol? The one that dropped numbers significantly lower than exercise intervention…

There are a few differences between Americans and Europeans. But one of the biggest differences is the food we consume. Take dangerous food additives. Here is a handful that have been banned in Europe, but are still fed to us, starting with your morning toast…

Did you know habitual tea drinkers have lower BMI and waist-to-hip ratios, and less body fat than non-tea drinkers? In addition, teas offer protection against many of the health risks associated with being overweight. Here are six that top the list…

Cognitive decline can lead to dementia, and dementia is irreversible. But if you keep your intake of sodium low and your potassium intake high enough to support blood flow through the brain you might just avoid it…

You may have heard the phrase “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” This holds for many health conditions, like heart disease and diabetes. But few of us realize this wise adage applies to protecting the skin from UV damage too…

What if you could hold a simple device to your eyes each morning, look into it for several minutes and improve your vision? This isn’t science fiction, but the next possible step in turning back the clock, so at 70 years old you might see as well as you did at 40…

I have a medicine cabinet packed with different vitamins and supplements. But, of all of them, there is one that is by far the most important. Without it, your risk of metabolic syndrome and heart attack, stroke and diabetes goes up considerably, not to mention cancer…

Your cells accumulate toxic, damaged material as you age. A cell cleaning process called autophagy removes this toxic junk, but it happens less frequently with age. The more junk your cells accumulate, the faster you age. In comes a compound found in certain foods that helps make cells new again…

There’s no denying how unpleasant food poisoning caused by salmonella can be. The good news is that the symptoms are usually gone after a few days. But for some, the infection can cause long-term gut problems of the worst kind…

After a long stretch of sleepless nights, it can be very tempting to reach for a prescription or over-the-counter sleep aid. But research keeps stacking up indicating that could be the worst move you could make for the health of your brain…

Like a lot of people in their 50s, I’ve had my fair share of “senior moments.” But I couldn’t help but wonder if I was experiencing something more concerning. Here’s how you can tell the difference and experience those senior moments less and less…

One of the symptoms of long COVID is crushing fatigue, the kind that, even though the virus has cleared the body, makes it feel almost impossible to get back to normal activities. But two nutrients were found to turn that around in a short period of time…

When inflammation becomes an unwanted guest, chronic conditions, including autoimmune disorders, could join the party. Luckily, sending inflammation packing may be as easy as taking your coffee with milk to double down on one powerful ingredient…

Gallstones are tiny, hard “pebbles” made of cholesterol. They’re usually very small but can grow to several centimeters, causing pain and sometimes, medical emergencies. Here are some tips to make it less likely you’ll get them…

If you’re over 40, you’re fighting an uphill battle to keep sarcopenia from stealing your muscle mass. But what most people don’t realize is the gradual deterioration of muscle increases the risk of diabetes, heart attack and dementia…

A toilet plume brings to mind a world of nasty carrying all sorts of germs. But are we getting paranoid about these kinds of things? A video made by engineers shows how far those germ-filled droplets can reach, and it’s shocking…

You may be familiar with tremors as a symptom of Parkinson’s. But in working to identify the earliest symptoms, researchers are finding that some signs appearing years before a diagnosis is made are, surprisingly, not neurological in nature.

In the years from 2000 to 2019, Alzheimer’s deaths increased by 145 percent. A missing piece of this puzzle may be a once-vilified source of an essential nutrient that plays a vital role in memory and brain support…

Studies into vitamin D have produced mixed results. Take the VITAL trial that saw reductions in cancer deaths and autoimmune diseases with vitamin D up to 40% in some people, and minimal results in others. Now we know why: it’s not a one-size-fits-all vitamin.

When you’re feeling sick and just want to find relief, you trust that the prescription your doctor sends you home with is not only going to help you feel better but that it’s also safe. But a word of caution… there is a common antibiotic you need to think twice about if you take other medications regularly, even if your doctor says you need it, or you could end up with a heart attack.

Does a normal weight protect you against adverse health outcomes even if you don’t eat particularly well? And what if you’re obese? Is your outcome equally poor regardless of what lands on your plate? A 17-year study may have finally helped us get the answer that most of us have been struggling with. And it may be the most freeing news you get all day…

If you have diabetes, you’ve probably wrestled with sleep issues from time to time. Diabetics often have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep and often do not get enough sleep as a result. But even people without diabetes often struggle to sleep well. So is it any worse of a problem for diabetics? Research shows being a night owl or an early bird certainly affects disease management…

Not all fat is created equal. In fact, some fat deposits, like the ones around your abdomen, can be far more dangerous to your health than the fat padding your hips and thighs. This abdomen fat skyrockets your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Now, new research has found a way to lose that fat in just eight weeks without starvation or exercise.

Turmeric is a spice used in curry. It has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat any number of conditions. Recent research confirms that it’s also a good substitute for dangerous NSAIDs if you suffer from the knee pain of osteoarthritis.

A 54-year-old man in Massachusetts died after his heart stopped suddenly. The cause? Eating too much black licorice over the course of a few weeks. How could overindulging in candy cause someone’s heart to stop? Well, it turns out black licorice contains a compound that can trigger high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and put your life in serious jeopardy…

Having cancer is scary. But the word “chemotherapy” can be just as worrisome for different reasons, including dreadful side effects like nausea, vomiting, hair loss, weight loss, fatigue, anemia and infection. Perhaps the worst, though, is when cancer becomes resistant to chemo. What then? Well, research shows a Chinese herb is proving a potent helper in just this situation…

For many, seasonal affective disorder can soon hit hard. The fatigue, sadness, hopelessness and social withdrawal (compounded this year by COVID-19) can make a long winter feel even longer. But if you’re looking for a safe, scientifically-backed way to fend off depression, this fragrant herb can be a big help…

Did you know that how you sleep can keep you from losing weight? Research shows that sleep directly impacts your appetite hormones and your ability to say no to fattening snacks. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to counteract this effect…

If you’re living with diabetes, you already know how important it is to embrace a healthy lifestyle. But there’s one more change you might need to make to be sure you don’t add high blood pressure to your list of diagnoses…

A calorie restricted diet isn’t easy. But they can lower blood pressure and inflammation, balance cholesterol, reduce insulin resistance and promote a longer lifespan. Why is cutting calories so good for you? That’s the million-dollar question, but it may not be the only way to get these benefit.

You probably consider yourself to be level-headed, right? Sure, you like to be adventurous, but you draw the line at risky behavior because it’s the smart thing to do. But if you’re among the 1 in 4 who turns to a popular OTC pain reliever for minor aches and pains, you’re unknowingly putting something in your body that can muddy your perception of risk…

The common cold is far from dangerous, but it still makes you miserable by walloping you with a cough, a headache, congestion, a low-grade fever and that awful fatigued feeling you get when you’re sick. But the next time you’re laid up with a serious cold, you have a big bright side to think about… colds may be able to prevent the more dangerous flu virus from infecting your airways…

It’s been drilled into our heads for decades that fat is bad. With obesity comes a higher risk of all kinds of disorders, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers. But recent research has found that fat may not always be a harbinger of a health problem on the horizon. In fact, if you’ve got thick thighs, you may breathe a sigh of relief…

In 1972, the United States banned the use of the pesticide DDT. But other endocrine-disrupting pesticides have taken its place and are still in use. Luckily, there are ways to protect yourself from exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals that cause breast cancer.

Reduced muscle mass can lead to a lack of mobility, lower quality of life and even steal your independence. Now though, there’s a new weapon in your arsenal that could make all the difference — a simple and delicious way to kick your muscle strength into gear by stimulating the production of special cells in your body that boost muscle growth and repair…

If you don’t have asthma, you probably know someone who does and know they keep an inhaler close by. Oral steroids can be part of asthma management, too, since inflammation is a troublesome component of the condition. But experts fear these medications are being overprescribed and are leading to some very serious side effects…

Anticholinergics, also called antispasmodics, treat everything from Parkinson’s to COPD and asthma to irritable bowel syndrome. Some are even found in over-the-counter allergy medications. But at least three recent studies point to a strong connection between anticholinergic use and cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s.

If you’re a “social smoker,” you may think your health risk from lung cancer and other tobacco-related diseases is much smaller than if you smoke a pack a day. But is that true?

A lot of anxiety sufferers find ways to improve their symptoms, but they never quite slay their inner anxiety demon completely. If you can relate to this struggle, you need to know that the root of all those sleepless nights, panic attacks and anxious sweats may be your thyroid.

For over a decade, experts have waffled about whether omega-3 intake can help you stay heart healthy. Now, the largest meta-analysis to date has found conclusive proof that whatever amount you might get through diet, you should consider supplementing for ample cardioprotection…

Have you ever wondered if you’re going to end up with Alzheimer’s and when? The truth is that while there is genetic testing for the disease, having or not having the gene won’t answer those questions. But there is another indicator that Alzheimer’s is likely in your future…. one that you can turn around.

Everyone is trying to curb chronic inflammation nowadays. That’s because science has clearly identified it as a major contributor to disease and pain. Popular approaches to dousing it include anti-inflammatory diets and drugs. But a kind of mental therapy can significantly slash your levels — no diet changes or drugs needed!

Based on all the latest research, your vitamin D levels may be a window into your future. They can determine your risk for conditions like heart disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes. The free, circulating vitamin D levels in your blood may be the best indicator of whether your vitamin D levels are in the danger zone.

When you’re living with chronic pain, it’s easy to find yourself giving up activities that you love. But that decrease in your get-up-and-go could actually be due less to the pain itself and more about how you think and feel about your pain. Here’s what you need to know about the pain catastrophizing trap and how to escape it…

Diabetes tends to run in families. In fact, your doctor will tell you that if your mom, dad or grandparents have blood sugar problems, you’re at higher risk. But, does that mean your fate is sealed? The answer is no. There’s a completely changeable factor that plays a much bigger role in whether or not you end up with diabetes.

Chronic kidney disease is surprisingly common. People living with the disease have damaged kidneys that are unable to filter out bodily wastes and fluids efficiently. This leaves harmful levels of wastes circulating in the body, which can damage other organs (like your heart and brain). So, how can you keep your kidneys safe and healthy? Follow these six lifestyle changes…

Have you ever heard of honeybee venom therapy? It’s the use of honeybee venom for medicinal purposes (either through injections or intentional bee stings). A lot of people think it’s just a new age health practice, but it’s been used for over 5,000 years to treat a variety of conditions ranging from gout to chronic pain to multiple sclerosis. Fighting breast cancer may soon be added to that list…

Carrying excess fat around the midsection raises your risk of heart disease, diabetes, metabolic disturbances, dementia and, in women, breast cancer. Now, at least two recent studies have connected visceral fat with prostate cancer. Not just prostate cancer, but the advanced kind that normally proves fatal.

There are a lot of eye problems you can fall victim to as you get older. But perhaps the most concerning is glaucoma. It’s one of the few that can cause permanent and complete blindness. On the bright side, it’s possible to reduce your odds of ever developing the disease in the first place. One of the most effective ways is a popular diet…