Latest Stories

The Christmas season can be a double-edged sword. It brings with it feelings of love, togetherness and joy. But many people find themselves stepping around emotional landmines that trigger feelings of anxiety and depression. Here are some healthy ways to cope and have a truly rewarding holiday season…

Selma Blair and Christina Applegate are part of a trend, but not a popular one. Autoimmune diseases are on the rise in people aged 50 and older. While scientists examine why, one possible reason is a common medication. Another isn’t so easy to avoid…

We’ve gained new insight into just how important synaptic transmission is in keeping our brains healthy. A long-sought, gene-encoded protein has been discovered that enables the brain to communicate a broad range of signals, but when depleted can lead to breakdown…

Decades of research confirms compounds found in red grapes are heart-healthy, good for your skin and may even deter diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Now it appears they may be why a glass of merlot can offer oral health benefits for preventing cavities and gum disease…

CBD has gotten lots of press over the last few years. But perhaps its most hyped benefit is its ability to provide pain relief. Now CBD has been put to the test to determine if it’s truly a pain-relieving miracle or just hype based on the phenomenon of the “placebo effect.”

Exercise is good for almost everything that ails us, even cancer. Past research says it cuts the risk of invasive breast cancer. And the latest shows no matter what kind, exercise can reduce cancer spread as much as 72 percent. But what it reveals about “permanent” protection is the big story…

There are so many types of sugar, natural and not-so-much. Still, the consensus among nutritional experts has been “a sugar is a sugar” and mostly all bad. Well, that adage may have just been debunked, thanks to honey’s surprising heart benefits other sweeteners lack.

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, we’re allowed to splurge. But two studies demonstrate the damage that does even in the short-term to your colon, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol and more. So, enjoy the goodies but don’t forget the one nutrient they said could make all merry and bright again…

Many factors play into dementia risk, from health and genetics to lifestyle. That makes understanding more about the risks within our control, like the number and types of medications you take regularly, paramount. Here’s the number and dangerous drug combos to watch for…

Winter doesn’t just mean cooler temperatures. It can mean the common cold and feeling cruddy for days. There are plenty of over-the-counter cold medicines to ease your symptoms, but there are just as many reasons not to rely on them (like brain shrinkage!). We’ve got you covered…

If there is one health problem that’s most likely to steal your life, it’s one that affects your heart. You could start taking a laundry list of medications now or discover the surprisingly significant impact of just one cup of the right vegetables on your heart…

Every day new things about the human body are discovered that may extend our healthspan — the number of healthy years we live. For men, a new discovery may unravel the puzzle as to why some men are more prone to developing age-related illnesses than others…

About 75 percent of Americans with hearing loss don’t use hearing aids because they’re costly. That increases their risk for depression and dementia. But hearing experts say a popular tech gadget can provide virtually the same improvements in hearing for a fraction of the cost…

We all experience stress from time to time. Next time you’re feeling like you need a better way to manage it, try food before turning to medications. Researchers may have found the best recipe for less stress…

In recent years, we’ve learned that our personal care products may harbor dangerous chemicals that can make us sick, including parabens and others that have been linked to cancer. Unfortunatley, it looks like adhering to beauty standards is indeed intoxicating…

You might think this post is another speech from a doctor about lifestyle factors that cause LDL (bad) cholesterol to rise. But I really just want you to know about the biochemical processes that influence cholesterol levels that aren’t alway explained to patients, and which ones you may or may not be able to control…

Sensibly soaking up the sun is a good way to boost your vitamin D. But research shows that while you’re soaking up the sun, the sun is soaking up your stores of another very important vitamin — one that can help your body fend off some pretty nasty illnesses and chronic conditions…

Getting little, if any, exercise and following an unhealthy diet add up to a surefire recipe for disaster. These bad habits were thought to be equally risky for both men and women. But it’s been found men’s health can suffer much faster and face bigger dangers in a surprisingly short time.

You already know nuts are brain food. But a new study has measured their powerful effect in the form of brain waves. They tested six different kinds of nuts, and all of them produced brainwave frequencies that can improve cognition, healing, learning, memory and more…

Last month, my friend Jeff felt a strange heaviness in his upper arms. It wasn’t from exercise and it wasn’t painful, just strange. He called his doctor, who suggested a trip to the ER. Jeff was having a heart attack. What would you have done if you were Jeff?

When you think about losing weight, chances are you think about your gut, the one that’s central in the battle of the bulge. But you might be focusing on the wrong gut. Research has found a surprising reason there that explains when you and your friend follow the same diet, only one of you loses weight.

It’s no secret that exercise can help you feel better about yourself and your life. In fact, studies have shown regular physical activity to combat depression and put a smile on your face. But is a drug-free solution to chronic anxiety that easy?

Even in first world countries, like the U.S., vitamin deficiencies may be more common than you would ever guess. How do you know if you’re getting enough of the nutrients considered essential? Besides having your blood tested, pay attention to these six often sneaky signs of a deficiency…

Most of the research into brain health has focused on slowing or reversing the mind-stealing conditions you see in the elderly. But what, if anything, can omega-3s do for a middle-aged brain, especially one with a genetic predisposition for those very problems?

Approximately 37 million Americans have diabetes and another 96 million are pre-diabetic. If you’re one of those 96 million, you may not even know you’re on the verge of developing diabetes, much less at increased risk for heart attack or stroke. One change could turn that around…

Shingles may seem like more of an annoyance than a serious threat to your health. But that’s not exactly true. Shingles can actually affect your eyes, cause nerve pain and attack your internal organs. It can also raise your risk of potentially life-threatening cardiovascular complications…

Many people still think that a heart attack strikes suddenly, or with very little warning. A Harvard Health survey tells us that, for women, the warning signs can come as much as a month in advance. And they’re anything but the classic signs most people look for…

As the cold weather approaches, you know you have to protect yourself from ailments like cold and flu. But what about more serious events, like heart attack? Surprsingly, as the temperatures go down our risk for heart attack goes up. Here’s why (an odd effect on blood vessels, for one) and what to do…

Certain activities help stimulate the brain to keep it running like a high-performance race car. That’s why there are plenty of sophisticated web-based cognitive games specifically designed to improve those skills we need to keep our independence. And then there are crossword puzzles…

Even though men in their 50s don’t have the same rapid bone loss women do, that changes around 65. Then, men lose bone mass at the same rate, and recovery from fracture is riskier for men. Most surprising? The risk of an osteoporotic fracture in men is higher than the risk of prostate cancer.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, more than 25 million Americans now suffer from asthma. That’s 25 million people that have to take more extensive precautions with their health in these unprecedented times. So, what should you be doing now to protect yourself if you have asthma?

If you have celiac disease you have to strip every trace of gluten from your life. But even when you try your best, a dose of gluten gets past and ends up triggering diarrhea, fatigue, pain, nausea, vomiting, and other terrible symptoms. Here’s good news for you, even if you’re just gluten sensitive…

If the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s that prevention is worth its weight in gold. But you should know, just like there are foods that can boost your health when you need it most, there are some foods that, no matter what bug you’re fighting, you should avoid like, well… the plague.

There’s no way to put this that it doesn’t sound scary: Inflammation causes your body to produce cells that stop your immune system from fighting off cancer — basically putting the brakes on your defenses and allowing the cancer to grow unchecked. But’s that information you can use to turn your risk around…

As you know, brain volume tends to shrink with age. And as a result, you start to experience some level of cognitive decline, even if you don’t end up with dementia or Alzheimer’s. But one man’s brain scans show a near lifetime practice can slow down the rate at which the brain ages…

Are you confused about the difference between probiotics and prebiotics, and how each can benefit your health? You’re not alone. We’re going to clear all that up in a moment. But, for now, just know that prebiotics are the focus of recent research, and not for the usual reasons.

Diabetes is an epidemic in our country, spurred on by sedentary lifestyles and skyrocketing rates of obesity. And, once you have it, the rest of your health can quickly deteriorate, raising your risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.

A new study takes a closer look at whether eating more olive oil, one of the main components of the Mediterranean diet, is associated with a lowered risk of heart disease here in the United States. But what about other plant-based oils?

75 is the average age for a first stroke in women. But could making midlife lifestyle changes significantly reduce the number and severity of strokes in women who are of middle age and beyond? The results of a 25-year study shed some pretty compelling evidence on that question…

Spring is my favorite season. Where I live, it means birds chirping, flowers sprouting, trees budding and rain — lots of it. But a recent study found that heavy spring rainfall in one American city caused cases of acute gastrointestinal illness to double! What’s that about? And could it happen where you live?

If you’re like most people, you’re not a planner when it comes to protein… Some meals you eat lots of protein. Other meals you don’t eat much. But you figure it all evens out in end. Unfortunately, that assumption could cost you something very important — your muscles.

There’s not much that’s more miserable than a migraine… The pain that comes with one alone is bad enough, but the nausea, light and sound sensitivity, and the fact that one can steal days and days of your life is like adding insult to injury, something I know all too well.

If you’re suffering with clinically diagnosed, long-term depression, every single aspect of your life is altered. Depression can rule your days. And you may or may not be aware of the dangers associated with SSRIs. Good news is Stanford is seeing great results with a drug-free treatment…

There’s no denying that vitamin D plays an important role in your immune system. Vitamin D helps regulate immune response and, specifically, helps your body determine when it needs to send out its immune defenders… Can vitamin D reduce the risk and/or severity of COVID-19?

You’ve heard you should avoid too much salt in your diet because it could lead to blood pressure problems. The tasty condiment can be a double-edged sword, delivering great taste with real danger. And now there’s one more reason to watch your salt intake closer than ever before…

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S., predominately striking older adults and reducing mobility in half of those survivors. Despite these bleak statistics, researchers have found a way to improve recovery that could improve life after a stroke…

Antibiotic alternatives have been around for millennia before penicillin was discovered. These 9 antibiotic alternative foods and herbs haven’t lost their ability to fight bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi.

The truth is, laughing is healthy. A good laugh offers a healthy distraction from anger, guilt, stress and other negative emotions, something we all could use right about now. But you may be shocked at what it can do for the backbone of your immune system…

Plenty of studies show that “mind exercises” can improve memory, reasoning and processing speed to some degree or another. But one of the more recent studies shows we shouldn’t put too much stock in mental exercise, especially if we want to live longer…

More than 15 million people in the U.S. take proton pump inhibitors to control digestives symptoms of heartburn, acid reflux or GERD. But these medications can bypass the blood-brain barrier, and that’s a problem…

They’re all around us… in yard and garden insecticides, in flea and tick treatments you put on your pets and even in bug spray you use on yourself. They’re in lice shampoo. Unfortunately, these common chemicals aren’t just killing mosquitos… they’re increasing disease and death rates among humans…

Research tells us that being overweight increases a person’s risk of at least 13 types of cancer. Now add #14, a fast-killing cancer that only men can get. If you’re a man in your 50s carrying extra pounds around your waist, the likelihood that you’ll die of this cancer is even greater…

The benefits of intermittent fasting seem almost too good to be true… It can rid belly fat, slow aging and reduce the risk of serious diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. But how can skipping meals have so many benefits? It comes down to one organ…

The immune system is complex and comprised of many components. And it can be supported to function at its best — and at every level. Several vitamins and nutrients are vital for that but are typically under-consumed by most Americans. Learn more in Dr. Klodas’ video chat…

It’s April, and spring is in the air, but in New England it can still feel like winter. That’s just one reason that comfort food has been on my mind…The other is that the world is a little haywire right now. Agreed? Join me in a bowl of the perfect comfort food…

The most common method of disinfecting drinking water in the U.S. involves chlorine. There’s no doubt that doing so has been beneficial against disease. But killing bacteria isn’t all chlorinating our water is doing… It’s also producing previously unidentified toxic byproducts.

We all get little aches and pains. Like when we sleep wrong and wake up with a stiff neck. Or push a little too hard on the treadmill. However, it’s important to know that some types of pain can be indicators of far more serious issues and shouldn’t be ignored.

After reading some recent research into just how “doing art” affects the brain and the emotions, whether you consider yourself “good at art” or not, you may want to grab the kid’s coloring books and crayons or just start doodling away…

Alcohol-related deaths in the U. S. have risen sharply. However, women are far outstripping the men in this morbid race. While deaths in men went up by 35 percent over time, researchers want to know what’s fueling the shocking increase for women and how to stop it…

As the COVID-19 pandemic runs its course, we’re being advised to stay at home as much as we can. But this shouldn’t mean that we let our physical fitness fall by the wayside. In fact, now more than ever, it’s important to find some simple, do-able ways to keep moving.