Latest Stories

A blood clot is a collection of blood in the body that has changed from liquid to a semi-solid mass. The body does this to stop bleeding when injured, but sometimes a clot forms inside a blood vessel and does not dissolve on its own. Here are 10 things to know about them…

Although it’s long been known that heavy drinking can significantly raise the risk of stroke, little research has looked at the effects of moderate to low consumption to determine if there really is any safe level. That’s all changed thanks to a worldwide study that gives us new insight…

If you’re health conscious, you don’t smoke. And you probably don’t allow others to smoke in your home. But if you have a gas stove, you could be exposing you and your family to a dangerous chemical in your very own kitchen comparable to second-hand smoke.

With so much info on apple cider vinegar out there, you may still be on the line about giving it a try. Well, we’re going to look at five big reasons you should be taking ACV regularly, why it’s vital to your health and how to take it to get the most health benefits possible…

The take-home message is simple: vitamin D plays a vital role in human health. Without sufficient levels, you’re selling yourself and your life short. New findings bring home the urgency about preventing early death and a new disease connection…

There’s no denying the seasons influence our state of mind. It’s easier to be in a good mood when the days are long and warm, but much harder during the short, dark days of winter, when some of us face seasonal affective disorder. Why does the light affect our moods and can we overcome it?

With dementia on the rise, experts are looking closer at known risk factors that lead to the devastating illness. One, alcohol use, has been hotly debated. Some studies say it harms, while others were not so clear. International research including almost 25,000 participants may finally have the answer…

There are tons of good reasons to eat almonds regularly. Maybe you want to improve your waistline, or like almost 4 million Americans, you want to ‘go’ regularly and enjoy the benefits of a healthy gut this tiny nut provides.

For years we’ve been warned that red meat is bad for heart health. Some controversial studies of late have started to lean the other way. But when researchers looked at three important measures of heart health, what they saw was indisputable.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Indian Ayurvedic Medicine share the longest and most sophisticated histories of healing with plants, herbs and spices. Have you heard of these nine powerful plants that can spell relief of stomach problems and keep your gut healthy?

Knowing what I know now about expiration dates on foods, I cringe thinking about how much food (and money!) is unnecessarily thrown away. But I recently came across something that piqued my curiosity about those same dates on medications. Considering the high cost of meds, this is even more cringeworthy…

Autumn is harvest time. That means a variety of veggies and fruits are available now and bursting not only flavor, but health-boosting nutrients. It’s time to get adventurous and “wow” your taste buds. Here are six you might not have tried before…

If you’re like me, Daylight Savings Time throws you for a loop. Don’t brush it aside… It can have a profound impact on everything from genes that alter your sleep patterns to your brain, heart, energy levels, ability to remain alert, and more. That’s why doctors are calling for an end to it…

Evidence is mounting that a smile can both lift your mood and make you healthier. And it’s true whether the smile is genuine or faked. So, if you’re feeling down, force a smile. It may soon become real when you see just how many benefits science shows it can get you…

It’s become increasingly clear that certain types of food can raise cancer risk, while other foods help protect against the disease. But just as important as what we eat is in the cancer battle, so is how we eat. And one style of diet checks off quite a few of the reasons cancer happens…

Sleep is essential for good health. And most experts agree, between 7 and 9 hours a night helps the body operate at peak efficiency. But is there a threshold at which insufficient sleep causes the most harm, as in increasing the risk of multiple disease and death? Without a doubt….

Do you settle down in the evening only to discover your legs have other plans? That annoying twitching sensation can make it almost impossible to relax. Your doctor may have thrown his hands up but a way to treat the condition has been found in an old-time remedy…

From heart trouble to sleep apnea and Parkinson’s, doctors all too often fail to see the signs or flat-out misdiagnose women’s health. And they’re still doing it when it comes to thyroid problems, telling women the symptoms are in their heads or just one more problem of menopause. Here’s why…

10,000 steps a day seems like an impossible goal. And luckily, we’re finding you don’t have to really walk that much to get real-world benefits. Want to make a singificant dent in your dementia risk? You’ll be glad to know you can take that number way down…

The best way to combat damage from oxidative stress is with antioxidants. These powerful nutrients strike a balance against the perils of aging and inflammation that can destroy health. Now we’ve learned they can defend against a mechanism of metabolic disease that leads to insulin resistance…

Tooth loss is considered a serious health problem that sits right up there beside arthritis and cancer. It’s also been associated with a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even death. So, the reasons to be extra vigilant about what’s behind your dental health go far beyond that pretty smile.

The human body is amazing. But a lot of little things can go wrong. Some are annoying, like rashes, while others, like fatigue, can wreak havoc with our daily lives. Many of these mishaps are set off by a poorly functioning immune system. Here’s how to know if yours is in trouble…

The ‘M’ in menopause stands for miserable. Hot flashes at the most inopportune times during the day and relentless sleep robbers at night. If HRT isn’t for you, discover the diet that works as well and helped women drop an average of eight pounds…

For consumers who suffer lifelong side effects after prescription drug use, the question that often arises first is: How could medication approved by the FDA cause them serious harm? A drug used to treat a painful bladder condition is just one example of what happens when the system goes terribly wrong…

Colon cancer can be especially difficult to eradicate. But help for patients fighting this battle may come from a simple vitamin.

Everyday items we come in contact with can impact our health. One of those is aluminum, long associated with breast cancer and Alzheimer’s. As a theory, it’s controversial, but researchers find it wrapped up in brain tau tangles. Do you know all the ways you’re exposed to it?

Plant sterols are natural substances produced by plants. Beta-Sitosterol is one type that’s well known for supporting prostate health. But the list doesn’t stop there. Here’s how to use this popular plant substance for your best male health and more…

Hardening of the arteries seems to be one of those things we just expect with age. It can destroy heart function, lead to heart attack, even death. But we’ve learned more about the process that causes arteries to harden, and that’s valuable information if you want to try to avoid this killer…

Night shift workers are prone to health risks based on the fact that their work hours are in direct contradiction to their circadian rhythm. From higher BMI to depression, these conditions can drag health down fast. Is the solution as easy as when to eat?

It’s no secret that more time spent sitting than moving shortens lives. That’s why experts encourage us to count our steps. They even nailed down how many daily steps you need to prevent a multitude of chronic diseases, ranging from obesity to depression, heart disease to GERD and more…

When you embrace healthy habits, so many good things happen… Your skin clears up. You have more energy. Your mood is lighter. But occasionally, healthy living comes with a side effect or two. Take high-fiber diets as an example… there’s a definite downside. If the bloating is unbearable here are tips to get past it…

That butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your throat, known as the thyroid, may be small, but it packs quite a punch when it comes to your health. According to the American Thyroid Association, up to 60 percent of Americans with thyroid issues don’t know it’s causing their problems. Watch for these common signs…

When Marie Antoinette was captured during the French Revolution, her hair reportedly turned white overnight. One look at “before and after” photos of most American presidents tells the same story. We’ve all heard tales of people who turned gray after a stressful event. But what does science say about it?

If you’re looking for an easy way to take a bite out of your breast cancer risk, eating more yogurt is a safe and simple way to stack the deck in your favor. That’s because bacterial-induced inflammation may be at the root of cancer in general… but more specifically breast cancer. Here’s some solid evidence…

Check out any current food pyramid and you’ll still see a tall glass of milk taking its place of honor in the dairy section of the chart. But, is dairy really heathy for us? Well, according to a new study, the answer might be a resounding no — especially for all the men out there trying to avoid prostate cancer…

Inflammaging means that, as we age, our bodies become progressively more inflamed. The immune system army has been fighting disease for years, and it’s left some ‘destruction’ behind in its wake. So it’s time to get serious about the common factor behind this unifying theory of disease…

Our guts are ailing us on a massive scale. Acid reflux, ulcers, constipation, diverticulitis, leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, food allergies and intolerances. Something is not agreeing with our guts. The question is… what can we do about it?

If you suddenly feel as if the world is spinning around you, you could have a condition known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV. BPPV’s vertigo-inducing spin can be frustrating, nauseating and limiting. And, the experts say that it’s all caused by tiny crystals in your ears. Here’s one way to beat BPPV…

In the months and years after a heart attack, there’s concern about having another one. After all, 20 percent of people who’ve had a heart attack have a second one within five years. Worrying, though, won’t prevent another, and neither will medicine for that matter. But your belly fat might…

As a cardiologist who’s always been interested in nutrition, I encourage you to step away from the hype and the false trends, move beyond macronutrients, and follow the dietary advice that has stood the test of time, allows humans to live long well, and is profoundly elegant, simple and sound, starting with carbs…

You’ve probably heard of antioxidants. They’re the healthy compounds that fight free radical damage from the oxidative stress caused by everything from exposure to U.V. rays to eating fried foods and even your body’s own physiological processes. Now, the effect of one kind at keeping Alzheimer’s away has been measured, and it’s amazing…

When you’re contemplating surgery, there are two things you’re probably thinking about: How expensive will it be? And, more importantly, how risky will it be? A third question should be: is this surgery even necessary?

Cannabidiol has the potential to improve a lot of people’s health. But what conditions will it work for? That question’s a doozy. Especially since there’s a lot of misinformation out there about what cannabidiol can and can’t do. But recent research by the ‘big guns’ shows that CBD is helpful for at least four health conditions, and probably more…

We know by now that exercise is not an option… but not for the reason most often associated with exercise, like getting in shape. Without some form of regular exercise, most of will find it hard to live a long, full, healthy life, avoid cancer and weak bones and the telltale signs of frailty creeping in…

For far too long, saving our hearts has focused on one thing: cholesterol. But heart research into another growing health problem may intersect this blind spot of cardiovascular research to provide an answer for two very serious health conditions that both lead to vascular calcification… and hearts that give out.

I don’t know about you, but I was so sad to hear that actress Shannen Doherty’s cancer is back… and with a vengeance. It’s a risk many of us worry about, and some, more so than others, have an elevated risk. Though there is no cure, we can lessen those risks, starting with these simple habits, backed by research…

When you’re admitted to a hospital, whether for surgery or an illness, you expect to come out healthier than you went in, or at least not sicker. Unfortunately, for one in every ten people, just the opposite happens. While in the hospital, those people contract a nosocomial infection.

It’s one of the most popular ingredients in packaged foods… from bread to protein bars to chips to lunch meat. And then there’s restaurant food. So even if you don’t cook with it, you’re likely eating it. Research links it to diabetes and fatty liver disease, and now the brain…

Once you’re exposed to perfluoroalkyl substances or PFAs, they end up in your bloodstream forever. In fact, PFAs can be seen in the bloodwork of 99 percent of Americans. PFAs are carcinogenic. They’re linked to thyroid, liver and kidney disease. Here’s how to cut down on exposure and detox what’s there already…

Fat is normally stored under our skin, but when there’s too much, we run out of room. The amount of fat that you can store under your skin varies from person to person. But what happens once you run out of room? Scientists discovered it gets caught up in an overspill mechanism that can be reversed…

Some people say we should avoid milk completely. Others will tell you to only go with whole milk because the fats in it are good for your brain. How do you know what’s right? Well, a new study is shedding more light on the subject, at least when it comes to how fast you age…

Phenacetin was a popular painkiller until 1983 when the FDA banned it because of its connection to cancer. Good riddance, right? Not so fast… it’s connected to a very popular OTC pain killer on our drugstore shelves right now that may increase the risk of several cancers, including kidney, bladder and blood cancer…

From “natural” to “non-GMO,” food labels can make almost any item in the grocery store appear good for you. But we know that most processed foods are far from healthy. If you’re confused in the grocery store aisles, here’s Dr. Klodas’ guide to exactly what all the labels mean…

It’s no secret that a sedentary lifestyle, where the most exercise you get is standing up from your chair, can be deadly. Just doing any sort of exercise regularly can protect your best years. Because staying active does much more than control blood pressure and prevent strokes and heart attacks.

If you’ve been on the fence about whether or not eggs are not only healthy but safe when it comes to your heart, you’re not alone. After all, it’s been a head-spinning debate for the last two decades. Finally, the controversy about whether eggs are good or bad for your heart health looks to be solved…

How is the FDA doing at “protecting the public” from the opioid crisis? And how quickly are they making headway against the growing threat of antibiotic resistance? One could argue that they need to focus on the real problems here, and not worry about a substance that could actually be the answer to it all.

Your body needs muscle for more reasons than just movement. It needs muscle to regulate hormones, perform metabolic functions and maintain organ function. So, losing muscle quickly creates a dangerous domino effect that makes your body unable to perform critical tasks for survival.

The interconnectedness of your brain, your gut, and your immune system is a well-known fact, but maybe one that’s not completely familiar to you. The more you know about it, the more you can do to hold onto your health and keep your independence as you age. And it starts at your belly…

About 80 percent of people deal with low back pain, and most of the time, it’s not caused by a strain or injury. A new study from researchers at John Hopkins Medicine may have finally figured out what’s behind our aching backs…

You have a stressful job. You get home from work, exhausted. You watch TV until you fall asleep, forgetting to brush your teeth. These are just a few of the common habits most of us are guilty of. What’s the harm? These are just a few of 8 behaviors that shave years off your lifespan…