Latest Stories

Most people that develop inflammatory bowel disease do so by the age of 30. But IBD is on the rise — and it’s targeting a vulnerable population: folks aged 60 and older. IBD is painful, difficult and debilitating. And if you’re a senior, the risks are even higher…

Gout has been established as a risk factor in certain cardiovascular conditions, including stroke and heart attack. But what about heart failure? Exploring a potential link between these two conditions may offer heart failure patients a new lifeline…

We’ve been warned to avoid eating much fish over concerns about mercury. But now, Canadian researchers say the chemical form of mercury consumed from a high fish diet is completely different from the form found in the brains of those who were poisoned by mercury. What gives?

Zinc is one of those nutrients you don’t hear a lot about. People are all over vitamin C, but zinc, an equally important nutrient for a strong immune system tends to take a back seat to all the hype. But supplementing can be tricky…

About 20 percent of people with high blood pressure are resistant to treatment, leaving them vulnerable to heart attack and stroke. Researchers trying to get to the bottom of why are onto something…

Remember how for years, doctors warned us not to eat eggs? They would raise our cholesterol, give us heart disease and leave us to die of a heart attack or stroke? Forget that old-school advice. The new-school lists three ways eggs do a heart good…

It’s no secret that the choices you make have a profound impact on your health. From protecting your heart to guarding against dementia and disability as you age, lifestyle modifications are taking center stage, and these four can add years to your life…

We all want to age like those people who get laugh lines, not wrinkles, hold on to their memories and become more vital as the years pass. But it doesn’t always go that way. There’s a way to measure your odds — just in time to do something about it.

A drink with dinner — no big deal. What about two or three beers? If you’ve had enough to drink that you get a hangover the next morning, you’re setting yourself up for a potentially fatal heart problem, even if you’ve never had heart issues before.

Women are at much higher risk of dementia than men, and declining estrogen may have something to do with it. But it gets more alarming: The earlier menopause happens, the higher that dementia risk goes. What can we do about that? You’d be surprised…

I’m not body-shaming. My concerns stem from knowing that certain kinds of fat and where it’s carried, like around the middle, can do real damage. But there’s another type of fat we never see that goes after the heart. Surprisingly, the leanest among us may be most at risk.

Exercise should be part of any weight-loss strategy. But can it do more? Scientists have looked into how it may help us resist the foods that often sabotage our best efforts. And it’s promising enough that you may start disliking exercise a whole lot less…

When bacteria become resistant, the original antibiotic can no longer kill them. The chances of experiencing an antibiotic-resistant infection are only increasing. But what you eat can shift the balance of antibiotic resistance genes in your gut…

Pancreatic cancer is tough. Often diagnosed late, survival rates are low. Knowing your risks can help. And now a predictor of elevated risk has been identified — a condition that could mean cancer isn’t far behind. But like those other risk factors, you can take control…

None of us want to face dementia. So we do crosswords and brain teasers and hope we’ll maintain a sharp brain. But there’s actually a simple action that a lot of us aren’t taking that can make a big difference in our dementia risk…

Ever wonder how much sleep you need for your best shot at overall health, including strong mental faculties? A huge study has answered that question for those of us middle-aged and up. Here’s the scoop, plus some tips for natural ways to help you achieve it…

Did you know the immune cells that are generated to fight gum disease often turn up in heart valves and heart muscle? And that’s not the only crazy connection to your dental hygiene. Most recently, it’s been found that your lungs are another target for mouth bacteria…

One of the most promising fields of anti-aging research is fecal transplants. Sounds gross, but amazing things happened when old mice were transplanted with poop from young mice. How far would you go to turn back the clock? Luckily, you don’t have to go quite this far, but it’s where you should start…

Dramatic improvement for type 2 diabetes is just the tip of the iceberg for what may be possible to achieve with water fasting. But it shouldn’t be approached lightly. If you’ve considered it, here’s what you should know…

We hear a lot about breast, liver and even lung cancer. But no so much about esophageal cancer. It causes minimal symptoms, so it’s often not suspected before it becomes advanced. And its rates have almost doubled. While experts figure out why — it’s important to know your risks…

Coffee. Few of us can or want to start the day without it. And why not? The health benefits keep coming, or do they? That all depends on the brew method and your sex, especially if you’re watching your cholesterol…

It helps reduce the inflammation that can lead to heart disease and metabolic dysfunction. It can even help support stronger bones and muscles. Now researchers have found further evidence of this little powerhouse’s brain benefits — even in middle age…

As if COVID-19 wasn’t enough of a jolt for us to deal with, now there’s monkeypox. It may feel like we’re under attack from new viruses, but monkeypox has been around. It’s a cousin to smallpox, but don’t get worried, get in the know…

It can seem that there’s nothing more painful than a urinary tract infection. So you head off to your doctor who prescribes an antibiotic. But you should know, the way doctors have been treating UTIs only perpetuates the dreaded recurrent UTI cycle. Here’s why…

When arteries get thick and stiff, it opens up a world of trouble starting with heart and circulatory problems. It makes it easier for plaque to build up. But there may be more to it and researchers hope that leads them to strategies other than surgery…

As we age, changes start to occur in our bodies. Not all of them are pleasant. And some can be warning signs that you’re actually aging faster than you probably want to. The good news is that you can do something about quite a few of them…

It turns out that a hormone we naturally produce, and a supplement many of us take in order to improve sleep, is also a surprising immune system booster. Discover all the ways melatonin can help now and always…

Vitamin D has shown positive effects on autoimmune disease, diabetes, heart disease and even COVID-19. Now research shows that Black and Hispanic women, who are normally more susceptible to breast cancer, are safer from the disease if they have adequate levels of vitamin D in their blood.

For a long time, cancer research has emphasized the genetic aspect of the disease, that is, the risk we inherit from our parents. Now, though, science is becoming more aware of the environmental and metabolic factors behind cancer that are under our control…

From imaging equipment to procedures like bypass or angioplasty to open a blocked artery as a heart attack happens, it would seem U.S. hospitals have all they need to provide the best care available to prevent the worst from happening. The truth may surprise you…

Ladies, the next time you think about pampering yourself with a manicure, you may want to skip the part where they polish your nails. Three of the chemicals known to be most toxic to humans are in that cherry red polish (all of the colors, actually!), and make no mistake, they’re getting into your body.

People who drink wine moderately have lower rates of heart attacks and diabetes, live longer and have healthier brains. There are hundreds of studies that show this. However, not all wines are created equal. So, how do you go about finding a wine that offers you the best health benefits possible?

One in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. This means many men will face a particularly difficult choice between cancer treatment and the possibility of Alzheimer’s or dementia. There are ways to reduce your risk of prostate cancer and the possibility of androgen therapy…

Researchers found the “high-risk” version of an Alzheimer’s gene actually responds more favorably to certain lifestyle changes that could lower risk. So, here’s a “plain talk” explanation of the genetic factors that can increase or decrease your risk, and how to outsmart those genes to stay clear of Alzheimer’s.

Milk’s benefits have been hotly debated over the last decade. But a review of 14 scientific papers points to solid evidence that milk and dairy in your diet provide some hefty health benefits you don’t want to go without — especially if you want to avoid some of the biggest disease risks of our time…

If there’s one thing most people have learned about visceral fat (think “beer bellies” and apple-shaped bodies), is that it’s bad. And they’re right… A new study confirms visceral belly fat is connected to heart disease, above and beyond any risk related to excess weight. So what can we do about it?

We’ve all heard that spending too much time sitting leads to obesity, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, even cancer. Are we doomed? Maybe not… A new study reveals that where you sit and what you’re doing makes a huge difference to the health risks that previous studies associated with sitting…

In 2000, about 1 in 150 children had autism. Today, it’s closer to 1 in 59 children. Whether autism rates are actually rising, or awareness is just increasing diagnoses is a question that still needs an answer. Another question that needs an answer? What causes autism in the first place. One theory? The cause is in our food.

What do urinary tract infections and brain damage have to do with each other? As bizarre and frightening as it sounds, there’s a correlation between having a UTI or other infection and having a stroke. What’s more, it seems that having an infection can heighten your chances of brain damage from a stroke.

By now we all know that sugary drinks are no friend to good health. At the same time, most of us have a guilty pleasure… Mine is Big Red. I simply love that bubbly red soda. Should I be worried? I try to limit my consumption to only once in a while, so I’m thinking “no harm, no foul” there, right? WRONG.

This month an astounding report was published claiming little if any reduction in heart disease outcomes is obtained through nutritional supplements and dietary interventions. Unfortunately for me, I know too much to let this claim stand without a rebuttal…

Is social media making us miserable? It seems like it sometimes… Suicide rates are on the rise, and studies link social media to higher rates of depression. A 2012 study, for example, found that the more time you spend on Facebook, the more likely you are to be depressed. But that doesn’t make sense, because staying social is good, right?

Melatonin is an insomniac’s dream. But there are even more great reasons to supplement with melatonin: It just may be the single most powerful anti-aging supplement you can take.

When you look at yourself in the mirror every morning to make sure your fly’s zipped, your cowlick’s tamed and your green smoothie didn’t give you a “mustache,” it’s easy to get hung up on one thing… your weight. Fuhgeddaboudit! Focus on muscle and all falls perfectly into place…

Research is pointing to mindful eating as a way to reduce the symptoms of stress-related conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. It’s also suggesting that it’s a potentially powerful way for people with diabetes to help stabilize blood sugar. But that’s not all. Here’s how it works…

People with Alzheimer’s genes may have more of these forgetful moments than everyone else… even when they’re in their late teens and 20s. A new study published in the journal eLife found that people with a family history of Alzheimer’s performed worse on memory tests from the age of 18 on.

In some women, breast implants may be associated with a constellation of symptoms known as “breast implant illness.” These symptoms include chronic fatigue, pain, cognitive and immune problems. But there’s a bigger danger. A type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been linked exclusively to some implants…

Cannabidiol is the main non-psychoactive chemical compound extracted from cannabis and hemp plants. In other words, while it’s found in marijuana, it’s not one of the compounds responsible for the high associated with the drug. And it just might be prescribed for your next bacterial infection…

I’m in that age group where falling asleep and staying asleep tends to get harder by the year. But, contrary to what many people think, insomnia is not a normal part of aging that we just need to accept. True, sleep problems are more likely. But you don’t have to take them … well, lying down.

What’s happening with your blood pressure outside of the doctor’s office has a significant impact on the medicine you’re prescribed. Which is why when I see a patient with high or borderline blood pressure readings, I advise them to start keeping track of their numbers at home. At that point, the questions start…

Many of us struggle with our weight. Forget body shaming… my point is all about living a healthier life now and in the future — with an emphasis on the future. That’s because if you’re overweight under the age of 50, and don’t lose it as you age, losing your independence is a big risk factor…

Many years ago, I started having mysterious symptoms no doctor could pin down — fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and just a general “off” feeling. It’s been a long journey trying to get a diagnosis since then, but I remember the first diagnosis I almost received — hyperthyroidism…

Did you know that you have not one but two different types of fat in your body? Not only that, but one of these types of fat is actually desirable if you’re trying to lose weight. Those people lucky enough to have more of it may have an easier time burning calories and keeping their weight in check.

What are some of the risk factors you think of when you hear the word stroke? An unhealthy diet, being overweight, not exercising, smoking and maybe even stress. And age, right? Stroke is something you think of happening when you’re closer to 65 or older. Think again…

Younger generations have gone all-in on low-carb diets like keto and paleo. But what if you’re in the over 60-set? There is some new evidence that this diet could have big benefits for older adults who embrace it… especially if your memory and thinking skills aren’t what they used to be…

You’ve probably heard how important getting enough vitamin D is to your health. In fact, the list of health problems that have now been linked to vitamin D deficiency is long and scary. But no worries… if extra time in the sun or supplements aren’t doing it for you, you might like this option…

In a previous report I pointed out some of the scientific literature evidence of the harmful effects of aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), saccharin, and sucralose (Splenda). Now let’s look at the new and improved aspartame called Neotame, and then a quick look at the others: acesulfame-K, cyclamate and alitame.

Just like my family, hoards of vacationers still flock to the beach, opting for ocean spray over time in the hotel pool, even though ocean water holds something we all should be concerned about… dangerous bacteria.

When you have a chronic disease like MS, you devote a lot of energy to keeping your symptoms in check… You work to get your meds right. You eat healthy. You keep stress levels low. But something serious can happen while you’re running defense against MS… You can get blindsided by cancer.

It took the FDA 36 years to get this chemical out of our soaps and hand sanitizers. So why has it remained in other products when study after study shows that this chemical is far scarier than the germ it’s meant to protect us from. And, most recently, for the first time, it’s been linked to osteoporosis.