Latest Stories

What’s not to love about smoothies? Quick, convenient, delicious — and when done right, bursting with nutrition. Here’s a list of ten superfood choices and their little-known benefits for enlarged prostate, ED, cholesterol and more…

Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes, yet. Lifestyle interventions can change that course, and additional support has been found in a surprising practice…

What’s bacteria got to do with fitness? A lot. In fact, taking probiotics before working out could be the secret to increased muscle growth. And now there’s proof problems with your gut microbiome can knock you off your game affecting performance too…

Strokes can happen in an instant. And the mechanisms that lead to some strokes and most heart attacks involve ruptured arterial plaque. But until recently, researchers haven’t been able to determine exactly why that happens…

You may have read the serotonin connection to depression is under fire. And herbal options can leave you a little too relaxed. Just in time, the benefits of another B vitamin have been confirmed for both depression and anxiety…

AFib is a condition that causes heart palpatations and carries a higher risk of stroke or heart failure. If you have AFib, drinking alcohol is a big no-no. And drinking too much can cause the condition to develop. But if becoming a teetotaler is not on your bucket list, research says all alcohol is not created equally.

Fatty liver affects 1 in 4. The inflammation and damage may eventually lead to cirrhosis or worse. But if you’re one of 30 million with another common condition plus fatty liver, your risk for dementia skyrockets to insane levels. Trim your liver and your risks today…

Skeletal muscle constitutes 40 percent of your body and a world of metabolic activity. Research shows just how important it is to maintain those muscle cells, and igniting a process that leads to energy, endurance and longevity could help make that happen…

Orthostatic hypotension literally means “low blood pressure caused by an upright posture.” For some people, it can be an unpleasant experience, even without any underlying causes. It can also be dangerous if you’re not careful. Here’s how to cut down on episodes…

Bacteriotherapy is a cutting-edge approach to fighing MRSP, or methicillin-resistant staph. And a strain of bacteria has been identified that’s especially good at inhibiting it. You could say it’s a cat’s superpower…

Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, and they’re not doing you any favors, except making it easy to develop insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation, high blood pressure, heart disease — oh and did we mention the strong link to dementia?

Exercise has been established as a clear path to a longer life. But there’s been some debate about whether more is better or worse. Now we finally know just how much we need to avoid dying early, especially from a heart condition…

Close to one in three men will experience depression in their lifetime. That not only affects mental health but also increases chronic disease risk. And men are less likely to seek help. But what’s that saying about the way to a man’s heart? It may be key to happiness too…

Switching to a plant-based diet is one of the best ways to stay healthy, from weight loss to avoiding diabetes. They’ve even been found to guard against cancer. But when it comes to breast cancer, not all plant-based diets are equal…

People with gout tend to be at a higher risk of cardiovascular issues. That’s a connection research made a while ago. What’s more alarming is that a gout flare-up can actually begin the countdown to heart attack or stroke within months…

Plenty of studies confirm cocoa’s benefits. But results from controlled studies don’t always translate to real daily life. That’s where cocoa’s effects on blood pressure and arteries differ. Not only does it work, it laid to rest a concern doctors have about traditional BP treatments…

Just about anyone who tries sourdough bread becomes a fan. But there’s more to the light, chewy distinctively-flavored bread. Not only is it loaded with nutrition but it has unique properties that offer big heart, blood sugar and digestive benefits…

Your thyroid regulates many functions, including metabolism. That requires a steady flow of thyroid hormones circulating in your bloodstream. Too much, too little and you have problems, like weight gain and fatigue. But it looks like your thyroid has a broader impact than we ever thought…

Palmitic acid, found in palm oil, has been linked with heart disease and cancer. Scientists have been working to unravel the reasons behind the latter, and they may have uncovered how palmitic acid turns regular tumor cells into aggressive spreaders of disease…

Is there anything more enjoyable than a nap on a rainy afternoon? You wouldn’t think there’d be any risk in that. Yet over the past twenty years, scientists have discovered frequent naps carry health implications that may be serious…

Whether you want sustained strength in the gym, more brainpower in the boardroom, better performance in the bedroom, or other overall health benefits, you need to keep this vitamin at optimal levels, especially if you’re concerned about low T…

You may not realize just how quickly some painkillers can take a toll on your heart. You don’t have to take these drugs for years and years to experience an elevated heart attack risk. Damage can be done by taking them for just one week.

Imagine getting sick and the one antibiotic shown to fight your infection no longer works. In COVID’s wake years of caution took a backslide, and some antibiotic-resistant infections have jumped as much as 78 percent. Here’s what to know going forward…

You may already know that cinnamon can improve your memory, balance your blood sugar and lower your cholesterol… but that’s not all this super spice has up its sleeve…

Millions of people turn to antidepressants to help them weather their darkest days. But despite their popularity, what if the mechanism by which the most popularly prescribed were designed to work — correcting a serotonin “imbalance” — turned out to be a myth?

Even if you do everything right for your heart in terms of diet and exercise, there’s a vulnerability almost impossible to avoid. The air we breathe and the soil we grow our food in have been found to contain contaminants directly linked to heart problems on a major scale. Give up? There’s always an answer…

Most cases of liver cancer are traceable to clear risk factors such as diabetes, cirrhosis or non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, among others. But for 40 percent the cause isn’t so clear. Until research came across the ‘one a day’ that raises liver cancer risk by 73 percent…

While science is finding we’re capable of living much longer, many of us succumb to habits that cheat us of even an average lifespan. In fact, four in one hundred of us die early, when ditching one simple habit can bring those numbers down significantly…

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, three million seniors are treated in emergency rooms every year for fall-related injuries, and one in five of those falls causes serious injury, usually hip fracture or head injury. But you don’t have to become a statistic…

We are what we eat, but how seriously do we take that adage? Considering insulin resistance, anxiety and depression are part of a journey that leads to Alzheimer’s, we’re not taking it seriously enough…

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.

After the age of 55, your stroke risk more than doubles with each passing decade. Acne, on the other hand, is generally thought of as a problem faced by the young. What do the two have in common? An accidental discovery that could have your doctor prescribing acne meds instead of statins.

We tend to think more in terms of nutritional supplements for health than we do food, let alone the herbs and spices we use to flavor our favorite dishes. And we think even less of food as a pain reliever. Yet, some flavor profiles play a major role in pain relief. Here are the best…

If you develop joint pain and stiffness as you get older, it’s easy to assume you have osteoarthritis, a common condition. But before you write off a sudden case of stiff, achy joints as a sign you’re not the spring chicken you once were, ask yourself a question — What’s my tick exposure like?

A stroke is a scary thing. The blood is cut off to an area of your brain and the cells in that area die. And because of the unique nature of a stroke and the physical and chemical changes it causes, the damage can continue — killing more brain cells even days after.

If you live with a chronic pain condition like fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis or TMJ, you know how difficult it can be to get relief. Worse, even, is getting your doctor to listen to you without thinking he believes the pain is all in your head. But researchers now have proof where this pain comes from…

There really isn’t much doubt that the standard American diet is killing a lot of us slowly. And some, very quickly. And, as if this weren’t bad enough, these dietary choices are killing our planet at the same time. But the planetary health diet could solve all of these problems. Good news is that it’s pretty flexible…

Sometimes, caffeine makes you feel like Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic… king of the world! But drink too much, and you get anxious, jittery and it feels like your heart’s beating out of your chest. It’s common knowledge that coffee increases heart rate. But how does a daily cup impact your ticker over the long term?

Did you start the year with lofty fitness goals but slip back to your old, sedentary habits? Come January, you may find yourself filled with regret that you let another year slip by. You’ve still got six months — and luckily, the researchers at University of British Columbia found a way to make exercise easier…

Been told you need a statin and questioning whether it’s the right step for you? You’re not alone: According to the Mayo Clinic Proceedings every man over 65 and every woman over 70 qualifies to be on statin drugs. But should everyone take a drug just because they reach a certain age? This doc says no…

By the time the warning signs of elevated blood sugar show up, the damage has often been progressing silently for years. That’s a shame considering diabetes can be prevented, even reversed. What if more people at-risk could be identified sooner to prevent diabetes and its deadly complications?

Damaged or dead brain stem cells are never a good thing. They’re the cells that repair your brain tissue. In fact, fewer brain stem cells mean more brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. And there’s a popular habit that does just this…

More than three million US adults live with irritable bowel disease from either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, and the toll can be devastating. But there’s new hope… A case study found that just giving up foods that most Americans eat in excess led to complete disease remission.

If you’re a pet owner, you probably know there are certain foods and plants that can kill your dog or cat if they swallow them. And, if you’re a parent, you definitely have a list of foods that your child should never eat. But as a healthy adult, there are also foods that are surprisingly toxic to you. Avoid these 10…

You’ve probably heard for decades that antioxidants reduce cancer risk because they counteract free radicals and prevent DNA damage. But what if the antioxidant-cancer relationship wasn’t as straightforward as it seems? What if sometimes antioxidants fought cancer… and other times they fueled it?

Excess iron can reduce your risk of high cholesterol… which is great. That means it could help prevent heart disease and strokes. But this benefit comes with some baggage… Too much increases your risk of some potentially dangerous skin infections. So how do you get just enough?