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It’s no secret that for decades Americans have been getting heavier. There are a lot of reasons why, and we’ve been conditioned to believe they are within our control, and that not following a healthy diet or overeating is no one’s fault but our own. But it may not have been the food all along, and instead, what was on the food…

If you have the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (AFib), you may be confused as to whether it’s a good idea to exercise. No wonder. To this point, the few studies on AFib and exercise have been contradictory. But, there’s been positive indication that a carefully structured exercise program may help some people with AFib better manage their condition…

Most of us have gotten the message: eating more whole grains (as opposed to refined grains like white flour and white rice), is key to healthy living, especially if you want to avoid chronic disease. And nothing can become chronic faster than jumping from prediabetes to a full-fledged diagnosis. But the right grain can completely turn things around, and it’s gluten-free…

You’ve probably heard that 10,000 steps a day can lead to better health and longer life. But have you ever wondered why 10,000 steps? Truth be told, it was an estimate with little science behind it. Recently, researchers set out to determine exactly how many steps per day are needed for those optimal health benefits. Luckily, you can live a lot longer while walking a lot less…

It’s no secret that eating or drinking too much sugar is an unhealthy choice. Foods and beverages laden with the sweet stuff have been strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack and heart disease. Scientists quantified sugar’s effects and found a shocking number of lives could be saved by giving up the worst culprit. One of those could be yours…

One of the most interesting things about the human body is how it works together. That’s why for healthy blood pressure, you need a healthy gut. The reason? It all comes down to how certain foods are metabolized, particularly flavonoids, which are known to have great effects on blood pressure levels. But the results may not be the same for everyone…

About one in eight American men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, and one in 41 will die from the disease. Researchers determined to improve those odds are working to uncover more effective ways to treat prostate cancer — and they may have found an answer in the way these cancer cells feed themselves…

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce chronic disease risk. Why? It helps burn fat that can lead to metabolic syndrome, a constellation of factors that increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. But the number one factor is an accumulation of fat around your middle. So if you’re going to exercise, pick one known to go straight for this fat…

Having a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s can be really scary. But the National Institutes of Health found that people who adhered to at least four of five specific healthy lifestyle factors lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s by sixty percent. Best news of all? Even octogenarians can avoid Alzheimer’s by following these habits…

When most of us think about the foods we eat, we get stuck on things like fat, calories and the amount of sugar in them. Yet, one thing few of us consider is the effect of food on the pH balance — alkalinity to acidity ratio — of the body, which is equally as important… even moreso, for your kidneys.

Research has shown that the makeup of your microbiome greatly affects your immune system. But that’s not all. It impacts your weight, healthy aging and your risk of numerous chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. Two types of foods, fiber and fermented foods, have been known to increase bacterial diversity in the gut. But one does a much better job…

For many recovering from a mild COVID-19 infection, dealing with symptoms for a few weeks may have been the least of it, thanks to long COVID syndrome. Research has tried to uncover why some people suffer the phenomenon and others don’t. Turns out, 73 percent of people with long COVID had a prior run in with a well-known virus waiting for this opportunity to wake up…

Don’t you love the advice to eat better? Silly question. In fact, we hate to hear it because, what is better, specifically? Oftentimes, it’s conflicting. And it rarely includes our favorite indulgences. That’s why we struggle to choose and stick to a healthy diet. But would it be easier if you knew which foods added or subtracted minutes from your life?

To keep our hearts healthy, we’re bombarded with well-meaning advice. Eat this, don’t eat that. Exercise this much. Don’t sit too much. Avoid bad habits and reduce the stress levels in your life. But there’s one simple piece of advice that, if you follow especially during midlife, could eliminate heart failure from your future…

We have more leisure time than ever, between 36 and 40 hours a week by some estimates. But we live in a society that makes us feel like every moment must be a productive one. Once you believe that, and internalize the message that leisure time is a waste of time, research shows you’re going to be more depressed and less happy, unless you think of it this way…

Random mouth ulcers are just plain painful. Over-the-counter topicals or prescription mouthwashes may reduce the pain, but they don’t help heal those canker sores so much. So a group of scientists decided to put CBD to the test. It’s been shown to do so much, why not?

While most people recover within weeks, many are left with what’s been dubbed long-haul symptoms, lasting weeks to even months beyond the initial infection. The exact cause of the condition now known as long COVID syndrome has been a mystery, until evidence pointed to the dangerous role blood clots play in symptoms that won’t go away…

My gut is somewhat out of whack thanks to long-term antibiotics I took several years ago. So I’m familiar with an urgent bathroom run. But there are some surprising things about some foods that can trigger diarrhea even if you have an iron stomach. If you’d rather not be caught off guard, watch out for these eight…

The aorta, the main artery coming into the heart, becomes gradually stiffer with age, even without other risk factors, like smoking or obesity. This stiffening is the main reason the risk of hypertension increases as we get older. But even if weight is a problem, you might be surprised to find you don’t have to starve to make a significant difference in your heart health…

People suffering from Leaky Gut spend years looking for relief. Knowing the symptoms and conditions that can be tied to leaky gut is a good starting point for you to nail down what’s ailing you and how to get relief…

It’s no secret that high amounts of fructose are hiding in hundreds of foods, from condiments, like ketchup, to luncheon meats, apple sauce, breakfast cereals and more. It’s contributed to an obesity epidemic, but scientists were truly surprised to see exactly how: by conditioning the gut to absorb supersized amounts of fat and calories…

The fact that migraines and diabetes are linked at all seems rather unlikely. While migraines happen in your brain, diabetes is caused by issues with your pancreas. And there’s a lot of body separating these two organs. But research has uncovered an odd connection that may seem like a silver lining for at least one of these conditions…

You may believe there comes a point when taking up exercise won’t make any difference to your health. But don’t give up just yet. Research in more than 30,000 people indicates that becoming physically active later in life can be almost as good for a longer, healthier life as having exercised consistently for years…

From watching funny pet videos to relaxing with our favorite pooch, pets make us laugh, make us smile, and make us feel better. That’s why doctors and hospitals have long enlisted therapy dogs to help patients, whether they’re recovering from a physical injury or need emotional support. Here’s how your pet can help you feel better fast…

Certain foods have a reputation as superfoods, meaning they possess particularly heathy attributes that confer improved health and even longer life to those who eat them. You can include them as part of healthy diet or, in the case of this one, the worse your diet is, the bigger the benefits you’ll see…

Time-restricted eating is a type of intermittent fasting. It’s an eating plan where you restrict consuming your calories or food to a specific window of time each day. You might eat during an hour 8 hour period and fast for 16 (a chunk of that when you sleep). It’s not for everyone, but these four big health benefits might inspire you to give it a try…

At any given moment, I can listen to the right tune to help me feel calmer, happier, more focused or primed for sleep. But playing music also improves your life in multiple ways. In fact, learning to play a musical instrument is well worth the effort, especially for your brain, even if you don’t start learning until you’re an older adult…

Erectile dysfunction is a subject most men don’t want to talk about. After all, many men take it as another sign, along with laugh lines and a receding hairline, that they’re just getting older. But if you’re experiencing problems in the bedroom that you’ve been ignoring, the results of a study of over 95,000 men in Australia may be a wake-up call for you…

There’s a reason we’ve learned to trust our gut instincts. Research has revealed that it works for the body like a second brain and that its effects on total body health can reach far beyond its intestinal confines. That’s why when scientists had a gut feeling about its connection to heart disease, they couldn’t shake it until they discovered this missing link…

Nobel Prize-winning physiologist and biochemist Otto Warburg hypothesized over 90 years ago that cancer cells use sugars for energy. If you take a cancer cell’s preferred energy source, what happens then? On the keto diet, the body turns to burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, but cancer might starve…

When it comes to exercise, aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart rate up and blood pumping, has been considered the holy grail. After all, it does have some amazing benefits. But if you want to lower cholesterol, stroke and heart attack risk in less time, try this…

Singing releases endorphins, the brain’s “feel-good,” pain reducing chemical. Singing also releases oxytocin, a hormone which has been found to alleviate anxiety and stress. But that’s not all: Study after study reveals that singing in a group has multiple health benefits…

I often have patients come to me about visible signs of aging. After wrinkles and sagging skin, they’re most concerned about darkened spots and growths, and vascular skin blemishes. If you have these same concerns, I’d like to share with you how I help my patients…

By now you have probably read a lot about free radicals and how they are responsible for the disease and aging process. That’s because free radicals literally break down healthy cells — killing and mutating them. You fight them with antioxidants, but what if they’re outnumbered?

You wouldn’t think that having a big brain would be a bad thing… More brain cells. Possibly more intelligence. Sign me up! But just like more money means more problems, a bigger brain could set you up for a higher chance of something no one wants more of…

An optimum diet and exercise can protect your neuromuscular junction synapses from the wear and tear of aging. So, are you following an optimum diet and exercising daily? Don’t beat yourself up too much. There’s a nutrient that duplicates the effects without diet and lifestyle changes…

Night owls tend to be more creative and intelligent. They also have more mental stamina later in the day. That means they can burn the midnight oil to get stuff done, like homework, work or passion projects. But there’s one area where us early birds have a big advantage — health.

When you are in a state of flow, you feel in control. You feel more competent. You’re not worrying about how you’re doing, who’s judging you, or what you’ll have to do next. But it’s more than that. Here are some measurable benefits to being in the “flow,” and how to get there…

Suds. Warm water. Steam. And relaxation… There’s just nothing like a nice, long, hot shower. It feels good, that’s for sure. But dermatologists have other ideas about what’s good for you when it comes to soaping up and rinsing down. In fact, most of us could learn a few things…

Leaky gut is a condition where the gut lining develops holes that allow partially digested food, toxins and bacteria to seep into your bloodstream. Telltale signs include chronic diarrhea, gas, constipation, fatigue, headaches and skin issues. And only one probiotic has been found to truly plug a leaky gut…

Have you heard of exergaming? Some video games require physical exercise (for your body, not just your thumbs!) and scientists have now found a big benefit that goes far beyond their effects on your heart rate and even your waistline. It could be a fun way to stay independent as you age…

If you’re already experiencing arthritis pain in your knees, you’re probably afraid knee replacement surgery is in your future. But it doesn’t have to be. There’s something you can do today to decrease your odds of needing surgery and suffering through recovery. And it only takes five to ten minutes!

A growing body of clinical and scientific data suggests that modified forms of fasting can deliver important benefits for key areas of health, including glucose regulation, cardiovascular function, inflammatory response and more. Not bad for an ancient practice…

Seriously, just one thing. And the folks who did this one thing, without being encouraged to diet, exercise or do anything that differed from their normal, daily habits, lost weight and kept it off. So if you want to finally be able to see changes on the scale with extreme effort, try it, too…

If your blood sugar is elevated, but not enough (yet) for a diabetes diagnosis, that’s called prediabetes. You can turn that around by increasing an enzyme you’ve probably never heard of. It’s in all of your cells, but if you’re over 50, your supplies are decreasing daily. Boost it…

Estrogen excess is not so clear cut, especially when you’re not sure why or how the necessary hormone is getting out of balance. It takes monitoring levels of both estrogen and testosterone to get it balanced. Fortunately once you know why it’s increasing, there are several things that help…

Most of us have the wrong idea about aging. We assume that it’s natural to get weaker, develop diseases and slow down mentally as we get older. But this is all wrong. Normal aging does not automatically cause decline and disease. In fact, there really isn’t a “normal aging” at all…

If you want to love your skin, it makes sense that improving circulation will help. It is, after all, considered your largest organ. So that means there is a lot of territory to cover and you want all of it to benefit from the oxygen and nutrients your blood carries to your skin cells…

Most people who have a hiatal hernia don’t have any symptoms at first. However, a more severe or untreated hiatal hernia will often lead to another condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Left untreated, you could be in for quite a few complications…

These foods can boost your testosterone levels and nitric oxide levels, resulting in better erectile function without exposing you to the dangers of erectile dysfunction drugs.

We use more than a billion pounds of pesticides per year in the U.S. alone. While we’d all like to think pesticides don’t affect the people, animals and plants they’re not intended for, we know better. Those chemicals move and drift…and find their way into your home. Here’s where to look…

It’s long been known that exercise has a positive impact on your brain and your memory. It decreases your risk of Alzheimer’s and can even slow cognitive decline. If you don’t move, your temporal lobe is doomed. So what about these other positions…

Hypertension is scary, especially if your blood pressure is what they call “resistant.” That means adhering to a combination of at least three antihypertensive medications of different classes, which usually includes a diuretic. This post is for you…

Macular degeneration is an eye disease that causes more blindness than glaucoma and cataracts combined. More than ten million Americans have it. The reason so many of us do could be the standard American diet. Because compelling research shows another much healthier diet could stop this sight-stealer in its tracks.

Should you head to the doctor at the first sign you’re sick, fill your prescription and start popping the pills they give you? You might want to think twice. Scientists are looking at what they do to your gut, and it turns out antibiotic use can cause permanent change in your gut and lead to serious problems.

It’s easy to turn your nose up at plastic surgery when you’re young. But as you get older, a little surgical help starts to get more tempting. But before you make any serious decisions, here’s something you need to know… There’s one cosmetic procedure that causes a sky-high risk of autoimmune disorders in women.

Gratitude is a powerful social emotion; a deep feeling of thankfulness, one that has long reaching benefits for wellness and quality of life. And multiple studies show that aside from being a socially favorable way to be with others, it has powerful effects on your health…

Back pain is common across all ages, genders and socioeconomic groups. But, if you’re a woman age 40 to 80, your odds of suffering are the highest of any group. But more concerning is that back pain may be shortening your life. Here are three signs to look for and steps to take if you’re in pain…

Deep pressure therapy simulates hugs, cuddling, swaddling, and holding — all things we’ve been trained from a young age to enjoy. When someone we love hugs us or hold us, we feel safe, calm and relaxed. And that’s likely why pressure can relieve anxiety and help you sleep…

By now, the health benefits of coffee are indisputable, offering protection from heart disease to cancer. But if you want to use coffee for its brain benefits, there’s something you need to know: Not all coffee provides equally effective protection. It depends on the roast…