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There’s growing evidence that many of the worst and most chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s may be riding the same steed: inflammation. But there’s a simple, non-medicated fix that works so well at dousing it, you can see the proof in your blood work…

Some experts have said that at least 31 percent of the cardiovascular disease burden in the world could be avoided if environmental pollutants were eliminated. So when researchers looked at the association between toxic heavy metals and the body’s major arteries, they were shocked, but not surprised…

Hardening of the arteries is a dangerous factor that can increase a person’s risk for stroke. It’s associated with chronic inflammation that damages blood vessels and hinders self-repair from mechanisms called resolvins. That’s where omega-3s come into the picture…

Fatty liver disease isn’t new. What is new is learning its impact on metabolic health is so strong it’s now called Metabolic-associated liver disease, and that with every breath you take, you’re increasing your odds of the most common indication for liver transplantation. Start here to reduce your risks…

Are you a label reader? Do you review the fat content of almost every product before adding it to your grocery cart? We’re not judging but we do want to share some new evidence that will blow all your concerns about saturated fats and heart trouble out of the water — and make life easier…

Winter is here, and you know what that means: Your chances of getting sick and ending up with pneumonia are higher than at any other time of the year. And if you still haven’t gotten the message about the harms of a couch potato lifestyle, you’re missing out on the easiest intervention that works across all age groups.

When it comes to your arteries, you want the consistency of a wet noodle, not an uncooked piece of pasta. Otherwise your risks go up for heart problems. Yet, age isn’t the only thing that can stiffen our arteries. From birth control pills to menopause, women face a unique risk that can have serious consequences…

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the No. 1 cause of death worldwide. And though we’re familiar with the three main risk factors for CVD — high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking — research has uncovered another, less-obvious factor that can double your risk for heart trouble…

If you have high blood pressure, you know it’s tough to get your readings down to normal levels, even with medication. One popular food known for health benefits could tank it by 7 points…

We’ll do just about anything we can to extend our lifespan, whether it’s following an anti-aging diet or exercise regimen — or as involved as using hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In all those efforts, there’s one goal scientists continue to chase: the ability to swallow one pill to stop aging. And they are inching ever closer…

Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, is similar to coronary artery disease. Both involve a buildup of plaque inside the arteries, which slows the flow of blood that nourishes all parts of the body and increases risk for blood clots. Scary thing is, it’s considered a “silent disease.” Here’s what to watch for…

Saying the word “menopause” immediately conjures up images of hot flashes, night sweats and bones becoming frail and prone to fracture. However, while menopause isn’t always a walk in the park, everything post menopause isn’t always bad news…

More evidence is stacking up that, when it comes to keeping your brain at its best, what you eat counts. According to research that spanned 12 years, there are eight foods you’ll want to make a part of your regular diet if you want to ward off cognitive impairment and dementia as you age — and one to avoid like the plague…

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms affecting one-third of American adults that increases risk for diabetes, heart disease and stroke. If you have excess belly fat, high cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, you may be one of them. If you’ve got 10 hours, you can turn it around before it’s too late.

As you get older, the size of a certain vital organ becomes more and more important — your brain. That’s because, typically, the older you get, the smaller your brain volume gets. And if this shrinkage gets too out of hand, you end up with a serious cognitive impairment like dementia.

By definition an autoimmune disorder is one in which your own immune system goes haywire, attacking the healthy tissue in your body, causing the disease. MS is one such disease. New research shows its symptoms may be improved and progress prossibly slowed with a change of temperature. Here’s why…

From controlling type 2 diabetes to stopping cancer in its tracks, if you want to stay in tip-top shape, nuts could be your ticket to a longer, healthier life. And it looks like the benefits of walnuts just keep stacking up, especially where heart health is concerned…

Memory problems can be unnerving, especially when we get older. It’s easy to begin second-guessing everything and wondering whether you’re simply forgetful or if something worse is happening — like Alzheimer’s. How can you tell the difference? Here are a few things to take note of…

Sun exposure may be rough on the skin, but it has a lot of upsides for our sleep, mood and vitamin D levels. And now researchers are discovering that the benefits of sunlight may go even further by protecting us from certain autoimmune diseases…

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of sight loss in the Western world. And most people don’t know they have it until they’re already losing their sight. Researchers have been looking for ways to catch AMD before that point, and they may have identified some new early warning signs that can help them do it…

To lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, we’re told to eat a heart-healthy diet. What exactly is heart-healthy? Is it only eating certain types of foods and eliminating others? Or is there a way to get to that elusive heart-healthy status without feeling deprived? Yes, according to these new rules…

Instead of dreaming of tropical islands this winter, why not try some exotic fruits that hail from warmer climates? Here are 11 exotic “superfruits” that are fun to try, and packed with enough nutritional power to dispel the winter doldrums and most anything else that ails you…

It’s been known for some time that people who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of getting certain cancers, including thyroid cancer. But it’s been unclear exactly how many cases of thyroid cancer are connected with weight — until now — and the findings should be a wake up call, especially for men…

Research shows inflammation is a driving force behind obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Now research is stacking up that connects it with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The good news? Foods feed that inflammation in a dose-dependent manner and a change of diet could make a big difference.

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, comes with its own set of troublesome symptoms. And, just like high blood pressure, it may also be a signal of other things going wrong in the body — surprisingly enough, even with your thyroid…

The average American eats less than one daily serving of whole grains, and some studies show that over 40 percent of Americans never eat whole grains at all. When you know what whole grains can do for blood sugar, it’s no wonder so many Americans are in trouble…

AFib skyrockets your stroke risk. By throwing your heart out of rhythm, the condition can result in blood clots being released, blocking blood flow to your brain. If that wasn’t bad enough, strokes caused by AFib tend to be more severe than strokes from other causes. That’s why getting to the truth about AFib triggers is vitally important…

Aging means slowing down, doing less and retiring, right? Wrong! According to research from Harvard, if you’re taking it easier as the years pass, you’re missing out on processes in the body that can actually build your body back stronger and fight disease to help you live healthier and longer…

Need a reason to stop procrastinating when it comes to household chores and get that sweeping, vacuuming and dusting done? A study looked at housework specifically for its ability to increase the amount of physical activity people get, and found quite a few unexpected perks that promote healthy aging…

Sucking in our stomachs can seem normal, especially for women. But it turns out it’s not exactly healthy for us to be holding in our stomachs all the time. Read on to discover the dark side of “stomach gripping” and why it might have you running to the nearest restroom faster…

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…