Latest Stories

What’s the harm in a daily drink? Despite what smaller studies have found, it turns out just one drink followed by just one more can exponentially age your brain by shrinking it. In fact, a shockingly small amount can steal a decade from your brain…

Breathing in ozone pollution is harsh on the lungs. It can also raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. Is that the worst of it? Long-term exposure to ozone has been found to contribute to cognitive decline. You have to breath, but you can still protect your brain….

Endless commercials tell us if we join weight loss programs and eat their pre-packaged meals, the pounds will drop. Maybe you’ve tried them or followed a diet at home, working out on top of all of that, but the scale keeps going up. Let me be the first to tell you to stop beating yourself up. Here’s why…

AMD leads to loss of the sharp vision required for activities like reading, driving, recognizing faces and seeing the world in color. It can also lead to blindness. To keep that from happening, research looks into gene therapy, inflammation and oxidative stress…

If you still think being mindful about your eating habits has something to do with meditation, you’d not only be wrong, you’d be missing out. Here are 8 ways to simplify eating better, losing weight if you want and avoiding disease to live healthier…

Anything you can do to develop stronger muscles will add years to your life — up to 20 percent more! But if you’re like me you’re not a fan of breaking a sweat. I have good news for all of us: When it comes to the benefits of muscle-strengthening exercise, less is more…

They plop. They fizz. And what a relief they bring. But the reason those fizzy pain relievers dissolve so well is the sodium they contain. Surely, it’s not that much, right? It’s enough to raise risks for stroke and heart attack even if you don’t have high blood pressure.

Arthritis, menstrual cramps, fibromyalgia, back pain — you’ve probably dealt with one or more of these forms of chronic pain in your lifetime. And maybe you’re still trying to rein in your chronic pain… even after you’ve tried everything medicine has to offer…

Having a pet is great for your health, particularly if you’re a senior. Your pet can keep your blood pressure and stress levels down, keep you from getting lonely and make sure you get daily exercise. And now, there’s evidence having a pet may even benefit your brain…

There are a lot of factors believed to contribute to Alzheimer’s. Without a cure, there’s hope that early identification of these factors may give us the chance to intervene. These 10 factors have been identified as those most likely to manifest many years before Alzheimer’s onset…

A review of cardiovascular care in the U.S. found it’s prone to a high frequency of “low-value” tests and procedures. It happens to nearly half of patients and leads to more invasive tests that come with higher risks, costs and questionable benefits. Are you one of them?

You may think your immune system is only activated when you’re sick. Truth is, it remains active in your body even when you’re perfectly healthy. In fact, It has cells stationed all over the body that are busy performing vital functions, such as those related to energy production and burning fat…

The gut influences processes in our body far beyond digestion. In fact, it’s known that disturbances in the microbiome and heart problems can go hand in hand. But there’s been some uncertainty about where the issues actually begin and what could be done to decrease the harm…

Most of us think of body fat as something we need to lose. However, growing research is proving it’s much more than a reservoir for storing calories. Depending on how well it functions, fat may be key to preventing some of the most common age-related ailments.

Caffeine has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. But it’s been unclear exactly how. Turns out, there’s an interesting connection between caffeine and a protein that stimulates cholesterol production.

We’re always hearing we should eat more fiber. It helps maintain a healthy digestive system, reduces cholesterol and improves heart health. Now, research is finding that eating more of a particular type of fiber may also keep dementia away…

Who in their right mind would sit down and eat a bunch of plastic particles with their meal? But we have been for a long time. To the point that it’s poisoning us in an entirely different and alarming way…

More and more, research is proving that being a meat lover can put you at higher risk for cancer. But is it really an all-or-nothing deal? Maybe not. You may only need to follow a few simple rules to enjoy meat and keep the “big C” at bay…

If you’re at an age where heart and brain health are top of mind, you might be missing a threat that’s 50 percent higher in older adults than it was 25 years ago. The good news is that the nutrients that support your heart and brain can also decrease your autoimmune risk by 30 percent.

With age, the size of the human brain shrinks. Age-related brain atrophy occurs due to a loss of brain cells. With fewer brain cells, connections are lost and cognitive decline begins. What if you could pump up the volume with a simple diet adjustment?

It’s no accident that the small, sweet cherry has found its way into idioms that express how good life is. To “put the cherry on top” means to make a good thing even better. That’s because there are few downsides to eating cherries, and a lot of benefits to be had…

Late-night eating can lead to weight gain or high blood sugar levels. That’s a recipe for diabetes. But new findings show many of us carry a gene that can make that habit worse by turning a hormone naturally produced in the body against us.

When your sleep cycle gets screwed up, so does your health. Disruption to your circadian clock has been found to interfere with the brain’s ability to clear a protein closely linked to stealing your brain functions and memories. But getting it back on schedule isn’t so hard…

While none of us doubt that heavy drinking is a danger to health, the jury has been out for decades as to whether light to moderate alcohol use can be helpful or harmful. But one consistent debate has centered on alcohol’s connection to cancer. Well, now, the jury may have made a final decision.

For years, if not decades, health care providers have assumed people with higher levels of body fat have high bone density and are at low risk of fracture. Turns out that was a mistake that’s left men, especially, in danger.

More and more evidence has mounted over the past decade suggesting that bacteria in the gut can affect the immune system, particularly an autoimmune reaction. If what we eat can affect the bacteria in our guts, could diet also play a role in whether or not we end up with MS?

Ginseng is an anti-viral and anti-inflammatory that stops our stress response cycle, including the immune response that follows stress. But for those who need help with energy and aging, its benefits may go to the cellular level…

A ketogenic diet is a diet that’s very low in carbohydrates. Most people go on a ketogenic diet to lose weight. But research has established other benefits of the diet, including the potential to relieve pain. The reason may surprise you…

Research is proving that coffee has more perks than ever previously thought. But there’s one negative holdover: Many people think coffee increases their intestinal problems, when that’s just not the case. A review of 194 research publications shows exactly what we mean…

Is one of your resolutions to lose some serious weight this year? But, will hitting the gym give you the results you want? And how much can you expect to lose and how long will it take? Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have all of these answers…

You’ve probably heard and read that sitting seriously sabotages your heart health, and it may even double your heart disease risk. But that’s not always the case. There’s one instance when sitting is actually great for your heart…

Bananas are high in potassium, a mineral that plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy heart. Without enough of this mineral, your heart and arteries simply cannot function the way they’re supposed to.

So the verdict is in. Glyphosate, the toxic weedkiller in Roundup causes cancer. It wreaks damage by depleting the body’s supply of its “master antioxidant,” glutathione. But in high enough doses, a common vitamin has been shown to reverse the depletion of glutathione caused by glyphosate…

It’s scary to think that dementia could be brewing in your brain without even realizing it. But there’s plenty you can do to protect your brain health. And there may even be a simple way to gauge how healthy your brain is right now without expensive brain scans.

When people think about what carrying extra weight around does to their body, they often forget about their liver. But even if you’re skinny, you’re not home free from fatty liver disease. Either way, there are a few things to add to your diet that can protect this vital organ.

Meat allergies are becoming more common because of two creepy, crawly causes — ticks and chiggers. But that’s not the worst of it. Not only can these allergies keep you from enjoying a good burger, they can clog your arteries and put you at risk for heart disease.

Fibromyalgia means pain, extreme fatigue, memory problems, depression and digestive problems. Treating fibromyalgia has proven challenging. But there may be an unusual way to ease the condition: a tropical fruit with a “sour” name that doesn’t match its flavor.

When you hear the word cannabis, it’s likely that things like joints and special brownies come to mind. But, the fact is that the products derived from hemp offer some very real health benefits, without the high you get from the THC in marijuana…

Penile pain is a delicate subject, pun intended. It’s a subject that most men don’t talk about. But the presence of pain can be serious and should not be ignored…

Being an early riser or a night owl can influence your health, uncovering a growing body of evidence indicating an evening preference leads to very serious health risks. In fact, being an evening person increases your risk of both heart disease and diabetes, and here’s why…

If you’re a true health-nut (or even a part-time health nut), there’s one food you should always have on hand — nuts. Especially one that contains several essential fatty acids, antioxidants, minerals like magnesium and potassium and a bona fide disease buster…

Migraine headaches affect ten percent of the world’s population. That means that one in every ten people you meet — maybe even you — suffers from attacks of debilitating pain on one side of their head that are often accompanied by slurred speech, nausea, and vomiting, as well as sensitivity to light and sound.

Most people don’t think of irritable bowel syndrome as a serious condition. They think it’s a bit of diarrhea, constipation or both. Nothing you need to worry about too much. But for those with the most severe cases it feels very serious…

We’re reluctant to talk about the end of our life, let alone plan for it. Seems like tempting the fates. In reality, though, it is one of the smartest things you can do, not only for your benefit, but for the peace of mind and well-being of your family and friends.

As we age, we begin to focus on what can help us gracefully enter our senior years. So, let me share what science now knows about eight specific nutrients you want swimming in your bloodstream to keep your brain connections and your cognition strong…

Without a fully functioning and healthy liver, you could take all the vitamins and supplements in the world, but they wouldn’t do any good. So, pay special attention to eating these ten foods that nourish this crucial organ.

If you go to the doctor’s office and they can’t find anything else wrong, they may diagnose you with irritable bowel syndrome and send you on your way. But there could be something stranger behind your bowel trouble…

You may have heard the conventional wisdom that says you shouldn’t exercise in the evening since it makes it hard to fall asleep. I know that I had… In fact, I though I had to skip my workout if I couldn’t get it in before 5 pm. But, is it the truth? Let’s get to the bottom of it…

I love to cook with herbs and spices. Not just for the amazing flavor they add, but because many, especially one of my favorites, help heal your body. A a new study found one particular citrus-tasting herb may even reverse heart damage…

Some diets make you ditch dairy altogether, while others make you cut fat. Either way, cheese is out of the picture. But if you’re a cheese lover like me, don’t worry… a newer version of one of the healthiest diets is bringing dairy back, and the health benefits are just as good…

The spine houses a bundle of nerves that allows the brain to keep us moving, functioning and healthy. When a connection is severed, it’s like shutting off the switch to a vital function. It doesn’t take a serious injury to have problems. Watch for these…

There are around 21,000 plants that have the potential to fight disease, but you’re unlikely to come into contact with most of them. However, there are six wildflowers that you could easily run across in a short hike that pack a big punch when it comes to your health.

Optimizing vitamin and mineral levels is a bit like walking a tight rope. Too much or too little, and you’ve got problems. So, when supplementing your vitamin D, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little “insurance” that protects you from getting too little or too much?

You know how drug commercials rattle off dangerous side effects so fast there’s no way to get it all? Well, drug companies have found a new way to get around the law requiring them to disclose that information. Here’s what to watch for so you don’t get tricked…

We all know that high blood pressure is dangerous and that it can lead to heart attacks and even strokes. But, did you realize that it can also dramatically increase your risk of heart failure – a condition where your heart is unable to pump enough blood to the rest of your body?

What factors have the most significant effect on your physical and emotional well-being? Is it how much money you make, how respected you are in your community, or how much you gave back? Or, is it something else? A 75 year Harvard study may have the answer…

How hard is it to turn down a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie once you catch a whiff of it? Or garlic bread? Or French fries? Scent triggers cravings. And scent-based cravings are hard to resist. But there’s a secret to overcoming those stubborn cravings.

Hypertension and heart attacks are intimately connected. And, since both hypertension and vascular dementia are caused by thickening and narrowing of small blood vessels, it’s no surprise that vascular dementia risk rises right along with blood pressure, particularly for women…

A lot of us aren’t eating enough micronutrients, because, let’s face it… it’s not easy. How can you get enough of these disease-fighting nutrients? You might think a total diet overhaul is the solution. But not necessarily. There’s this tasty food that gets you two for one…

Corydalis yanhusuo, a Chinese herb, has well documented effects on various types of pain — acute, inflammatory, neuropathic, and even bone cancer pain. All without causing tolerance. If this sounds too good to be true, how about a testimonial?