Latest Stories

Decades of research have demonstrated that the thyroid plays a key role in regulating the body’s metabolism, affecting weight gain and related metabolic problems like diabetes, high cholesterol and fatty liver disease. Once thought to operate like an on and off switch, new research reveals the liver’s role in thyroid ‘dimming’…

One of the reasons many people have a hard time with their cholesterol is because of how they respond to the popular statin drugs used to treat it. For some, drug therapy works, but for others, not so much. But a few tweaks can fix that…

If you have a family history of heart disease, you might assume you’re a time bomb waiting to go off and there’s little you can do about it. But you’d be wrong. As much as 90 percent of our risk comes from factors within our control. And some of those factors have recieved an updated seal of approval from the experts, validating their potential to save your life…

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…

Flavonoids are known to have great effects on lowering blood pressure levels. But the results haven’t been consistent for everyone. Researchers found why, and how you can make them work better for you…

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…

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?

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…

Terrific snacks on their own, these dried fruits can be added to salads, baked goods, yogurt and any number of cooked dishes. And after you see how much they can impact your health, you won’t have an excuse not to incorporate them into your daily diet!

You’ve probably heard the term autoimmune disease before. Up to this point though, glaucoma has never been included in that list despite the fact that it affects nearly 70 million people worldwide. That could be changing, as well as advice on avoiding it…

Do you live alone? Without a husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, brother, sister, son, daughter or roommate? Now, let me ask you another one… Do you feel lonely? Some people are perfectly content to spend time alone. But if you’re not one of them, it can lead to…

Constipation. It happens to everybody on occasion, unless you’re unfortunate enough to suffer from “chronic” constipation. Let’s hope not, because that kind of prolonged constipation is known to significantly boost colorectal cancer risk — and more…

It’s long been thought that increasing the amount of vegetables you eat could help lower risk for colorectal cancer, and that the reason was, well, fiber. But it’s been discovered that the key to stopping colon cancer is a compound produced when your body digests…

For years, we’ve assumed a low-carb diet is best for weight loss… Too much starch packs on the pounds, after all. So, with that nugget of wisdom, taking the bun off the hamburger seemed the right thing to do. If you want to live longer, put it back on…

There are a lot of changes that come with menopause but giving up sleep doesn’t have to be one of them. Use these tips to help overcome the hot flashes that keep you awake, balance your hormones and reset your body’s internal clock for a better night’s rest.

Antibiotics destroy the healthy bacteria we need to balance our gut health and prevent disease. Now, we’re learning that there’s an intimate connection among antibiotic use, gut bacteria and the growing number of people diagnosed with diabetes each year…

Accepted medical wisdom tells us that diabetes is caused by a perfect storm of obesity and over-consumption of refined sugar, causing insulin resistance. But recent studies show that a simple vitamin deficiency may be equally responsible…

If you’ve never had a migraine, you’re one of the lucky ones. But, if you or a loved one suffers from these severe headaches that can come on without warning, last until you don’t know if you can take another second and even land you in the emergency room, there is hope…

As if the worry that you or a loved one could end up with cancer isn’t enough, the costs and side effects of cancer treatment are enough to send anyone running for the hills. Luckily, researchers are looking into a new way to not only fight off cancer but also improve the success of some treatments…

There’s a name for a sudden drop in blood pressure that makes you feel faint, lightheaded or dizzy when you stand up. It’s called orthostatic hypotension. And it comes with obvious and less obvious dangers. Then there’s the huge harm it can do to your brain…

One in three adults has prediabetes. If you do, take healthy living very seriously, and I don’t just mean avoiding sugar. Because if you have prediabetes and you slack off on this ONE healthy habit, you could make the transition to type 2 diabetes faster than you can say “insulin.”

In order to maintain the optimal weight for your body and ward off disease you need to eat a well-rounded diet. At least that’s what the experts have been saying for years. But it turns out that old adage encouraging people to eat a wide variety of foods actually backfires…

Recently, I was reprimanded by a fellow physician. It wasn’t for prescribing antibiotics over the phone for a patient with symptoms that were likely viral, as this doctor did… but for suggesting a treatment that could help my patients rely less on mainstream medicine’s biggest money makers.

You know the saying, “You’re only as young as you feel?” There’s a lot more truth to that saying than you may think… and science is proving it. So, take an inventory of the activities, people, interests and hobbies that make you feel happy and alive, because people who feel younger age better. Believe what you want to believe. But be warned… there’s proof it might affect how you age.

If you’ve ever gone into your basement and smelled that musty, damp basement smell, there’s a good chance that with each sniff you’re breathing in a substance that can be at best unhealthy and at worst deadly.

CBD has strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-depressant, anti-tumor and neuro-protective qualities. It has been used to treat health conditions such as Crohn’s disease, anxiety, antibiotic-resistant infections, arthritis and more. Time to add Lyme disease to that list?

If you’re living with high blood pressure and feel like a heart attack waiting to happen, there’s an effective way to get your numbers under control, naturally… sort of from the bottom up. Three studies show your gut is an important tool in effectively managing hypertension…

It turns out, the ancient Chinese were on to something when they used a specialized therapy to tackle tumors. Research shows their go-to cure has serious cancer-fighting powers that target various tumor types. In fact, they say it’s the anti-cancer compound of the future…

If your doctor gave you a medication that worked so-so for it’s intended use, but after taking it you find you’ve traded one problem for a whole set of new ones, you might not be too happy, right? What if the new problems included stroke and risk of early death?

Ticks suck… in every sense of the word. First, they literally suck your blood (which is gross enough on it’s own). Then they have the nerve to inject you with bacteria and viruses that can make you extremely ill or even kill you. So, beware the new tick on the block…

While there have been many natural things that type 2 diabetics have been able to do to control their blood sugar and stave off those risks, so far patients living with type 1 have been left out in the cold. But, a new scientific study may have changed that for good…

Air pollution increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, arrhythmias and heart failure. These risks are especially high when you’re exposed to seriously polluted air. Or when you’re already at risk for heart problems due to age or poor health. But here’s the scary thing…

The traditional take on type 2 diabetes is that once your beta cells (those important cells in your pancreas responsible for creating, storing and releasing insulin) stop producing enough insulin, they’ll never return to normal. Well, that’s been blown out of the water…

Bladder problems? No big deal, right. Just get a script from the doctor. Before you take another pill, there are four major health risks that come with taking that prescription bladder control medication that you need to know about…

There’s no doubt that surgery can be a life-changing event. In fact, the time leading up to surgery, as well as time spent recuperating can be a very stress-filled time. But normally your doctor prepares you for what to expect, right? Not necessarily…

The mainstream loves to disregard therapies that have not been“ proven by randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials.” Does this mean safe and effective therapies that lack clinical trial are not valid and should not be recommended?

Did you know that one in three adults over the age of 50 who fractures a hip dies within 12 months? It’s scary but true. 50 isn’t even very old. So, how can you keep dangerous fractures out of your future? With this diet, in less than a year’s time…

If you’re diagnosed with prediabetes, you have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels. Without treatment, it can set the stage for full-blown type 2 diabetes and all the complications that go with it. Despite all these warning signs, most people don’t know til it’s too late…