Latest Stories

When you suffer from anxiety, that feeling of dread can take over. Unfortunately, the medications most doctors will prescribe carry a boatload of side effects. Some can even worsen your anxiety symptoms. But a plant compound found in some of our favorite foods was shown to wrangle anxiety… and cholesterol, too.

Dyes used in food are supposed to be safe for you to eat, but we’ve already seen evidence that’s not the case. Artificial food colorants have been linked with everything from hyperactivity in children, allergic reactions and worse — and now, there’s evidence they may impact your gastrointestinal health as well…

For years, research has dug into the benefits of coffee. And, now, there’s more credibility pointing to our favorite elixir’s stimulating brain benefits. Coffee certainly lives up to its reputation to help us stay sharp, alert and focused, but should we drink more… or less for the best big brain benefits?

Over the past twenty years, the emerging field of neurotheology has explored the relationship between spiritual practices and meditation and a person’s overall physical and mental health. But the idea that meditation is good for the brain, and may even prevent Alzheimer’s, isn’t new at all…

As we age, diet plays an important role in maintaining health and independence. But it’s a little more complex than you’d think. Research has revealed some recommendations, and some precautions, that can help you live life with vim and vigor no matter how many candles are on your birthday cake…

In the past twenty years, the survival rate for pancreatic cancer has skyrocketed, as long as the disease is caught at stage 1, from around four percent to almost forty percent. This makes greater awareness of the risk factors for the disease and the early warning signs of pancreatic cancer an important part of survival.

A good night’s sleep can do wonders for your mental and cognitive health. It helps keep us focused, alert and simply happier. But more than that, getting just the right amount of sleep can bring down your risk for stroke and heart attack.

Sardines. You either love them or you hate them. But if you were at a high-risk level for type 2 diabetes — meaning you’re prediabetic — and eating just a few a day could turn all that around for you, why not give it a try? Still need convincing? Check out these impressive results…

When you were growing up, your mom never forgot to remind you to eat your vegetables. And while that’s still great advice, there might have been one recommendation she missed. Always eat your fish… your oily, fatty fish, that is! Because people with higher omega-3 blood levels live longer than those with lower levels.

All of us have those nights when physical discomfort or a racing mind can make it difficult to sleep well. But when it happens night after night, it can be a real nightmare — one that affects up to 70 percent of older adults. Pop a pill? That’s dangerous the older you get. But new research says the right kind of music is the stuff dreams are made of…

Between the chaos of the pandemic and the information overload that comes from being constantly online, stress is pretty much a constant presence in our lives. Luckily, evidence continues to mount that following a healthy diet with plenty of plant-based foods can help you manage your stress…

Psoriasis is a difficult autoimmune disease to manage. Not only can it result in thick, red, itchy skin plaques that feel uncomfortable — but it can make someone suffering from the condition uncomfortable about showing their skin. It can also cause misery below the skin including inflamed joints and tendons. A type of diet shows promise in improving symptoms…

Diabetes is well-known as a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. But prediabetes? No big deal, right? Wrong. The notion that prediabetes is “blood sugar that’s high but not high enough to be diabetes” has lulled us into a false sense of security. It can lead to heart damage without ever progressing…

You already know that there’s “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol and that the “good” type helps eliminate bad forms of cholesterol out of your system. But researchers have discovered another benefit to “good” cholesterol that could help predict your likelihood of developing a serious heart problem…

Heat stroke is a dangerous condition that can sneak up on you if you get overheated and don’t take the time to cool off. Now, we’re finding that being overheated for too long can lead to specific danger for seniors… it can actually lower your body’s ability to clean out damaged cells that could lead to diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

People with high blood pressure are usually taking some action to bring it under control, including diet, exercise and medication. But what they don’t know is that they could be sabotaging their efforts simply by taking care of other health issues, especially with medication…

Exercise plays a vital role in heart health and is often recommended by experts as one of the best ways to avoid heart problems. But what if you’ve actually had to undergo heart surgery? Can you get the cardivascular and muscular benefits you need to reduce frailty without danger? You bet, especially if you take the stairs…

I can’t think of much that’s more relaxing than strolling through a park and listening to a bird song. It clears the mind, rejuvenates the spirit and inspires me more than almost any other experience. And I’m sure I’m not alone in appreciating these gifts that come from spending time outdoors, including how they impact our health…

Sleep is soothing. But it’s also invigorating. You know what else is invigorating? Sex. If you’re a woman of a certain age feeling left out in that department, sleep may be the way to get it back, according to experts who understand what you’re going through.

While kidney disease is not reversible, there’s a lot you can do to slow its progression and prevent serious disease or kidney failure. Here are some of the danger signs to watch for, and half a dozen things you can do now to protect your kidneys.

Have you noticed your gums bleeding after brushing your teeth? It could be an early sign of gum disease. But what if you take excellent care of your teeth and your gums still bleed? Then it may be time to explore other factors connected to this warning sign, like a shortage of this particular vitamin…

With age, the risk of falling rises dramatically, and with it the risk of suffering a hip fracture. In fact, in the U.S. alone, over 300,000 seniors are hospitalized for hip fracture each year, three-quarters of them women. Here’s how to avoid that trauma and boost your chances of walking away from it following hip surgery.

Atrial fibrillation symptoms can appear differently in women. And because these symptoms are less familiar, women often ignore them and doctors often misdiagnose or minimize them. That can be deadly since AFib carries higher stroke risk for women. Here’s what to know to protect yourself from this serious stroke threat.

If you have dark skin and tend to spend a lot of unprotected time in the sun, you may think you’re safe from vitamin D deficiency. But research shows the opposite may be true. This is why researchers are recommending that African Americans add vitamin D to their diet to help protect their heart health…

The mitochondria found in our cells generate about 95 percent of the body’s energy. As we age, that energy declines. Research has found a connection between the brain’s ability to pull in glucose and the level of energy produced by mitochondria — one that could hold the link to living longer and healthier.

A fatty liver increases risk for liver damage, liver cancer, liver failure and even death. But there may be a surprisingly pleasant way to halt the progression of fatty liver and improve the health of this vital organ.

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that develop from the muscle in the uterus, typically in women of child-bearing age. The condition usually stabilizes, and symptoms lessen or go away on their own once a woman goes through menopause when her hormones decline. But till then?

Past research has shown the brain’s cellular cleaning mechanism can help take out the trash that leads to Alzheimer’s, and there are ways to naturally encourage the process. But what happens when, despite everything, this cleaning system breaks down? An experimental drug may have the answer to reversing it…

Aging is directly connected to the shrinking of your telomeres, compounds that protect your chromosomes from damage. But there are several other factors that could shorten your telomeres and potentially accelerate the aging process — for instance, finding yourself constantly in need of an afternoon nap…

Diabetic nephropathy can strike one out of four people with diabetes, leading to loss of kidney function and the need for dialysis. While there is no cure yet for this condition, researchers are exploring options — and may have found one in a certain group of vegetables…

For a long time, science has told us that our brains reach their peak performance at around age 25, and that things slowly go downhill from there. But new findings are proving that we can help our brains continue to grow and develop well into old age. Here’s how…

One of the first trials using human subjects put the effects of calorie restriction on aging to the test. Previous studies have resulted in longer life spans for monkeys. The bigger winners, rats and worms, saw life spans up to twice as long as normal in prior tests. And people?

Higher testosterone levels supposedly means greater sexual performance, sex drive, and self-esteem. But is much of this just marketing hype designed to get men into testosterone replacement therapy? Do testosterone levels really matter that much?

When you’re counting calories, every calorie counts. You want to know if you have a little wiggle room to eat that extra handful of nuts, or whatever else you enjoy. Keeping your calorie intake down is hard enough, so here’s some good news…

It’s easy to feel stuck when you have a chronic pain disorder like fibromyalgia. That’s why it might be easier to start with a natural remedy that requires less physical energy when you have so little to spare… like compassion therapy…

Suddenly it hits. That dull, aching pain… a tight band wrapping around your head, constricting and getting tighter and tighter. You’ve got another headache and there goes your day. But stopping the pain can be as simple as a few changes…

The sun’s ultraviolet rays can lead to skin cancer, even if you’re not a sun worshiper. You’ve had plenty of exposure just by walking outside during the spring and summer months. But there’s exciting news about how to outsmart the damage with a simple vitamin…

You head down the grocery aisle to grab your favorite soda. but, before you do, think again. Those no-calorie, artificially sweetened sodas come with just as many health risks if not more than their sugary cousins. Here are the five biggest health risks you get in every glass…

There’s an intimate connection between food and mood. And, depending upon your age, one nutrient group or another may become more crucial to health. However, the following 10 nutrients are proven mood-boosters for anyone of any age…

Spring is upon us… It’s not long before your neighbors begin dousing their lawns in Roundup. Whether glyphosate on its own is safe, there’s another factor a lot of people don’t think about: all of the other chemicals added to concoct a powerful pesticide cocktail…

Here’s an amazing fact: If you were to lay out all the arteries, veins and capillaries of the average adult, end-to-end, they would stretch about 2.5 times around the world! That’s a lot of life-giving blood vessels that can get clogged, worn out and injured…

If you still have any questions about why you should maximize your omega-3 intake, just take a look at the health benefits you could miss out on. Plus, talk to your doctor about the omega-3 index (O3-I) to see if your levels are optimal…

I never start my day without a steaming cup of joe. That liquid energy in a mug gets me going and helps me stay alert through the usual mid-morning slump. Now, there is evidence that the java we crave so much could actually be the secret to a happy liver and heart…

A study found that people who followed low-carb and low-fat diets lost the same amount of weight. Is this a sign we’re approaching this whole weight loss thing wrong? Rather than avoiding any one type of food completely, maybe we should follow one simple habit instead…

Truth be told, you don’t have to be an older woman to develop osteoporosis, a progressive disease where your bones become increasingly weak, thin and brittle. It can happen if you’re young and/or a man too. Some surprising things making your bones brittle include…

Protein powder. Talk about convenience… You just toss a scoop into a smoothie, and you’re giving your body the fuel it needs to repair cells, create muscle and perform other critical bodily functions. But that convenience comes with a dangerous price…

It’s a vicious cycle… Most of the weight-causing foods contribute to inflammation. That inflammation means fewer taste buds, which means fewer pleasure signals are released to the brain after eating that burger or candy bar. That’s not your fault…

I stopped drinking milk for a period of time about five years ago. Like a lot of people, I jumped on the “dairy is no good for you” bandwagon. Fortunately, for me, it was a short ride… because those non-dairy alternatives rob your thyroid of something it urgently needs.

I was addicted to the Starbucks. I’m not talking about a simple cup of black coffee. I’m talking about those creamy, sugary, calorie-laden specialty drinks that are just so darn tasty. Five pounds later, I’ve found a way to enjoy my coffee as much, but without damaging my waistline…

Do you wish you had a crystal ball to see what your health will be like in the future? Because, if I knew I was going to have a heart attack in 20 years or get cancer in 30, I could make changes now that would shift my destiny. Turns out your height can tell you much about your heart’s future…

The textbooks describe the main symptom of Trigeminal neuralgia as “electric jolts of pain,” but this does not really do it justice. A friend described it best: it’s like getting a root canal with a cattle prod. The scariest thing about this condition is its unpredictability…

Concerned about your heart attack risk? At least five studies over the last decade or so have presented solid evidence that this habit can help reduce blood pressure, strengthen arteries and reduce the likelihood of that thing you’re worrying about…

If you’ve been using dryer sheets to ward off static cling and give your laundry that April fresh scent, I’m afraid that what you’re about to read here will be quite upsetting. Dryer sheets are capable of actually slowly harming you…

The issue of antibiotic resistance should worry every single human being on this planet. So if you believe finding effective antibiotic alternatives is only for those who live a 100% natural lifestyle (running marathons, growing their own food, and eating vegan) you’d be dangerously wrong…

The low-carb diet craze has been going strong for decades. It started with Atkins, progressed to Paleo, and now it’s all about Keto. But low-carb eating isn’t for everyone. And, as shocking as it sounds, certain high-carb foods can even kick-start your weight loss.

It’s become evident that a diet based mainly on plants is a healthy one. That’s why many people have adopted a plant-based diet, consuming more vegetables than meat. But choose your vegetables well to avoid the insidious effects of protein deficiency than many people are not aware of…

For millennia, this bright yellow spice has been revered for its many uses. Today, researchers and medical professionals are rapidly exploring turmeric’s remarkable potential and demonstrating its powerful benefits for many key areas of health.

This year’s horrible flu season is finally winding down… thank God! But if you were one of the unlucky ones who got the flu, you may be wondering how you can prevent yourself from reliving that awful experience again next year. You’re in luck…

Before I began my yoga practice, I was exhausted, stressed, stiff, achy and unhappy. But it really changed my life. If you don’t currently practice yoga on a regular basis, you’re missing out. Here’s how to get started at home as a beginning yogi…

People who take antipsychotics, anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants often do worse in the long-term than people with the same mental illnesses who don’t take these medications. But there’s a very promising long-term solution…