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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…

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…

Sometimes staying motivated to exercise can weigh heavy on your fitness goals, no matter what they are. We’ve been conditioned that achieving them depends on the long haul. Not so for these five benefits that science says you can experience immediately. Hint: some of these may be the motivation you need!

Is it really possible to send type 2 diabetes into remission? That’s the word scientists used when they reviewed almost 100 papers about the effects of various diets on the disease. Their final assessment? It certainly is, as long as these two key strategies are part of the plan….

If you’ve ever shopped for a mattress, you know that there’s a lot to consider, including size, price, and of course, comfort. Oftentimes, we get so preoccupied with finding the perfect mattress that will last a decade, that we totally overlook potential hazards. But how dangerous could a mattress be? Quite dangerous, actually, especially if it’s leaking fiberglass…

Walking is probably one of our favorite forms of exercise. But many hardcore fitness freaks might cast doubt on the benefits of waking a few hours a week. If they are ever unfortunate enough to experience stroke, they may change their minds. Reducing risk of death up to 80 percent is nothing to scoff at…

Remember the days when eating whole, natural, delicious eggs was a no-no? You got stuck eating bland egg-white omelets, dry toast and artificially-flavored low-fat yogurt for breakfast. Yuck. Thankfully, those days are long gone. A new study shows that eating eggs actually reduces your risk of heart disease.

Anyone can boost performance and enhance exercise… you just need the right supplement. The omega-3 fatty acids found in krill oil boost anti-inflammatory action and strengthen immune function following workouts.

In Japan, living to 80 is no big deal. But there’s an island off the country’s coast where islanders live even longer. And, they’re three times more likely to reach 100 than their North American counterparts, with much less risk of cardio disease, breast or prostate cancer or dementia…

I don’t consider myself old but I’m not a spring chicken either. My back has gotten stiffer, my shoulders have gotten rounder and my toes seem further away than ever before. If you’re in the same boat, here’s one FUN way to improve all of these problems and more…

It’s completely possible to retrain your brain for better eating habits. And the consensus is that it takes about 66 days for a new behavior to feel automatic. Now, you shouldn’t tackle too many at once. So, let’s go after the 3 proven worst at packing on the pounds…

A long-term study found that 70 percent of physical aging and about 50 percent of mental aging is determined by choices we make every day. With that in mind, I’d like to offer you 9 simple choices you can make at any age to keep thriving for decades to come!

Kate Spade. Anthony Bourdain. Two successful people, in the prime of their lives, took their own lives this week. And we are all asking that question… Why? But another question we need answers to is how to stop the mental illness epidemic. A new approach holds promise…

In our enthusiasm for quick results, some of us go overboard when we try to eat healthy. Don’t let it backfire. Here are 5 ‘health’ foods that you should know more about before chomping down on them…

There are so many supplements that can benefit your body in different ways that it can feel impossible to narrow it down to which ones you really need. No worries! Here are the top six vitamins and minerals all women over 40 should take for their best health…

Fat can have scars. And because of where this fat “sticks,” most people with scarred fat have an apple body shape. So, if your fat cells become scarred as you gain weight, what can you do to finally slim down and avoid the health threats your body shape seems prone to?

Dehydration is a real threat that many people don’t take seriously. They think it only happens to someone trekking through the desert, or to marathon runners or other athletes. But it could be the reason for your aches and pains, foggy brain and faster aging…

When it comes to heart disease, diet makes a big difference. But there’s one food that stands out from the pack if you want to keep your heart healthy. This food may even be able to help prevent two serious diseases at once…

Did you know nighttime light exposure impacts your metabolism? Researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine recently looked into it. The results will make you want to turn off your nightlight, your bedside clock and your smartphone for good!

Hormones are master switches. One in particular is a double-edged sword. At optimal levels, it keeps our cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems functioning perfectly. But get estrogen off balance and men — yes, men — have a real problem on their hands…

Kidney disease kills more people than breast and prostate cancer combined. So why doesn’t kidney disease get the same funding and attention as cancer? Maybe because it’s largely invisible until it’s quite advanced. Make sure you know the risk factors and warning signs…

What really keeps you youthful, healthy and living the good life? It’s nothing complicated. No prescriptions, creams or expensive procedures. It’s getting the right nutrients. In fact, if you want to avoid the pitfalls of aging and disease for as long as possible, you need…

Mosquitoes carry dangerous viruses, from West Nile and Zika, to malaria and even yellow fever. But these viruses aren’t the only danger you face when a mosquito bites you. There’s a newly discovered one that sends your immune system into hyperdrive…

Research shows that staying physically active lowers your risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, endometrial cancer and many others. But do you have to sweat till you drop to benefit? Or will something much gentler help you fight cancer?

Are you anemic? Actually, a better question is this: would you know if you were? Many people over age 65 are and don’t even know. They also don’t know that there are two problems that make anemia more dangerous than it needs to be…

According to a new reports, tens of millions of Americans each year are exposed to contaminated drinking water — consuming everything from fecal bacteria to lead and arsenic. Clearly, drinking right out of the tap is a bad idea. So, if you must invest in a water filter, which one?

Whoever said, “Traveling is good medicine,” never spent time on a cramped plane. Particular risks come into play with specific conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or recent surgery. These and other factors can make long-distance travel potentially dangerous….

Everyone knows that belly fat increases your risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases. But when does belly fat become a problem? Is a little bit worth the worry? And what if you’re fit everywhere else but your belly? Are you still at risk? Here’s how to know…

Normally, urine color ranges from pale yellow to deep amber. If your urine falls outside of this color spectrum, it’s usually time to consult your doctor. A variety of medical and dietary issues can cause urine to take on a range of colors you might not expect. Here are some colors to watch out for.

It’s the most widely used herbicide in the world, and new evidence says that it’s more prevalent and dangerous than ever. Worrisome enough on its own, new research reveals glyphosate-based herbicides expose us to five hormone-disrupting heavy metals…

Hormone treatment therapies of the past have many of us too scared to consider HRT. But there is an urgent reason why you should consider your options… That menopause ‘brain fog’ may not end with the last hot flash. In fact, it could be the reason two-thirds of Alzheimer’s victims are women…

One way to stretch your dollar is to make sure the produce you buy doesn’t spoil before it’s eaten. Another way is to consider store brands, many of which are just as nutritious as their full-priced competitors. Here are 7 tips to get you started.

It’s no fun to see signs of of aging. Every time a wrinkle appears, your heart sinks a little. But trust me… what’s going on inside your body is even more alarming. Aging is hard on your vital organs, and your heart is particularly vulnerable to the harsh hands of time…

Many Italian towns have reputations as blue zones… places where inhabitants live unusually long and healthy lives. Most often their health and longevity is attributed to a healthy Mediterranean diet. But the citizens of a town on the Italian Riviera hold tight to another healthy secret…

Many claims have been made about the ability of saw palmetto to shrink the prostate, relieve symptoms of BPH and associated urinary tract problems and perhaps even fight prostate cancer. Is this hype, or does saw palmetto really help?

I’m looking at old age from a comfortable distance. But I’m realizing some adjustments to my home are necessary if I want to remain here independently for another decade or two. If you’re “of a certain age” and want to live in the home you love, here are some things to consider…