Latest Stories

Have you ever wondered why women live several years longer than men do? Scientists have, and they’ve been exploring possible causes. And they’ve found a connection between shorter lifespan and loss of this uniquely male characteristic….

You probably know more about your thyroid and adrenals than an odd little gland nestled in the chest called the thymus. Considering research believes it could be key to a lifetime of good health, here’s a much-needed introduction to what it does and why it needs your attention…

Longer lifespans have researchers scrambling to keep an aging population healthier. One vitamin has emerged that experts agree may be helpful for several chronic conditions featuring a common denominator afflicting aging Americans…

It may be the 21st century, but gender bias remains a huge problem in healthcare. It means some of us aren’t getting the care we deserve and the number of deaths in certain populations is much higher. It may be time to switch doctors…

The GLP-1 agonist class of drugs appears to be a godsend for people looking to lose weight quickly and effortlessly. But there is a decidedly dark side to these medications, including several risky digestive side effects that could make life miserable…

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful autoimmune disease that attacks the joints. What exactly triggers it is a mystery, though experts suggest it’s a combination of factors including lifestyle and diet, which makes one item on the prevention list stand out…

If you have a sweet tooth, there are worse things you can indulge in than a bar of dark chocolate. Especially if you want to avoid blood sugar trouble and weight gain…

While everyone has been looking for a way to live healthier longer, it appears the simplest answer has been under our noses. A review of dozens of studies shows our favorite drink challenges 7 pillars of aging…

Sleep is more than just downtime for your body. When you sleep, the workload on your cardiovascular system catches a break. That’s why the doctor says you should never ignore sleepless nights…

A study that spanned a little over a decade indicates that higher levels of two essential fatty acids reduced the risks for several cancers. However, the benefits and potential harms vary. Here’s what you need to know…

Deciding to make healthy changes can be daunting, what with so many to choose from and all. If you want to avoid setting yourself up for failure but want to be healthier and happier, get started with this one simple thing…

Everyone loves giving and getting gifts. But it seems we enjoy gift-giving a bit more. Turns out the old adage “it’s better to give than to receive” is actually true in terms of the response it elicits from your brain…

The American Heart Association has a running list on how to achieve optimal heart health. As a nation, we’ve got a lousy score. But an unexpected finding of adhering to this list doesn’t just mean a higher score… it can help you turn your age back as much as 6 years.

Sugar has serious drawbacks, but do you have to go sugar-free to stay healthy? Not if you switch to this truly natural sweetener that not only satisfies your sweet tooth, but also reduces four significant risk factors for cardiometabolic disease…

Have you heard of “vascular compliance?” It’s a term for how stiff or flexible your arteries are. And it’s key to maintaining healthy blood pressure and avoiding stroke and heart attack. Now, researchers are finding it may also be the strongest indicator you’re developing blood sugar problems…

For decades, doctors prescribed one medication for enlarged prostate. It turned out the same drug could be the answer for hair loss and, now, heart problems. But there’s a catch to getting these benefits safely…

Wouldn’t it be great if fighting obesity was as easy as adding one specific food to your diet? Well, according to multiple studies, this may be possible with a food that’s been eaten for thousands of years…

For years, the answer to depression has been drugs that often don’t work and lead to depressing side effects. But an 11-year twin study provides unique insight on food’s strong link to the mood disorder…

When we think of Viagra, erectile dysfunction comes to mind. But research has found it may be helpful for myriad conditions, most recently, two specific lung conditions. All because it helps improve blood flow (to places other than the penis)…

Many factors affect heart disease risk, like poor lifestyle choices that can set up heart problems down the road. But some actually speed up that risk, like two conditions that bring about the potential for heart trouble almost three decades sooner…

The holidays are about celebrations. They’re also about alcohol, sweets and salty savory treats and big meals that can leave you with a permanent heart condition. Here’s how to avoid holiday heart syndrome and the signs to watch for…

After menopause, fat is the primary source of estrogen. Body mass index may not accurately measure body fat. This matters because body fat is linked to hormone-positive breast cancer, an underestimated deadly cancer risk…

For years, scientists have been trying to stop age-related macular degeneration. And while there still is no drug cure, supplements like the AREDS formulations can slow progression — but they can’t prevent the onset. That’s where melatonin comes in…

It’s not always easy to get to the bottom of mysterious muscle cramps. But if you pay attention to the signs you can most likely narrow it down to one of six common causes of cramping.

Would you know if you were having a heart attack? Conventional wisdom says that chest pain, sweating and shortness of breath are classic signs. But there are others that aren’t talked about nearly as often. Don’t mistake these symptoms…

As you age, you probably tend to worry about the health of two of your most important organs — your brain and your heart. That’s why we’re urged to exercise and eat right. But what if you’re over 65, is it too late? Not for a berry boost…

The average American consumes almost 19 teaspoons of added sugar a day. And that’s tied to more than 45 serious health problems. No wonder many of us turn to low-calorie sweeteners, like xylitol. But practicing moderation may be safer than risking blood clots…

A mild stroke could be a wake-up call. But a severe stroke changes your life in ways you can’t bounce back from. Before it’s too late, do something about the most important risk linked to severe stroke…

The newer generation of blood thinners are much easier to use because they don’t require the blood test monitoring the older drugs did. But researchers uncovered an alarming risk that doctors prescribing the meds were unknowingly putting on their patients…

If you have risk factors for heart disease, including hypertension and diabetes, a case of pneumonia can increase the stress on your heart further leading to some serious complications. But if your doctor approves, you can start working to prevent that possibility now…

We have no control over the passage of time. But we do have a lot of control over our physiological age. That means we have a lot of say over our health as we age. In fact, if you’re already taking care of your heart, you may have already slowed your rate of aging…

People with chronic fatigue syndrome have battled not only their condition but also skepticism that the condition could be psychosomatic. A landmark study that started eight years ago has compelling evidence that nothing could be further from the truth…

Most of us don’t think about what time it is when we take medication. Sure, you may have one or two your doctors suggest taking at a certain time of day. But if a headache hits, you probably pop a pain releiver without a second thought. That could be toxic and bad for you and your liver…

More than 50 percent of the half a billion people with diabetes suffer from a nerve condition that can cause pain and numbness. And most of them aren’t even aware they have it, the threats it poses or about the syndrome that quadruples their risk for it…

This is the true story of a 55-year-old man whose fate seemed to be sealed, When it came to genetics and dementia, he’d drawn the short straw: two copies of the APOE4 gene. But he didn’t take it sitting down. Today, his brain tells a different story, one that can belong to any of us…

Studies have connected a diet high in saturated fats with Alzheimer’s. But how these fats harm the brain hasn’t been clear. Now researchers reveal three distinct ways a high-fat diet can damage the brain in a short amount of time. But we wouldn’t tell you this if there wasn’t a way around it…

Research into the impact of microplastics on our health is still in its early days. But so far, the evidence is alarming, including the presence of microplastics in arterial plaques. Now researchers are finding microplastic blood clots deep inside the body…

For years, restless leg syndrome has puzzled the medical community. It’s not an autoimmune condition, but is a symptom of many. It disrupts sleep and carries a higher risk of death, heart problems and diabetes. For answers, international researchers have turned to genetics…

Fat cells release hormones that, especially in postmenopausal women, can fuel breast cancer. But additional factors have been found to significantly stack the odds, whether weight is a factor or not. The good news is you can do simple diagnostics at home to identify these risks and turn them around…

Diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease overlap so much that the American Heart Association has coined a new syndrome to describe people with two or more of these diseases. Here’s how to know if you’re at risk, and what to do about it…

It’s important to eat fresh fruits and veggies as part of a healthy diet. And right now, it abounds. But keeping that produce from quickly going bad once you get it home is a challenge. Here are some tips to make it a whole lot easier…

Traditional medications for IBS can produce side effects including heartburn, diarrhea, gas and abdominal pain — the very symptoms they’re meant to eliminate. Research has confirmed a treatment that works better with none of those side effects…

Some people’s brains seem to stay young, while for others the clock speeds by, leaving cognitive decline and brain shrinkage in its wake. Do these super-agers possess some sort of superpower? Almost. A specific nutritional profile keeps their brains young…

When you shower do you wash your feet? I mean seriously and intently. Or do you hope the soap trickles down to do the job? I’m guilty, too, but not properly washing our feet can lead to problems from ugly feet to warts and infection and the threat of fungus that’s rampant in summer…

It can be embarrassing and uncomfortable to discuss bladder problems. But it shouldn’t be since it’s something that affects us all, men and women, at different times in our lives and for different reasons. So instead of fretting about wetting, give these bladder tips a try!

When living with COPD, what happens in your mouth could not only worsen your symptoms but also speed progression of the disease. Here’s why you should talk to your dentist to keep mouth problems from fueling the fires of inflammation in your lungs…

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids the body can’t make but are vital for heart, brain, blood vessel and endocrine health. But you may be confused by headlines casting doubt on fish oil’s important role in supplementing this important nutrient. Don’t throw your bottle out yet…

If you’re over 60 and hoping your quality of life doesn’t diminish with the years, pay attention: A long-term study has shown what you do with as little as 15 minutes of your day can cut your quality of life in half, increase hospitalizations and even lead to an early grave…

Despite years of research, the best medicine has to offer is the potential to put some cancers into remission. But if we’ve learned anything about cancer, it’s that the earlier you know, the better. Could seven years be enough to change things for the better?

It’s no secret that with age, the risk of an accidental fall increases. Most of us don’t give it a second thought, or the potential for injury — like a fracture. But considering that stats show we have a better chance of surviving cancer, it’s something we can’t afford to ignore..

Researchers have sought an easier way to reduce the number of viral respiratory infections, from the common cold to flu, that hit us year after year. They say the nose is the best place to start, and that an ointment in your medicine cabinet could do the trick…

Women who reach midlife without being physically active may think they’ve missed the boat on avoiding frailty and the diseases of aging that can make senior life miserable. But research says you can turn back the clock on years of inactivity if you hurry up and get busy now…

Under threat of skin cancer, we’ve been warned to avoid the sun or slather up in sunscreen. And unlike other cancers. the idea of genetic risk has been far removed from the likes of melanoma, the most dangerous of the skin cancers. New findings indicate just how wrong medical experts have been.

If you’ve heard anything about Alzheimer’s, you’ve heard plenty about the amyloid and tau protein signatures that harm the brain. But these aren’t the only proteins that clump, and research says that secret links mitochondria and the potential to reverse a variety of age-related ailments.

For women, heart attack symptoms differ from men. But the differences don’t end there. A heart attack is usually caused by a blockage in one of the main coronary arteries. But a type of heart attack can occur when those arteries are crystal clear, and it’s becoming more common in women…

If there’s one thing you should know about gum disease it’s this: it’s not just a “mouth” problem. It’s linked to weight gain, heart problems, brain shrinkage and even loss of longevity. Avoiding it may be just a few cups away with the right tea…

The sun is responsible for about 90 percent of skin aging by damaging key proteins responsible for keeping it firm and smooth: collagen and elastin. You can fight back from the inside out with nutrients research says add a second layer of protection against photoaging.

The keto diet is very restrictive. But for people with serious metabolic disorders, it can turn health around. The key is changing the fuel your body uses to energize itself. And research is showing that fuel may have special benefits for the body’s most energy-hungry organ, the brain.

Cancer screenings can help catch disease in its earliest stages. For men though, it’s a process fraught with anxiety. PSA screenings are often inaccurate and lead to unnecessary biopsies that can cause harm. With metastatic cases on the rise, men can finally breath a sigh of relief…

Our brains have a “weak spot.” It begins to show degeneration earlier than other areas of the brain. In other words, it ages faster. The good news is research narrowed a long list of factors that affect this weak spot down to three that age it the fastest so you can avoid them…