Latest Stories

Sleep apnea is a progressive condition that causes a person to stop breathing during sleep, often multiple times a night. It’s linked to hypertension, stroke and heart failure. Now, researchers believe sleep apnea increases vulnerability for a serious COVID-19 infection partly because of how it affects blood oxygen levels…

You pull yourself out of bed in the morning and your back aches. You head into the kitchen to get breakfast and notice that your neck and shoulders are tense and your hamstrings tight and painful. Every movement hurts. And you think, “Today, I’ve got to stretch.” But you may be surprised to learn that what you’re eating could be causing your muscle pain.

According to the CDC, 88 million Americans are now living with prediabetes and are on the path to a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis in the coming years. Yet, as scary as that number is, it can also be looked at as 88 million cases of diabetes that are preventable with the right steps. And those steps are exactly what a brand-new study published in the international journal JAMA Internal Medicine has given us…

Eggs have had a bad rap. Many people stay away from them, to avoid high cholesterol and heart disease — and the newest research says eating eggs may lead to diabetes. But as it turns out, eggs could be one of the best things to include in your diet to stabilize your blood sugar — with one caveat…

If you have a dog, they’re part of your family. And you want to do whatever it takes to protect their health and well-being. Good nutrition is an important part of that equation, and it turns out the timing of a good diet needs to be precise to protect your dog from a particularly irritating health problem…

For years, doctors and researchers have seen a tantalizing connection between vitamin D and cancer. Yet, that connection has always been just out of reach. Now, a brand-new look at that VITAL study data has once again delved into the connection between vitamin D and cancer and found good news for us all — an up to 38 percent reduction of metastatic or fatal cancers.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the US. And with the surge that experts warned us about last summer, researchers are increasingly turning to drugs and natural supplements already approved for use against other conditions to stem the tide. The latest? The supplement we all love to help us sleep appears to reduce the risk of testing positive…

Semi-volatile organic compounds hang in the air and dust of your home, and they’re changing the composition of your gut microbiome. That’s a big deal considering your gut is command central for your immune system and helps fight off not only bacteria and viruses, but also myriad diseases. This danger may be invisible, but the threat to you and your family is not…

The damage caused by stroke can range from mild to life-threatening, depending on the severity and how quickly health care professionals intervene to stop it. Researchers are working overtime to find ways to combat stroke damage… One new way focuses on calcium’s confusing relationship with ischemic stroke.

Light is connected to migraine in more ways than one. Anyone who suffers from them knows that during an attack light is like salt on a wound. Light hurts and makes a migraine worse. But light can also be a trigger. When I changed the light in my life, I also changed how migraine affected my life.

There has been considerable scientific interest in recent microbiome studies related to diabetes. But what exactly do the bacteria in your gut have to do with type 2 diabetes? Your gut microbiota can form a molecule that can lead to the progression of type 2 diabetes…

The prospect of anti-cancer properties is just one of the many researched benefits of curcumin. So why not add more curcumin to your life? Here are a few fun and easy ways you can…

Sugar offers little to nothing but calories. But we really like it, except when it leads to weight gain. A new study, however, may change the way you think about it. You know the saying — “the hair of the dog” — used often when someone suffering a hangover needs a little of what got them that way to get over it? It turns out that sugar could be the key to eating less over the holidays…

It’s no secret that a sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc with your health. But sometimes it can seem impossible to work even 30 minutes of exercise into your busy life. Luckily, experts are finding more evidence that smaller stints of exercise can be just as powerful, yielding significant benefits you can’t afford to pass up.

Functional pain refers to pain that occurs without injury. Migraines and fibromyalgia fall into this category. Turns out more women suffer this kind of pain and now we know why. For starters, a female hormone acts on sensory pain receptors and may ramp up that stimuli. To make matters worse, certain pain treatments can kick it into high gear.

When inflammation goes unchecked for too long, the nervous system becomes damaged and can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s or multiple sclerosis. That’s just one example of why inflammation is often called the root of all disease. But researchers have found a peptide in the beetroot that could make all that a thing of the past…

Walnuts are known to have numerous health benefits, many of which involve the heart — I’ve lost count of how many I mention in this one post! And now, the largest and longest study to date exploring the benefits of walnuts has discovered how they can help protect you from one of the most destructive processes in the human body…

A new study shows that people doing hard physical work have a higher risk of developing dementia than those doing sedentary work — 55 percent higher. Why? There’s a difference between hard labor and exercise. One of them hurts the blood supply to the brain and the other boosts it…

It’s time to stop thinking of menopause as something perfectly normal. While the menopause symptoms women experience may seem annoying, the truth is they can actually be a harbinger of things to come for your heart. So, what turns a menopause symptom into a heart disease trigger? The number of them you might suffer carries more weight, even if they’re moderate to severe…

2020 has been a very unpredictable year, and levels of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by it all. Even the thought of how to shake it seems like an insurmountable task. But what if all it took was just one thing… one step… one new habit to ditch what’s bringing your down and feel like your old self again? Not to mention the added benefits…

Vitamin D builds strong bones and teeth and prevents osteoporosis. It also helps control the overactive immune response. Now, research has shown that a lack of vitamin D in pregnant women could predict future cognitive deficits for their unborn children.

Researchers continue to uncover the ways in which COVID-19 affects our bodies. One connection they discovered between COVID and your heartbeat could raise the risk of death from the illness considerably or leave you with a lifelong condition…

Why do some people gravitate toward chili peppers and enjoy the burn while others can’t stand it? Perhaps they sense something that more and more research is revealing: that chili peppers may help you live longer. So, if you’re not traditionally a fan of spicy foods, it may be time to change your ways…

Men need to be watchful for any signs of testicular cancer, especially if they are at higher risk for the disease because of age, race, family history or medical condition. Recently, a study turned up another risk factor for testicular cancer — a medical procedure that can be difficult to avoid but could raise the risk almost 60 percent…

When you live with inflammatory bowel disease, you have a lot to watch out for. There’s the chronic inflammation of your digestive tract, the weight loss and diarrhea and the increased risk of colon cancer. But IBD also triples the risk of a life-threatening blood clot. For 1 in 7 IBD patients, it could be even higher…

The Endocrine Society has spent over 14 years researching our exposure to environmental toxins that are present in the air, water, soil and our homes. They interfere, imitate or alter pathways of hormones in the body that lead to disease. And now there’s proof that our exposure can lead to diabetes that we can pass onto our children.

You’ve probably heard that if you want to lose weight, you should eat your biggest meals early in the day. The theory is you drop weight faster by taking in most of the calories you plan to eat in a day several hours before bedtime (when your metabolism naturally slows). The idea of not worrying over what to eat so much as when seemed easy enough. But, we’re learning it may have sounded too good to be true…

While it’s normal and healthy for blood pressure to fluctuate throughout the day, when your blood pressure stays elevated, it can lead to many health problems. Many people require medications to control their blood pressure. However, there are several things you can do that will help to make it easier to manage your readings…

It’s been long understood that when you have a heart attack, it’s because somehow blood flow to your heart has become cut off, either due to a blockage or a narrowing of your coronary arteries. Blood clots can detach and float off to block those arteries. But finding immune cells are the mechanism behind those clots came as a surprise to researchers recently…

More than a year ago now, I experienced a life-changing event that wreaked havoc with my balance, my ability to swallow liquids and my memory. I got hlep in that “golden hour,” and I know many do not. But a new treatment may make that possible for more stroke sufferers.

Elevated blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors of cardiovascular disease. That’s why it’s vital to check it regularly so you can quickly take action to respond to any changes and nip blood pressure problems in the bud. But, don’t be so quick to jump on the drug bandwagon…

By now, you’ve heard all about the dangers of Bisphenol A (BPA), like breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. But your bottles, cans and Tupperware containers may be the least of your worries. There’s another way you’re being handed this dangerous toxin that’s worse for your body…

What do you think are the four best supplements for prostate cancer? This is an interesting question, and experts don’t necessarily agree on the answer. However, the important thing is, there are numerous candidates, but the real power is the unique synergy that develops in certain combinations…

Part of the reason zinc is so important for cancer prevention and overall health is because your body needs it to create certain proteins and enzymes. Without these proteins and enzymes, your cells can’t function, and that increases risk for some specific types of cancer…

GERD is a condition where stomach acid splashes up into the esophagus. If you suffer with reflux, you know the heartburn sensation, the acid regurgitation and sometimes even chest pain. But be careful with meds that provide little relief and big danger…

The middle age spread is something most of us battle if we want to maintain a fit body and a healthy weight past the age of 45. Luckily, taking some extra steps can help you keep from packing on the pounds after middle age, without resorting to drastic, crash diets or dangerous weight loss drugs…

Here’s news that will warm a chocolate-lover’s heart: The health benefits of eating chocolate are indisputable. In fact, dark chocolate has been proven to be one of the healthiest foods around, holding its own even against many fruits and vegetables. But would you prefer a pill or a delicious chocolate bar?

Brain inflammation is a serious problem that contributes to pretty much every neurological disorder… Epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, depression, suicide — all tied to an inflamed brain. The question is, how do you prevent it?

Juicing can be a wonderful way to give your body the nutritional boost it needs, and ensure that you experience a range of benefits as a result, it’s important to know that you have to have the right ingredients if you want the best results. Otherwise you set yourself up for this hidden danger…

Last week, I introduced a concept called a SWOT analysis that helps you uncover the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats surrounding your ability to achieve your health and wellness goals. Today, let’s see how we can leverage them to accomplish what’s important to you…

You are what you eat. You probably hear that all the time, but are you taking it to heart? Most of us don’t. Our most popular meals are highly inflammatory. And if you factor in alcohol, caffeine, stress and exhaustion, you get a perfect storm for chronic inflammation and the many degenerative conditions it can fuel.

Bitter melon is also known by several other names — bitter squash, bitter gourd, bitter apple, and it’s botanical name momordica charantia. And with more than 32 known beneficial phytochemicals, this unusual-looking fruit is now becoming increasingly popular to help balance blood sugar…

Have you been dieting but just can’t seem to either lose the weight or keep it off? Your “famine reaction” may be blame. It’s an ancient protective mechanism that helped our ancestors survive, but may be to blame for making us fat. New research reveals how to get past it for weight loss success…

You’ve probably heard that hard water (due to a high mineral content) is hard on your pipes, but it’s also hard on your skin. A lot of it has to do with pH. The pH of your skin is typically acidic, but hard water has an alkaline pH. As a result, hard water interferes with your skin’s natural pH, which makes your skin susceptible to bacteria and infection.

People are sucking down more sugar than ever before. But how dangerous is the average sugar addiction? And, more importantly, would it really make that big of a difference to give up (or drastically reduce) sugar in your diet?

Losing your memory is not a natural part of aging and there are things you can do to preserve your brain’s function and your precious memories. But when it comes to one important nutrient, the Goldilocks factor comes into play…

Managing type 2 diabetes is vital to keep your health from spiraling out of control, and it can be overwhelming. But if you can focus on just these four factors, you might reduce your symptoms — or better yet, avoid it in the first place…

Have you taken a “what’s your true age” quiz? Of course it’s just a game. Otherwise I’d be quite upset to know it found me to be 10 years older than I actually am! But I know better… that’s because as part of my diet, I’ve given up the one food that’s been shown over and over again to make you old…

Up to about 70 percent of cancers are linked to factors you can control or change. In fact, there are three main steps you can work on right now to dramatically reduce your cancer risk…

For a long time, a low-fat diet was the go-to diet plan for people looking to prevent heart disease. We know that’s wrong now. But if a low-fat diet doesn’t work, then what diet does? One that decreases pericardial fat, boosts good cholesterol and does away with that dangerous belly fat, like this…

Being self-motivated is difficult at times, but there’s a fun way around it… Getting a fitness buddy is a great way to both get and stay motivated, and have someone to keep you on track and help you work out. Grab a friend and try this strengthening stretch…

Even before you reach menopause, your gut health could be responsible for compounding your symptoms and risk level for the health dangers that come with it. That’s because bacteria play an important role in your estrogen levels…

Mushrooms protect your body like nothing else. But some people turn their noses up at them. If you’re one of them, it’s time to get past any childhood phobia you may have had about mushrooms and embrace this exceptional source of nutrition…

Weight gain is defined by an accumulation of body fat. But what’s less understood is how fat accumulates. We’ve been led to believe it’s because we eat too much. And while that’s one factor, there’s more to it. And seeing the bigger picture can make it much easier to beat the bulge…

The onset of Alzheimer’s is thought to begin 17 to 20 years before signs appear. That means it’s never too early to try and prevent it. Risk factors can include age, genetics, environment and metabolic diseases, and one very modifiable thing you do daily…

Women are more at risk for autoimmune diseases, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. In fact, 78 percent of all autoimmune disease sufferers are women. But, when it comes to one of the most devastating, there may be a simple way to lower your risk…

Just about anything worth achieving requires a plan. So, why then, do our best laid plans — like a weight loss or fitness goal — often blow up, leaving us disappointed and wondering what happened? Sometimes we have to look deeper, and an open mind helps…

Honey is really healthy… It’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and contains antioxidants. But there’s one particular kind of honey that stands out from the pack when it comes to health benefits…

Throughout the past decades, a substantial body of research has continued to demonstrate the potential therapeutic effects of bioactive phytochemicals found in plants. Recently published research has identified several natural compounds found in food as key ingredients that could support prostate health…

Though you likely think of metabolism in terms of weight loss, it’s actually much more than that. It’s your body’s ability to effectively carry out a range of complex chemical reactions that allow you to sustain your best health.