Latest Stories

Cortisol, which is made in the adrenal glands, is commonly known as the stress hormone. It’s crucial for helping your body deal with stressful situations. But too much cortisol for prolonged periods can lead to all sorts of health problems including high blood pressure, fatigue and type 2 diabetes. Here’s what to watch for, how to balance it and an interesting way to measure it.

Depression rates are spiking as the pandemic drags on, and although there are plenty of medications to treat it, they’re not always effective and can come with unpleasant side effects. To broaden the treatment options, researchers are taking a look at a mushroom with a less-than-savory reputation…

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, attacks the body in a number of ways. One of the most insidious is the way it causes blood clots in the arteries, veins and microscopic blood vessels. Researchers are now pointing to a process in the body that could be causing these clots to form…

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors or symptoms occurring together which increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. If you only have one of these conditions, it doesn’t mean you have metabolic syndrome — but if you have three or more of the following risk factors, then you could be on a fast track to serious trouble…

Alzheimer’s is a perplexing disease, but we do know more about it than ever before. Where conventional medicine has fallen short, research into natural solutions is pushing the envelope in Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment, most recently with the discovery of compounds wrapped around the roots of the ginseng plant that may work against amyloid plaques and tau aggregates.

Rheumatoid arthritis and cancer often go hand in hand, but they present conflicts in terms of treatment. RA drugs suppress the immune system, while cancer drugs work to make the immune response stronger. Some cancer drugs make RA worse, and some RA drugs may cause cancer. It’s a tangled web to maneuver to know what’s best for you.

Each year, heart disease and stroke kill more people in the U.S. than all cancers, lower respiratory diseases and cases of influenza and pneumonia combined. But you don’t have to become a statistic. Thanks to a new study, there’s now an easy cheat sheet so that you can know what foods to avoid to keep your heart healthy.

If there’s one medical procedure that’s universally dreaded and put off for as long as possible, it would have to be the routine colonoscopy. But considering the statistics on colon cancer, it’s the one procedure we should all be clamoring to get. Well, you may get your turn sooner than you expected…

Whether you’ve been injured and stuck in a cast, imobilized due to surgery or stroke or maybe you just have a bad shoulder or knee, being immobile leads to muscle wastage that steals strength that’s hard to get back. But don’t let being sidelined prevent you from exercising the limbs you can move. New research shows the benefits can be transferred to the ones you’re not even moving!

Healthy blood pressure equals a healthy heart. Or so we’ve been told. But, according to recent research findings, relying on normal blood pressure as a sign that a heart attack or stroke is not in your future has painted a pretty picture that’s been revealed to be nothing but a facade — a false sense of security that could put you in deadly danger.

As the pandemic heats up, researchers strive to uncover all there is to know about COVID-19. A recent study has found a common vitamin deficiency among 80 percent of those infected in one hospital. And this connection isn’t the first. Growing evidence keeps placing vitamin D squarely in the pandemic spotlight…

A new study has some sobering information for those of us who’ve made a regular habit of it eating takeout. Along with your favorite foods and a hefty side of convenience, those takeout containers carry a mega dose of plastic that’s finding its way into your meals. Here’s how, why you should be concerned and how to reduce the harm…

The human body has two different immune systems with different roles. But did you know that one of those systems can be trained to seek out and destroy cancer? That’s exactly what immunotherapy is all about and why researchers are excited about a nutrient found in certain foods that could double our immune power against cancer.

When you eat in a way that helps lower cholesterol and improve overall heart health, you’re also helping lower risks associated with cancer, dementia, arthritis and other diseases. Here’s why and how…

Based on available research, a ketogenic diet may be associated with improvements in cardiovascular risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes and HDL cholesterol levels. And now, it certainly looks promising as a nutritional intervention for heart failure.

Do you take your temperature and regularly find it hovering around 97 degrees? Or feel sure you have a fever only to find the thermometer reads a “normal” 98.6? There are several theories as to why this happens, but if you’re like me, you want to know if it’s anything to worry about. Here’s what we’ve found…

Shingles can strike anyone who’s had chickenpox, although older adults tend to be more susceptible. This painful, burning, itching rash takes time to heal. But you can relieve its symptoms through a number of natural means while waiting for it to disappear…

Taking a low-dose daily aspirin has been widely accepted for decades as an easy way to prevent a heart attack or stroke. But aspirin’s safety in prevention has been challenged over the last couple of years, and now it’s a call you should leave up to your doctor. Luckily an old test may provide new insight into whether it’s worth the risk for you or not…

While we tend to hear a lot about cancer of the lungs, breasts and colon, liver cancer tends to be ignored — kept as kind of a dirty little secret. Yet, deaths from the cancer are skyrocketing. But there is good news. A brand-new study has found a simple way to keep your liver healthy and decrease your risk of liver cancer dramatically. And it has to do with how much you eat.

ARDS is a dangerous respiratory condition in which the lungs’ ability to provide the body’s organs with oxygen is diminished. In the most severe cases of COVID-19, patients can progress to ARDS. While debate continues over which drugs may help patients the most, new hope is coming from an unlikely source…

If you’re a woman, simply not socializing enough can put your heart at as much risk as if you put on weight, regularly take medications with cardiovascular side effects or eat a lot of salt.

From preventing osteoporosis to shoring up your immune system, vitamin D is one of the most important supplements you can take. But most people are barely getting the minimum when there’s good reason to get more. To avoid frailty, stay strong, fit and active, higher amounts matter.

You may think of artificially sweetened beverages as a better alternative to sugar-laden drinks and a good way to avoid weight gain. Surely one is at least heart-healthier than the other, right? That’s not just wrong… it could be dead wrong.

For many years, omega-3s have been reported to be heart healthy. The Mayo Clinic recently quanitified that as a fact in a review of 40 clinical trials. And now we’ve learned that in the event of a heart attack, these fatty acids can make all the difference…

Colorectal cancer is most commonly treated with chemotherapy. But the most widely used chemotherapeutic agent is only effective in less than 30 percent of cases. More and more researchers are turning to nature to try to broaden the array of effective therapies, and one plant is stepping up to the plate…

Your doctor put it all on the line: Lose weight or have a heart attack. How would you do it? Diet? Exercise? Bariatric surgery? It’s a lot to think about, but the Cleveland Clinic has some pretty shocking information that may help you make up your mind…

Research has proven that small particles breathed in from polluted air are connected to Alzheimer’s. Now we’ve learned they can lead to Parkinson’s and motor neuron disease. This brain damage starts at an astoundingly early age because with every breath, aluminum, iron and titanium may build up in your brain…

People with type 2 diabetes are often told to avoid potatoes because they’re high on the glycemic index and thought to raise blood sugar. But a new study shows potatoes may actually be the starch of choice…

Research has indicated exercise may improve the prognosis of cancer, but experts haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly why. One theory was that exercise activates the immune system to support the body’s ability to prevent and inhibit the growth of cancer. Now researchers know why it works, and not just in mice…

We’ve seen plenty of research on brain plaques and tangles, the telltale signs of Alzheimer’s. But experts may have linked the disease’s beginnings to a surprising cause… one that bolsters a long suspected association with diabetes and increased risk for this mind-robber — sugar made in the brain.

I’ve never been one to sit around and wait for doctors to fix me. And I hope that’s not what you’re waiting for either. Especially when there are a couple ways you can get started today to make a better brain for tomorrow…

If you’re like most people, your body is in a state of stress. Whether you’re fretting over a work deadline, worried about a relationship or feeling frazzled by finances, it’s easy to let daily life send you into a stress spiral. But there is a way to stop it…

Tensions finds its way into your lower back and legs from stress, periods of extended sitting, exercise or injury — and some people will tell you it’s just part of aging. Whether it is or not, you don’t have to let it slow you down…

When you think of type 2 diabetes, insulin and blood sugar come to mind. But before type 2 diabetes develops, there’s an increased production of inflammatory molecules throughout the whole body. And by the time you’re diagnosed…

Cancer and obesity are closely linked. In fact, extra body weight contributes to 1 in 5 cancer-related deaths. But when it comes to the cancer-obesity connection, things aren’t as straightforward as they seem…

How can you travel successfully without losing all you’ve worked so hard to achieve? There are different strokes for different folks, but because I travel a lot, I’ve come up with a system that works great for me. I think it might work for you too…

Fat, foggy and forgetful. It’s safe to say that a lot of us feel this way, especially when we hit middle age. And, while many people, even doctors, write it off as just a part of aging, that’s not the case…

You may have heard a thing or two about the health benefits of copper mugs… like storing water in copper containers helps purify bacteria, while also infusing the water with trace amounts of copper that can benefit your health. But here’s the thing…

Loneliness and isolation is a horrible place to be, and not just in your mind. New research suggests that the effects of loneliness and social isolation are more detrimental to your health and wellness than smoking and obesity…

Whatever the reason, hair loss affects millions of people around the world. And while some believe it’s just a fact of life, there is an all-natural solution that can help you stop hair loss, maintain a full head of hair for life and feel more confident…

When you’re trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, you often focus on things like building muscles and maintaining a healthy weight. But there’s something very important we often overlook — frankly, because we don’t realize our actions can have much effect on it. It’s the tiniest but most essential part of what makes you tick…

Maybe you’re used to light from street lamps streaming into your bedroom window every night… Or bright lights beaming down on you from car dealerships, grocery stores and big box retailers’ parking lots as you go for an evening drive. But there’s a dark side to living somewhere with a lot of artificial outdoor light…

You’ve been hearing a lot about the health benefits of coffee lately — like that it can protect your neurological health, ward off liver cancer and help you live a longer life. But there’s an unintended side effect of drinking coffee that you may not have noticed even though it’s definitely happened to you…

Are you battling belly bulge? Is that spare tire around your middle expanding? Counting calories alone is not enough to get the flat stomach you’ve always wanted. It’s also about what you eat and smart supplementing. With that said, here are the eight steps to a flatter stomach you can start taking today…

One simple activity can exert a tremendous influence over your health. Scientific research proves the health-power of this activity, but most people don’t seem to understand how much it can improve their lives.

Doesn’t your heart just ache for the people of Houston? Like me, you probably want to help. Fortunately, there are many ways you can. You may already know that, but here’s something I bet you didn’t: When you help someone, that act of generosity is returned to you in a scientifically proven and healthy way…

Cooking meat at high temperatures, like on a grill, produces the same carcinogens found in cigarette smoke and car exhaust, and they’re linked to colorectal cancer. Want to reduce your risk? Follow these tips on how to grill your red meat for a safe and tasty cookout…

Do you find yourself sitting more and more and moving less and less? Well, if you do, I hope this will be a wake-up call… According to experts, the single best predictor of whether or not you will end up in a nursing home is your leg strength. If you stop moving, the weakness sets in…

A few hours of T.V. time in the evenings, a little computer time here and there, or maybe going to see a movie or dinner with family or friends. These are all things you probably enjoy, but they have one dangerous thing in common…

Aerobic exercise not only prevents the brain shrinkage and cognitive decline associated with aging, it reverses it. But there’s one aerobic activity that has bonus brain benefits: It’s time to overcome any hesitations you have about dancing and head to the dance floor…

Do you have a surgery coming up? Are you dreading the pain that goes along with it and feeling anxious about how you will deal with it? While your doctor will most likely send you home with a narcotic pain medication, you might want to try an old-fashioned cup of coffee…

I took metformin for a week — and felt like I’d been pummeled with a sledgehammer. The research I did indicated that metformin could truly be a wonder drug that could impact my disease risk and signs of aging. So I gave it a go. But I found something better…

There’s something about the color red that fires up the belly. But more than stimulating your appetite, the red happens to have several potent heart-healthy benefits. And it’s all due to the pigment that gives pink and red-colored fruits and veggies their irresistible hue…

The single biggest factor that impacts your health is what you put in your body… High blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, type II diabetes and chronic disease and pain are all associated with a poor diet. All you have to do is focus on “eating clean.” But what does that really mean…

In our modern world, we treat living with stress as a normal phenomenon. But stress can lead to everything from digestive issues to heart problems. New research is once again demonstrating that living with chronic stress kills you… if you let it.

When your antioxidant defenses are low, your body can’t repair the cellular damage caused by free radicals. And if not corrected, normal healthy cells can switch to cancer cells. Antioxidant supplements to help combat these effects…

Elevated PSA, in addition to indicating possible prostate cancer, can also result from chronic inflammation and infection. But a compound extracted from the pith of citrus fruit peels show promise for these conditions and for people who are interested in strategies for healthy aging…

Eating healthy is hard, especially when you’re dealing with constant cravings for chips, cookies, cheeseburgers or whatever your particular vice is. Luckily, there’s an easy hack that can help you handle incessant hunger and unhealthy food cravings with willpower and grace…

More than 60 percent of adults with suboptimal thyroid function don’t have symptoms, at least not ones that they recognize, and testing is leaving them in the dark. So, what are the symptoms of low thyroid levels? In addition to unexplained weight gain, you can experience dry skin, thinning hair, anxiety, depression and even brain fog. If that sounds like you, it’s time to bring your thyroid back to life.

If you have celiac disease, it’s a given that you have to eat a gluten-free diet. Or, it may be that you’ve flicked the gluten-free switch with the goal of increasing weight loss or improving your health. Regardless, it’s a common assumption that a gluten-free diet is healthy, but…