Health Advice
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Vitamin D and autoimmunity
Autoimmune diseases remain some of the most difficult to prevent and treat of all common conditions. For the 80 or so disorders -- from alopecia causing hair loss to rheumatoid arthritis causing foot pain -- there are no known cures. Fortunately, newer medications can often effectively control symptoms or slow progression.
But wouldn't it be ...Read more
Taking dementia to heart
Seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease and 10 million Americans age 65 or older have been told they have some form of dementia. Plus, mild cognitive impairment affects around 8 million folks -- almost none of whom have been diagnosed.
You want to take steps to reverse your dementia risks -- and a new scientific statement ...Read more
Not a bright idea
Hardly anyone in the U.S. gets to go to sleep in a truly dark environment. The "World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness" says that 99% of us may have an increased risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even low sperm quality, because of outdoor light seeping into our bedrooms.
A 2024 study in the Journal of Clinical ...Read more
Going nuts? Smart move
There are more than 20 edible nuts (or what we call nuts -- some, such as cashews, almonds and peanuts, are actually other "species"). They include walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, and pistachios. And there are others that are delicious, but we don't hear much about, such as saba nuts...Read more
Smart choices for colon cancer screening
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death in men under age 50 and the second-leading cause in women in that age group. But fewer than 20% of the more than 19 million Americans between ages 45 and 49 have been screened for CRC. The recommendation is that everyone start getting screened at 45 -- and even younger with ...Read more
The newest oldest way to dodge advanced prostate cancer
If you catch prostate cancer early, it can often be actively watched or minimally treated. But, over time, it may progress, making aggressive treatment necessary to block or defeat its spread.
An exciting new Johns Hopkins University study says that if you upgrade your diet, you may be able to keep your cancer from progressing. How? By choosing...Read more
Smart natural additions to your medicine cabinet
American's medicine chests are stuffed with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (on-again, off-again users take about 30 billion doses annually!). And more than 15 million adults take prescription proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for acid reflux, and millions more pop OTC versions. Let's clear out some room for natural remedies that can ...Read more
Why walking is so good for you
We know you hear us say -- over and over again -- that you have to walk every day, no excuses. That's because we're so convinced of its importance! You see, walking (aiming for 10,000 steps daily) doesn't just strengthen your circulation, pump oxygen to your brain, improve your balance, and provide a chance to spend time with your posse, it has ...Read more
Soothing sciatica
Up to 40% of people experience the nerve pain of sciatica at least once in their life. It may strike like an electric shock, a numb tingling, or a persistent ache (or all three) and can affect the lower back, thigh, calf and toes. It may lead to leg weakness and even loss of bladder or bowel control.
Sciatica can be caused by a herniated or ...Read more
Getting a leg up on strength and balance
More than 14 million falls are reported every year among Americans ages 65 and older. And the fall death rate has skyrocketed by around 40% over the past decades.
If you want to substantially lower your risk of falling, you want to increase your leg strength and ability to balance on one leg. That's the conclusion of a study in PlosOne that ...Read more
Taming adult ADHD
Can't focus? Are easily impatient? Hate dealing with multitasking? You may be contending with adult ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Join the crowd.
More than 15 million American adults have been diagnosed with ADHD (many more go undiagnosed) and have to deal with the work, relationship and internal conflicts that can arise as a...Read more
How to keep your good HDL cholesterol healthy
"It's quality rather than quantity that matters." When the Roman statesman and Stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca declared that in the first century, he may have been wise. But there's no way he knew just how true that was for postmenopausal women when it comes to HDL -- the good cholesterol.
A new study in the Journal of Clinical ...Read more
A new trifecta: menopause, obesity and breast cancer
More than three-fourths of first-time breast cancer diagnoses are made in postmenopausal women. And a new study shows that 40% of hormone-positive breast cancer cases in those women can be linked to carrying around excess body fat.
That makes the risks of putting on postmenopausal pounds -- the average is about a pound-and-a-half every year -- ...Read more
Sugar blues
When "Sugar Blues" hit the bookstores in 1986, it blew the whistle on America's addiction to sugar and the health harms it causes. But almost 40 years later, adults in this country are still downing about 60 pounds of added sugar a year, and research is continually uncovering health hazards that added sweetness causes.
A recent study in JAMA ...Read more