Health in a Heartbeat

There’s been much ado about kids spending too much time online, but a new study offers parents some practical advice for helping them scroll, click and surf for best results: Show them how. The conclusion draws from a study published in the journal Child Development that looked at how toddlers learned how to piece together […]

Heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases kill nearly 800,000 Americans annually. By 2030, experts predict that medical costs associated with cardiovascular disease could cost America nearly $1 billion a day. But a new global study published in The BMJ offers one simple solution — create government policies to reduce salt consumption. The researchers found […]

Are you a red-meat-and-potatoes kind of guy? A nice cut of beef is OK in moderation, but a new study published in the journal Gut found that men who eat too much red meat can have a much higher risk of diverticulitis, or painful inflammation of the colon. Diverticulitis affects more than 50 percent of […]

Parents no longer need to fear peanuts. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recently issued new health guidelines that encourage parents to introduce peanuts to their kids’ diets early to help them avoid peanut allergies. Peanut allergies affect about 2 percent of children and can be life-threatening. Peanut allergies cause more fatal anaphylactic […]

It’s no secret that as we age, we see a decline in our general cognitive function, our ability to remember, pay attention and reason. We can all empathize with that frustrating feeling when we misplace our keys or walk into a room and forget why we’re there. A study published in the Journal of the […]

It’s no secret that you have to eat smart to help keep your heart healthy. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meat and fish is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. But when — and how often — you eat might also affect your risk of […]

As the temperatures rise and days lengthen, we shed our layers. Coats go into closets, boots give way to sandals. Summertime is right around the corner. For some people, it’s the perfect time to shed pounds gained during the winter. These days, a popular strategy is a juice cleanse, which claims to help you slim […]

Does your new year weight-loss plan include hunting on foot for your lunch instead of brown bagging it, or foraging for berries instead of hitting up the vending machine? If so, you’re in good company with the Hadza tribe of Northern Tasmania. Their daily step counts are off the charts, according to a new study […]

Intense heartburn prompted by progesterone, a hormone that relaxes muscles during pregnancy, can be a menacing condition for expectant mothers. Sometimes, the heartburn can lead to acid reflux and heartburn medication is often prescribed as a way to curb the pain and symptoms. When an expectant mother takes medications, there is always a chance it […]

By late July, pharmacies and health care providers usually begin advertising that influenza vaccinations are available. And each year, millions of Americans dutifully get flu shots, hoping to avoid pesky runny noses, body aches and sore throats. But when you receive your shot might affect the potency of the vaccine when flu season comes around. […]

Anorexia and bulimia are diseases that can sneak up on someone slowly, but once they have their teeth in you, they are hard to shake. About 20 million girls and women and 10 million boys and men in the United States will be diagnosed at some point with an eating disorder, and 4 to 5 […]

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, affects more than a third of adults above the age of 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease often causes pain in the hips, knees, ankles and feet. Treatment typically includes a combination of physical therapy and pain medications. But a study published […]

Did you know the birth control pill does more for women than just preventing pregnancy? More than 1.5 million women in the United States are on “The Pill” for reasons other than contraception, according to a survey from the Guttmacher Institute. The most common birth control pills contain estrogen and progestin. These two hormones, taken […]

Colic may be one of the most trying challenges parents of an infant can face. The incessant crying and screaming, the agony of seeing your child in pain, the frustration of not being able to make them feel better. Acupuncture has long been used to reduce stress and pain and to improve gastrointestinal function in […]

Nearly 120,000 people in the United States need a lifesaving organ transplant, and 22 people die every day while waiting for a donor organ, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. April, which is National Donate Life Month, is a good time to consider registering as an organ donor. Although it’s difficult […]