Can vitamin D help prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer in healthy people? Can omega-3s help prevent them? Findings from the long-awaited VITAL trial were recently published in ...

If you have a higher-than-average risk of heart disease because of family history, exercise won't erase it. But findings from a study in ...

Eating a lot of vegetables—especially the cruciferous type—is associated with healthier carotid arteries among older women compared with those who eat fewer vegetables, according to a report in ...

Treating depression with medication appears to help lower the risk of a repeat heart attack, according to a study published last year in JAMA.

Martial arts can provide a variety of health benefits for people of all ages. Here's a summary of some of the research.

To remove pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables with edible peels, consider using a wash made of baking soda. At least for apples, that is the most effective way, findings in ...

Many people opt for organic foods, especially fruits and vegetables, because these foods contain little or no synthetic pesticide residues—and thus, they hope ...

If you have a cold or the flu, these simple precautions can help you avoid transmitting the germs to others.

What if you've had cataract surgery and still need glasses or contact lenses? A laser treatment may someday make it possible for ophthalmologists to refocus intraocular lenses (IOL) that were implanted years before.

Many people who have cataracts aren't getting the treatment they need. Likely reasons range from the cost of surgery to access to treatment centers. But the lack of a family and social support system may also play a key role,...

For years, medicated eyedrops had been the mainstay for treating glaucoma, a condition caused when the pressure of fluid inside the eye becomes dangerously elevated. Now some experts believe that the laser procedure known as...

Injections of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors can slow neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). But many people find that receiving injections in the eye is stressful. If you're anxious about the...

Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) for BPH has been available for more than a decade. Today, however, most urologists have abandoned it. Here's why the procedure is no longer recommended.

You have more frequent urges to urinate, but then you get a hesitant, weak stream or dribbling. You may have trouble getting a solid night's sleep and may dread waiting in line for the men's room or seeing the "fasten seat...

Men who bicycle regularly needn't worry that the activity will have adverse effects on their urinary tract or on their erectile function, according to a large multinational study in The Journal of Urology.

Surgery is the fastest, most reliable way to improve lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). But compared with other treatment options, it is associated with a greater risk of long-term...

For most people, social interaction is crucial for wellbeing. Yet many individuals with dementia get very little. Findings from a recent study offer a potential solution for encouraging more interaction—at least for ...

There's good evidence that people with chronic hypertension (high blood pressure) are more likely than people without this condition to develop memory loss. Although proving that lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of...

Recent research suggests that a simple blood test to detect beta-amyloid in the brain will be available soon—if you consider the next five years or so to be soon. But will such a blood test be useful in diagnosing Alzheimer's...

Two recent studies shed light on ways to optimize your cognitive performance. Here's what the researchers found.

Over time, a gradual slowing of weight loss—a plateau—occurs. But don't get discouraged, you can get past it.

Most of us know that we shouldn't be drinking sugar-sweetened sodas and juices, as they can pack on the pounds. But what about low-calorie sweetened beverages, which have been touted as good replacements?

"Eat a varied diet" has long been a bedrock of mainstream dietary advice, here and around the world. But encouraging people to eat a wide variety of foods may backfire and lead to consumption of more food, especially unhealthy...

Dieting during the holiday season can be tough going, with extra calories seeming to lurk around every corner. If you need some inspiration to stick with it, keep in mind that your efforts might not be a benefit only to you.

When you live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), shortness of breath is often a daily reality. Pulmonary rehabilitation, a program that incorporates ...

Mixed messages abound, with e-cigarettes being touted as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. But the more experts study them, the worse e-cigarettes look.

Unsuspected emphysema was the culprit in worsening lung function in some adults with chronic asthma who had never smoked, according to a study published in CHEST.

At first glance, the new Right to Try law sounds like a victory for patients suffering from advanced lung disease who have run out of treatment options. But here's why many leading patient advocacy groups, including the...

Drinking whole milk is associated with an increased risk for prostate cancer recurrence in men who have undergone treatment for the disease, according to a study reported in ...

Medication is typically the initial treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), but a report in ...

Men with localized prostate cancer who continue to smoke while undergoing treatment for the disease are more likely than nonsmokers to experience biochemical recurrence and other adverse outcomes after treatment...

The list of gene mutations known to promote prostate cancer continues to grow, which has led to questions about the role of genetic testing in detecting and managing the disease. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network offers...

Obesity increases the risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA), but does where you carry body fat matter?

How much exercise is safe and beneficial for people with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other common forms of the disease? An expert panel weighs in.

Do your knees make unusual noises when you're moving? Those pops and clicks you hear coming from your knees may be the sound of arthritis beginning to take hold.

Australian researchers decided to test whether participating in an inpatient rehabilitation program after knee arthroplasty gets patients back on their feet faster. Their results may surprise you.

Losing weight is one of the best things you can do to help lower your blood glucose level if you're overweight or obese and have diabetes. But that's often easier said than done. Intermittent fasting might be easier than daily...

As we age, our cognitive abilities tend to decline. It's unfortunate, but normal. Now, a study in about 5,200 cognitively normal, older people living in England shows that this decline is more rapid in individuals with elevated...

Researchers have made significant advances in diagnosing and treating diabetic retinopathy, one of the most serious complications of diabetes. Even so, diabetic retinopathy remains a leading cause of new cases of blindness...

Your primary care physician can probably handle the varied aspects of your diabetes treatment plan—but that doesn't mean he or she can do it alone. Because even basic healthcare is more complicated in people with diabetes, it's...

Mirror therapy may provide some improvement in the ability to move limbs affected by stroke, according to a recent review of the scientific literature on this rehabilitative treatment.

Results of a large international study challenge some long-held notions about alcohol and health. It found that overall, the standard definition of moderate drinking— one to two drinks per day—was linked to increased risk of...

Depending upon the part of the brain impacted, a major stroke can have devastating effects, particularly on a survivor's motor skills. Given the challenges of coping with the subsequent disabilities, physical rehabilitation is...

Here are 13 things you may not know about strokes, some of which may save a life, according to the American Heart Association.

Clinical evidence challenging many long-held standard approaches to the management of acute pancreatitis has recently come to light. Updated guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association reflect the latest...

People who have lifestyles consistent with guidelines established by the American Cancer Society (ACS) tend to have a lower risk of death from cancer and a better quality of life, according to a 2018 study in JAMA....

Most of us have experienced what it feels like to have trouble swallowing, such as when we eat too fast or don't chew our food thoroughly. But if you regularly have trouble initiating a swallow, take a long time to swallow, or...

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) sufferers frequently report that their symptoms worsen after meals. A number of strategies to alleviate those symptoms, including a "low FODMAP" diet have been proposed. Here's a look at recent...

After depression has been treated and has gone into remission, what's the best way to keep it from recurring? Many people remain on medication, but a recent study suggests that preventive cognitive therapy (PCT) works just as...

Several studies have linked excess consumption of added sugar (not the natural sugars in foods such as milk and fruit) to depression. However, they didn't resolve whether eating too much added sugar causes depression, or if...

If a family member was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you're likely to have questions about what to expect during episodes of mania and depression. This brief overview can help you better understand what typically...

What leads someone to attempt suicide? And what can be done to offer a lifeline to people who are desperate enough to consider ending their own lives?

A patient's belief that he or she will recover from back-related leg pain and sciatica is an important predictor of successful recovery, according to a recent study in The Spine Journal.

Acupuncture combined with standard medical care is more effective than standard medical care alone for treating chronic pain, including back and neck pain, according to a meta-analysis published last year by British...

A recent study adds to the growing body of evidence that long-term use of opioids to treat chronic non-cancer pain, including back pain, should be the exception rather than the rule.

If you suffer from back pain and have been taking opioids for pain relief, you may be thinking of trying kratom. This product has been reported to help relieve pain and ease opioid withdrawal symptoms. But the U.S. Food and...