By midwinter, our urge to hibernate can start to feel constricting instead of cozy. What better antidote to being cooped up indoors than a bracing hike in the crisp air outdoors? Winter backdrops are stark, serene, and often stunning. With fewer people on the trail, you may spot more creatures…

As a kid, I spent many Saturdays romping around my Florida neighborhood imitating Colonel Steve Austin, better known as The Six Million Dollar Man to avid TV watchers in the 1970s. The popular show featured a bionic man — half human and half machine — who could jump from three-story…

As the new year rolls on, sports fans rejoice! You’ve had the excitement of the college football bowl games and the national championship game, the NFL playoff games are winnowing teams down to the Super Bowl contestants, and basketball and hockey seasons are in full swing. Spring training for the…

If your fingers or toes ever turn pale (or even ghostly white) and go numb when exposed to cold, you might assume you just have poor circulation. That’s what I used to think when I first started noticing this problem with my own hands many years ago. It usually happened…

If you’ve been stuck mostly at home with one or more family members over the past year, chances are you’ve gotten on one another’s nerves occasionally. When you’re under a lot of stress, it’s not uncommon say something unkind, or even to lash out in anger to someone you care…

Lifestyle changes like regular exercise, a healthy diet, and sufficient sleep are cornerstones of self-care for people with type 2 diabetes. But what about mind-body practices? Can they also help people manage or even treat type 2 diabetes? An analysis of multiple studies, published in the Journal of Integrative and…

When we think about radiation therapy, we typically picture treatments directed at tumors by a machine located outside the body. Now imagine a different scenario — one in which radioactive particles injected into the bloodstream find and destroy individual cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unscathed. The drug One such…

Early in the new year, promises to reboot your health typically focus on diet, exercise, and weight loss. And by now you may have begun making changes — or at least plans — to reach those goals. But consider going beyond the big three. Below are 10 often-overlooked, simple ideas…

Now that it’s 2024, perhaps you’ve thought about taking up a new exercise program, eating better, or some other ways to improve your health. That’s great! Or, as my grandfather would say, “there’s nothing wrong with that” — his highest possible praise. In fact, few medical treatments rival the massive…

Dementia usually develops in people ages 65 years and older. So-called young-onset dementia, occurring in those younger than age 65, is uncommon. Now, a new study published in December 2023 in JAMA Neurology has identified 15 factors linked to a higher risk of young-onset dementia. Let’s see what they found,…