Lung cancer kills more Americans than any other malignancy. The latest American Cancer Society (ACS) updated guidelines aim to reduce deaths by considerably expanding the pool of people who seek annual, low-dose CT lung screening scans. Advocates hope the new advice will prompt more people at risk for lung cancer…

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…

Ever see ads for products that promise to supercharge immunity? Activate your body’s natural defenses? Support a healthy immune system while delivering a potent boost derived from nature’s hottest immune-enhancing ingredients? While the words may change to reflect the latest trends, the claims certainly sound amazing. But do the multitude…

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…

Bone-deep exhaustion not eased by rest, lasting six months or more. Brain fog. Pain. These and other symptoms are hallmarks of myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome  (ME/CFS). People who have it find their symptoms often spike after minor daily tasks, work, and other exertions. A new CDC report estimates 3.3 million…

Loneliness is complicated. You can feel lonely when you lack friends and miss companionship, or when you’re surrounded by people — even friends and family. Either way, loneliness can have devastating health effects. It boosts risk for coronary artery disease, stroke, depression, high blood pressure, declining thinking skills, inability to…

This holiday season, as parents, friends, and family set out to buy toys for children on their lists, or donate them to those in need, here are some suggestions for things you shouldn't buy — and those you should. Not all gifts need to be purchases, of course. Opportunities for…

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…

Last winter, my wife shooed the dog and visiting toddlers away from our poinsettia plants, saying “they’re poisonous, you know.” I did not know. But it turns out that the belief that poinsettias are deadly is widespread. The same could be said for mistletoe and holly. But are their reputations…