According to a recent study, individuals with obesity who undergo weight loss surgery have a reduced risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Melanoma accounts for just 1% of skin cancer cases, but it causes the majority of deaths from this type of disease.  There are an…

Although a vaccine for dementia is a long way down the road, researchers recently made a few tentative steps closer. The authors of a recent study in mice hope that in the coming years, they can move into human trials. Globally, dementia affects an estimated 50 million people. Because dementias are primarily a disease…

Arthritis means joint inflammation, but the term is used to describe around 200 conditions that affect joints, the tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissue. It is a rheumatic condition. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Other common rheumatic conditions related to arthritis include gout, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatic…

There are just a few causes of white spots on the eye, and most are easily treatable. The most common reasons are corneal ulcers and pingueculas. White spots on the eyeball can vary in severity. Some may be hardly noticeable while others can cause a lot of discomfort. Eye problems…

A red spot on the eye may look worrying, but it is rarely a medical emergency. Usually, a red spot on the eye occurs when blood collects under the conjunctiva due to a subconjunctival hemorrhage. The conjunctiva is the transparent membrane that covers the surface of the eye. The conjunctiva…

Seeing stars or flashes in vision may be alarming, especially if it has never happened before. Many people say they ‘see stars’ when flashes of light occur in their field of vision. The stars may look like fireworks, lightning bolts, or camera flashes. Several different issues may cause a person…

Kaleidoscope vision is a symptom of migraine. The brain creates a visual illusion of fractured or bright colors, similar to those a person might see through a kaleidoscope. Migraine can affect vision in many ways. Some people see sparkling lights or blind spots, while others experience kaleidoscope vision. Sensory disturbances, or…

A cervicogenic headache is a pain that develops in the neck, though a person feels the pain in their head. Cervicogenic headaches are secondary headaches. Secondary headaches are those caused by an underlying condition, such as neck injuries, infections, or severe high blood pressure. This sets them apart from primary headaches, such as migraines and cluster…

A new study finds that people whose sleep is fragmented during the night are at higher risk of experiencing a migraine episode not the next day, but the day after that. Dr. Suzanne Bertisch — a physician and clinical investigator in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham…

Consuming caffeine may offset some unhealthful consequences of an obesity-inducing diet, according to a new study in rats. Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign fed rats a high-fat, high-sugar diet. They then gave some of the rodents caffeine extracted from mate tea and others decaffeinated mate tea. The…

When following a keto diet, some people may find it difficult to work out the right foods to eat and when to eat them. Meal plans can help people get used to the diet or stick with it. The keto diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet. Potential benefits of the…

Lectins are proteins in plants that studies have linked to both positive and negative health effects. Some experts have proposed the idea that a diet free of lectins can benefit health, but the available research does not support this claim. Some plant-based foods — such as beans and legumes, whole grains, and…

Drinking enough water can support skin, muscle, and joint health. Water helps the body’s cells absorb nutrients and fight infections. Drinking a few glasses of warm or hot water each day might offer even more benefits. Although there is little scientific research on the benefits of drinking hot water, alternative…

Hydration is essential for health, but what are the benefits and drawbacks of drinking water before going to bed? The human body needs water to perform normal bodily functions. It is therefore vital for a person to drink water every day. However, there is some debate about whether people should…

Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining good health. But is drinking distilled water, rather than other types of water, a healthful option? In this article, we explore the qualities of distilled water as compared with other types of water and analyze whether it is safe and healthful to drink. Overview…

We often hear that we should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. However, there is some controversy about this figure and what it really means. Water is an essential nutrient. It is necessary to sustain all forms of life, and humans can only live a few days without…

A new study looks at what keeps older adults from getting sufficient fluids to avoid negative health outcomes.  Staying hydrated seems simple enough. Yet studies have shown that somewhere between about one-third and one-half of older adults may be dehydrated, increasing their risk of health problems. Dehydrated people hospitalized with a stroke are more than…

If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works. Many people will experience a nagging cough at some point in their life, and it is usually possible to identify the likely cause. In most cases, over-the-counter medications can help soothe the…

Lung cancer is a condition that causes cells to divide in the lungs uncontrollably. This causes the growth of tumors that reduce a person’s ability to breathe. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 218,527 people in the United States received a lung cancer diagnosis in 2015. Early diagnosis can help a person seek…

We all know the proverb “an apple a day,” but what about an orange? Oranges are low in calories and full of nutrients, they promote clear, healthy, skin and can help to lower our risk for many diseases as part of an overall healthy and varied diet.  Orange trees are the most…

Fresh juice doesn’t have to be green or full of spinach to be healthy. Pomegranate juice contains more than 100 phytochemicals. The pomegranate fruit has been used for thousands of years as medicine. Today, pomegranate juice is being studied for its many health benefits. It may help with cancerprevention, immune support,…

A recent review and meta-analysis investigating protein intake conclude that consuming the recommended daily allowance is fine for most people, most of the time. However, more protein is not necessarily beneficial. Many of us enthusiastically indulge in holiday treats, which means that come New Year’s Day, beginning a weight loss…

A team of specialists from Australia and the United States has identified a new autoinflammatory condition in humans. They also understand what causes it, which can help researchers find an adequate treatment.  Autoimmune conditions occur when the body’s immune response becomes abnormally activated. When this happens, it turns against healthy…

Long believed to be a calming activity, a new study provides evidence of the benefits of mindfulness in reducing high blood pressure. There is anecdotal evidence that meditation and mindfulness training may be able to reduce high blood pressure and hypertension. However, clinical confirmation of these claims has been scarce until last month,…

Systolic congestive heart failure occurs when the heart does not pump blood effectively. It may happen when the heart muscle is too weak or when another health problem prevents it from circulating blood efficiently. Over time, systolic congestive heart failure, or heart failure (HF), can lead to dysfunction of other organs…

A recent study investigates the relationship between cholesterol levels in young adulthood and cardiovascular risk in later life — with interesting recommendations for further research. Research has already well documented that high cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, and stroke, the fifth leading cause of death.…

Crohn’s disease is a chronic, or long-term, condition that causes inflammation of the digestive tract. It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn’s disease can be painful, debilitating, and, sometimes, life-threatening. Crohn’s disease, also called ileitis or enteritis, can affect any part of the gut, from the mouth all…

A study initially investigating aspirin as a preventive treatment for colorectal cancer coincidentally uncovered a mechanism that might explain how fruit and vegetables reduce the risk of developing this disease. Worldwide, more than 1 million people receive a diagnosis of colorectal cancer each year. It is also the third most common cause of cancer death in the United…

In this special feature, we collate some of the most intriguing hypertension studies from 2019. We particularly focus on nutrition, risk factors, and hypertension’s relationship with dementia. Today, in the United States, around 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure, which doctors also call hypertension. Hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular events, such as stroke and coronary…

Passing a kidney stone is often described as one of the most painful things a person will ever experience. As many as 1 in 10 people will develop kidney stones in their lifetime. Kidney stones are small, hard deposits that form in the kidneys when there is a decrease in urine…