Category: Nutrition and Diet

Research is homing in on new treatment approaches for heel pain from plantar fasciitis. If you’ve ever stepped barefoot onto a child’s Lego or a jagged shell on the beach, you’ve experienced the searing pain it produces on the sole of your foot. Now imagine that pain is the first thing you feel when your […]

What can you add to a wide variety of foods, from cereals to salads, that’s crunchy, filling, and flavorful — and good for your heart? The answer is nuts. While all varieties of nuts are chock full of important nutrients, walnuts may be especially good for protecting cardiovascular health, according to a recent study in […]

You may be familiar with Lyme disease , a bacterial infection from the bite of an infected black-legged tick. While Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in the United States, another is on the rise: babesiosis. A March 2023 CDC report shows that babesiosis now has a foothold in 10 states in […]

Otherwise healthy men treated with prescription drugs for erectile dysfunction had fewer heart-related problems than men who didn’t take the medications, a new study finds. Known as PDE-5 inhibitors, the drugs include sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn). They work by relaxing artery walls and improving blood flow. Earlier research suggested these drugs […]

Q. As expected, my heart rate rises when I exercise. But sometimes it seems elevated for no apparent reason. Why might this happen? A. When at rest, the average adult’s heart beats between 60 and 100 times each minute. Your heart can speed up for many different reasons — including, as you’ve noted, physical activity. […]

A temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), can cause a range of unsettling symptoms, including slurred speech or arm weakness. The symptoms appear suddenly but usually last less than five minutes, which is why TIAs are often ignored or missed. Although TIAs are often referred to […]

Ask the doctor Q. I hear there are different types of fat in your body, some good for you and some not. Could I be a lucky person who has only the good kind? A. Unfortunately, no one has only the good kind, but most of us at least have some. Over the past 30 […]

Ask the doctors Q. I tripped over the vacuum cord the other day and whacked my head on the banister. I seem okay now, but how would I know if I got a concussion? A. Ouch! Few of us haven’t hit our heads in a similar way at some point. But a blow like that […]

Some symptoms are merely a nuisance, while others may prove serious. Here’s what to watch. Maybe you leak urine every time you cough or sneeze or lift a bag of groceries. Maybe you plan your errands around trips to the toilet. Maybe you tuck extra pads into your purse when you go out. Or maybe […]

When should you see a gynecologist? The answer is simple in some ways, more complicated in others. If you’re a woman or a person with female reproductive organs, experts recommend that you start seeing a gynecologist when you become sexually active, or at least once before the age of 21 . Good gyn care, as […]