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Do you have the guts to be stronger, longer?
If you want to make sure your muscles stay stronger longer, you don't just want to do strength-training and aerobics and eat lean and plant-based proteins (though, of course, they're beneficial). A study published in Gut says that you also want to eat plenty of prebiotic foods, such as chicory root, legumes, lentils, onions, garlic, asparagus, ...Read more
Floater In Man's Eye Signifies A Posterior Vitreous Detachment
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 73-year-old man who had worn glasses since the age of 12 until a successful laser surgery from 22 years ago, which resulted in near 20/20 vision. My vision has changed little since the surgery.
My eye health has always been very good, if not excellent, but after a recent two-hour airplane flight, I noticed a small "blob"...Read more
Scientific review finds e-cigarettes likely cause lung and oral cancer
E-cigarettes are likely to cause cancer, including in the lungs and mouth, according to a sweeping review of scientific evidence that challenges their positioning as a safer alternative to smoking.
Published Monday in the journal Carcinogenesis, the review concludes that nicotine-based vapes are “likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” even ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: What are the different types of pacemakers?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have a slow heart rate, and my cardiologist has recommended that I have a pacemaker implanted. Can you tell me what a pacemaker does and what I should consider when I make this decision?
ANSWER: A heart rate slower than 50 beats per minute is called bradycardia. When the heart beats too slowly, it may not pump ...Read more
Ask the Pediatrician: Sports nutrition for busy families and busy lifestyles
Hectic schedules, especially as spring sports season begins, can throw a wrench into family meal planning and can encourage families to rely on quick, less nutritious options.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers guidance to help busy families eat and drink better before, during and after game time.
Preparing nutritious food ahead of time...Read more
Allergy alert
This is nothing to sniff at: Climate change has extended pollen seasons by three weeks and is stimulating plants to produce 20% more pollen. That means around 25% of U.S. adults (including me) are headed into spring with an increased load of sniffles, red, itchy eyes, and sneezes and wheezes (not to mention associated sleep problems and mood ...Read more
Sixty-Year-Old Woman Is Mysteriously Unable To Gain Weight
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a sister who is in her mid 60s and has a very low weight. She cooks a lot but doesn't eat much. Is there something to suggest to make her gain some weight? She weighs 80 pounds and is 5 feet, 2 inches tall. By contrast, I'm 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weigh 150 pounds. I am worried that if she gets sick, she will not have ...Read more
Medicaid cuts could add pressure to already-stressed psychiatric units
Federal Medicaid cuts could exact a heavy toll on psychiatric units at hospitals across the country, many of which are already struggling to keep their doors open but provide essential mental health care to people who need it.
Psychiatric units are costly and, like labor and delivery services, typically lose money for hospitals and tend to be ...Read more
COVID-19 variant BA.3.2 is spreading quickly across US – a doctor explains what you need to know
A variant of COVID-19 called BA.3.2, which has circulated under the radar since late 2024, is now spreading quickly across the United States.
As a pulmonary and critical care doctor, I see many patients who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to chronic lung disease, as well as patients living with long COVID. All of them ask me ...Read more
Providing Insight Into Heart Rate Variability And Its Significance
DEAR DR. ROACH: My heart rate variability (HRV) on my heart rate tracker has ranged from 12-14 ms for years now. I read that this means something is going on inside me. Do you have any insight into HRV? I'm a 64-year-old male who is in decent health. My Lipoprotein(a) level is 224 mg/dL, but my other heart tests are OK.
I play pickleball ...Read more
The power of exercise to transform your gut health
Your gut microbiome contains roughly 100 trillion microbes from 5,000 species and weighs around four-and-a-half pounds. These teeming masses can protect -- or damage -- your health.
When they're doing their job, they extract energy from food and help your body make neurotransmitters, enzymes and even vitamin K, all of which are important for a ...Read more
Two verdicts in two days: How American courts are rewriting the rules for Big Tech and children
Within 48 hours, the legal landscape governing social media and children shifted in ways that will take years to fully understand and verify.
On March 24, 2026, a Santa Fe jury ordered Meta to pay US$375 million for violating New Mexico’s consumer protection laws. The next day, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google’s YouTube ...Read more
Editorial: What's essential: Hochul must reduce the pain with Essential Plan changes
Gov. Kathy Hochul said that she had no choice from a hostile federal government and had to change the state’s Essential Plan health coverage and thus potentially remove nearly a half-million New Yorkers from this zero-premium plan. The request to alter the program received preliminary approval from Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers ...Read more
Rising health costs push some middle-aged adults to skip the doc until Medicare
John Galvin knows he needs a colonoscopy. But he’s waiting to schedule the procedure until December, when he turns 65 and qualifies for Medicare.
He was already thinking about delaying it — then his monthly Obamacare insurance premium payment tripled this year to $2,460, about a third of his income, he said. And with a $2,700 deductible, he...Read more
Even with dental insurance, you still could face a large bill
Russell Anthony made eight trips to the dentist last year. The 65-year-old retiree in Nashville, Tennessee, hopes to go less often in 2026, but he’s already made a few visits.
“I had a root canal just last week that was like $500,” he said. “The week before that, I had a crown that cost me several hundred dollars. And as we speak, I ...Read more
Drop in opioid overdose deaths nears 50% since 2023
Since their peak less than three years ago, opioid overdose deaths dropped nearly by half as of October, according to a Stateline analysis. The drop comes as a shrinking fentanyl supply has made the drug weaker and less deadly and volunteer efforts get more people into treatment.
The weaker fentanyl tracks to a crackdown on materials used to ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Understanding myeloma treatment
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've been diagnosed with myeloma. What can I expect going forward?
ANSWER: Myeloma is a cancer that affects specialized antibody-producing cells called plasma cells. Over your lifetime, your body produces hundreds of thousands of different types of plasma cells that protect you from a broad range of bacteria ...Read more
COVID in Florida 6 years later: Another new variant, milder infections, fewer deaths and vaccines
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Six years ago this month, Florida schools and beaches closed, cruise ships reported their first COVID outbreaks, and shoppers scrambled to get whatever toilet paper remained on the shelves.
Almost overnight, the COVID lockdown went into effect, triggering isolation of the elderly, drive-through testing sites and social...Read more
Cosmetic Results Of Surgery For A Fatty Tumor Can Vary Greatly
DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with a large fatty tumor on my left thigh. It's very ugly. What can I do to get rid of it? -- V.O.P.
ANSWER: Lipomas are common fatty tumors that may occur on the trunk or the limbs. The vast majority are benign, but very large tumors can possibly be liposarcomas. So, an ultrasound or MRI prior to treatment ...Read more
Slashing your cancer risk
Around 40% of Americans develop cancer. But there's a lot you can do to reduce your risk. Some smart moves seem obvious: Wear sunscreen daily. Don't smoke or hang around folks who do. Don't drink too much alcohol (or any). Avoid red meats and foods laced with toxins, preservatives and sugars.
But here are some equally powerful, lesser-known ...Read more
Inside Health Advice
Popular Stories
- COVID-19 variant BA.3.2 is spreading quickly across US – a doctor explains what you need to know
- Ask the Pediatrician: Sports nutrition for busy families and busy lifestyles
- Mayo Clinic Q&A: What are the different types of pacemakers?
- Mayo Clinic Q&A: Why is fiber good for your overall health?
- Psychiatrists' use of biomarkers could open a new window into mental health diagnoses






















