May is Women’s Health Month. With that in mind, doctors are offering suggestions for steps that women can take to reduce their risk of diseases and safeguard their health, both physical and mental. Dr. Blanca Sckell is medical director of the Ambulatory Care Center and internal medicine program at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, in New York City.…  read on >

Sitting for long hours at a desk can lead to poor posture, lower-back pain and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The American Council on Exercise suggests how to combat the negative effects of too much sitting: Stand for a few minutes every hour to activate unused muscles. Sit on a stability ball for…  read on >

Swimming is a great way to stay in shape while having fun and without stressing your joints. If you’re ready to take your lap swimming to the next level, consider joining a masters swimming program. U.S. Masters Swimming is a nonprofit that promotes the activity and works with 1,500 clubs around the United States. It’s…  read on >

Basketball provides a great full-body workout. But there are steps you should take to reduce your risk of knee, ankle and foot injuries, an orthopedic specialist says. In 2016, more than 60,500 people were treated for basketball-related foot injuries in U.S. emergency departments, doctors’ offices and clinics. More than 355,000 sought help for basketball-related ankle…  read on >

Learning how to do a skin self-exam could save your life. “Skin cancer is one of the few cancers you can see with the naked eye,” said Dr. Ali Hendi, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. “Yet sadly, many people don’t know how to be their own…  read on >

If you find that you’re more motivated by working out under the guidance of a fitness instructor and like the idea of varying your workouts, taking classes is a great choice. With today’s wide variety of gym offerings, use these tips to decide on the best options for you. You’re likely to need a mix…  read on >

When you fire up the grill for your Memorial Day cookout, beware: Those tantalizing aromas hold an underestimated health risk. Grilling meats at a high temperature can produce cancer-causing compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). You can be exposed to significant PAH levels simply by breathing in the sweet scent of barbecue. A new study…  read on >

Ditching the car and biking or walking to work just might cut your risk of developing heart disease and even dying from it. So says a new British study that finds a person’s risk of heart disease or stroke falls 11 percent and their risk of dying from these diseases falls by 30 percent, just…  read on >

You already know that exercise is good for your health and your heart, both to prevent heart disease and, for those who already have a heart-related condition, to make managing it easier. But you might be even more motivated to work out if you better understand exactly how exercise helps. Studies have found two important…  read on >

Exercising may keep you young at heart. Researchers found that people who make regular exercise a lifelong habit appear to slow the aging of their heart and blood vessels. The finding stems from a comparison of exercise histories and heart health among 102 people over age 60. Those who had exercised two to three times…  read on >