Infants need a balance of nutrients to grow properly and be healthy, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. Although homemade formulas may seem healthy or inexpensive, they may not meet your baby’s nutritional needs. The academy mentions some do’s and don’ts of homemade baby formula: Do choose recipes that have been reviewed by the U.S.…  read on >

From Halloween through New Year’s, holiday weight gain affects people the world over and, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it can happen with any major holiday, not just the winter ones. As you might know firsthand, it’s a lot harder to lose that weight than to put it…  read on >

For people with diabetes, maintaining blood sugar may become easier with healthier snacking, says the University of Michigan Comprehensive Diabetes Center. Snacks with 15 to 30 grams of carbs and snacks containing less than 150 calories typically are good options. For people with diabetes, the school recommends: An apple with a bit of peanut butter.…  read on >

If you’re an obese heart patient, weight-loss surgery might be good medicine for you. New research suggests it significantly reduces the risk of heart failure and fatal heart attack in this vulnerable group. “Our findings suggest, for the first time, that bariatric [weight-loss] surgery can prevent the development of systolic heart failure and remarkably reduce…  read on >

Want to have your cake and eat nutritiously, too? You can do both if you lighten up your baking. The typical buttery layer cake may taste good, but its main ingredient is white flour, which is basically devoid of nutrition. Using almonds and coconut in place of flour packs in nutrients like fiber, vitamins E,…  read on >

Ground beef tainted with salmonella has led to 10 known infections across six states, including eight people so ill they had to be hospitalized, and one death. “Illnesses in this outbreak are more severe than expected for salmonella,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement issued Friday. So far, infections…  read on >

Calorie labels in fast-food restaurants appear to help customer trim purchases, but only up to a point, a new study says. Customers ate slightly fewer calories after a fast-food chain started including calories on its menus, but the impact weakened over time, researchers found. “Our findings suggest that calorie labeling may be most effective as…  read on >

Almost 41 million American children will don costumes and go trick-or-treating tonight, so all parents should remember that not every treat is safe for their kid. Inspect your children’s candy haul for signs of tampering before you let them eat anything, said Bruce Ruck, managing director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers…  read on >

Pumpkin-flavored drinks and desserts are everywhere this time of year, often adding unwanted calories with surprisingly little real pumpkin. But you don’t have to miss out on pumpkin’s nutrients — vitamin A along with a good amount of vitamin C and fiber — if you cook with it at home. Unlike other squashes that are…  read on >

Smoking is a notoriously tough habit to quit, but a new study suggests it is far harder for women to stop than it is for men. Why? The researchers point to a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression in women, which might interfere with even the best intentions to kick the habit. And one expert…  read on >