Losing weight should be part of living a healthier lifestyle. The U.S. Office on Women’s Health says there are no quick, easy fixes for weight loss, and that the key is to focus on small, healthy changes that you can practice for the rest of your life. The agency suggests: Set concrete goals that are…  read on >

When it comes to preventing heart disease, vitamin and mineral supplements are probably a waste of money, a new research review concludes. The findings, published May 28 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, largely confirm what’s already known: Supplements may be popular, but in most cases, there is no evidence they protect…  read on >

A hiccup is an involuntary movement of the diaphragm, followed by a quick close of the vocal cords, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says. Typically coming in spurts, a hiccup may be triggered by: Eating too much or too quickly. Eating spicy food. Drinking alcohol. Drinking a carbonated beverage. Conditions that irritate nerves that…  read on >

A healthy diet may reduce a woman’s risk of hearing loss, a new study finds. “We observed that those following an overall healthy diet had a lower risk of moderate or worse hearing loss,” said study first author Dr. Sharon Curhan, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The researchers analyzed data from nearly 71,000…  read on >

Tired of munching on carrot and celery sticks to stay on the diet track when your stomach starts growling? There are many options for nutritious and filling foods that contain just 50 calories. And yes, you’ll get the most bang for your calorie buck with vegetables, but there are other choices to satisfy your hunger.…  read on >

Lots of things grow in the spring, including your risk of severe allergic reactions and asthma attacks. So people need to take preventive measures and know when to seek medical care, an emergency physician says. “Spring tends to bring more people to the emergency department,” Dr. Paul Kivela, president of the American College of Emergency…  read on >

Excessive weight gain is never a good idea for health. Now, new research supports the notion that putting on pounds raises cancer risks for middle-aged women. The study, which tracked more than 137,000 Norwegian women for 18 years, found that the odds of developing certain cancers rose as waistlines expanded. The take-home message: “maintaining stable…  read on >

If you’re taking an antidepressant, you’re likely to gain weight, a new study out of Britain reports. That’s a finding that generated little surprise among mental health experts. “Psychiatrists have known about it, written about it and heard their patients talk about it for decades,” said Dr. Brian Keefe, a psychiatrist and medical director at…  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 >

Research shows that fasting on alternate days has health benefits, including lowering the amount of inflammation in the body. That’s important because inflammation has been linked to many chronic diseases and keeping it under control can increase longevity. And now there’s growing evidence that fasting can be an answer to weight loss, too. New approaches…  read on >