Here’s a compelling reason to keep those dreaded appointments with your dentist: New research suggests that red, tender or bleeding gums could trigger high blood pressure. In a review of 81 studies that included more than 250,000 people, U.K. scientists found that those who had moderate to severe gum disease (periodontitis) had a 22% increased…  read on >

Working around high levels of pesticides may translate into a high risk for heart trouble later, a new study suggests. That was the case for a group of Japanese-American men in Hawaii who were followed for more than three decades. Compared to men who had not worked around pesticides, those who had the greatest exposure…  read on >

From Florida hurricanes to California wildfires, these events are reminders of the need to have a family natural disaster plan in place, no matter where you live. The following steps will help you be prepared for an evacuation due to fire or flooding, whether the source is environmental or starts in your own home. Start…  read on >

Walking speed may indicate whether young stroke survivors are ready to return to work, a new study suggests. And 3 feet per second may be the threshold that predicts whether they can meet a workday’s challenges, the researchers found. One of every four people who has a stroke is younger than 65 years old. As…  read on >

Are elderly people with diabetes being overtreated? A new study suggests that’s so: Older, sicker patients tend to be the ones most likely to still be using insulin to manage their blood sugar, despite guidelines that suggest it’s often safer to lower diabetes treatment intensity with age. The study found that nearly 20% of people…  read on >

Menopausal women who get night sweats sleep longer and the longer they sleep, the more trouble they have thinking straight, a surprising new study concludes. Earlier studies have drawn a link between daytime hot flashes and worse memory. In this study, researchers looked at sleep time and night sweats among women with a history of…  read on >

It’s not uncommon for new moms to feel an emotional letdown shortly after baby is born. Though symptoms of these so-called “baby blues” can be wide-ranging, they last no more than two weeks and go away on their own. Some Signs of the Baby Blues: Mood swings Feeling sad or overwhelmed Being unable to concentrate…  read on >

An hour or two of lost sleep every night will add up, says the National Sleep Foundation. In the short-term, negative effects from lack of sleep can range from a foggy brain to impaired driving abilities. However, getting extra sleep to compensate won’t completely make up for sleep lost. Extra sleep can reduce daytime drowsiness,…  read on >

Women, if you’re bothered by frequent hot flashes, it may be more than a mere annoyance. New research offers evidence that frequent or persistent hot flashes are linked to higher odds of heart attack and stroke. The finding stems from a 20-year study of about 3,300 women during menopause. Of those women, 231 had a…  read on >