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 jewelry causes your skin to itch, you may be allergic to nickel, says Winchester Hospital. Nickel is a silvery-white metal that is used to make a range of products, including zippers, buttons and costume jewelry. Winchester Hospital recommends these solutions: Stick to sterling silver or 14-karat gold. Wear stainless steel or hypo-allergenic jewelry. Keep…  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 >

Making the decision to live healthier often involves important steps such as losing weight and exercising more. These are significant goals and everyday lifestyle habits that you should commit to. But there’s another type of “makeover” that can benefit you in equally important ways. That’s changing your general outlook on life by boosting positivity. This…  read on >

Loneliness can take a heavy toll on heart patients — including a higher risk of death in the year after hospitalization, researchers found. “This study confirms what has also been indicated in previous research regarding the serious health consequences of loneliness,” said lead researcher Anne Vinggaard Christensen, of Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark. “Loneliness should…  read on >

Even a little running on a regular basis can extend your life, Australian researchers say. They analyzed 14 studies that included more than 232,000 people whose health was tracked for between 5.5 and 35 years. During the study periods, nearly 26,000 participants died. The collective data showed that any amount of running was associated with…  read on >

Shaving without cutting yourself or missing patches of hair can be a challenge, says the American Academy of Dermatology. To get a proper shave, the academy recommends: Before you shave, wet your skin and hair. Shave in the direction that the hair grows. Rinse after each swipe of the razor. Store your razor in a…  read on >

When parents can no longer get “personal-belief” exemptions from childhood vaccinations, they may get around it by asking for religious exemptions for their kids, a new study finds. Researchers found that after Vermont banned personal-belief exemptions, the number of kindergartners with religious exemptions from vaccination suddenly shot up — from 0.5% to nearly 4%. That…  read on >

There’s early promise in the quest for a blood test that might spot breast cancer up to five years before clinical signs of the disease appear, researchers say. The test identifies specific immune system “autoantibodies,” British researchers explained. The immune system produces the antibodies when it comes into contact with tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), which are…  read on >

Only about half of all American adults meet the national guidelines for aerobic activity and only about one-fifth meet the combined aerobic and strength-training goals. One reason is that some people just don’t find it enjoyable, so they don’t stick with it. Changing your mindset can lead not only to increases in exercise time, but…  read on >