Giving up cigarettes can be excruciating, with cravings and withdrawal symptoms lingering for weeks, especially if you aren’t strongly motivated. Yet, just minutes after that first smoke-free breath, your body starts to change for the better. And with all the healthy breaths you take in the weeks and months that follow, the benefits only multiply.…  read on >  read on >

Could hydration hold the key to longevity? Maybe, suggests new research that discovered older adults who are properly hydrated may be healthier and live longer than those who aren’t, having less incidence of conditions like heart and lung disease. “Staying well-hydrated may slow down aging, prevent or delay development of chronic diseases, and therefore prolong…  read on >  read on >

Singing may help stroke patients regain communication skills, according to new research. About 40% of stroke survivors have aphasia, a difficulty to deliver or comprehend spoken or written language. That impairment is ongoing for about half of those patients a year after their stroke, potentially affecting quality of life or leading to social isolation. Researchers…  read on >  read on >

Wearing proper gear, watching out for snow and ice hazards, and “walking like a penguin” are just some of the tips that can help prevent winter accidents, one medical expert says. “A variety of injuries can occur during the winter,” cautioned Dr. Mahmood Gharib, a physiatrist at the University of Minnesota Medical School, in Minneapolis.…  read on >  read on >

Keeping allergies and asthma in check in the new year is a resolution worth keeping. With 2023 dawning, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology offers some suggestions for keeping symptoms under control all year long. “More than 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from allergic conditions,” said allergist Dr. Kathleen May, president…  read on >  read on >