Vitamin B12 can do all sorts of good things for older folks. It can support everything from brain health to how your nerves function. Some studies suggest it may even help prevent cognitive decline. But Kristin Zimmerman, associate professor in the department of pharmacotherapy and outcomes science at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Pharmacy in Richmond, grew suspicious several years ago when her mom, who was in her late 60s and living on Florida’s Gold Coast, qu

Also known as emotional eating, stress-eating involves using food as a coping mechanism to help you feel better. Typically, it has nothing to do with physical hunger and everything to do with soothing or suppressing uncomfortable feelings and situations. If you’re using food as a way to manage stress, you might be wondering why you want to eat when you’re stressed, how you can stop stress eating, and what you can do to reduce stress instead. Read on to learn why you eat when

A new study reports that excess belly fat is more strongly associated with an increased risk of heart failure than a person’s overall body weight or their body mass index (BMI) measurement. The researchers say that systemic inflammation is a key factor in the link between abdominal fat and heart disease risk. They estimate that one-quarter to one-third of the association is explained by inflammation. These findings suggest that reducing inflammation is a potential treatment

High: Makes You Pee More Your kidneys have to work hard to process all that extra sugar in your blood. When they can’t keep up, your body gets rid of it, along with water that your body needs.     High: Makes You Thirsty To get rid of that extra sugar, your body draws water from its own tissues. Because you need that fluid to make energy, transfer nutrients, and get rid of waste, a switch flips in your brain to tell you that you’re thirsty so you’ll drink more. High: Dry Mout

Tongue Lashing Few muscles are as hard-working as the tongue. By day, it twists to form the sounds you speak and pushes around the food you eat. While you sleep, your tongue moves saliva down your throat.  Go With Your Gut On average, your intestines are 25 feet long from end to end. Your small intestine is long -- over 20 feet. And while your large intestine is wider around, it stretches out only to 5 feet in length. Dirty Mouth You might think twice before kissing. In one m

Sleep is key for overall health and wellbeing—and research suggests that sleeping in cooler temperatures around 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit may support your health even more. From getting better quality sleep to improving your mood, here are some of the potential benefits of sleeping in a cold room. 1. Your Sleep Quality May Improve Because research suggests that many people get less sleep as the temperatures rise, sleeping in a cold room may help you get more, better quality