Does chocolate lower blood pressure or raise it? Chocolate can raise or lower blood pressure depending on the type, ingredients, and how much you consume. Cocoa contains flavanols, which are natural plant compounds that may support blood vessel function. For some people, that may lead to modest improvements in blood pressure. But many chocolate products also contain added sugar, saturated fat and caffeine or theobromine, which can change the overall effect. What type of choco

In a culture that rewards productivity and efficiency, play can start to feel indulgent. But experts suggest the opposite is true: Play is a key part of how we regulate stress, build relationships, and stay mentally flexible over time—and it’s something adults never really outgrow. Here’s what play looks like in adulthood, and how to bring more of it into your everyday life in ways that support your mental health. What Counts as Play in Adulthood? One of the biggest misconce

Feeling fine doesn’t always mean that everything is fine. Some of the most common conditions that show up with age can build quietly for years. As scary as that sounds, there’s good news: Many of these “silent” conditions can be found early and treated—if you keep up with recommended screenings. “A lot of what we do as cardiologists is treating people who are asymptomatic so we can prevent things down the line,” says Dr. John Dodson, director of the Geriatric Cardiology Progr

Watch Your Step! Walking is a complex process. It involves your body from head to toes, including several parts of your brain. Some strides do more than just get you from point A to point B. Your gait, posture, and pace may also be broadcasting clues about your health and personality. Fast Pace Longer life: Studies on people over 65 show that a natural need for speed when walking tends to mean you'll live longer. But it doesn't work in reverse; you can't expect to extend your

When it comes to health benefits, eggs have had a fluctuating reputation over time. For years, a belief persisted that their high content of dietary cholesterol might negatively affect cholesterol levels in the human body. More recent studies, however, argue that dietary cholesterol from moderate egg consumption does not contribute to higher levels of “bad” cholesterol in the human body and thus does not heighten heart disease risk. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that

“Protein” has become a major health buzzword in marketing, but the label alone doesn’t make a food nutritious. While many products promote their protein content, not all high-protein foods offer the same overall health benefits. Why "Protein" Doesn't Always Mean "Healthy" Protein is a macronutrient, along with fat and carbohydrates, all of which are equally important to include in your diet for different reasons. Many foods contain protein, but that doesn't automatically make

Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed legislation making it a felony to traffic abortion-inducing drugs into or within the state, opening a new front in the post-Dobbs fight over mail-order mifepristone even as the U.S. Supreme Court continues to let the pills be shipped during federal litigation. House Bill 1168 takes effect Aug. 12 and carries up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine for anyone who knowingly possesses or delivers the drugs to a person who inte

Sometimes there’s itching; there’s usually pain and inflammation; and then there’s bleeding. Hemorrhoids and their symptoms are distressing and uncomfortable, no matter the kind you have. To help bring you relief, the American Gastroenterological Association published new guidelines about the condition, including the type of food you should prioritize to keep the contents of your intestines moving and, as a result, your backside hemorrhoid-free. Gut Health Tip of the Day: Pri

Your favorite breakfast food may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. That’s according to a recent study, which found that eating at least one egg five days a week was associated with a 27% lower risk of developing the disease in older adults. Previous research has also linked egg consumption to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, but Jisoo Oh, DrPH, MPH, an associate professor of epidemiology at Loma Linda University and author of the new paper, said the recent study was among

As a registered dietitian, I often get asked about my go-to list of foods. One food I always mention is oats. There's nothing like a steaming bowl of hot oatmeal with nuts and berries to comfort my soul on a gloomy morning. The goodness of oats goes beyond comfort, though. Research suggests that regularly eating oats may reduce total and LDL (harmful) cholesterol—and lower cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. So, what is so unique about oats

Getting enough protein is important, especially as we get older. Not only is protein critical for all our cells to function properly, but it’s also essential for building and maintaining strong bones and muscles. There are other benefits to adding more protein to your daily meals, too. A higher-protein diet can help promote weight loss, keep you feeling fuller longer and improve blood sugar stability. But it isn’t always easy to eat enough of it. For most older adults, daily

Inflammation can help your body defend itself from infection and injury. But chronic inflammation can lead to disease. Stress, low activity levels, and foods that cause inflammation can increase this risk. For this reason, eating foods that can help reduce inflammation is strongly advisable. What are the top anti-inflammatory foods? Foods like fruits, vegetables, and spices contain anti-inflammatory compounds and may help reduce inflammation. The most anti-inflammatory foods

The sudden, urgent need to pee the moment you arrive home is a common phenomenon known as "latchkey incontinence." It is not a medical condition, but rather the combination of neurological (brain-related) and behavioral (conditioned) responses that allow you to hold it in until you are within reach of a toilet. How the Brain Controls Urination Urination is not a reflex—it's a carefully regulated process in which the brain constantly monitors how full your bladder is and decid

Fraud in government programs is often treated like an urban legend—something that happens in faraway blue cities run by corrupt political machines. But the truth is more unsettling: Some of the most brazen theft of taxpayer money is happening in places governed by Republicans, right under their noses. Consider Ohio. At one address in Columbus, investigators found 94 different companies registered in the same building. The windows were covered. The offices appeared empty. Yet,

While there are many healthy foods to choose from when grocery shopping, some are more nutrient-packed than others. These so-called superfoods are richer in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, offering maximum health benefits for minimal calories. They can include vegetables, fruits, grains, and more. So, what are the top superfoods worth adding to your grocery cart ASAP? According to Pollock Communications and Today's Dietitian's annual "What's Tre

Bananas are notoriously high in potassium, an electrolyte that’s important for fluid balance, nerve impulses and muscle contractions. It’s why they’re often handed out at the end of races, sports games or other high-traffic areas for a group of sweaty people. But bananas do more for the body than replenish electrolytes after working out. For example, bananas help support healthy blood pressure when eaten regularly because the potassium it contains helps the body get rid of e

Diabetes is one of the most common health conditions around the world and in the United States. About 11.6% of people in the United States live with the condition. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form you may have heard of, but you might be surprised by what you still don’t know. Ongoing research in recent years has improved diagnosis, treatment, and knowledge about type 2 diabetes, allowing for better prevention and management. We’ve partnered with Stelo by Dexcom to brin

Starting around age 60, your nutritional needs change. This happens for a number of reasons, and it’s important to make sure you’re tweaking your diet appropriately so that you get the nutrients you need. Why Nutrition Needs Change as You Age As people age, the body’s metabolic rate—how much energy the body uses—gradually changes. “A key contributor to the decrease in metabolic rate is a loss of muscle mass. Peak muscle mass is usually reached around the early to mid-thirties

It’s not often that something simple, cheap, science-backed and easily accessible trends on social media. Against the odds, #WaterTok is all the rage right now, and as a registered dietitian, I’m not mad about it. Yes, it annoys me that there are influencers trying to sell you expensive electrolyte powders that you don’t need. (Don’t even get me started on the fact that one of the most popular powders contains 1,000 milligrams of sodium, which is almost half the recommended d

The Bigger Picture You've probably heard to watch the amount of salt you eat, especially if you're concerned about your blood pressure. That's because it makes your body hold on to water, putting extra stress on your heart and blood vessels. Salt -- and worry, and anger -- aren't the only things that can raise your blood pressure. Although temporary "spikes" aren't necessarily a problem, numbers that remain high over time can cause serious damage. Added Sugar It may be even m

The abortion issue won’t go away, as so many politicians wish it would. It persists because the discussion and debate are about our very existence. What is life? The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade, which has defined the abortion landscape in the United States since 1973. That landscape defined a right to abortion protected by the U.S. Constitution. Dobbs reversed this, concluding that the Constitution co

Stress Long-term stress floods your body with cortisol, a hormone that plays a part in your fight or flight system. In order to refuel your body after a stressful encounter, cortisol makes you want to eat more. If stress is a near-constant state for you, those cortisol levels stay up and keep you reaching for the snacks. Binge Eating Disorder (BED) Binge eating disorder (BED) is a category used in diagnosing eating disorders. It describes ongoing sessions of eating more food

You may fall asleep occasionally when you sit down if you don’t get enough high quality sleep. Falling asleep regularly when you sit down, however, may be a symptom of a sleeping condition that could require medical attention. Is falling asleep when sitting down a sign of a sleep disorder? Falling asleep regularly when you sit down may be a symptom of hypersomnia, a sleeping condition characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness. According to the United Kingdom’s National He

It’s natural for blood sugar to rise after eating. But if you are older or have diabetes or prediabetes, they can rise to a dangerous level that can damage your health over time. Making a habit of walking after dinner can make a huge difference. Why Blood Sugars Rise After Meals “What you eat sends [blood sugar] up, and then insulin gradually pushes it back down,” explains Daniel Cox, Ph.D. Cox is a University of Virginia professor researching the effectiveness of lifestyle c

Sugar often gets blamed for everything from weight gain to heart disease. But is it really the villain it’s made out to be? The answer isn’t simple. Sugar appears in many forms, and those distinctions matter for health, says Tara M. Schmidt, M.Ed., RDN, LD, a lead registered dietitian and instructor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Before deciding whether sugar is “bad,” it helps to understand where it comes from, how it’s used and what else comes with it. Comparing

Bathing Too Often Showering every day may be a habit, but unless you’re grimy or sweaty, you may not need to bathe more than a few times a week. Washing removes healthy oil and bacteria from your skin, so bathing too often could cause dry, itchy skin and allow bad bacteria to enter through cracked skin. When you expose your body to normal dirt and bacteria, it actually helps strengthen your immune system. Plus, showering too often wastes water. Still, make sure you are washin

Bread tends to be one of the first foods people eliminate from their diet when they're concerned about blood sugar management, but it doesn't have to be. The type of breads you eat, how they're made, and what you eat them with matters most for your blood sugar and overall health. 1. Sprouted Grain Bread Sprouted grain bread is made from whole grains that have started to sprout. This process breaks down some of the starch into compounds that are easier to digest, leading to a

When Assistant Secretary of Health Alex Adams led the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, he ended the state’s “orphan tax.” Now he is helping every other state do the same thing. “We’ve got a long way to go, but we’re gonna keep at this,” said Adams, who leads the Administration of Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services. “I think it’s morally wrong, and we’re gonna use every lever available to us.” When parents die before withdrawing their

One of the most powerful influences on how well you age may be how you feel about it. A recent study that tracked thousands of older adults for over a decade suggests that physical and cognitive improvement is indeed possible with age—and one factor stood out in predicting who might boost functioning over time: mindset. Participants with more positive views of aging were more likely to improve as they got older, researchers reported in the journal Geriatrics. A Deeper Look at

Take Care No matter what you've heard or how badly you want relief, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before trying any home remedy. This is even more important if you take prescription or over-the-counter medications, because some can affect how drugs work. And keep in mind that many don’t have any research to back them up. Peppermint Mint has been used for hundreds of years as a health remedy. Peppermint oil might help with irritable bowel syndrome -- a long-term conditio

If you’ve ever wondered how often you should pee on a daily basis, you’re not alone. How often you urinate is actually an important sign of your overall health, beginning in infancy and continuing throughout your life. Keep reading to learn more about urination and when peeing frequently may signal that you need to visit your doctor. Urinary frequency and your health Urinating as much as seven times in 24 hours is considered typical, with most people urinating about six to se

You might want to drop the bacon, because it could be the reason behind your bad knees, recent research suggests. Ultraprocessed foods have been studied extensively for their negative health effects, and now a new study has linked them to an increased risk of arthritis in the knees. Foods in this category are designed for longer shelf life, strong flavor appeal and convenience. Common examples include breakfast cereals, bacon, hot dogs, pre-packaged snacks and sweets. "Over t

Swap your vitamin C supplements for nutrient-rich foods such as kiwi, tomatoes, and strawberries. These foods easily cover your daily vitamin C requirement while providing fiber and other essential nutrients. 1. Acerola Cherry Serving: 1/2 cup Vitamin C: 825 milligrams (mg) Daily value: 1,100% for women, 917% for men Acerola cherries, grown in some tropical regions, have the highest vitamin C content of any food, making them a natural vitamin C supplement. If you live in the

Over 62 million Americans — roughly 1 in 5 people — may be exposed to potentially dangerous levels of nitrates in their tap water, a new report has shown. A compound of nitrogen and oxygen found naturally in air, water, soil and plants, nitrates become a health risk when rainfall causes nitrogen-rich fertilizers used in agriculture to leach into groundwater, streams and rivers and end up in public water systems miles downstream. Invisible, tasteless and odorless, nitrates at

Democrats like to say, for a lack of a better term, that Republicans hate sick people. I have cystic fibrosis: a chronic, life-threatening genetic disease, and I’m sick and tired of Democrats lying and fear mongering to people who are already sick and tired. The Affordable Care Act was fundamentally flawed from the start, and was never designed to function without massive, unsustainable subsidies. It ultimately was doomed to fail. The ACA drove up costs, narrowed provider net

An eighth grader was left with a tough diagnosis after a football accident. While Jack Alston was practicing in August 2024, he was hit and encountered a mild headache, but showed no other symptoms. However, the headache "didn't really go away," "We just assumed he was OK. We didn't follow up," Jack's mother, Caroline Alston, told CBS News. "I think that's where we made a mistake." Just two weeks after Jack's first accident, he was hit again during football. He had no standa

Curling up on the couch for movie night? Before you pop your next bag of microwave popcorn, find out if this classic snack is healthy or not. How Did Microwave Popcorn Come To Be? This microwaveable treat burst on to the food scene in the early 1980s. According to an article published in The New York Times, by the late 1980s all the major food manufacturers were fighting to corner the market on popped corn made with the push of a button. Fast forward forty years and market re

From marinara sauce to peanut butter, added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products. Many people rely on quick, processed foods for meals and snacks. Since these products often contain added sugar, it makes up a large proportion of their daily calorie intake. In the United States, the average adult consumes an estimated 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day. That accounts for 14% of total calorie intake in adults following a 2,000-calorie diet. Experts believe

Loaded With Lycopene The cheery red color comes from lycopene, an antioxidant. Studies show it may help curb your risk of cancer and diabetes as part of a healthy lifestyle. Watermelon has more of this nutrient than any other fruit or veggie -- even tomatoes. To load up on lycopene, choose a melon with bright red flesh rather than yellow or orange. And the riper, the better. Also, seedless melon tends to have more lycopene than those with seeds. Sun Benefit? Some pigments hel

Getting enough quality protein in your diet doesn't always have to put a dent in your wallet. Some of the top, least expensive healthy protein sources to consider incorporating into your routine include canned tuna, beans, eggs, and more. 1. Greek Yogurt Greek yogurt is a relatively inexpensive dairy product that's packed with protein. With a 7-ounce (oz) container of low-fat plain Greek yogurt, you'll get 20 grams (g) of protein, which equals about 40% of the recommended Dai

Between the quick service and oftentimes lower price points, eating at a fast-food restaurant is a convenient choice for many people on the go. While fast-food menus are often loaded with meals that are high in calories and saturated fat, most restaurants offer salads as a healthier alternative. While it may seem like any salad is a nutritious choice, especially when compared to burgers or fried chicken, not all salads are created equal. Depending on your order, a salad from

Drip, drip, drip. Three years after the COVID-19 pandemic, more details are being revealed concerning the failure of federal public health officials to come clean about lingering safety issues with the COVID-19 vaccine. Senate investigators have conclusively proved, for example, that Biden administration officials downplayedopens in a new tab the risk of vaccine-induced myocarditis (heart inflammation) and failed to warn the public. Widespread and dangerous loss of trust in p

If you have ever tossed and turned under heavy blankets, you’ve felt firsthand how being too warm can wreck your sleep. “Temperature is one of the most underappreciated factors in sleep,” said Joseph Dzierzewski, senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation. “We often hear about light, screens and stress, but even modest changes in temperature and airflow can influence how quickly you fall asleep and how deeply you stay asleep.” Yo

Breakfast cereals can be a quick and easy choice for busy mornings, but for people with diabetes, it can be confusing to choose the right fit since many cereals are known for their added sugar. When shopping for the best breakfast options, it’s important to prioritize cereals that are high in fiber, low in added sugars and made from whole grains. Fiber helps slow digestion, promoting more stable blood sugar levels throughout the day, while whole grains offer complex carbohydr

Type 2 diabetes is a common condition where your body loses its ability to use up glucose in the blood, also known as blood sugar. There are a number of symptoms that can accompany type 2 diabetes, and many of them start to show up early. The most common early signs of type 2 diabetes are frequent urination, extreme thirst, and persistent hunger. However, there are other symptoms that may alert you to this disease. A diagnosis can feel life changing, but type 2 diabetes is ve

Fact: Refrigerate Leftovers Within 2 Hours The bacteria that cause food poisoning grow quickly at room temperature. To make sure it’s safe, put food in the fridge or freezer in the 2 hours after it’s cooked or taken off a heat source, such as a warming tray. If it’s hot outside (above 90 F), do this within 1 hour. One in 3 people admit to eating pizza left out overnight. If those slices have been sitting out for hours, throw them away. Myth: Cool Hot Foods Before Refrigeratin

Sometimes life happens, your stomach is growling, and the best option you have is to grab something quick from the drive-thru. Fast food on occasion doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker for a nutritious diet. Sandwiches, wraps and burgers are standard fare, since they can be handheld for eating on the go. But beyond their convenience, choosing the highest-protein sandwich on the menu can also keep you feeling full longer while maintaining your energy levels for whatever you have

Cherry Pits The hard stone in the center of cherries is full of prussic acid, also known as cyanide, which is poisonous. But there’s no need to freak out if you accidentally swallow one -- intact pits just pass through your system and out the other end. Avoid crunching or crushing pits as you nosh on your cherries. Apple Seeds Apple seeds also have cyanide, so throwing back a handful as a snack isn’t smart. Luckily, apple seeds have a protective coating that keeps the cyanide

Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin are declaring a war on microplastics. These tiny bits of plastic, which are less than 5 mm in size, can persist in our environment for hundreds or thousands of years. They may also build up in our bodies, our hearts and our brains, causing untold damage. For the first time, the EPA is adding microplastics and pharmaceuticals to its Contaminant Candidate List for drinking

Think about the last time you felt embarrassed over a simple mistake—maybe you tripped over a crack in the sidewalk or forgot the name of somebody you’d met before. Did you skulk off in humiliation, kicking yourself over the faux pas? According to a recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , you’re better off shirking that sense of shame. What the Study Found Over the course of six online experiments, a total of 3,000 participants were asked