ArcaMax

Almost 60% of most Americans' calories come from ultra-processed foods -- stripped of nutrition and packed with refined carbs, sugars, salt, unhealthy fats and unpronounceable chemical ingredients. And, according to a paper presented at an American College of Cardiology-Asia meeting, that's a recipe for disaster.

The researchers looked at data ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: About a month ago, I woke up without hearing in my left ear. I initially suspected a wax blockage or a blocked eustachian tube but eventually realized that it was more serious. I saw an ENT doctor who gave me a steroid shot and put me on prednisone. An MRI doesn't show a stroke or tumor.

About 5% to 10% of my hearing seems to ...Read more

Around 33% to 36% of adults in the U.S. have a lousy LDL cholesterol level of 130 mg/dL or higher, putting them at risk for a heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and dementia. Aiming for 70 mg/dL is heart-smart. But only around 20% of patients at high risk of heart disease manage their LDL -- because they don't want to take a ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband and I will be traveling to the United Kingdom in July and will be on a ship with about 700 passengers. We are wondering whether it would be smart (or unnecessary) to get a COVID booster before the trip. We are both in our late 60s and have had all of the available COVID shots. (The last one we received was on Oct. 10...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a young adult male who has been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). Until this diagnosis, I had never even heard of the condition. A colonoscopy and an MRI were both negative. The three worst symptoms are chronic constipation, bloating and stomach cramps.

I was referred to a gastroenterologist ...Read more

About 250,000 folks in the U.S. have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) every year, and around 20% of them go on to experience a full-blown stroke in the next 90 days. That's why calling these "mini-strokes" isn't accurate, even though the TIA's temporary blockage of blood flow in the brain goes away by itself and doesn't cause permanent brain ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: Recently, to my surprise, I came down with bladder cancer. I am a healthy 66-year-old man who is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, 215 pounds, and a lifelong nonsmoker. I drink a few beers monthly and don't take any meds.

It was very surprising that what was thought to be kidney stones came back as papillary noninvasive bladder cancer. ...Read more

The summer sun can boost your bone health, immune function and glucose control as it tamps down inflammation. How? Its ultraviolet-B rays hit precursor vitamin D in your skin cells, providing the energy needed for your body to synthesize vitamin D2/3.

Unfortunately, the prevalence of an indoor, sedentary, nutritionally poor lifestyle means that...Read more

For folks who believe vaccines work, here's a shot in the arm:

Three recent studies looked at the effectiveness of specific vaccines, two estimating the difference in outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.

According to STAT:

-- An early estimate of the effectiveness of this year's COVID-19 shot showed its effectiveness in...Read more

The average American walks around 2.5 miles a day -- with about 2,000 to 2,500 steps per mile, depending on the length of the stride. And while it's not what I recommend for healthy aging (10,000 steps daily or the equivalent is best), it's enough to do yourself some damage if you don't have the right equipment or technique.

You want shoes that...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was gardening and stabbed myself in the arm with pruning shears over the weekend. It just occurred to me yesterday that I'm not sure how long it's been since I got my booster shot for tetatnus. So, I checked, and I last had a booster shot nine years ago. Do I need a booster now? -- M.M.

ANSWER: For adults who have had the ...Read more

You know that a glazed donut loaded with refined carbs and sugars isn't doing anything to improve your daily nutrition. But what's the impact of such a routine over three decades? That's what researchers from Tufts and Harvard wanted to know. So, they analyzed data from the Nurses Health Study that looked at the nutritional habits and health ...Read more

Fueled by social media, more boys and men are turning to supplements like amino acids, creatine monohydrate, pre-workout drinks or powders, protein bars and whey protein product in an effort to bulk up and look like their favorite superhero.

But that increase in muscle is associated with another kind of boost: body dysmorphia, a mental health...Read more

New findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine report that Americans live shorter lives than Europeans, regardless of their wealth.

To be sure, people with more wealth tend to live longer than those with less wealth, especially in the U.S., but when comparing all demographics, the wealthiest Americans have shorter lifespans on ...Read more

Numerous studies have shown that education offers protective effects against late-life cognitive impairment. College-educated people are at lower risk.

But the quality of one's high school experience seems to play a role too.

"When we talk about education, the quality of your high school experience, not just whether you received a diploma or...Read more