MIAMI -- "The flu" was "everywhere" last year. A Centers for Disease Control doctor cautioned that the last flu season proved to be one of the deadliest.

That's why the CDC is urging people to act now, just before the October start of the 2018-19 flu season and get vaccinated. That advice comes even if you delayed a few months into the previous...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I keep reading about weight loss and other health benefits from a diet where people eliminate lectins. Is there any truth to the claim that a lectin-free diet can cure autoimmune diseases and other health problems?

ANSWER: No scientific evidence exists to show that eliminating dietary lectins will cure any medical disorders or...Read more

The U.S. is in the middle of a steep and sustained increase in sexually transmitted diseases.

So how are public health officials responding?

In northwest Oregon's Clackamas County, health officials have decided to ask anyone who comes in with an STD who their sexual partners are -- and then track those partners down.

That job falls to two ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Opening yet another legal battle over the Affordable Care Act, a coalition of patient advocates and other health care groups is going to court to try to block the Trump administration from expanding the availability of short-term health plans that don't offer a full set of benefits.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley won't offer details about his role in the Republican lawsuit that could strike down insurance protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

The threat of a big change in the law governing pre-existing conditions is the biggest, arguably most effective weapon Democrats have in the ...Read more

If you find your home and work schedules full and life is causing you stress, be aware that it can take a toll on your health. Too much stress can affect your mood, making you anxious or restless. It can lead to negative behaviors, such as overeating or eating poorly. And it can attack your body, causing headaches, fatigue and other health ...Read more

Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress.

Spending too much time planning, problem-...Read more

WASHINGTON--Despite Republicans' resistance to the federal health law, the percentage of Americans without health insurance in 2017 remained the same as during the last year of the Obama administration, according to a closely watched report from the Census Bureau released Wednesday.

However, the uninsured rate did rise in 14 states. It was not ...Read more

Health officials are urging everyone over 6 months old to get their flu vaccine as soon as possible to help avoid another nasty season. And to encourage needle-phobic kids to get immunized, a leading pediatric group is softening its insistence that they get it in a shot rather than a painless nose spray.

"Preferentially, we want kids to get the...Read more

In these steamy days of late summer, when large men in pads batter one another on the playing field, some try to speed their recovery on the sidelines by breathing pure oxygen.

Eagles tight end Josh Perkins did it during this year's final preseason game against the New York Jets, for example, when the temperature at 7 p.m. kickoff was a toasty ...Read more

Dear Mayo Clinic: I am way past my childbearing years and do not have any health problems. Do I need to continue getting Pap smears? At what age is this test no longer necessary?

A: Getting regularly scheduled Pap smears is important for almost all women. That said, whether you need to continue getting Pap smears, also called Pap tests, depends...Read more

Pasta. Sourdough. Mashed potatoes. If you are one of the legions of dieters out there who have been religiously cutting carbs in an attempt to get lean and fit, you may be surprised by a recent study that showed that low carb diets may not be healthy after all. In fact, they may be unsafe.

Research presented at the European Society of ...Read more

Between Labor Day 2017 and Labor Day 2018, the Missouri Baptist Medical Center committed to donate one pack of diapers to families in need for every tour given at its childbirth center.

Each tour guest left a tally mark on a banner at the center, and by the end of the year, the number reached 1,600. An anonymous donor agreed to match the amount...Read more

It's normal for both adults and children to feel nervous once in a while. A little anxiety prior to an event like a presentation or test is common -- and normal.

"For some, a little nervousness can actually be helpful," says Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic family medicine specialist. "But, for others, they struggle a bit more with what we call '...Read more

Can an ancient yellow root spice be good for you? A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, effectively kills certain cancer cells. While research continues on the role turmeric plays in treating cancer, there may be other health benefits to ingesting the ...Read more

My husband and I have been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant. I've seen many ads for fertility herbs and supplements. Do they work?

Infertility can be a difficult problem to treat, and modern interventions -- while sometimes effective -- can be expensive. So it's not surprising that some people look to herbs and supplements as a possible ...Read more