ArcaMax

Your immune system is designed to protect you from toxins, infections, harmful viruses and bacteria, and to destroy abnormal cells, like cancer. When immune system cells encounter these potential hazards, they can not only knock them out, but they can also form a memory of their battle against them so that they can wage an even more effective ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My future son-in-law was diagnosed with hemicrania continua several weeks ago by a neurologist and is responding to indomethacin. Could you provide a prognosis for this illness? The internet says that it can take anywhere from weeks to months to years. Is this likely the case? -- M.I.L.

ANSWER: Hemicrania continua is an ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm always saddened when a young person dies of an old person's calling. I read about an actor dying of a heart attack at age 57. Apparently, he was athletic and in otherwise good health. Why do healthy young people suffer from unexpected heart attacks? -- A.C.G.

ANSWER: A heart attack is very rare under the age of 30 -- in ...Read more

When you take a bite of food, it begins a 12- to 73-hour journey through your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum -- about 25 feet in all. The average transit time is 23 to 24 hours. But when the journey is too slow or too fast, it can cause discomfort and health issues.

Sluggish digestion forces bacteria in ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm 70 years old, and my whole family is prone to edema, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis due to venous insufficiency. I've been wearing support pantyhose for 45 years whenever I get dressed, and I recently increased the compression. While I'm sitting, I elevate my legs. I am otherwise healthy and not overweight, and I ...Read more

A new Practice Safe Sun Survey from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) shows that a majority of folks think tanning is safe if you don't burn and many believe it can even reduce your cancer risk. But the truth is that when melanin is produced by your skin (that's what gives you the tan), it is an indication that sun damage has already ...Read more

The long-term effects of using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss remain to be fully determined. Though GLP-1 drugs have been used for more than 20 years to treat diabetes, the first drug for weight loss was only approved in 2014, with many more following in recent years.

There are, of course, known potential adverse effects ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent column on primary sclerosing cholangitis. What is the difference between this condition and primary biliary cholangitis? Where can I find information on how to get on a waiting list for a liver transplant? -- C.V.

ANSWER: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are similar ...Read more

You are committed to eating a plant-based Mediterranean-style diet. You make sure good-for-you extra-virgin olive oil, fresh veggies and fruits, lean proteins, fatty fish and 100% whole grains are on your plate. But you do love that snack pack of chips. And who can resist having a few cookies while watching late-night TV? What harm could it do? ...Read more

According to Harvard Medical School, erectile dysfunction is something around 1% of men in their 40s contend with, but it increases to around 17% of men in their 60s and almost 50% of those who are 75-plus. More than 40 million prescriptions for ED medications like sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis) are filled in the U.S. annually. And ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read about a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease called NeuralCIM from Cuba. Do you think this is real? -- J.B.

ANSWER: NeuralCIM, aka NeuroEPO, is derived from erythropoietin -- the hormone that stimulates red blood cell precursors to make more blood cells. However, this intranasal form doesn't stimulate blood cells; it ...Read more

More than 6.8 million Americans will have to contend with a fractured or broken bone this year. And a surprising number of those folks are younger than you might expect (unless it's happened to you).

A new study based on information on around half a million folks reveals that, these days, women's risk of a fracture increases from ages 35 to 65....Read more

DEAR DR ROACH: My brother-in-law is a lovely man, but for years, he's suffered from obesity. He also gambles and drinks alcohol too much. I hesitate to get too involved, but I recently read that the new weight-loss drugs based on GLP-1 agonists are also helpful in reducing alcohol and gambling addictions. This sounds too good to be true. Is it? ...Read more

Leprosy is a very, very old disease. The first documented evidence of it dates back to 4,000-year-old skeletal remains found in India. It is chronicled throughout human history, across all cultures.

With a declaration from the World Health Organization, Chile just became the first country in the Americas and the second country in the world (...Read more

The personal finance company WalletHub compared more than 180 of the largest U.S. cities across 41 composite metrics of health, from the cost of a medical visit to fruit and vegetable consumption to the share of physically active adults in the local population.

It found the top five "healthiest" cities were: San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle,...Read more

Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, resulting in 700,000 to 800,000 deaths annually. Historically, men are at higher risk, developing cardiovascular disease roughly seven to 10 years earlier than women, with risks rising as early as age 35.

More bad news: A new study analyzing data from 2011 to 2022 found the ...Read more

Given that most of us have filed our income tax returns, it should be no surprise that April is Stress Awareness Month, so designated in 1992 as a way to focus on promoting healthy coping mechanisms.

(A big, fat tax refund seems like a nice way to cope.)

Stress is a national phenomenon, especially in these times, but levels vary in different...Read more