ArcaMax

I often get asked if eating after 8 p.m. makes you gain weight. The truth is, when you eat isn't nearly as important as what you eat after 8 p.m. -- and what you've eaten throughout the day.

Some 65% of us eat at least one snack in the evening, according to the 2021 Food and Health Survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC).

...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: What can you tell me about cannabis products containing delta-8 THC? -- M.O.

ANSWER: Cannabis products have many active chemicals. The ones that have been best studied are the tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THCs are psychoactive, and the term THC generally refers to the delta-9 isomer, but several others, ...Read more

Research says that you can tell a sincere smile from a fake one by checking the eyes. If the skin around them isn't crinkly, chances are you're looking at a false expression of affection. That make-believe sugariness can leave you vulnerable to dangerous deception and longing for some genuine (natural) sweetness.

The same is true of sucralose -...Read more

In the animated movie "Up," the protagonist Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) says, "Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things." A wise sentiment about life -- and microgreens! Whether you live in an area without easy access to fresh veggies, are housebound or grocery-store reluctant ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 70-year-old woman in excellent health. For the past few years, I have had a creeping, bloody discoloration of my feet, starting at my ankles and going toward my toes. When you touch one of my feet it is momentarily normal but quickly goes back to looking bloody even sometimes purple. For the past year and a half, I am also...Read more

When jobs began disappearing during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was presumed health insurance coverage would soon follow. But a new analysis indicates the percentage of uninsured working-age adults remained the same from March 2019 to April 2021 at approximately 11%.

There was internal change, however. Many people moved from employer plans to ...Read more

Movies from "Dumb and Dumber" to "Blazing Saddles" and "Caddyshack" have moments of humor that stink. Whether you find characters passing gas amusing is highly personal, but you cannot deny how common it is, on and off the screen.

Flatulence, stomach rumbling, belching, halitosis, difficult gas evacuation, abdominal distention, and bloating and...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old woman in good health, but I am overweight. For the past few months, I have been vigilant about keeping track of my diet and have been walking 13,000-14,000 steps each day. I have lost enough pounds to be noticeable. About half of my steps are on a treadmill; I started at 2.5 mph and gradually increased to 2.8 ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband had many tests for bacteria in his urine. Three months ago, he had no protein in the urine; two months ago, the number of protein was 20; one month ago, the number was 100. His urologist is not concerned. My sister, who had amyloidosis that eventually took her life, always said, "You don't want to see protein in your ...Read more

In "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Dumbledore says, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." You don't have to be a wizard to see how true that is when it comes to managing diabetes.

Each health-bestowing choice you make -- about food, activity, sleep and weight -- may challenge you, but ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband had many tests for bacteria in his urine. Three months ago, he had no protein in the urine; two months ago, the number of protein was 20; one month ago, the number was 100. His urologist is not concerned. My sister, who had amyloidosis that eventually took her life, always said, "You don't want to see protein in your ...Read more

Body-(over)builder Greg Mark Kovacs was 6-feet, 4-inches and weighed between 330 and 420 pounds. He easily bench-pressed 700 pounds, but he died at age 45 from heart failure. It's risky business to be such extreme proportions!

It's just as risky to opt for extreme portions -- especially of unhealthy foods. A Centers for Disease Control and ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a friend whose 50-year-old son is healthy except for having had his spleen removed in his 20s after an auto accident. Recently, he was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs. He has had extensive tests, but none of his doctors could tell him why he was getting these clots. He was told he might have to stay on blood ...Read more

Dairy seems to get a bad rap these days. As the popularity of anti-inflammatory diets rises, dairy seems to be the first thing people recommend you eliminate. But it shouldn't be.

I'm often asked if dairy foods cause inflammation. Actually, the opposite is true. Based on the body of science, dairy foods like milk, yogurt and cheese do not cause...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I know you are not a dentist, but I have a question connected to high blood pressure, which I've had for 20 years. I am 75, in fairly good health and have gingivitis. For high blood pressure, my doctor took me off amlodipine 5 mg and prescribed a different calcium channel blocker, nifedipine. After four months, my gums became ...Read more

In a 2019 NBA game against the Utah Jazz, LeBron James dribbled the ball past the half-court line and then just walked around a bit before remembering he should be dribbling. "That's the worst I've ever done," he admitted. But the refs didn't call traveling (they rarely do). Seems the NBA has decided a bit of a walk is good for the game.

We've ...Read more

In a parody of Frank Sinatra's song "I'm in the Mood for Love," Airfarcewon writes, "I'm in the mood for food/Simply because it's near me/Hungry, because it's near me/I'm in the mood for food." Food and mood do make for an amusing rhyme, but they do a whole lot more than that. Turns out food actually plays a big role in triggering -- and ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 60-year-old healthy man. I am very active as a team roper. My arthritis bothers me every day, every waking hour. We ride two or three days a week. I take a tramadol with acetaminophen (37.5/325) and a 500-mg acetaminophen in the mornings. This works well during the day. But if I take it at night, it keeps me from sleeping. ...Read more