Statins lower your cholesterol, a fatty substance made by the liver, by limiting buildup in the arteries and reducing the risk of deposits breaking off, reducing both heart attack and stroke risks.

Heart attacks are less harmful at night

When heart attacks occur during the day they typically do more harm to the heart tissue than if they occur at night. A 2025 study suggests that daytime heart attacks have higher levels of immune cells called neutrophils to contend with and they appear to worsen the injury. Scientists confirmed this same pattern in experiments with mice. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Stroke risk doubles each decade after age 55

While age is the greatest risk factor, genetics, diet, and overall health play a prominent role in determining individual stroke risk. Prevention focuses heavily on modifiable risk factors. High blood pressure is the single most important controllable risk factor, contributing to both types of stroke.

Flossing may lower the risk of strokes

Flossing is known to advance teeth and gum health, but it also betters one’s brain and heart health. According to data from the American Heart Association, taking care of your teeth has cardiovascular benefits. A recent study showed that regular flossers experienced lower risks of strokes, highlighting a link between oral bacteria and stroke risk.

Targeting cholesterol metabolism may help address macular degeneration.

What causes high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a complex health issue, and for a long time, the American Health Association recommended Americans not eat more than three eggs a week to avoid it. But scientific advancements on the impact of different types of cholesterol revealed eggs aren't so bad. So what is it, and how does it effect us? Dive into the digestive tract here.

Someone suffers from a stroke every 40 seconds

Every 40 seconds, someone in the US experiences a stroke—and every minute without treatment destroys millions of brain cells. This explainer breaks down the two main types of strokes, their risk factors, and how early detection could change outcomes in the future.

A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted, either by a blockage (ischemic stroke) or bleeding when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and bleeds (hemorrhagic stroke).

FDA removed its cardiovascular risk warning on testosterone products in 2025

The change came a decade after the FDA added the label. Recent work, including a gold-standard randomized trial, found that men receiving the products had similar cardiovascular risk levels as men taking placebo products. Testosterone, however, may hold other health risks, including infertility.

MS Drugs reduce inflammation, helping reduce relapses and slow disease progression

Disease-Modifying Drugs calm the body's inflammatory response to help stave off relapses—when new or existing MS symptoms show up for a day or longer. Avoiding smoking, exercising, reducing stress via mindfulness, checking for vitamin D deficiencies, drinking more water and eating well, all can slow disease progression. [The jury's still out on if HRT around the time of menopause may reduce dementia risk](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(25)00122-9/fulltext) Estrogen can reduce inflammation and support neural growth in the brain, and some research has suggested that beginning hormone replacement therapy around menopause—versus later in life—reduces Alzheimer's disease risk. Still, a recent systematic review concluded that taking HRT didn't affect dementia risk, regardless of when women started taking it, so the science remains unsettled.

Within months of a landmark 2002 study that indicated HRT harms, sales dropped by about half

In the early 2000s, Women's Health Initiative studies indicated HRT increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke in some women—so many physicians stopped prescribing it to help with menopause symptoms. But further research has concluded that much of the elevated risk was overblown and that it was also disproportionately seen in women in their 70s who had been taking an older HRT formulation.

Daylight Saving Time is linked to a rise in heart attacks and strokes

Losing an hour of sleep with seasonal time changes is not good for our health and it’s linked to risks for the first couple days of Daylight Saving Time, including a short-term rise in heart attacks and strokes. Scientists theorize these elevated risks are linked to the disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm.

Take a quiz to discover your brain care score

Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke. With such a high occurrence rate, you may be asking yourself what you could do now to prevent a future stroke. Researchers at Harvard collaborated to answer this question by coming up with a "Brain Care" scoring system. Take the quiz to learn the quality of your brain health today and pick up helpful insights to lower your risk of stroke and dementia well into the future.

Staying on standard time permanently would slightly reduce obesity and stroke risk

A 2025 study that examined time changes found that permanently changing to standard time would slightly reduce obesity and stroke risk more than switching to permanent daylight saving time.

FDA has removed black box warnings from hormone replacement therapy for menopause.

Xylitol, a sugar alcohol, is sometimes added to foods at 1,000 times the level seen naturally in foods

This article covers the latest research in sugar alcohols and heart health. Some work indicates that after consuming sugar alcohols erythritol or xylitol people are at an elevated risk of developing blood clots, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. Both substances occur in low levels naturally in fruits and vegetables and are also produced by the human body, but as sweeteners in foods they are present at exponentially higher levels.

How tPA, which helps dissolve blood clots, can lessen the severity of a stroke

One of the most exciting recent advances in treating stroke is a medication known as tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA. It is only effective for use in some ischemic strokes, and it must be delivered within 4.5 hours of symptom onset to have a chance at working.

The American Heart Association says adults can safely drink up to five cups of coffee per day and regular consumption may improve cardiovascular health.

An estimated 2 million brain cells die each minute a stroke goes untreated

Modern stroke treatment is a delicate balance between obtaining an accurate diagnosis and delivering treatment quickly. Each stroke has its own cause, and the appropriate treatment must be paired with the correct diagnosis to prevent further harm. Typical treatments pair emergency surgery to relieve the affected area and long-term regimens to avoid recurrence.

Exercise helps make your arteries more elastic.

'FAST': An acronym to remember stroke symptoms to look for

The primary factor in surviving a stroke is how quickly one gets the appropriate medical treatment. “FAST” refers to the four most noticeable symptoms of a stroke: face-dropping ("F"), arm weakness ("A"), speech difficulty ("S"), and "time to call 911" ("T").

GLP-1s may weaken the effectiveness of birth control and affect other medications, hindering how and when they circulate through the blood.

Tips for reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is bad news. But there are lots of things you can do to both protect yourself from superbugs and help keep the problem of antimicrobial resistance from getting worse. This page from the CDC offers clear, straightforward guidelines that can help keep you—and your loved ones—healthy.

Supplements are only typically recommended for those with a proven deficiency

Blood tests and other dietary screening tools by clinicians and nutritionists can indicate whether someone is deficient in needed vitamins or minerals, and those results can then lead to a personalized care plan that may include supplements. Supplements can negatively interact with certain medications, so it's important to speak with your doctor about supplements before taking them.

GLP-1s may lower inflammation, possibly helping to combat cognitive decline

An analysis of existing GLP-1 research, published in April 2025, indicated that GLP-1 drugs reduce inflammation, with numerous health benefits. The work notes that GLP-1s were linked with a statistically significant reduction in dementia in randomized clinical trials.

Certain medications that affect blood flow or mood boost the risk of heatstroke

Drugs that narrow blood vessels, beta blockers that regulate blood pressure, diuretics, antidepressants, and antipsychotics can all affect the body's ability to regulate its internal body temperature, and so individuals taking these medications need to take special care in extreme heat and when exercising in hot conditions.

Most things you would get tested for at the doctor’s office are influenced by circadian rhythm

In this video, a Salk Institute Researcher offers daily habit tips focused on aligning with your circadian rhythms. She notes heart rate and blood pressure are highest in the afternoon, for example, and there’s a triglyceride peak in the morning. Generally, she says, it’s a good idea to schedule your doctor’s checkups at the same time of day each year so there’s consistency across your data.

27% of US menopausal women used estrogen in 1999, but by 2020 that number was under 5%

The fallout of studies in the early 2000s linking hormone therapy for menopause and elevated cancer, stroke, and other health risks meant that even decades later—yet before the FDA removed its black box warning in 2025—use of HRT remained extremely uncommon. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

It's never too late to start hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms because the products may help alleviate symptoms of menopause or fight bone loss.

Addressing lifestyle factors, which influence inflammation, can cure some chronic diseases

In this video, a physician claims that he reversed a patient's Type 2 diabetes in six weeks by addressing inflammation drivers such as diet. More broadly, he argues that society needs to better consider and address numerous disease factors that are modulated by inflammation, such as stress, sleep, diet, and movement.

Blood Pressure and Diabetes

New meta-analysis shows blood pressure reductions with ACE inhibitors and ARBs are associated with a lower diabetes risk, but other types of antihypertensive agents have the opposite effect.

America's top causes of death are heart disease, cancer, accidents, and stroke

Heart disease killed more than 680,000 people in 2023 and cancer killed around 613,000 people that year. Both causes of death are far above the next leading cause of death—accidents, which numbered around 223,000. Provisional data for 2024 indicates the leading causes of death remained the same.

As of 2025, extensive research studies do not support fears about seed oils

Across human trials, seed oils have not been shown to increase rates of disease or inflammation, with a study of over 800 Swedish men finding that higher seed oil diets were linked to living longer. Reviews of these trials found better health outcomes when saturated fats were replaced with seed oils.

About 40% of cancer cases are linked to preventable risk factors

Maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity, and consuming a balanced diet can lower cancer risk. Research indicates that about 40% of US cancer cases are linked to preventable factors, including poor diet and inactivity. Understanding these mechanisms empowers individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles for cancer prevention.

Remember: Not all fats are bad for you

Contrary to past dietary advice promoting low-fat diets, newer research shows that certain types of fats are both necessary and healthy. It all comes down to the type of fat you eat. Focus on getting "good" unsaturated fats from sources like nuts,...

Most adults don't need a daily vitamin, and it won't extend your life

A 20-year study by the National Cancer Institute involving almost 400,000 people found that daily multivitamins did not help people live longer. In some cases, these vitamins also increased the risk of death. Although some subpopulations—such as those with documented vitamin deficiencies and pregnant individuals—should take vitamins, daily multivitamins should not be taken uniformly by adults. Instead, patients should discuss vitamins with their clinicians and consider baseline vitamin testing before starting vitamin regimens.

Overmedication has put type 2 diabetics at risk of low blood sugar

Type 2 diabetics in the US risk dying from low blood sugar, an epidemic traced to a decades-old, multi-million-dollar drug industry campaign encouraging an average blood sugar level below 7%. Contemporary research correlated such levels with reduced risk of eye, nerve, and kidney damage and increased hypoglycemia risk.

An overview of modern clinical research on LSD

Researchers have determined that LSD, taken in a medical setting, decreases anxiety related to "life-threatening disease," reduces brain reactivity to fearful faces, increases the meaning and emotional response derived from music, and more. No complications of LSD administration have been observed in medical settings, though acute adverse effects, including exhaustion, nausea, and difficulty concentrating.

Diabetes has downstream effects on the heart, eyes, kidneys, and more

High blood sugar levels in untreated diabetes roughen artery walls, increasing plaque buildup, heart disease, and high blood pressure risk. High levels also cause acid to build up in the bloodstream, potentially making the brain swell, the lungs fill with fluid, and the heart to beat arrhythmically—all fatal complications.

Coffee is, generally, good for your health

While overconsumption certainly has its drawbacks—hello, not sleeping until the sun rises—on the whole, coffee is fine, even beneficial, for your health. It can even help prevent serious health conditions, like heart attacks and liver cancer.

Immunosuppressants enable organ transplants, but come with severe side effects

This drug cocktail helps to lower your body's natural response to attack a transplanted organ. Such medications usually need to be taken for a lifetime after receiving an organ and can come with serious side effects including high blood pressure, diabetes, increased risk of some cancers, and high cholesterol, among others.

Vitamin D supplement pills are linked to rising cases of vitamin D toxicity in the US

Vitamin D deficiency is common. But taking Vitamin D supplements in doses exceeding 4,000 IU/day (a measurement of vitamin biological activity) for prolonged periods can raise bodily concentrations of this vitamin to dangerous values. US National Poison Data indicates that the annual average of vitamin D poisonings from 2000-05 was 196, but this rose by 1,600% to 4,535 per year for the period of 2005-11.

Arthritis affects almost 60 million Americans, with about 1 in 5 US adults developing this type of joint pain as they age.

How reading and writing can lower dementia risk by almost 40%

Research published in 2026 that tracked almost 2,000 older adults for an average of nearly eight years suggests that lifelong exposure to intellectual stimulation, such as learning a language, reading, and writing, can lower dementia risk by as much as 40%.

Sugar alcohols, a type of carbohydrate used as a sweetener, may elevate risk of heart attacks and strokes.

How semaglutides are both better and worse than we know

The drugs were developed for use treating diabetes and, later, weight loss, but they have proven helpful with the heart, kidneys, and colon. On the flipside, it may slow digestion and lead to gastroparesis, or stomach blockages, and unexpected babies resulting from the slow effect of birth control pills.

Epigenetic editing—altering gene expression by removing or adding chemical groups on DNA—is making significant strides in the lab, even lowering cholesterol in monkey experiments by about 70%. (Free w/email.)

Ending daylight saving time may prevent as many as 300,000 strokes annually

Changing clocks twice a year disrupts circadian rhythms, which last an average of 24 hours and 12 minutes. Studies have shown that permanent daylight saving time provides fewer health benefits than standard time.

The evidence for the best sleep positions

For a behavior so crucial to human health, sleep positions are reportedly understudied by researchers. This article summarizes some of the more recent studies, taking into account the various forms of problems encountered during sleep: neck and back pain, snoring, acid reflux, and facial skin damage. Most studies point to side-sleeping as the most optimal, with sleeping on one's front as the least helpful. Read the piece to see which position is best for you.

Scleroderma, which causes skin to harden and scar, has no FDA-approved treatment

It's an autoimmune disease that disproportionately causes worse complications in African American people for unknown reasons. It causes the body to overproduce collagen after the immune system attacks the body's own connective tissue, leading to excess collagen deposits and restricted blood circulation as small blood vessels are damaged. It can damage various organs, including the lungs.

Blood clotting is critical to maintaining life, but dysfunctional clots can be fatal.