Health in a Heartbeat
Episodes
Trouble urinating can be a result of medication, lifestyle
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the waterfall screensaver to the dripping office sink, plenty of things can affect your bladder — and make you realize you need to go. But have...
Joyful, soft music good prescription for car motion sickness
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s a cross-country trek to a national park or a regional trip across a single state, a road trip is an American tradition. Less tradition ...
Most new cancer patients receive misinformation
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Learning you have cancer can be shocking. Sensory overload follows. Fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, depression, helplessness and guilt can all be in th...
Why certain memories live vividly in your brain
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is nothing better than catching up with a group of old friends. You know — those moments when everyone can escape from taking the kids to prac...
How the mighty mango could improve blood sugar
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mangoes are a sweet snack lauded by fruit lovers everywhere. But for those who might be missing out on the tropical treat to avoid spiking their blood...
High-fat food negatively impacts memory, study suggests
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Saturated fat, present in delectable dishes like cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes, boasts an ever-increasing nutritional rap sheet. Notably, it can...
Turning down the temp on hot yoga
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Perhaps it’s time for yoga to undergo a little bit of a cooldown — especially the sweltering hot variety. If your goal is to improve your cardiova...
Grasshoppers for lunch, anyone?
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s a nutritional treat you don’t have to go to the supermarket to buy. Just stroll through your yard. It’s got six legs, hops and it’s mor...
Study: Gout is more related to genetics than lifestyle
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Forget what you think you know about gout. Gout is a common form of arthritis that can cause sudden bouts of pain, strong enough to wake someone from ...
For Gen X women, ultraprocessed foods hit home
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
They were the inaugural American generation to start their morning with brightly colored breakfast cereal, or traipse to school with a Pop-Tart in han...
A chewable flu test
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The flu can easily knock you off your feet and into your bed for a week. In the early stages, when you oh-so-badly want to believe the congested, feve...
Exercise-filled weekends may be as helpful as daily regimen
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Exercise. We all know it’s important. We all know it offers benefits for both physical and mental health. In fact, the Department of Health and Huma...
Ending daylight saving time could make Americans healthier
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a routine we’re all familiar with: Spring forward, fall back. Daylight saving time. Most people enjoy it a little more in the fall when they ...
Some coffee consumption confers positive effects, study shows
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the days shorten and our yearning for caffeine increases, you might find yourself hoping some study or other will give you a hearty congratulations...
Gaining inches via broken legs
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What would you do if you could make yourself taller? Height has its perks. You might become a more formidable defender in your weekly pickup game. Or ...
Will healthy chocolate come to rule Halloween?
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if your kid’s Halloween candy was healthier and better for the environment? Swiss researchers may have made that fantasy more viable with their...
Sleep essential for growth hormone regulation, study finds
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We all know sleep is important. But for bodybuilders and teens alike, it’s something akin to a secret weapon for growth — literally. Deep, restful...
A sweet solution to promoting gut health
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have had their hands in the proverbial honey jar for millennia. There’s just something about the sticky sweetness, wonderful golden color and...
Air pollution can speed up Alzheimer’s decline
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In recent years, science has inked a dotted line from the smoggy phenomenon of air pollution to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Now, new f...
Feeling tired all day? One handful of molecules could be to blame.
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
About one in three Americans experiences excessive daytime sleepiness — that feeling of overwhelming drowsiness even after a full night’s sleep. A...
Potent pot linked to psychosis and addiction
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
High-concentration cannabis products, while often legal, may be riskier than they appear. A sweeping look at nearly 100 previous studies shows strong ...
Workplace rudeness can be deadly
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve heard the saying “kill them with kindness.” Sadly, a modern version of that old saw might be “kill them with rudeness.” New research ...
Cockroaches provide insight into human pregnancy
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even cockroaches need a good night’s sleep to stay healthy, especially during pregnancy. We’re talking specifically about Diploptera punctata [dih...
Ultra-processed foods: More than just empty calories.
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ultra-processed foods are everywhere. For most people, they’re virtually impossible to completely avoid. Whether it’s a quick snack on the go or a...
Are we loving our pets to death?
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you love your pet? No need to answer … of course you do. You cherish your pup’s greeting when returning from work. You appreciate the moments y...
Setting your tyke on the right nutritional path
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is your newborn getting all the nutrients needed to grow? If you rely on baby food, the answer might surprise you. According to research by the George...
Microplastics are incredibly common in indoor air
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Microplastics are a veritable plague on humanity, filling the air and the water with pieces so small they’re impossible to see and avoid. And that c...
Meditate to relieve pain
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There might be a way to relieve pain without money and medication, and it might just blow your mind. A new study suggests mindfulness meditation is mo...
Is stress causing your IBS?
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It starts with bloating and gassiness. Then, it causes constipation and abdominal cramping. Eventually, you guessed it — you’re dashing to the nea...
Scrolling on the toilet can be a real pain in the you-know-what
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Smartphones are a staple in most people’s daily lives, whether they are catching up on the news, scrolling social media or … going to the bathroom...
The benefits of fast walking
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve likely heard about the benefits of walking and getting your 10,000 steps a day. And you might believe this level of time commitment isn’t a...
French fries increase diabetes risk
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
French fries are a staple of the American diet, for better or worse. Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, is often credited with helping popula...
Cigarette filters not protective of a smoker’s health
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tobacco companies introduced cigarette filters in the 1950s because of growing public concerns about smoking’s risks. Consumers were told the filter...
Do food expiration dates matter?
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’re overdue for a grocery store visit, and eyeing the carton of milk whose expiration date was two days ago. The dry cereal in front of you looks...
Study explores enduring effects of COVID-19
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Having COVID-19 might leave women with a lot more than brain fog, a sense of fatigue or a lost sense of smell. A new study from a team of researchers....
Breakfast timing could be a lifesaver
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you roll out of bed eager to kick off your day with a nice breakfast? Or do you tend to wait until later in the morning and grab something...
That blood pressure test? It might just be wrong.
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us at the doctor’s office do as asked, helpfully extending an arm as a health care worker wraps it in a blood pressure cuff, uncrossing our ...
Yoga makes for a good night’s sleep
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Americans are on a perpetual quest to find a cure for insomnia that doesn’t involve a pharmaceutical solution. Now, researchers are pointing to an u...
The waiting game
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine you and a friend are in a restaurant. Your meal arrives quickly, but hers is held up … somewhere. She insists you dig in while it’s hot, b...
Walking towards wellness
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to walking, the popular wisdom has cemented 10,000 steps per day as the ideal number for staying healthy. Now, a new study suggests it m...
The state of good health
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you could add years to your life, would you consider moving to another state? Some of us, of course, would move to Pluto if it increased longevity....
That ‘new-car’ smell poses danger
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aside from the debt, getting a new car is loads of fun. Learning all its features. Feeling fancy when you drive it. And of course, delighting in that ...
Skink’s antivenom evolution may hold clues to human treatments
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When venomous snakes spread across Australia millions of years ago, they posed an existential threat to native lizards. Now, new research from the Uni...
Eat prunes for strong bones
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grandpa isn’t the only one who can benefit from eating prunes. A new study found that eating prunes improved bone health and lowered the risk of bon...
Nicotine pouch poisonings spike 763% in kids
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s say you’re 4 years old. You can’t yet read, but your little eye spies something on the kitchen counter that looks like an unexpected treat...
Monday, Monday: Every other day of the week is fine
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you feel on Sunday evenings? Is there a knot in your gut? Do you keep an anxious eye on the time and wish it would stop reminding you...
Muscle “marbling”: Good in steak, bad in our bodies
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Consider the delicate web of fat in a Wagyu (waa·gyoo) steak. The “marbling” that makes carnivore connoisseurs swoon is a visual heuristic for qu...
Mind over matter? Brain exercise could help curb bathroom breaks
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever reach your front door after a long drive home and suddenly feel the desperate urge to pee? You’re far from the only one, and no, it’s not jus...
Is your heart aging faster than you are?
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Age is just a number — especially if your heart is aging faster than you are. And for many Americans, their heart is blowing out increasing numbers ...
Dogs trained to detect Parkinson’s with high accuracy
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If someone put a teaspoon of sugar in your morning coffee, you might be able to smell it. Maybe. A dog, researchers say, could detect the same amount ...
For better gym progress, take a rest
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve likely heard this old adage: No pain, no gain. For some committed gym goers, there are no days off when it comes to staying active. Sure, eve...
Cracking the case of cholesterol (and eggs)
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, nutritional guidance has suggested eggs aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Whether it was raising cholesterol or increasing the ris...
Want to feel better? Try going outside (again).
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At this point, everyone and their mother are begging you to go outside and spend time in nature. There’s decades’ worth of research to support it ...
What is a dopamine deficit?
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You experience it while playing the newest edition of your favorite video game. You notice it after a good run or workout. Whether you’re gardenin...
Clean linens do matter to your health
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pardon this nosy question, but how clean are your sheets? With so much chatter about sleep’s key role in our overall health, it’s notable that the...
Why do cool temperatures feel good on your skin?
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stepping inside a perfectly air-conditioned room during the summer sends a pleasant tingle across your skin. It’s refreshing, and a sensation whose ...
Study shows lack of exercise isn’t cause of the obesity epidemic
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scores of Americans increase exercise in the fight to lose weight. Yet, scientists say sedentary behavior isn’t the primary cause of the American ob...
The risks of drinking in old age
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In case you need to hear it: Drinking alcohol at any age is harmful to our health. And, once you turn the page to 65 years old, drinking comes at...
Babies aren’t the only ones affected by airplane noise
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’re sitting at the airport, filled with excitement. People pass by laden with suitcases. Someone sprints behind you, desperate to make a connecti...
Midlife weight loss can lead to a longer life
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Losing weight in your 40s can help you fit back into your favorite-but-increasingly-snug-jeans. Beyond flattering your figure, however, midlife weight...
From pharaoh’s tomb to a potential lifesaver
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a story of tomb curses and a deadly fungus. It’s also a lesson in how science, funded by the federal government, provides hope in the search...
Stress-checking dental floss is in the works
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve flossed your teeth and are putting final touches on your makeup when you get an alert letting you know your stress is off the charts. In a br...
Seniors’ marijuana use grows
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Papa and Nana may be lighting up, and they aren’t the only ones. Record numbers of older adults are getting high on marijuana. A recent New York Uni...
A new pairing: hallucinogenic mushrooms and therapy
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An unorthodox combination may someday help relieve cancer patients’ depression and anxiety. A treatment with one dose of psilocybin [sai-luh-sai-bin...
The health cost of a hot dog, soda
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. Does it get any better? Perhaps unsurprisingly, these American summertime staples aren’t the best for your health ...
Muscle fixation leads some to disordered eating
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1940s, comic book ads urged “97-pound weaklings” to spend 10 cents on bodybuilder Charles Atlas’ famed workout, bulk up and defend themse...
Llama named Winter lends antibodies
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A fluffy, long-necked cousin of the camel might be the key to protecting against SARS-like viruses. Yes, you heard that correctly. In a new study from...
Lefties no more creative than righties, study suggests
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Much like the belief that artists must suffer for their craft, the idea that left-handed people are born brimming with more creativity than their righ...
Which drink is best for hydration?
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The summer sun is beating down on you as you wipe the sweat from your brow. You passed thirsty a mile ago and you’re headed straight for parched. Yo...
Safe summer hikes and high heat
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Summertime is a great time to get outdoors, go hiking and explore nature. Kids are out of school and vacation season is in full swing. But so is the h...
Chronic-pain relief from a bug?
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever swatted a fly, it’s unlikely you wondered before or after the act, “Do flies feel pain?” Scientists think they do, in a sense. ...
Intermittent fasting, calorie counting yield similar results
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some people swear by the keto diet. Others can’t make it past lunchtime without a carb-heavy snack. We know weight loss is far from a one-size-fits-...
Many Americans are exhausted even before day begins
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A new survey of Americans reveals that a third of us are exhausted even after rolling out of bed in the morning. By lunch, the average person’s ener...
Cortisone shots for arthritic knees may cause damage
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone who’s struggled to stand up straight after a long car ride or felt restless while sitting through a movie knows that arthritic knees are no f...