Individuals who we would expect to be exposed to more infections as a result of their socially orientated nature (i.e., extraverts) appear to have immune systems that we would expect can deal effectively with infection. While individuals who may be less exposed to infections because of their cautious...

Feelings are very much like the indicator lights on the dashboard of your car — if you are out of gas, the low-fuel light will turn on. If you are focusing on something unwanted, a negative feeling will show up. Your emotional state indicates what you are giving attention to, even if you are not aware of it.

It’s that time of the year again. You probably think I mean Christmas, but as a virologist the sight of glitter, fairy lights and moulting pine trees immediately makes me think of the flu season. And if there’s one thing that can ruin your family’s Christmas, it’s the arrival of that particular unwanted guest.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), the catch-all term for diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels – including heart attack and stroke – is the leading global killer. And bad heart health can lead to health impairments from loss of body function to mental disturbances that can greatly affect our quality of life.

Americans who live in the suburbs seem to be happier than those who live in rural areas and inner cities—unless they have a long commute to work. A recent study also shows that residents in the most unhappy communities say they spent 8.3 days a month in a negative mood.

Worldwide consumption of olive oil has grown rapidly in recent years, but climate extremes and disease have seriously damaged this year’s crop in many regions and pushed prices up.

Purchase a plastic water bottle, and there’s a good chance that it will feature a “BPA-free” label. You might be seeing it more often because the industrial chemical Bisphenol-A has now been removed from a wide array of products.

As average temperatures rise an increasing global population – with many more elderly people – is going to be more vulnerable to extreme weather, UK scientists say.

Bad news for hay fever and asthma sufferers as US researchers demonstrate that man-made rises in CO₂ emissions could lead to a 200% increase in the levels of pollen from grasses.

Dementia and memory loss are some of the most devastating hallmarks of ageing, for the elderly, their families, and the healthcare system. This is why researchers want to find ways to rejuvenate the brain and therefore maintain the young mind and cognition in old age.

Modern life can feel defined by low-level anxiety swirling through society. Continual reports about terrorism and war. A struggle to stay on top of family finances and hold onto jobs. At the heart of issues like these lies uncertainty – the unknown likelihood of how ongoing crises will evolve over time.

Among the many properties of the various essential fatty acids—including the omega-3s, the omega-6s, and so on—are the anti-inflammatory effects of the omega-3s. These substances produce the “prostaglandins of peace” whose actions counter those of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins responsible for inflammation.

For years, conventional wisdom held that growing older tends to be bad news for brains. Past behavioral data largely pointed to loss in cognitive – that is, thinking – abilities with age, including poorer memory and greater distractibility. Physical measures of brain structure also showed...

We’ve long known that that the gut is responsible for digesting food and expelling the waste. More recently, we realised the gut has many more important functions and acts a type of mini-brain, affecting our mood and appetite. Now, new research suggests it might also play a role in our cravings for certain types of food.

Placebos are sham treatments that work even though they lack an active ingredient. Pills made of sugar or corn starch have improved Parkinson’s disease, anxiety and pain. Now research suggests placebos may be as good as real drugs for treating depression...

How old would you be if you didn't know your age? It’s an interesting thought isn’t it? Why not test it for yourself. How would you feel if you didn’t know your age? Would you be 20, 17, 95 or 5?

“On a scale from one to ten, with one being no pain at all and ten being unbearable pain, how would you rate your pain today?” It was the umpteenth time I had heard that ques­tion. Because of my ongoing battle with chronic pain...

Unfortunately, there is no universally miraculous herbal cold cure. However, herbal medicine can do more than most therapies in treating and preventing this all too common problem. Herbs can be selected to fit the individual’s unique needs, while at the same time immune support...

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Recent analyses raise disturbing questions about the health and environmental effects of the stuff that encases our edibles.

The World Health Organisation recommends we limit our sugar intake to 10% of our total calorie intake a day because of the negative effect that sugar has on our health. Boys and girls around the age of three require around 1,100 calories a day, which means no more than...

A healthy body is a key for a healthy mood. It is essential to know that there are many factors that can create an unhealthy body as well as poor mood—and that there are steps you can take to reverse the process.

Science has a simple and incredible trick that will help you lose weight. The idea, it seems, is to make portions appear bigger because this leads people to serve and eat less.

If you’re an adult and have ever visited a doctor, you’ve probably had your blood pressure measured. General practitioners tend to obsess over blood pressure.