Some people view the explanation as an all-too-convenient excuse. And just try telling this to your boss after you slur words and act tipsy in a staff meeting. “I don’t drink, boss. My gut, however, is a brewery.” Yup, tell it to HR. It is, however, a real condition. And it’s called auto-brewery syndrome, or ABS. While ABS is rarely diagnosed, stor…

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful and challenging for family members. All too often, families are unable to afford professional help. So, the burden can fall entirely on them. A 2023 Alzheimer’s Association report notes that about 11 million people — family members and others — provide unpaid care for someone with Alz…

Scientists believe mammograms have helped reduce breast cancer mortality in the U.S. by almost 40 percent since 1990. That’s an enormous burden of human suffering erased. Yet, modern preventive medical procedures are sometimes taken for granted. Do women know when they should begin getting mammograms? And how often? Confusion about timing can lead …

You might want to sit down for this. It turns out, while too much sitting can be bad for your health, not all kinds of sitting are equal. How’s that? We’ve all been told that sitting too long raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. But research suggests that leisure-time sitting has a greater risk of heart disease than …

Similar to people, pets are living longer lives these days due to improved veterinary care and dietary habits. But with extended lives comes a whole new set of age-related conditions, which in turn affects the care needs of these “pet elders” – our beloved senior pets. This show’s guest, Dr. Amy Stone, who heads the primary care and dentistry servi…

High-intensity exercise and time-restricted eating may improve health together, a recent study suggests. Many diets and exercise regimens claim to hold the golden ticket to a healthier, fitter body. Now, a new study suggests that the winning formula might lie in the interaction between time-restricted eating and high-intensity functional exercise. …

Glenn Frey [Fry] said it best: “The heat is on.” If you walk outside on the street these days, you’ll certainly have noticed the temperatures are headed up. Due to climate change, the warmer weather lasts longer each year. To help you prepare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Weather Service joined forces to create an…

Life as an American worker is challenging. Many of us work too hard and don’t get enough time off. Some employees don’t get sick time at all and lose pay if they skip a shift. Even those with successful, lucrative careers see the work pile up when they take a day off. That work doesn’t get done if someone’s home in bed. So, what do most of us do wh…

Regardless of your stress, a new study posits one easy solution to combat it: getting adequate exercise. Yes, that’s correct — another health study in favor of moving your body. In this case, scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital discovered a possible association between physical activity, stress reduction and cardiovascular health. After …

Ladies, please take note. Whether it’s hitting the gym, going for a walk, playing tennis, or simply climbing the stairs at your job for an office workout, new data supports why you might want to embrace an active lifestyle. A new study from the University of Sydney in Australia emphasizes the positive impact of consistent physical activity on women…

All exercise improves health unless your morning jog takes you down a narrow, rock-strewn path over a high cliff. Whether you cycle, run or swim, anything that gets the heart beating faster will improve longevity. It will help steer you away from cardiovascular disease and other ailments like diabetes. Few people, however, give much thought to the …

Hold onto your team-logoed ballcaps and giant foam fingers. A new study by Japanese scientists found that watching sports is good for us. More specifically, frequent sports viewing may rewire our brains — in a good way. Beyond its entertainment value, it’s long been known that sports foster a sense of belonging and community. But little scientific …

Is it impossible for meat options to be healthier than a juicy Beyond Burger? Think again, friend. Researchers in Singapore conducted a study of adults at risk for diabetes, comparing the health effects of plant-based meat substitutes to traditional meats. The study included nearly 90 adults at risk for Type 2 diabetes. Over an eight-week span, hal…

If you “slept like a dog” last night, it probably means you didn’t have one in bed, draped across your legs like a heavy blanket that occasionally licks your toes. Indeed, even sleeping in the same room as your dog risks ruining a good night’s sleep. A dog can be like an erratic alarm clock randomly waking you through the night. A study by research…

Tossing and turning. Watching the clock with dread as another minute ticks by. Feeling helpless thinking about how tired you will be the next day. Insomnia is a burden carried by about 30% of adults in the United States. That’s nearly one-third of the country operating at a sleep deficit. Of course, insomnia can cause a wide range of serious health…

Money talks. And sometimes it tells us to take a walk. A team of University of Pennsylvania researchers wanted to study the best ways to motivate people to walk more. Their yearlong study involved 1,062 participants, age 67 on average, who had a higher-than-average risk for cardiovascular disease. The study participants already were becoming more a…

The fat-tailed dwarf lemur is exceptional at choosing food that is nutritionally dense and likely to help it thrive in the wild. The same might be true for humans wanting to thrive in their lives. Research published in the journal Appetite found that humans may have the ability to intuitively choose foods based on the different types of micronutrie…

Armadillos are the only known animal to carry leprosy in the Americas. Seen everywhere in Florida, these animals often look for insects to eat by digging in flowerbed, then resting in a burrow. Although there have been reports of people becoming infected with leprosy after coming into contact with armadillos, the details of these encounters are unc…

What if we told you about an exercise that can be done just about anywhere, builds strength, tightens your abs and can lower blood pressure? All you need is a wall. The wall sit — sometimes called a wall squat — is one of those exercises, like planks, that offer a big return on investment. A recent British study suggests that isometric exercises ca…

Tattoos are now mainstream. They were once relegated to tough guys and the biceps of sailors who wanted to celebrate anchors and their mothers, not necessarily in that order. That was another age. Today, they’re a means of personal expression for people of all walks of life. An art form. That art, however, can come with a secret ingredient. Researc…

These microscopic creatures have cute nicknames. Water bear. Or Moss piglet. Scientists call them tardigrades [taar·duh·graydz]. They have the rare ability to suspend their metabolism. That makes them remarkably resilient. They are seemingly impossible to destroy. If humans were as indestructible, we could shoot you into orbit without a spacesuit a…

Less stress is best. But sometimes tough situations are unavoidable. A new study shows that how we view these situations can make a huge impact on our mental and physical well-being. Researchers in the UK believe they have found a link showing that those who view stressful situations as a threat are more likely to experience negative mental and phy…

For women who take running seriously, your sports bra can be friend or foe. A new study suggests that wearing a sports bra with an underband that is too snug can impair breathing and cause athletes to run less efficiently. The study monitored the breathing and lung function of nine elite runners as they wore a sports bra with an underband that coul…

The decision to bring a new pet into your household is a big one, and not to be taken lightly. Whether you’re considering a cat, a dog, or some other species, you’ll want to be sure your lifestyle is conducive to meeting the pet’s needs. You should also prepare to make some adjustments in your environment, schedule and finances; it’s important that…

Canine distemper — a viral infection that’s often deadly in dogs—is surging in some parts of the country. Here’s how to keep your pooch safe. First and foremost, stay up to date with your dog’s vaccinations. The canine distemper vaccine is super effective, but dogs need periodic boosters to maintain strong immunity. Infection is transmitted through…

Golfing, yard work, hunting and woodworking are enjoyable weekend pastimes for some men. Now, it turns out those activities may heighten the risk of neurodegenerative disease. Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that certain recreational activities are linked to a higher risk of amyotrophic [ey-my-uh-trof-ik] lateral sclerosis, whi…

Dr. Maryam Rahman shares insight on the role of laser ablation in the treatment of brain tumors.Por UF Health Shands Hospital

Whether it’s an overly zealous use of air conditioning or a frigid January morning, you and other mammals have one thing in common: You can sense when it’s cold. But until recently, science had lagged in figuring out just precisely how we know we need an extra sweater. Now, researchers from the University of Michigan have drilled down into what, ex…

Broccoli is the vegetable some of us love to hate. The first President Bush famously banned it from Air Force One. Kids make faces at it. Few dogs keep it on their list of acceptable table scraps. Ice cream it is not. We all might want to re-evaluate our broccoli angst. This power vegetable continues to prove it is one of the healthiest foods. Broc…

Everyone knows the potential harm from vehicles’ tailpipe emissions. Now, scientists are turning an eye to the lesser-known particles created by brakes. When it comes to brake particles, it’s a classic good news-bad news situation. Researchers don’t know a lot about brake particles, although some evidence suggests they may be more harmful than tail…

The adage about an apple a day aside, it turns out that an avocado a day just may be enough to improve the nutritional quality of your diet. According to a new study from Penn State University, the average American diet leaves much to be desired — and poor diet quality is one of the risk factors for several diseases, including heart disease. When i…

Scientists around the world who hope to avert the next pandemic have a plan. A team of 25 international scientists wants to do so by conserving natural areas and protecting biodiversity. They believe this might be a better strategy than containing a pathogen already circulating in humans. In short, they want to keep animal populations fed and safe …

Picture this: You sit down at a gourmet restaurant. The candelight is warm. The atmosphere is posh. And your dinner plate holds the entrée that’s been the talk of the town — an array of vegetables, carefully seasoned around the piece de resistance: mold. Before the record screech, let’s clarify: We mean the humble mushroom. In a recent study, resea…

Just like humans, dogs are susceptible to an eye disease known as glaucoma, which causes high pressure inside of the eyeball. Have you noticed changes in eye size or color, such as a really red or cloudy or bluish appearance? Those are among the clinical signs that could indicate your dog has developed glaucoma, a painful condition that can cause b…

For licorice fans, this news might be hard to swallow: Even small amounts of the soft, chewy candy can cause high blood pressure. It has been well known that large servings of licorice can spike blood pressure. Now, it turns out that even a little bit can do the same. The culprit is the plant root that is used to make licorice. The root contains a …

Devotees of intermittent fasting, take note: One such eating plan has been linked to a substantially higher risk of cardiovascular death. Researchers with the American Heart Association concluded recently that people who limit their eating to less than eight hours a day were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who ate during a…

Caveman Bob forages for a diet largely made up of fresh fruits and vegetables. Sometimes, if he’s lucky, he eats meat. He doesn’t overthink it. Bob is full and happy. Now, let’s say Caveman Bob finds himself in a modern grocery store. Bob is not happy. Most of what he sees doesn’t look like food. It’s all in boxes or bags or processed into somethin…

Veterinary forensic pathologists are using some pretty sophisticated tools to pinpoint animal abuse and crack crimes against wildlife. Good intentions are golden, but hard evidence wins court cases. Just as in human forensics, veterinary evidence can now be collected through imaging, genealogy, microscopic evaluation of dissections, DNA analysis — …

The list of risk factors for Type 2 diabetes is a long one. Eating a poor, sugar-rich diet. A sedentary lifestyle. Obesity. Here’s another one you probably haven’t thought about: sleep. A study by Swedish researchers shows that night owls who only get three to five hours of sleep a day increase their risk of diabetes. That’s compared with people wh…

Every day, swine producers across the United States are working diligently to fend off dangerous diseases — like African swine fever and brucellosis—that could shut down hog facilities. That’s why the US Department of Agriculture developed the US Swine Health Improvement Plan — or U.S. SHIP — to help protect hogs and US trade in the event of diseas…

Vehicular trauma, or injury sustained when your dog is hit by a moving vehicle, is common in dogs who are allowed to roam outdoors while unattended. Even when a dog is kept inside, accidents can happen: an animal can escape through an open door, or get away from you during a walk or another outing. Injuries caused by vehicles can be minor or life-t…

All animals can be affected by toxins in household products — just in different ways. Dogs like to chew on things like detergent pods, while cats tend to groom substances off their fur. Birds are especially sensitive to airborne toxins, while amphibians absorb toxins through their skin. Toxicity is often directly related to the concentration of che…

As the weather warms, skunks become more active — and more of a problem for pets. A direct skunk spray to the face can irritate a pet’s eyes — and if ingested, can cause drooling, nausea and vomiting. And of course there’s the smell. The offending thiols [THIGH-alls] in skunk spray aren’t water soluble, so bathing your pet with soap and water won’t…

Did you know that the most common pets have outsized carbon footprints? That’s due to the carnivorous diet we feed dogs and cats. If you’re looking for a more environmentally friendly pet, you might want to take a look at rabbits. These guys thrive on a diet of hay supplemented with veggies and leafy greens — no meat for them! They even go for the …

One of the many mysteries of animals is how they navigate. We hear about lost dogs and cats making their way back home over hundreds of miles, but how do they do it? Numerous senses are likely involved. For example, dogs rely mostly on their keen sense of smell. They tend to follow overlapping areas of familiar scents. First, they might retrace the…

The animal kingdom is full of wonders, not the least of which is a unique way of reproducing called parthenogenesis [par-then-ō-GEN-ah-sus]. Of course, the usual way animals reproduce is by mating, during which egg cells and sperm each contribute 50 percent of the genes required by their offspring. In parthenogenesis, the female’s body comes up wit…

Along with the joy of being a pet parent comes the eventual heartache of losing a pet, often including the tough choice of euthanasia. Some folks would rather spend their final moments at home with their buddy in familiar surroundings instead of in a veterinary clinic. That’s why some veterinarians provide in-home euthanasia. After arriving, the ve…

Blink once if you can hear this. Blink twice if you want to know what your blinking says about your health. All of us blink on average 14 to 17 times every minute, according to the Cleveland Clinic. That means if you were to sleep 8 hours at night, you would blink somewhere between 13,000 and 16,000 times a day. Blinking serves several purposes. It…

One of the most common heart problems seen by veterinary cardiologists is degenerative mitral valve disease. Although any breed of dog can be afflicted with the disease, certain small-breed dogs are more prone to it, and the likelihood of developing the ailment grows as dogs age. The progressive nature of mitral valve disease means that many dogs w…

If you’re a pooch parent, chances are you sometimes let your dog out into the yard instead of taking him for a walk — especially in bad weather. But before you do it again, think about how it deprives your buddy. Dogs need exercise and they’re unlikely to get it by themselves. Once in the yard, they’re more apt to just lie down. Our canine companio…