Author: News Room

7 min readStruggling with sleep is all too common: As many as 1 in 3 American adults report regularly failing to get enough rest, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve your sleep, such as adjusting your bedtime routine and trying supplements.If you’re having difficulty falling or staying asleep and are interested in supplementation, you’ve probably heard about two of the most popular sleep aids, melatonin and magnesium. But are supplements really the way to go—and if so, which might be better for you?As it turns out, there…

4 min readIf you’re not getting enough magnesium from your diet, supplements are a simple way to meet your body’s needs. Getting enough magnesium helps maintain optimal muscle and nerve function and regulates blood pressure and blood sugar levels, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, overdoing it on magnesium can also cause problems, so being able to recognize the signs you’re taking too much magnesium can help keep you in the healthy range.“Taking too much magnesium over the long term can be harmful to your health because it may lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which can affect heart…

2 min readMagnesium is an essential mineral that many people don’t get enough of from their diet alone. And yet, overdoing it on the supplements can cause unpleasant symptoms and ultimately hurt your overall health. Knowing the number-one sign you’re taking too much magnesium can help you make the necessary adjustments that will allow your supplements to best support you.Meet the experts: Diane Han, M.P.H., R.D., a dietitian based in San Francisco and the founder of Woking Balance Wellness; Vanessa Imus, M.S., R.D.N., a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Integrated Nutrition for Weight Loss in Bothell, Wash.“Taking too much…

4 min readSuffering through a stressful or difficult day and feeling a headache brewing as you struggle through mishap after mishap is an incredibly common experience for many. What’s a bit more unusual is waking up in the morning with a headache already pounding in your skull. In fact, the common causes of waking up with a headache tend to fall more into the category of headache disorders and underlying health conditions than run-of-the-mill tension headaches.Meet the experts: Melissa Moore, M.D., a neurologist at Tampa General Hospital and a headache and pain medicine specialist at the USF Health Headache Center;…

4 min readPlenty of people head down the supplement aisle looking for solutions to improve their sleep. While there are situations in which melatonin may be helpful, it’s not effective for all sleep issues. So if that’s not an option, is magnesium or zinc better for sleep?Meet the experts: Kenneth Lee, M.D., the medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at UChicago Medicine; Jordan Hill, R.D., C.S.S.D., a registered dietitian at Live It Up.Here, a sleep doctor and dietitian explain how magnesium and zinc may help support restful sleep, plus make the case for when you might want to try…

5 min readKey PointsNew research suggests that taking the stairs may help lower your risk of premature death. The findings add to research that supports using the stairs for a longer life. Doctors say gradually increasing your stair-climbing is the best way to adopt the habit.Taking the stairs over the elevator may seem like a minor choice, but it can have a big impact on your cardiovascular health—and even your lifespan. That’s the major takeaway from a new scientific analysis.The review and meta-analysis, which was published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, analyzed data from more than 480,000 people…

8 min readAn itchy sensation that won’t go away is undeniably frustrating. While itchy skin is often more of an annoyance than a serious medical condition, it’s still something you should pay attention to. We asked dermatologists to fill us in on common itchy leg causes and treatments.Frustratingly, it can take a dermatologist a while to ID the source of itchy legs, as any number of underlying conditions could be to blame, says Alix J. Charles, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).Meet the Experts: Brendan Camp, M.D., board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology; Alix…

4 min readWe’re finally talking about it: Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the U.S. And we’re here to tell you that there are plenty of things you can do to (safely) make yourself poop, fast.Being constipated doesn’t just mean going days without a poop (though this is a symptom). “While it’s generally defined as having fewer than three bowel movements a week, people can have daily bowel movements and still be constipated,” says Neha Mathur, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Houston Methodist Hospital. Constipation means waste moves more slowly than usual through your gastrointestinal tract, causing…

5 min readKey PointsAn experimental vaccine could lower the risk of melanoma coming back after treatment. The deadly form of cancer has a high recurrence rate.Doctors say the technology may be used in the future to prevent other forms of cancer. An experimental new vaccine that could help prevent the deadly skin cancer melanoma from coming back after treatment is getting lots of attention: Developers Moderna and Merck shared in a joint press release that phase 3 results for their mRNA-based vaccine called intismeran “met endpoints of recurrence-free survival,” though they did not provide exact numbers.The phase 3 trial builds…

6 min readIf there’s anything I love more than the feeling of a soft pillow, it’s the feeling of a soft, cool pillow—especially on a hot, sweltering night. I am already a pretty poor sleeper, and the recent heat waves have made it worse, which is why I was thrilled to discover that the brand behind my all-time favorite pillow, Coop Sleep Goods, also makes a cooling pillow.Though I’ve sworn by Coop’s Original Adjustable Pillow for preventing neck pain for the last two years, it’s not particularly cooling or breathable. Luckily, the Coop Cool+ Adjustable Pillow is made with gel-infused…