Author: News Room

5 min readHaving an ear infection can be painful. And if you haven’t dealt with the discomfort of an ear infection since you were a child, you may be unsure about the best course of action. Doctor-recommended ear infection remedies include things like OTC pain relievers and rest. That said, if these remedies don’t make you feel better relatively quickly, experts say you should see a doctor ASAP.Meet the Experts: Hamid Djalilian, M.D., an otolaryngologist with UCI Health; Elliott Kozin, M.D., an otolaryngologist at Mass Eye and Ear; Arashdeep Litt, M.D., an internal medicine physician at Spectrum Health; and Omid…

3 min readDenise Austin, 69, shared six simple exercises for “strength at every age” on Instagram.She demonstrated the moves alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Katie Austin.Here’s how to do the workout at home.Denise Austin, 69, is our favorite source for fun and simple workouts we can incorporate into our daily lives, from leg-toning tips to Pilates moves for sculpted abs. Clearly, Austin’s wealth of fitness knowledge runs in the family, as her 32-year-old daughter, Katie Austin, has also taken to sharing her go-to moves with the masses. Just in time for Mother’s Day, Denise and Katie took to Instagram together to…

4 min readAs far as vitamin intake and deficiencies go, vitamin B12 is an unusual one—which makes knowing the most common vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms all the more crucial. Per the National Institutes of Health (NIH), most people in the U.S. consume enough B12. And yet, up to 40% of people have low B12 levels in the body, because factors such as lacking a protein that allows it to be absorbed or prolonged use of certain medications (like metformin or proton pump inhibitors) stop you from extracting all the vitamin B12 from the foods you eat.Then there’s the fact that…

✔️ Choose moisture-wicking materials. According to Boga, moisture-wicking socks help “keep the foot’s skin barrier intact” and make it less prone to friction injury. “Look for moisture-wicking synthetic blends (like polyester, nylon, and spandex) or natural high-performance fibers like Merino wool, which naturally regulates temperature and evaporates moisture,” advises Ross. She recommends avoiding socks made of 100% cotton, as it “absorbs and traps sweat against the skin”—Boga also notes that it can increase risk of blisters.✔️ Find the right cushioning. “The right amount of cushioning depends on the activity, but it’s vital for shock absorption,” says Ross. “High-impact workouts—whether you…

✔️Go for hydration. All of the experts agree that it’s best to opt for hydrating formulas. Why? Mature skin tends to be more dry as a result of reduced sebum production, explains Dr. Camp—meaning it can benefit from ingredients that hydrate and moisturize skin, such as hyaluronic acids, ceramides, squalane, and triglycerides.✔️Choose a lightweight, dewy formula. “The best type of formulation for mature skin is lightweight, so it won’t sink into any creases, wrinkles, or fine lines,” says Gray. “Mature skin is thin as well, so the more lightweight the formulation, the more comfortable on the skin.” Additionally, opt for…

3 min readPreventing heart disease takes a multi-faceted approach.Perhaps lesser discussed than diet and exercise as interventions is getting proper sleep.A new study looks at how a person’s bedtime impacts their heart disease risk. Experts weigh in.You probably know that a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise can make big strides in lowering heart disease risk. What may be lesser considered as a channel to heart health is sleep. And it’s not just getting it that matters—the time one falls asleep appears to play a part in how well a person’s heart works, or doesn’t.Meet the Experts: John La Puma, M.D.,…

4 min readWhile some vitamin and mineral deficiencies are very rare in the U.S., others are fairly common and can have profound impacts on overall health. If you’re looking at magnesium vs. vitamin D for deficiency, for example, you’ll have two incredibly important nutrients of which many people don’t get enough.Meet the experts: Kathleen Garcia-Benson, R.D.N., C.S.S.D., C.P.T., a registered dietitian nutritionist with VNutrition; Stephanie Crabtree, M.S., R.D., a holistic registered dietitian in Venice, FL.“Vitamin D deficiency is more commonly diagnosed in the U.S., but low magnesium intake is also very widespread and often underrecognized,” says Kathleen Garcia-Benson, R.D.N., C.S.S.D.,…

3 min readKidney disease, which affects one in seven Americans, is more than twice as common as coronary heart disease, which affects one in 20 American adults. And yet, kidney disease is very easy to miss. That’s why we asked doctors for the subtle kidney disease symptoms you should watch for, especially if you have an increased risk of developing the condition.“Symptoms of kidney damage are typically very subtle, and by the time you notice them, there is usually already serious harm done,” said Jeremy Allen, D.O., a family medicine physician with Brookwood Baptist Health Primary Care in Pelham, AL.…

7 min readEarlier this year, I suffered the absolute indignity of throwing my back out. I wasn’t even moving heavy furniture or contorting my body into some crazy position when it happened. Instead, one tiny spasm while shampooing my hair was enough to pinch a nerve in my lower back and bring me to my literal knees, crying out for an airlift evac from my horrified wife. After nearly 72 hours completely horizontal, a quick trip to the chiropractor revealed the culprit: Bad posture.It’s not surprising, given I spend the majority of my day hunched over my computer and the…

5 min readAs a dietitian, I spend a lot of time talking about food, but signing up for an eating challenge isn’t something most of us do regularly. That said, I’ve tried a few food challenges before, so when my editor suggested trying to eat a sweet potato every day for a week and write about it, I was both intrigued and a little skeptical. My approach to eating has always focused on variety and balance. We constantly preach “eat the rainbow” and encourage rotating your carbohydrate sources. So, committing to one specific root vegetable for seven straight days felt…