Despite spending more on healthcare than any other nation in the world, Americans are becoming sicker—not healthier. I'll cut right to the chase with some not-so-rosy statistics. Our current healthcare spending in the U.S. exceeds $5.3 trillion, yet chronic disease rates continue to climb. Half of all U.S. adults have high blood pressure. While that statistic increased after blood pressure guidelines were updated in 2017, it still doesn't fully explain why one out of...

  According to the CDC, heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for more than a century. Despite incredible advances in testing, early detection, surgical procedures, and medications, cardiovascular disease continues to claim more lives than any other condition. Why? One major reason is that many adults are unknowingly increasing their risk through everyday habits. Some of these risk factors are obvious. Others may surprise you. Here are six...

  According to the CDC, nearly three out of four American adults are overweight or obese. It's safe to say there's no shortage of belly fat—but is all belly fat created equal? And what's really driving this epidemic of expanding waistlines? Is it simply that we're eating too much? Or is there more to it than that? Let's take a look at some of the biggest factors behind stubborn belly fat and, more importantly, what...

  Step into any grocery store, department store, or pharmacy and you'll quickly be reminded that the personal care industry is big business. Entire aisles are devoted to lotions, creams, shampoos, conditioners, gels, sprays, cleansers, toners, scrubs, and countless other products. Manufacturers know people are willing to spend substantial amounts of money—and try almost anything—to look their best. I sometimes joke that a personal care company could bottle used motor oil, market it as a moisturizer,...

  One of the most commonly used medications in the United States over the last 80 years has been antibiotics. Since the discovery of arsphenamine in 1909 as a treatment for syphilis, followed by Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have been widely prescribed and mass-produced since the 1940s. They've rightly been hailed as a medical miracle, saving countless lives from dangerous bacterial infections. But that doesn't mean they're without consequences. In fact,...

  I've got a little story to tell you today. Several years ago, a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and asked me to accompany her to an appointment where her doctor would explain the upcoming treatment. After the doctor outlined the surgery and chemotherapy plan, she asked if we had any questions. I asked, "Why do you think she developed breast cancer in the first place?" You should have seen the deer-in-the-headlights look I...