The human immune system is a wonderful thing. It responds quickly when we’re injured (the swelling around a sprained joint or a small cut), it attacks microscopic invaders like viruses and bacteria, and it even stores information that helps it fight future infections. It’s a beautiful protector that we’re partially born with and partially develop throughout our life. 

Want to live longer? If you’re a heavy drinker, reducing your consumption could help, according to a new study.

People age differently, largely due to microscopic parts of our anatomy at the end of our chromosomes called telomeres.

Over the last decade, health experts have been singing the praises of plant-based diets – as they should. Plant-based diets are credited reducing inflammation, improving kidney function and lowering the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dementia. When done right, they can also help with weight loss and weight management. 

But plant-based diets also have a downside. Vegetarian women have a higher risk of hip fracture, according to a study published in BMC Medicine. 

The topic is surprisingly polarizing among nutritionists, foodies and many health advocates. Are cooking oils made from seeds like canola or soy healthy and safe?

The oils, which have been a staple of western diets for more than 100 years (oil made from soybeans goes back thousands of years in Eastern diets), seem innocuous enough. We use them in baking and frying, and food manufactures use them in everything from mayonnaise to cookies. They have soared in popularity at the expense of butter and lard, once the main source of cooking fats in American diets.

It’s not news that exercise is important for good health. But how often should you change your workout routine? Studies credit regular exercise with helping: 

If you have gym rats in your life, they’ve probably flexed on the benefits of strength training:

• Improved energy
• Greater stamina
• Better physique

But strength training has benefits you might not realize.

Strength training in an umbrella term for a type of physical activity that makes your muscles work against some sort of resistance to facilitate muscle contractions, building muscle strength, size and endurance. 

Only about 20 percent of Americans have optimal heart health, according to a new study, which may help explain why heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.

A research team led by Northwestern University recently took the pulse of overall heart health and found that only 1 in 5 Americans are doing the things they need to for their cardiovascular health.

Poor mental health is a significant problem in the U.S. In fact, about one in four American adults struggles with a mental health condition. Of all the mental health illnesses, anxiety is the most common, affecting 40 million adults. Depression -- also very common – touches nearly 21 million Americans. And about half the people suffering with anxiety also suffer with depression, and vice versa.

Effective treatment plans are available to help manage anxiety and depression. But instead of waiting to be diagnosed, you can take steps to help prevent it, such as:

Do you have an underactive thyroid? If yes, you may have an elevated risk of developing dementia as you age, particularly if you’re taking thyroid hormone replacement therapy, according to a study published in an online edition of Neurology. The study is observational, which means researchers didn’t find that low thyroid levels caused dementia, just that they were linked.

Vitamin D is a nutrient best known for its contributions to bone health. But it also regulates many other cellular functions and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, according to Mayo Clinic.

“Vitamin D is actually a hormone,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “And like most hormones, it has multiple important functions.”