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 1 in 4 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. 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. According to Mayo Clinic, it also regulates many other cellular functions with properties including:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Neuroprotective 

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

Whether you’re trying to prevent heart disease or manage it, we’ve got the recipe for you! In fact, we’ve got thousands of recipes that are heart-healthy, and they’re all on MDVIP Connect!

Monkeypox has gotten a lot of media attention lately. But what is it and how is it transmitted?

Danish researchers first identified the monkeypox virus in 1958 in monkeys imported from Singapore. It wasn’t until 1970 that the first human case was diagnosed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the 10 countries in western and central Africa where the virus became endemic. 

The fat around your waist, snuggled up to your organs and clinging to your thighs and backside isn’t just a nuisance. It’s actually a remarkable component of your body composition. Fat has many benefits, such as giving you energy, manages cholesterol and blood pressure, helps escort some vitamins to the places they need to go and protecting your vital organs. 

But fat isn’t all one type or even one shade. Different types of body fat have different roles in your body – and they can cause different problems. Here’s what you need to know about fat. 

Do you struggle with knee pain? If you do, you know the problem is more than just pain. When your knees hurt, you can’t move very well. And your ability to perform daily activities, including walking, are compromised.