Go pink! Breast cancer gene test may save lives

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women in the United States. It will affect one in eight women in their lifetime. About 5-10 percent of breast cancers are hereditary. But the good news is that tests can determine whether a woman has inherited the mutated genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, which cause breast cancer.

Thinking about a juice cleanse? Read this first

Juice bars are popping up on every corner, especially here in Southern California. For many people, it has become perfectly normal to drink seven dollars' worth kale and ginger for breakfast. These days, it seems everyone is trying a juice cleanse.

Be proactive: Reduce your risk for breast cancer

Why does one woman get breast cancer and not another? Aside from genetics, there are often multiple factors that contribute to the development of breast cancer. And yes, there are things you can do now to be proactive to minimize your risk for developing this disease. Let’s take a look at what you can start doing today to protect your health.

Stressed about stress?

Stress is a part of everyday life, and you’re expected to be able to handle it, whether it’s at work or at home. But how much stress is too much stress? And is there a way to objectively measure your stress levels? Let’s take a closer look to find out.

Don’t reach for those readers yet!

It’s a fact of life. As you age, many people start to notice that their vision isn’t quite what it used to be. Things start getting fuzzier and routine tasks like reading a menu or a newspaper become a challenge. When this happens, your first thought probably would be to get your eyes checked and either get glasses for the first time or get stronger ones if you already have them. You also may decide join the millions who have had corrective eye surgery to get their 20/20 back.

Taking supplements to lose weight or bulk up? Minimize the risks to your liver!

Nearly half of all U.S. adults take dietary or herbal supplements ranging from multivitamins to fish oil and from calcium to iron. When used correctly to address a vitamin or mineral imbalance or deficiency, these supplements can do wonders to help you be your healthiest. Studies are showing, however, that people are increasingly taking the wrong supplements or are using them incorrectly which may cause an increase in liver damage. And research shows that supplements that promote weight loss or bodybuilding are among the most common not being used correctly.

Would you like water with that?

Some people like drinking water while they eat, while others only drink it before or after but never with a meal. Personal preferences aside, the Internet is rife with recommendations and theories as to which best helps digestion, which hurts it and whether when you drink water even really matters.

Are cell phones harming your children?

For most people, cell phones are an integral part of daily life. And there’s an app for everything, from business productivity to video chatting and from laundry services to ride sharing. It’s easy to stay connected all the time and it seems that’s exactly what people are doing. As of April 2014, there were over 328 million cell phones in use in the U.S. (yes, more than one cell phone for every man, woman and child), and that number is expected to continue to increase. It seems everyone in the family but the dog has a phone or even two.

Lowering your blood pressure without pills

Many people believe that even a little variation in blood pressure from the ideal of 120/80 for adults is worrisome. That includes doctors! And recent studies suggest that many people with mild hypertension are treated with drugs, even though such drugs have not been shown to reduce their health risks. But the truth is that there are many things that can cause your blood pressure to briefly run higher, and going straight to medications to bring it down isn’t always warranted.

So what’s in an IV anyway?

When you get admitted to the hospital, one of the first things that happens is a nurse hooks you up to an IV, sometimes called a “drip.” Fluids in a plastic bag then flow through a tube and into your body. But have you ever wondered what exactly those fluids are and why you need them? Read on to find out.

Coffee: Raise a cup (or mug) to your health!

The majority of Americans start the day with their morning cup of coffee and many enjoy it throughout the day. And this is not just an American phenomenon – worldwide, people drink more than 2.25 billion cups of coffee a day and over 7 million tons of coffee beans are harvested each year to satisfy their demand.

Low carb versus low fat? And the winner is …

You may be confused about whether a low-fat or low-carb diet is better for your health. You may have even decided that the two diets are interchangeable. So is there an answer? Is one diet better than the other?