When men think about their urinary systems, they usually focus on the lower urinary tract. It's understandable since lower urinary tract symptoms are a major cause of bother and discomfort for gents who have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). But men should also spend a few minutes thinking about the upper urinary tract, especially the kidneys.

The kidneys don't get the respect they deserve. That's understandable, too, since many kidney diseases don't produce any symptoms until damage is severe. But that makes it all the more important for you to understand your kidneys, learn how to work with your doctor to ...

Food-borne infections are getting a lot of attention these days, as they should. Each year, roughly 76 million Americans get sick from something they ate, about 350,000 end up in the hospital, and some 5,000 die from their infection.

Last month, Harvard Men's Health Watch explored the ways microbes can contaminate our food, how the body reacts, and why government and industry reforms are needed to reduce our risk of illness. They are important issues, but they won't provide much comfort when you next order a hamburger or even a salad. Fortunately, you can do things to protect yourself. The ...

Q. I've read that olive oil is good for health, but is extra virgin olive oil worth the extra cost, or is it just another trendy gimmick?

A. You probably should be asking a chef, not a doctor. Extra virgin olive oil is trendy — so popular, in fact, that menus in many high-style restaurants boast of serving "EVOO," the in-crowd's acronym for extra virgin olive oil.

Gentrification notwithstanding, people in the know say that extra virgin olive oil has a characteristic zesty, almost pungent flavor that is missing from ordinary olive oil, which is bland, if less expensive. There ...

My mouth and throat are constantly parched, even though I carry a water bottle and sip from it constantly. I know it's a small problem compared to all the things you write about, but it's very uncomfortable, and I'd appreciate any advice you can offer.