Harvard Health Blog

Antibiotics are crucial tools in fighting illnesses, but over-reliance on them can have serious consequences. A new study found that babies who were given antibiotics in their first two years were significantly more likely to become obese.

Researchers found that a low-carbohydrate diet helped people who had lost weight to avoid regaining it, but the length of time the participants were studied may not have been sufficient to affirm the results. Still, reducing carbohydrate intake may be a good idea if you are trying to keep off lost weight.

If you’re a smoker looking for another reason to quit, consider this: in addition to raising your risk of heart and lung disease, as well as cancers of the bladder and kidney, smoking could boost the odds that you will develop aggressive prostate cancer that metastasizes, or spreads through your body. That’s according to research […]

The number of people with dementia is expected to climb to 50 million in the coming decades, but understanding the connection between vascular health and cognitive health allows people the opportunity to adopt heart-healthy habits that can also reduce their risk of dementia.

Research shows that regular social interaction can lower risk for heart disease, depression, and early death, but not everyone is comfortable in social settings. If this describes you, there are still ways you can socialize without going beyond your comfort zone.

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is an uncommon illness with symptoms that are somewhat similar to polio — weakness and loss of muscle tone in the arms and legs. AFM occurs most often in children and treatment is largely supportive.