Harvard Health Blog

Your doctor may ask you to track your blood pressure at home to help decide if you need to start taking medication or to track your response to treatment. Here's how to get accurate readings.

Lingering heat waves have brought warnings about recognizing and preventing heat-related illnesses. Heat rash, while not dangerous itself, can signal heat exposure that may lead to more serious conditions. Here's how to avoid and treat it.

News coverage of a case of leprosy in central Florida may have made it seem like there is an increased threat the disease would spread. Misconceptions about this disease have persisted for a long time, but the facts are reassuring.

Validation is a valuable communication technique that can help people feel heard and understood. When used correctly it helps us understand  another person's feelings and establishes trust, particularly in situations with heightened emotions.

In some men with localized prostate cancer, focal therapy is an alternative to radical prostatectomy. This procedure removes only the cancerous part of the gland, and growing evidence shows it can be an effective strategy.

Involuntary tics are very common, with as many as one in five children experiencing them at some point. They may be temporary or long-lasting. Tic disorders like Tourette syndrome usually are diagnosed during childhood, though sometimes this happens later.

Plyometric training involves short, intense bursts of activity that target fast-twitch muscle fibers in the lower body that generate power for increased speed and jumping height. Doing plyometric exercises can boost strength, power, and agility.

Not only is our face our calling card to the world, its features evolved to mount immune system defenses, help ward off illness, and protect us in many ways. Our eyes, nose, mouth, and facial structure itself all contribute to our continued well-being.

Denial is a natural response at times when you're unable or unwilling to face the facts. As a defense mechanism, it can be helpful or harmful. Here's how to spot it in yourself and others, and how to move from denial toward meaningful change.

Recently published research suggests that a daily multivitamin may improve memory enough such that it can function as if you were three years younger. We take a closer look at the study.

There are things our bodies do so often and so automatically that we barely notice them. Yawning, growling stomachs, and runny noses are good examples. Each is a universal part of our daily human experience — but did you ever wonder why?

For neurodiverse children and their families, the landscape of friendships and social spaces can feel unwelcoming. Being more inclusive is a positive step, yet it takes more to create communities where everyone feels they belong.

Approval by the FDA of a new drug combination for treatment of advanced prostate cancer fills a need and offers new hope to men whose cancer has progressed and who have already tried other therapies.

The navigation sport orienteering combines map and compass reading with exercise. It's a fun way to get outside and get some exercise — and it may even help fight cognitive decline.

Trauma can register within our bodies on a cellular level. What that means — and how best to heal from serious traumas — is the focus of somatic therapy, a newer form of mental health counseling that highlights how deeply painful experiences affect us and can be addressed through mind-body approaches.

Summer is a great time to take a hike, but it's essential to make sure you're prepared for the weather and conditions where you are. Hiking safely and planning ahead will make your trek more enjoyable.

Inflammatory bowel disease, a condition that causes inflammation along the gastrointestinal tract, has a major impact on daily life. For people who identify as LGBTQ+ there are some specific concerns and issues to understand and consider.

Mud runs are outdoor team events that take the form of an obstacle-course competition and promise plenty of good, clean (dirt-covered) fun for participants. Competing in a mud race is physically challenging, but can deliver many health benefits for those who  train for them.

Wildfire smoke contributes greatly to poor air quality, and as wildfires become more frequent due to climate change and drier conditions, more of us and more of our communities are at risk for health harms. Here are ways to cope.

Ringworm is a common, contagious skin infection caused by a fungus. Children can get it from other people who have it or from an infected animal. While it can be itchy and unpleasant, ringworm is usually harmless.

If you work out at a gym, you may notice warnings on the exercise equipment. For most of us, these warnings should not be cause for alarm, although people with certain health conditions should be cautious about exercising.

High temperatures stress the body, leading to thousands of heat-related illnesses and deaths every year in the US. Learn when hot weather becomes dangerous and how to create your own hot weather safety plan.

Prostate cancer is generally viewed as a disease of older men, yet about 10% of new diagnoses occur in men age 55 or younger. Biological differences partially explain the discrepancy, but socioeconomic factors also play an important role.

As devices become more pervasive, and as many children become more scheduled with lessons and organized activities, making time for device-free play can be a challenge. Here's why it's important prioritize free play in a child's life.