Category: health-letter

I stopped smoking several weeks ago, and now I find that I’m coughing a lot. Is that normal?

The abrupt movement of the neck during a whiplash injury can cause strains or sprains that do not show on standard imaging tests.

Research appears to support the idea that a regular dose of vitamin D helps improve strength and balance in older people, which helps reduce the incidence of falls.

I heard about a study that found people who sleep six and a half to seven hours a night will live longer than those sleeping eight to nine. What is the right amount of sleep?

Expectations for vitamin E’s ability to protect the body against illness and disease have not been met, but certain types of vitamin E may have more effective antioxidant properties than others.

A pedometer is an inexpensive tool that can be an effective motivator to encourage walking more.

The pain of sciatica can be relieved through surgery, but evidence suggests that over time, conservative treatment (NSAIDs, physical therapy, perhaps a steroid injection) provides equivalent relief.

Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D., editor in chief of the Harvard Health Letter, introduces a special issue focused on exercise.

Bell’s palsy is the paralysis of one side of the face caused by inflammation of the facial nerve. Treatment with a steroidal anti-inflammatory medication usually eliminates the condition.

Executive function is the part of our thinking that organizes, plans, decides, and inhibits inappropriate impulses. Healthy lifestyle habits such as exercising, controlling blood pressure, and getting enough sleep also work to preserve executive function.