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Direct-to-consumer genetic tests can screen for rare heart conditions that arise from variants in a single gene (such as cardiomyopathies) as well as common conditions influenced by many thousands of gene variants (such as coronary artery disease). But because the results are not definitive, they can be challenging to interpret.
A healthy diet is a proven and powerful way to lower your risk of heart disease. Since dinner is often the main meal of the day, it’s a good time to feature foods that support cardiovascular health. Four Harvard physicians share their favorite healthy dinners, which focus on lean protein (such as tofu, fish, and chicken) and a variety of vegetables.
A 2025 study found that morning coffee drinkers faced lower odds of dying from cardiovascular disease—or any cause—over a 10-year period compared with people who drank coffee all day or people who didn’t drink coffee at all.
A 2025 study suggested that a structured exercise plan can significantly reduce the risk of falls among older women who take multiple medications.
A 2025 study found that chronic stress is associated with higher stroke risks among women under 50, but not in men.
Studies show that women’s pain experiences are often minimized, dismissed, or undertreated by clinicians. Women and men perceive pain differently. Factors contributing to women’s undertreatment for pain include lack of objective pain measures, uncertain diagnoses, clinician bias, and how women are socialized. Women can ensure their pain is taken seriously by communicating closely with clinicians about expectations, stating they recognize their pain may not be 100% relieved, and doing their own research on possible reasons for pain.
Trichotillomania is a mental health disorder characterized by frequent, irresistible impulses to pull hair from the scalp or anywhere else on the body. It often results in embarrassing bald patches that people with the condition try to conceal. About one in 50 people has trichotillomania, and women are diagnosed and treated for it more often than men are. People with the disorder may pull hair when faced with stressors such as tension, loneliness, or fatigue. Among people who eat pulled hair, complications such as hairballs can be life-threatening.
Doctors are optimistic that artificial intelligence (A.I.) will one day play a role in curing and preventing Alzheimer’s disease. One example of A.I.’s application is its use in helping scientists learn how certain molecules might cause Alzheimer’s.
A 2025 study found that the shingles vaccine reduced the risk of developing dementia by 20%. The study supports (but doesn’t absolutely prove) the theory that infections may be one cause of Alzheimer’s disease and possibly other forms of dementia.
Kidney stones are increasingly common among Americans. Made of minerals and acid salts in the urine, the hard deposits cause symptoms when they get stuck in the ureter, the tube that leads to the bladder. Symptoms include excruciating pain, blood in the urine, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Risk factors for kidney stones include low fluid intake, family history, pregnancy, obesity, high blood pressure, gastric bypass surgery, and eating foods high in salt or sugar. Most kidney stones pass on their own, but treatments can retrieve or destroy the stones.