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A 2025 study that included 97,000 people found that those who ate the most cruciferous vegetables—between 20 and 40 grams per day—had a 17% lower risk of developing colon cancer, compared with people who ate the least.
While a healthy eating plan is crucial for health, bending the rules on occasion probably won’t hurt most people. One strategy to try is the 90-10 rule—eating healthy foods 90% of the time and splurging on unhealthy foods 10% of the time. For example, if someone eats three meals a day for a week, for a total of 21 meals, the person would be able to splurge on 10% (about two) of the meals. Dietitians warn that applying the 90-10 rule to every meal can lead to trouble, such as weight gain.
A 2025 study suggests that urgent care clinics frequently prescribe prescription medications inappropriately for conditions such as ear infections, bronchitis, sprains or strains, or digestive discomfort.
Insufficient sleep triggers a long list of physiological and hormonal changes that contribute to heart disease. For example, a lack of sleep can cause increases in blood pressure, blood sugar, inflammation, and weight. Doctors recommend getting at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Strategies that promote better sleep include going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, creating a healthy sleep environment, and turning off electronics an hour before bedtime.
Tai chi uses a series of gentle, flowing motions and slow, deep breathing to exercise the body and calm the mind. It’s good for health in many ways, especially for balance, which improves as the body becomes more attuned to changes in movement. Tai chi can be practiced outdoors as well as indoors, which is helpful during winter months. To get started in a tai chi practice, it helps to take a class with an instructor who supervises practitioners’ progress. Classes can be found at wellness centers and health clubs.
Eating two eggs per day doesn’t appear to raise harmful LDL cholesterol, as long as people follow a diet low in saturated fat. Although eggs are high in cholesterol, dietary cholesterol doesn’t have much of an effect on the amount in a person’s bloodstream. But excess dietary saturated fat does raise blood cholesterol, which is why people should limit their saturated fat to 7% of their daily calories.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of the tiny fluctuations in timing from one heartbeat to the next. Higher values are linked to better fitness levels and stress resilience.
Hyperacusis describes sensitivity to some or all sounds, no matter the volume. Depending on the person, sounds might be uncomfortably loud; cause pain in the ear, head, or another part of the body; trigger negative emotional responses; or make someone dizzy. These reactions might be due to irritated or overactive nerve fibers or muscles in the ear. While doctors have few treatments for hyperacusis, certain strategies help, such as avoiding sound triggers, wearing hearing protection, and engaging in sound therapy.
Many devices that measure blood pressure without an inflatable arm cuff are in development, including a wristband recently cleared by the FDA for over-the-counter sale. It relies on a light-based sensor to detect changes in the amount of blood flowing through the vessels of the inner wrist, a technique known as photoplethysmography. But the devices have to be periodically calibrated, and as yet, there are no standards to validate the accuracy of cuffless devices.
Flashes and floaters are eye problems that become common with age. Over time, they may become less noticeable, but people should seek medical care if symptoms worsen, as this could be a sign of a retinal detachment.