Harvard Health Content API

Most of us know a healthy diet reduces the risk of heart disease but may not know it’s possible to choose a combination of foods that help lower risks for many illnesses. An index created by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health grades food choices and it’s easy to incorporate components of this into daily eating habits.

Paths to parenthood vary and people thinking about a pregnancy achieved with donated embryos or with donated eggs or sperm might also be considering adoption. Here are some key questions and issues to consider when thinking about these decisions.

Due to the lengthy wait for an appointment with a therapist, many people have turned to the numerous mental health apps available on smartphones. Research did not find convincing evidence that use of any such app resulted in significant improvement in symptoms, but some may be useful as a complement to therapy.

Though decades of research have suggested risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a specific cause remains unknown. New research studied professional football players and found that they had a much higher risk of developing ALS than men in the general population, though the study was only observational.

As the number of people living with dementia continues to increase, the hope that a medication will be able to slow the progression of the disease has not yet been successful. Meanwhile, research has also progressed in nonpharmacological treatments that can help people with memory issues and increase their comfort, potentially helping their families as well.