Latest Articles
![Some dietary supplements can cause your medications to work differently.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/SupplementMain.jpg)
Did you know? Supplements and medications can interact in unexpected ways
Many of us take dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other products to boost our health. Since many supplements contain natural ingredients, it’s...
Dietary Supplements, Drug Reactions![Researchers knew that urobilin was what makes your urine yellow, but they hadn’t discovered the enzyme that was key to this chemical process.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/IRP_bilirubin_main.jpg)
What makes urine yellow? The answer lies in your gut
Ever wonder why urine is yellow or why skin looks yellow in people with jaundice? Scientists have known for more than a century that urobilin...
NIH Highlights, NIH Research![Adults ages 65 and older are at increased risk for RSV infection.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/RSVmain2_1.jpg)
A new vaccine is here to protect you and your loved ones from RSV this winter
December and January are peak months for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. While anyone can get RSV, severe infections are more common in young children...
Immunization, Infectious Diseases, Cold-Weather Wellness, Vaccines![NIH supports thousands of studies on new treatments for common diseases.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/research_roundup_main.jpg)
Of mice and medicine: Our favorite NIH research highlights from 2024
1. Could a new molecule prevent blood clots without increasing the risk of bleeding? Blood clots can form when substances in the blood clump together. If...
NIH Highlights, NIH Research![Shingles is a painful rash on the skin that comes from the same virus that causes chickenpox.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/shingles-f18.jpg)
What’s the most effective way to prevent shingles? Getting vaccinated
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful, often debilitating rash that affects roughly 1 million people each year. Fortunately, the current shingles vaccine, known...
Shingles, Immunization![Kristin Nannetti is the Palliative Care Coordinator for VHC Health in Virginia.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/Kristin_Nannetti_headshot2.jpg)
What is palliative care? We asked a professional
People with serious or terminal illnesses have to make difficult choices. It can be hard to understand all the information they get from their doctors....
Palliative Care, Caregivers![It’s a good idea to talk to as many relatives as you can about your family health history. Knowing two generations back is ideal.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/family-history.jpg)
Do you know your family health history?
Some people inherit heirlooms—jewelry, furniture, clothing, and other items—from their relatives. But there’s something even more valuable we all inherit: our health. Finding out what...
Genetic Testing![Osteoporosis can develop if your bone mass decreases or the structure of your bones changes, making the bones weaker and more likely to break.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/osteoporosis_main.jpg)
Osteoporosis: What you need to know
Did you know that our bones are living tissue? To keep them strong, our bodies break down old bone and replace them with new bone....
Osteoporosis![Women between ages 50 and 69 who get mammograms have a lower chance of dying from breast cancer than women who do not get them.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/mammogram_main.jpg)
My mammogram was ‘abnormal’—what do I do next?
First, thank yourself for getting a mammogram! Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women in the United States, and a...
Breast Cancer![Rebecca Rose Vassy (right) with her partner Sean (left).](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/10888663_404639776369999_7668654000487086482_n.jpg)
‘Nothing important went unsaid’
Over the course of their relationship, Rebecca Rose Vassy supported her long-term partner Sean in managing multiple chronic health conditions. Then a cascade of medical...
Caregivers![Many caregivers struggle to take time for themselves.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/self-care_main.jpg)
Caring for yourself while caring for others
Are you helping a loved one with daily tasks, medical care, or emotional support? If so, you’re a caregiver…and you’re not alone. According to the...
Caregivers![Making an advance care plan is valuable for people at any age but especially for older adults or those facing a terminal illness.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/advancedcare-sp18.jpg)
Advance care plan: A checklist for the future
Do you and your loved ones have an advance care plan? An advance care plan spells out decisions you'd like to make if you...
Caregivers![End-of-life care can be medical and physical, but it can also look like emotional or spiritual support.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/end-of-life_care_main.jpg)
End-of-life care: What to expect and how to plan
When older adults and people with terminal illnesses are dying, they may need a lot of care. This care can last from days to months,...
Caregivers, Healthy Aging![Steve Guttenberg said caring for his father brought his family closer together.](/images/uploads/main_images/_main_article_list/SteveGuttenberg-main.jpg)
‘Look for joy and happiness in little things’
Steve Guttenberg has made audiences laugh and smile with his starring roles in hit comedies such as Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby....
Caregivers