CNN – Health

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — For the first time in history, the US Food and Drug Administration has established guidance for levels of lead in processed baby foods that are sold on supermarket shelves and online. The agency’s action, announced Monday, only provides guidance to industry and is not enforceable. Under the new guidelines,

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — Sugary drinks may leave a sour taste given their possible impact on mortality, according to a new study. “This is a public health crisis, requiring urgent action,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University. The

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — A rigorous nine-year research review looking at the relationship between fluoride and intelligence in children concludes that as fluoride levels rise, IQ drops. Every 1 part per million increase in fluoride in urine — a way of measuring all the sources of fluoride a person consumes — was associated

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Sex just isn’t the same with your partner anymore. When you confide that sad reality to a friend, what’s the first culprit you discuss? Overwork? Young children? Relationship problems, or even the worst-case scenario — an affair? You may want to start by looking at your sleep habits as

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — What are you focusing on in the new year to improve your health? Regular exercise, of course, is a proven winner, as is eating plant-based meals. Getting more high-quality sleep, reducing stress, limiting alcohol and connecting with other people in meaningful ways are also key ways to boost well-being.

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Lead and other toxic heavy metals have been found in dangerously elevated amounts in some commercial baby foods sold in the United States, yet parents have had no way to know if the baby foods they purchase contain those higher levels. Enter a California law that requires baby food

By David G. Allan, CNN (CNN) — I found another person who hates running, and I’m not surprised. “I find it tedious and boring, and I feel like I’m failing at it all the time because I’m so slow and out of breath.” That’s how my colleague Madeline Holcombe articulated how it’s going as she’s

CNN By David G. Allan, CNN (CNN) — I found another person who hates running, and I’m not surprised. “I find it tedious and boring, and I feel like I’m failing at it all the time because I’m so slow and out of breath.” That’s how my colleague Madeline Holcombe articulated how it’s going as

CNN By Ben Tinker, Meg Tirrell and Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory Friday warning Americans that alcohol consumption can increase their cancer risk and called for an updated health warning label on alcoholic beverages. Surgeon general’s advisories are strongly stated warnings meant to deliver clear messages

By Upasna Gautam, CNN (CNN) — I used to be a productivity app junkie. If an app promised to make me smarter, faster or more efficient, I downloaded it. Time trackers, digital planners, habit trackers — you name it. I spent hours setting them up, convinced this one would fix my time management problems. Spoiler

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — The award-winning Mediterranean diet has done it again, capturing 2025’s “best of the best” award from U.S. News & World Report, which puts out a yearly list of the most and least beneficial diets as ranked by nutrition professionals. The Mediterranean diet — which is more of a lifestyle

CNN By Ben Tinker, Meg Tirrell and Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory Friday warning Americans that alcohol consumption can increase their cancer risk and called for an updated health warning label on alcoholic beverages. Surgeon general’s advisories are strongly stated warnings meant to deliver clear messages

By Ben Tinker, Meg Tirrell and Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory Friday warning Americans that alcohol consumption can increase their cancer risk and called for an updated health warning label on alcoholic beverages. Surgeon general’s advisories are strongly stated warnings meant to deliver clear messages about

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — In the summer of 1983, Katy Golden’s mom had stocked their kitchen in the suburbs of Detroit with Popsicles and bubble gum. Golden was 5 years old and about to have her tonsils removed to help with some ear issues she’d had since she was an infant. The procedure

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — There are lots of great reasons to decide to go “dry” in January and give up alcohol. Perhaps you imbibed a bit too much over the holidays or want to start a healthy routine and can’t afford the calories or the zap in energy and motivation that drinking can

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN (CNN) — If you’re thinking about making a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking, it might help to know that new research says it could extend your life expectancy. Each cigarette someone smokes, on average, can take about 20 minutes off their life expectancy overall, according to new research based on

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Most human cases of bird flu in North America have been mild, a fact that’s underscored by a new study of the first 46 confirmed human H5N1 infections in the United States this year. But the case of an ill Canadian teen stands out because of its severity and

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — Near the end of every year, the prospect of rising from the fog of holiday hustle, bustle and feasts to contemplate how to do better next year is welcomed by many, ignored by some and resented by others. The practice of making New Year’s resolutions may be done with

By Katia Hetter, CNN (CNN) — A common stomach bug is surging, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the week of December 5, there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported, up from 69 the previous week. In the same period in recent years, there generally were 65

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — After a relatively slow start to the respiratory virus season, Covid-19 levels in the United States began ramping up just ahead of the winter holidays. In previous years, Covid-19 levels have typically started to rise in early November and reach their seasonal peak by the end of December. But

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here is a look at the opioid crisis. Experts say the United States is in the throes of an opioid epidemic. An estimated 7.6 million Americans aged 12 and older misused prescription opioids in 2024. Opioids are drugs formulated to replicate the pain-reducing properties of opium. Prescription painkillers like morphine,

Personal essay by David G. Allan, CNN (CNN) — Useful life advice can be found in unexpected places. And like most wisdom, it has a way of sticking around. In the pilot episode of the 1990s quirky cult TV show “Twin Peaks,” the lead character, FBI special agent Dale Cooper (played by Kyle MacLachlan), walks

By Jen Christensen, CNN (CNN) — Tiny packets of nicotine have quickly become a big problem for parents and schools. They’re available at gas stations and convenience stores under names like Zyn, O! Rogue, Juice Head and VELO. Although the products are supposed to be sold only to people over 21, a growing number of

By Jeanne Sahadi, CNN (CNN) — So you want to get your financial life in order. And you swear that 2025 will be the year you do it. In fact, you’re making it your new year’s resolution. It’s a fine idea. No, really. It is. But you might meet with more success by not making

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, CNN (CNN) — As you head into the gym, you likely already have a workout plan in mind. Maybe you’re taking a light jog on the treadmill, or you’re working on some bicep curls on arm’s day. To get the most out of your gym session, consider first how you start and

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — For many people, celebrating New Year’s Day can include reflecting on a life well lived or a chance to start anew. But for some, the holiday may have dark undertones, according to a recent large study. More than 700,000 deaths by suicide were reported globally in 2019, accounting for

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — A mysterious illness outbreak in a remote region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has now been identified as an acute respiratory infection complicated by malaria, health officials said on Friday. There have been 891 cases and 48 deaths reported since late October, according to an update from the

CNN By Meg Tirrell, CNN (CNN) — The US hasn’t learned lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic that it could use to mitigate the threat of pathogens like H5N1 bird flu that keep showing signs of their own pandemic potential, health experts told CNN Friday. “We kind of have our head in the sand about how

By Dana Santas, CNN (CNN) — If you have ever felt tension in the front of your hips after sitting too long, struggled with lower back pain or had difficulty touching your toes, your hip flexors may be to blame. These often overlooked muscles play a vital role in posture, climbing stairs, running and more,