Health

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — You know the drill — exercise could help you feel better, prevent disease and live longer. But that knowledge may not always get you motivated enough to head to the gym. Whether you have “gymtimidation” or working out isn’t your thing — you can still start improving your health

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Thousands of microplastics so small they can penetrate deep into the lungs are in the air you breathe in your home and car, a new study has found. The particles are likely the result of the degradation of plastic-filled objects such as carpet, curtains, furniture and textiles and the

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN (CNN) — For older adults who may otherwise be food-insecure, participating in food assistance benefits may be associated with a slower cognitive decline as they age, according to new research. Compared with eligible people who were not participating in the US Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, SNAP participants showed a slower decline

By Lauren KIm (CNN) — For summertime beachgoers, the threat of sharks may loom large, but nature’s deadliest predator is actually much smaller. The tiny mosquito is not only a warm-weather nuisance but also wears the crown for “No. 1 killer of humanity across our existence,” according to historian Dr. Timothy C. Winegard. The predatory

By Meg Tirrell, Sarah Owermohle, Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — Dr. Vinay Prasad, the controversial critic of the US Food and Drug Administration who took a top role at the regulatory agency in May, has resigned less than three months into the job. “Dr. Prasad did not want to be a distraction to the great

By Katherine Dillinger, CNN (CNN) — Dr. Susan Monarez was confirmed to lead the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday in a 52-47 Senate vote. Monarez, a microbiologist and infectious disease expert who has served across several federal health agencies over the years, was the CDC’s deputy director from January to March.

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — There are many reasons to avoid ultraprocessed foods, including a link with heart disease, diabetes and obesity, but an increased risk of lung cancer may be yet another, a new study suggests. Ultraprocessed foods contain ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is

Opinion by Dr. Jerome Adams (CNN) — The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which experts predict will reduce Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, combined with the proposed elimination of a $56 million grant for overdose reversal training and distribution, threatens to undermine progress in reducing opioid overdose deaths. Medicaid, particularly through its

By Sarah Owermohle, CNN (CNN) — Federal officials promised on Tuesday to crack down on a potent semisynthetic opioid found in convenience store gummies, drinks and dietary supplements by putting the substance in the most restricted class of drugs. The action by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Justice Department targets

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — As her memory faded from Alzheimer’s disease in her late 50s, Tammy Maida began to lose track of her life. Car keys, eyeglasses and her purse disappeared multiple times a day. Key characters in novels she was reading were forgotten. Groceries were left in the garage. Keeping the books

By Sarah Owermohle, CNN (CNN) — US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday that he is working with the Justice Department to overhaul a national program that compensates people injured by vaccination. Kennedy, a longtime critic of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, wrote on X that he would “fix” the

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — At 62, Phyllis Jones felt trapped in darkness. She was traumatized by her mother’s recent death, ongoing pandemic stress and an increasingly toxic work environment. A sudden panic attack led to a medical leave. Her depression worsened until the day her 33-year-old son sadly told her, “Mom, I didn’t

By Issy Ronald, CNN You can actually die of a broken heart after the death of a loved one, especially if the grief is overwhelming, new research shows. Bereaved relatives who experienced “high levels” of grief symptoms were more likely to die in the 10 years following their bereavement than those who experienced “low levels”

By Kameryn Griesser, CNN (CNN) — If you needed another reason to get your daily steps in, science just handed you one. A new study shows that walking daily can reduce the risk of cognitive decline — especially among those with a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease. Almost 3,000 participants between the ages of 70

Essay by Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — After a long day of work, I climb onto the couch to make plans for the rest of the week, and my mind buzzes with everything I could put on my priority list. I should spend less time on social media, but it is also good to stay

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — Chia seeds, goji berries, strawberries and raspberries: A TikTok user going by the name “impamibaby” is filling her pretty wooden breakfast bowl with fiber-rich foods and filming it, inspiring her audience to eat more of the nutrient she says has made her bloating disappear. She’s “#fibermaxxing” — the practice

By Katherine Dillinger, CNN (CNN) — US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to remove the expert advisers who make up a federal panel on preventive health care, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The future of the US Preventive Services Task Force has been in doubt since HHS called off

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Millions of dollars have been pulled from state and local vaccination programs with no explanation, after a review of the funding agreements by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Affected programs say they will probably have to cut staffers and services because of the shortfall, and they

By Dana Santas, CNN (CNN) — Health experts universally recommend walking as one of the simplest, most accessible forms of exercise — and for good reason. Regular walks offer plenty of physiological and mental health benefits, research has shown. The activity can improve cardiovascular health, boost mood and energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and even

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration appears poised to continue with a plan to ban prescription fluoride supplements at a time when many experts say that access to the products has become especially important. Most US residents live in a community where fluoride is added to the public drinking

By Katia Hetter, CNN (CNN) — All menopause treatments containing the hormone estrogen are mandated by the US Food and Drug Administration to carry a black box warning on the label, stating that the treatments could increase the risk of strokes, blood clots, dementia and breast cancer. Now, that advisory may be going away. Last

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — Does the popular activity benchmark of walking 10,000 steps a day feel like too distant of a goal? Don’t worry, you can get health benefits just by moving a little more than you already are, new research has found. When possible, aiming for 7,000 steps a day is a

By Jacqueline Howard, Brenda Goodman, Meg Tirrell, CNN (CNN) — The US Department of Health and Human Services has adopted a recommendation to remove thimerosal from all influenza vaccines distributed in the United States, even though there is no clear evidence of harm from the mercury-based preservative. On Wednesday, the department announced that HHS Secretary

By Brenda Goodman, Meg Tirrell, Sarah Owermohle, CNN (CNN) — A nonprofit anti-vaccine group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said it is funding a lawsuit against him, in his capacity as secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, for failing to establish a task force to promote the development of safer

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Extremely high levels of toxic chemicals called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been found in a small sampling of reusable menstrual pads and panties, according to a new study. “Whether we wear feminine hygiene products or not, we will all be exposed,” said senior study author Graham Peaslee,

By Jen Christensen, CNN (CNN) — The US Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that it’s undertaking an initiative to reform the country’s organ donation system, after a federal investigation found that one organization in the Kentucky region began the process to take organs from people who may not have been dead. A