(Leestat/iStock via Getty Images) COVID-19 continues to affect our daily lives. As more scientific research rolled out in 2022, these were the top 5 stories that readers were most interested in, ranked in order of unique page views. 1. After COVID-19, experts say watch for these potential heart and brain problems So you’ve had COVID-19?…

(grinvalds/iStock via Getty Images) Jumping into icy cold water in the dead of winter might seem like a crazy idea, but the so-called polar bear plunge has become a popular activity, often paired with raising money for charity. Boosting its allure is another anything-but-hot trend, the practice of cold therapy, based on the belief that…

(franckreporter/E+ via Getty Images) Lea en español Winter’s coming. The leaves have fallen, temperatures are dropping and there’s less daylight to brighten our moods. While some enjoy the changing of the seasons, millions of U.S. adults will experience a form of depression during the winter months known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. It can…

(OKrasyuk/iStock via Getty Images) Anybody in the mood for a snack? The answer is almost certainly yes. An estimated 95% of U.S. adults reported consuming a snack on any given day, according to pre-pandemic survey data from the Department of Agriculture. And snacks contributed more than a fifth of the calories that adults eat. So…

(Elena Nechaeva/iStock via Getty Images) Adults with persistent asthma may experience nearly twice the amount of plaque buildup in major arteries leading to the brain as people without asthma, raising their risk for a stroke, new research suggests. The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, also found higher levels of…

(matimix/iStock via Getty Images) Lea en español Soccer is filled with cardiovascular activities that can benefit the brain as well as the heart. From fullbacks sprinting back to prevent a counterattack to midfielders jogging up the other end to build up play, players on the pitch are rarely standing still. The quadrennial World Cup, being…

(Ariel Skelley/DigitalVision via Getty Images) A community health program that included exercise classes and hands-on nutrition education helped women living in rural areas lower their blood pressure, lose weight and stay healthy, according to a new study. Compared to women in urban areas, women in rural communities have higher cardiovascular disease risk, are more likely…

Dr. Michelle Albert giving her Presidential Address at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions on Sunday at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago. (Photo by AHA/Todd Buchanan) CHICAGO – Economic adversity affects people in far more ways than making ends meet. It can also be detrimental to their health, Dr. Michelle Albert said Sunday during…

(Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library via Getty Images) The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology have issued new guidelines for diagnosing and managing diseases that affect the body’s largest artery, providing recommendations for surgery, imaging, family screening and more. The updated guidance replaces two older documents for identifying and treating disease in the aorta,…

(Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images) Lea en español A third dose of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine poses no more risk of heart inflammation than a second dose, a large study suggests. The findings could help allay concerns about risk going up with each additional dose. Cases were rare. Most appeared within seven days…