Physical Health

Lyme disease is an emerging disease transmitted by the blacklegged tick in Michigan. In 2024, It has been reported in nearly every county in the state, according to the State of Michigan. Taking prevention measures is one of the smartest ways to avoid tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

If you listen to music when you work out, you've got to read this post to design the perfect playlist to pump you up.

As temperatures continue to rise this summer, it's important to concentrate on how much water you consume daily. It is estimated that 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration and that issue is especially apparent in the warm summer months.

Summertime comes with unique challenges or environments that can harm or endanger foot health and foot safety. With increased time spent active outdoors, in the sun, and barefoot or in open-toed shoes, more care and attention is needed prevent injuries or burns to the feet.

Grabbing your phone or switching on the TV or YouTube is second nature for many people. When there is a lull in the day or a moment of silence, it can be easy to fill that space with social media, entertainment or news that are always available at our fingertips. It’s important to set screen time limits for yourself.

Paisley Taylor of Grand Rapids was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis a few years ago. The diagnosis has sparked a passion for advocacy in Paisley's mother, Taylor, who knows the condition does not define her daughter.

Most of the time, houseflies are merely annoying, and their bites can be briefly painful. However, these insects can spread bacteria and viruses through their bites.

While the sun can be healing, it can also be harmful. Make sure to protect your skin with sunscreen but remember skin protection from sunlight doesn’t stop there.

Social wellness, just like another area of personal health, requires care and attention. Your social health, just like physical or mental health, cannot be ignored until something is going wrong.

Self-care can help build and maintain mental health and resilience. Mental health is not something that can be ignored until something goes wrong. Just like any other area of your personal health, it needs to be maintained and checked up on.

Shin splints are a common and painful overuse injury or condition usually caused by running, tennis, pickleball, dancing, or other standing exercises for extended periods of time. With some preparation, there are self-treatment tips for preventing shin splints or minimizing the pain from shin splints.

When it comes to health care, men tend to be much more reluctant than women to obtain preventive care or seek out medical care when there’s an issue. And this reluctance can increase their risk for health consequences.

Diabetes can lead to conditions that affect your vision, such as glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Equip yourself with the knowledge needed to prevent these conditions by reading these tips.

Water bottles are traveling everywhere with you and collecting the germs from places you go. From errands to work to an outdoor soccer game on the weekends, your water bottle straw is picking up bacteria in those areas.

Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die, and it worsens with time. The disease is the leading cause of dementia, a decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills.

A migraine is a headache that causes throbbing pain that is often on one side of your head.

It can be a hassle finding healthy snacks your kids will eat and enjoy. These quick, easy, and nutritious snack options are perfect for your active kids this summer.

Breakouts on the skin can be frustrating and uncomfortable. When a breakout happens, there are ways to manage the discomfort and the affected areas. There are also some products, behaviors, and foods to avoid for managing breakouts.

Chronic loss of sleep can lead to anxiety, depression, more illnesses, and cardiovascular events. Practice good sleep habits to prevent one bad day from becoming many bad days.

Allergens can easily find their way into your home and wreak havoc on your allergies or immune system. Learn how to identify how allergens are entering your home and some easy steps to take to avoid indoor allergens and improve the quality of the air inside.

When a child suffers a fall or a blow to the head, concussion is a concern. It’s important to know the signs of a concussion, warning signs that need immediate care, and what to do for a child who may be concussed.

Many triggers or allergies or allergens are found in the home or brought into the home from outside and continue to aggravate and trigger allergy symptoms in the supposed comfort of your own home. One of the most common culprits of allergens in the home is laundry and the laundry room.

Wild swimming, or open-water swimming, refers to swimming in natural waters, open water, or generally swimming outside and in natural waters. Wild swimming and open-water swimming has become more popular in recent years, especially with Americans looking for a mental health boost, since it ties together exercise and connection with nature.

Skin breaking out in acne or a rash can be scary, irritating and confusing especially if you are not sure what the cause is. Acne most commonly occurs during puberty, but up to 15% of adult women develop acne as well.

It is important to know about your skin, allergies or sensitivities, and skin type whether or not you have a chronic condition. Depending on the severity and extent of chronic skin conditions, certain products or medications may need to be added to a skincare routine.

Exercise is extremely important for building and maintaining a good level of personal fitness and physical health. Regular physical activity – including a mix of aerobic exercise, strength training and balance training – can help seniors live independently longer and with a better quality of life. It can also help in managing chronic diseases. 

Early puberty, also called precocious puberty, refers to the premature onset of puberty in children. The stages of puberty include body and hormone changes that allow the body to reproduce. Early onset puberty can have negative effects on the mental health of children.  

While it’s exciting to head outside and enjoy nature, the change in season also means allergies. Here’s how to nip symptoms in the bud.

While no furry friend can truly be hypoallergenic, there are some dog breeds or types of pets are better choices for hopeful pet owners who have pet allergies. The cause of most pet allergies is not the pet itself, but the dust and dander that gets trapped in their fur, or allergens they carry inside on their fur.

When the body encounters allergens or foreign substances that trigger an immune response, it is known as an allergic reaction. The immune response that is triggered affects the skin, manifesting as irritation, redness, scaliness, hives, swelling, and more symptoms of an allergic reaction on the skin.

An awe walk is a hike or walk focused on enjoying and taking part in the natural world around you. To take part in awe walking, all that is needed is to focus on the world around you and awe-inspiring aspects of nature while you walk.

Skin allergy tests can help care teams determine what allergies or sensitivities a patient may or may not have, based on the reactions and results to the test. There are three main types of skin allergy tests given: skin prick tests, intradermal skin tests, and patch tests.

It can feel like a constant effort to keep your kids eating healthy meals. Kids can also be notoriously picky, for a variety of reasons. Read on for some ideas for creating healthy meals for your kids and tips on getting kids to eat healthier.

Ready to break out your clubs? You’re not alone. Here are some popular public golf courses to check out across the state.

Most commercially available and mass marketed ginger beers are simply ginger drinks or fermented ginger drinks without alcohol. Ginger beers that contain alcohol are labeled as alcoholic ginger beers.

The long-term effects of alcohol use do not go away as soon as you stop drinking or alter your drinking habits. Some noticeable changes and markers of recovery may show up as soon as days or weeks after beginning abstinence from alcohol.

When a panic attack hits, one can feel out of control or in extreme danger. Anxiety over the panic attack or attempts to avoid or prevent an oncoming panic attack can add to the feelings of urgency and panic.

Silent walking is the idea of a focused, silent walk without listening to music, podcasts, conversation, or other activities often used during runs or walks. The goal of silent walking is to focus your mind and body on the walk, on the world around you, and to use the walk as a meditative experience.

National Walk at Lunch Day is the perfect excuse to get outside after lunch and rack up some steps. Do it every day and the health benefits will rack up, too.

Alcohol negatively affects physical and mental health in many ways, especially if consumed in excess, routinely or habitually. The reverse is also true, however – sobriety or cutting alcohol out of a lifestyle can have significant, positive effects on overall health and wellness. 

The link between stress and nutrition is bi-directional, meaning they both affect each other. Stress can affect our eating habits, especially the chances of unhealthy choices or overeating. Additionally, poor nutrition and diet choices can exacerbate or increase levels of stress.

Karaoke fits the bill when it comes to many of the preferences Gen Z has for exercise. Karaoke can be a great group workout or exercise, it is a social and communal activity, and it can easily be done at home, at work or in social settings.

Microplastics are a concern to the environment and for human health. Americans on average consume between 75,000 and 120,000 microplastic particles a year. Read on for some suggestions on how to reduce your microplastic exposures through some lifestyle and consumption changes.

Coloring has been found to be a therapeutic or meditative activity for many and can have multifold benefits, especially for adults with high levels of stress or anxiety.

The primary dangers related to sleep for infants, and risk factors for sleep-related infant deaths, involve the positioning of the child while sleeping, the materials and environment the child sleeps in, temperature, respiratory inhibitors and choking hazards. There are a few basic standards or rules to go by when setting up a safe sleep environment for your baby.

Exercise snacks are short periods of intense workouts, usually only two to minutes. The idea behind energy snacking is to have a few of these brief, intense workouts interspersed throughout your day.

From morning coffee to snacking on chocolate bars or grabbing an energy drink, caffeine is a big part of people’s daily diet in the United States.

What you eat certainly is directly tied to your health and wellness, but so is the time of day you eat. This is true especially when it comes to timing the largest meal of your day. How food affects your body can depend on the time of day it’s digested.

Adults 65 and older need at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, such as walking, but also at least two sessions of strength training a week. Besides moderate exercise and strength training, balance training and exercises are also recommended routinely for older adults.

Chronic kidney disease is a public health crisis that's serious but also preventable. Managing blood pressure and blood sugar are two of the seven ways recommended to keep the kidneys healthy.

Yes, biological age is real, but understanding the term and what is meant in comparison to chronological age is important. It's impossible to stop or slow time; as the years go by, you chronologically age.

The use and overuse of alcohol limits and inhibits your overall level of health and fitness. Alcohol suppresses many of your body’s main functions to different extents and can affect your ability to recover from illness and injury.

It’s easy to take good vision for granted – until it’s no longer there. Bad lifestyle habits can jeopardize good vision and negatively impact quality of life.

Someone in the U.S. is exposed to poison every 15 seconds, according to statistics from the National Capital Poison Center. In 2021, more than two million people called Poison Control for help. Children are the most at risk for poisoning, especially those six years and under.

There is not one color of noise that has proven best for sleep. Rather, each color of noise has unique qualities and affects different listeners in various ways. To better understand how color noises can help you with sleep or other activities, it’s best to understand how color noises got their names.

For a long time, there has been sentiment among runners and doctors that long-distance running, especially long-term and regular running, would predispose runners to arthritis or joint issues as they age. However, there's evidencethat challenges this long-held belief.

Make spring your healthiest, most sustainable season yet with these easy tips for your home and outdoor areas.

It might seem as simple as updating a few clocks in your home, but Daylight Saving Time can take a toll on some people’s overall health.

It will likely be easier to go through the time change with your baby if you take some steps ahead of time to prepare you both for Daylight Savings Time. These methods work to both “Spring Forward” and “Fall Back” for Daylight Savings Time if you adjust the sleep schedule in the right way each time.

It’s one of those topics people avoid talking about. But the fact is, colonoscopies save lives and it's important to debunk these four common misconceptions surrounding them.

Breast self-exams, temperature checks and even measuring heart rate are all things that can be indicators of how healthy a person is.

Want to make some heart-healthy changes to your diet? It’s easier than you might think and it starts with some basic meal-planning tips.

Grocery aisles are filled with choices. All oils are a type of fat, so they should be used sparingly compared to other ingredients in your diet. But there are some easy ways to tell which oils are better for your health.

Who says meditation has to be solitary, still and boring? Get active in your practice with these five moves. Meditation takes many forms, and these five can be a boon for your physical and mental health.

Did you know dog owners are 34% more likely to fit 150 minutes of walking into a week than non-dog owners? The benefits only begin there.

Not everything you hear about how the winter affects your health is true. As the dead of winter approaches, it's important to be as informed as possible.

Adding snow and ice to a workout routine presents additional challenges and health risks. Before you step outside, keep these health and safety tips in mind.

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you should stay cooped up inside. A little outside time can lead to big health benefits.

Simple tweaks to your running or walking form can help you go farther while preserving the condition of your back, joints and other body parts.

Cold plunges can be a complementary recovery method to vigorous exercise. But exactly when should you take the plunge? Here's what the research suggests.

The more members of your family who receive the flu shot, the greater the effect the vaccine has on your household. Here's how you protecting yourself can actually help protect others.

Germs are spread when you touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, so it's important to wash them the right way. Especially during flu season.

Healthy eating cannot completely prevent every kind of disease and illness. However, a balanced diet featuring these five foods can help fight against breast cancer.

If you love a thick-cut slice of sourdough bread, you’ll like the health benefits that come with it.

Next time you strike a pose and hold it, know that you’re improving your health in lots of ways.

Should our sun safety practices change as we get older? Here are sun protection tips by age.

It's a busy world. But when you take time to do nothing, you can passively check in on both your mental and physical health.

Myths about sun safety and SPF are common. Here’s what SPF really means and how to use it to keep yourself safe in the sun.

Contributor and summer intern Caitlyn Begosa writes about starting her first year of college out-of-state, and how she learned to adapt.

Millions of people have food allergies and other dietary restrictions. Here are some ways to communicate these with others.

Grilling is a summer pastime in Michigan, and baking is known to be a healthy way to prepare foods. Which is better?

Summertime can be a busy season for kids and sports. Here’s a few tips to keep active kids healthy.

Sweet or tart, cherries are packed with what’s good for you. Here are the health benefits of cherries.

Gracefully Greying health correspondent Lila Lazarus reviews the benefits and risks to cooking meat rare or well-done, while keeping safety in mind.

A hormone imbalance can leave you feeling tired, moody or even a little heavier. Here’s how certain foods can help.

Ready to use biohacking to improve your mental and physical health? Here are some of the best biohacks to improve your health.

Make an after-dinner walk part of your routine and you’ll reap the health benefits.

Getting appropriate and timely preventive care is an important part of a well-rounded, overall health strategy for men.

Grilling is one of the great American pastimes. But cross-contamination of raw or undercooked meats can make people sick. Here’s what not to do.

Headaches are a real pain. But before you reach for medication, try these time-tested home remedies to ease the symptoms.  

Some people know more about their horoscope signs than what type of blood they have. Here are a few things you should know about your blood type.

Sunscreen can lose its efficacy when improperly stored or owned for too long. Soak up this information so you can soak up the sun safely!

Charcoal grills, gas grills and smokers have all seen an uptick in use lately. But which type of grilling method is one or the other the healthiest?

Cleanse, moisturize and protect are the basic steps, but not all men’s skin care routines are the same.

Seniors looking for ways to get fit or maintain their health have plenty of at-home exercises to pick from.

Some types of foods can be really helpful for people trying to curb a craving for nicotine.

Find the best squat exercises to build muscle and burn calories.

Sipping an electrolyte drink can be a trendy thing to do, but when does your body actually need one?

It is important for women to get enough information about perimenopause and menopause symptoms and side effects.