One of the most effective ways to alleviate the stress associated with medical appointments is through adequate preparation.

During the fall and winter months when flu season is in full swing and cooler weather brings more activities indoors, it’s the perfect time to schedule your annual vaccines for the flu and COVID-19.

With research suggesting nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine and alcohol, it’s not surprising people often struggle with quitting tobacco products. If you’re ready to quit for good — and you should be — here are a few things you can expect along your road to recovery.

How much a person is overweight has a bearing on risk, according to studies examining the link. Most believe a linear relationship exists for cancers like colon and post-menopausal breast cancer. This means that the heavier someone is, the greater the risk he or she has of developing cancer.

Antibiotic resistance has become a global health problem and will require a coordinated effort from large groups of the population to bring about a solution.

Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in men, but many men with the disease live long lives, especially if it is caught early. Regular screening, such as PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests, can help detect the cancer before symptoms arise.

Diabetes is a serious medical condition that can affect people of any age or weight. If not controlled, it can lead to devastating complications such as heart disease, blindness, amputations and even death.

Now is not the time to be lazy about getting vaccine shots with the cold or flu or any kind of virus spreading around. We all know what can happen with a virus gets out of control. Protect yourself!

Regular checkups, also known as well-child visits, allow children to receive the preventive care they need to stay healthy and prevent medical issues, such as obesity and diabetes, that can affect them when they are adults.

With temperatures pushing beyond 100 along most of the United States, many health experts are concerned for the public’s safety. It’s been a long hot summer already, and all signs say there is a lot of heat yet to come.

While some chronic diseases are detected at a young age, others develop later in life. Each of us can make healthy choices to reduce the risk of developing one of these serious medical conditions.

Just as physical exercise strengthens your body, mental activity helps your mind stay sharp and resist effects of the cognitive aging process.

There are many ways to stay healthy. A great way to safeguard your health is to ensure you have a primary care doctor.

Flu season typically begins in October of each year and lasts through early spring — a period when many people spend more time in indoor spaces, where influenza viruses can spread more easily.

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib or AF or a “racing heart,” is an irregular heartbeat that causes the upper chambers of the heart to function ineffectively, leading to potential blood clots, heart failure and stroke.

A variety of mental health options, including telemedicine, is available to union members. The important thing to realize is you’re not alone. Help is available.

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when a blood vessel carrying blood and nutrients to the brain is blocked or bursts, causing brain cells to die.

While you may have a short period after contracting COVID-19 during which you have a heightened natural immunity, it diminishes over time, leaving you susceptible to the virus again.

Many health problems can be controlled or even eliminated when they are detected early through regular physical exams and diagnostic screenings.

For the most part it doesn’t get cold or dreary for long periods of time in Southern California, even in the winter. However, for some, the climate within the mind can become as dark as the skies of the Arctic Circle.