Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Not all plant-based foods support heart health — ultraprocessed items may actually increase cardiovascular risk despite their "vegan" label
A large French cohort study of over 63,000 adults found an approximately 40% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk when participants ate minimally processed, nutrient-rich plant foods
There was also a 38% increase in overall cardiovascular disease risk when diets were dominated by ultraprocessed, low-quality plant-based foods, even if they appeared "healthy"
Key red flags include: high sodium in vegan meats and deli slices, seed oils that damage mitochondrial function, refined starches/sugars, and gut-disrupting additives like methylcellulose and gums
The most protective plant-based diets are built from whole foods with minimal processing, like legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains

A study of over 10,800 Australians age 70 and older found that people who always listened to music had a 39% lower risk of dementia, while those who often played an instrument had about a 35% lower risk
Those who engaged in both listening and playing music had a 33% lower risk of dementia and a 22% lower risk of cognitive impairment
Music activates multiple brain regions at once, including those tied to memory, movement, and emotion, making it especially useful for supporting recovery and preserving connections in dementia care
Enjoying music at an appropriate volume encourages regular listening, helping you incorporate joyful routines into your daily life
Joining a choir or playing an instrument also builds focus, coordination, and social connection. These factors may help keep your brain strong as you age

Relearning basic movements like rolling, crawling, and squatting restores smoother coordination and reduces the fear-driven stiffness that worsens chronic low back pain
A 12-week movement retraining program improved balance, daily function, and confidence by teaching participants how to move without triggering pain
A structured walking routine nearly doubled the time people stayed pain-free after a flare, giving them longer stretches of normal movement and fewer recurrences
Breaking up long sitting periods by even 40 minutes a day kept pain from worsening, showing that small increases in daily movement meaningfully change back pain trajectories
Combining movement retraining, steady walking, less sitting, and mindful daily habits offers a practical, accessible strategy for easing chronic low back pain and preventing flare-ups

Adolescent obesity is rapidly turning into a worldwide health emergency. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 160 million children and teenagers ages 5 to 19 are now overweight or obese
A new study from the University of Gothenburg collected data from nearly one million Swedish men and found that obese teenagers are more likely to experience severe infections later in life
Obesity is a chronic medical condition characterized by excess body fat that impairs health and leads to symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, joint pain, and metabolic issues that tend to worsen over time
Body mass index (BMI) has traditionally been the standard for assessing weight and health, but it has come under scrutiny because it frequently misclassifies risk
You can tackle obesity at its root by eliminating metabolic health hazards like seed oils and ultraprocessed foods and instead, choosing healthy carbs and walking more

Vitamin D and magnesium work together to regulate muscle contraction, energy production, bone strength, and recovery, forming a nutrient pairing that determines how effectively your body responds to training
Research consisting of professional and Olympic sports shows widespread vitamin D and magnesium deficiency, which raises injury risk, slows recovery, weakens strength, and reduces endurance through impaired calcium and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) function
Magnesium deficiency often hides behind normal blood tests, disrupts cellular energy production, worsens fatigue and cramps, and increases soreness, especially in endurance athletes training hard or in hot environments
Endurance exercise increases magnesium needs by shifting the mineral into working muscles and increasing losses through sweat and urine
Supplementing magnesium and vitamin D together improves strength, endurance, recovery, and soreness within weeks, particularly in athletes starting deficient or training at high volumes, without increasing workout intensity