Flaxseed may protect against the damaging effects of radiation, whether from a terrorist’s dirty bomb or a routine cancer treatment, a new study in mice suggests. Mice that ate flaxseed either before or up to six weeks after receiving a large radiation dose to the chest were more likely to survive and had fewer lung problems than mice not given flaxseed. Four months after receiving radiation, up to 88 percent of mice that ate flaxseed... 

As a doctor, I get a lot of questions from patients in my practice and in my email inbox. Here’s one that was sent to me recently by a viewer: Dr. Manny, are there any health benefits to drinking beer? Which beers are the ‘healthiest’? – Brian Well, Brian, this is what I have to say: If you’re planning a cookout this weekend like I am, don’t be afraid to knock back a cold one. Beer has several surprising health benefits. Despite... 

Remember back in the day when you went to grandma’s and she served you brown, boiled broccoli–yuck! That’s a great example where all the nutrients were probably boiled out, leaving the limp cruciferous vegetable looking dull and inedible. There are certainly some health benefits in eating raw vegetables, but cooking doesn’t take out all the nutrients. And there are benefits to eating cooked veggies as well—they’re more easily digestible, and you... 

A fresh look at the medical evidence shows women who eat more fiber are less likely to get breast cancer. Chinese researchers found those who ate the most of the healthy plant components were 11 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than women who ate the least. Their findings don’t prove fiber itself lowers cancer risk, however, because women who consume a lot of it might be healthier overall than those who don’t. The results “can... 

Drugs used in the hope of slowing multiple sclerosis progression may help some patients, but at a very high cost, according to a study out Wednesday. The medications in question are the so-called disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) that have been available since the 1990s to treat multiple sclerosis. The drugs include beta interferons (brand-names like Avonex, Rebif and Betaseron), glatiramer (Copaxone) and natalizumab (Tysabri). They are given by injection or... 

As much as we are surrounded by sexy images and movies and websites, sex can still be a difficult subject to discuss, sometimes even with the people we are closest to. That seems to be especially true when one is looking for answers to very specific, very personal questions. The truth is, there’s nothing wrong with talking about sex or asking questions. No matter how obscure or embarrassing you think your question might be, chances are someone else has asked... 

July is Cord Blood Awareness Month, and I’d like to take this opportunity to help clear up some of the misconceptions regarding umbilical cord blood collection. First, let’s start with cord blood itself. Cord blood is the fetal blood that is found in the umbilical cord and in the placenta of a newborn child. Typically, this material was always discarded after delivery – that is, until scientists discovered that cord blood is full of stem cells. Adult... 

Baby boomers say their biggest health fear is cancer. Memory loss comes in second. But heart disease and diabetes should be atop that list, too, given the size of boomers’ waistlines. A new poll finds baby boomers are more obese than other generations, setting them up for unhealthy senior years. An Associated Press-LifeGoesStrong.com poll indicates that even those who aren’t obese need to do more to stay fit. Most baby boomers say... 

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Black men are half as likely to die at any given time if they’re in prison than if they aren’t, suggests a new study of North Carolina inmates. The black prisoners seemed to be especially protected against alcohol- and drug-related deaths, as well as lethal accidents and certain chronic diseases. But that pattern didn’t hold for white men, who on the whole were slightly more likely to die in prison than outside, according to findings published...