Health & Balance News & Features

Baby boomers face the inevitable -- with posh caskets and funky funeral services.

Do opposites attract? Not according to new research: People who want to find a mate look for similar traits.

Want to add some brawn to your brainpower? Several natural brain boosters are out there.

There's something in the air that just may boost your mood -- get a whiff of negative ions.

Is your nagging driving your spouse crazy? Here's how to communicate without being a nag.

Who can remember to relax -- and who has time? You do! It only takes five minutes.

Tension can build during your busy day, but believe it or not, you do have time to relieve that stress.

Now that the hectic holidays are over, how do you keep the blues away as reality returns? We've got a few ideas.

Want to recapture part of your youth? You can, by making leisure time a part of your routine.

Child abductions are making headlines and parents are understandably nervous. And now, there are high-tech methods available for keeping tabs on your children. Should you consider one of these 'kid chip' microtransmitters?

To be healthy, you need to feed all areas of your life. Changing your environment can have lasting good effects on your health, some say.

Supplements are popular among cancer patients, but most people don't discuss them with their doctor have no idea whether there are risks

More than just a leaner and stronger body, yoga offers a path to self-respect and the discipline you need to revamp old eating habits.

Health information on the web is valuable to most people, but for hypochondriacs, it can be too much information. Their condition can worsen into a modern malady called 'cyberchondria.'

Finding meaning key to regaining peace of mind.

As we approach the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks, we could all use some guidance on how to handle the potentially overwhelming feelings this day will inevitably bring. Experts offer their advice...

Sept. 11 Eyewitnesses, 1 Year Later

Road rage, cell phones, inattentive drivers, pollution -- and that's just on a good day.

You can stress and worry, or you can step back, give yourself a break from the daily ups and downs, and calmly wait for the market to correct itself.

You can stress and worry, or you can step back, give yourself a break from the daily ups and downs, and calmly wait for the market to correct itself.

The Gentle Exercise

Does your health insurance cover yoga, chiropractic, and massage? Many insurers are realizing that alternative medicine can have a positive effect on health.

Want to boost your energy, reduce stress, and get relief from headaches and hangovers? Try oxygen bars, say proponents. But the medical community isn't buying it.

People petrified of public toilets can rest assured that the chances of actually catching something are low -- if they follow some simple advice.

Hypnotherapy is entering the mainstream as a means of behavior and pain control. Could it be right for you? Read on.

If diets and exercise just aren't working, you might want to consider hypnotherapy. The technique is proven to help relieve pain and anxiety, and there's evidence that as part of a comprehensive weight loss plan, it also can help people conquer bad eating habits and slim down for good.

By now, you're probably tired of dark, dreary days. If you're holed up at home, feeling low -- take heart. Here's what to do when winter, and the world outside, get you down.

Jobless dot-commers have an alternative to sitting at home and sulking: Many are attending pink-slip parties.

Whether the pressure you feel comes and goes with the holidays, or it is a year-round fixture in your life, one expert strongly advises you to get things under control.

You can be alone for the holidays but not lonely. Find out how to get through the seasons of gatherings.

I'm heading home for the holidays. Though I love my family, the closer the departure date looms, the more anxious I become.

A look at a book that is a guide for patients and their loved ones caught up in the daily struggle of living with cancer.

For people who suffer from chronic pain, meditation may be the first step to recovery.

Your body speaks a chemical language in which hormonesare the key words. Researchers learning to speak this languagesay they soon will find new ways to treat anxiety, depression,addiction, and other mental and emotional problems by using hormones.

Yoga is something that can be practiced during any phase of life, even pregnancy. Furthermore, proponents of the ancient practice say yoga during pregnancy can actually help the woman prepare for childbirth and parenthood by getting her (and dad!) into mental, physical, and spiritual shape -- gently.

The subject of man-made life and artificial intelligence both fascinates and repels us. But when does a smart machine become a thinking creation?

Imagine a device -- permanently implanted in your bodylike a pacemaker -- that controls anxiety by stimulatinga nerve in your neck that leads to your brain. Can thisapproach -- called vagus nerve stimulation -- be a permanentsolution for people who have gone from drug to drug andtherapy to therapy without success?

They may not even know who they are, the citizens of this nation-within-a-nation. They're the offspring of anonymous sperm donors, oftentimes raised without knowing the circumstances of their birth, without knowing the identity -- and medical history -- of their biological father.

Alternative healers say they've developed treatments that can ease the pain of arthritis using your 'chi' -- the life force that flows through the human body.

Alternative healers say they've developed treatments that can ease the pain of arthritis -- without drugs. But to use them you must start thinking in terms of 'chi' -- the Chinese term for a life force that flows through the human body.

Anyone facing a serious medical condition for the first time may recognize an urgent need not only for expert medical advice and treatment, but for support -- from friends, family, acquaintances, and others who have already passed through the furnace of diagnosis and treatment.

Recent bad press aside, practitioners say most of what we've heard about 'rebirthing' is all wrong. Done properly, rebirthing is a gentle, breath-focused form of personal growth, they say, with benefits for those seeking vitality and energy.

Patient, Express Thyself

The brand-new Physician's Desk Reference For Nutritional Supplements is the complete guide to which alternative remedies really work, which don't, and which need more testing. Taken together with the recently published PDR for Herbal Medicines, it's the definitive 'complementary copy'.

Science is beginning to verify advice long given by spiritual leaders and wise moms and dads: Nursing grudges against those who have done you wrong will hurt you worse than it hurts them. New work shows it can contribute to emotional problems and even heart disease. June 17 to 23 is National Forgiveness Week, an ideal time to work at finding it in your heart to save your heart by forgiving those w

Eleven-year-old Ian is one of 60 boys and girls enrolled in amartial arts class for children with cerebral palsy. The goals:to help kids learn to improve their balance and coordination,build self-esteem -- and kick major butt!

Fight back! It's the toughest battle you're likely to fight -- but your odds have never been better.

Think that cigarette is a good way to calm your nerves, that it's just something to keep your hands busy? Better think again. New studies show that smoking actually increases anxiety levels -- especially in young girls -- and can trigger the onset of lifelong panic attacks.

As mainstream medicine begins to subject herbal therapies to the rigors of scientific testing, the mixed results are leaving some consumers confused. As a result, sales have dropped sharply in the past year. Are we witnessing a pendulum swing -- or a fading fad?

Some therapists are going to the dogs -- and the rabbits, cats, and horses -- to reach patients in need.