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… Differences in disease rates across the country are striking. People living in rural areas develop lung … factors, stress, physical and cultural environment, biological factors, diet, and behavior. NIH is funding research looking at ways to reduce health disparities. One area of focus is expanding …

… People with this disease have an abnormal type of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying molecule in red blood cells. Normally, red blood cells are flexible and shaped like a disc. But the … supply to any organ in the body,” explains Dr. Swee Lay Thein, a blood disorder expert at NIH. Most people with sickle cell disease used to die before reaching adulthood. But with modern … features, like your risk for certain diseases.] that causes the disease. “I think treatment is going to look very different in the next 20 years,” says Dr. Allison King, an expert on sickle …

… who have greater social support tend to be more physically active,” says Dr. Elise Rice, an NIH expert in behavioral and social science. “There are many different types of social support.” Social … Merrier … Social support can make physical activity more fun and inviting. And being active is an important goal for just about everyone. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of …

… for hints of disease,” says Dr. Lori Minasian, who helps oversee cancer prevention research at NIH. Blood tests can help your health care provider diagnose diseases. They can also help them … carry out daily activities.], and other deadly diseases. … Tracking Cancer … Like normal cells in the body, cancer cells also come into regular contact with blood. This means that substances … types, has huge potential,” says Minasian. The usefulness of blood tests for cancer screening is still in the early research stages. Right now, there’s limited evidence for any …

… and spreading. Cancer cells can also break away from their original location and settle in other parts of the body. When this happens, it’s called metastatic cancer, or metastasis. This is sometimes called stage 4 or stage IV cancer. When cancer migrates to other organs, it can … cancer and not bone cancer,” says Dr. Rosandra Kaplan, a physician and cancer researcher at NIH. “So a patient with cancer may have bone pain or feel a lump somewhere else. But it doesn’t …

… Hot flashes. Trouble sleeping. Sudden changes in mood. Problems with your bladder. Pain during sex. These are all common but uncomfortable … a period in 12 months, she can say she’s entered menopause. But for many women this transition is less clear. “Around one in eight women enter menopause because of a medical intervention, like … having their ovaries removed surgically,” says Dr. Sarah Temkin, a women’s health expert at NIH. If this happens, they enter menopause suddenly, with no transition. The bothersome symptoms …

… Getting a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is devastating. ALS causes your muscles to weaken over time and eventually leads to death. It’s … an ALS expert at the Barrow Neurological Institute. “Motor neurons connect to every muscle in your body and control muscle movement. So if these cells are no longer there, the muscles … of ALS was discovered nearly 30 years ago, with a gene called SOD1,” says Dr. Michael Ward, an NIH neurologist and genetics researcher. “Now, there are over 50 different genes that the …

… and daily activities. The team found that physical activity improved people’s moods later in the day. The effect was even larger for those with bipolar disorder, a mood disorder that has … complex interactions better,” says Dr. Kathleen Merikangas, a mental health researcher at NIH. …

… Sleep is important for your physical and mental health. A lack of quality sleep increases your risk for … stay awake during the day and sleep at night. But you can also be exposed to light at night in many ways, such as a room light, streetlight, television, or mobile device. That may disrupt … have been the most commonly cited factors to explain the continuing rise in obesity,” says NIH researcher Dr. Yong-Moon (Mark) Park. …

… Peanut is one of the most common food allergies. Some studies show oral immunotherapy (OIT) can prevent … carried out a three-year study with 120 people with peanut allergy. Participants ranged in age from 7 to 55. After two years, most people (83%) given peanut OIT were able to eat peanut … with more research, blood tests can help us predict who may respond to OIT treatment,” says NIH researcher Dr. Alkis Togias. Researchers continue to study and develop ways to prevent and …