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Food provides energy and nutrients that are essential for your health. These include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats (called macronutrients), and vitamins and minerals (called micronutrients). Having a balanced diet helps ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans offer guidance on what a balanced diet looks like. These recommendations are based on…, Finding Nutritious Foods, Macronutrients make up the bulk of the [qtip:calories|The amount of energy stored in food.] you eat each day. They provide the nutrients that your body needs to make energy. They also give your cells important building blocks needed for all their different functions, like fighting diseases. Your body needs only small amounts of each micronutrient. But they are critical for healthy development and…, Meeting Your Body’s Needs, Your body still might be able to function when it’s not getting enough of the different macronutrients, says Samantha Adas, a nutritionist at NIH, “but that doesn’t mean it’s optimal.” Proteins are needed for cells to perform critical functions in your body. They’re broken down by your body into amino acids. Amino acids are used by cells to build muscle, skin, and organs; break down toxins; and…, Getting Personal, Our [qtip:genetic|Having to do with genes, the stretches of DNA you inherit from your parents. Genes define characteristics, like how likely you are to get certain diseases.] makeup interacts with our diet and may affect how each person’s body breaks down food. Scientists are now digging deeper to better understand these differences. NIH has launched a precision nutrition study to learn more…

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer. Only about 12% of people with this cancer will be alive five years after treatment. Scientists have been testing ways to get the body’s disease defense system, called the immune system, to fight pancreatic cancer. One research team created personalized vaccines. To do this, they used mRNA—the same approach used to make vaccines for COVID-…

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. It could be because of surgery or cancer treatments. Or maybe they have a blood disorder or have lost a lot of blood. Whatever the reason, there’s always a need for donated blood. Even a single donation can save lives. Blood gives us energy by bringing oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells. It also carries waste products to the liver and…

Ever wonder what it’s like to visit the NIH campus? A new web-based tour lets you “visit” NIH’s headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland with an interactive map and a range of helpful resources. You can make 20 virtual stops. Each stop features interviews with NIH staff and scientists who share information about their work.

Dogs share our homes and environments. They grow up with us and grow old with us. And as they age, dogs tend to get many of the same health problems that we do—conditions like obesity, heart problems, cancer, and mental decline. Most of the [qtip:genes|Stretches of DNA you inherit from your parents that define features, like eye color or your risk for certain diseases.] found in dogs are also…

Most people have felt picked on, put down, or left out by peers at some point in their life. Conflict between children, even friends, can be a normal part of development. But some aggressive behaviors cross the line into bullying. “Bullying is a type of aggression,” says Dr. Jamie Ostrov, a psychologist who studies child development at the University at Buffalo. “But not all aggression is…, A Cycle of Hurt, Kids who are seen as different from their peers in some way are more likely to be the target of bullying behaviors. Being bullied can cause lasting harm. Kids who experience bullying are at higher risk for mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, and for dropping out of school. The reasons why some kids bully others are numerous. Some kids who bully may be dealing with aggression or…, Stepping In, What can you or your kids do if a child is being bullied? For kids who witness bullying, speaking up in the moment can feel risky, says Dr. Michele Ybarra, a child mental health expert at the Center for Innovative Public Health Research. “Kids don’t want to be the next target—that’s a real fear,” she says. But there are other things kids can do if they want to help someone. “If it feels too big,…, Preventing Bullying, Ybarra and Espelage are testing a new anti-bullying program for schools to use. For their study, they’re sending texts about how to handle bullying to kids outside of school hours. “This way, kids get to interact with the content on their phone, on their own, when and where it’s safe for them,” Ybarra explains. The research team is currently testing a nine-week program in a group of middle-school…

A condition called POTS can have a huge impact on a person’s life. People with POTS often feel lightheaded or dizzy when standing up from a lying position. Their heart tends to race. They may even faint. Other symptoms can include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, and trouble thinking. “POTS can be quite debilitating. It can make it hard to do everyday activities, like attending work or…

Brain injuries can arise from hits to the head during contact sports like football or soccer. Repeated brain injuries can lead to a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. CTE is a serious issue for American football players. It can lead to dementia later in life and even premature death. An NIH-funded research team is working to learn which types of head impacts are most risky…

Weather affects where we live, what we do, and when we can do it. It can also impact our health. Temperature extremes, hot or cold, can harm our bodies in different ways. Harsh conditions and storms may lead to other health dangers, too. Over the last few years, wildfires began increasing in frequency and size. Smoke from wildfires contains a mix of complex chemicals, and exposure can cause…

Everyone can play a role in preventing suicide. Help spread the word about how to make a difference. Share these graphics and multimedia messages about the warning signs of suicide and how to get help for someone in crisis.