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We each have a unique “healthiest self.” We have different minds, bodies, living situations, and people helping to shape our health and well-being. This page offers science-based health tips in five different areas. Find ways to improve your relationships, emotional and physical well-being, disease defenses, and surroundings.

Huntington’s disease can be devastating. The illness reduces your ability to control your body’s movements. It can also give rise to problems with thinking and memory. It’s caused by changes in one gene, and those changes are passed down from generation to generation. Scientists are looking for ways to lessen the impact of the disease. Huntington’s disease is caused by a gene that makes a protein…

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the U.S. Screening tests can check for signs of breast cancer before symptoms start. If cancer is found early, it increases the chance that it can be treated more effectively. Doctors generally recommend mammogram screening based on a woman’s age. A new study shows that it’s safe for breast cancer screenings to be based on women’s risk…

Home is where we eat, sleep, relax, and spend time with family. It’s where children grow and develop. Because we spend so much time there, scientists say the home is one of the most important places to think about health. Over the past decade, researchers have learned much more about the harms we’re exposed to indoors. They have also learned how to reduce some of these risks. The science has…, Chemicals in Everyday Products, Many everyday products in our homes contain chemicals that can be slowly released into the air or settle into dust over time. These include flame retardants in electronics and furniture, plastic additives, pesticides, dyes in fabrics, and PFAS. PFAS stands for a group of chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. “As building materials have evolved and we’ve shifted to newer…, Air, Dust, and Mold, One key way chemicals move through a home is by attaching to dust. “They’re very sticky,” Stapleton explains. “They’re going to stick to particles that are in the air or in settled dust. So dust becomes a sink for these chemicals.” Dust can especially affect children’s health. Kids spend more time close to the floor. They touch surfaces and often put their hands in their mouths, increasing…, Water Quality, Water quality is another important part of a healthy home. “It’s something that people are consuming frequently and directly, across the lifespan,” says Dr. Abby Fleisch, a pediatrician and environmental health researcher at MaineHealth. Most public water systems in the U.S. are regulated and monitored for some contaminants like lead, arsenic, and pesticides, but not all. Drinking water levels of…, Build a Healthier Home, Experts say that you don’t need to make drastic changes all at once. Small steps, taken over time, can create a healthier home. Fleisch points to an encouraging finding from her own NIH-supported research. In a large study, she looked at adults at risk for diabetes. People with higher PFAS levels were more likely to gain weight and develop high cholesterol or diabetes over time. But people who…

A new study showed that a blood test can estimate when someone will begin to show Alzheimer’s symptoms. This could help researchers better design approaches to prevent or treat symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. It’s the most common form of dementia. There is no cure, but there are treatments. People with Alzheimer’s disease have…