Living Well

In the office, they call me "the codger."

It's meant in good humor, but as with most jokes, it carries a bit of truth...

Want a good reason to lose weight in the new year? Shedding pounds will help your sex life.

And I'm not just talking about ­looking more attractive. I'm talking about a way to help combat a common problem that men rarely discuss: erectile dysfunction (ED).

Doc's note: As I learned in medical school... "If you can move, you're alive."

It has stuck with me since. And it's one reason I recommend movement as one of the most powerful ways to improve your health.

It's late December... That means it's time for me to ruin your holidays.

Readers have accused me of putting too much of a damper on the joyful season. That's because I always encourage folks to have the hard discussions while all the family is together. And by hard discussions, I mean end-of-life planning.

Turns out, we're a country of liars.

No, I'm not wading into political waters... I'm referring to the new finding that up to 80% of us lie to our doctors.

If you're like me, you're still hunting for last-minute Christmas gifts.

So we're skipping today's regular Q&A issue... Don't worry, it'll be back next week.

You've likely heard the line, "suicides spike around the holidays."

The truth is, November and December see the fewest suicides year-round.

You're enjoying retirement in your family home. You've worked hard for years to pay off the mortgage and you look forward to staying put.

But what you don't suspect is that something lurking in your basement has been silently killing you for years.

It's about time the FDA finally agreed with me... only 10 years later.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement about my favorite type of oil... olive oil. Oils with high levels of a certain type of fatty acid called oleic acid can now boast about their health claims. In other words, your favorite bottle of olive oil may now carry a statement about heart health. According to the FDA's language, the manufacturers may state that:

For years, heart disease has held its place as Public Enemy No. 1. It's the top killer in the U.S. According to the American Heart Association's annual report, cardiovascular disease kills about 800,000 people each year.

That sounds awful, but rates of heart disease-related deaths have dropped. A new report in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that between 2003 and 2015, deaths from heart disease declined by 28%.