Got an aging relative in an assisted-living or long-term care facility? The best thing you can bring on your next visit might well be a houseplant. And a watering can. And a little extra potting soil.

For years, vitamin C has been the supplement of choice for battling the common cold. Now new research suggests another vitamin may be far more effective at warding off the season’s sniffles and sneezes.

High carb, low fat, low carb, high protein–for years dieters and diet books have debated the relative benefits of different weight loss regimens. A new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine settles the argument decisively.

These days, schools and school kids need all the help they can get. Most older Americans need to be more physically active. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine demonstrate that an innovative program called Experience Corps can meet both needs–with generous benefits to spare.

The ten members of the Ms.Fits, competing in Live Healthy Iowa, clocked in 62 hours of activity this week, their best results so far. Four of the members lost a pound each during the week (one gained two, a reminder of how tough losing weight can be for some people). If it’s any consolation, physical activity offers plenty of benefits even if you don’t drop any weight. Teams representing the University of Iowa, including the Ms.Fits, now lead the State University Challenge. In all, the U of I team members have …

Restaurants aren’t the only places guilty of portion creep. Follow the recipes for a home-cooked meal in the latest version of America’s favorite cookbook and you may find yourself serving up more calories than ever before.

These days, $1 billion dollars can seem like a drop in the bucket. Still, health officials have good reason to applaud one small piece of the $787 billion economic stimulus bill signed by President Obama that sets aside $1.1 billion for studies designed to identify the safest and most effective treatments for specific conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, neck pain, or diabetes.

In our view, it will be money well spent.

Getting just the right dose of the blood-thinning drug warfarin is tricky. The appropriate amount can very as much as 10-fold among different people, and taking too little or too much is dangerous. In a demonstration of the power of personalized medicine, new evidence shows that genetic testing can help doctors prescribe the drug more accurately.

What’s that you say? Antioxidant vitamins may protect against what?

Do dreams reveal hidden truths or provide glimpses into the future? A surprisingly large percentage of people from cultures around the world say the answer is yes.