Your calves are your “second heart”—neglect them, and the result can be deadly.

Doctors warn that weak calf muscles cause stagnant blood flow, fueling clots, deep vein thrombosis, and even fatal pulmonary embolisms.

Every step you don’t take forces your veins to fight gravity alone, raising the silent danger inside your body.

And the one-minute fix that protects this hidden heart? Almost no one is doing it.

🧵 THREAD When we think of the cardiovascular system, the heart usually gets the credit for keeping the blood running through the 60,000 miles of vessels in the body.

However, behind the scenes, our calf muscles are also constantly contracting to return our blood flow upward, working against gravity, leading some experts to label the calf pump our “second heart.”

Millions Taking Ibuprofen May Be at Serious Risk, Studies Show

Before you take your next dose, make sure you’re not in the danger zone.

For these five groups of people, ibuprofen poses serious health risks that outweigh potential benefits.

🧵 THREAD Popping an ibuprofen for that pounding headache or twisted ankle can provide quick relief from pain.

But although this easily accessible over-the-counter drug could temporarily mask discomfort and sometimes eliminate pain, experts say it does little to spur true healing.

The 3,000-Year-Old Secret Weapon for Anxiety, Inflammation, and Modern Mayhem

You’ve smelled it at church. Maybe even at yoga.

Now scientists are studying it for cancer, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, and irritable bowel—which, let’s be honest, covers most of the Western world over 35.

Turns out, frankincense isn’t just incense. It’s medicine.

🧵 THREAD If you’ve never heard of Boswellia, don’t worry, you’ve definitely sniffed it. Or wafted it. Or had a minor spiritual epiphany while someone burned it at a yoga class that you regretted taking halfway through.

Boswellia is the tree behind frankincense, which is surprisingly relevant to your inflamed joints, anxious brain, or slightly dodgy bowel.

This squat little tree is found in dry, dramatic places like Oman, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The tree oozes a resin when cut, like sap.

People have been scraping, sniffing, and slathering this stuff on everything from bruises to bad moods for thousands of years. And I do mean everything.

The ancient Egyptians called it the “tears of Horus” (emotional much?) and used it in embalming and in incense burned during religious rituals. The Greeks burned it in temples. The Romans traded it like it was sandalwood-scented Bitcoin.

By the time the Wise Men were loading it onto a camel for a celestial baby shower, Boswellia resin was worth more than gold.

But here’s where it gets juicy.

Chagas disease is the silent killer no one is talking about.

UCLA doctors warn the parasite spread by “kissing bugs” can cause sudden death—or slowly destroy the heart over a lifetime.

The CDC reports that even common symptoms like fever or fatigue may hide a fatal infection.

With 45,000 cases in Los Angeles alone, why isn’t this national health crisis on every front page?

🧵 THREAD Chagas disease, an illness transmitted by “kissing bugs,” is now considered endemic in the United States, the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA) said in a Sept. 2 post, citing a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Do Doctors Make Money Off Vaccines? A Look at Incentives and Bonus Structures

From $10 for a COVID shot to $400 for a child’s vaccine package, insurers pay doctors to push compliance.

Across an entire practice, those payouts balloon into the millions.

Critics warn this has turned pediatric care into a cash-for-shots pipeline hiding in plain sight.

🧵 THREAD “Doctors are being paid to vaccinate, not to evaluate,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a recent video. “They’re pressured to follow the money, not the science.”

Doctors administer dozens of vaccines to many children in the United States. Adults are also advised to receive multiple shots.

Here’s what to know about vaccines and payments.

One woman found a $7 weight loss secret hiding in plain sight at the grocery store.

Donna lost 74 pounds—and says she never feels hungry anymore.

It works on the same pathway as Ozempic, without the side effects… or the $1,000/month price tag.

This rare sugar could be the best-kept secret in metabolic health.

🧵 THREAD Donna began using allulose as she had once used sugar, including in treats such as brownies and pumpkin muffins. Looking back, she said, finding allulose was key.

“It’s the main thing I’ve done differently compared to other low-carb diets,” she told The Epoch Times.

Semaglutide and other new GLP-1 medications have been dominating the weight loss industry, offering appetite suppression and improved blood sugar control. At roughly $1,000 per month before insurance, they are beyond reach for many people. For others, it’s the side effects of these drugs that have them searching for natural alternatives.

Enter allulose—a zero-calorie, rare sugar that stimulates the same GLP-1 hormone, although to a more modest extent than the drugs, and provides mild metabolic benefits.

Major Colonoscopy Study Reveals Surprising Result

Doctors long said colonoscopies prevent cancer. Every year, 15 million Americans get screened.

But what this study uncovered might make you think twice before you step into that exam room.

🧵 THREAD Although many view a colonoscopy as an uncomfortable or even scary procedure, around 15 million of them are carried out annually in the United States, and 60.6 percent of people aged 50 to 75 without a personal history of colorectal cancer have had one in the past 10 years.

It’s believed that a colonoscopy not only helps find cancer but also prevents cancer from developing from polyps.

Because of its high level of sensitivity and specificity, colonoscopies have been regarded as the gold standard for colon cancer screenings for a long time.

Noise isn’t just irritating—it can slowly kill you.

Even the low hum of an office can hijack your stress response, damaging blood vessels and raising the risk of hypertension, stroke, and premature death.

But the antidote is hiding in plain sight: silence. Scientists say it can heal your heart, sharpen your mind, and even rewire your brain.

🧵 THREAD In 2006, Dr. Luciano Bernardi, professor of internal medicine at Italy’s University of Pavia and an enthusiastic amateur musician, designed an experiment to study the effects of music on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of his participants.

Bernardi randomly ordered six types of music and inserted two-minute “pauses” of silence to bring the subjects back to baseline—a control point for experiments.

Yet contrary to his expectations, when the subjects listened to these pauses, they didn’t return to baseline at all—instead, they relaxed.

You’ve been eating bananas wrong your whole life.

The one that tastes the worst might actually be the best for your health.

The riper it gets, the more sugar it contains—and the less it supports your gut.

But here’s the twist: that brown-spotted banana?
It might be exactly what your body needs when you’re sick.

🧵 THREAD Bananas are incredibly popular and are officially the most eaten fruit worldwide. But which banana is better for us—one that is still green, a ripe one, or one that’s beginning to turn brown?

While naturally rich in essential nutrients, their health benefits can vary depending on how ripe they are. Understanding the differences can help you choose the type of banana that is right for you: green, yellow, or yellow with brown spots.

“We all know that bananas ripen over time, but the actual process is fascinating.” Rachel Gargano, chief registered dietitian at Live it Up, told The Epoch Times via email. “Ripening is genetically programmed and includes biochemical and physiological changes, which result in the transformation in taste, texture, and smell that we’re so familiar with.”

If you’re not dreaming, your brain is trying to tell you something.

Most people miss this warning.

Dreams are vital for emotional balance, memory, and mental resilience.

When they disappear, it’s often the first sign something deeper is wrong.

🧵 THREAD Celeste was an athletic young woman, active and engaged in a busy and, at times, stressful professional life. When the day was done, she slept like a log. However, she rarely dreamed.

While competent at her job, she started to feel increasingly numb when work became more stressful. At times, she might find it tough to relate to others or feel like life was on a conveyor belt—happening around her while she rode along—a somewhat detached observer. I wish I could have told Celeste in the past what I’m about to share with you now.

Your sleep isn’t just about how tired you feel—it’s about how your brain regulates itself overnight. While you may have heard about the importance of “deep sleep,” there’s more to the story.

The Unexpected Alzheimer’s Breakthrough

A common preservative may succeed where billion-dollar Alzheimer’s drugs have failed.

Cheap, safe, and remarkably practical.

With Alzheimer’s now the sixth-leading cause of death, could the solution really be this simple?

🧵 THREAD A food preservative used in sodas and thousands of other products may help improve memory and thinking skills in people with Alzheimer’s disease, raising the possibility that an inexpensive household chemical could help combat the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death.

A recent analysis of clinical trial data from 149 people with mild Alzheimer’s disease found that taking sodium benzoate daily for 24 weeks was linked to better thinking skills and lower levels of abnormal proteins in the blood—one of the disease’s hallmarks.

Major Study Finds Multivitamin Users Die Sooner

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

People who took multivitamins had healthier lifestyles—exercised more and smoked less.

Yet despite all that, they died sooner.

These overlooked factors could explain why.

🧵 THREAD While nearly one in three Americans takes a daily multivitamin, a large study challenges the belief that these supplements improve health or promote longevity.

theepochtimes.com/health/large-s…

This 10-second habit could save your brain.

A 28-year study found that half a tablespoon of olive oil a day significantly lowered the risk of dying from dementia.

No side effects or prescriptions. Just one small change with big impact.

But not all olive oil works—here’s what you need to know to make it count.

🧵 THREAD For thousands of years, Mediterranean cultures have treasured olive oil—not just as a culinary staple, but also as a symbol of health and longevity.

Ancient Greek physicians like Hippocrates praised it for its healing powers.

Today, modern research is catching up, revealing that olive oil—especially the extra virgin kind—may play an important role in protecting your brain from decline well into old age.

So what exactly makes this golden liquid so special, and how can it help you stay mentally sharp?

How One Pantry Staple Helps Fight Acid, Inflammation, and Disease

Research shows baking soda doesn’t just ease heartburn—it may slow kidney disease and extend survival in patients with organ failure.

Doctors are now asking: could one of the cheapest remedies on earth rival prescription drugs in protecting kidney health?

🧵 THREAD Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a staple ingredient in kitchens everywhere, but its uses extend far beyond baking.

Our bodies use it to help regulate their delicate acid-alkaline balance. This balance is vital to many processes essential to life.

theepochtimes.com/health/balanci…

Could a single vitamin really slow down how fast you age?

A major new study found that taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily may help slow cellular aging.

It works deep inside your DNA—where even small shifts can alter your risk for Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease.

But one top scientist issued a serious warning: the benefit may come with an unexpected cost.

🧵 THREAD Every morning, millions of people take a vitamin D supplement, thinking mostly about stronger bones and a healthier immune system.

However, quietly, at the cellular level, something else may be happening—something that could change how we think about aging.

A long-running study recently found that people who took daily vitamin D supplements for four years had slightly less shortening of their telomeres—a marker linked to cellular aging—than those who didn’t.

Scientists Uncover Hidden Cancer Risk in Tattoos

A new study found a troubling link.

The most alarming part wasn’t how many tattoos a person had…

It was what happened after they tried to erase the ink.

🧵 THREAD “I got tattooed during a time in my life when I wasn’t fully informed about what was going into my body or what I was allowing onto my skin. Back then, it was about art, self-expression, and creative identity,” Ellie Grey, an author, wrote on Facebook.

“Today, I see it differently. Tattoos are not harmless.”

Like Grey, many people choose to get tattoos as self-expression, acts of remembrance, or to signify transformation. But even when the meaning runs deep, tattoos can have consequences—some only now coming to light.

There’s a hidden virus inside nearly every adult that can strike decades later.

If you had chickenpox, it never left your body—and for 1 in 3 people, it comes back as shingles.

What begins as tingling or burning can escalate into blindness, facial paralysis, or years of unrelenting nerve pain.

Now studies show COVID-19, vaccines, stress, and even poor sleep can set it off.

The warning signs are there—how long can your body keep this virus asleep?

🧵 THREAD If you’ve ever had chickenpox, you’re in good company—about 98 percent of adults in the United States share this experience.

However, what many people don’t realize is that the virus responsible for chickenpox never truly leaves the body. Instead, it stays dormant in the nervous system, and for roughly 1 in 3 people, it can reactivate later in life as shingles.

Shingles, medically known as herpes zoster, affects more than 1 million people in America each year. Cases have increased more than fourfold over the past 60 years.

Anyone who has had chickenpox can later develop shingles, but the risk increases with age as the immune system naturally weakens. Recognizing the early signs and understanding different lifestyle choices can help you better manage the disease.

Most People Use Turmeric Wrong: How to Activate Its Full Benefits

Adding turmeric to your diet? Smart move.

But the real magic only happens when you pair it with one common spice—and a little fat.

Without that combo, turmeric barely works. It’s like sprinkling dust on your food.

This might be the best-kept secret in your kitchen.

🧵 THREAD If you’ve cut salt, eased up on caffeine, and tried to stress less, and your blood pressure still won’t budge, perhaps a golden spice in your kitchen cabinet can ease your efforts.

Curcumin is found in the root of the turmeric plant, giving it its distinctive golden hue and earthy flavor. It belongs to a group of plant-based substances called polyphenols, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

These effects may help explain why curcumin—turmeric’s most active compound—is being studied for its potential to support healthy blood pressure.

12 Ways to Activate the Most Powerful Nerve in Your Body

Did you know there’s one nerve in your body that can calm anxiety, clear brain fog, ease chronic stress, and bring your entire system back into balance?

It’s called the vagus nerve—and it’s your body’s built-in secret reset button.

These 12 simple techniques can activate your vagus nerve—and help you feel better fast.

🧵 THREAD The vagus nerve can be stimulated in many different ways, from medical intervention to simple, natural techniques you can try at home for free.

Previously, we shared how stimulating the vagus nerve can help support mental and brain health and even benefit conditions such as autism and certain autoimmune diseases.

So, how exactly do you stimulate the vagus nerve?

Finding the technique that works best for you can be an important step in experiencing the calming and healing effects.

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs: What You’re Not Being Told

You’ve heard it for years: lower your cholesterol, protect your heart.

But what if that advice left out something important?

A massive 10-year study tracking over 12 million people found that when cholesterol drops below a certain point the risk of death actually goes up.

🧵 THREAD Can lowering cholesterol levels reduce the risk of heart disease? Is it worth taking statins to lower cholesterol?

Cai Kaizhou, president of Taiwan Natural Orthopedics Institute and attending physician of the Department of Orthopedics at National Taiwan University Hospital, recently spoke about the cholesterol myth in NTDTV’s Health 1+1 program and revealed the real key to cardiovascular health.

Foods That Lower Tinnitus Risk—and Those That Trigger It

If you’ve ever heard ringing in your ears when everything is quiet… you’re not alone.

Tinnitus doesn’t just mess with your hearing—it can wreck your focus, sleep, and even mental health.

A major new study just found diet plays a bigger role than anyone thought.

🧵 THREAD Tinnitus, ringing or buzzing in the ears, affects about 14 percent of adults, with 2 percent experiencing a severe form.

The condition is associated with stress and depression and significantly affects quality of life. In severe cases, it can lead to suicide.

Recent research investigated the links between various food groups and tinnitus and found that certain healthy foods, such as fruits and those containing fiber, may reduce the risk.

Nondietary lifestyle factors may also contribute.