The vine Banisteriopsis caapi is one ingredient in ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew that Amazonian indigenous populations have long used for spiritual purposes.

There are two ways of tackling chronic lifestyle diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes: discover new drugs and treatments or persuade people to make positive lifestyle changes to avoid developing them in the first place.

As you pack your bags for the cottage or campground this weekend, don’t forget to bring light clothes with long sleeves — and a truckload or two of insect repellent.

Life surrounds us with teachers, if we are but willing to learn. Actually, everyone and everything in our life is our teacher -- they teach by example of something we'd like to attain or something we'd like to abandon. One of my greatest teachers has been my dog, Angel.

Acupuncture is a form of traditional medical therapy that originated in China several thousand years ago. Perhaps, they stumbled on an effective medical approach.

Dogs’ ancestors in the Americas likely came from Siberia, according to a new study. The study also suggests that these early dog populations almost totally disappeared, but left future generations a cancerous tumor that is still found in their canine descendants today.

Since Richard Nixon famously called for an ‘all-out offensive’ on the war on drugs in 1971, the US government has funnelled a trillion dollars into the effort.

Many people forget that our gardens can be important havens for wildlife. But with ponds drying up, amphibians are losing out.

There’s only one thing better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning: a new research paper telling you your daily habit is good for your health. Headlines presented the good news from the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Researchers have identified the electrical activity specific to the start of migraines and demonstrated a way to stop it in animal experiments.

When the warmer weather strikes, our gardens and outdoor spaces become a perfect oasis for rest and relaxation. But as nice as the hot weather might be, extreme conditions and record-breaking temperatures can wreak havoc on your plants.

A visit to family in Glasgow for Christmas in 2015 nearly had a tragic ending for me. Two days earlier I had been repairing the lock on my garden gate, when I scratched my hand on a nail. By the time I arrived in Glasgow I was feeling unwell. Twenty-four hours later I was in University Hospital Hairmyres in a coma.

People with autoimmune disorders, a collection of diseases where the body’s immune system attacks its own cells, are more likely to have psychosis, according to our latest research.

Unnecessary antibiotics expose individual children to potential side effects, including diarrhoea, vomiting, rashes and allergic reactions.

At a hearing on Capitol Hill earlier this year, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander asked an important question: Why is most of the treatment for opioid addiction more opioids?

Knowing what makes up a healthy diet can be really confusing. New fads and fast fixes appear weekly

People are willing to pay a premium for energy-efficient homes, according to new research.

What is the best way to help people who have dementia? Many interventions are aimed at enabling them to retain self-defining memories and beliefs.

Updated blood pressure guidelines from the American Heart Association mean that many more Americans, notably older people, are now diagnosed with high blood pressure, or hypertension.

For some, jumping on the scales is a daily or weekly ritual; while others haven’t seen a set of scales for years.