Millions of Americans use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Young people especially, age 17 and under, have quickly taken up their use: Substantially more young people use e-cigarettes than any other tobacco product, including traditional combustible tobacco cigarettes.

Despite their popularity, little is known about the health effects of e-cigarettes.

When you or a loved one gets sick or injured, going to the right place helps ensure getting the care you need quickly and efficiently. This helpful checklist will help you evaluate whether you should seek attention at an Immediate Care or the Emergency Room.

Gentlemen, it’s probably not going to get better on its own. Speak up about your most personal health concerns.

A physician who specializes in the male reproductive system and urinary tract called a urologist can help provide solutions. If you have urologic health concerns, talk with your doctor about first steps and referrals.

Almost 24 million Americans live with an autoimmune disease—and many of them are women.

Your immune system is your body’s strongest defense against outside attackers, whether these are environmental factors or common bacteria and viruses you pick up from other people. So what happens when it turns on itself?

As people head off for vacation, the one thing that most will take with them is the office. Unwinding and unplugging are not synonymous when work is just one phone call, email or text away.

Technology, which makes connectivity possible in all but the most remote places, is only part of the problem.

Your house is messy, and you feel miserable. Believe it or not, research has shown it’s common to feel this way.

According to a National Sleep Foundation survey, roughly 75 percent of people sleep better when they have clean sheets. Additionally, individuals who live in clean homes are generally healthier than their counterparts living in clutter, according to research conducted at Indiana University.

This year's flu season is already the most widespread on record since health officials began keeping track 13 years ago, and has already caused the deaths of more children than what normally would be expected at this time of the year, federal health officials have said. What can I do to avoid getting sick?

December 3rd through 9th spotlights the importance of Influenza Vaccination and handwashing awareness and staying healthy.

CDC established National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) in 2005 to highlight the importance of continuing flu vaccination through the holiday season and beyond.

You don't have to be a cynic about health risks to doubt the value of lots of chemicals attached to almost everything you use.

A dose of health skepticism is healthy.

Ask the Nurse: Things you should know about Advair

Ask the Nurse: Christine Hammerlund, President of Assured Healthcare Staffing and Nurse

Dear Chris: I am an asthmatic and I take Advair. But I keep reading about issues related to the drug. What should I know to be smarter about the drug? Ellen in Des Plaines.

Diet and exercise aren’t the only factors that positively influence your heart’s well-being.
Here are four unexpected things you can do to promote good heart health.
1. Make time for a laugh.
2. Own a furry friend.
3. Think optimistically.
4. Say “I do.”

Summer heat can increase the risk for heat-related illness like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Learn how to beat the heat and enjoy your summer safely.

What does an "expiration" date on medicine really mean? Is it dangerous if you take it anyway? Less effective?

It turns out that date stamped on the label actually means a lot. It's based on scientific evidence gathered by the manufacturer showing how long the drug's potency lasts.

Who Does Frailty Affect?

About 5 percent to 10 percent of people over age 65 are frail, according to a 2013 article in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA).2 Most are over 80 years old and most are women, partly because women live longer than men. Smoking, depression, long-term medical problems and being underweight seem to increase the likelihood of becoming frail.

People who have reached their later years may think it's primarily a time to relax, not to increase their physical activity. Not so. Previous research has suggested that exercise can improve memory and reverse muscle loss in older adults, among other benefits.

Photo credit: Zing Images/Getty Images

Eating fruits and vegetables has many health benefits.

Fewer than 1 in 7 adults eat the recommended amount of fruits every day.
Fewer than 1 in 10 adults eat the recommended amount of vegetables every day.

A daily meditation practice is one of the very best habits you can establish for yourself. Studies have shown that meditation reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and boosts immunity. It can also help you to let go of negative feelings and give you a more positive outlook without the use of medication. Unfortunately, many people are intimidated by the thought of meditation because they believe it is either difficult to do, overly time consuming or attached to a specific religious belief; all of which are false. Meditation is actually a very healthy practice that will result in less stress, a healthier body and more mental clarity. To reap the benefits to mind, body and spirit, you need only to practice a very basic form of meditation. Try these simple steps for just 10 minutes each morning: