Foot Stools Move Human Stool Along

THURSDAY, Jan. 10, 2019 -- A simple potty stool under your feet might help cure constipation, researchers say.

"These toilet stools became popular through things like viral videos and social media, but there was really no medical evidence to show whether or not they are effective," said researcher Dr. Peter Stanich. He is an assistant professor of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Ohio State University.

More Proof High-Fiber Diets Help Prevent Cancers, Heart Disease

THURSDAY, Jan. 10, 2019 -- A large, new analysis helps confirm that eating lots of grains, vegetables and fruit lowers your risk of dying early from cancer or heart disease.

When compared with those who consume very little fiber, people at the high end of the fiber-eating spectrum saw their risk for dying from heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and/or colon cancer plummet by 16 to 24 percent, investigators reported.

Coming Soon: A Tiny Robot You Swallow to Help You Stay Healthy

THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 -- The future of medicine may be here: Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say they've developed an ingestible capsule that can be monitored outside the body for health data, using Bluetooth wireless technology.

The capsule could deliver drugs as well as sense the condition of its surroundings in the gut, including infections or allergic reactions, the researchers explained.

Could You Have Silent Gallstones?

FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 -- As many as 20 million Americans have gallstones. Most don't have any symptoms, but not all will escape a gallstone attack.

The gallbladder is a small organ in the upper right abdomen. It's a reservoir for bile, the fluid made by the liver to aid digestion. Experts aren't sure why, but gallstones form from imbalances in the substances that make up bile, such as cholesterol. You can have one or hundreds of gallstones, and they can be as small as a grain of sand or the size of a golf ball.