Health Now

It is possible, even during the pandemic -- but not exactly easy. Listen to Laura Downey, executive editor of WebMD Magazine, on how she's challenging herself to get healthier. Then, can 4 seconds of exercise really do you any good? Michael Smith, MD, WebMD's chief medical director, breaks it down. Related: https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/healthier-2021

As experts prepare to approve and distribute vaccines for the coronavirus, what do we know about how well they'll work, how safe they are, and how you can get one? Infectious disease expert Michael Saag, MD, tells us what to expect and shares what he, as a COVID survivor, wants others to know about getting immunized.

Thanksgiving and the winter holidays are almost here. Will you travel or stay home? Gather with loved ones in person or on a screen? Line up for Black Friday deals and go to holiday parties -- or feel lonely if you don't? Plus, how to handle feeling burned out by it all -- and what helps if you'll be seeing someone whose pandemic habits are different from yours. Erin Bromage, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth shares ideas for keeping the season's joys and traditions, while staying safe.

From books to TV shows to podcasts, it seems we can’t get enough of ghost stories, ghost hunters, murder mysteries, and serial killers. We asked psychologist Seth Gillihan just what it is that makes us seek out a good scare. We also talked to WebMD Senior Medical Director Hansa Bhargava about what we can do to keep our kids -- and ourselves -- safe this Halloween.

Your body's natural defenses have never been more important. Can you boost your immune system -- or accidentally hamper it? How does it handle the new coronavirus or other threats -- and how is it also a key to a groundbreaking group of cancer treatments? Listen in as James Crowe, Jr., MD, director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, explains.

Has your love life taken a hit or taken off during the pandemic? Andrea Gunning and Ben Fetterman, hosts of the podcast “Dating Diaries: Questions and Confessions" talk to us about the effects of COVID-19 on the dating process. When do you know if it's time to meet in person? What happens if you get ghosted? We'll also hear from Justin Lehmiller, PhD, a social psychologist and research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, who says we may be in the midst of a sexual revolution.

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on your mental health, you’re definitely not alone -- 1 in 3 U.S. adults reported signs of depression and anxiety in the early months of the crisis. Whether you’re struggling for the first time or you’ve been living with those conditions for years, clinical psychologist Seth Gillihan, PhD, covers how pandemic stress has caused mental and emotional strain for so many and what can help.

The last thing you need during a pandemic is another virus to worry about. But flu season is just around the corner. Listen in as WebMD Chief Medical Director Michael Smith, MD, tells us what we need to do to take care of ourselves as flu season nears. Also, can you really get coronavirus twice -- and are we any closer to herd immunity?

From school to friends, the changes have been drastic. Will resiliency overcome it, and are there things that parents can do to help them make it through this time -- and perhaps even thrive? Listen in as we talk with pediatrician Hansa Bhargava, MD, WebMD Senior Medical Director, and Johns Hopkins University professor Christina Bethell, PhD.

Most people who get the disease recover. But what does recovery feel like, and what does having COVID-19 mean for your health down the road? Michael Saag, MD, has a unique perspective on these questions -- he's an infectious disease expert and a COVID-19 survivor. He shares how he thinks the disease is still affecting him months after his diagnosis and what the pandemic can teach us about future outbreaks.

We’re bringing you a conversation with the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He spoke with WebMD about what’s behind the U.S.’s soaring COVID-19 case numbers, his thoughts on reopening schools, and a bit of optimism about coronavirus vaccines.

Between working, doing chores, and taking charge of kids' education, health, and emotions, parents have been stretched to the breaking point during the COVID-19 pandemic. Laura Markham, PhD, says it's more important than ever for them to find ways to take care of themselves, too. She shares advice on how to handle "mom rage," the prospect of going back to school, and what to think about before you form a quarantine pod. 

With many states in some phase of re-opening, the coronavirus is still around and COVID-19 cases are rising in a lot of places. WebMD’s Chief Medical Editor Michael Smith, MD, shares advice on how to protect yourself and others everywhere from the gym to the nail salon to your next doctor's appointment. And don't miss his suggestions for getting your mindset, habits, and health goals back on track after a long time in quarantine.

The toll is shocking and ever present, from the daily stress of microaggressions to the fear of a violent encounter -- or witnessing one in person or on social media. Listen in as Amani Allen, PhD, MPH, executive associate dean of the UC Berkeley School of Public health, describes the many ways racism burdens health -- and the power in how we respond to that. Related: https://www.webmd.com/coronavirus-in-context/video/jerome-adams (The discussion of racism and health starts at 5:26.)

America is opening back up. With more people heading outdoors or back to work, we thought it was time to get an update on the development of treatments and tests we’ve heard so much about. Infectious disease expert William Schaffner, MD, has the answers, along with insight into what life might be like while we wait for them to hit the market.