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Uncredited/AP An undated picture of Sanaz Nezami, a native of Tehran, Iran, was the victim of a fatal beating by her husband in early December. A nurse in a Michigan hospital kissed the patient’s forehead. More than 6,000 miles away, Sanaz Nezami’s family in Iran watched the simple act over a laptop computer and wept. Nezami, a vibrant 27-year-old woman ...

JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS New Year’s Day will bring a fresh test for President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul, as hundreds of thousands of Americans will begin to use the program’s new medical coverage for the first time. WASHINGTON — The White House claimed a small Obamacare victory Tuesday with signups surpassing 2 million at year’s end. The figure falls short of the ...

Mount Sinai Dr. Mary Sano (right) and a Mount Sinai research team found patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s can benefit from taking vitamin E. There’s still no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but the latest hope for slowing its progression is already on drugstore shelves. Vitamin E shows promise in delaying functional decline by up to 19% per year ...

f-f-f-f /shutterstock.com Like many New Year’s resolutions, a once-a-year vow to quit smoking is rarely effective. Most people relapse within a month, according to the nonprofit health organization Monday Campaigns. If you’re like millions of people around the globe, quitting smoking tops your New Year’s resolution list. But experts say that rather than trying to quit once a year, which ...

Volodymyr Goinyk/shutterstock.com A few too many drinks? Scientists offer their best bets on curbing hangover misery. From burned toast to raw eggs, there is no shortage of “hangover cures” to fix what ails you. Here’s the science behind the best remedy for your pounding head and queasy stomach. Chinese researchers suggest chugging a Sprite the morning after. Or if you ...

Shutterstock A new study suggests that the antioxidant power of cranberries may extend life. A new study finds that cranberries have antioxidant properties that may prolong your life. In new research to be published in the February 2014 issue of Experimental Gerontology, scientists have found that eating cranberries can extend your life significantly. The caveat: the study was conducted on ...

THE SPECIALIST: Dr. Taraneh Shirazian The director of global women’s health at Mount Sinai, Taraneh Shirazian is a minimally-invasive gynecologic surgeon who specializes in problems like fibroids, endometriosis and pelvic pain. She also runs a nonprofit, Saving Mothers, that provides education and training for local health-care providers around the world. WHO’S AT RISK Although on average women worldwide live four ...

TPG/Getty Images Martial arts superstar Jet Li has gained weight from medication to battle a hyperactive thyroid, but says he’ll beat it: ‘ I’m not a hero. I’m just like you.’ HONG KONG — Jet Li says he’s being treated for an overactive thyroid, but he’s determined to fight the condition head-on. The Chinese action star known for his kung ...

Shutterstock Scientists say that toys can harbor cold germs for weeks or even months. Prior research has already concluded that two common bacteria that cause colds, ear infections, and strep throat don’t often live for long outside the human body, but a new study finds that they can linger a lot longer than previously thought. Your best defense? Well-scrubbed hands. ...

CHINA STRINGER NETWORK/REUTERS A Chinese patient, known as ‘Elephant Man’ because of the horrific tumors that deform his face, underwent surgery on Wednesday. Here, Huang Chuncai before the operation. On Christmas day, a Chinese patient known as “Elephant Man” underwent another surgery to remove some of the unsightly layers of tumors that have deformed his face for decades. Doctors removed ...