Nick Cannon has Lupus nephritis, which happens when lupus autoantibodies attack the kidney. Susan Lucci had two severely blocked arteries opened by stents. Tom Hanks has Type 2 diabetes. They'...

Nick Cannon has Lupus nephritis, which happens when lupus autoantibodies attack the kidney. Susan Lucci had two severely blocked arteries opened by stents. Tom Hanks has Type 2 diabetes. They're not alone. One in four U.S. adults has chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD), atherosclerotic CVD or heart failure, and/or Type 2 diabetes.

That's the finding of a study that looked at more than 9,000 folks age 20 and older. Chronic kidney disease and Type 2 diabetes affected 3.2% of those studied; CVD and kidney disease showed up in 2.1% and CVD and Type 2 diabetes in 1.9%. And those numbers increased dramatically when the researchers looked at people age 65 and older! Almost 60% had at least one of those conditions, 24.5% had two or more. The combo of CVD and kidney problems was the most common.

These statistics sound a couple of messages loud and clear. 1. If you're age 20 to 65 and have any of these conditions, act now to control or reverse them. A lifestyle upgrade, including daily stress management and exercise, frequent strength-building workouts, a plant-based diet, control of blood pressure and blood glucose, and no smoking or vaping, as well as medication if needed, can change your future. 2. If you are age 65 or older, get aggressive about controlling or reversing these conditions. Work with your doctors, an exercise physiologist, nutritionist and a diabetes educator. No matter what your age, your best steps are outlined in my book "The Great Age Reboot." You can live younger longer starting today.

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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

LeBron James tries to stick with the advice that he got from his friend Warren Buffet: "Always follow your gut. When you have that gut feeling, you have to go with it, don't go back on it...

LeBron James tries to stick with the advice that he got from his friend Warren Buffet: "Always follow your gut. When you have that gut feeling, you have to go with it, don't go back on it."

Researchers from the University of Oxford suggest that LeBron's gut instincts -- and his gut microbiome -- can benefit from Buffet's friendship. These researchers found that friendships often improve the healthy balance of bacteria and other microbes that live in the intestinal tract -- either through stress reduction or by social sharing of microbes with those near and dear. At least that's how it works for some primates! Their study, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, found that, in monkeys, friendships improve their gut health and improved gut health boosts their capacity for friendships. Win, win!

The benefits are far-reaching. A healthier gut improves immune strength and emotional well-being (the microbes directly influence brain function), and helps you dodge Type 2 diabetes and dementia. But, the researchers fear, humans' increasingly virtual interactions are robbing us of our chance to have friendships make us healthier and happier. They suggest that when we humans (we are primates) substitute online interactions for real-life ones, we're missing out on the microbial support that physical interaction with friends provides.

So, hang out with friends (who are vaccinated and boosted). If you're feeling disconnected, volunteer for in-person charitable activities; join a walking club. When you get that gut feeling that you've really connected with another person, your guts, immune and cardiovascular systems -- even your brain -- will thank you!

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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

The New York Jets' Joe Namath addressed his alcohol use disorder (AUD) in his autobiography, saying life after professional football left him feeling unmoored. Green Bay's Brett Favre, so...

The New York Jets' Joe Namath addressed his alcohol use disorder (AUD) in his autobiography, saying life after professional football left him feeling unmoored. Green Bay's Brett Favre, sober since 1998, also struggled mightily with it (and drug dependency). Their stories of battling excessive alcohol consumption are repeated by millions of Americans annually -- many with far less happy outcomes than those enjoyed by these finally clear-headed super-athletes.

A study in JAMA Network Open reveals that 20% to 25% of all deaths in Americans ages 20 to 49 were alcohol-related in the years 2015-2019. Overall, about 12.5% of deaths in Americans ages 20-64 resulted from injuries or illness caused by excessive alcohol use. And that was pre-pandemic! Data show that in the past couple of years excessive drinking (such as binge drinking) increased by 21%.

When excessive drinking doesn't lead to death in the short term, it can still trigger serious health problems. Another study shows moderate to heavy drinking (5.3 ounces a week) for two years when you're in your 20s and early 30s increases your risk for a stroke in the next five years.

Luckily, mocktails are trending. One survey found that 83% of L.A. bar managers say no-proof drinking is increasingly popular. At home, you can enjoy recipes like Grape Escape (in my "What to Eat When Cookbook") and you'll find hundreds of other tasty concoctions by searching on Google for "mocktail recipes" (13,000,000 responses!). Most important: If you're struggling with AUD, reach out to SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.