When "Star Trek's" 7 declared, "Resistance is futile," she was telling the Borg's adversaries there was no way to escape the collective hive mind. That's nonsense...

When "Star Trek's" 7 declared, "Resistance is futile," she was telling the Borg's adversaries there was no way to escape the collective hive mind. That's nonsense. It just takes the right band of resistance-fighters, say, from the Starship Enterprise, to find a way to preserve an individual's health and well-being.

Here on planet Earth, resistance bands are much easier to enlist in your quest for better health. They're simple pieces of elastic of various lengths. They can be flat and wide or come as tubing -- with or without handles. Often color-coded from light to dark to indicate increased resistance, they facilitate two beneficial activities: stretching and strength building.

For stretching, they help you reach and hold positions that extend your legs, arms, hips and shoulders, loosening tight muscles and tendons, promoting flow of your lymphatic system, and improving blood flow throughout your muscles. That primes you for muscle building.

For strength building, the bands allow you to determine how much effort you want to expend. The great news is that you can achieve significant results using moderate resistance with excellent form and going to the point of near exhaustion. Your goal is to use bands that get you to near exhaustion with three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions per exercise. Five easy-to-do ones are available at health.clevelandclinic.org; search for "should you try resistance bands."

The rewards of using resistance bands are increased flexibility and strength, improved balance, reduced lower-back pain, and lower blood pressure, blood lipid and glucose levels (increased muscle mass boosts metabolic processes). Irresistible, for sure!

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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." Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at question@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

In "Sleeping Beauty," a princess is cursed to sleep for 100 years, until she is awakened by a handsome prince. If you have insomnia, you may think you'd enjoy getting knocked out lik...

In "Sleeping Beauty," a princess is cursed to sleep for 100 years, until she is awakened by a handsome prince. If you have insomnia, you may think you'd enjoy getting knocked out like that, but opting for a diet that helps promote a good night's rest is a smarter option.

Quality sleep tamps down inflammation, promotes heart health and better cognition, and helps regulate blood sugar. And for folks who have sleep apnea and insomnia -- well, it's vital. A new study published in European Respiratory Journal tracked folks over 15 years and found that people who have both insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea were almost 50% more likely to die over that time period than folks without either condition.

So, what foods promote a good night's sleep? Pumpkin, chia seeds and almonds deliver magnesium -- which is thought to help regulate your body's timekeeping system. Beans, leafy greens, avocados and bananas are rich in potassium, which helps improve sleep quality, according to the Sleep Foundation. Other smart bites include foods that provide melatonin or precursors to melatonin, such as tart cherries, walnuts and pistachios. Melatonin helps with the timing of your circadian rhythm (24-hour internal clock) and with sleep.

While you're at it: Don't eat foods that crank up insomnia, such as those with added sugars, ultraprocessed foods and red meat. One study found that folks who eat 4.5 ounces of red meat a day get around two hours less sleep a night, and the sleep they do get is poorer quality than that of non-meat-eaters.

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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. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

The boar's bristle toothbrush was invented in China in 1498. Stiff coarse hairs from a hog's neck were used to clean teeth until 1938, when nylon bristles were introduced as Doctor West&a...

The boar's bristle toothbrush was invented in China in 1498. Stiff coarse hairs from a hog's neck were used to clean teeth until 1938, when nylon bristles were introduced as Doctor West's Miracle Toothbrush. Floss was mass marketed much earlier -- Johnson & Johnson first sold dental floss in 1896.

Despite a long history of teeth- and gum-saving products being available, around 40% of adults age 30 and up in the U.S. have periodontitis -- advanced gum disease that is associated with stroke, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, dementia and problems in pregnancy. Now research in the journal BMJ Open has found that over the course of around three years, folks who are diagnosed with periodontal disease are also at a 37% increased risk of developing anxiety, a 29% increase in depression risk and significant increased risk of other serious mental illnesses.

On top of that, their risk of developing cardiovascular disease goes up 18%, and the risk for Type 2 diabetes rockets up by 26%, and the risk of developing autoimmune disease was increased by 33%.

Clearly, to protect your mental and physical health you need to brush two to three times a day, floss daily and see your dentists for checkups and cleanings as recommended (minimum twice a year). Psst! Don't use coated floss -- it may have PFAs on it, those carcinogenic chemicals that have been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, decreased semen quality and ulcerative colitis in adults and thyroid disease and lowered sex and growth hormones in children.

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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. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.