CNN Health

Doctors have long known that systolic blood pressure below 120 was considered normal and meant a lower risk of heart disease and kidney problems. But they would often only treat patients if that top number crept above 140, the threshold for officially having high blood pressure.

They grow up to one meter in length and kill their prey using injections of venom.

Pesticide use in homes may increase the risk of children developing leukemia or lymphoma, a new report suggests.

Thank an ancient squirrel, climate change and French scientists for the new discovery of an ancient virus, Mollivirus sibericum, that sounds like it could launch a creepy movie.

Look at the fitness section of any magazine rack and you'll find men's publications splashed with words like "get more" and "gain" and "build," while women's magazines feature directives like "fix" and "slim" and "lose" and "tone." Notice the difference?

An increasing number of women in the last decade have been deciding to have both their breasts removed after being diagnosed with cancer in a single breast. It now seems that more men are also opting to have this type of double mastectomy, according to a study.

If you have a daughter like I do who hates dresses and abhors anything pink, sparkly or with ruffles and frills, you are pretty much out of luck if you head to most of the major retail stores. What you end up doing is shopping in the boys' section for your daughter's clothing.

Have you read the latest study about meditation? Probably not, because even as you read this sentence another has likely come out. There is a steady stream of new research and news stories about the benefits of meditation and other mindful breathing practices. As they report, meditation boosts energy, helps with focus, reduces stress and anxiety, increases resilience and possibly, subtly, changes your life and your brain for the better.

Have you ever waited with excitement to share some amazingly good news with your partner, only to experience a surge of frustration and resentment when he or she barely reacts to your announcement? As a society, we place a huge amount of emphasis on being there for each other when we're in need, but past research has actually shown that relationship satisfaction is influenced as much, if not more, by how we react to each other's good news. Whereas emotional support from a partner when we're down can have the unfortunate side-effect of making us feel indebted and more aware of our negative emotions, a partner's positive reaction to our good news can magnify the benefits of that good fortune and make us feel closer to them.

Throughout the history of capital punishment in America, states have reviewed and revised execution methods in the interest of finding a more "humane" option.

Chefs across the country joined forces with schools to create, test and enter their top kid-pleasing healthy recipes into the U.S. Agriculture Department's Recipes for Healthy Kids competition. Here are some of the top winners for you to enjoy at home, and look to add on the lunch menu at your local school.

From family picnics to camping trips, summer is the time when we invade insect territory. And the bugs are ready for us: fleas, ticks and mosquitoes all thrive in warmer months.

Independence Day is often celebrated with delicious food, family get-togethers and Fourth of July fireworks that light up the night.

A group of hikers were 500 feet below the summit of a Colorado mountain on Sunday when storm clouds suddenly filled the sky.

"This is a song about the high school experience, sung through the eyes of the person who -- more than anyone else -- puts young people on the right path," said Adam Sandler in a 1994 Saturday Night Live sketch. "I'm not talking about the teachers. I'm not talking about the coaches. I'm not even talking about the guidance counselors. I'm talking about a person we call the lunch lady."

Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how marijuana affects the brain and how pot can be used to treat certain conditions.

Late one night on Facebook, a girl with cystic fibrosis messaged a boy with cystic fibrosis, and both their lives were changed forever.

Angelina Jolie's decision to remove her breasts and ovaries to prevent cancer (as she detailed in today's New York Times op-ed) might sound extreme, but breast cancer experts say she was spot on.

The public health benefits of barring people under age 21 from buying cigarettes could be tremendous, including "4.2 million fewer years of life lost" among the next generation of American adults, according to a report released in March by the Institute of Medicine.

"Hey dude -- can you turn your music down?"