In the world of health, information is changing all the time. Scientists are constantly researching cures for diseases, conducting studies that help us better understand the human body and sifting through current health advice to see what strategies are actually going to help us live longer, healthier lives. It can be hard to keep up on it all. That’s why I’ve decided to check in on the latest in health news once a week to round up the most relevant studies that you need to know to keep yourself well. Here are three of this week’s most important stories. 1. Your brain health is connected to your heart health. If you’re having memory problems, you might want to take better care of your heart. A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that those with poorer heart health were more likely to have mental impairments. The study followed people over the age of 45 for a four-year period and evaluated cardiovascular health, then compared it to tests for mental impairment. The good news is that these findings suggest that we might already know many of the tools we need to improve our brain health, because they’re proven to benefit your heart. These are things like exercising, managing blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight. Find out more about the brain-heart connection. 2. Texting while driving could be the new drunk driving. Though smoking and drinking are on the decline among teens, texting behind the wheel has become a big health concern in recent years. According to a new study from the U.S., teens are exhibiting some more healthy behaviours now when it comes to alcohol use, but the increase in texting while driving and prolonged time spent on video games does cause some concern. Nearly half of teen drivers who participated in the study admitted to texting or emailing on the road. Get advice on how to talk to your teens about their behaviour. 3. Toxic relationships can actually raise your blood pressure. It turns out that negative social relationships can actually have a negative impact on your health. According to a U.S. study called the Health and Retirement study, which collects data from about 26,000 Americans every two years, negative social interactions were related to a 38 percent increase in high blood pressure among women. Interestingly, men's blood pressure levels were unaffected by these social incidents of criticism, disappointment or disagreement. Though people don’t often take their relationships into account when considering their health, this research offers good reason to pay attention to those social interactions. Not sure if you’re at risk? Read our article on seven signs that you’re in a toxic relationship. (Photography: Thinkstock)