Healthy Aging + Original Articles
When faced with a serious medical diagnosis or when trying to choose the best course of treatment, seeking the opinion of another doctor can be helpful. Today, elite medical centers offer advice remotely.
Should you get a second opinion? "If you're asking yourself this question, it's usually a good idea," says Jonathan L. Schaffer, MD, MBA, an orthopaedic arthroplasty surgeon in Cleveland Clinic's Orthopaedic and Rheumatologic Institute. Schaffer also serves as the managing director of Cleveland Clinic's MyConsult program, which enables people from all over the country, and even the world, to request a second opinion online, often from a multidisciplinary team of experts.
What's the connection between poor sleep habits and loss of memory? Quite a lot, say University of California researchers.
Can't remember the last time you got a good night's sleep? This memory lapse may not be a coincidence, according to a groundbreaking study from the University of California. Scientists there have discovered that poor sleeping patterns as you age may be causing cognitive issues.
A byproduct of the wine-making process, this supplement possesses powerful antioxidant power.
There's been growing awareness in recent years of the health benefits of vitus vinifera, the seeds of red wine grapes. They contain antioxidants known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), which may offer important health-protective properties, including helping you to maintain better overall cardiovascular health.
Smell, taste, sight, hearing, and even touch. They can all dull over time, but there are steps you can take to keep them going strong.
Your perception of the world around you would be quite different if not for your five senses.
Your eyes, nose, tongue, ears, and skin work together so that you can recognize the many different sensations that guide your choices and behavior throughout each day.
Yes, you can bake guilt-free goodies that taste great, too. You just have to know which sweetener to use.
Can you have your cookies and eat them, too? You sure can, if you make some simple swaps.
By switching out refined sugar for non-nutritive sweeteners, you'll be able to turn out not just cookies, but cakes, muffins, and quick breads that have fewer calories than their traditional counterparts.
You're never too old to volunteer. Senior volunteers offer a breadth of experience to the younger generation.
If you've ever wondered how you can make a real difference, look no further than volunteering. Sharing your wealth of life experience, perspective, and knowledge can enrich the lives not just of your grandchildren, but young people everywhere.
Helping out young people can give you a renewed energy, says April Masini, a relationship expert, author of four books and founder of the website, AskApril.
Whether it's your doctor, personal trainer, or massage therapist, if you're not seeing the results you want, or being treated with respect, it's time to move on. Here's how.
Staying healthy requires a professional team approach.
The doctors, personal trainers, massage therapists, and other healthcare professionals we choose for our team help us stay at the top of our game or give us a boost when we're not at our best. What if your healthcare professional isn't a good team player? Then it's time to bench him.
Ever noticed how some people seem to be more resistant to getting sick? Preliminary research suggests this phenomenon may apply to cancer as well.
You know the immune system is a collection of reactions and responses in our body that protects us from infections and disease. But can it protect us from cancer?
There are two types of immune responses: innate and acquired. Everyone has innate immune protection, which is always prepared to defend us.
Sure, cigarettes can do damage to your heart and lungs. But did you know lighting up can take a toll on your mind as well?
You're probably well aware that smoking is a significant risk factor for lung cancer and other serious diseases. But did you know it also takes a toll on your brain function?
In developing countries, tobacco use is the single largest cause of premature death and memory impairment, which is shown to predict dementia.
Nearly 4 percent of the 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer's have an early-onset form. What, if anything, can you do to stave it off?
If you thought only the elderly were at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, consider that more than 200,000 individuals in the United States suffer from what is called early-onset, or younger-onset, Alzheimer's. In fact, nearly 4 percent of the 5.
The out-of-pocket expenses of arthritis care can run sky-high, but there are steps you can take to cut your costs.
When it comes to healthcare, the best overall way to save money is to stay as healthy as possible.
It is especially important to eat a balanced, healthful diet and get as much exercise as possible in order to maintain a healthy weight and stay strong and fit.
You know helping others makes your heart feel happy, but it can make your heart healthy, too!
Helping others makes your heart feel happy, but it can make your heart healthy, too.
That's the consensus of researchers from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Their findings were included in JAMA Pediatrics in 2013.
The researchers followed a group of 52 high school sophomores in Vancouver who donated an hour of their time each week working after school with elementary school students.
BMI is a popular tool to evaluate cardiac health, but it may not be the best one.
If you have an elevated BMI, or body mass index, does this mean you're at increased risk of experiencing a serious health problem? It all depends, according to a new study.
BMI and Health The medical community often relies on BMI as an indicator of...
You're good to the environment. You recycle, you reduce, you reuse. What else can you do? These six small ideas can make a big impact.
Each day, the average family of four uses 400 gallons of water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Yet there are so many easy ways to be prudent in our choices and cut back on waste in our daily lives.
While you already recycle, reduce, and reuse, there's more you can do—especially when it comes to conserving water.
Traveling doesn't have to be a pain in the neck, or shoulders or back. Follow these tips to improve your experience.
If you've ever been stuck sitting uncomfortably on a train, bus, or a plane for any length of time, you know how it feels to be trapped in pain.
Even your own car seat can leave you with an achy neck or back if you're not careful about how you sit. Thankful, you can relax.
Rheumatoid arthritis can increase your chances of infection, especially if you're taking certain medications. Here's how to protect yourself.
Numerous clinical studies have found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a higher incidence of some bacterial and viral infections than people who don't have the autoimmune disorder. The reasons for this aren't clear.
Many RA patients are treated with medications that suppress the immune system.
Rates of this condition have doubled since the 1970s. Some risk factors, like smoking, can be controlled; others, like age and genetics, cannot.
Though risk factors affect your chances of getting a disease such as cancer, having a risk factor, or even more than one, doesn't necessarily mean that you will get the disease. Different cancers have different risk factors.
Some, like smoking, can be controlled.
Doing everything right when it comes to heart health? You may still be at risk for cardiovascular disease. Here's why.
You do everything to protect your ticker—watch your weight, control your blood pressure, manage cholesterol—but that doesn't mean you're completely in the clear for heart disease. A new study says that even healthy hearts may be at risk for disease.
Here's a rundown of common conditions that can affect your sight, as well as steps you can take to treat, or even prevent, these problems.
Age, heredity, medical conditions, sun exposure and other environmental stressors can all take a toll on your eyes over time.
If you're lucky, the only vision issue you'll have as you age is adjusting to reading glasses. More serious conditions can affect your eyes, however, so it pays to see your eye doctor on a regular basis.
Certain symptoms often associated with menopause are actually caused by another issue, be it hormonal, pharmacological, or physiological.
If you're a woman of a certain age, you might assume all those weird symptoms you're experiencing are due to menopause. But what if they're not? What if you're too young for "the change," or what if you're a man?
Many symptoms we often associate with menopause are actually caused by other hormonal, pharmacological or physiologic issues.
Issues such as decreased sexual desire can often accompany diabetes. But it doesn't have to be that way. Read on for a list of causes and solutions.
Only half of men and 19 percent of women with diabetes have raised the subject with their health care provider, according to a study in the journal Diabetes Care.
The causes of sexual problems vary depending upon gender. For men with diabetes, especially if they are overweight or have type 2, the risk of having low testosterone levels is about twice as high as it is for those without diabetes.
This form of treatment uses targeted, customized exercises to help restore motion and relieve pain.
In the past, people with arthritis were advised to limit their physical activity and get as much rest as possible so as not to put any unnecessary stress on their joints. But years of research have shown that all this does is leave you less fit.
Arthritis may limit your activity to some degree, but there's no reason for you to limit yourself any further.
Shopping online for your prescription medications can save you time and money. Here's how to ensure you have a positive experience.
When you buy medication online, you want to be sure you are dealing with a company that has a pharmacy license valid in the United States, Canada, or other approved country, and that the site has a verifiable privacy policy and transaction security.
Here's how you can tell if an internet pharmacy is running a safe, legitimate business:
Contact information, including address and phone number, should be available on the website.
While some supplements seem promising, more research is needed before scientists can safely support this type of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
If you suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), you would probably try anything that promises relief from the joint pain, stiffness and swelling that are typical of the disease, and you would certainly want to try anything that might help halt its progression.
Oral cancer occurs twice as often in men as it does in women. And increasing age is a major risk factor. Here's what you need to know.
Oral cancers are the 6th most common cancers worldwide, and account for about 3 percent of all cancers.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), about 52,000 people in the U.S. were estimated to be diagnosed with oral cancer in 2012. Oral cancer is twice as common in men and the incidence generally increases with age.
Today and maybe every day, have a handful of almonds or walnuts. Find out how these diabetes-friendly foods can help your health.
Individuals who consume tree nuts on a regular basis reduce their risk not just for type 2 diabetes, but for metabolic syndrome and heart disease as well, according to researchers at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.
The study, funded by the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation, was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Do people, like fine wine, improve with age? According to some experts, they do. Here are five big perks of getting on in years.
Aging experts agree that these are some of the best reasons why you should look forward to getting older.
1. Wisdom and Intelligence
"Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it." -Albert Einstein
Despite dated research to the contrary, intelligence remains stable, and in some ways gets sharper, as we age.
Communities are required by law to deliver safe water to residents. Yet, illnesses caused by water contamination are still fairly commonplace. What can you do to protect yourself and your family?
Water is one of the most abundant substances on earth and may be the most important. Human beings can't survive more than three to five days without it. Deprived of fluids the body's cells and organs rapidly deteriorate. As the saying goes: where there is water, there is life.
Carrots, celery, and peppers contain a compound called luteolin, which helps tame brain inflammation that could negatively affect memory.
You may have heard of salmon and blueberries being referred to as "brain foods," thanks to their nutritional properties that help keep the brain healthy. Now a new study suggests that certain vegetables qualify as brain foods as well. Veggies—specifically crunchy, colorful ones such as celery, peppers, and carrots—contain a plant compound called luteolin, which works to tamp down inflammation in the brain that can cause problems with memory.
These therapeutic movements will help minimize stiffness, reduce back and joint pain, and retain flexibility.
Patrice Cahill, Massachusetts-based ISSA fitness trainer, senior fitness specialist, and founder/president of Generational Octane, Inc. Senior Fitness Company and Patrice's Personal Training Company, offers four gentle stretching moves, which can be great to incorporate into your mornings, when your stamina and strength will be highest.
Follow these smart steps to keep your complexion radiant and free of acne-causing bacteria.
Can't remember the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? That's probably because either you've never done it (guilty!) or haven't gotten to it in a while.
There are some legitimate reasons to give those brushes a thorough sudsing. Truth be told, makeup brushes can become coated with undesirable elements such as bodily oils, makeup residue, dust, and dead skin and will last longer with regular cleaning.
From installing carpets to ensuring doors open outward, learn how to reduce the risk of injury.
Basic home safety is important for everyone, but especially for people with epilepsy. The unpredictable nature of the disease means that seizures may occur at any time, putting epileptics at high risk of injury from falls or loss of balance.
Here are 10 simple tips to keep yourself and your loved ones safe at home:
1.
In between visits to the dentist, take these precautions to keep your mouth in tip-top shape.
Taking steps now will help protect your dental health and prevent serious decay and disease from developing as you get older.
The changes that occur in your body as you age can be seen in your mouth just as readily as they can be seen in other areas.
Curb emotional eating by adhering to these tips and tricks.
If you're like most people, you don't just eat when you're hungry. You also turn to food when you're bored, fatigued, or stressed out.
Experts call this "emotional eating," and it can exact a heavy toll both on your weight and your sense of well-being.
While their symptoms are similar, these conditions are distinct when it comes to how they initially develop.
Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the U.S.—approximately 21 million adults have arthritis or arthritis-attributable activity limitation, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The word arthritis means inflammation, although we use the term more broadly to describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that effect joints, tissues around joints, and connective tissue.
That miracle cure sound too good to be true? It probably is. Follow these tips to safeguard yourself and your family.
From Acai berries to apricot pits, there have been many purported cures for what ails us.
Things haven't changed much since the snake oil salesmen of the 1800s, says Marc I. Leavey, MD, of Lutherville, MD. Shady products are still being marketed based on our fears, anxieties, and the desire to do the best for our families.
How much activity should your overweight pet engage in? What does a diet look like for a dog or a cat? Veterinarian Rich Goldstein answers these questions and more.
If your dog or cat seems to be putting on weight, he's certainly in good company. Many Americans and their pets are feeling the effects of eating larger portions and getting less exercise.
Pet Obesity
"In dogs and cats, obesity is becoming the fastest growing health issue," according to Richard S.
If you wake up with neck or back pain or find yourself sleeping in awkward positions, it may be time to shop for a new pillow.
You invest lots of time into picking just the right bed for optimum comfort and rest, so it makes sense to put just as much effort into making sure you have the best pillow for your needs.
If you suffer from neck or back pain when you wake in the morning, or if your pillow is older than you can remember, it may be time for a new one.
Think you always have to be the one in charge? It's time to think again.
If you are like many women today, there's a lot on your plate.
You work, care for family, run a household, cultivate relationships with friends and colleagues. But there's an underlying part that really drives you—the feeling that you must do it all, and do it perfectly.
Is fat really all that bad? Are you going too far to eliminate it from your diet? Get the truth here.
In our weight-obsessed society, fat generally gets a bad rap. Yet we all need fat in order for our bodies to function properly. Below are some common misconceptions about fat—and the real truth behind them.
Myth: I should avoid eating fat in order to stay slim.
Turn back the hands of time without going under the knife (or needle).
We're all looking for that fountain of youth that will keep us perpetually young.
Absent that, most of us would settle for just looking young and healthy—without resorting to invasive procedures. In fact, one study found 9 out of 10 adults said they wanted to look younger without going under the knife.
Needles. Bandages. Even diseased organs. What actually happens to them? The answer depends on the rules of your state.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established some general laws governing the proper disposal of medical waste. Beyond this, stricter laws on handling different types of medical waste will vary from state to state.
In general terms, most medical waste must be treated in some way to remove any hazards it contains.
Legumes (think lentils and beans) deliver a hefty dose of nutrition at a sensible price. Try them in soups, salads, and even desserts.
Legumes, or beans, may just be nature's wonder food. Loaded with protein and fiber, they deliver a hefty dose of nutrition at a cheap price.
They're versatile—you can boil, stew, puree, roast, or pan-fry them—and for people who choose to or need to avoid animal products, they can be a great entrée alternative.
An estimated 1 out of 3 people with diabetes over the age of 50 has Peripheral Artery Disease, a condition that increases one's risk of heart attack and stroke.
Some 10 million Americans are affected by peripheral artery disease (PAD), which causes leg pain (especially when walking), numbness, and tingling in the feet or lower legs. Sores on the legs or feet that heal very slowly are also associated with this condition.
The discovery of gene MCF2L gives credence to the belief that osteoarthritis has a genetic basis.
You may have heard it said that if someone lives long enough, they will develop osteoarthritis somewhere.
While that may be an exaggeration, it's true that getting older, heavier, and incurring repetitive stress injuries can contribute to osteoarthritis.
This common condition is often a precursor to diabetes.
Insulin is the hormone that regulates your metabolism, and it helps cells absorb the glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream so it can be used for energy. But if you're insulin-resistant, your cells have trouble using the insulin, so glucose starts building up in the blood.
Understanding the source of your discomfort is the first step in receiving the right treatment regimen.
Osteoporosis is sometimes called "the silent disease" because the decreased bone mass and fragile bones that characterize the condition may not be accompanied by any obvious symptoms. If you do feel pain, it is mostly likely the result of a bone fracture or break you were not even aware you had.
In addition to providing rich color to certain foods, this spice may also help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.
More than one scientific study has found that a spice you may have in your kitchen may prevent the breakdown of brain cells that can lead to the most common form of dementia.
What Is Alzheimer's? Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disease.
Struggling to understand what your doctor’s saying? Here are some helpful translations.
No one wants to seem ignorant when they see their doctor, but no one should be expected to be bilingual either. If your doctor's medical jargon is incomprehensible, you're not getting your money's worth. In fact, not knowing what your doctor is talking about can be downright dangerous.
Can a medical procedure used to treat heavy metal poisoning also help ease the pain of arthritis? That's the promise of chelation therapy.
During chelation therapy, a solution of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) is injected into the blood. This chemical binds with heavy metals and minerals such as lead, mercury, copper, iron, calcium, arsenic, and aluminum, and pulls them out of the body.
Are you familiar with this supplement, which may provide relief from osteoarthritis symptoms?
More than 10 million Americans have knee osteoarthritis. If you're one of them, you may benefit from pine bark extract.
You may already be familiar with pine bark extract, commonly sold as pygenol, or under the brand name Pycnogenol®. Years of research...
Could improving your diet and exercise habits return your blood sugar to a normal range? Here's what the latest research says.
If you've got type 2 diabetes, it may go into remission if you follow an intensive program of diet and exercise, new research shows.
The study, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found 1 in 9 individuals with type 2 who stuck with an intensive diet and exercise program for one year saw their blood sugar go back to the normal range.
Having a will in place can spare your family a great deal of expense, confusion, and major disagreement. Here's how to go about this important process.
As uncomfortable as it may be to plan ahead for a time when you won't be here, consider what could happen if you don't. Dying without a will could cause your family a great deal of confusion, expense and, possibly, major squabbles. Here's how to avoid all that.
When choosing a new physician, consider credentials, bedside manner, and whether or not she participates in your insurance plan.
Long gone are the days when one doctor handled your medical needs for most of your life. Today, health care often requires a collaborative approach, with multiple doctors sharing patients and working together in large practices. It's not unusual for four or more doctors to care for the same patient.
It's important to be a well-informed, yet slightly skeptical, patient and healthcare consumer.
Every day (or so it seems), there is a report about a new scientific finding about what causes or cures cancer (or other illness). It's all too easy to get your hopes up, so it's important to understand how to evaluate studies.
According to the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR), scientific studies provide clues to deciphering the mysteries of cancer.
Experts estimate that 1 in 20 workers exposed to asbestos develop mesothelioma, although it can take up to 40 years from initial exposure to a diagnosis.
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer for which there is a readily identifiable cause: asbestos.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned asbestos in 1989. However, it was widely used in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, primarily for insulation on floors, ceilings, water pipes, and heating ducts.
Today's senior residences are bustling hotbeds of activity and energy, offering more options for fun and healthful recreation.
Forget the old-fashioned senior community that offered little more than a tired-looking swimming pool, a weedy shuffleboard court, and a weekly shuttle bus to the supermarket.
Today's retirement communities are bustling hotbeds of activity and energy, offering more options for fun and healthful recreation than many resorts.
It's long been used to treat swelling of the skin. Find out if emu oil is in fact an effective remedy for joint inflammation.
Can a natural remedy that has been used for thousands of years to treat skin conditions effectively treat arthritis pain and inflammation? For now, the answer appears to be: it could possibly help and probably won't hurt.
Extracted from the fat of the large flightless bird native to Australia, emu oil is an ingredient found in a variety of topical skin care products.
The colonoscopy is both a screening tool and a preventative measure. Learn more about how this procedure can protect your health, and when it’s time to have one.
The colonoscopy is the most widely used screening tool for colon and rectal cancer (colorectal cancer, or CRC), the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.
Most colorectal cancers start as polyps (growths). While about 20 percent of adults 50 and older have polyps, most never become cancerous.
Find out the link and how you can prevent osteoporosis from complicating your life.
Women's bodies can change a lot after menopause and one of the most ominous changes could be the development of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease that occurs when bones become porous and brittle. The minerals that make up the bone become less dense, weakening bones and increasing risk for breakage.
You may require fewer calories to stay healthy as you get older, but if you experience any of these tell-tale signs, you may be coming up short.
Many health problems are blamed on vitamin or mineral deficiencies and, in fact, even in a well-fed country like the United States, nutritional deficiencies are possible.
It is important to speak with a medical expert to determine the exact cause of the problem, however, because some signs and symptoms of nutritional deficiency are similar to those of other medical conditions, and one type of nutritional deficiency can also mimic another.
Thought your bread-, pasta-, and pizza-eating days were over? You can join in the fun again with these tasty alternatives.
"When people are newly gluten free, they often think the list of things they can't eat is longer than the list of things they can," says Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten Free for Dummies (Wiley 2010).
To counter that thinking, she offers this challenge: Write a list of things you can eat.
Ethnicity and age account for significant differences in incidence and survivability of certain cancers and how well people respond to standard treatment. So how come more groups aren't being represented in studies?
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other health organizations, the burden of cancer is not equal among individuals in the general population. For example, all other things being equal, race and ethnicity account for significant differences in incidence and survivability of certain cancers and how well people respond to standard treatment.
The short, chilly days of the season can easily derail your exercise efforts. Resolve to stay active by bringing your workout inside.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise each week. That's only 30 minutes of exercise five times a week.
The guidelines also recommend at least two strength-training sessions each week.
Cold, damp weather can be tough on joints. To the rescue? Five seasonal don'ts to help you avoid arthritis pain.
Not everyone is affected by changes in the weather, but many women and men with chronic arthritis know immediately when the air is turning chilly and damp. If you're one of those people who can "feel it in your bones," you want to take extra care to stay warm and prevent joint stiffness and pain.
What's the best footwear for osteoarthritis of the knee? Sneakers? Clogs? Flip flops? The answer may surprise you.
If you have osteoarthritis in your knees, you know how hard it can be just to walk from one place to another. With the right shoes, you can reduce pain, be more active, and maybe even help prevent or delay the progression of disease.
Osteoarthritis is the most common disease affecting the knees, and the pain of this condition makes walking difficult and some other forms of physical activity next to impossible.
Brisk walking may be great for cardio health, but interactive video games offer their own benefits too, including improved balance and flexibility.
Active video games—Wii, Dance Dance Revolution, Microsoft Xbox, Sony Playstation—kids love them. These interactive games have users hopping, dancing, jumping, serving, swinging, and generally moving around their family rooms. They're a good way for young ones to work up a little bit of sweat indoors.
Avoid the mid-afternoon slump by sitting up straight, cutting down on carbs, and going for a brisk walk.
Remaining awake and alert all day shouldn't be all that hard, but it takes a rare individual not to succumb to that mid-afternoon slump. But for some, it's much more severe than simply feeling drowsy.
"It's certainly normal to have a little dip of energy during the day," says Shelby Harris, Psy D, CBSM, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program in the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.
Many programs and resources are available to help provide financial assistance. An expert discusses some of the options.
If you've recently been in the hospital, you may feel overwhelmed by the staggering amount of medical bills for co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles that you owe after your health insurance pays its part.
This is a common situation, according to Nicholas Newsad, MHSA, author of The Medical Bill Survival Guide: Easy, Effective Strategies for People Experiencing Financial Hardship.
You have not only a right, but a responsibility, to communicate with medical staff about the nature of your care.
A hospital stay for you or your loved one can be stressful. You may have unanswered questions or be unsure if you're getting the very best care. But you don't have to sit back and wonder in silence.
The Need for Health Care Advocacy
The health care field has changed significantly over the past decade, according to Clyde Yancy, MD, chief of Cardiology, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, IL, and former president of the American Heart Association.
Which exercise classes are still hot and which are definitely not? Check out our picks.
Fitness fads come and go. Some are classics that are as popular today as they were decades ago. Others are out of style and distant memories.
Still Hot
Jazzercise. It has been around since 1969. The music has changed and so have some of the exercises, but the class itself is still going strong.
Follow up. Check the fine print. Plus three more tips that may save you some money.
Whether your bills are from a doctor, hospital, medical laboratory, or insurance company, it pays to double check everything and read between the lines.
Take a little time to go over your healthcare bills as soon as they arrive, and address any discrepancies immediately.
Your body has its own way of determining your best weight. Learn how to use this knowledge to your advantage.
If you've been engaged in a long-term, losing battle with your bathroom scale, which seems stuck at the same weight no matter how little you eat, chances are you're feeling a bit defeated. Dieting down to what is considered your "ideal" weight can be fraught with frustration—and failure.
Individuals who consume seven or more servings of produce a day tend to enjoy better mental health, says one British study.
It's long been known that a diet heavy in fruits and vegetables can improve your physical health. Now it seems that produce-rich menus correlate with good mental health as well. The study, carried out in conjunction with Dartmouth University in Hanover, NH, examined the produce-eating habits of 80,000 diverse people in Britain.
Feel invigorated during the darker months with these four expert how-to tips.
The cold, gray days of winter can leave you feeling lethargic. It can be hard to stay enthusiastic and focused in the face of zero-degree wind chills and a dearth of sunlight.
At this time of year, it's more critical than ever that you eat well and maintain good sleep habits in order to power through the season in fine form.
Certain soothing sounds can make a world of difference toward the quality of your sleep, and how you feel when you wake up.
The popularity of nighttime sound machines is a testament to the fact that noise has a profound effect on how well we sleep. The right noises can help you settle down and drift off, while the wrong ones will jar you awake, as anyone who has ever shared a bedroom with a snorer can attest.
Why does dental health matter? Because there's a clear link between it and the rest of your overall health.
"There's a huge link between systemic health and oral health," explains George Shepley, DDS, MAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). He says that the connection can be traced to the inflammatory response that occurs in periodontal disease and is seen in other conditions as well.
Oral health is key. Make sure your brushing is bringing the best results.
"In our office, we often put a toothbrush in a patient's hand and ask him to show us how [he] brush[es] [his] teeth," explains Ted Sherwin, DDS, FAGD, a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry. "Having a good tooth brushing technique is that important.
There's an app for that! We checked out tons of free or low-cost smart phone apps and found the very best ones to support your health.
Using your smartphone can be good for your health. It can help you learn how to choose more nutritious foods, lose weight, tone up, avoid gluten, evade food allergies, and help you find a doctor in your area. The right app can make it easier for you to do all of this and more from the comfort of your phone.
You can keep your home cozy without a hefty heating bill. Here's how.
Here are 10 energy saving tips that can help you to reduce your overall energy and heat consumption:
1. Invest in a programmable thermostat. These heating control panels enable you to pre-set the temperature in your home to be lower during hours when you're at work or asleep, and higher when you're up and about.
Are carbs the worst? The best? Or something in between? Get the facts.
Low-carb diets. No-carb diets. Good carbs. Bad carbs. Is it any wonder why people are so confused about carbohydrates? Are they inherently evil and fattening, to be shunned permanently? Or are they a crucial source of fuel that our refrigerators and pantries should never be without?
Myth: All carbs are fattening.
Can you trust calorie labeling? Are certain calories more fattening? Get the facts.
For many of us, calories have come to symbolize overindulgence and are thought of as "bad." Yet you need a certain number of calories to function well.
Myth: Certain types of calories are more fattening than others, such as those from carbs.
Fact: Calories are created equal.
Not all saturated fats are created equal. Learn the potential health benefits, and how to use coconut oil the right way.
Thinking about coconuts may bring to mind softly swaying palm trees, hot white sand, and cool, aqua water—not necessarily good health. However, research on populations who consume large amounts of coconuts find they have low rates of heart disease.
A few shrewd strategies will help you get the nutrients you need without draining your wallet.
Eating healthy on a budget is challenging for anyone who has stepped inside a grocery store lately. Pair that with the limits of food shopping when you suffer from a digestive condition such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease and—well—eating healthy on a budget can seem almost impossible.
Heartburn is a symptom of GERD. And there’s more to know about how these conditions are distinct.
Heartburn is a symptom that's a result of acid reflux and the more severe condition gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
GERD occurs when the lower esophagus gets irritated from the build up of continued acid reflux, explains Frank Gress, MD, chief of the Gastroenterology Division at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center in New York City.
Good night? Not when you have acid reflux. Here's how to take the burn out of sleep time.
So you've avoided trigger foods such as chocolate, coffee, and alcohol, reduced portion sizes at dinner, and stopped snacking late at night to avoid a nightly bout of acid reflux. But as you retire to bed it's still there. Now what?
These behavior modification approaches help make a lot of people feel better and reduce acid reflux symptoms.
Hormone-free meat from humanely-raised animals has surprising benefits.
Meat (love it or leave it) has a good source of protein and iron—nutrients your body needs. All plant and animal cells contain protein, but the amount and the quality varies widely among various foods. Meats such as roast beef, turkey, and chicken breast are considered complete proteins because they contain all nine of the essential amino acids required by the human body to synthesize hormones and enzymes and build, maintain, and repair body tissue.
Get cozy with hearty winter vegetables that are filling, satisfying, and extremely healthy too.
The single-digit temperatures and short, dark days of winter make plenty of people long for a little comfort. And what better way to feed your body and soul than with nourishing seasonal produce? Pick up the foods below and treat yourself to some homemade winter comfort.
Try something new! From kettlebells to resistance bands, these body-toning tools will breathe new life into your workout.
If you're tired of lifting the same old dumbbells and need something new to motivate your strength training routine, go shopping for these tools, toys, and weight options to help you stay toned.
The barbell workout bar looks like a baton, but its unique shape and even distribution of weight throughout the bar's length lends this strength-training tool to all kinds of workouts.
You know the feeling. You've been lying in bed, unable to fall asleep. Should you try counting more sheep? The answer may surprise you.
According to Dr. Brant Hasler, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Sleep and Chronobiology Center, once you've been lying in bed for 15 or 20 minutes, it's time to get up and do something else. That's right—leave the bed and stop trying so hard.
Menopause affects every woman differently, but there are some symptoms that you won't see coming.
If you're a woman between 45 and 55, chances are you know all too well the most common symptoms of menopause: hot flashes, forgetfulness, night sweats, and insomnia.
But menopause can also bring on other less common symptoms, says Jill Rabin, MD, chief of ambulatory care, obstetrics, and gynecology, and head of urogynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY.
Make the most of each step with these important tips.
Walking for exercise is easy, cheap, and can be done anywhere at any time. Although it's a natural activity that everybody does at some point, don't discount walking's cardio benefits. Prepare and fuel yourself for that walk just as you would if you were going for a bike ride or a run.
A new study finds carcinogens in rice. Is there enough detected to cause widespread concern?
Consumer Reports tested rice products and found that more than five dozen rice and rice products contained some level of inorganic arsenic—a carcinogen, according to Reuters.
"The risks associated with long-term exposure to high levels of arsenic include higher rates of some cancers and heart disease," explains Alison Massey, RD, CDE, of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
These 5 tips will take you from gym-phobic to gym-savvy.
There are dozens of reasons why going to the gym is the right thing to do, and just as many excuses for why you don't go often enough. One excuse could be that you find the gym or gym members intimidating.
Overcome gym intimidation with these tips:
Fitness Fashion
In a place full of tight-fitting spandex and tummy-baring sports bras, knowing what to wear can be difficult.
From a lazy eye to a speech disorder, it's not too late to address that issue that's been with you since you were a kid. Learn how.
If you were told you'd "grow out of" or "learn to deal with" a childhood condition that impacted your life (but are still dealing with it), it's not too late to make a change. A number of grownups successfully address their "kid stuff" during their 20s, 30s, and well into their later years.
Take a page from the olden days and get enough rest despite the challenges of today's modern life.
Have you ever wondered if a good night's sleep was more easily achieved a century ago than today? While our basic human need for rest remains the same, the landscape of modern life looks very different than it did 100 or more years ago. And while some developments have made life easier, certain inventions have made it harder to get much-needed rest:
Electronics.
Whether you live in a new house, an older house, or in an apartment, your home may present specific allergy challenges.
Did you know that your home's age, type, and style may hold the key to your allergies? Here are some of the factors to consider when it comes to the style of your home and the allergy triggers it contains:
Older Homes
It's no surprise that older homes contain more than their share of allergy triggers.
Adopt these smart tips and the result will be a leaner you.
At its core, shedding pounds comes down to taking in fewer calories than you burn. Sounds simple, right? But for many people, that straight-sounding path to slimness becomes an obstacle course full of thorny detours.
If you just can't seem to get down to your goal weight, try some of these tricks and jump start your weight loss:
1.
If you're looking to get the health benefits of yogurt, taste matters, but other factors do too.
Yogurt has been associated with healthy eating for years—and with good reason.
One eight ounce serving of yogurt contains 138 calories, 275 mg of calcium, eight grams of protein, vitamin B2 and B12, potassium, and magnesium. But there's more.
When done properly and practiced regularly, Kegels can help men prevent or control urinary incontinence.
If you're not familiar with Kegel exercises, the women in your life can probably tell you all about them. They are commonly prescribed to women as a way to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles which weaken significantly after pregnancy and childbirth. When done properly—and practiced regularly—Kegels are well known for its ability to prevent or control urinary incontinence.
Your gut instinct can guide your health decision-making. Here's how to use intuition the right way.
Most of us have felt it at least once in our lives-that little voice inside our head that says to us, "Watch out" or "You're on the right path." Or maybe we just knew something though we didn't know why and couldn't produce evidence. This feeling is intuition.
Increasing your awareness and pinpointing patterns are just two of the ways keeping a food journal leads to weight loss and better health.
If you're overweight and have high cholesterol, (which puts you at risk for heart disease) keeping track of what you eat for a period of time can help boost your health. You will soon see that you could be consuming too many processed, fatty foods and not eating a steady diet of lean meats, whole grains, and vegetables.
Everyone at every stage benefits from exercise, but it can be intimidating and overwhelming to take the first step. First things first.
You've decided to take control of your health. You've made the commitment to get in shape, improve your heart health, and have an overall sense of well-being. But once you've made the decision that you're really going to do it this time, how do you start exercising—especially if you're seriously out of shape.
There's a myriad of reasons why you breakout and finding the right treatment can be tricky. Here's what to consider.
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that contrary to popular belief, acne breakouts can continue or even begin to appear as you get older. Treating breakouts in older skin can be tricky, since you need to ensure that your skin gets adequate moisture.
If someone you care about is plagued by chronic pain, consider sharing these thoughtful gifts.
For someone who lives with chronic pain, simple tools and treatments can provide the ultimate gifts—less pain, reduced stress, and more comfort.
Check out these five pain relief gift ideas and tools for tight muscles:
Gift certificates for massages are always the right size for every body.
If you have parents or other older relatives living on their own, it may be time to assess the safety of their home.
Conditions that may have been sufficient 10 years ago can be downright hazardous to aging people whose vision, hearing, strength, and reflexes are not what they used to be. Here's a checklist of some of the most important steps you can take to keep a home environment safe for seniors:
Elder-Proof the Kitchen
Heavy countertop appliances: These can fall and cause injuries.
Share our strategies for securing healthcare coverage for you and your family.
The stories are frightening: Uninsured individuals who get ill or injured and require medical care are plunged into medical bankruptcy.
Sure it makes sound sense to have health insurance. But job loss, forced early retirement, or a number of other factors, make this an impossible dream for millions of Americans.
Save your skin, nails, lips, and hair with these dermatologist-recommended tips.
Cold wind combined with indoor heating systems at home and work will dry out your skin and hair. The result can be eczema-type rashes, flyaway hair, brittle nails, and chapped lips.
"The cold, dry air acts like a vacuum, suctioning moisture out of these areas," says Jessica J.
Make an informed decision about the hair care products you use.
It may surprise you to know that the majority of ingredients in your hair products don't really do much for your hair—they're there to add fragrance and enhance your hair washing experience. Before you choose your next hair care product, here's a checklist of potentially harmful ingredients to look for on their labels:
Formaldehyde & Methylisothiazolinone
Used for: Preserving shelf-life and reducing bacterial growth.
The key to making an exercise program stick is to find the reason why you want to get fit.
If you're working out to achieve someone else's goals, you won't stick with the program for long. If you know what you want, though, and choose exercise programs that support your own personal fitness goals, you'll make exercise part of your life.
How do you establish fitness goals? Ask yourself a few questions:
What's motivating me to start exercising now? Most people start exercising after they've had a health crisis or received doctor's orders to get fit.
With these tips you won’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership to get in shape.
People are ditching their expensive gym memberships in droves. They're tightening their belts while enjoying a wealth of free and inexpensive fitness opportunities.
Check out these ideas for how to find cheap or free exercise opportunities in your community:
At Home
The cheapest gym in town is right in your own living room.
Despite widespread use for cancer treatment, chemotherapy (or chemo) does have its downsides.
Some patients simply do not respond to chemotherapy. Others suffer a recurrence despite treatment, or later develop a second cancer, which might be related to previous chemotherapy treatment. Chemotherapy also harms healthy cells, often producing significant side effects.
Find out if you're giving your body the nutrition it needs to look its best.
Your body needs 13 essential vitamins to survive, and a deficiency in these could leave you with thinner hair, rough skin, or brittle nails.
There are many vitamin-rich topical treatments available, but the most important way vitamins work is from the inside out.
Your body's own immune system is a germ-fighting machine. Scientists see promise in directing these powers toward eradicating cancer. Here's how.
The immune system is a biological marvel. It protects the body from potential harm from foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. Sometimes, however, the immune system has difficulty telling the difference between healthy cells and cancerous cells.
To reduce your risk of hypertension, take a look at these healthy facts about yogurt.
Want to lower your blood pressure? Adding yogurt to your meals may help, according to one study. Long-term yogurt eaters have lower systolic blood pressure and decreased risk of developing hypertension when compared to individuals who don't eat yogurt, according to a study reported in Medical News Today.
Bruising occurs when small blood vessels called capillaries are broken because of impact. While rarely serious, they can sometimes be a sign of underlying disease.
Have you ever stepped out of the shower, caught a glimpse of yourself in a full-length mirror, and wondered, "How in the world did I get that?" That would be a bruise, shining purply through your skin in all its glory. You don't remember bumping into or hitting anything.
Depression is not a normal part of aging, but it is common. Be aware of these triggers.
While individuals can suffer from depression at any age, older adults are particularly at risk. Of the approximately 20 million people in the U.S. with depression, 6.5 million are 65 and older.
Depression causes unnecessary distress and suffering and may impair physical, mental, and social functioning.
Tackle trips with 20 fearless, fuss-free travel tips.
Travel advice for older adults is pretty much the same as for younger people, with a few extra tips about health and safety.
Your primary concern when traveling short or long distances is to stay safe and healthy. And the best way to make sure that happens is to plan ahead.
Compare typical signs of aging to signals that something isn’t quite right.
Everyone ages differently but inevitably, there are wrinkles, gray hairs, "senior moments" of forgetting words that are on the tip of your tongue, and other signs that affect everyone who gets older. Some signs of aging are quite visible, while others are internal and difficult for even a medical professional to detect.
You’re still in the game. And according to one New York psychotherapist, maintaining self-confidence is half the battle.
If active aging is your goal, then eating right, getting enough physical and mental exercise, and keeping your stress levels down are all central to success. And just how successful you are depends a great deal on your physical abilities, psychological state, and the behavior patterns or habits that influence the day-to-day decisions you make.
In the wake of Sandy, be aware of the psychological impact such a disaster can bring.
Manmade and natural disasters certainly test our resilience. In just the last decade or so, we've experienced terrorist attacks, major hurricanes, wars, and now, superstorm Sandy.
Relief efforts for Sandy are in the early stages, and professionals and volunteers are focusing on restoring basic services and fulfilling victims' needs for food, safety, and medical care.
Why do these bursts of pain occur? How can you prevent them and address them quickly when they come on?
Nobody knows exactly what causes a muscle spasm or a "charley horse." We don't even know how it got the name, but everyone recognizes it when they get one. Here's the low-down on what to do when a muscle spasm comes to you.
It's a muscle contraction that comes on suddenly, tightening muscle fibers to the point of extreme pain.
You could be undermining your workout without even realizing it.
Are you really giving your workout 100 percent? Or do you sometimes sabotage yourself by engaging in one of these four bad habits?
1. You Sell Yourself Short
Instead of challenging yourself at most workout sessions, you take it easy too often. Sure, any exercise is good exercise, but the key to advancing your fitness goals is to incrementally challenge yourself to work harder and get stronger.
Treat your hair to healthy solutions that really work and save money when you make your own treatments.
Did you know that the following contents typically found in your kitchen could help your hair?
Apple Cider Vinegar
An excellent clarifying solution, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar can be diluted in water and applied to hair after conditioning.
These smart strategies offer a proven path to slimming down.
You've laid out your daily meal plan and stuck to it dutifully—until the mid-afternoon munchies hit. Here are some ways you can stay full without the need to add extra calories.
Go For Volume
It may seem counterintuitive, but you can eat more of certain foods and still shed pounds.
To polish your look, choose the right eyelash thickening and lengthening method for you.
Worried that your eyelashes seem light, short, or too fine? You're not alone. The practice of eyelash enhancing dates back hundreds of years. Luckily there are many modern options.
Eyelash Anatomy
Eyelashes are designed to help protect your eyes. Most people have 100-150 lashes that are more coarse and pigmented than the hair on your scalp.
If used incorrectly, one luxury car feature could do permanent damage to your skin.
If you crank up your car seat heater, you should take note of a study published in the Archives of Dermatology that reveals a downside to this luxury feature. Doctors have discovered that car seat heaters can mark your skin—for life.
Erythema ab igne (aka EAI) is a condition caused by chronic exposure to infrared radiation.
These inspiring facts could mean the difference between the idea of working out in the AM and really doing it.
Want to feel more energetic in the morning? A cup of coffee may be a non-negotiable part of your a.m. routine, but something else you should try is exercise.
If the thought of breaking a sweat when you're barely alert makes you want to crawl back under the covers, consider the following reasons for lacing up your sneakers early in the day:
1.
Have you experienced these? Some are notable but harmless and others could require medical treatment.
For some people, the wee hours are anything but restful. Here's a rundown of some of the wackiest sleep-related behaviors that can occur, and what to do about them:
1. Sleepeating
Imagine waking in the morning and discovering that you had raided the fridge—maybe more than once.
A little lightness has proved to lessen pain in those with RA.
Medical researchers have documented that people with rheumatoid arthritis who have a greater sense of humor feel less pain than those who don't laugh or smile as much. A good laugh lifts your spirits, reduces stress, and increases the release of hormones in your body known as endorphins, which are considered nature's natural painkillers.
Volunteer at a school. Attend library lectures. Join a gym. Here are ways to build connection in your community.
While some of your social circles will inevitably shrink as you get older, others can easily open up for you, if you stay open to new ideas.
Volunteer at a local school, hospital, or community center.
Attend lectures at libraries or wellness workshops at medical centers.
How long will you be in the hospital? When will mobility become easier? Here's a road map for recovery.
Recovery times from hip and knee replacement surgeries vary, and even with newer, minimally invasive surgical techniques, you'll need time to heal completely. Here's what to expect.
Hip and knee replacement surgeries ease the pain and stiffness of arthritis and improve mobility, but you'll have work to do at home to help your healing along once you leave the hospital.
Here's your room-by-room guide to creating a safe and comfortable home environment for your loved one.
When it comes to providing well-designed products and environments for older people, manufacturers have always focused on safety. While that is still the first and foremost consideration, physical and emotional comfort is also becoming a priority.
Many hospitals, emergency rooms, hospices, and senior housing facilities are building and modifying their premises to make life easier and more accommodating so their elderly patients can reside in safe and comfortable surroundings.
A plant extract from Asia may help treat eczema, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
An ancient Chinese herbal medication, used for centuries to treat fever and malaria, is finding a new purpose in a modern Harvard research lab. This could be good news for people living with rheumatoid arthritis and related conditions.
Researchers at...
Consider three sizeable arguments against soda, and diet soda too. Plus, sip on replacement thirst quenchers.
Next time you want to quench your thirst, how about foregoing the soda and other sugary drinks and instead down a tall glass of cold water or another healthy alternative? Your body may thank you later.
There's been much attention in recent years focused on the negative effects of sugary drinks.
Put these important protections in place to help ensure the safety of your aging loved ones.
Most people don't like to think about their parents becoming more fragile and being unable to fend for themselves. But as they age, the reality is that they could need your assistance with a variety of health issues. This can quickly become overwhelming, especially if you're also struggling to keep up with your own responsibilities.
By studying how colon cancer cells metastasize, German researchers have uncovered a potential new approach to treating this cancer.
German researchers at Technische Universität München's (TUM) Klinikum rechts der Isar and Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen may have uncovered a potential new approach to cancer treatment. The research study was published in the journal Cancer Cell.
Common signs include tremors or stiffness in the limbs. What are other potential indicators?
Parkinson's disease, a neurological disorder that causes tremors, coordination problems, and difficulties with walking and speech, is most common in individuals over age 50. However, it does occur in younger adults, too. In fact, some 10 percent of the 1 million Americans with Parkinson's are diagnosed at a young age, and they're considered to have young-onset Parkinson's, according to the National Parkinson Foundation.
Armed with this information, work with your doctor to determine the best medications for your needs.
If you have high cholesterol and diet and exercise aren't getting your levels back into the safety zone, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol medication to help you get the situation under control.
Goals of Cholesterol Medications
There are a number of different types of prescription cholesterol treatments currently on the market.
You can grab a few z's on your bus or train ride, but what the downside of doing so?
If you've ever commuted by public transportation, you understand the temptation to close your eyes and catch a few winks. Whether you rise before dawn to catch the train to the city or make the last bus home after an evening meeting, chances are you're tired as you travel.
You do them every day, but what's the real deal behind these bodily functions?
The human body is a fascinating machine capable of accomplishing complex tasks ranging from the physical, running a marathon; to the intellectual, solving math proofs; to the emotional, maintaining deep personal connections with others.
No other creature on the planet is able to achieve what humans can, and yet it is some of the simpler, more innocuous actions that are the most captivating.
An estimated 750,000 Americans get sepsis each year and 28 and 50 percent will die from the infection. Who's at risk for sepsis, and what can be done to prevent it?
An estimated 750,000 Americans get sepsis each year—and 28 and 50 percent of these people will die from the infection.
What's more, the number of patients being treated for sepsis has increased at an increasingly staggering cost—$17 billion dollars a year—due to a prolonged hospital stay to treat the condition.
Industrialized society has come a long way when it comes to nutrition. Or has it?
Modern society has come a long way from the foraging, uncivilized lives of our hunter-gatherer ancestors 10,000 years ago. Not only are we at far greater risk of being attacked by a saber-toothed tiger, but we have medicine to combat infection, well-constructed houses to protect us from the weather, and food readily available to stave off hunger.
A diagnosis of breast cancer is not as straightforward as you might imagine (or hope). There are several different types of breast cancer, some more serious than others. Get the facts.
We can categorize types of breast cancers in several ways: By where they originate, by whether the cancer cells are isolated to one area or have spread, and by the tumor's hormonal status.
Origins of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer typically begins in the lobes, lobules, or ducts of the breast.
You see generics and store brands at your supermarket and you may wonder if those products measure up. Here's the scoop.
Generic products, or store brands, often taste the same, are made with the same ingredients, and cost less. Sometimes generic products are even made by the same company that makes the brand name products. What's not to like?
Generic, store brand, and premium store-brand food products that mimic popular name brand foods can be found in all large supermarkets.
If you sleep very little at night and take long afternoon naps to try to compensate, a technique known as Sleep Restriction Therapy could be for you.
If you've got insomnia, you've probably given in to the urge to take a daytime nap. The problem with allowing yourself a little afternoon snooze is that it perpetuates the cycle of difficult sleep. Getting just enough daytime to rest to take the edge off your exhaustion means you'll be less motivated to sleep at night.
Anti-CD47 is an antibody, which is a protein that is part of the immune system and helps destroy harmful invaders. In test tube studies and experiments with mice, anti-CD47 shrank tumors and helped to prevent them from spreading.
The immune system recognizes and attacks foreign cells, such as bacteria, that might harm our body. In order for cancer to develop and grow, tumor cells must hide from killer immune system cells.
A particular protein on the surface of healthy cells, CD47, tells the immune system not to eat the healthy cells.
Almost any tumor can metastasize, although not all cancers do. When a cancer spreads, or metastasizes, it is often more aggressive than the primary tumor.
The primary benefit of cancer screening is to catch cancers before they spread, or metastasize, and become more difficult to treat.
Almost any tumor can metastasize, although not all cancers do. For example, according to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, in developed countries such as the U.
A morning shower to shake off grogginess or a sleep-inducing shower before bed? Our experts weigh in.
Do you have a favorite time of day to shower, or do you grab the opportunity whenever it arises?
Lots of people feel they don't come to full alertness until after a morning shower, but if you have trouble falling asleep at night, you may want to put off your daily cleansing ritual until evening.
Pick fashionable pain-preventing purses and bags. Follow these tips to avoid undue strain.
Wondering if your bag could be the cause of your chronic pain? You may be right. Carrying bags that are too heavy or poorly designed can put pressure on the neck and shoulders.
Unless you're going to switch to an ergonomically designed backpack—and most of us are too fashion-conscious to make that concession—a bag is always going to place uneven weight distribution across your shoulders.
Electronic communication is changing the way doctors exchange information with their patients and with each other. What does this mean for you?
Telemedicine—the exchange of medical information using the internet or other information technology—allows physicians to quickly and directly transfer medical records, x-rays, and lab results from one site to another, consult with specialists...
Left-side snoozers live differently than those who sleep on the right. What's the deal?
If you're one of those people who must sleep on a particular side of the bed, you're not alone. For many folks, it's entirely possible to get up on the wrong side of the bed. But does your personal preference reveal certain things about your personality? An unscientific study by a British hotel chain maintains that it does.
Meditation can be done almost anywhere at any time, costs nothing, and could make a positive impact on your sleep.
If you suffer from insomnia, you might consider meditation as a sleep aid. This ancient practice centers on clearing your mind of intrusive thoughts and attaining a deep state of relaxation and self-awareness.
While meditation is not a scientifically proven way to get more sleep, studies do suggest that it helps.
Here's an easy exercise to try if your brain keeps buzzing when you lie down to sleep at night.
If you're like many people, you climb into bed at night with a brain that's still buzzing from all the worries of the day. Instead of relaxing and letting go, you stress over work projects that aren't finished, realize that you still haven't bought peanut butter for the kids' lunches, and wonder exactly what that weird noise is that your car is making.
Here are 10 simple steps to dramatically reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury for you or someone you love.
Head injuries due to falls, car accidents, bicycle accidents, and athletic mishaps can result in irreparable brain damage. That's why prevention is always the best medicine.
When the brain is injured, there is always some damage that cannot be treated or repaired.
Here's how doctors use tests, questionnaires, and direct interviews to confirm an Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Diagnosing Alzheimer's is tricky because so many of the symptoms resemble those of other forms of dementia and even what is considered normal aging. But according to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, it is now possible for doctors to identify the disease with up to 90 percent accuracy.
Use these actionable expert tips to ward off heart disease, kidney disease, and other common diabetes-based complications.
There's good news when it comes to diabetes: Death rates from the disease are on the decline. In fact, all-cause mortality among individuals with diabetes is down 23 percent, according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Feeling parched? Reach for these super drinks that support your gray matter.
Dehydration can do a number on your brain cells. Drinking the wrong beverage can, too. The good news is that boosting your intake of nutritious, thirst-quenching drinks can boost your ability to think clearly, age better, and fight off diseases that can affect the brain.
Here are the red flags when it comes to this all-too-common issue, as well as what to do to combat discrimination.
You've worked hard all of your life and had a rewarding career. Now, you suddenly find yourself out of work and can't seem to land a new job. Is the tight job market to blame or could you be a victim of age discrimination? Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference, but if you're middle age or older, you might have to consider the possibility that your many years of experience are actually being held against you.
To preserve your vision and keep your eyes healthy as you get older, take note of these warning signs.
Nothing announces middle age quite like whipping out a pair of reading glasses in a restaurant so you can read a menu. Our eyes-like the rest of our bodies-change as a natural consequence of aging. The lenses become cloudy and less flexible which make focusing a challenge, and dryness is often an issue.
There's something very satisfying about crisp, crunchy textures. These tasty bites will fulfill your yearn to crunch.
1. Roasted Edamame
You may be familiar with edamame from Japanese restaurants, where they're often served steamed. But these immature soybeans really shine when laid out on a pan, spritzed with oil, salted, and roasted until crispy. You'll never believe these addictive little poppers are loaded with not only vitamins and minerals, but also fiber and a hefty dose of protein.
That little shaker found on every restaurant table might hold the power to rev up your weight-loss efforts. Here's how.
A recent study shows that black pepper, far from being merely a tasty accompaniment to salt, may actually interfere with the body's production of fat cells.
Researchers at several universities in Korea discovered that a compound in black pepper called piperine significantly inhibits the formation of new fat cells.
There are a bunch of pluses to choosing this gluten-free option. See how it stacks up.
The gluten-free food trend is going strong. A quick scan of grocery store shelves' feature gluten alternatives such as brown rice, corn, quinoa, potatoes, and soybeans, but grocers may need to make more room soon—for products made from green bananas.
It's enough to make your skin crawl. They're teeming with bacteria and viruses, and you probably touched at least one of them today.
Pesky germs lurk on common surfaces, just waiting to make you sick. While no area is free of germs, there are heavily trafficked spots that can especially crawl with bacteria and viruses. But even less-traveled areas can also rate high on the germy scale.
Oh, go ahead, let your mind wander. Did you know it's actually good for your mental health?
If while in a meeting you find yourself staring out the window fantasizing about your upcoming vacation, or thinking about how glorious your post-work yoga class will be, you may be considered a bit of a daydreamer. For the most part, daydreaming has a bad wrap—teachers labeled it as "not paying attention" or a lack of mental discipline.
Keeping your hands clean is key, but using hand sanitizer isn't always the best option.
Staying health may be as simple as keeping your hands clean. In fact, experts say remembering to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly is the single most important way to stay health. Researchers estimate that routine hand washing is so effective it could prevent a million deaths per year since about 80 percent of infections are spread through hand contact.
This excellent cardiovascular workout also builds upper and lower body strength, and helps strengthen bones. And that’s only the beginning.
Jumping rope is a heart pumping, calorie burning powerhouse exercise. It's portable, affordable, and challenging. All you need to get started is an inexpensive jump rope and some clear space. Jump rope has come a long way since grade school. Any length of rope will do, but plastic and beaded ropes hold their shape better than cloth ropes and cost less than $20.
You can eat out on a budget and eat healthy at the same time. Just remember these tricks.
Sure, you can find coupons and two-for-one sales in newspapers and online to get discounts at all types of restaurants—and you should take advantage of these savings. But instead of waiting for a special deal, you can eat out almost anywhere, on any day, and get more nutritious meals by spending less money.
What are the types, causes, risk factors, and treatments of this hard to control, and sometimes embarrassing, condition?
Urinary incontinence is the formal name for the inability to control urinary leakage and it's a common problem among many women. Some men also suffer from incontinence. Common risk factors for incontinence include aging, pregnancy, being overweight, prostate problems, smoking, and taking certain medications.
Each pound counts. Even if you have a long way to go, check out the positive difference you'll make from losing a few pounds.
Losing excess weight is not an all-or-nothing proposition. So if you're stalled somewhere above your goal, remember that the handful of pounds you've already lost still count toward good health.
If 30 pounds gone would be ideal, 10 gone is still an achievement.
Natural lenses in your eye become less flexible over time, resulting in blurry vision. Here's what to know about choosing reading glasses.
Sometime after age 40, you may notice it getting harder and harder to read the fine print. It's a condition known as presbyopia, it happens to everyone to some degree, and the good news is it's easy to correct.
As you age, the lenses in your eyes age with you, becoming stiff and less flexible.
Walking is great exercise. Here's how to turn up the intensity to burn more calories with every step.
Walking is nature's original fitness plan and almost everyone's first form of exercise. But there's walking—and then there's walking—the kind that power-burns calories, super-tones muscles, and makes you sweaty.
Before you start speed walking, consider buying a build up walking shoe.
Some researchers say that certain fats in coconut oil help slow cognitive decline, but others feel the jury is still out.
Some researchers are saying coconut oil might safely and effectively improve symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Coconut oil is a good source of fats known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These types of fats are broken down by the liver into ketones, which can supply quick energy to the brain in the absence of carbohydrates.
When it comes to a quick fix, success on the scale may come at the expense of your digestive health.
Many studies have found that if you lose more than two pounds a week, you are setting yourself up for failure. "I realize a lot of people are successful at losing more than that a week and keeping it off, but I can tell you that the healthiest way to lose—and maintain weight—is to lose no more than a pound a week," says Frank P.
A workout partner can motivate you to reach your fitness goals. And a virtual buddy can be just as effective in keeping you on track.
It's tough to stay motivated about exercise. It helps to have someone to cheer you on, challenge you, and keep you honest. That's why having an exercise buddy is the best way to keep your fitness goals on track. But it's also tough to find someone with similar fitness goals and a workout schedule that meshes with your own.
If you drive or ride in a car, read this. And share it with those you love.
It can happen to anyone. All it takes is a nano-second of distraction for a collision to occur. You didn't see it coming or perhaps he didn't notice you in time. And though it may sound like the stuff of suburban legend, statistics show that most traffic accidents occur close to home.
Your body temperature is set on a cycle. Understanding how it works can help you manage it.
Are you always reaching for a sweater during the day, no matter what the weather, but find yourself uncomfortably warm at night? Or is it the opposite—you're one of those people who can't seem to cool off except while you're sleeping? And how come your body just can't seem to get in synch and keep you comfortable no matter what the time of day or night?
The underlying reason for these discrepancies is that our body temperatures fluctuate depending on the time of day.
A groundbreaking treatment to curb nicotine cravings is in the works. Find out how this new vaccine works.
Are you one of the 1 in 5 Americans who's addicted to cigarettes and can't seem to quit despite the fact that smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths? If so, learn more about a new type of nicotine vaccine that's now in the testing stage.
Creating a Gene Therapy Vaccine
This vaccine is being developed by scientists at New York City's Weill Cornell Medical College and incorporates cutting edge gene therapy techniques that have been effective in preventing other health conditions.
Ouch! Ease those sharp muscle spasms, and try these preventative tips including keeping hydrated.
If you've had a muscle cramp or spasm, you know how painful they can be. While they're generally harmless, a severe cramp can temporarily incapacitate the affected muscle leaving you in pain and unable to move freely.
So, why do they occur? The Mayo Clinic states that a muscle cramp is "a sudden and involuntary contraction of one or more of your muscles.
Heartburn is just heartburn, right? Maybe. Long-term esophagus irritation increases your risk of some serious conditions and diseases.
Long-term, untreated heartburn may become a life-threatening condition such as esophageal cancer. Rates of esophageal cancer in the United States have risen in recent decades—does having GERD increase your risk?
A recent Danish study found that long-term irritation of the lining of the esophagus may increase your risk of developing esophageal cancer.
If you work at a desk, you run the risk of various muscle, joint, and tendon problems. Keep the aches and pains at bay with these tips.
If you work behind a desk all day, you're at an increased risk for lower back problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, and various strains to your muscles, joints, and tendons. Try these tips to protect your body and keep your head focused on your work instead of nagging aches and pains.
If your stomach disagrees with typical barbecue favorites, try these best bites.
Here are eight ways to get your grill on:
The Best Beverage: Water
If you have acid reflux, the best thing you can drink is bottled water—alkaline water if possible. "Many reflux suffers steer clear from soda because of the acidity, but what many don't realize is bottled iced tea and enhanced waters, are profoundly acidic," says Jamie Koufman, MD, co-author of Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook & Cure (www.
Some of the biggest threats to your pet's health and safety could already be in your home and yard.
Here are five common household items that seem harmless, but could be very dangerous if ingested by a dog or a cat:
1. Yard Treatments: While cocoa mulch can be good for your lawn, this sweet smelling item, made from cocoa bean shells, can be toxic to animals.
More people are experiencing serious vision problems and even blindness. Learn the risks and what you can do.
Troubling numbers recently revealed at the Prevent Blindness America "Focus on Eye Health Summit" held in Washington, D.C., in June (2012) suggest that vision problems and blindness are plaguing the population.
Consider these statistics:
2,069,403 people age 50 and older have late age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a 25 percent increase.
Looking to add more summer fun in the great outdoors? Be sure to bring these items with you when you spend the night al fresco.
Why should kids in summer camp have all the fun? If you're looking for a refreshing change in your routine, one that may give you better rest and a happier outlook, you should consider spending a night or two out under the stars communing with nature.
You've heard it's good. You've heard it's bad. But new research reveals that coffee could actually lower your death risk.
A recent study conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health—published in the New England Journal of Medicine—suggests that coffee may lower your risk of dying from chronic diseases.
The study tracked coffee drinking habits of more than 400,000 Americans between the ages of 50 and 71 from 1995 to 2008, Health.
Patients have a significantly higher risk of heart attack following joint replacement surgery. Take steps to protect yourself.
When medication, exercise, and therapy offer little to no relief from joint pain, it may be time to consider a knee or hip replacement. Nearly two million of these surgeries are performed annually in the United States, and the number continues to rise, due to its effectiveness in helping to relieve chronic pain.
Redecorating your kitchen or dining room with these hues could benefit your waistline.
Certain colors could evoke certain moods in people and could also affect the appetite.
Want to trim down? Go with blue walls and accents, say color therapists. The reason is that blue is not a food found naturally, other than in the case of blueberries and a few varieties of bluish potatoes, and so it fails to excite the taste buds.
For your best digestive health, there are additional nutrients that can help.
Foods, nutrients, and lifestyle habits are important factors that keep you and your digestive system healthy.
Here's a list of foods and nutrients and their role in the digestive system:
Getting Your Fill of Fiber
First and foremost, you need to consume 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day, says Lisa Schnepp, RD, Major Health Partners in Shelbyville, Indiana, affiliated with Indianapolis Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Surprisingly, for some senors, the answer may be "yes."
Sometimes it seems that once you turn 65, the world wants to place you neatly in the "senior citizen" peg hole where you eat dinner at 4:00, take up a sudden interest in golf, and become vigilant about not letting your blood pressure get too high. But none of these stereotypes necessarily needs to be true, even the one about blood pressure.
It's a good option for pets with allergies or other special needs. Before you make your own pet food, what should you know?
Making your own pet food can be especially good for pets with allergies and special health needs, and this option is a good way to avoid any risk of contamination in commercial blends.
Yet homemade pet food can also be time intensive and the process comes with its own set of complications.
Listen. Stay calm. Ask questions. Follow these tips to benefit from feedback and not just become defensive.
Being criticized is a part of life that everyone needs and no one likes. Criticism is essential to intellectual growth and self-improvement. If teachers refrained from commenting on your essays and tests, it would stunt improvement in the classroom.
Without parents applauding their children's good behavior and condemning misbehavior, many would have difficulty learning right from wrong.
Wonder why your leaky bladder is worse some days and better others? The answer could be in your everyday choices.
The diet and incontinence link is strong. However, it's often not just the specific food and beverage choices you make but also how much you have, and when you have it that can be to blame. Pay attention to your daily habits and see how they relate to your uncontrollable urges or bladder leakage.
This painful, chronic condition affects nearly 50 percent of individuals with diabetes. What does new research show?
You may not have heard of dendritic spines, which are very tiny bumps on the surface of the nerve cells. But new research shows that changes in their structure may be contributing to diabetic neuropathy, a painful, chronic condition affecting nearly 50 percent of individuals with diabetes, according to research reported in Science Daily.
It's common knowledge that stress affects many aspects of your health. Did you know that it can impact your eyes? Learn more.
Stress can impact your life in a variety of ways. You know about good stress—the type that's necessary to make a really killer presentation or perform your best in a competition. But stress has an evil side, too. Bad stress can have emotional, physiological, and behavioral consequences.
Although they exist to treat medical problems and make us well, hospitals are some of the noisiest, least restful places to be. And all that noise can impair recovery.
If you're recovering from a major illness or surgery, you need as much rest as you can get. Those lucky enough to recuperate at home will probably find the quiet conducive to healing. But those stuck in the hospital are not so fortunate.
A recent small study conducted by experts at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that hospital noise can be a significant disrupter of crucial rest.
Each person has different needs when it comes to smoking cessation. Use these strategies to make it work for you.
Here are four philosophies/tips to quit smoking that can be helpful to remember. They can help you stay strong in your efforts to stop smoking once and for all.
1. One size doesn't fit all.
Each person has different needs when it comes to smoking cessation efforts.
You hear something's good for you, and tomorrow you hear it's bad. Here's how to solve the puzzle when it comes to health claims.
One day aspirin is good for you; the next day's report says it's linked to some sort of rare disease. If you follow medical news closely, it's not that surprising to find contradictory or conflicting information during the same week's news. Trying to stay on top of medical information—and use it to improve your health—can be quite challenging.
Vitamin D is essential for your health, and most of us don't get enough. But is it safe to increase your dose through sunshine?
There are drawbacks from getting vitamin D from foods and from the sun. So which one is has lesser consequences?
Scientists agree that sufficient vitamin D is needed for you to maintain good health, and the primary source of vitamin D occurs when your skin is exposed to the sun's UV rays.
On the menu? Exciting ethnic meals that will please the palate and promote healthy digestion.
The next time you're heading out for date night, or dinner with friends and family, choose one of these good-for-you cuisines.
Here, we've highlighted the healthy qualities of four popular ethnic cuisines. One catch: "Even the healthy foods characteristic of these cuisines can become problems when eaten in excess," says Lisa Schnepp, RD, Major Health Partners in Shelbyville, Indiana, affiliated with Indianapolis Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Diabetics are twice as likely to experience hearing loss. Take steps to protect yourself.
If you have diabetes, you're twice as likely to experience hearing loss as someone without the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health. And individuals with pre-diabetes are also at risk: It's believed that the incidence of hearing loss among the 79 million adults with prediabetes is nearly one third higher than it is among those who don't have the condition.
It's used to everything from trucks to generators, but it's now clear diesel fumes are tied to cancer. What can you do about it?
In 1988, the International Association for Cancer Research (IARC) classified diesel exhaust as a "probable carcinogen to humans." In 2012, it stopped hedging its bets and dropped the "probable."
A large study by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found an increase in the risk of death from lung cancer among underground miners exposed to diesel fumes.
Examine the evidence supporting how this already highly-regarded vitamin may slow down Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma cancer cells and stop them from spreading.
It's well known that nutrition plays a vital role in prolonging the life of cancer patients, as a strong immune system fueled by good nutrition helps keep your body strong and better able to tolerate treatment.
Probing the role nutrition plays in cancer further, researchers at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Iowa have found that patients with one type of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma—diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)—could be helped by taking Vitamin D.
It's not really a knife, but this treatment tool is showing great promise with the most difficult-to-reach cancers.
Some cancers are especially difficult to treat because of their proximity to critical body parts. Surgery and radiation, in particular, may damage healthy tissue close to the tumor.
A few oncologists are treating these types of cancer with the NanoKnife, a new technology, which is not really a knife at all.
Statistics paint a worrisome picture when it comes to aging Americans and mental illnesses like depression.
According to an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, roughly 5.6 to 8 million (1 in 5) older Americans have at least one mental health and substance abuse condition. Depressive disorder and dementia-related behavioral and psychiatric symptoms are the most common.
There are real health consequences when this finds its way into your bedroom.
Why does even subtle light have such a disruptive influence on your sleep/wake cycles? Your body regulates itself via a natural hormone called melatonin that's manufactured in the brain's pineal gland. Melatonin is secreted in the evening, causing sleepiness, and levels stay high throughout the night to keep you asleep.
A revised version of CPR involving only chest compressions is now recommended by the American Heart Association. Here's what to do.
Studies show that most people would not perform mouth-breathing CPR if they saw someone collapse. The good news for would-be heroes is that the American Heart Association now recommends a life-saving version of CPR requiring only your hands. So all you need to do to help someone suffering from cardiac arrest is to perform chest compressions.
It seems simple, but some senior residences are making a bold move with this treatment practice.
Although there's no cure for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and no way to stop its progression, there are approved medications and treatment plans that may help relieve symptoms and ensure the safety of AD patients throughout different stages of the disease.
What's the compelling evidence that shows optimism affects your body's ability to recover?
If you're a "cup is half full" sort of person, chances are you're in better health than your "half empty" counterparts. But according to Hilary Tindle, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, the reasons for that are more complicated than attitude.
Like exercise, rest, and healthy eating, having a good laugh is a part of the whole health package.
Here's something to smile about—an easy, no-cost prescription from the doctor. In addition to daily exercise, plenty of rest, and eating veggies, your doctor may recommend injecting a healthy dose of humor—20 to 30 minutes a day of laughter—into your diet, as well.
You can give your body a break with some health-boosting vegetation. Learn how.
If you long for sirloin, can't pass up a juicy burger, and indulge in chicken and pork on a regular basis, you may be harming your health.
Red meat gets an especially bad rap and the results of an increasing number of studies seem to explain why. Aside from the problems associated with conventional farming methods—meat today is lower in nutrients including iron—eating too much red meat has also been linked with more deaths from heart disease and cancer.
This may make you think twice about consuming the canned items in your pantry.
How many cans are in your pantry? If you're like many Americans, there's a good chance you've got a supply of canned soup, fruit, beans, tuna, and tomato sauce on your shelves. You might even buy your coffee grounds in a can. However, these canned products may have high BPA levels.
The support you need can be just a click away, but first it's essential to find trustworthy advice.
If you've ever googled diabetes in search of useful information on the right diet, drugs, and exercise to help manage your diabetes, you know how overwhelming it can be to plow through scores of websites. After spending hours online, you may come away wondering if what you've read actually is beneficial to your health.
It can result from a car accident or even a bad fall. Here's what you should know.
Every year, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of these cases are concussions or other mild forms of TBI in babies, preschool-aged children, older teenagers, and elderly adults.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of mental decline in older adults. But if caught early and with the right medications, its progression can be slowed. Here's a look at the disease by the numbers.
It's been more than 100 years (1906) since the German physician Alois Alzheimer first described the symptoms that have since become known as Alzheimer's disease.
Advancing age is the greatest risk factor for the disease for which there is no cure. Alzheimer's disease is the progressive loss of intellectual function.
Understand the causes and symptoms of this common form of cognitive decline.
At one time, senile dementia was the catch-all term used to describe symptoms of cognitive decline that were considered normal signs of aging. Now researchers know that dementia is not the name of one condition and is not considered a normal part of aging.
Arm yourself with information about this neurodegenerative condition.
Approximately 5,600 adults are diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) each year and about 30,000 Americans are living with the disease at any given time. ALS is more commonly known Lou Gehrig's Disease, named in 1939 after famed baseball player Lou Gehrig, whose diagnosis of ALS was confirmed on his 36th birthday.
Consider these options to help improve mobility and minimize pain.
There's no cure for knee osteoarthritis, but there are many steps you can take to help keep yourself moving and free yourself from unbearable pain. Staying fit by getting enough exercise and losing weight, if necessary, is the most important thing you can do for yourself.
These surgeries don't come without risks. Here are the facts.
Vaginoplasty and labiaplasty are cosmetic or reconstructive surgeries designed to repair or alter the appearance or function of the vagina and/or labia. While some women have medical conditions that might be improved by these surgeries, most of the time vaginoplasty and labiaplasty are performed purely for cosmetic reasons.
This plant can cause swelling and rashes, but it also shows promise in easing arthritis-related pain.
The stinging nettle plant grows freely in countries all around the world and has long been used as an herbal remedy for a variety of physical ailments. True to its name, this medicinal plant has bristly hairs on its leaves and stems that release a stinging toxin if they brush against the skin.
A growing number of aging patients are staying out of the hospital by adding a visiting nurse to their home health care team.
Visiting nurses are becoming increasingly important in the care of the growing elderly population. Older patients who need ongoing medical care used to be cared for in hospitals and residential facilities, but a newer model of health care is keeping elderly patients who are capable of living at home, healthy, functional, and as active as possible.
This research is showing promise in treating this debilitating disease.
Stem cell research is providing exciting new information about innovative ways to treat this debilitating disease.
What are stem cells? Stem cells are what the body uses to create all other cells. They start out as undifferentiated cells, meaning they have the potential to grow into any type of cell the body needs, like blood, skin, or nerve cells.
It's easy to think the power to improve is all in the pill, but it's also in the lifestyle changes that help you live well.
After your doctor tells you how to manage your medications, he'll recommend certain lifestyle changes to help you live better despite your chronic pain.
It's easy to think the power to improve your symptoms is all in the pills, but it's really in the lifestyle changes that help you live well, support your body to heal, and promote your own well-being.
Adjust to time change and overcome fatigue with these simple tips.
The lethargy, fatigue, and moodiness associated with jet lag can make the first days of any trip almost unbearable. Even though it's a temporary disorder, jet lag can throw your internal clock for a loop which can make it difficult for you to bounce back.
Don't be one of "those guys." Keep your feet well-maintained and healthy with these tips.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), nearly 53 percent of men ages 18 to 60 reported experiencing foot pain severe enough to hamper daily activities. Most of this stems from neglect. But this doesn't have to be the case. With a few preventative measures, you can avoid nauseating odor, itchy athlete's foot, and other foot afflictions.
A heart disease diagnosis is frightening, but there are actionable steps you can start today that will lead to better cardiovascular health.
A diagnosis of heart disease can be frightening. But did you know that with some simple lifestyle changes, you can get back on the road to better cardiovascular health? Follow these tips from Life's Simple 7 program, designed by the American Heart Association (AHA):
1.
Taking your time at the table may impart a big health benefit: Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Do you devour your dinner as if it were your last meal? It may be time to start slowing down. Individuals who eat at a fast pace have a 2.5 times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to research reported in The Huffington Post.
Researchers focused on the eating habits of 700 people, some without Type 2 diabetes and some newly diagnosed with the disorder.
Lunch can be the perfect time to fit in a workout, but follow these steps if you don't have time to shower.
A growing number of busy fitness buffs are scheduling workouts for their lunch hours. The upside? Better health, less stress, increased productivity, and more energy that can keep you charged up throughout the rest of the workday. The downside? Sweaty hair, damp clothes, body odor, and not enough time to freshen up.
Studies link sodium to heart disease and hypertension. But now, science shows sodium is beneficial. Here's what to believe.
The body needs sodium. It helps regulate blood pressure and blood volume.
It's also essential for muscle and nerve functions. The problem? If you consume too much, it can raise blood pressure, which increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. And it's easy to consume too much.
It's the new "it" oil, but it's high in saturated fat. Here's why some say that's not always a bad thing.
If you've visited your local progressive grocery store these days, you may have noticed something on the shelves next to the olive, peanut, and sesame oils—coconut oil. In addition to providing you with rich-tasting, fresh, and nourishing milk, the tropical coconut is a source of oil that proponents say lends a deep, nutty essence to foods that are cooked or baked.
Three key points should be considered when discussing death with children.
Losing a loved one—or beloved pet—is one of the hardest parts of life, but death is a particularly tough concept for young children to understand. It can be confusing and frightening. Grieving is a process, and children take their cues from you.
New light is shed on the connection between weight and type 2 diabetes risk.
If you're thin, you may think you'll never have to worry about getting Type 2 diabetes. But that's not the case. Lean people get the disease as well, and new research suggests that when they do, they tend to have a greater genetic disposition to the disorder than obese Type 2 diabetes patients.
What about these edibles is so effective? Get a harvest of delicious ways to include them in your diet.
Can eating a sweet, juicy treat really lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes? Quite possibly. It appears that consuming more blueberries, apples, and pears may be linked to a decreased risk of developing the disorder, according to research reported by Reuters.
A glass of grape juice a day may help keep cognitive decline away.
Like berries, grapes contain beneficial phytochemicals, plant substances that work as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents to protect body cells from damage and fight age-related diseases. The phytochemicals in grapes, known collectively as polyphenol compounds, have been associated with improved brain function in aging men and women.
Whether you're afraid of being judged or receiving bad news, get tips on how to work through your concerns.
It's normal to feel nervous about seeing the doctor or dentist. But what if it's preventing you from getting the medical care you need?
Most people say their biggest medical fears are about pain, needles, being embarrassed or vulnerable, being judged, receiving bad news, appearing ignorant, or having to make big lifestyle changes.
Living with diabetes during the hottest season of the year can be challenging. Here are practical tips.
While basking in the summer sun may be great for your mental health, it can be dangerous if you have diabetes. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of complications.
Use sunscreen. "It's important to heed the basic sunscreen rules," says Donna Bilu Martin, MD, a dermatologist.
Improve your appearance with these clever, under-$20 ideas.
Need a fast, inexpensive way to boost your confidence? Try upgrading your appearance.
When a woman feels confident that she looks her best, it bumps up her self-esteem in other areas of her life, too. But, you don't need to break the bank to finance your beauty boost.
These skin-brightening foods will contribute to radiant, naturally glowing skin.
No matter what products you slather on, your nutritional habits will show up on your skin's surface. Include these foods in your diet to ensure that your skin gets the essential vitamins and nutrients to look healthy and beautiful.
Avocados
This super-source of vitamins A, D, and E helps preserve skin's moisture.
Here are the dos and don'ts to follow when it comes to working out for and with heartburn.
One of the main reasons people exercise is to lose weight, but fitness can also play a role in treating heartburn and acid reflux disease. "It's one of the lifestyle modifications that we stress," says David A. Peura, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville.
Two studies reveal enough of a connection between kidney cancer and some popular painkillers that more questions are warranted.
If you regularly take painkillers, you may be putting yourself at an increased risk of developing kidney cancer.
Results of a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, September 2011 issue, suggest that men and women who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include the over-the counter painkillers ibuprofen and naproxen, and the prescription Celebrex, are equally at risk, and the longer you use such drugs, the higher your cancer risk.
This physiological test reads the infrared heat radiating from the surface of the breast. Could it be a replacement for mammography?
Many women looking for an alternative to mammography wonder if breast thermography works for breast cancer screening.
Unlike mammograms, which look at the anatomy of the breast for lumps or masses, thermography is a physiological test: it reads the infrared heat radiating from the surface of the breast.
For injury prevention and increased independence, the right type of assistive device is key.
Mobility equipment may not be on your list of "must-have" fashion accessories, but using them can help relieve you of pain and give you more independence. You can use assistive devices to change your life in a very positive way.
Only a relatively small percentage of people who suffer from arthritis ultimately require the help of assistive devices and age is often, but not always, a factor.
Custom-made shoe inserts can help improve balance and reduce pain. Here's what you need to know.
If you're living with arthritis pain or fatigue in your feet, custom-made shoe inserts can provide significant relief. Here's the scoop on what you need, why you need them, and how to go about getting them.
What is an Orthotic? An orthotic is a custom-made, prescription shoe insert designed to correct the way you walk in order to relieve pain caused by any abnormalities in your feet that affect your walking pattern.
Spice up your life. This brightly-colored ingredient could offer real cardiovascular benefits.
A simple household spice may have the power to protect your heart.
Turmeric, a spice from Southeast Asia, has long been touted as having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine (which originated in India) have used turmeric extracts for centuries to treat a variety of illnesses.
Avoiding exercise. Skimping on sleep. Dressing too drab. Fix these flubs, plus five other offenses.
Are you giving your age the respect it deserves? Ask yourself if you're committing any of these eight offenses:
Assuming that aging means accepting declining health or beauty. You hear it every day: "I'm not as healthy (pretty, vibrant, strong) as I used to be, but that's what you get with aging.
Looking for smart and cost-effective ways to get fit in the city, suburbs, country, even at the beach? We've got you covered.
Maybe you're bored with the gym or you're looking for ways to cut costs. Maybe you prefer exercising outdoors or you're ready for something fresh. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of ways to get fit without the gym.
We've broken down our favorite workouts for city, beach, country, and suburb dwellers.
If you fight to stay alert and productive when 3:00 p.m. rolls around, here's how to overcome your lag.
You know the feeling: heavy eyelids staring wearily at the clock that cruelly reads 3:00 p.m. Afternoon fatigue, otherwise known as the afternoon slump, is an all too common occurrence has become part of working life.
What's Causing Your Tired Eyes?
Disrupted sleep.
We all know someone who develops cancer despite appearing healthy in every way. Why does it happen?
Lance Armstrong may be the poster child for a seemingly highly healthy individual who develops cancer. Armstrong was a competitive athlete when he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer. He overcame his grim prognosis. Many otherwise healthy people are not as fortunate.
With the right knowledge, women can take control of their health during this important life stage. Here's a look at menopause by the numbers.
Some women find the end of monthly periods a cause to celebrate—no more hassling with tampons; no more pregnancy scares. Others feel sad. For them, menopause signals the end of the reproductive years and what some view as the start of life's sunset.
Over 35,000 women are diagnosed each year with uterine cancer. Here are the facts you need.
As cancer is always named for the body of your body where it begins, when cancer starts in the uterus, it's called uterine cancer. The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ in your pelvis, the place a baby grows when you are pregnant. The most common type of uterine cancer is endometrial cancer, named because it develops in the lining of your uterus, called the endometrium.
Cervical cancer used to be one of the most common causes of death from cancer for American women. Rates have improved, but it's still essential to have the facts.
The good news about cervical cancer is that early detection and prevention efforts have helped to decrease the incidence rates since 2004. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) the rate is now 2.1 percent per year in women younger than 50, and by 3.
It happens. It's scary. Here's what you need to know about when a mammogram shows an abnormal area that looks like cancer but is not.
It's human nature to be nervous before undergoing a medical screening test, but for women who have a mammogram, a screening test done in healthy women to detect breast cancer early, the situation can turn serious if the test comes back with a false-positive result.
Here are 12 tips to take care of your nutritional needs, so your body has the strength it requires to fight your cancer and handle the rigors of treatment.
Weight loss is common in people who have cancer. In fact, according to cancernet.org, up to 40 percent of cancer patients report unexplained weight loss when diagnosed, and up to 80 percent of those with advanced cancer have both weight loss and cachexia (loss of weight and muscle mass and generalized weakness).
It's a real and hidden danger among the older generation. Here are ways to combat isolation.
Can loneliness be deadly for the elderly? Apparently it's as dangerous as obesity, smoking, and alcohol, according to a recent British summit on loneliness that was reported in The Independent.
"Loneliness is the great unspoken public health issue," British Care Services minister Paul Burstow said, according to The Independent.
Before you pack your bags and move, try these smart tips for overcoming noisy neighbors.
Unless you live on an isolated patch of land, dealing with noisy neighbors is a fact of life. Apartment dwellers naturally hear more neighbor noise than those in private homes, but even suburban cul-de-sacs can be beset by barking dogs, summer parties, and car alarms.
Is there substance to the idea that you can predict the future in your sleep?
If you've ever had a true psychic dream, you're in the minority.
According to Letitia Sweitzer, MEd, ACC, an Atlanta-based life coach who co-authored a book on dreams that come true, only about 10 percent of people have had what she considers a compelling psychic-dream story.
Take a look at five surprising causes for this common irritating skin condition.
You may know it's easy to develop contact dermatitis from common allergens like perfumes, detergents, and—of course—poison ivy, but this skin condition can occur from other causes too.
Contact dermatitis can manifest itself in different ways, including a dry and itchy rash, blistered skin, or even hyperpigmentation that can last for months.
Long associated with heart health, magnesium may offer other surprising benefits.
Magnesium is finally getting the attention it deserves. This mineral can help treat everything from acute attacks of asthma in children to migraine headaches, and depression. Magnesium also protects against the development of type 2 diabetes, provides pain relief for people suffering from fibromyalgia, and may even prevent hearing loss.
Use these smart tips to make big strides with your fitness goals.
Nothing motivates people to get in shape like the thought of shorts, tanks, and bathing suits. Warm weather is almost as motivating as a New Year's resolution. Whatever season inspires you to get fit we know how hard it is to stay on track. That's why we've created a list of the eight best fitness motivators to keep you hitting the gym year-round:
Make It Personal: Think about what it was that got your attention and made you decide to finally get fit.
Understand the key differences between these two treatment options for coronary artery disease (CAD).
Questions of the heart aren't only for romantics and pop musicians. Cardiologists face plenty of them too. Of course, rather than ruminating on love, heart doctors have to weigh medical decisions that often have no clear right or wrong answers. One of their most common dilemmas is whether to recommend stents or bypass surgery to patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD).
You've heard your oral health impacts your heart. Here's what the American Heart Association says now.
The link between periodontal disease and heart disease has been acknowledged by doctors for nearly a century. But the American Heart Association recently released a statement questioning the association between the two health conditions. According to the statement published in the journal Circulation, there is not strong enough evidence to support the notion that treating gum disease can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.
Perk yourself up when you need it most with these easy solutions.
Everyone has natural energy peaks and slumps throughout the day. Ideally, you know when you work best and have scheduled your to-do list to reflect this, but sometimes life requires that we get things done even when we're feeling sluggish.
1. See the Light
If you're stuck in a dark room, your mood may come to reflect your surroundings and you may feel grumpy and sleepy.
Recognize the symptoms. Determine what's dangerous and what's not. Minimize the effects of memory loss.
Having "senior moments" before you're a senior can be alarming. After all, everyone loses car keys and struggles with names on occasion. But if you notice a decrease in your cognitive abilities, experts recommend getting the problem assessed sooner rather than later.
With this hit-list on hand, you'll be able to build wholesome, seasonal meals rich in flavor and nutrients.
Summer is the easiest season of all to be a cook. Ripe, fresh produce is abundant, meat and fish can be grilled to juicy perfection with a minimum amount of fat, and salads provide an excuse to use healthful olive oil and herbs in a light dressing.
Want to cook healthy this summer? Here are suggestions, from Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, author of The Small Change Diet, Alyssa Faden, RD, of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell Medical Center in New York City, and Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN.
Recognize the most common skin conditions associated with diabetes.
Nearly one third of those with diabetes will develop a skin condition linked to diabetes, explains Kellie Rodriguez, MSN, CDE, of the Diabetes Research Institute in Hollywood, Florida. And sometimes, one of these conditions is an early indicator of diabetes itself.
If you smoke cigarettes or stare at a screen all day, you could be doing your peepers a disservice. Read on for eight more offenses.
Certain habits can cause stress, strain, and even permanent damage to your eyes. Are you guilty of any of these?
1. You wear old glasses/contacts. If your lens prescription is outdated, you could be making your eyes work overtime. While wearing the wrong prescription won't actually damage your eyes, it could cause eyestrain, sore eyes, and headaches.
Take time out to renew. One of these five healthy retreat options could offer just what you need.
The word retreat means "withdraw," and sometimes that's exactly what you need to do to in order to regroup your thoughts and view your life from a different perspective. A retreat center is a sanctuary, a place where you can go to engage in therapeutic activities of all kinds.
If you want to sleep well at night and be alert during the day, when's the best time to wash up? Our expert weighs in.
Do you have a favorite time of day to shower, or do you grab the opportunity whenever it arises? Lots of people feel they don't come to full alertness until after a morning shower, but if you have trouble falling asleep at night, you may want to put off your daily cleansing ritual until evening.
Copper, aluminum, ceramic, and more. It's time to take a closer look at the pots and pans you're using each day.
You may spend lots of time looking for the most flavorful, nutritious foods to feed your family, but have you given any thought to the type of cookware you're preparing them?
Get acquainted with what professional chefs use and learn the benefits as well as the risks that come with these tools.
There are upsides and downsides to pairing a caffeinated beverage with your fitness efforts.
At the end of a long work day, it's understandable that you may need a pick-me-up prior to heading to the gym or hitting the pavement for a jog. You may feel inclined to grab a quick cup of coffee or down an energy drink before you leave the office in order to give yourself the kick you need to make it through your workout.
It's not just background noise. Research confirms that what you hear affects your appetite.
If you struggle with your weight, you may have been told that eating more slowly will help you shed the extra pounds. This is because it takes a certain amount of time for your brain to receive the message from your stomach that you're getting full, and if you're a speed eater you may pass the point of fullness before your brain registers that fact.
Here’s why you should become familiar with the symptoms of Actinic Keratosis.
Actinic Keratosis (ak-TIN-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis), also known as AK or solar keratoses, is a precancerous skin condition that begins in the top layer of the skin. Extended exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation rays causes AK, so you generally see it in areas regularly exposed to the sun.
Determining what should be treated aggressively and what would do better to watch and wait is not always clear-cut. Understand the debate around ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS.
The incidence of breast cancer is rising, and the drumbeat advocating early detection is growing louder. However, important facts about certain types of breast cancer are getting lost in all the noise.
Approximately one-quarter of all new breast cancer diagnoses are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
Smoking is a significant risk factor for lung (and other) cancers and is responsible for almost 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths. However, we all know individuals who smoke for a long time and never develop cancer.
Surprisingly, despite the strong link, only a fraction of smokers will ever develop lung cancer in their lifetimes. There are several possible explanations why some smokers avoid this deadly disease while others are not so fortunate.
Cigarette Chemicals Cause Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, tobacco smoke has more than 7,000 chemicals.
Turn your fitness routine into an eco-friendly activity with these simple solutions.
Here are five ways to green-up your workout to make it as healthy for the earth as it is for your body:
Change Your Clothes
When you pull on a 100 percent cotton t-shirt before you exercise you may think choosing natural over synthetic fabrics is an earth-friendly choice.
Whether because of IBS, acid reflux, or anxiety, it might be time to put down your cup of joe.
Quitting—even if you drink just one small cup of coffee per day—can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms vary from person to person, but may include headache, depression, nausea, and muscle pain. Follow these smart strategies to soften the pain.
Although these diseases share similar names, they are quite different. Here’s how they are distinct.
Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are both blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. These cancers occur when lymphocytes-types of white blood cells in the immune system that help protect us from infection and disease—start to grow abnormally and develop into lymphomas.
Here are the risk factors, symptoms, and treatments for kidney cancer.
Kidney cancer, or renal carcinoma, is a cancer that starts in the kidneys. According to the Kidney Cancer Association, kidney cancer is considered rare when compared to other types of cancer, as it comprises about 3 percent of the total number of cancer diagnoses each year.
Don't let a lack of space stop you from growing fresh, flavorful, nutritious foods. Here's how to start.
Fresh-grown foods have a significant edge over store-bought produce in terms of taste and nutrients, and there's a definite satisfaction in raising and eating your own plants. You can pick them at the height of ripeness when they're bursting with vitamins, and there's no worry about their being contaminated with pesticides or other pollutants.
Could a combination of nutrients in one little pill really help improve your brainpower?
A variety of nutritional supplements, sold as "brain boosters," claim to enhance your memory and help you maintain focus. Can vitamins and other nutrients really keep your mind sharp as you age?
While there's no "cure" for aging, it is now conventional wisdom that diet and exercise play keys roles in determining not only how long you live, but how well you live as you get older.
How has this procedure improved over the years and what's in store for the future?
It had all the makings of a science fiction story when, nearly half a century ago, surgeons implanted a chimpanzee heart into a human. That heart kept the patient alive for only an hour and a half, but the groundbreaking procedure brought us one step closer to today and a world where approximately 2,000 patients in the United States will receive new human hearts this year, and where the majority of those recipients can expect to live at least another 10 years.
If you’re confused about the potential link between parabens and cancer, you’re not alone. Get the facts.
If you're confused about the potential link between parabens and cancer, you're not alone. The evidence is inconclusive and professional opinions vary widely about whether there is, in fact, a connection.
Parabens are chemicals that manufacturers use to inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold in lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, toothpaste, pharmaceutical drugs, shampoos and conditioners, and shaving gels.
Up to four million Americans may suffer with this disease, but experts suspect many more people are living with this disease and just don't know it.
Sjogren's (SHOW grins) Syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks healthy tissue, mistaking it as a harmful invader. Up to four million Americans may suffer with this disease. It primarily strikes people older than 40 and women are nine times more likely than men to develop Sjogren's.
Cutting a few corners can add up to real savings.
Now is definitely the time to figure out how you can save a dime—or, better yet, 500. Think of it like this: If you can hold on to just $50 a week, in one year you would save $2,600, which is a decent sum to feather your nest egg with. But if your budget is already tight, you're probably wondering what you can do to set side such an amount.
Don't dine out at a restaurant that hurts your bank account and your waistline. Eat in with these recipes that are light on your diet and on your wallet.
Sure, we'd all love to be able to take our families out to a gourmet dinner night after night. The truth is, in these tough financial times, cutting corners is paramount. But fear not. Just because you're streamlining costs doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste—or your waist.
You may not be able to control the price of gas, but check out these ways to become fuel thrifty.
Do you find yourself driving across state lines to cut the cost at the pump? Do you fill up on certain days of the week because you know it typically costs less?
There are easier, more efficient ways to beat the upward tick in gas prices. The following ten steps can help you to gain a few extra gallons (not to mention save some much needed cash).
Did you know that different body types respond best to different kinds of exercise? Find your match.
Every body is unique, yet many people are frustrated that their one-size-fitness-plan isn't helping them achieve their goals.
Mike Ceja, a sports therapist in Portland, OR, says, "Most people are a blend of two body types. That means they need to work in more than one fitness area.
How do you know if your tried-and-true exercise routine has gone out of style because it's ineffective or even dangerous? Keep updated here.
Exercise trends come and go and sometimes for good reason. Here are five fitness trends that have fallen out of fashion:
1. All Aerobics All the Time: When fitness videos first became popular, aerobics was all the rage. All you had to do was pop in your videotape, do your hour of cardio exercise in your living room and voila—you thought all your fitness needs were met.
As the average life span continues to increase, more people are requiring caregivers in their later years. Here's a look at the trend by the numbers.
The golden years aren't always as shiny and gilded as they're meant to be. And as Americans live longer, the sobering truth is that many will need long-term care at some point.
Unfortunately, such care is very expensive, and it's usually not covered by public programs—at least until one's savings are basically exhausted.
A self-absorbed attitude can cause health hazards, reveals a new study.
As it turns out, narcissism may create health hazards. Narcissists are notoriously bad at relationships but now a new study has revealed health concerns on their list of unique challenges.
Researchers at the Universities of Michigan and Virginia recently analyzed 106 undergraduate men and women and found that those with certain narcissistic personality traits (in particular, entitlement and exploitativeness) had elevated levels of cortisol—the primary stress hormone.
Is it better to "sleep on it" or resolve the issue? A new study answers this question.
Ever get so mad at your mate you just couldn't make it right before turning out the light? Did "sleeping on it" somehow dilute the argument? Or, did you wrestle till dawn—tossing and turning over the details—trying to figure out a solution? And in the morning, did you wake up rested and ready for round two or did you feel the need to work it out and make peace?
Well, researchers at the University of Massachusetts decided to investigate the theory.
Many different types of medications can be used to treat heartburn. But what works for one person may not work for another.
Many different types of medications can be used to treat heartburn. But what works for one person may not work for another, so you may have to experiment until you find what's best for you.
If you constantly take over-the-counter antacids but your heartburn symptoms persist or if your prescription heartburn medication doesn't provide much relief, your doctor may suggest a different type of medicine, or even a combination of drugs, that work in different ways to help control your symptoms.
Growing older is no longer the inevitable decline that yesterday’s seniors accepted, often with resignation. Today’s boomers have rewritten the book on healthy living.
As of January 2011, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 every day. That's one every eight seconds. By 2030, boomers will be 78 million strong. It's not surprising a cohort this large is redefining what healthy aging means.
While there are many variations on the theme, boomers' vision of healthy living has several common elements.
You know the old saying, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is? We might want to apply this truism to the idea that using antibacterial cleaners reduces the spread of illness.
Hundreds of antibacterial products promise to keep you safe from harmful microbes. However, there's little or no data to demonstrate these products are better at protecting you. In fact, they may actually pose health risks.
We have more than 100 species of bacteria living on our skin.
Planning for your retirement is exciting—and perhaps a bit intimidating. Here's what to consider.
Here's what to consider as you think about your retirement:
Retirement
At what age do you want to retire? Delaying retirement-even just a few years-provides an opportunity for your nest egg to grow and can make a significant financial difference.
Sleep patterns shift as you age. Here's what you are experiencing and what to expect.
Have you always been a good sleeper, but suddenly can't seem to go more than a few hours without waking? Does your teen, who, as a grade-schooler, used to rise at dawn, now snooze until noon on weekends? How about your elderly father, who seems to be napping every time you call? What's happening with all these shifting sleep patterns?
The most dramatic changes tend to take place in childhood.
You already know it's good for you. Here are the tips and tricks to make your salad a nutritional powerhouse.
Visit your local farmer's market or grocery store and you'll be amazed at the variety of greens that can serve as a bed for all kinds of salads. Keep the croutons and goopy dressing if you must, but upgrade to one of these nutritious, delicious iceberg alternatives:
Arugula
You may have seen this green on the menu at Italian restaurants as it originates from the Mediterranean region.
This fitness trend takes people at all fitness levels and whips them into the best shape of their lives. So what can boot camp do for you?
Lora Gordon, a marketing consultant from Portland, OR, had always been active, but when she turned 40, she needed something to kick her metabolism into high gear and [I] re-energize her to work out regularly. "I got bored easily in most exercise classes and didn't challenge myself hard enough [to] work out on my own.
There's no doubt that shedding excess pounds is a big boost to your health and well-being, but not everything is totally rosy after weight loss.
Like millions of others, you might be thinking about losing weight. Whether you've got five pounds or 50 to spare, chances are at some point you thought, "I'll start tomorrow." However, you might find that with your new, slim figure comes a few downsides:
Changing relationships.
Make sure to add these to your to-do list before you exercise.
You've put on your sweat pants, laced up your sneakers, and downloaded your favorite workout play list, but if you haven't done these five things, you're not ready to work out.
1) Wash your face. Start your work out with squeaky-clean skin-free from dirt, oils and makeup.
With an optimal blood pressure reading, you may believe that you are healthy despite your weight, but it's not so clear-cut.
Is it possible to be overweight and feel healthy? Of course. It's even possible to fall into the clinical category "obese" and not suffer from one of the most common health problems associated with excessive weight: high blood pressure. In fact, with an optimal blood pressure reading, you may believe that you are healthier than others despite your weight.
Exercise, hosiery, hot pepper. There are plenty of ways to get the blood flowing in your legs. Read on for a list of five.
That ache in your calf, that tingling in your toes, and, oh, your sore and swollen feet! Leg pain can be more than just an end-of-day annoyance. Aches and pains in your lower extremities are usually caused by poor circulation. You can regain some of your strength and even improve the overall look of your legs and feet by using these simple techniques to stimulate blood flow.
The next time you head to the market, be sure to place these cardiovascular winners in your cart.
A cardio-friendly diet is low in sugar and saturated fat, and high in protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. But that doesn't mean your grocery list should be reduced to flaxseed and tofu. Instead, fill your shopping cart with foods you love and some you may not have even have thought of.
What do the guidelines from the United States Preventive Task Force mean for you?
In late 2009, the United States Preventive Task Force (USPTF) issued new recommendations for mammogram screening. The prevailing guidelines were for women to start screening mammograms at age 40 and then have annual mammograms. The USPTF instead recommended women with no known risk factors start screening at age 50 and have follow-up mammograms every two years.
While heart disease remains the leading cause of death among both genders, there are additional dangers for women.
As much as society might push for equality between men and women, sometimes we can't all be treated the same. In fact, when it comes to cardiovascular health, treating women differently is a positive move that could save lives.
While heart disease is the leading cause of death among both sexes, research shows that lifestyle factors, other medical problems, and basic biological differences mean that men and women have different risk factors.
Here are the essential dos and don'ts of this delicate process.
Our ears are designed to be self-cleaning devices, but sometimes they need a little help. It's important to clean them the right way, though, and digging around with a cotton stick is not the way to do it. So when it comes to giving your ears a proper cleaning, what's healthy and what's not?
Earwax is called cerumen and is composed of oils, secretions produced by hair follicles, and tissues that line the ear canal.
You can still have your coffee (and doughnut, too!) if you follow these four common-sense suggestions.
You walk into your favorite café with the full intent of sticking to a cup of black coffee. But then you're met with an abundant display of syrupy, creamy drinks whipped to perfection as well as sweet and savory baked goods so fresh they appear to be calling your name-and all your willpower goes out the window.
Scientists are at work on a vaccine that would prevent the development of cancer cells in the body. Get the update.
Vaccines have virtually eliminated many deadly or debilitating diseases, and scientists are trying to replicate this success by developing effective cancer vaccines.
Cancer begins when something alters the process of DNA sequencing within genes, which blocks the instructions that tell a cell to produce a normal version of itself.
Cancer drug shortages are a horrifying reality. Here's why it happens and what patients can do.
Over the past few years, oncologists have experienced shortages in several older, but curative, chemotherapy drugs, including Doxil and methotrexate. Doxil primarily treats certain severe cases of ovarian cancer and multiple myeloma. Methotrexate treats many forms of cancer, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood leukemia.
Satisfy your sweet tooth while still keeping your blood sugar in check with these simple tips.
Whether your passion is cookies or your weakness is for anything sweet and greasy (think doughnuts), chances are you find yourself eating more sugar than you should. Intense cravings for sweets can be hard to overcome, but even die-hard sugar addicts can find satisfying and healthy alternatives with just a few tweaks.
With a wealth of antioxidants, green tea is used for weight loss, skin care, and for anti-aging. Is it too good to be true?
Research shows the benefits of green tea may range from rejuvenating older skin to warding off cancer. It contains a cornucopia of antioxidants and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, and vitamins C, D, and K.
Green Tea for Weight Loss
You are right to be suspicious of the green tea "miracle" weight loss formulas, but there is some truth to the fad.
It's common for adults who skipped braces during adolescence to straighten their teeth at a later age. If that's you, here are your choices.
Studies show that beautiful smiles can increase your career success and overall attractiveness. Plus, crooked teeth or bite misalignments can lead to jaw issues, gum disease, and even tooth breakage.
Different teeth straightening approaches follow the same basic principle: They apply constant pressure to teeth, causing them to move into the desired position.
Your body creates vitamin D by synthesizing UV rays. But that doesn't mean skimping on sunscreen. There are safer ways.
An estimated one third of Americans aren't getting enough vitamin D—an essential compound that keeps your bones and immune system healthy. Recent studies also link vitamin D to lowering blood pressure, reducing cancer risks, warding off osteoporosis, and even preserving memory.
A study reveals that these mini-computers have a big impact on your stress levels.
According to researchers from the University of Worcester, who presented their findings at a recent meeting of the British Psychological Society, the number of times a person checks his smartphone is directly correlated with higher stress levels. The reason comes from the feeling that one "needs" to respond to every alert.
Surprise! A different day might be worse, but you can lighten your load any day of the week.
The alarm rings, and the first thing you do is groan. It's Monday and there are 40 plus hours separating you from the stress-free weekend. Often, we think of Mondays in a negative light, and rightfully so.
A study conducted by British food company Marmite and reported in The Telegraph found that many people don't smile on Mondays until 11:16am, and more than half of workers won't arrive at work on time.
Here's exactly what to look for to pick the best makeup brush for the job.
Your makeup job depends as much on the application tools as the cosmetics themselves. Makeup brushes should to give you good control and be able to blend makeup into your skin. And good makeup brushes require an up-front investment that will be well worth it in their longevity and improvement to your look.
You don't have to become antisocial to minimize incidental allergy triggers.
When guests come to visit they will bring with them an array of allergy triggers. Household allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, and mold can easily stick on clothes, hair, and skin.
However, you don't have to become antisocial or send your guests packing in order to steer clear of these household allergens.
Here's how what works for baby could also give you a better night's rest.
If you've had a baby in the last two decades, you may be familiar with sleep training. Sleep training, popularized by a pediatrician who studies sleep disorders in children, teaches babies to become more independent and be able to fall asleep without parental comforting.
Here's how to pick the right scale to support your goal of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Go into any home-products store or browse online and you're likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer variety of scales for sale. So what's really important when making this purchase?
The first choice you'll need to make is between the two main types of bathroom scales: Digital and analog.
Practice these simple steps for an easy, professional-looking, at-home manicure.
DIY manicures can save you money and are safer than salon treatments because you get to control the cleanliness of the tools.
1. Remove any polish on your nails with a cotton ball dipped in an acetone-free nail polish remover. Be thorough, but don't over-saturate the nail and cuticle since the chemicals can cause dryness and nail damage.
Focus on food labels. Use smaller plates. Don't multi-task. Try these, and seven other suggestions for sizing down your servings.
If you're making every effort to slim down, don't assume you have to forego your favorite foods and confine yourself to a diet of raw vegetables. You can eat what you love—just not too much of it.
"Portion control is key to losing and maintaining weight," says Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, the author of "The Small Change Diet.
Cancer still holds mysteries, but scientists have made strides in uncovering what happens when a body develops cancer cells.
In January 2000, two researchers published a famous and often cited article in the journal Cell, titled "Hallmarks of Cancer." They compared the development of a tumor to Darwin's theory of evolution: a succession of genetic changes leads to a progressive conversion of normal cells into cancer cells.
Try these special movements that help reduce pain and stiffness, while increasing strength and flexibility.
There are three types of exercises you can do to make living with arthritis a whole lot easier. And there's a reason why each is essential.
There was a time when the most common exercise prescription for arthritis was "rest is best." Not anymore. Health experts now know that physical activity is not only good for people with arthritis; it has become a standard form of treatment that can help relieve pain, improve balance and endurance, and restore joint function.
This team of professionals can help you cope with the physical, emotional, and financial challenges of living with arthritis.
If you have access to a team of health care professionals—one that may include an internist, rheumatologist, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, dietitian, social worker, and pharmacist—use them all to help you understand your disease and treatments, make lifestyle changes that can help you feel better, and make your way through the paperwork maze you may encounter.
How you experience your asthma symptoms will vary over time.
It's essential to adjust your asthma management plan for different stages of your life. At any age, the key to treating asthma is to have a comprehensive action plan that includes these basic components:
Measurement tools to monitor your asthma.
Fast-acting and control medications.
Here's how certain natural scents may help improve your health and overall state of mind.
Can you sniff your way to a better mood and better health? It all depends on what scents you smell. If you surround yourself with these aromas, you might find that the secret to health is all in your nose.
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative and complementary medicine based on the use of concentrated oils from flowers, leaves, bark, branches, rinds, or roots of plants with purported healing properties.
While it’s long been accepted that cancer is caused by mutated genes, some experts now put stock in a different belief.
The prevailing theory of how cancer develops is that tumors begin when mutated genes trigger uncontrolled cell growth. However, some cancer experts attribute cancer to disrupted chromosomes, which alter the balance of thousands of genes and produce cells with entirely new traits.
Here are some of the exciting developments on the near horizon of diabetes treatment options.
Having diabetes is no walk in the park, but living with the disorder really does get easier all the time. Just 10 years ago, testing the blood sugar took several long minutes. Insulin pumps were unheard of. And the concept of an artificial pancreas was almost unthinkable.
When it comes to asthma inhalers, there are two distinct types to know.
Most asthma inhalers will either give you long-term control to manage your condition or short-term relief to address presenting symptoms.
Long-Term and Short-Term Medication Types
Many asthmatics need a combination of both types of medicine as part of their overall asthma management strategy.
Why would playing certain music boost a doctor's ability to detect cancer-causing polyps?
Doctors who download Mozart while performing colonoscopies have higher chances of detecting adenomas, a polyp that is a precursor to colon cancer. This is according to researchers Catherine Noelle O'Shea, DO, and David Wolf, MD, of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health) Medical School.
These unsightly growths are harmless, but they can be painful and highly contagious. Here's how to treat them.
Common warts are growths that appear on your hands and fingers (as well as other areas) when the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infects the top layer of the skin. They're generally harmless, though quite contagious. And they typically go away on their own sooner or later.
Here's how to prep when you welcome someone who is prone to cough, sneeze, itch, and even have an asthma attack because of your pet.
If you're a dog or cat owner, there's no avoiding pet dander, saliva, and urine that could appear on your floors, fabrics, and furniture. Although you often can't see these allergens, the animal proteins they contain are enough to spark an immune system response in people who are allergic to pets.
Psoriasis can be frustrating, painful, even embarrassing. Follow these tips to keep flare-ups at bay.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as many as 7.5 million Americans suffer from psoriasis—a chronic, non-contagious skin disease that affects the life cycle of skin cells.
For most people, skin cells take about one month to move from the lowest skin layer to the outermost layer, where they die and flake off.
Insomnia affects more than 70 million Americans. Find out more about what's keeping you awake at night.
"To sleep, perchance to dream." Shakespeare's famed words sound so tranquil, but if you've ever read Hamlet, you know the story's about to take a bad turn. For many Americans, sleep is also a maddening prospect representing hours of tossing and turning with little to show for it other than the eventual fatigue, irritability, and exhaustion.
Get the real story on America's most prevalent mental illness—from symptoms and diagnosis to treatment.
Depression has been called the "common cold of mental health"—and is it any wonder? Approximately 18.8 million American adults, or 9.5 percent of the U.S. adult population, suffer from a depressive disorder each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Headaches are among the most common pain symptoms in the world. Learn about the different types of headaches and what causes them.
At one time or another, nearly everyone has had a headache. In fact, 70 percent of people have had at least one in the past year. What's more, roughly 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches, a condition that costs U.S. companies billions of dollars in lost productivity annually.
Follow these easy tips to make exercise part of your daily routine.
Let's face it: We live in an inactive nation where obesity has become a growing epidemic. More than one-third of American adults meet the criterion for obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The good news is that it's never too late and never too hard to get in shape.
From entrées and desserts to sodas and sides, Americans are supersizing. Learn how to choose healthier portions.
If you think that plate of spaghetti is much bigger than it was when you were a child, you're probably right: Portion size has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. The result? A dramatic rise in the number of overweight and obese Americans. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted several studies and found alarming changes in the number of calories people consume now compared with what they ate 20 years ago.
Rosacea, which often causes constant redness in the face, can be frustrating and difficult to treat, but there are steps you can take to manage the condition.
Rosacea is a common, long-term skin disease that affects more than an estimated 16 million Americans. The condition may produce persistent redness, or flushing; acne; and visible blood vessels in the center of the face. What's more, these symptoms can eventually spread to the cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose.
Learn to identify the most common culprits so you can breathe easier.
For allergy sufferers, attacks can come on suddenly—and seemingly from out of nowhere. But experts are quick to point out that there are a host of hidden allergy triggers that may be causing your wheezing, sneezing, or other symptoms. According to the American Lung Association (ALA), allergy triggers can be hiding inside or outdoors.
Learn about the most common forms of arthritis, from causes and symptoms to treatment.
More than 46 million Americans have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis—a disease that affects 50 percent of adults over 65 and is the leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This drug seems to offer relief from pain, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, and loss of appetite, which are common side effects of cancer and cancer treatments. And there are other possible benefits as well.
Because cannabis is illegal, scientific research on the medical benefits for cancer and other serious illnesses is limited, and much of the evidence is anecdotal. However, there seems to be a growing body of data (and citizen demand) to support legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.
About 90 percent of the more than 25 million U.S. children and adults affected by diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Find out more about this growing epidemic, from risk factors to treatment options.
Diabetes is a lifelong metabolic disorder that affects more than 25 million U.S. children and adults—about 90 percent of whom suffer from type 2 diabetes. The bodies of those affected by the disease either can't produce enough insulin or have cells that ignore the insulin.
Skin cancer rates are likely to increase in the coming years. Find out how behavioral and dietary changes can reduce your risk.
One out of every five Americans will develop skin cancer during his or her lifetime, and many health experts believe that percentage will increase in coming decades. With global warming on the rise, people are increasingly being exposed to stronger ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which forms free radicals, damages healthy cells, and increases the risk for skin cancer.
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can be a challenge. Follow these tips to make it easier.
According to the National Alzheimer's Association, more than 10 million Americans are currently caring for a relative with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. Although the task can be challenging and even overwhelming at times, there are things you can do to ease the process.
Are you concerned that a loved one may be suffering from Alzheimer's disease? Read on to learn about the most common early symptoms.
For millions of Americans, it's an all-too-familiar scenario: Suddenly, a loved one will start asking the same question repeatedly, telling the same story continuously, or behaving inappropriately. His or her close friends, spouses, or children notice it but dismiss it simply as "getting old.
A growing body of research suggests that antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent the onset of the disease.
There are still many questions surrounding Alzheimer's disease—a degenerative brain disorder and form of dementia that currently has no cure. Although the evidence is not conclusive, several studies, including one conducted by the Alzheimer's Association, suggest that foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent the onset of the disease.
Family history significantly increases your chance of developing heart disease. Reduce your risk with these steps.
Some diseases seem to run in families. Heart disease is one of them. A family history significantly increases your risk for also developing heart disease.
Unfortunately, heart disease is common-and deadly. More than 600,000 Americans die from heart disease annually.
Everyone needs vitamin D for good health, but a debate continues to burn in the medical community over the best ways to get this important nutrient.
The National Institutes of Health recommend 600 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day. One cup of vitamin D-fortified milk provides 100 units, while 3 ounces of oil-based tuna provides another 200 units. But is it wise to soak up UV rays to get vitamin D? The debate is so hot that the Skin Cancer Foundation has called it The D Dilemma.
Can't get a good night's sleep? Follow these easy guidelines.
If you can't seem to get a good night's sleep, you're not alone-more than 70 million Americans suffer from sleep problems, according to the National Institutes of Health. The good news is, many of these issues can be solved by simply changing your daily routine and creating a better sleep environment.
Follow these tips to help reduce the likelihood of a manic episode.
One of the best ways to manage bipolar disorder is to prevent manic episodes before they start. Although that's not always doable, it is possible to identify triggers that may lead to mood disturbances. Follow these tips to reduce the likelihood of a manic episode:
Stick to a daily routine
Schedule meals at a regular time, make exercise a part of your daily schedule, and practice relaxation techniques each night before bed.
Diabetes is a lifelong disease, but these tips can make it easier to manage the condition.
According to the American Diabetes Association, more the 25 million Americans are living with diabetes. Try these tips to help manage the condition and prevent the serious complications associated with the disease.
1. Follow a balanced diet. A low-fat eating plan with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help keep blood sugar at healthy levels.
Who says losing weight has to be hard? These effortless activities can help rev your metabolism and melt the pounds away.
Actor Pete Postlethwaite once said: "I exercise every morning without fail. One eyelid goes up and the other follows." That quote may seem nonsensical, but the sentiment actually makes some sense. Take a closer look at your daily routine, and you'll find plenty of opportunities for easy calorie-burning activities—no gym required.
Stuck at home with a cold? Find comfort with these soothing foods.
You can't seem to fight off that nasty cold or flu, and you're stuck at home for several days. The good news? There are certain foods that can help soothe your symptoms. Although you may not feel like cooking or eating anything right now, these simple treats are easy to prepare and may even get you back to health more quickly.
Follow these steps to help prevent the complications that lead to amputation.
The very idea of losing a limb, or part of one, is terrifying. Individuals who have diabetes are at a higher risk for amputation than others, and diabetes is a leading cause of amputation in the United States, says Spyros Mezitis, MD, of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
When it comes to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which foods are most likely to bring on bouts of belly bloat and gassiness?
"Eating should be effortless," says Steven Lamm, M.D., house doctor on ABC's The View and author of the forthcoming book No Guts, No Glory (April 2012).
"You shouldn't have to feel bloated or gassy or [experience] any discomfort after you eat. You should be able to eat normally, digest your food, and feel well.
If you use air fresheners and scented candles to create a welcoming atmosphere in your home, you might just make yourself sick.
Many people rely on scented products such as sprays, plug-ins, and light-up items to keep their homes and workspaces smelling great. But for people with allergies, these products can lead to sneezing, coughing, and wheezing.
Research on Air Freshener Allergies
A study that appeared in the Journal of Environmental Health in 2009 took a close look at the growing use of scented products and explored the consequences.
Knowing the symptoms of the different types of skin cancer and where to look for them on your body could save your life.
Skin cancer can affect any area of your body exposed to sun, including the scalp. And believe it or not, it can even crop up in lesser-exposed areas like the palms of your hands, between your toes, even on your genitals. According to experts, cancerous skin lesions can appear suddenly or develop slowly, and the American Cancer Society advises that people see their doctors immediately if they see any of the following symptoms.
More and more Americans are opting for bariatric surgery to shed major pounds and improve their quality of life. Find out if you or a loved one could be a candidate.
As most health experts can attest, the best way to lose weight is to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet. But that doesn't always work—just ask the 129.6 million Americans, or 64 percent of the population, who are currently overweight or obese.
Learn how to spot the warning signs and break the vicious cycle.
Controlling spouses, unstable siblings, friends you just can't trust. Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you may be in a toxic relationship—and you're not alone. According to experts, most Americans have struggled with at least one unhealthy social bond by the time they're in their late teens, and sadly, many continue to endure these connections throughout their lives.
Want to enjoy the festivities without piling on the pounds? Check out our top eight tips.
It starts with Halloween and plastic pumpkins full of sugary treats, then continues through Thanksgiving weekend, with plentiful mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, pies, and leftover turkey sandwiches. And don't forget December: office parties, cookie exchanges, and that food-filled week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
When it comes to your cardiovascular health, the essentials are clear.
At one point in the melodramatic (but undeniably enchanting) movie Titanic the heroine, Rose, remarks, "A woman's heart is a deep ocean of secrets." That's the truth! Beyond harboring long-lost loves and tales of tragic shipwrecks, your heart holds health secrets.
Public places are magnets for germs that cause the flu, viruses, and other illnesses. But that doesn't mean you have to stay home to avoid being exposed. Learn where the germs roam so you can take the right precautions.
Whenever you head out to the mall, the supermarket, or a restaurant, you're putting yourself at risk for getting sick thanks to sick people who go out when they shouldn't. It opens you up to their germs when they cough, sneeze, or touch communal surfaces along their way.
It's common for seniors to experience sadness and grief, but when these feelings are persistent, they may be a sign of depression.
Although depression is common among older Americans, experts say it's not just a normal part of the aging process. Whenever feelings of sadness and grief are persistent and interfere with daily activities, they may be signs of major depression--a disease that affects 1 to 5 percent of senior citizens in the mainstream community, the National Institute of Mental Health reports.
Here's how to give your body the energy and strength it needs to stay healthy as you get older.
Although it's common to begin leading a more sedentary lifestyle as you get older, the worst thing you can do for your health is come to a complete standstill. In fact, some of the physical and mental symptoms that are associated with getting older are actually due to the inactivity that so often accompanies aging, says Meena Garg, MD, of Indiana University's Center for Sports Medicine.
Nutrition labels can be deceiving. Learn how to cut though the hype and make healthier choices.
If the nutrition label reads "zero grams trans fat" it must be healthy, right? Wrong! As it turns out, federal regulations allow labels to read "zero grams trans fat" as long as a product contains less than 0.5 grams of the artery-clogging fat per serving.
Follow these simple strategies to get your cholesterol levels where you want them to be.
You're working hard to eat right so you can lower your cholesterol levels. You're reading nutrition labels, buying fewer pre-packaged foods, and testing yourself often. But you're still struggling to keep your cholesterol down. What are you doing wrong?
The answer may surprise you.
With these six easy tips, you can transform your refrigerator and your health.
When you run to your fridge for a midnight snack, what do you grab? Leftover takeout? Ice cream? Pizza? If so, your fridge may be in need of an extreme makeover.
As most of us know, we are what we eat, and the best way to change the way we eat, look, and feel is by changing what we keep in our kitchens.
Get the skinny on tricks that really work.
At any given time, one out of every three Americans is on a diet. Unfortunately, most of them fail, and those who do shed pounds usually gain them back within five years. The good news: It doesn't have to be that way. According to the National Weight Control Registry, people who manage to lose weight and keep it off share these common strategies.
These simple tests can help detect common health conditions before they escalate.
In today's busy world, medical exams often take a backseat to work, family, and other commitments. In fact, 28 percent of women don't go for their annual Pap tests, and only 32 percent know their cholesterol numbers. Could this behavior be compromising your health? Here's a list of five exams you can't afford to put off another day.
There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of infection.
For healthy individuals, influenza, commonly known as flu, lasts only seven to 10 days. But its symptoms can be severe from extreme fatigue and fever to body aches, chills, and more. Fortunately, the virus can be prevented and its symptoms suppressed.
There's no one food that can magically transform an overweight body into an ideal figure. But there are foods that are beneficial to eat on the journey to a slimmer body.
There's no one food that can magically transform an overweight body into an ideal figure. Eating plans that consist solely of grapefruit aren't realistic or effective, nor are plans that promote eating only cabbage soup or special "weight-loss cookies.
Although there's no known cure for Crohn's disease, these tips may help patients to manage their symptoms.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects an estimated 500,000 Americans. The disease is characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and symptoms may include frequent diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, anal tears, and bowel obstructions.
These healthy eating tips will help you make it to New Year's without the extra pounds or the guilt.
A healthy diet can be difficult to maintain at any time of year, but once the holiday season rolls around, the task becomes ten times harder. It all begins at Thanksgiving dinner with freshly carved turkey, mashed potatoes with sour cream, corn-bread stuffing, and of course, the all-American apple pie.
Understanding the "fair test rule" is essential for evaluating cancer treatment options.
We'd like to believe scientists have rigorously studied all tests and treatments and proven beyond a doubt that they are safe and effective. Unfortunately, medical research is complex and drawing definitive conclusions from study results is not always straightforward.
Many people successfully kick the habit, and you can too. Here, the top 10 benefits of smoke-free living.
Although the health risks associated with smoking are irrefutable, many people have difficulty butting out. After all, nicotine is a powerful drug, and when smokers quit, they can experience withdrawal symptoms ranging from anger and irritability to headaches and insomnia.
Learn how to find the middle ground between being accommodating and being stepped on.
According to a University of Iowa study, excessively nice people often feel as if they have no control over their decisions, thoughts, or opinions. As a result, they can become resentful, frustrated, even depressed. Are you too nice for your own good?
1.
Hot flashes can be uncomfortable, frustrating, even scary. Follow this guide to help ease your symptoms.
For many women, hot flashes are menopause's most-dreaded symptom. And it's no wonder: These episodes come on suddenly, spreading an intense feeling of heat over the entire body, especially in the head and neck. What's more, they may be accompanied by rapid heartbeat, perspiration, or dizziness.
Sick of starving to lose weight? Follow these tips to shed pounds. No diet required.
For most people, diets aren't enjoyable, and they never seem to yield lasting results either. Although dieters may lose weight initially, most relapse and soon regain the pounds they shed, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles.
This tart, delicious fruit may have protective properties against diseases like colitis, Crohn's, and even cancer. But it's the part of the apple that might surprise you.
An apple a day may keep digestive diseases away. That's according to new research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
Apples are a great source of soluble fiber (found to lower cholesterol), quercetin (an antioxidant which plays a role in...
While many food allergies begin in childhood, the fact is that at any age, you can suddenly find yourself dealing with an allergic reaction to something you've had to eat or drink.
It's true, adults could develop food allergies. Both adults and seniors can experience food allergy symptoms for the first time.
The symptoms can range from mild discomfort to serious or even life threatening.
Common Food Allergy Triggers
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Psoriasis is a potentially debilitating skin condition that encompasses several different types and levels of severity. Throughout the population, 10 percent of the public are predisposed to developing it.
Psoriasis, a potentially debilitating skin condition, has several types and levels of severity. Generally, sufferers have only one type at a time, though the type can change.
Plaque psoriasis accounts for 80 percent of psoriasis cases. It typically affects the elbows, knees, scalp, and lower back, and looks like raised, red lesions that are covered by silvery scales.
Elderly patients often get confused or agitated toward the end of the day. Learn about the symptoms known as sundowning.
When the sun goes down, elderly patients can become irritated, irrational, even violent. The phenomenon, known as sundowning or sundowner's syndrome, refers to the extreme agitation and confusion elderly people may suddenly experience during the late afternoons or early evenings.
These strategies can help you cope with the most common caregiver emotions.
When you're caring for an elderly loved one, it's normal to feel sad or discouraged from time to time. Ignoring your feelings won't make them go away; in fact, it may even make them grow stronger. Instead, try these six suggestions from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.
Caregiving expert Jackie Pinkowitz discusses the difference between age-related memory problems and Alzheimer's disease.
If you talked to as many caregivers as I have over the years, you'd know that it's not the least bit unusual for them to wonder, "Is it Alzheimer's or just aging?" This heart-wrenching question hangs over the heads of many, many families for many, many months without ever once being spoken out loud.
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can be overwhelming. Follow these tips to help deal with the diagnosis and cope with the holidays and every day.
Caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer's disease (AD) means that each new day brings a unique set of challenges. Coping with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior can become overwhelming at times.
Not surprisingly, research has shown that caregivers often are at increased risk for depression and illness, especially if they do not receive adequate support from family, friends, and the community.
When it comes to assisted living, understanding all of the options available can be a challenge. Here, the most frequently asked questions and answers.
It's never easy when an aging loved one needs to move to a residential facility. But understanding the basics in advance can help ease the transition when the time comes. As you and your loved one prepare for the future, refer to this Frequently Asked Questions guide provided by the national nonprofit Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living (CCAL).
Living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be a challenge, but these tips can make it easier.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can present any number of challenges for adults, from keeping focused to maintaining healthy relationships. The good news is, there are several steps you can take to make living with ADHD easier. Try the following seven tips to help manage your condition.
Learn how to build strong bones and protect against osteoporosis.
At some point—usually around age 30—everyone's bones begin to get thinner. But only some people will develop osteoporosis, a progressive disease that causes bones to become brittle and more likely to break. Your risk for osteoporosis depends on a number of factors, including the thickness of your bones when you were young, as well as the health, diet, and fitness levels you've maintained since.
Study shows that preparedness makes all the difference when it comes to caregiving.
Findings from the CVS/pharmacy and Caring Today 2007 "Caregiver Insights Study: Well-Being and Care Management" indicate that family caregivers find the caregiving experience more enjoyable than expected. Findings further revealed that those caregivers who were better prepared to fill the caregiver role and responsibilities had more positive experiences than those who were unprepared.
Understand your choices for better decision-making.
It goes without saying that those of us who see our aging parents' needs change want for them exactly what we would want for ourselves. Quite simply, we want them to have the right care at the right time in the right place. But wanting it and knowing what it means specifically for our moms or dads, understanding what our options are, and knowing where to find reliable information on each option isn't at all simple.
12 Ways to Beat Exhaustion and Burnout
For caregivers, juggling the demands of work and family with parenting our own parents can be a struggle. Just listen to the emotional turmoil expressed by fellow caregivers attempting to manage a turbulent, uncharted course and fill a role they most definitely never wished for.
Are you thinking about getting a flu vaccination this year? Learn about the risks and rewards.
Each fall, medical professionals encourage us to get flu shots in order to lessen our chances of coming down with influenza. For some of us, the flu vaccine can provide protection, or decrease the severity of the illness if we do get sick.
But the flu shot isn't necessarily the right choice for everyone.
These friendly bacteria can do wonders for your digestive system. Learn how your body can start reaping the benefits.
The literal translation of the word probiotics is "for life." But just what are probiotics, how are they helpful in maintaining digestive health, and how can they be included in daily diets?
Probiotics Defined
The normal human digestive tract contains over 1,000 types of bacteria that reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and help promote a healthy digestive system.
Women are far more likely to remember their high-school weights than their cholesterol levels.
Adult women are more than twice as likely to know how much they weighed in high school than they are to know their current cholesterol number, and only half have had their cholesterol tested in the past year, according to results of a nationwide survey.
Not so black and white: study concludes bipolar disease is more of a spectrum disorder.
A 2007 study supports earlier findings that bipolar disease is underrecognized, often improperly treated, and may be more accurately characterized as a spectrum disorder than a black-and-white disease. The study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, analyzed data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), a nationwide survey of mental disorders among 9,282 Americans ages 18 and older.
Follow these tips to minimize your chances of catching the flu this year.
For some of us, getting the flu each year seems almost inevitable. Even if we get a vaccination, it isn't a guarantee that we won't get sick.
We may feel run down due to our busy schedules, and that's when the flu swoops in, preying on our weakened state.
Feeling stressed out? Regain your calm with these tips.
Sometimes daily life can get the best of us, and our stress levels can zoom off the charts. Family issues, workplace worries, and day-to-day obligations can take a toll on how we feel, both physically and emotionally. To ease feelings of anxiety or tension, try these methods of stress reduction:
1.
Keeping cool on hot summer days isn't only a matter a comfort—it's vital for good health and even survival.
A little fun in the sun is one thing, but when it could put you at risk for heat stroke, it's time to take some precautions. That's the message from the Pennsylvania Medical Society and experts all across the country, who warn both adults and children alike that heat stroke is a potentially deadly illness to be avoided—even if it means sacrificing a day at the beach.
As many as 15 million Americans suffer from some form of eczema. Here, 13 tips to help ease your symptoms.
Eczema is a remarkably common skin condition, affecting some 15 million people in the United States.
While not dangerous or contagious, the condition (also known as atopic dermatitis) is incurable and uncomfortable, usually causing red, swollen, and itchy skin.
How to keep allergies and asthma from traveling with you.
When vacations kick into high gear, allergies and asthma often follow suit. The good news? "There are steps you can take to minimize your symptoms," said Dr. Richard W. Weber, an academy leader and allergist in Denver, Colo. He recommends following these tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology:
Consider visiting your allergist or immunologist for a physical if you're planning to go on a long vacation.
Add these super foods to your diet, and give your health an instant boost.
By now, you probably know which foods you should avoid sugary colas, greasy snacks, fatty fast foods. But what about the many nutritious foods nature has to offer? While many people are familiar with the well-publicized superfoods, such as berries, salmon, and spinach, there's an abundance of lesser-known treats that can also do wonders for your health.
Prostate problems are common, especially in older men. Fortunately, many of these issues can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. Here's a rundown of five practical tips for prostate health.
This small gland can be a source of big medical problems, especially in older men. Most, like inflammation and infection, are benign conditions, but all men are at risk of developing prostate cancer, and the risk increases with age. Here are some prostate-protective tips to share with the men in your life.
Your pet is an important member of your family. But along with the happiness your furry friend brings is great deal of responsibility, on your part, to keep your cat or dog in tip-top shape.
Richard S. Goldstein, Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and owner of Mobile Vet Squad in Westchester County, NY introduces some of the key areas that you'll need to consider when adopting a pet. This includes ensuring proper nutrition, keeping her skin and coat clean and pest-free, and taking steps to prevent serious illnesses.
So you're ready to adopt a pet? Before you open your home to a furry friend, find out exactly what you need to have in place.
Are You a Dog Lover or a Cat Lover?
Both kinds of animals have great benefits. Dogs can be quite affectionate but are high maintenance. Cats may demand less attention and are more independent.
Regardless of which one you prefer, Dr. Goldstein, Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and owner of Mobile Vet Squad in Westchester County, NY, says that it's important to understand that when you take home a new pet, you're making a long-term commitment.
Don't expect to lose 10 pounds overnight, but you can take steps to help your body rid itself of bloating while you sleep, which could result in a flatter tummy the next morning.
You can wake up slimmer than when you went to bed the night before—if you adhere to this important list of to-dos:
Drink plenty of water during the day.
You don't want to ingest enough to fill a tanker truck—overconsumption of water can be dangerous.
This supplement is a widely recommended alternative to prescription and over-the-counter sleep medications, but some studies show it's not effective. So should you try it?
The flowering plant, valerian, contains various compounds that may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. It's also used to treat anxiety and abdominal cramps.
The most studied, most widely available, and seemingly most effective species of valerian is Valerian officinalis, which is native to northern European countries.
Approximately two-thirds of adults watch TV in the hour before they go to bed. If you have ongoing sleep problems, ask yourself if you're one of them.
Watching the tube before bed may seem like a good way to wind down for the evening to help you relax and fall asleep. And according to Dr. Helene M. Emsellem, author of Snooze...Or Lose, this may be true. But only if you watch TV for a very short period of time, keeping the sound low, and viewing something that's nonviolent and non-stimulating.
When you're sleep-deprived, you're more likely to take chances and make reckless decisions. What do brain scans reveal about being overtired?
Your ability to make smart decisions can be lost when you lack sleep. You may take chances you wouldn't ordinarily take, have a false sense of what you can accomplish, and if you're a gambler or an over-spender, the results could be disastrous.
When getting a good night's sleep is difficult, engaging in risky behavior such as mindless spending is that much easier because you don't have the wherewithal to stop yourself.
While no one claims getting up on a frigid day is easy, here are the steps you can take to make the whole experience bearable.
Here's how to get moving and face the day—without getting frostbite:
Programmable timers. Before you go to bed, lower the temperature on your thermostat to help you save on heating costs, then program its timer to a higher temperature about half an hour before you wake up so your room is warm.
Some things that sap your energy are no surprise, like being awake all night with a sick child or eating a heavy meal, but there are other energy depleters that are less obvious.
Don't let any of the following cause your lethargy:
1. Too much time in an urban environment.
You may love the city for its excitement. Yet researchers have determined that a dearth of nature can be draining. A University of Michigan study found that subjects who walked in a local park scored better on cognitive functioning tests afterward than those who strolled through a small city's downtown.
Some believe that dreams hold the key to solving nagging problems and triggering creative energy. Here are tips on how to delve into your subconscious sleeping mind.
Experts say we have multiple dreams every night, but we rarely, if ever, remember them. Other than fleeting scenes here and there that may stay with us, most of our nighttime imagery is lost as soon as the alarm clock goes off.
Scientifically, dream recall is a pretty murky area.
When it comes to assessing cholesterol, HDL and LDL get most of the focus. But there's another category that deserves equal attention.
Triglycerides are essential to human life. These chains of fatty acids are absorbed into your system from the foods you eat and are even created by your own body. They circulate through your bloodstream, providing energy to cells and enabling your body to function.
Screening is the process of looking for cancer in people who have no symptoms. Although it could potentially catch the disease in its early stages, it could also bring on unnecessary worry and angst. Learn more about the pros and cons of this controversial topic.
Should you be tested for cancer? Maybe not, says H. Gilbert Welch, M.D., author of the same titled book. Welch is one of a growing group of health professionals urging individuals to make thoughtful decisions about cancer screenings. He says one way to become sick is to start looking for something to be wrong.
Who can you count on to motivate, inspire, and coax you? To sweat, grunt, and whine with you? To kick you off the couch and run with you? Your gym buddy, of course. But how do you find a good one?
A good gym buddy shares your fitness goals or has goals a little more challenging than yours and is ready to exercise regularly. It helps if she's roughly your age and close to your fitness level (or better)-but that's not mandatory. The important thing is to look for someone who shares the following qualities.
Is laughter the best medicine? Members of "Laughter Clubs" that span the globe heartily chuckle, "Yes!"
Laughter Yoga began in India in 1995 when health journalist, Dr. Madan Kataria, wrote an article on laughter as the best medicine. While doing his research, Kataria kept finding references to scientific studies that described the many proven benefits of laughter on the human mind and body.
One size doesn't fit all when it comes to getting in shape. No matter where you start out, you have a unique fitness ID to discover, develop, and change as you grow.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) agrees that fitness is not a one-size-fits-all thing. Every person has unique factors that affect their health, fitness level, and fitness goals.
That's why trying to fit into someone else's fitness profile doesn't usually work and, in fact, often causes injury.
Clinical trial. Double blind. Experimental. Understanding the terminology associated with different types of studies will help you determine which one might be right for you.
Most of what we know about cancer comes from the results of research studies. Understanding what makes for a good study is important if you're considering a new treatment option or deciding whether you should participate in a clinical trial.
Research studies can be classified by type—observational or experimental—or time period.
When you consider all the different ways you can add exercise to your life, it's really not difficult to make exercise fun, easy, and motivating.
People have a million excuses why they slack off on exercise like, "I don't have time," "it's too much work," "it's boring," or "I'd rather be with my friends." But what if exercise was fun? What if you enjoyed it so much that you made the time, looked forward to putting in the effort, found it exciting, and could do it with your friends and family?
These tips will make exercise fun again:
Make it a game.
Fitness imparts a slew of health benefits, but if you’re living with certain diabetes-related complications, some exercises could end up doing more harm than good. Here’s how to navigate through the confusion and find a workout that works for you.
Chances are, you've heard about the benefits of exercise so often, you could list them in your sleep: it can lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol, help you lose weight, reduce body fat, reduce your stress level, and give you more energy.
Many factors affect a blood pressure reading at any given time. Stress, caffeine, and even the time of year can alter your number.
Blood pressure measures the force of blood against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. The top number (systolic) indicates the maximum pressure the heart exerts while beating. The bottom number (diastolic) is the pressure in the arteries between beats.
While there's no single food that meets every nutritional requirement a person needs, doctors and researchers have pinpointed a handful of edibles as standouts in the field.
These "super foods," as certain experts call them, are nutritionally dense and provide boatloads of vitamins and minerals along with excellent calorie and fat profiles.
Make it a point to include at least a few of these in your diet every day:
Salmon
High in omega-3 fatty acids and a preventer of heart disease, salmon, and other fatty fish such as halibut and rainbow trout can also help lower blood pressure and enhance brain function.
Watching your weight or looking to up your nutrients? Smoothies are a delicious and easy way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Try some of these.
The beauty of smoothies is that they can be customized and made out of almost anything you have in your produce bin.
If you're watching your weight:
Use in-season fruit.
Whether fresh or frozen, fruit that's being grown tends to be sweeter than its out-of-season counterparts, meaning you don't need to add extra sugar or honey.
Food manufacturers use both natural and synthetic preservatives to extend the life of many of the food products we eat. Government regulations limit the use of some of them. Here’s why.
Preservatives keep food products fresh long enough for them to get from the factory to the supermarket and eventually find a place on your dining table. They do this by slowing down the natural breakdown of fats, delaying the ripening process of fresh foods, and destroying or slowing down the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that would otherwise grow on food.
Do you suffer from sinus troubles? Dandruff? Sore throat? Diarrhea? Apple cider vinegar could alleviate all of these conditions.
Often used in salad dressings, apple cider vinegar could also be of use to you as a natural remedy. It is reported to help ease a sore throat, relieve sinus congestion, calm intestinal troubles, and rid your scalp of dandruff. Also, if you have diabetes, apple cider vinegar could even help keep your blood sugar balanced.
Make hydration a priority before, during, and after your workout to keep your body nourished and replenished.
You've been told your whole life that you need your eight glasses of water a day, and while how much one needs to take in is still up for debate, the truth remains that for optimal functioning, the body needs a consistent intake of water.
For the average person, thirst should be your guide.
If you're used to the dramatic representations of heart attacks on TV, you may be surprised to learn about real-life scenarios.
How many times have you seen this act on TV? The character on the screen gets a glazed look in his eyes, stumbles, and clutches his chest as he slowly (and dramatically) falls to the ground. This is the classic Hollywood depiction of a heart attack. And while this scenario might accurately describe some heart attacks, it's not representative.
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer is complex, and multiple healthcare professionals play key roles in providing comprehensive care. Here's who might be on your team.
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer is complex and multiple healthcare professionals play a role in providing comprehensive care to patients.
Oncology Physicians
Physicians are either medical doctors (MDs) or osteopathic doctors (OD) and many complete additional training in specific medical conditions, such as oncology.
A vaccine originally developed to prevent tuberculosis may be the key contender when it comes to reversing type 1 diabetes. Preliminary findings are promising.
Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are fortunate in that it's possible, with diet and lifestyle changes, to actually reverse the course of the disease. Even if they're unable to reverse Type 2, it's possible for them to avoid going on insulin by losing weight, watching carbs, and getting moderate exercise.
You’ve probably heard the terms “good cholesterol” and “bad cholesterol” bandied about, but what are the key differences between the two? This go-to guide clears the confusion.
You've probably heard the terms "good cholesterol" and "bad cholesterol" bandied about and may not understand their significance. Cholesterol is one of the risk factors for heart disease, so it pays to know what it is and how you can control it.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring waxy substance that attaches to proteins in our blood and travels throughout our body.
From the most common forms to the obvious (and not-so-obvious) signs, here's your overview of this common condition.
Anemia affects nearly 9 percent of the population, yet most people don't understand what it is. Even the term anemia is confusing because it indicates several distinct health conditions with different symptoms, causes, and treatments. So what exactly is anemia?
Most of the time, when someone is diagnosed with anemia, she has a condition called Iron-Deficiency anemia.
This rare but serious condition can affect the spleen, the liver, and the entire immune system. Find out who’s most at risk.
If you have long-standing rheumatoid arthritis, you are at higher than normal risk of developing Felty syndrome (also called Felty's syndrome), a rare and complex condition that compromises your immune system and puts you at further risk of contracting an infectious disease.
If you have a "sweet tooth," research suggests this preference could actually affect your personality. But does it make you sweeter or does it make you sour?
"You are what you eat." A platitude used by parents and high school health teachers alike. And a new report published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology has added credence to this adage.
Research conducted by psychologists at the North Dakota State University in Fargo suggests that individuals who regularly eat sweets are more likely to help another person in need.
Rich in color, flavor, and nutrients, these versatile vegetables star in a variety of international cuisines. Here's a bushel of ways to add them to your diet.
Whether eaten raw with your favorite dip, jarred and pickled, or cooked up as part of a savory dinner entrée, peppers deserve a place at your table. By far, the most popular variety of pepper eaten in the U.S. is the bell pepper. Here's a guide to the differences between these bell peppers:
Green Peppers
The least expensive of the bell peppers and the least sweet, this pepper is picked before achieving full ripeness.
For injury prevention and the sheer sake of comfort, the right pair of shoes are essential. Let this guide point you in the right direction.
Falling and hurting yourself becomes a real danger as you get older, especially if you don't get enough exercise, have vision problems, take sedating medications, suffer from osteoporosis or other bone-weakening conditions, or there are environmental hazards in your home, such as loose rugs, poor lighting, or unstable furniture or fixtures.
Reducing your meat consumption doesn't mean you only have bean protein sources left. Consider these vegan meat substitutes. They offer the flavors and textures you enjoy from your favorite meats.
If your goal is to cut down on or cut out meat consumption, you may be wondering if there are worthy substitutes out there. Sure, you'll eat more fish, chicken, and beans, but are there any foods that can really stand in for meat in your favorite recipes? Happily, the answer is yes.
If you're heading into your senior years sometime in the next decade, or you're already there, it's important to consider the type of doctor who can best serve your physical and emotional needs as you age.
A geriatrician is typically an internist or family practitioner who has had additional training in the medical and psychological care of men and women age 65 and older. Geriatricians develop a special understanding of what happens to the body as it ages and what aging means with respect to your health.
Children have a strong radar for change, and if they don't know what's going on, they can easily become anxious and disturbed. Difficult as it may be, the best thing you can do is communicate information about your condition, and how it affects them, in a way that helps put their minds at ease.
When your arthritis pain flares up, your family life is disrupted and everyone is affected. Children may overhear conversations or simply notice a change in routine, and suspect that something is very wrong. On bad days, you may need to rely on family members, friends, or neighbors to do things with your children or grandchildren that you would normally do yourself.
If you can barely find the energy to get yourself and your kids out the door in the morning and you're too tired to do anything at all after work, you probably feel that you don't have even a sliver of time to devote to exercise. Here's how to fix that.
Consider exercise an investment in yourself.
Aerobic exercise has great benefits like raising your heart rate and working your muscles.
Strength training helps build strong bones and muscles.
Stretching exercises not only help keep your joints flexible, but reduce your chances of injury as you work out.
You know a lot of things you should be doing for your health, but here are mindless habits you can drop now and then enjoy the health benefits for years to come.
Want to live a longer, healthier life? Start today by adding a half cup of blueberries to a serving of yogurt while having breakfast with your spouse after a full night's rest. Of course, that might be easy to manage once, but what you really need to do is replace a lifetime of bad behaviors with the heart-healthy choices embodied in that seemingly simple breakfast.
What's one thing you never want to leave home without? A first-aid kit. When scrapes, stings, bumps, and boo-boos happen, make sure you have what you need to treat the injury right away.
What's one thing you never want to leave home without? A first-aid kit. When scrapes, stings, bumps, and boo-boos happen, make sure you have what you need to treat the injury right away.
The American Red Cross offers a complete line of kits you can slip in your pocket, pack in your purse, or stow in the trunk of your car.
White fruits and vegetables contain as many essential nutrients and other health-promoting substances as do red, yellow, and green foods. And some of these substances may be especially important for aging adults.
Don't be fooled by their lack of color—white fruits and vegetables contain as many essential nutrients and other health-promoting substances as do red, yellow, and green foods. And some of these substances may be especially important for aging adults.
Being “old” just got younger. However, to achieve that there's something you need to do.
Being "old" just got younger, according to a new study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise—that is if you hit the gym regularly.
After administering fitness tests to 4,500 volunteers ages 20 to 90, scientists reported that the fitness levels/indicators of active middle-aged participants were nearly identical to that of inactive 20-year-olds.
Brighten your smile without breaking the bank with these at-home, do-it-yourself ingredients.
According to the American Dental Association, tooth whitening can be achieved by either bleaching the color of your teeth, or by physically abrading surface stains to make them lighten or disappear. There are hundreds of teeth whitening products you can buy that use these techniques, but combining natural products can save you the expense.
Cold weather brings unique challenges to skin health. Keep these tips in mind and you'll have smooth, hydrated skin in this chilly season.
Winter can cause as much harm to your skin as summer's damaging sun rays, especially if you suffer from dryness or a skin condition. Take care to defend your skin against the effects of these common culprits:
1. Dry indoor air is one of the most damaging, dehydrating elements of winter.
There are many known benefits to using mouthwash, but if yours has too much of this common ingredient, this daily routine can reverse the health of your teeth and gums.
Four out of five dentists may recommend you use it, but have you ever wondered how mouthwash affects your mouth?
Many brands tout the bacteria and bad breath (also known as halitosis) eliminating benefits of their products. The secret ingredient? Alcohol.
Don't just plan the itinerary of your next vacation, plan on having travel insurance to protect you against asthma gone haywire. Here's what you need to consider.
So you finally booked that vacation you've been dreaming about for years. But if you're traveling to a new place, it's important to remember that you will still be exposed to a range of asthma triggers, which is why it's a good idea to invest in a good travel insurance protection plan.
Nonmedical or non-health-related drugs have become very popular. But before you decide to try these kinds of drugs and procedures, proceed with caution.
According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), defining what is a "lifestyle drug" actually is a subject of much debate. However, according to the NLM it's typically thought of as a drug taken to satisfy a non-medical or non-health-related goal.
Studies have found that the skin on an apple contains a substance that not only promotes muscle growth and prevents the loss of muscle that comes with aging, but may also lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Laboratory studies have found that the skin on an apple contains a substance that not only promotes muscle growth and prevents the loss of muscle that comes with aging, but may also lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
In addition to vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other substances such as antioxidants and phytochemicals that are known to protect against cancer and other forms of chronic disease, apples contain a chemical called ursolic acid.
There's nothing wrong with trying to slim down, but watch out for these red flags.
So you've got a high-school reunion coming up in three weeks, or a Caribbean vacation planned, or a wedding to go to. You absolutely have to drop 10 pounds immediately. There's nothing wrong with trying to slim down, but make sure you're doing it in a healthy way.
Can you control whether you get Alzheimer's disease? The answer is...maybe. In some cases, there is nothing a person can do to stop the illness. In other instances, lifestyle and environment may play a part.
Can you control whether you get Alzheimer's disease? The answer is...maybe. In some cases, there is nothing a person can do to stop the illness. In other instances, lifestyle and environment may play a part. Here's what you need to know about the factors that increase your Alzheimer's risk.
It can be difficult to see someone you care about suffering from pain. You want to help, but you're not sure how. So you cast about for something to say...and you end up making your loved one more upset than before. How did your comment get taken so wrongly? And what should you have said instead?
It can be difficult to see someone you care about suffering from pain. You want to help, but you're not sure how. So you cast about for something to say...and you end up making your loved one more upset than before. How did your comment get taken so wrongly? And what should you have said instead?
"It can't be that bad.
More than any other time, vaccines are extremely crucial to senior health. They can help you ward off sicknesses that are now harder to tackle.
It's especially important to keep up with vaccinations when you're older because certain infections and diseases hit seniors more heavily than they do on younger people.
The flu is one example. While normally influenza is not fatal, it does take a number of lives every year, and 90 percent of those it kills are 65 years old or older.
New research has uncovered a tool that lets doctors accurately assess your pain without needing your input.
When you tell a doctor you're having pain, he or she will typically ask you to rank it on a scale of one to ten. But if you say "five," does the doctor really know what you're feeling? Is your five the same as someone else's five? And what if you aren't able to verbally communicate? How will your physician know what you're feeling without your saying anything?
New research has uncovered a tool that lets doctors accurately assess your pain without needing your input.
Do you have an elderly relative you suspect may be starting to suffer from memory impairment? It's worth your while to have him or her be seen by a doctor and, if necessary, receive treatment even if the condition doesn't seem serious.
Too many people ignore subtle signs and symptoms of dementia and, as a result, are diagnosed when the disease is already advanced—or, in most cases, never diagnosed at all.
That's right. According to a new report by the U.K.-based Alzheimer's Disease International, a consortium of international Alzheimer's federations, as many as 75 percent of approximately 36 million people around the globe who have dementia are never diagnosed.
A recent study showed that a lack of B12 can not only result in lower scores on tests of cognitive ability; it actually can correlate with smaller total brain volume.
Want to stave off cognitive problems as you get older? Consider making a special effort to get enough Vitamin B12. A recent study showed that a lack of B12 can not only result in lower scores on tests of cognitive ability; it actually can correlate with smaller total brain volume.
Discover which parts of your body hold clues to how well your digestive tract is functioning.
Feeling sluggish? Stick out your tongue. It holds clues to how efficient your body's digestive tract is running, says Brent Barlow, ND, Okanagan Naturopathic Healthcare in Kelowna, British Columbia. But this isn't the only secret your body has to share.
If you feel that you've been exercising and no results ensue, it may be time to consider whether digestive problems could be getting in the way.
The basic rule of weight loss says that if you take in fewer calories than you use, you'll shed pounds. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try it seems that the scale just won't budge. If you feel that you've been exercising and no results ensue, it may be time to consider whether digestive problems could be getting in the way.
Fresh fruits and vegetables can help fight cancer, but do you know which ones are best for your bowel?
Fresh fruits and vegetables can help fight cancer, but do you know which ones are best for your bowel?
Your gastrointestinal tract is actually one long tube that stretches from your mouth to your rectum, with lots of twists, turns, bulges, and folds in between.
Fluid retention is a common occurrence. Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce or eliminate excess fluids.
Your body tries to maintain equilibrium at all times. However, sometimes pregnancy, premenstrual side effects, medications, or an underlying medical condition will disrupt the balance of water and chemicals, causing fluid retention. You may also hear this described as water retention, edema, or dropsy.
Here's what you need to know about this neurological condition, from symptoms to treatment options.
You may not have heard of Lewy Body Dementia because it tends to be overshadowed by its close relations, Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. But experts say that this neurological disorder is woefully underdiagnosed, with many doctors uninformed about it.
Want to save your eyesight as you get older? Consider forgoing that juicy steak in favor of a green salad.
Want to save your eyesight as you get older? Consider forgoing that juicy steak in favor of a green salad. A recent study out of England has found a positive correlation between the amount of meat a person consumes and his or her risk of developing cataracts.
When your feet have problems, it's hard to feel good about anything else. Here's a rundown of four common foot problems, from bunions to plantar fasciitis.
Your feet create the foundation for the rest of your body. When your feet have problems, it's hard to feel good about anything else. Millions of Americans suffer with foot problems that can often be prevented or easily treated. Learn what you can do about these four common foot problems:
1) Bunions form when your big toe points toward your second toe and causes a bump to form on the outside edge of your toe.
Physicians and fitness experts are teaming up to help patients exercise their way to wellness.
One of the top fitness trends of 2011 is teaming physicians with fitness experts to bring the power of exercise to health care. That's because exercise is often the best medicine.
Studies say that physical inactivity costs the U.S. health care system about $102 billion dollars per year.
Some experts say that even if you are a night owl by nature, you can transform yourself into a morning lark and be more productive during the day. Here's how.
Some experts say that even if you are a night owl by nature, you can transform yourself into a morning lark and be more productive during the day.
These tips, for exercising in the morning to changing your sleep habits, may seem obvious—as you may have tried some of them from time to time to no avail—but the secret to a successful switch is to be consistent.
Like supplements, fortified foods offer insurance against the health problems associated with nutritional deficiencies. But are they an ideal replacement?
Fortified foods provide an alternative source of nutrients for people who don't consume enough of the foods that naturally supply those nutrients. Like supplements, fortified foods offer insurance against the health problems associated with nutritional deficiencies.
Some doctors say it's a real condition, some say it's not. Here's a breakdown of both sides.
People are talking about adrenal fatigue. The symptoms are vague and mimic those of many conditions. Many doctors aren't convinced it's a real medical problem, but a growing number of health professionals say adrenal fatigue is among the most commonly undiagnosed conditions today.
If you have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, there may be a simple solution.
If you have primary insomnia, that is, if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep and it's not due to a medical problem, it is quite possible that one of your routine habits is to blame. Eating big dinners, drinking alcoholic beverages, sleeping in a hot room, exercising late in the day, and smoking cigarettes can all prevent you from getting a good night's sleep.
This drugstore staple is often overlooked in our search for the best health and beauty aids. But there are some good reasons to add this affordable compound to your shopping cart.
This drugstore staple is often overlooked in our search for the best health and beauty aids. But there are some good reasons to add this affordable compound to your shopping cart.
Epsom Salt—or magnesium sulfate—is a pure mineral compound and essential electrolyte that many of us need more of in our diet.
While clenched fists and gritted teeth may seem like the anger response of a toddler, new research suggests this reaction can set you at ease.
While clenched fists and gritted teeth may seem like the anger response of a toddler, new research suggests this reaction can set you at ease.
In a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research that was conducted at National University of Singapore and the University of Chicago, participants were better able to withstand physical pain when clenching their muscles—squeezing their fists, clenching their teeth, or scrunching facial muscles.
While a set of pearly whites is certainly aesthetically pleasing, poor oral health can put you at risk for a variety of chronic conditions.
Poll your friends about what physical characteristics they find most attractive. The majority will include a "nice smile" at the top of the list. While a set of pearly whites is certainly aesthetically pleasing, poor oral health can put you at risk for a variety of chronic conditions.
An alarming number of older patients fail to continue taking their regular medications after they return home, particularly if they spent time in intensive care.
While hospitals can be lifesavers, especially for the elderly, an alarming number of older patients fail to continue taking their regular medications after they return home—particularly if they spent time in intensive care. Why? Mainly because they neglect to renew their prescriptions.
Scientists now believe that consuming a diet high in acid-producing foods like animal proteins, processed foods, and sweeteners and low in fresh fruits and vegetables is partly responsible for the development of osteoporosis and diseases caused by chronic metabolic acidosis.
Did you know your bones are responsible for maintaining your body's delicate pH balance, which impacts your overall health and may even play a role in longevity?
What is pH balance? pH is a chemistry term that stands for "potential for hydrogen." In simpler terms, pH indicates how acid or alkaline a solution is on a scale of 1 to 14.
Chronic disease changes lives and not just for the patient. Sometimes, caregivers of patients with physically debilitating diseases like multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and arthritis let their dedication stand in the way of taking care of themselves.
Chronic disease changes lives and not just for the patient. Sometimes, caregivers of patients with physically debilitating diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), fibromyalgia, and arthritis let their dedication stand in the way of taking care of themselves.
While cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women, there are particular factors unique to men that make them more susceptible of ending the battle against cancer sooner than in women.
Cancer—especially late in life—can be deadly, but a new report from the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) reveals that the often precarious disease prefers men. Lead researcher Michael B. Cook, an epidemiologist with NCI explains that differences in "carcinogenic exposures, metabolism, and susceptibility," seem to be the cause.
What if you could take a pill that would stop you from ever developing rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis? Research suggests there may be such a pill, and it's widely available and easy to obtain.
What if you could take a pill that would stop you from ever developing rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis? Research suggests there may be such a pill—and it's widely available and easy to obtain. In fact, your local supermarket no doubt has a bottle of it on a shelf right now.
If you wake up with a wet pillow, it may just be a normal effect of sleeping on your stomach or your side. In some cases, however, it could be a sign of a more serious problem.
If you wake up with a wet pillow, it may just be a normal effect of sleeping on your stomach or your side. In some cases, however, it could be a sign of a more serious problem.
Saliva coats your mouth and throat, makes it easier to swallow, helps food taste better, and keeps the area clean by washing away leftover food particles.
Have you noticed that your fast-acting relief inhaler isn't providing as much relief as you'd expect? If you're an older person who smoked, it's possible that in addition to asthma, you could have another ailment called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Have you noticed that your fast-acting relief inhaler isn't providing as much relief as you'd expect? If you're an older person who smoked, it's possible that in addition to asthma, you could have another ailment called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Remaining safe behind the wheel is a complicated endeavor and there is a lot to be aware of in different situations. However, the following tips will provide you with the toolbox you need to keep yourself, your family, and your fellow drivers secure.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 30,000 Americans are killed in car accidents each year. Though there are a variety of causes linked to motor vehicle accidents—drunk driving, distracted driving, and speeding to name a few—the statistics prove that starting your car and pulling out onto the road is a dangerous task.
A study conducted at the University of Hawaii's animal science department of 106 pet owners found that almost a third experienced grief that lasted six months or more after their pet's death. Twelve percent reported that their grief caused major disruptions in their lives.
For many of us, a pet is a valued member of the family. In honor of the love, support, companionship and acceptance they show us, we celebrate their birthdays, buy them gifts, and provide top-notch medical care. We brag about their accomplishments, keep photos of them on our desks, and add their names to the holiday cards we send.
If you're tired of exercising in a crowd and can't afford one-on-one sessions with a fitness instructor, then small group training might be just what you need to kick your workout into high gear.
Everyone needs a little push every now and then. That's what personal trainers and group exercise classes are for. But if you're tired of exercising in a crowd and can't afford one-on-one sessions with a fitness instructor, then small group training might be just what you need to kick your workout into high gear.
The best way to boost your bones, besides weight-bearing exercise, is to take in enough of the substances that strengthen and build your skeleton. Here's a rundown of the top nutrients you need for a fit frame.
Your bones are the foundation of your body supporting you throughout your life. Just as you need to take care of your major organs, you need to tend to your bones in order to maintain optimal health. The best way to boost your bones, besides weight-bearing exercise, is to take in enough of the substances that strengthen and build your skeleton.
Depression is particularly prevalent—and overlooked—in older adults. Despite the high incidence among seniors, it's definitely not a normal part of aging.
Depression is particularly prevalent--and overlooked--in older adults. Despite the high incidence in seniors, it's definitely not a normal part of aging.
Seniors often suffer from serious or chronic health conditions. This makes it difficult to separate depression from drug side effects or other disease-related symptoms, so depression often goes undiagnosed.
While cancer treatments continue to become more effective and targeted, the number of people diagnosed with cancer is on the rise. Understand the high-level trends and how they could affect you.
Cancer has become a serious personal and public health problem. The mortality rate of cancer has declined over the past several decades due to advances in treatment. At the same time, the number of people diagnosed with cancer is on the rise. While humans have always faced cancer, it's become increasingly prevalent over the past century.
During atrial fibrillation, the heart's two upper chambers beat out of sync with the two lower chambers. Learn about the potential causes and complications of this condition.
If you've ever experienced heart palpitations (a feeling of rapid, fluttering, or pounding heartbeats), shortness of breath, and weakness, you could have atrial fibrillation, an irregular and often rapid heartbeat that causes poor blood flow to the body.
With one in seven adults reportedly experiencing occupational asthma, chances are high that work could actually make you sick.
Does the thought of going to work make you sick? If you have asthma and you work around chemicals, fumes, or scented products, your job could be triggering your symptoms and causing you to feel pretty miserable. Even people who've never had asthma before may find that their workplace environment causes them to develop this condition.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves do more than flavor some of your favorite foods. These and others have medicinal properties and are most effective as healers when used on a regular basis. Here's how to get more of them into your diet.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves do more than flavor some of your favorite foods. These and other "sweet" spices have medicinal properties and are most effective as healers when used on a regular basis. Here's how to get more of them into your diet.
Cinnamon In addition to treating stomach and intestinal problems such as bloating, gas, and spasms, cinnamon has been found to reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol levels.
Not that you need another reason to trim excess flab, but here it is: Scientists have linked extra pounds in midlife to an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease later on.
Not that you need another reason to trim excess flab, but here it is: Scientists have linked extra pounds in midlife to an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease later on. This finding comes on the heels of a previous study that found that modest weight gain during middle age, particularly around the middle, is linked to a higher rate of cardiovascular disease.
If your gray strands bother you or you simply long for a change, hair dye is your best bet. But before you take the plunge in a salon or at home, be sure you're armed with information to help prevent unwelcome surprises.
If your gray strands bother you or you simply long for a change, hair dye is your best bet. But before you take the plunge in a salon or at home, be sure you're armed with information to help prevent unwelcome surprises.
DO start subtle and small. Particularly if this will be a DIY project, start with a minor hue adjustment and consider a temporary or demi-permanent color.
Unfortunately, no matter where you plan to travel, your food allergies will always be with you. So don't just plan your vacation itinerary, plan on ways you can stay safe on your trip, too.
Unfortunately, no matter where you plan to travel, your food allergies will always be with you. So don't just plan your vacation itinerary, plan on ways you can stay safe on your trip, too. Whether you're heading to the beach, the countryside, or the mountains, be mindful that you could come on contact with your allergens.
Everyone has life goals and dreams, but many people have no idea how to achieve them. That's where a life coach can help. Life coaches help you create the blueprint to become your best self.
Everyone has life goals and dreams, but many people have no idea how to achieve them. That's where a life coach can help. Life coaches help you create the blueprint to become your best self.
What is a life coach? Life coaches are trained professionals who help clients realize their personal, professional, and physical goals.
Whether you work in a controlled setting like an office, spend your days in a laboratory or manufacturing plant, or are outdoors working with animals or plants, there are many allergens that, with repeated exposure, can make you feel quite sick.
Does your workplace do a real job on your health? Your place of employment may expose you to substances that can trigger an array of symptoms.
Whether you work in the controlled setting like an office, spend your days in a laboratory or manufacturing plant, or are outdoors working with animals or plants, there are many allergens that, with repeated exposure, can make you feel quite sick.
Whether you have a newly developed scar or you're trying to stop a wound from turning into a prominent scar, there are ways you can minimize its appearance.
We all have scars, whether they're extremely noticeable or barely visible. Scars can result from simple accidents like getting too close to an iron or from bad habits like picking at pimples. Whether you have a newly developed scar or you're trying to stop a wound from turning into a prominent scar, there are ways you can minimize its appearance.
How do you know if you or a loved one is becoming an unsafe driver? It can be difficult to assess one's driving skills but these factors can help you figure it out.
We've all seen it: The little old man or woman hunched over the steering wheel, squinting ahead while doing 20 miles an hour in a 40 mile an hour zone. And it's not uncommon to hear about accidents caused by elderly drivers who step on the gas pedal instead of the brake.
Two new tests could allow you to assess your pre-diabetes risk and monitor your blood sugar, all with just a puff of breath.
Two new tests could allow you to assess your pre-diabetes risk and monitor your blood sugar, all with just a puff of breath.
Pre-Diabetes Breath Test
Someday soon you may be able to accurately predict your diabetes risk without a single finger prick.
They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but perhaps menu monotony is the way to keep his heart healthy.
They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but perhaps menu monotony is the way to keep his heart healthy.
New research suggests repeated exposure to a food may be what's needed to reduce excess consumption of it. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Buffalo and the University of Florida compared the behavior of two groups of obese and non-obese women.
You love your cat with all your heart, but if you suffer from pet allergies, the object of your affection could cause episodes of sneezing, coughing, itching, and wheezing. If the misery is more than you can bear, know that you can take action.
You love your cat with all your heart, but if you suffer from pet allergies, the object of your affection could cause episodes of sneezing, coughing, itching, and wheezing. If the misery is more than you can bear, know that you can take action.
Best Approaches to Treat Cat Allergies
If you won't consider parting with your pet but don't want to suffer indefinitely, that's okay.
Mammograms save lives. Or do they? Breast cancer deaths have declined over the past two decades. Is this due to routine screenings or better treatment techniques?
For years, women have been inundated with messages that early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Yet, there's a substantial body of evidence that this is not the case.
The Other Side of the Mammogram Picture
Researchers have found that breast cancer rates increase significantly in countries after women begin undergoing regular mammograms.
The good news is that it's rarely serious, but the bad news is that it can make getting out of bed and going about your day an exercise in fighting nausea and trying to keep your balance.
If the room is spinning and you don't know why, you may have a condition known as BPPV, or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. This unpleasant malady strikes many in middle age, and the cause isn't always known. The good news is that it's rarely serious, but the bad news is that it can make getting out of bed and going about your day an exercise in fighting nausea and trying to keep your balance.
Need an excuse to go shopping? How about this one? Recent research suggests it may actually be good for you.
Need an excuse to go shopping? How about this one? Recent research suggests it may actually be good for you.
Taiwanese researchers published a study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health that states people who shop frequently may live longer than people who don't shop at all or shop infrequently.
Cosmetic plastic surgery can achieve remarkable results. However, it can't cure life's problems or bring back youth. If you're considering plastic surgery, ask yourself these questions to make sure you're seeking it for the right reasons.
With more than 1.5 million procedures performed in the U.S. every year, cosmetic plastic surgery can achieve remarkable results—correcting traits that cause embarrassment or pain. However, what it can't do is cure life's problems or bring back youth, and unfortunately some people find themselves disappointed with the results.
You know it does, but do you know how and why smoking is one of the greatest health risks out there? Understanding what's behind the risk might help you or a loved one give them up for good.
There's no question about it: smoking causes cancer. In fact, smoking is responsible for almost 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths, and lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Roughly 22 percent of cancer deaths in women, and 45 percent in men, are directly attributable to personal smoking habits.
If arthritis pain bothers you, you may have all but given up on cooking and baking. But there are ways to get back in the kitchen and rediscover your inner chef.
If arthritis pain bothers you, you may have all but given up on cooking and baking. All that slicing, stirring, and lifting may just feel like too much some days. But there are ways to get back in the kitchen and take part in the joys of creating—and eating—your own food.
Researchers have found a link between musical training in childhood and mental acuity in old age. Here's how to add music to your family's life.
Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta now believe there is a link between musical training in childhood and mental acuity in old age.
To date there's been quite a bit of research exploring the cognitive benefits of musical activity and children but this is the first study to explore whether those benefits extend across a lifetime.
Progeria is a disease that causes children to experience symptoms normally connected with advanced old age. While this accelerated-aging disease is extremely rare, scientists have recently discovered a connection between the protein mutation that causes progeria and the mechanisms of the normal aging process.
Progeria is a disease that causes children to experience symptoms normally connected with advanced old age, such as hardening of the arteries, joint stiffness, hair loss, and skeletal deformities. Children with the condition typically die in their teens, usually from cardiovascular problems.
The variety of hearing aids can be overwhelming, and you may not be sure where to start. Fortunately, the Food and Drug Administration has created an online guide to help you make an informed decision.
If you're one of the 35 million Americans with some degree of hearing loss, you may be considering getting a hearing aid. But the variety of hearing aids can be overwhelming, and you may not be sure where to start. Fortunately, the Food and Drug Administration has created an online guide to help you make an informed decision.
Asking the right questions of yourself and your loved ones could save lives.
Figuring out who's likely to develop type 2 diabetes isn't all that difficult, provided the patient's healthcare provider asks the right questions and alerts the patient to the fact that he might have prediabetes.
A community study, the largest non-governmental study of its kind, found that predictors for the disease are easy to pinpoint.
Take a coffee break. Get zen. Here are five fun fixes that will add to your quality of life, while lowering your risk of developing diabetes and possibly heart disease, too!
For every two hours that people watch TV each day, they increase their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 20 percent and their risk of getting heart disease by 15 percent, according to a recent analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
It's normal to feel tired after a workout. Mild muscle ache is common, too. But what if you're completely exhausted?
It's normal to feel tired after a workout. Mild muscle ache is common, too. But what if you're completely exhausted? Post-workout fatigue that persists after you cool down or interferes with your lifestyle is not normal.
Vigorous exercise is a healthy challenge for every body.
Digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are common occurrences among those over the age of 50. Take inventory of the digestive symptoms you may have and measure them against these potential digestive conditions.
Digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) disorders can cause a variety of stomachaches and are common occurrences—especially among those over the age of 50.
Although the GI system usually does its job without any glitches, as you get older, the risk for digestive disorders that affect the stomach and small or large intestine can increase.
Many men may find this to be startling news, but breast cancer doesn't happen only in women. Although men don't have breasts in the sense that women do, they do have breast tissue and enough of it to make breast cancer possible.
Many men may find this to be startling news, but breast cancer doesn't happen only in women. Although men don't have breasts in the sense that women do, they do have breast tissue and enough of it to make breast cancer possible.
In men, breast tissue is primarily composed of tubular passages called ducts which are located under the nipple and in the areas surrounding it.
While most people think of asthma as a childhood disease, a growing number of older folks are being diagnosed with this chronic condition. And yet many of them overlook the signs assuming they're just a normal part of aging.
Are you an older adult grappling with respiratory symptoms? If so, you could have asthma and not even know it. While most people think of asthma as a childhood disease, a growing number of older folks are being diagnosed with this chronic condition. And yet many of them overlook the signs assuming they're just a normal part of aging.
When you strengthen your heart to function more efficiently, you increase the ability of your heart and respiratory system to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and to remove wastes.
Maintaining a regular exercise program is not only good for increasing physical fitness by building muscle strength and endurance, it's also imperative for good cardiovascular fitness.
The ability of your heart and respiratory system to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and to remove wastes over sustained periods of time allows your heart to function more efficiently.
Have you ever had an imaging test and the results showed something abnormal or inconclusive that was unrelated to the purpose of your test? If so, you are not alone. Overall, one in every 7.3 asymptomatic persons scanned will have an incidental finding.
Have you ever had an imaging test and the results showed something abnormal or inconclusive that was unrelated to the purpose of your test? If so, you are not alone. Chances are the finding was nothing serious. However, it was probably more than a little scary at the time.
When you have prostate cancer, you want to get better as quickly as possible. Fortunately, you can improve your chances of a successful recovery.
When you have prostate cancer, you want to get better as quickly as possible. Fortunately, you can improve your chances of a successful recovery. Here are some four areas of focus:
1. Healthy diet. Diet and cancer go hand in hand. For example, high-fat diets increase your risk for prostate cancer recurrence.
That red, painful-to-the-touch burn on your overly sun-exposed skin can be a big problem. You thought you did everything you could to prevent sunburn, but apparently it wasn't enough. The good news is that it's temporary and treatable.
That red, painful-to-the-touch burn on your overly sun-exposed skin can be a big problem—especially if you're an avid beach-goer or a lover of the outdoors. You thought you did everything you could to prevent sunburn, but apparently it wasn't enough.
In recent study, people who took a specific type of osteoporosis medication known as bisphosphonates lived an average of five years longer than those who didn't take them.
The pros and cons of bisphosphonate medications for osteoporosis have been in the news a lot lately. A new study adds a point to the "pro" column.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, people who took a specific type of osteoporosis medication known as bisphosphonates lived an average of five years longer than those who didn't take them.
If urges to go to the bathroom when exercising are keeping you from getting a good workout, here are some tips to keep in mind.
There's nothing better you can do for your health than to get moving. Exercise revs the whole body up, including your digestive and urinary tract. If urges to go to the bathroom when exercising are keeping you from getting a good workout, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Visit any gym and you'll no doubt notice at least a few classes that combine two different disciplines. Aside from being trendy and allowing participants to engage different muscles, do these hybrid workouts offer anything for the arthritis patient?
Visit any gym and you'll no doubt notice at least a few classes that combine two different disciplines. For instance, yogalates is a popular fusion of yoga and Pilates, while cardio-barre sessions incorporate both a cardio workout and ballet barre moves.
Every day, people die waiting for organ transplants. Whether they need a new heart, lung, liver, or kidney, these patients know their lives depend on the availability of healthy organs.
Every day, people die waiting for organ transplants. Whether they need a new heart, lung, liver, or kidney, these patients know their lives depend on the availability of healthy organs. Unfortunately, there are never enough organs to meet the needs of the sick.
A simple spinal tap may be the key to identifying those who are heading toward Alzheimer's disease.
What if we could identify Alzheimer's patients even before they started forgetting words, getting lost in familiar places, and not recognizing friends and loved ones? Would we be able to prevent the disease from progressing or even occurring? That scenario is looking more and more likely, according to scientists, who are busy testing hundreds of new Alzheimer's drugs.
If you find yourself munching on the same old lettuce and tomatoes day in and day out, maybe it's time for a salad makeover.
If you find yourself munching on the same old lettuce and tomatoes day in and day out, maybe it's time for a makeover. Here are 10 tips for building a better salad: 1. Mix up your greens. There's nothing wrong with lettuce, but with so many varieties of salad-ready greens available, why be boring? Toss together a combination of Swiss chard, baby spinach, radicchio, arugula, and/or watercress and discover the sweet, bitter, and peppery differences in flavor.
Giving blood is straightforward, safe, and infinitely helpful to those in need. So if you want to join the effort, here are six steps you can take to ensure the process is as easy as possible.
Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, according to the American Red Cross. What's more, nearly 38,000 blood donations are needed every day. Needless to say, the demand for blood is high.
But blood donations are very popular among many Americans.
You've heard they do. You've heard they don't. So, what are the experts saying about the real risk?
Cell phones have become ubiquitous worldwide, even in developing countries, so the very thought they might cause harm is hard to believe. While the data on a possible link between cell phone use and cancer has been inconsistent-and definitely controversial-the evidence is finally starting to accumulate.
Over the last few years, some hair salons and barbers have been dispensing more than just trims. They've been giving out health advice, too.
In some communities, particularly where many African-Americans live, the local salon or barber shop is a cultural institution. Men and women alike visit these social hubs on a regular basis not only to get their hair done but to connect with friends and neighbors in a familiar, comforting environment where they can talk, share, vent, and just be themselves.
You can take a vacation from day-to-day living without forfeiting daily exercise and healthy eating. These practical tips will help you stave off the extra pounds without needing to give up festive foods and unforgettable fun.
The purpose of going on vacation is simple—to take a break from the rigors of day-to-day living. However, we also tend to take a break from daily exercise and healthy eating as we launch into local cuisine with little, if any, mind to the damage it's doing to our diets.
What is it about these rays that makes them so harmful? And how can you tell if you're taking the proper safety precautions?
We all require some sun exposure. In fact, it's the body's primary source of vitamin D. But the problem lies in repeated, unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. What is it about these rays, though, that makes them so harmful? And how can you tell if you're taking the proper safety precautions?
UVA Rays: Think "A" for Aging
UVA wavelengths deeply penetrate the dermis and subcutaneous layers of your skin.
It's also called "double diabetes," and diagnoses are on the rise.
Here's a puzzling disease that until a few years ago didn't even have a name. But type 3 diabetes can be an especially trying disorder for those who are diagnosed with it.
Individuals with type 3 diabetes display some of the characteristics of type 1 and some of type 2, explains Kelly O'Connor, RD, LD, CDE, of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.
Volunteering can be one of the most enriching and satisfying experiences of your life. Here's how to get started.
A popular option for people young and old is to volunteer. Not only are you doing something good for the community, volunteering has been shown to be good for your mental and physical health. But perhaps you've never offered your time and skills before and aren't sure what to expect.
Try these creative ways to exercise that are good for your body and easy on your wallet.
Don't let high gym prices keep you from getting into the best shape of your life. We've got five great exercise ideas that work your body hard, but go easy on your wallet.
The key to designing a great workout is to focus on the three pillars of fitness: cardio, strength, and flexibility.
An occasional increase in blood pressure above your average reading is not usually a cause for alarm. But, over time—and if those spikes in your blood pressure occur frequently enough—they can cause damage to your blood vessels, heart, and kidneys the same way having chronically high blood pressure can.
Blood pressure follows a normal daily pattern. It's usually lower at night while you're asleep and when you first wake up than it is during the day.
But episodes of anxiety, for example, a visit to your doctor's office for a checkup, can cause your blood pressure to spike, often called white-coat hypertension.
Have you ever grappled with the unexpected side effects from a medication? It's important to pinpoint the cause of these surprising reactions. Here's the right way to know if it's a true drug allergy.
When you end up grappling with unexpected side effects from your medication, such as a rash, nausea, or stomach distress, you might think you're allergic to the drug. However, most of the time, the reaction is caused by a drug sensitivity and not a true allergy.
It's a common stereotype that a person who's had too much Botox can't form normal facial expressions as a result of the paralyzing injections. But according to a new study, the reality could be even scarier.
It's a common stereotype that a person who's had too much Botox® can't form normal facial expressions as a result of the paralyzing injections. But according to a new study, the reality could be even scarier—Botox® may lessen a person's ability to understand the feelings of others.
If you've had bouts of short-term insomnia in the past, you can probably predict when it's likely to happen again. The first thing to do is to stop anticipating trouble. Worrying about insomnia only makes insomnia worse.
If you've had bouts of short-term insomnia in the past, you can probably predict when it's likely to happen again. The first thing to do is to stop anticipating trouble. Worrying about insomnia only makes insomnia worse. Here's what else you can do to avoid sleepless nights.
If the thought of your elderly loved one falling and not being able to get help is a real concern, it may be time to invest in a personal medical-alert system.
If the thought of your elderly loved one falling and not being able to get help is a real concern, it may be time to invest in a personal medical-alert system. Also known as emergency-alert systems, or medical-alarm systems, these let someone in trouble send out an alarm to a monitoring center, 911, or other emergency-assistance provider such as a family member at the touch of a button.
A physician who performs an arthrogram will be able to see how badly damaged or deteriorated a joint is and can recommend surgery or other treatment options based upon the results.
If you're worried that your joints are damaged, or are at risk of being damaged in the future, you may want to consider arthrography. Arthrography is the use of imaging to assess the condition of a person's joints. A physician who performs an arthrogram will be able to see how badly damaged or deteriorated a joint is and can recommend surgery or other treatment options based upon the results.
When you apply sunscreens that say "broad spectrum," "sweat-resistant," or "SPF 100," are you truly getting the protection you paid for? These new sunscreen regulations can help you make the right choice to protect yourself.
Broad-spectrum. Sweat-resistant. Sunblock. SPF 100. What do all of these terms really mean?
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stepped up to clearly define what makes an effective sunscreen. And manufacturers are being held accountable to these new standards.
Taking an active role in your treatment is essential to receiving the care you need and deserve. Here's how you can guarantee a quality doctor's visit every time you enter the office.
Taking an active role in your treatment is essential to receiving the care you need and deserve. Julie Silver, M.D., Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and author of What Helped Me Get Through: Cancer Survivors Share Wisdom and Hope and After Cancer Treatment: Heal Faster, Stronger, Better weighs in on how you can guarantee a quality doctor's visit every time you enter the office.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S. Did you know there are four steps you can take to reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 82 percent?
Although breast cancer is the disease women fear most, according to a study by the Society for Women's Health Research, heart disease is actually the number one killer of women—approximately 500,000 women die annually from heart disease—far surpassing the death rate of breast cancer, about 41,000 each year.
Thinking about signing up to be a bone marrow donor? Here's what's involved in this selfless act.
For cancer patients, a bone-marrow transplant can a life-saving procedure. For the lucky some, a close relative turns out to be a perfect match. The rest need to turn elsewhere to find a bone-marrow donor, a task that may not be easy. You can help simply by signing up to be a marrow donor through a national registry.
To make the most of your restaurant experience while making sure you're not undoing a week's worth of exercise, follow these tips.
Let's face it. Dining out is wonderful. A server is there to cater to your every whim. You're provided with a delicious meal with all the upside and none of the work.
What's more, you're given options: healthy and otherwise. Do you opt for the grilled chicken with asparagus and winter squash mash? Or do you go with the risotto cakes and polenta? While you may think you've chosen the healthier chicken dish, studies find that this isn't the case.
To some degree, we all experience such foggy moments, especially as we get older. But when should it be cause for concern?
You've done it again: lost your car keys somewhere in your house, or forgotten the name of a neighborhood acquaintance, or opened the refrigerator without having the slightest idea of what you were hoping to find. Everyone of a certain age has these so-called "senior moments," and many people make jokes about them to excuse their own forgetfulness.
Living with diabetes raises your risk of heart disease. What if the same drug you take to treat your diabetes symptoms also had benefits for your heart health?
If you have type 2 diabetes, would you be interested to know about medications that not only help stabilize blood sugar, but also appear to be protective against heart disease? Research is showing such medications may already be on the market.
A Danish study involved more than 100,000 individuals who took oral medications to treat their diabetes.
Organize your makeup bag with must-haves such as foundation, lipstick, blush, eye shadow, and eyeliner to ensure your look stays fresh all day.
Is your portable makeup bag stuffed to the brim with products you hardly use? Or perhaps it's skimpy and empty-looking—missing the products you actually need?
Organize your makeup bag with these five essentials to keep you looking fresh all day.
Should you throw out a container of yogurt if you notice that the date on the package is a few days beyond the date you're planning on eating it? Well, it all depends on these factors.
You take a container of yogurt from your refrigerator and notice that the date on the package is a few days beyond the date you're planning on eating it. Should you throw it out?
Well, it all depends on the type of date stamped on the container and how well the product was handled, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Don't let asthma get in the way of your daily activities. There are multiple asthma treatment methods available by prescription that are worth considering.
Don't let asthma get in the way of your daily activities. There are multiple asthma treatment methods available by prescription that are worth considering.
Some of the most common approaches to managing asthma include asthma inhalers that contain fast-acting relief medication to open up your airways, inhaled steroids for long-term control of your respiratory functioning, and allergy control medications to manage your immune system response to various triggers that set off asthma symptoms.
The American Academy of Dermatology stresses the importance of using sunscreen before stepping outdoors to reduce your risk of skin cancer. But what if you're allergic to sunscreen? Does that mean you have to forego summer pleasures or put yourself at risk of getting burned? Absolutely not.
The American Academy of Dermatology stresses the importance of using sunscreen before stepping outdoors to reduce your risk of skin cancer. But what if you're allergic to sunscreen? Does that mean you have to forego summer pleasures or put yourself at risk of getting burned? Absolutely not.
When faced with a 40-plus hour work week, bills to pay, and trekking the kids to-and-fro, how do you let loose? This summer, make it a point to relieve your stress by utilizing the great outdoors.
When faced with a 40-plus hour work week, bills to pay, and trekking the kids to-and-fro, how do you let loose? This summer, make it a point to relieve your stress by utilizing the great outdoors.
Exercise has long been touted as an excellent and natural way to manage stress.
The Hospice Foundation of America estimates that there are more than 460,000 hospice volunteers in the U.S. Here's what you need to know before taking on this important job.
If you want to make a difference to a terminally ill person and her family, consider becoming a hospice volunteer. You'll be in good company: The Hospice Foundation of America estimates that there are more than 460,000 hospice volunteers in the U.S. But what exactly do you do as a hospice volunteer? And do you need any special qualifications? Here's what you need to know before taking on this important job.
Bone spurs are smooth overgrowths of normal bone that can occur anywhere on your body, although they're commonly found on the spine, hips, knees, shoulders, and neck.
Bone spurs, although they may sound like something that spontaneously occurs, actually arise over time. They're smooth overgrowths of normal bone that can occur anywhere on your body, although they're commonly found on the spine, hips, knees, shoulders, and neck.
One research team studied older people on the small Greek island of Ikaria, a place where fully one-third of residents live to at least 90, and found that the residents share many healthful habits.
Now that your working life is behind you, it's time to pay attention to the rest of your life. You've got extra time now, and you want to make the most of it. Whether you've dedicated yourself to living healthily all these years or put your health on the back burner, it's never too late to form good habits.
Omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids confer a variety of health benefits when consumed on a regular basis and in the right amounts.
Three-six-nine, the goose drank wine...or was it fish oil? If it was fish oil, or certain vegetable oils, that would be one healthy goose because the omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids found in these oils confer a variety of medical benefits when they are consumed on a regular basis and in the right amounts.
What exactly causes pulmonary embolism, and is there a way to lower your risk? Read on for some insight into this frightening malady.
Pulmonary embolism is a frightening condition that often comes on suddenly. You can go from feeling fine one moment to coughing and gasping for breath the next. And it can happen to anyone, although certain people are more prone to it than others. What exactly causes pulmonary embolism, and is there a way to lower your risk? Read on for some insight into this frightening malady:
What is pulmonary embolism? Pulmonary embolism results from a blockage in an artery that feeds the lungs.
What could be more convenient for lunch on the go than a quick stop at the salad bar? But the choices you make can make the difference between a fat-laden, calorie-heavy meal and a satisfying, good-for-your-heart lunch.
In these busy times, grabbing a quick meal from the salad bar of your local deli or fast-food restaurant chain may not only help you shave off precious minutes from your busy day, it may also provide all the ingredients you need for a healthy heart-if you know what to choose.
New research shows that your mental habits might be just as important as your physical habits when it comes to longevity.
Certainly, good genes count when it comes to living to 100. And staying active, not smoking, and eating well all help you make it to a ripe old age. But new research shows that your mental habits might be just as important as your physical habits when it comes to longevity.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has unveiled a new icon that it hopes will make choosing nutritious foods easier for Americans.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has unveiled a new icon that it hopes will make choosing healthful foods easier for all Americans. The icon, which replaces the old food pyramid, is a colorful graphic image of a plate divided into separate sections and is intended to provide a visual reminder of the appropriate balance between the different food groups.
Although advancing age and being a woman are the two most significant risk factors for breast cancer, a family history also raises your risk of developing breast cancer and developing it at a younger age.
Although advancing age and being a woman are the two most significant risk factors for breast cancer, a family history also raises your risk of developing breast cancer and developing it at a younger age.
Breast Cancer Family History
You have a family...
Taking a daily aspirin could be good for your health... or it could be bad for your health. There are advantages for those living with diabetes, but there are also risks.
Taking a daily aspirin could be good for your health... or it could be bad for your health. And since there's no clear-cut answer for everyone who has diabetes, it's best to ask your doctor before deciding to start taking aspirin on your own.
As with many medications, it has both risks and benefits.
Eating a well-balanced diet, drinking plenty of water each day, and refraining from doing things that can worsen digestive problems could be all you need to ease your digestive woes.
If you occasionally suffer from mild heartburn, bloating, or constipation, you're not alone. Approximately 70 million Americans are plagued by digestive disorders. And it's easy to see why. Your digestive system is a highly sophisticated process that converts foods into smaller molecules of nutrients before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to cells throughout your body.
The act of swallowing a pill can range from uneventful at best to gag-inducing at worst. Here, tips to make it easier.
It's no coincidence that the expression "a bitter pill to swallow" refers to something tough to accept. The act of swallowing a pill can range from uneventful at best to gag-inducing at worst. Children, notorious pill avoiders, often are given vitamins and other medication in chewable or liquid form.
What could be the downsides of potentially detecting cancer or another serious disease before it advances to a more-difficult-to-treat stage? Well, 150 times more radiation than a chest x-ray, for one thing.
There's no question that advanced imaging techniques help us detect cancer and other serious diseases, allowing early-and potentially life-saving-intervention. However, is it possible to have too much of a good thing? When it comes to full-body scans, the answer may be yes.
Who would have guessed that the very same treatment to help you manage respiratory symptoms can also help improve your brain health?
Who would have guessed that the very same treatment to help you manage respiratory symptoms can also help improve your brain health? Researchers now believe that one type of the FDA-approved asthma medication, Zileuton, might be able to slow down or even reverse Alzheimer's disease.
We all know that eating a diet rich in whole grains is good for your heart. Now a new study shows that the kind of fiber found in whole grains may also reduce your risk of dying at an early age from a variety of other causes.
We all know that eating a diet rich in whole grains is good for your heart. Now a new study shows that the kind of fiber found in whole grains may also reduce your risk of dying at an early age from a variety of other causes. The study, which was funded...
Camping is a perfect opportunity to get away for a few days and convene with nature. But if you suffer from allergies, heading out to the wilderness can expose you to a series of dangers. Here's how to stay healthy.
Camping is a perfect opportunity to get away for a few days and convene with nature. But if you suffer from allergies, heading out to the wilderness can expose you to a series of dangers. Here's how to stay healthy.
Camping with Allergies
While activities such as hiking in the woods, sleeping under the stars, and toasting marshmallows over the open fire can be enjoyable, they can also expose you to series of allergy triggers, such as pollen, mold, stinging insects, and poison ivy.
You don't consider yourself a smoker. An entire week can go by without a single craving for a cigarette. Yet, once the weekend rolls around, all bets are off. Good thing the occasional smoke can't hurt you. Or can it?
You don't consider yourself a smoker. A week can go by without a craving for a single puff of tobacco. However, once the weekend rolls in and you're among friends who smoke, you don't refrain from partaking. In fact, you may even enjoy the sensation. After all, smoking socially can't really hurt you.
Are you an "apple"? Are you a "pear"? And what does that really determine anyway?
For years we've been told that people with "central obesity"—also known as an "apple" body type—were at greater risk of developing heart disease than people with a "pear" shape, whose fat is clustered around their thighs and buttocks. However, a new study published in the medical journal The Lancet dispels that notion.
What kind of help is needed, and who is the best caregiver for a particular situation? Do you need a nurse or can you get by with someone with less formal training? Here's a rundown of different types of healthcare providers you may encounter so you can make an informed choice.
For many people with health problems, a hospital is not the ideal setting. Perhaps the patient did spend time in a hospital but has recovered sufficiently to be discharged. Or maybe an elderly person has developed various medical needs that can be met in his or her home.
A new study shows that there may be added heart benefits to including these foods in your daily diet.
You already know that leafy greens are packed with vitamins A, C, K, and nutrients like calcium, folate, and iron and that eating plenty of lettuce, arugula, broccoli, collard greens, kale, and spinach can help reduce high blood pressure. Now a new study is showing that there may be added heart benefits to including these foods in your daily diet.
Because one of the key components of this diet includes eating lots of fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, following the Mediterranean diet may keep your digestive system running smoothly.
Following a Mediterranean diet has been shown to benefit heart health as well as reduce the incidence of cancer, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases. Because one of the key components of this diet includes eating lots of whole grains, legumes (beans), fruits, and vegetables-which are all fiber-rich-following the Mediterranean diet may also keep your digestive system running smoothly.
Taking stock of the kinds of foods in your pantry and refrigerator and replacing the ones that increase your risk for cardiovascular disease with nutritious, flavorful whole foods, will help you and your family make heart-smart food choices and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Heart disease is the number-one killer of both men and women. But making just a few simple changes to your diet can make a big difference in keeping you and your family heart-healthy. And the first place to start is in the kitchen.
Start Your Heart Healthy Kitchen Makeover Here
The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a wide variety of nutritious foods every day.
Whether your loved one was hospitalized for a few days or a few months, there are a variety of questions you need to ask and situations for which to prepare yourself to ensure the smoothest possible transition.
When a loved one is released from the hospital, you may feel great relief at finally having him back home. No more long days sitting in uncomfortable chairs by his bedside or listening to complaints about food or roommates.
But while there's no place like home, the transition from the hospital environment to the home environment can be tricky.
New research indicates that what may be good for your heart may be bad for your sex life. But does that mean you should stop taking NSAIDs and give up the heart benefits to avoid this sexual disorder?
Keeping up with the latest medical research can be frustrating. Just when you think you've been doing what's best for your health, a study comes along that contradicts your practice.
For various reasons, many men routinely take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include common over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil® and Motrin®), and naproxen (Aleve® and Anaprox).
If you've been experiencing stomach pain, diarrhea, and fatigue, you may have an intestinal parasite. Intestinal parasites are fairly common and can be serious, especially in the elderly, people living in undeveloped countries, and those who have other health problems.
If you've been experiencing stomach pain, diarrhea, and fatigue, you may have an intestinal parasite. There are two main types of intestinal parasites: helminths, which are worms (tapeworms, pinworms, and roundworms are the most common), and protozoa, which have only one cell and can multiply inside the body, allowing serious infections to develop.
What is the relationship between these two conditions? Could one contribute to or cause the other?
Scientists have discovered a possible link between two conditions that become more common as people age: hearing loss and dementia. And, apparently, the greater the hearing loss, the higher the likelihood of having dementia. But what is the exact relationship between these two conditions? Does hearing loss actually cause dementia? The reasons behind the link aren't clear just yet.
The American Heart Association has some specific recommendations when it comes to getting heart healthy nutrients.
Although the shelves of your local pharmacy or health food store may be lined with dietary supplements claiming to provide a heart health benefit, there is little scientific evidence to support those claims.
To the contrary, one recent large, placebo-controlled randomized study of vitamin E actually failed to show any benefit on heart disease.
Remember having the chicken pox as a kid? That episode can come back to haunt you as an adult. Shingles normally presents with severe pain, tingling, or burning on one side of the body. That's followed by red, scaly blisters that break, dry, and crust over.
Remember that bout with chicken pox you had as a kid? You probably spent a good deal of time soaking in a baking-soda bath and trying not to scratch those itchy lesions. Fortunately, the infection cleared up with no long-lasting effects, right? Wrong! If you've ever had chicken pox, you're at risk of getting a related disease called shingles as you get older.
The new technique of 3-D mammograms, or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), overlays 3-D optical mammogram images with x-ray images.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved the first system for digital mammography. The FDA reports that in pre-clinical studies, 3-D mammography was seven percent more accurate than traditional mammography.
3-D Mammography
3-D mammograms, or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), overlays 3-D optical mammogram images with x-ray images.
Researchers have found that women are 11 times more likely to develop this serious condition if they are missing teeth or have gum disease. What's the connection?
If you need one more reason to take good care of your teeth and gums, here it is. Periodontal disease is linked to breast cancer. In a recent study, researchers found that women were 11 times more likely to develop breast cancer if they were missing teeth or had gum disease.
What "real world" preventative steps should you incorporate into your life to lower your chances of heart disease?
Earlier this year, the American Heart Association (AHA) updated its cardiovascular prevention guidelines for women, which take into account what works best for women in the "real world" settings as opposed to findings from clinical trial research.
First...
Twenty-five percent of people with diabetes don't even know they have it and that means they're not getting the treatment they need or taking the important steps necessary to keep the disease in check.
Considering that there are 7 million undiagnosed diabetics in the United States and about 1.9 million new cases of diabetes diagnosed each year, it's likely that someone you know has the disease. In fact, you or a family member could be at risk for developing diabetes.
The evidence is overwhelming that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps prevent cancer. Cruciferous vegetables, in particular, deliver compounds that help prevent the transformation of normal cells into cancer.
When former president George H.W. Bush publicly proclaimed his dislike of broccoli, he wasn't doing himself any favors. This ubiquitous vegetable is part of a family of vegetables that is a veritable powerhouse when it comes to cancer prevention.
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, which is part of the cabbage family.
Even when classes are advertised as appropriate for "all levels," instructors and students know that's not always accurate information. That's why fitness centers are now tailoring classes to fit the needs of specific demographics.
Even when classes are advertised as appropriate for "all levels," instructors and students know that's not always accurate information. That's why fitness centers are now tailoring classes to fit the needs of specific demographics. Age-appropriate exercise classes are gaining ground and bringing people back to the gym.
There are many reasons to take on this challenge, and mental acuity is probably at the bottom of the list. But that doesn't diminish the brain benefits it can confer.
It's no secret that knowing a second language brings multiple benefits. You're able to get around more easily if you visit a country in which that language is spoken, you can communicate with friends and family who speak that language, and you might even have an advantage in the job market.
A new study reveals some surprising factors when it comes to what brings on a heart attack.
Everyday occurrences such as drinking coffee and alcohol, physical exertion and even breathing can help spur a heart attack, according to a Belgium study published in the journal The Lancet. The study researchers analyzed data from 36 separate studies of potential triggers for heart attack in people ranging in age from 44 to 72 years old.
What benefits do you reap if you're part of a committed, healthy relationship?
As most of us know, it's important to eat a nutritious diet, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, avoid smoking, and reduce stress in order to live a long life. But there's another way you can extend your lifespan that has nothing to do with your daily health habits: get married and stay married.
The Web offers many options for staying connected and keeping loved ones updated on your or your family member's health issues. These methods are fast, easy, and efficient, and you'll know your support network is right there with you as a part of your journey.
When Jennifer Wilson Cooper learned she had ovarian cancer, she launched a blog as a way to share her story with others and to make it easy for friends and family to keep up with her progress. Little did she know she'd quickly-and dramatically-expand her circle of friends (you can follow Cooper's journey on her blog, Four Seeds, which is featured in Quality Health's free cancer newsletter and on the QualityHealth.
As you age it's essential to protect your bones from breaks and fractures. You can take steps starting now to keep yourself safe and sound.
When you were a kid, your risk of fractures came from the kind of activity you were doing—flying on a swing set, racing around the neighborhood on a two-wheeler, and tripping while closing in on second base could all lead to broken bones. But as you've gotten older, your risk of fracturing something is tied to issues of aging.
A new study illuminates some important advantages robots can offer over standard physical rehabilitation therapy to those recovering from stoke.
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According to a study presented earlier this year at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference, stroke victims paralyzed on one side of their body who received both standard physical rehabilitation and robotic-assisted therapy achieved greater arm and shoulder mobility than patients who were not treated with the new technology.
If you've ever felt your stress levels go up upon hearing loud noises and wondered if the clamor was affecting your well-being, the answer is yes.
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Persistent noise can be an actual health risk, especially if you're in your senior years.
Danish researchers examined the medical records of more than 57,000 people over a period of several years and concluded that people who lived at addresses that were subject to heavy traffic noise and air pollution suffered more strokes than people who resided in quieter locales.
What points should you consider when you're weighing the risks and benefits of these lifesaving devices?
Your heart is a complex organ that normally beats at a rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute. But if it's not doing its job or starts getting sluggish, your doctor may suggest getting a pacemaker.
This little device, usually placed under your skin during a minor surgical procedure, is situated close to your heart and helps to regulate your heartbeat.
Coffee may decrease the risk of developing this disorder. But is it as simple as chugging lattes?
Multiple cups of coffee a day might be enough to bring on insomnia, or at least make you feel wired and jittery, but it could also have a positive effect.
Drinking four cups a day cuts a woman's risk of getting type 2 diabetes by more than 50 percent, according to a new study reported by LiveScience.
Forty to 50 percent of Parkinson’s patients also suffer from depression. Not only does it cause poorer quality of life for patients, depression is associated with faster progression of physical symptoms and greater cognitive decline.
Depression is common in people who have Parkinson's disease, a slow, progressive, and chronic neurodegenerative brain disease. Actor Michael J. Fox put a public face on this disease and many of us have seen him exhibit some of the trademark Parkinson's symptoms, such as shaking, tremors, slow movements, and stiffness or rigidity in the arms, legs, or trunk.
Who needs a treadmill? Here are 10 smart ways to build exercise into your day with no special equipment needed.
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You don't necessarily need to go to spin classes or get up at 5:00 a.m. for an hour-long turn on the treadmill to keep your ticker in tip-top shape.
For a healthy heart, you should...
Almost a quarter of a million Americans are diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma every year, and the numbers are growing. But what are the causes and warning signs? And are you doing enough to protect yourself?
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Almost a quarter of a million Americans are diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma every year—and the number is growing. But what are the causes and warning signs? And what can you do to protect yourself?
This kind of skin cancer may look like a red and scaly patch on your skin or a nodule.
What exactly is hospice care and how does it differ from hospital care? And how do you make the decision to place your loved one into hospice?
Despite all the medical advances of the last century, there comes a time when even the most cutting-edge care may not be enough to prolong a life. At this time, hospice care should be considered. But what exactly is hospice care and how does it differ from hospital care? And how do you make the decision to place your loved one into hospice?
Broadly speaking, hospice care refers to specialized care for terminally ill patients.
Did you know diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease? But there are steps you can take to avoid this diabetic complication.
Chances are that when you worry about diabetic complications, kidney disease is at the top of your list. But diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease (also called microalbuminuria) in the United States.
The disease damages these amazing organs, which function as filters in the body and remove waste products from the blood.
Many people only discover they have cancer when something turns up on an x-ray, ultrasound, or other routine test. Unfortunately, the disease may then be in its later (and more difficult-to-treat) stages.
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Many people only discover they have cancer when something turns up on an x-ray, ultrasound, or other routine test. Unfortunately, the disease may then be in its later (and more difficult-to-treat) stages.
If you're a middle-aged woman it's especially important to keep your blood pressure under control. There are small changes you can make that will add up big when it comes to your health.
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If you're a woman, you're middle aged and you have high blood pressure, you're at an increased risk of heart attack.
"Having high blood pressure is not a good thing, especially for this age group," says Furqan H.
While it probably won't hurt you to experience occasional nocturnal stirrings, night after night of interrupted sleep is dangerous to your mental and physical health.
Do you wake up at 2, 4 and 6 a.m.? While it probably won't hurt you to experience occasional nocturnal stirrings, night after night of interrupted sleep is dangerous to your mental and physical health. Here's what you can do to help yourself sleep through the night.
Are your daily doses making you dizzy? Handy help is here.
Gone are the days when the only pill you popped was a multivitamin. Now, it seems your medicine cabinet is bursting with remedies for a variety of ailments, each with its own directions for use.
But how do you keep track of different medications when...
It's the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn the warning signs and symptoms for you and for those you love.
It doesn't seem to be as greatly feared by many of us as cancer and heart attacks. Yet stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and the largest cause of disability in adults, according to the American Stroke Association.
When a blood vessel ferrying oxygen or nutrients to the brain either bursts or is blocked, a stroke results--and the brain tissue in that area, since it's not getting nourishment, starts to die.
Douglas recently completed treatment for late stage IV throat cancer and is now in remission.
Fans of the morally challenged tycoon Gordon Gecko from the movie Wall Street are happy to learn that leading man Michael Douglas declares himself free of cancer.
Douglas recently completed treatment for late stage IV throat cancer. Cancer experts say that when caught early, throat cancer can be cured 85 percent of the time with surgery or radiation.
Somewhere around the age of 30, your calorie-burning machinery slows down and, to compensate, you may have to eat less to stay the same weight. But it's not all about the food.
Somewhere around the age of 30, your calorie-burning machinery slows down and, to compensate, you may have to eat less to stay the same weight. But it's not all about the food.
One of the inevitable truths about aging is that you will start to lose muscle mass as you get older and your lost muscle will be replaced by fat.
No matter your age, you have peers out there who push fitness to a new level. Here are the secrets they already know.
While senior citizens are not the ones who commonly come to mind when we picture people at the peak of fitness, there is a small but hardy subset of elderly people who defy the typical age-related physical declines experienced by most of their cohorts.
No cancer treatment is risk free and sometimes the side effects don't manifest until many years after treatment.
No cancer treatment is risk free. Radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery all have their downsides. Cancer patients who underwent radiation therapy in the past are finding that sometimes the side effects don't manifest until many years after treatment.
Studies show that radiation for breast cancer and Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymph system, increase a patient's long-term risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Here's a new idea that just might be the best way for aging people to get fit.
Active video games—kids love them. Whether it's the Wii, Dance Dance Revolution, Microsoft Xbox, or Sony Playstation, these interactive games have users hopping, dancing, jumping, serving, swinging, and generally moving around their family rooms.
If you're wondering whether cancer rates are going up or down, here are a few highlights from the most recent update from the National Cancer Institute.
In 2001, the National Cancer Institute began producing the NCI Cancer Trends Progress Report. Since then, it has updated it annually. The Report gives us an overall summary on the incidence and mortality of different types of cancer.
So, if you're wondering whether cancer rates are going up or down, here are a few highlights from the most recent update (2009/2010)
Death rates for prostate, lung, breast, and colorectal cancers (the four most common types) continue to decline.
Germs thrive in saliva, mucous, stomach acids, and other body fluids. Regardless of how good you are about personal hygiene when you're sick, chances are you're going to spew a few germs.
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You're finally feeling better after that nasty flu or cold, and the last thing you want is to get sick again or infect someone else. Therefore, it's time to do a serious assessment of the five main areas where you and your "bug" hung out together.
Special envoy Richard C. Holbrooke died after suffering a torn aorta. What does that mean and what should you know?
Last December, the world was shocked to learn that veteran diplomat and special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard C. Holbrooke had suddenly died after suffering a tear in his aorta.
Aortic tears are rare, killing about 2,000 Americans a year, and are more common in men than women.
One of the benefits of getting older used to be the cessation of seasonal allergies, but many people are finding that their symptoms simply won't retire.
One of the benefits of growing old used to be a reprieve from seasonal allergy symptoms. But many people are finding that the itching, sneezing, and coughing accompanied with allergies continues even with advancing age.
The Connection Between Allergies and Age
You'd think that in your golden years, you'd be able to count on your allergies to cease.
How can a simple task like swallowing become a difficult mission? You might think this should be easy for your muscles to do, but it takes more just strength.
Swallowing may seem like a simple task, but, it takes about 50 pairs of muscles and nerves to bite, chew, and swallow. When you swallow, your tongue pushes food to the back of your throat where muscle contractions quickly move the food through the esophagus (the tube connecting your throat and stomach).
It's important to take control and define the type of medical care we want, or don't want, at the end of our life.
Most people are not comfortable discussing their deaths. However, we all want to die with dignity and to have others respect our final wishes. It's important, then, to take control and define the type of medical care we want-or don't want-at the end of our life.
What should you reach for and what should you avoid when it comes to living a healthy life with diabetes? It’s easier than you think.
If you have diabetes, choosing the right foods can help keep you healthy and keep your blood sugar in the normal range.
"Diabetics are more at risk for heart disease," says Adee Rasabi, RD, CDN, CDE, of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia Medical Center in New York City.
Research presented at the 26th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Rome says that measuring a woman's hormone levels with a single blood test can accurately predict the age when she'll reach menopause.
Menopause is defined as the 12-month mark after a woman has her last menstrual period and the end of her reproductive life. Most women reach menopause some time in their late 40s or early 50s and might be peri-menopausal for as much as a decade before that time.
Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S. But heart disease is actually a category of diseases and it pays to know the different types.
The term "heart disease" broadly refers to a range of diseases-more than 50-that affect your heart and blood vessels and is often used interchangeably with "cardiovascular disease." Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S.
...
Men who have long enjoyed a normal sex life may be unpleasantly surprised when sex suddenly gets a lot less sexy. An estimated 30 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction, which is the inability to maintain an erection.
Men who have long enjoyed a normal sex life may be unpleasantly surprised when sex suddenly gets a lot less sexy. An estimated 30 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) which is the inability to maintain an erection.
In the great majority of these cases, ED is temporary and often caused by an underlying problem such as artherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), diabetes and other vascular problems.
Before you take another capsule, here's what you need to know about how Vitamin E supplements are tied to risk of stroke.
People who take Vitamin E supplements to prevent stroke may be doing themselves more harm than good. Recent research suggests that while taking Vitamin E may offer a smidge more protection from ischemic strokes, it actually significantly increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke-a particularly deadly type of stroke.
Here's how to keep an eye on the (sometimes hidden) salt you consume, while maintaining the flavor you crave.
Salt is good for some things.
Sodium, or salt, is essential to enhancing flavor and inhibiting the growth of food-borne pathogens, especially in luncheon meats and cheese products. It also helps to maintain the right balance of fluids in your body, but in high doses, salt increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Understand how inflammation, an immune system response that produces heat, swelling, and redness, increases the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Several recent studies show a correlation between inflammation in the body and coronary artery disease.
According to the American Heart Association, research findings suggest that inflammation—an immune system response that produces heat, swelling, and redness—plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis, a process in which fatty deposits build up in the inner lining of the arteries, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke.
A study at Johns Hopkins University found that Medicare beneficiaries who were accompanied to their medical appointments were more satisfied with their visits than those who went alone. How can you make the most of your companionship, beyond just being a driver?
As your parents get older, they will probably be spending more time with doctors. And while they may insist that they're perfectly independent and able to get themselves to and from appointments, you should consider accompanying them, at least some of the time.
Packed with protein and fiber, but low in fat, this pantry must-have delivers a lot of nutrition at an affordable price.
Legumes, or beans, may just be nature's wonder food. Loaded with protein and fiber, they deliver a hefty dose of nutrition at a cheap price.
They're versatile—you can boil, stew, puree, roast, or pan-fry them—and for people who choose to or need to avoid animal products, they can be a great entrée alternative.
A program of "eurhythmics" shows results in promoting physical coordination and mental acuity in older adults.
Elderly people are often unsteady on their feet and prone to falls, which can lead to serious complications. But a practice called eurhythmics, originally designed for students by the noted Swiss composer Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, may give them better balance and help them maintain their health.
There's no question that antidepressants can be a tremendous help to depressed seniors. However, antidepressants, in combination with other medications, can cause adverse reactions, or drug-drug interactions.
The older we get, the more likely we are to develop serious health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease. About 25 percent of older adults with such chronic illnesses also suffer from depression. As a result, adults 65 and older may take five or more medications at any time.
Educate yourself on what can happen so you can take the steps now to change your outcome for the better.
Having diabetes over the long-term comes with consequences in the form of complications that no one likes to think about. But by familiarizing yourself now with possible complications, and resolving to do everything in your power to prevent them, you'll be looking at a healthier and happier future.
When it comes to mercury exposure from fish, what do you need to know to make the healthiest choices?
According to a Swedish study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the benefits of eating fish may outweigh the potential negative impact of mercury exposure from fish.
The study analyzed responses from more than 900 Swedish adults about the amount of fish in their diet and then examined the subjects' red blood cells for levels of mercury and selenium.
Is there a point at which the risks of possible complications outweigh the benefits of choosing surgery?
Surgery, no matter how young and otherwise healthy you are, always carries a certain amount of risk. But when you're at an advanced age, surgery may in many cases be downright dangerous. Nevertheless, more and more surgeons are performing operations on people who are well into old age.
Could half the country be diabetic in 10 years? Here are changes you can make now to keep this scary prediction from becoming reality.
Half of Americans will have Type 2 diabetes by 2020, according to a current forecast. This comes from a newly released report by United Health Group's Center for Reform and Modernization.
It's a scary figure to consider, since diabetes is a devastating and potentially deadly disease.
Make this year the best for your heart with these seven tips to help keep your heart in tip-top shape.
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to renew your commitment to heart-healthy eating, or resolve to begin a plan. Either way, these seven tips will help keep your heart in tip-top shape in the coming year.
1. Limit Unhealthy Fats and Cholesterol
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting saturated and trans fat, such as butter, margarine and coconut oils, to less than seven percent and less than one percent of your total daily calories, respectively.
Down the road might you notice some not-so-nice symptoms from getting rid of this organ?
The gallbladder is a nonessential organ located in your abdominal cavity. Because in some people it creates painful gallstones, gallbladder removal is not uncommon. Another reason to remove the gallbladder is to lower the risk of gallbladder cancer in susceptible individuals.
It's not too late to embrace these New Year's resolutions for those with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
A new year always feels like a fresh start, a blank slate, a perfect reason to resolve to get healthier. It's also a time to move forward and put the past behind—so even if you've been less than vigilant about your blood sugar testing in the past, think of 2011 as a brand new opportunity to get your health back on track.
Alcohol has long been believed to dehydrate skin, resulting in the premature appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Now, a recent study is suggesting that red wine (in moderation, of course) may do just the opposite.
Alcohol can have a dehydrating effect on your skin, increasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. But some research shows that drinking red wine (in moderation, of course) can have the opposite effect.
Scientists have been exploring "The French Paradox" for decades, trying to figure out what keeps their population so comparatively healthy despite a diet traditionally high in fat, cholesterol.
While there may be some things about aging that are less than lovable, it turns out that hitting those milestone birthdays often means there are plenty of positives to celebrate. Here are a few.
You can feel blue about getting older, but that won't change the fact that we all do it. And while there may be some things about aging that are less than lovable, it turns out that hitting those milestone birthdays often means there are plenty of positives to celebrate.
Here are three active steps you can take now to set yourself up to not only become a centenarian but do so in the best health possible.
Will you make it to 100? You might, as more and more people are achieving this milestone.
But a better question to ask might be: Will you feel great at 100? A small subset of the population not only reaches 100 years of age but continues to live life fully and joyously after 10 decades.
If you experience deep, painful aches, you may wonder if it could stem from allergies in some way, although it's possible for them to co-occur, experts say that joint pain and allergies are usually not related.
Got joint pain? If you're experiencing deep, painful aches, you may wonder if it could stem from your allergies in some way. This is a reasonable assumption, but experts say that joint pain and allergies are usually not related, although it's possible for them to co-occur.
While the damage this condition does to the eye is largely preventable, unfortunately many people aren't aware they have glaucoma until it's too late.
Glaucoma is a disease that can cause serious damage to the eye, even blindness. And while this damage is largely preventable, unfortunately many people aren't aware they have glaucoma until it's too late.
How does glaucoma do its damage?
Glaucoma can take several forms.
Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but there are many things you can do now to avoid it.
Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but there are many things you can do now to avoid heart disease. And what better time than the beginning of the New Year to put prevention steps in effect?
Here are five things you can do to ensure a heart-healthy New Year.
Diabetes increases risk of erectile dysfunction, but there are ways to keep your sex life satisfying.
If you're a man with diabetes, you may worry about its association with impotence. While it's true that disease may contribute to impotence in some diabetic men, the good news is that there are plenty of effective treatments out there to help you get your sex life back on track.
You can't turn on the TV or open a magazine without seeing a new "revolutionary" product that promises to turn back time. Before you blow your paycheck on a 3 oz jar of anti-aging cream, be sure to understand what these treatments can really do.
Anti-aging creams containing retinol, hydroxy acids, and all kinds of enzymes and botanicals crowd drugstore shelves and pharmacies. You can't turn on the TV or open a magazine without seeing a new "revolutionary" product that promises to turn back time.
A new study finds that heart disease patients' risk of suffering a major cardiovascular event can be measured by their resting heart rate.
A study by Canadian researchers has found a direct link between heart rate at rest and the risk of death in people with stable heart disease. The researchers analyzed data from two major clinical trials that followed more than 31,500 patients over four years.
This intense therapeutic experience manipulates your fascia, the connective tissue around muscles, to restructure your physique.
First popular in the 1970s, Rolfing is a trend again. Created by Ida Pauline Rolf, a biochemist from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, Rolfing isn't your typical massage.
According to the Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration (RISI), the therapy is described as a way to manipulate or restructure your fascia-the connective tissue around muscles.
From the moment you are diagnosed with cancer, you become a survivor. And you are in good company. In 2010, the number of people in the U.S. living with cancer exceeded 11 million.
From the moment you are diagnosed with cancer, you become a survivor. Here are a few ways to celebrate.
Take care of your health and reduce your risk of recurrence. Cancer survivors are more at risk for a recurrence due to the effects of treatment, genetics, and other risk factors.
Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a very scary condition that can be fatal. What do you need to know about DVT to ensure it doesn't happen to you?
Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a very scary condition that can come on without warning. It involves the formation of a clot in the lower body, usually the legs. If this clot dislodges and becomes stuck in the heart or lungs, it can be fatal. Immediate treatment is crucial for survival.
Which veggies promise to reduce age-related memory deficits?
You may have heard of salmon and blueberries being referred to as "brain foods" for their specific properties that keep the brain healthy. Now a new study proves that certain vegetables qualify as brain foods as well.
Veggies--specifically crunchy, colorful ones such as celery, peppers, and carrots--contain a plant compound called luteolin, which works to tamp down inflammation in the brain that causes problems with memory.
They're not much bigger than your iPod and they can make managing your diabetes much easier than it used to be. So learning all about blood glucose meters and insulin pumps is crucial to good diabetes management.
If you're wondering which pump or meter is best for you, here are some facts to consider, from Devon Carlson, MS, RD, of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia Medical Center in New York City and Rita Louard, MD, of the Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
Hearing that you need heart surgery can be frightening, but knowing what you can expect the day of your operation and afterward may help ease your fears and give you back a sense of control.
Unless your surgery is an emergency, talk to your doctor or other healthcare professionals to find out everything you can about your condition and the type of operation being recommended. Ask your healthcare team:
About the details of your surgery,...
Eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables can feel a bit daunting, especially for busy families on the go. The good news is that it's a lot easier than you might imagine.
Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients that keep you healthy and help prevent cancer. Furthermore, since obesity is a significant risk factor for cancer, a diet that emphasizes plant-based foods helps you maintain a healthy weight.
Here are a few tips for adding healthy fruits and vegetables to your diet:
Learn what a serving looks like.
Have you noticed changes in your aging parent or another elderly adult you care for? It may be depression. Depression in seniors is prevalent—and often overlooked.
Have you noticed changes in your aging parent or another elderly adult you care for? It may be depression. Depression in seniors is prevalent-and often overlooked. Contrary to common misconceptions, depression is not a normal part of aging.
As a caregiver, you are in an ideal position to make a difference to a senior who may be suffering from depression.
If you've lost access to insurance, you may be wondering how you'll survive. Is there a way to get good health care even if your finances are unstable?
The cost of health insurance is scary, but having no health insurance can be downright terrifying. If you've lost access to insurance, you may be wondering how you'll survive. If you or a family member has a pre-existing condition, covering the costs of all of the prescription drugs and doctor's visits you need may seem impossible.
Teenagers may be irresponsible about a lot of things, but when it comes to condom use, they're actually more careful than grownups.
Teenagers may be irresponsible about a lot of things, but when it comes to condom use, they're actually more careful than grownups.
In a study of sexually active 14- to 17-year-olds, 80 percent of the boys and 69 percent of the girls reported using a condom the last time they'd had sex.
Vitamins keep your body in top working order. And while everyone needs a variety of vitamins, there are a few nutrients that are particularly necessary for men.
Not all nutritional needs are equal between women and men. To give the man in your life a healthy advantage, make sure he eats a colorful variety of healthy foods to get enough of these essential vitamins:
Vitamin C
Taking C in large doses can help men fight urinary-tract infections.
Why do some people get arthritis of the thumb and how can you manage this condition?
Although your thumb joint is pretty small, having arthritis in that spot can make a big impact on your day-to-day life. Arthritis of the thumb, also called basal-joint arthritis, can cause pain and swelling and can hinder your range of motion. Simple actions that you once took for granted, such as opening a door or typing a letter, can now be difficult at best and impossible at worst.
As difficult as a cancer diagnosis is, you can cope with it. Here are a few of the things you should do first after learning you have cancer.
"You have cancer."
These three words can make you feel as though you've been hit by a fast-moving train and then strapped into an out-of-control roller coaster. You probably wonder how you're going to cope with the stress, your fears, treatment side effects, and managing work, family, and other responsibilities while ill.
Growing evidence supports the theory that it is possible to be overweight and healthy, provided the individual is also fit.
Don't judge a book by its cover has long been the counsel of school teachers, but a growing body of evidence suggests the expression may apply to people, too. Overweight adults, it turns out can be healthy.
One example is research published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) which followed 2,600 adults (60 and over) for 12 years to observe the link between weight, fitness, and mortality.
Increases in accidental overdoses of over-the-counter, prescription, and illegal drugs are one of the fastest-rising causes of accidental death in the U.S.
Whether you reach for prescription pills on a daily basis or take an over-the-counter remedy for a persistent cough or occasional headache, there are risks associated with all medications especially when they are combined with other medications.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), increases in accidental overdoses of over-the-counter, prescription, and illegal drugs are one of the fastest-rising causes of accidental death in the United States.
You can look great without wearing uncomfortable, constricting clothing. Here's how you can be stylish and still stay comfortable.
Even if your daily wardrobe consists of loose jeans and sweatshirts, chances are you'll be attending at least one holiday party this season. And that means getting out of your comfort zone and dressing up. Perhaps you've got a slinky number hanging in your closet from last year.
Poor circulation can cause numbness, cold hands and feet, and other unpleasant symptoms. But a sluggish blood flow isn't something you have to live with. You can boost your circulation and get that blood moving through your body.
If you have poor circulation, you may be plagued by such undesirable symptoms as cold hands and feet, numbness, tiredness in the legs upon standing for long periods, or wounds that are slow to heal. But a sluggish blood flow isn't something you have to live with.
You've probably heard the expression, "you are what you eat." It may be a cliché, but it's true. What you eat plays a direct role on your brain's cognitive (thinking) abilities, and may influence your risk of developing mental illness, age-related cognitive decline, or Alzheimer's disease.
You've probably heard the expression, "you are what you eat." It may be a cliché, but it's true. What you eat plays a direct role on your brain's cognitive (thinking) abilities, and may influence your risk of developing mental illness, age-related cognitive decline, or Alzheimer's disease.
Sleeping soundly isn't just good for you it's good for your heart, especially if you're a man.
According to a recent study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (an arm of the National Institutes of Health) men with sleep apnea, a sleep disorder, have a 58 percent higher risk of developing heart failure than those without it.
The Study
The study followed 4,000 subjects for a nine year period and also found that men (ages 40 to 70) with severe sleep apnea had a 68 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease than those without it.
Lose weight! Feel more energetic! Fight aging! Improve your sex life! Can one little purple berry do this much good?
Lose weight! Feel more energetic! Fight aging! Improve your sex life! Can one little purple berry do this much good? Some say its super-high antioxidant count makes the tropical acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry a true superfruit; others are not so sure.
Your knees have a heavy load to bear. They support a good percentage of your body weight and have been doing so since you learned to walk. So it's no surprise that as you get older, your knees may experience a little (or a lot) more trouble than they used to.
Your knees have a heavy load to bear. They support a good percentage of your body weight and have been doing so since you learned to walk. So it's no surprise that as you get older, your knees may experience a little (or a lot) more trouble than they used to.
What are the challenges of getting a good night's rest and what's the best advice for addressing common sleep issues?
Remember your teenage years, when you could conk out at the drop of a hat and sleep until lunchtime? Those days are long gone for most of us. In fact, getting and staying asleep are a real problem for a lot of middle-aged folks. But sleep is crucial to your physical, emotional, and mental well being.
It turns out memory problems are not necessarily a normal sign of aging.
We've all had what we call "senior moments." Maybe we put our eyeglasses in the refrigerator. Or we picked up the phone and forgot who we were calling. Or we suddenly couldn't recall the name of an acquaintance.
People usually explain away these memory lapses with a laugh and a knowing nod to the typical symptoms of aging.
Resveratrol, a plant compound found in red wine and red grapes, has for some time been touted as a key to longevity.
Resveratrol, a plant compound found in red wine and red grapes, has for some time been touted as a key to longevity. Now, scientists have discovered that the compound may indeed prevent the inflammation responsible for so many diseases of aging.
The Study
A team at the University of Buffalo recently conducted a small study of resveratrol's benefits on a group of 20 subjects.
A recent study found that men who have insomnia are four times more likely to die when compared to men who reported sleeping well.
A recent study by researchers at the Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine in Hershey, PA found that men who have insomnia are four times more likely to die when compared to men who reported sleeping well.
Scientists followed a group of 1,741 randomly-selected men and women in Central Pennsylvania and the results are giving baby boomers a new worry to keep them up at night.
Recent research shows that brittle bones, long considered a women's problem, is taking a significant toll on men.
Women's bones get all the attention but it turns they aren't the only ones whose bones break. Recent research shows that osteoporosis, long considered a women's disease, is taking a significant toll on men, too.
Osteoporosis is defined as a decline in the density of bones that makes them weaker and more likely to break.
The goal of cancer treatment is to put the disease in remission. But cancer can recur in several different ways.
The goal of cancer treatment is to put the disease in remission. Patients are in remission when all the signs and symptoms of their cancer disappear. For many patients, remission is permanent.
When cancer recurs (returns), it is the same type of cancer.
Whether you want to lose 5 or 50 pounds, it's extra challenging when you have diabetes.
Whether you want to lose 5 or 50 pounds, it's extra challenging when you have diabetes.
If you're prone to episodes of hypoglycemia, there are times when you have to eat whether or not you want to, and it can be frustrating to have to take in those extra calories to prevent your blood sugar from dropping dangerously low.
Does the idea of retirement scare you? Here's how to prep for this major life transition.
For some people, leaving the workforce is a long-held dream. For others, the thought of giving up the job they've had for years is a great source of anxiety. If retirement is something that scares you, it's important to be well prepared for this major life transition.
These simple strategies can knock a whole decade off of your outlook so you'll feel 10 years younger.
You can try at least a few of these strategies to knock a whole decade off of your outlook and feel ten years younger:
Laugh. A hearty chuckle sends your blood pressure downward, unkinks your muscles, and may even lower your stress hormone levels.
Could type 2 diabetes be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease? A study team out of Japan has just released research results that suggest this possibility.
Could type 2 diabetes be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease? A study team out of Japan has just released research results that suggest this possibility.
The scientists recruited 135 older Japanese people with an average age of 67. At the beginning of the study, the participants were given several tests to determine if they had elevated blood glucose levels.
Although there isn't a clear cut reason why people suffer from ischemic colitis, there are health issues and medications that can increase your chances of getting this arduous and agonizing condition.
Ischemic colitis is a condition that occurs when blood flow to the large intestine (colon) becomes blocked. This can lead to inflammation of the colon and in some cases, permanent colon damage. However, most cases of the disorder are mild, and people suffering from ischemic colitis usually recover quickly.
Up to five percent of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's are in their forties and fifties when it strikes. Known as early-onset Alzheimer's, this middle-aged disease affects about 200,000 people in the U.S. alone.
Alzheimer's disease is commonly thought of as an old-person's affliction. And it's true that the vast majority of cases occur in people age 65 and older. But did you know that up to five percent of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's are only in their forties and fifties when it strikes?
Known as early-onset Alzheimer's, this middle-aged disease affects about 200,000 people in the U.
The key to effective supplementation is to know what you're taking and why you're taking it.
Whether you're trying to get fit or to enhance your sex life, taking supplements can be of great help. According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, 53 percent of American adults take a multivitamin supplements, and 50 percent of adult men 18 and older take a multivitamin.
Can this horrible smelling toxic gas secreted by the body and produced by factories actually reduce arthritis inflammation? Some studies are saying so.
Hydrogen sulfide, a naturally occurring gas that smells like rotten eggs, may do more than make you want to hold your nose and run for the hills. Scientists have discovered that this gas, which is highly toxic and can be emitted from places such as hot springs, food-processing plants, and paper mills, may actually be beneficial to your health in at least one way: It may help reduce joint inflammation affected by rheumatoid arthritis.
Steps you can take to help ensure your health well into your golden years.
Any guy will tell you that once your car hits a certain mileage, it's wise to take it in for a tune-up. Well, the same goes for your body. Much like in your teens, your body goes through some significant changes when you hit your 40s and 50s.
Here, we've outlined seven steps you can take to help ensure your health well into your golden years.
Larger head size may be an advantage to people with Alzheimer’s disease.
When it comes to Alzheimer's disease, head size may offer protection against progressing symptoms, according to a recent study published in the journal Neurology.
The study, conduced by researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany, found that Alzheimer's disease patients with the largest craniums had less brain atrophy and less advanced dementia and scored better on memory and cognitive skill tests than those study participants with smaller skulls.
When you find yourself suddenly short of breath, do you wonder where your symptoms are coming from? Knowing the difference can be difficult not only for you but for your doctor, as well.
The problem is that many health experts think of asthma as a disease that only affects younger people. Therefore, they may discount the possibility of asthma symptoms in older patients and instead attribute changes in lung function to age-related causes.
Already a nutritional superstar, Vitamin K may be even more beneficial than we think. Find out how to get your daily dose.
The role of Vitamin K in helping the blood clot normally has been well established. Now, there is mounting evidence that Vitamin K is also crucial in improving bone health with studies showing that not only does Vitamin K increase bone mineral density in people with osteoporosis, it also reduces the number of fractures associated with osteoporosis, including hip fractures.
Produced naturally by our bodies, the hormone DHEA has been touted as the key to longevity. And some people have begun to supplement their bodies' own DHEA with a synthetic version of the hormone. But are they effective?
You may have heard that a hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is the key to longevity. Produced naturally by our bodies, it facilities the production of other hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. But some people, looking for the secret to agelessness, are supplementing their bodies' own DHEA with a synthetic version of the hormone, sold in this country in pill form.
Seat belts save more than 13,000 lives every year in this country, but they can do so only if you wear them the right way.
Seatbelts save more than 13,000 lives every year in this country, but they can do so only if you wear them the right way. In fact, using your seatbelt improperly isn't always better than not using it at all—you may be setting yourself up for serious injury if you wear your seatbelt in any way other than the way it was designed to be worn.
While most people “of a certain age” are healthy and living full, productive lives, growing older often comes with a few aches and pains. Not surprisingly, many older adults go through the same changes.
While most people "of a certain age" are healthy and living full, productive lives, growing older often comes with a few aches and pains. Not surprisingly, as we age and change, the small pains grow into larger, more difficult to manage ones. Here, the 4 most common pains we experience as we age and how to treat them.
With all the talk in the media about teenagers and substance abuse, it's easy to overlook the fact that people of all ages can abuse drugs and alcohol. In fact, the surprising truth is that substance abuse among baby boomers has been increasing in recent years.
With all the talk in the media about teenagers and substance abuse, it's easy to overlook the fact that people of all ages can abuse drugs and alcohol. In fact, the surprising truth is that substance abuse among baby boomers has been increasing in recent years.
Middle-age adults with excess belly fat now have yet another reason to reduce their waist circumference. Research shows that abdominal obesity nearly triples their risk for dementia.
Middle-age adults with excess belly fat now have yet another reason to reduce their waist circumference. Research shows that abdominal obesity nearly triples their risk for dementia. Belly fat is already a known risk factor for diabetes, stroke, hypertension, hyperlipidemia (elevation of lipids such as cholesterol), and heart disease.
The dog days of summer are officially here. And while steamy hot days can be difficult for anyone to endure, very warm temperatures pose particular dangers to the elderly. And so, it's important to take special precautions when temperatures soar past the point of comfort.
The dog days of summer are officially here. And while steamy hot days can be difficult for anyone to endure, very warm temperatures pose particular dangers to the elderly. For senior citizens, it's important to take special precautions when temperatures soar past the point of comfort.
While you may not have quite the energy you did when you were younger, there's no reason for you to go crawl through your days just because you've passed your 40th (or 50th or 60th) birthday.
Despite what you may have heard, fatigue is not inevitable as you get older. While you may not have quite the energy you did when you were younger, there's no reason for you to go crawl through your days just because you've passed your 40th (or 50th or 60th) birthday.
Seniors who don’t get enough Vitamin D in their diets could be putting themselves at risk for developing diabetes.
Seniors who don't get enough vitamin D in their diets could be putting themselves at risk for developing diabetes. A recent study found that older adults with low levels of this vitamin are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of diabetes.
If your skin looks duller, older, and more uneven than it should, bad choices could be to blame. Break these common habits to bring out big improvements from head to toe.
If your skin looks older, duller, and more uneven than it should, bad choices could be to blame. Break these common habits to bring out big improvements in your skin.
1. Tanning or Skipping the SPF
Shielding your skin from the sun is the best way to battle premature aging.
A group of scientists have published an article claiming that your longevity is linked to the first initial of your first name. So what's the very worst initial to have?
It sounds like the kind of questionable "fact" that kids love to throw around at the lunchroom table: The first letter of your name can determine how long you live. Sounds farfetched, right? But a group of scientists at Wayne State University have published an article claiming that your longevity is, in fact, linked to your name.
Exercise does a body good. Not only is it the key to losing weight, it's also the key to healthy, happy golden years. But how exactly will it help you today and many years from now?
Exercise does a body good. Not only is it the key to losing weight, it's also the key to healthy, happy golden years. That's because exercise provides lifelong benefits for our health, wellbeing and appearance.
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, more than 60 percent of adults don't get enough exercise and 25 percent don't exercise at all.
Genomics can map out the exact sequence of a person's DNA to come up with a comprehensive picture of that person's future health risks.
You've probably heard of genetic testing, which looks at single genes to determine if someone has an increased risk of a particular disease. But you may be less familiar with genomics, which is the study of someone's complete genetic code. With genomics, scientists map out the exact sequence of a person's DNA to come up with a comprehensive picture of that person's future health risks.
Of the 35 million Americans 65 and older, roughly seven million suffer from either major depression or a less severe form of depression.
Of the 35 million Americans 65 and older, roughly seven million suffer from either major depression or a less severe form of depression. Although depression is highly treatable, many older adults--especially those living in senior facilities--are never diagnosed.
Genes aren’t only about physical characteristics. Science now says that specific personality traits are inherited, and those personality traits may be what help people reach a ripe old age.
Have you ever wondered what helps certain people live extremely long lives? As you may have guessed, evidence suggests longevity is strongly related to genes. But the surprising finding is that the genes aren't only about physical characteristics. Science now says that specific personality traits are inherited, and those personality traits may be what help people reach a ripe old age.
Smoking, drinking, poor diet and inactivity can age you by 12 years, study shows.
Most of us want to look and feel young for as long as possible. While we can't turn back the clock on our chronological age, a recent study shows that we can make lifestyle choices to prevent ourselves from aging too quickly.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Oslo and published in Archives of Internal Medicine, tracked nearly 5,000 British adults over a period of 20 years to look at how physical activity, diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption were related to mortality.
Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, but it is also highly preventable. These are the five worst things that you can do to your heart.
Although heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S., it's often an avoidable problem.
While some risk factors for heart disease, such as family history or age, can't be changed, there are many things you can do to prevent heart disease that aren't burdensome or complicated and will help you avoid using medication.
Everybody's talking about Betty White. And for good reason. At 88 years old, the comedic actress has experienced a career resurgence—and shows no signs of stopping. What's this golden girl's secret to longevity?
At an age when many people are slowing down, 88-year-old Betty White is still going strong. The veteran TV and movie actress, best known for her roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the 1970s and The Golden Girls in the 1980s, has continued to appear on screens large and small over the past two decades.
How many times have you heard that being overweight can contribute to disease and early death? Now, flying in the face of that knowledge are the results of a new study that may turn conventional wisdom on its head.
How many times have we heard lately that obesity has been shown to be a significant contributor to disease and early death? Now, flying in the face of that knowledge are the results of a new study out of Australia that claims a little extra meat on the bones might just mean a longer life.
About six million men in the United States suffer from depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While the stigma of mental health disorders is fading, some men are still reluctant to talk about, or seek help for, depression.
Terry Bradshaw. Jim Carrey. Billy Joel. Winston Churchill. Abraham Lincoln. In addition to being famous and successful, these men—and many others—share another important characteristic: they all suffered from depression.
About six million men in the United States suffer from depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
If you believe lovemaking is reserved just for the young, have we got news for you. Find out what a recent study has revealed about the frequency of sex among seniors.
If you think sex is just a pastime of the young, have we got news for you: According to a recent study at the University of Chicago, plenty of people eligible for AARP discounts are getting busy on a regular basis. And while sexual frequency does decline with age, sex is still a vital part of life for a significant number of seniors.
Read on to find out what a diagnosis of shingles means for your heart health.
You wouldn't necessarily connect a painful skin rash known as shingles, or herpes zoster, with cardiovascular trouble, but a new study confirms that there is, in fact, such a link. Apparently, contracting shingles raises your risk of having a stroke, often shortly after shingles treatment.
Scientists have convincing evidence that this delicious drink may boost your memory into high gear.
You're almost done with that crossword puzzle you've been working on for days, but 9-down is just out of your grasp. The answer is on the tip of your tongue, though, and you know that you know the word. If only there were a magic elixir you could take that would allow you to remember everything you used to know.
New research is shedding light on exactly why a diet rich in fish can help your heart-and all your cells--stay young.
News headlines over the past few years have touted omega-3 fatty acids, as wonder substances that keep the heart healthy and help prevent coronary disease as well as aid in recovery after a heart attack. But new research sheds light on the exact mechanism by which these omega-3 fatty acids actually work on the heart.
New studies suggest that working out may help prevent white blood cells from aging. The result? A healthier, more youthful body--both inside and out.
You know exercise is good for you, but did you know it can also keep you young? New studies suggest that working out may help prevent white blood cells from aging. In addition to warding off heart disease and cancer, research shows that exercise slows down the clock by working inside the white blood cell itself.
The benefits of looking young go beyond the pleasure of having people admire your appearance. Recent research shows it may actually be linked to a longer life.
Do people assume your little sister is older than you are? Are you asked for ID when you order a drink in a bar even though you're well past 21? Are you routinely turned down for senior discounts even though you've hit the magic age that entitles you to them? Lucky you! Thanks to a combination of good genetics and probably lifestyle choices, you're youthful looking.
Try these everyday tips to minimize frizz, breakage, and dryness.
Winter's chilly temperatures and bitter winds can create a hostile environment for your hair. Things only get worse when you go inside, where dry heat saps hair of its natural moisture. But you don't have to have bad hair days all season. Try these everyday tips to minimize the frizz, breakage, and dryness.
Here, 10 tips for finding a moisturizer that will get rid of the dryness, itchiness, and redness that is all-too-common in the winter months.
Freezing elements and dry indoor air disrupt skin's balance during the winter, robbing it of lipids and stripping its epidermis of liquids. If your skin feels tighter, itchy, red, or flaky, or seems more likely to look dull, break out, and show lines, your winter moisturizer isn't doing its job.
Could blackberries and other electric devices be turning your brain to mush?
You've seen them: The multitaskers who hang out in coffee shops simultaneously sipping lattes, checking e-mail, having cell-phone conversations, and bouncing from site to site on their laptops.Or they sit in their offices answering e-mails while writing reports and taking phone calls.
Scientists have stumbled upon something that could put the breaks on the aging process.
For centuries, people have dreamed of drinking from the fountain of youth, a legendary spring that supposedly turns back the clock for those who ingest its waters. No such fountain exists in reality, of course, but some scientists believe they may be a little closer to learning how to slow the aging process and increase lifespan thanks to several studies they're conducting.
How can you face major life events such as moving out of your longtime home--without developing a sense of dread?
Change is an inevitable part of life, and it doesn't stop happening just because we grow older. In fact, some of life's biggest changes may occur as we age, and we need to not only be prepared for them but to stop being afraid of them. How can you face major life events such as moving out of your longtime home or leaving the workforce? Here are several ideas to help you approach your situation without dread:
Focus on the positive.
Besides being entertaining, surfing the web actually offers concrete neurological benefits to the over-55 crowd.
If you're trying to keep your brain humming as you age, you could do worse than to park yourself in front of your computer and surf the Internet. Long considered the bastion of the young and tech-savvy, the Internet has been shunned by a significant percentage of older adults who didn't grow up having it as a presence in their homes or offices.
Trick your body into thinking it's spring with these eight moisture-preserving ideas.
Winter may be the worst time of year for your skin, particularly if you suffer from an underlying condition like psoriasis or eczema. Blowing winds, extreme cold, and dry, indoor air can dehydrate even the most balanced skin. Trick your skin into thinking it's spring with these moisture preserving ideas.
Here, some common causes of bladder trouble and typical treatment methods.
For many people, bladder issues arise in midlife or beyond. Unfortunately, a good percentage of sufferers never get help, either out of embarrassment or the belief that bladder problems are an inevitable part of aging. Fortunately, this isn't true-doctors say almost all people whose bladder gives them trouble can be helped.
Besides promoting focus and mental clarity, research shows that tai chi may also help slow the aging process.
You may have heard of tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art that utilizes deep breathing and slow, graceful moves to bolster balance and coordination. Groups of Chinese regularly perform tai chi together in parks and other public spaces, and the practice has been catching on in America and other locales.
While the winter snow may seem beautiful from the inside, it can be treacherous for many. Here, tips to enjoy the weather without winter woes.
There's no time of year more hazardous for getting around than winter. Layers of ice and frozen snow make walking difficult and downright dangerous. Furthermore, slip and fall cases are most common during the coldest months. No matter how diligent you may be about shoveling and blowing snow, surfaces may still be slick.
Dementia and pseudo-dementia are two conditions whose symptoms closely resemble one another. The recommended treatments and probable outcomes for each condition, however, vary greatly.
While dementia is most commonly thought of in relation to Alzheimer's disease, it can also be caused by a number of other medical circumstances.
Dementia is a degenerative condition, which means that it continues to worsen over time. The exact symptoms of dementia vary depending on the cause of the condition; however, loss of memory is commonly the first and most obvious sign to appear.
Science shows there are plenty of things that people of all ages can do to stave off forgetfulness and mental fuzziness.
If you think a fading memory is an inevitable part of aging, you're wrong. Science shows there are plenty of things older people can do to stave off forgetfulness and mental fuzziness. Try the following tips and you may find yourself more clear headed after just two weeks:
Challenge your brain.
Why the scary surge in cases?
Dementia is a significant and growing problem in many countries, not just in America. A new report prepared by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London indicates that worldwide cases of the disease will almost double every twenty years, from 35 million in 2010 to 65.
Over 40 but feel twice your age? How to increase the fight against arthritis.
Life begins at 40--or so they say. But, when you're living with arthritis--and the subsequent pain, swelling and stiffness--you may feel closer to 80.
Many people with arthritis manage to remain active, and to control pain and inflammation effectively even when they're over 40.
A significant number of older Americans hit the bottle hard on a regular basis, and it's wreaking havoc on their health.
Listening to news reports lately, you'd be forgiven for thinking that binge drinking is the exclusive province of college students or bachelor-party attendees in Las Vegas. But you'd be surprised to know that a significant number of older Americans hit the bottle hard on a regular basis-and it's wreaking havoc on their health.
Here, simple ways to get the most needed nutrients—without having to rely on the bottle.
Look around any drugstore or health-food emporium, and you're likely to find a world of dietary supplements. Not just restricted to the world of power lifters and the vitamin obsessed, supplements have gained a foothold in the senior community. Since the elderly often have reduced appetites and difficulty eating, adding supplements can be a good idea.
Find out why now may be the perfect time to pick up a pair of weights.
Take a look at the weight room next time you're near a gym. Who do you see hovering around the barbells and machines? Most likely, a group of young or middle-aged guys (and maybe a few women) are working their biceps, triceps, and quads. Perhaps you've thought about adding something other than walking or stretching to your workout routine, but breaking into that youthful group by the mirror is too intimidating.
Learn about the health risks of weight gain after 50.
No one wants to gain weight at any point in life, whether they're a self-conscious teen looking for the perfect prom date or a postmenopausal mother of the bride who needs to look good in her evening gown. Extra pounds at any time are a health risk, not to mention a self-esteem killer.
Follow these tips to make smart snacking a part of your daily routine.
The snack choices you make really can lead to weight-loss success or sabotage. Potato chips, doughnuts, and candy bars, for example, can add hundreds of empty calories to your daily intake. Fortunately, there are healthier options. Follow these tips to make smart snacking a part of your routine.
That daily java habit may help you avoid Alzheimer’s disease as you get older.
Here's another item to add to the growing list of caffeine's health benefits: That daily java habit may help you avoid Alzheimer's disease as you get older. Not only that, a recent study of caffeine consumption reveals that drinking the brew actually may reverse any age-related memory loss you already experience.
A simple blood test may soon be able to let you know how well your body is standing the test of time.
Only your birth certificate reveals how old you are, right? Well, yes-chronologically, at least. But wouldn't it be interesting to learn your body's true age? In other words, do you at age 50 have the body of a typical 35-year-old? Or have your health habits and lifestyle aged you so that at age 50 you more closely resemble a 65-year-old physiologically? A simple blood test may soon be able to let you know how well your body is standing the test of time.
What you eat—or don’t eat—can have a huge impact on how long you live.
If you believe that longevity can be attributed to good genes, regular exercise, and perhaps a dose of plain old luck, you're only partly right. It turns out that what you eat-or don't eat-can have a huge impact on how long you live. The best way to dress your dinner table? With foods from the Mediterranean diet.
Study shows that people suffering from depression who have memory problems are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
If you suffer from depression you've probably noticed that your memory isn't as sharp as it used to be. Now, new research conducted at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) indicates that having these two conditions can increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Studies are showing that even borderline high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of developing this degenerative disease.
For years, researchers have known that elevated cholesterol is tied to a host of diseases and conditions, mostly related to the heart. But a recent study offered up a surprising finding: Even borderline high levels of cholesterol can predict whether or not someone will suffer from Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia as they age.
A growing number of health experts are advocating calorie restriction as a way to tap into the fountain of youth.
For decades, people have restricted their calories purely to lose weight and fit into their favorite clothes. Health often hasn't factored into the equation. Now, a growing subset of health-conscious folks is advocating calorie restriction as a way to tap the fountain of youth.
When is pain a sign that something might be seriously wrong? Here, four pains you should never shrug off.
Minor aches and pains are part of life for most of us—a tension headache here, an upset stomach there.
But when is pain a signal that something might really be wrong? And how do you tell the difference between a mere annoyance and a warning sign? Below are four pains not to ignore:
1.
In so many ways, women and men couldn't be more different. But what about when it comes to aging?
Are men and women really so different? After all, we speak the same language, eat the same foods, and enjoy most of what life has to offer together. But in some ways, there are big differences, particularly as we age. The most obvious one is that women can get pregnant, give birth, and breastfeed children.
Whether you’re a senior yourself or have a special one in your life, read on for simple ways to get in shape—remember, a little can go a long way.
Most seniors are aware that exercise is good for them. What they may not realize, though, is that it's never too late to start (as long as they check with their doctor first). So, whether you're a senior yourself or have a special one in your life, read on for simple ways to get in shape.
To improve concentration you've got to tackle the underlying causes. We've uncovered the most likely reasons for poor concentration.
Wondering why you can't concentrate? Several physical and psychological factors can influence our ability to concentrate. If you want to improve concentration, you've got to address these factors head on.
Illness. Poor concentration may be the sign of an illness or disease.
If you suspect, or have been diagnosed with, testicular cancer, you’re probably concerned about how the disease may affect your sexual desire and performance. Fortunately, most of the news is encouraging.
Cancer and Sex
Cancer and cancer treatment, regardless of the type of cancer, can cause physical and psychological sexual dysfunction. Your hormone levels may change; therapy may make you tired or cause pain; and medications, depression, changes in body image and some types of surgery may directly affect your sex life.
An overview of the link between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. Plus, how to build healthy bones and reduce your risk of this bone-thinning disease that increases your risk of fractures.
Osteoporosis affects about eight million women and two million men in America, reports the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC). Over 18 million others have low bone density and are at risk for developing the disease, which is marked by low bone mass, and makes bones brittle and weak.
Although your lifestyle can go a long way toward keeping your heart healthy as you age, some cardiac changes are pretty much inevitable.
Although your lifestyle can go a long way toward keeping your heart healthy as you age, some cardiac changes are inevitable. Below, some of the most common things that happen to your heart as you pass through your middle years into your senior ones:
A slower heart rate.
Green tea has been hailed as a health hero recently, credited with speeding metabolism, warding off colds, and even protecting against heart disease. So, is this popular beverage the key to living longer?
Green tea has been hailed as a health hero recently, credited with speeding metabolism and promoting weight loss, warding off colds and flu, and even protecting against tooth decay. But its greatest value, according to doctors and researchers, is its powerful punch against serious diseases, most notably cardiovascular disease.
These days, many health gurus are touting raw food diets, claiming that food cooked at a high temperature loses its key nutrients.
While experts don't suggest going 100 percent raw, they do acknowledge the amazing health benefits of uncooked and unprocessed fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Five reasons to include raw foods in your diet include:
1. Raw foods are nutrient-rich.
Here, five staples your kitchen shouldn't be without.
When it comes to your health, the old saying "You are what you eat" really applies. You can't expect to inhale a junk-filled diet of empty calories and live a long, vibrant life. To stave off disease and reach a ripe old age, you have to incorporate good-for-you foods into your diet on a regular basis.
When it comes to skin aging, it's hard separating fact from fiction. Here, we debunk the biggest myths about fine lines and wrinkles.
No one wants wrinkles, but like it or not, everyone gets them sooner or later. The question is, how can you minimize the amount and the severity of the wrinkles you get? There are a host of miracle solutions there, but according to experts, many of them are simply wishful thinking.
Get the answers to your most pressing questions about health after 40.
Forty may be the new 30, but turning the big 4-0 can still trigger health questions and worries. Do you wonder if weight gain, hypertension, and osteoarthritis are looming in your immediate future? Get some answers to your most pressing - and worrying - questions about health after 40.
Is the secret to a longer, healthier life as simple as uncorking a bottle of red wine?
There are so many theories floating around about how to live a longer life. Exercise is a definite life extender, doctors confirm. Eating healthfully, with a focus on fresh produce and unprocessed foods, also buys you time. Avoiding the sun. learning how to deal with stress, and maintaining a healthy weight-all of these things can help you reach your eighties and beyond.
Sun and statins, among other things, can keep your heart ticking.
Of the 550,000 people who die of cardiovascular disease every year, 82 percent of them are 65 and older. But staying heart healthy when you become a member of this age group is not an easy order. Over the years, your blood vessels and heart muscle become worn and damaged, even if you've taken exceptional care of your heart.
Still in search of the big "O"? Learn about the surprising factors that affect female orgasms.
For many women sexual satisfaction can be as elusive as post-coital cuddling. While the anatomy of male orgasms are better understood, many studies and popular literature still refer to the female orgasm as "a mystery" or "misunderstood."
Scientists—from Freud to Kinsey—have attempted to shed light on women's sexuality.
The word is out — sex can be great for your health in more ways than you can imagine.
Looking for the secret to a better quality of life, or longer life? Some of us think the answer lies in a bottle of herbal pills, a better diet, or more aerobic exercise. Few of us would think sex could have the same benefits. But according to research, sex does much more than satisfy desire - it can have a significant impact on your health and increase your lifespan.
There are factors that may affect your decision to have joint replacement surgery when you have arthritis.
Joint replacement surgery can help you regain function in your joints and reduce pain when you suffer from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Also called arthroplasty, joint replacement is the most widely known surgery for arthritis. Doctors can perform it on most joints, but the most common types of this procedure are knee replacement surgery and hip replacement surgery.
Stress has been shown time and again to negatively impact the heart. Here’s how to find relief.
With the economy in shambles, the environment on the verge, and a collective lifestyle whose pace seems to get faster by the minute, it's hard for even the most Zen among us to feel stress-free nowadays. And all this stress can have an adverse effect on the cardiovascular system.
When you’re going through menopause, sex may take a backseat to coping with hot flashes, mood swings, and other menopause symptoms. Learn how to cope and keep your sex life alive.
Few positive images come to mind when you think of menopause. Bouts of moodiness, hot flashes, increased weight, sleeplessness, menstrual changes, and vaginal changes seem to define the process. Then there are all the myths surrounding menopause and sex.
If you're reaching your golden years and find yourself experiencing a host of respiratory symptoms, you could be one of the many senior citizens dealing with asthma, even if you don’t yet know it.
Do you find yourself short of breath with chest tightness? Wheezing? Coughing at night? If you're reaching your golden years and find yourself experiencing a host of respiratory symptoms, you could be one of the many senior citizens dealing with asthma, even if you don't yet know it.
When the going gets rough, how bad does it tax the heart? Recent research provides some interesting answers.
Stress is a natural part of life. But there are moments when the pressures of keeping our families afloat, ourselves together, and our futures bright are so great that we feel as if we're living through times that try not only our souls but our hearts as well—quite literally.
As with most other substances we consume, alcohol can be harmful in excess and beneficial in moderation, especially when it comes to heart health.
Researchers first reported this correlation between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease as early as 1904 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. But because alcoholism has been a long-standing problem in the United States, experts are reticent to wholeheartedly endorse raising a glass or two for your heart’s sake.
Learn more about the important role that glucose plays in brain function.
Scientists are only beginning to uncover the brain’s role in normal insulin and glucose control as it relates to diabetes. Likewise, the cognitive deficits associated with the disease are just recently being understood. So what has been discovered so far? Research has revealed that diabetes is associated with impaired cognitive function and an increased risk for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
You exercise, eat right, get plenty of sleep, and avoid excess stress. Complete your health puzzle by learning your family's health history.
Why is it important to know what maladies your relatives have suffered from? Certain diseases, such as sickle-cell anemia, are inherited, passed down from generation to generation in the form of DNA abnormalities. Others, such as cancer or heart disease, may strike seemingly at random.
Going green is easier--and more beneficial--than you thought.
Having a hard time going green? Maybe you think it’s too time consuming, expensive, or not really worth it. Think again.
There are hundreds of ways to be eco-friendly, which means it can fit into any lifestyle. Here are eight reasons why green living is worth it — none of them have to do with assuaging guilt.
Follow these tips to keep your mind in tip-top shape.
Although we've all heard people joke about having a "senior moment" when they can't remember something simple, the truth is that getting older is in no way synonymous with losing our memories. While certain diseases may cause memory impairment and be out of our control, there's plenty we can do to keep our brains sharp and stave off forgetfulness—even if we're genetically programmed to be at higher risk for conditions such as Alzheimer's.
Learn more about this new, non-surgical option.
When it comes to managing heartburn, the basic treatments are available and reliable. Most of the 60 million Americans who suffer from heartburn at least once a month, after consulting their doctor and understanding their symptoms, find relief with one of three over-the-counter (OTC) medicines: antacids, H2-receptor antagonists, or proton pump inhibitors.
Learn simple strategies for controlling your condition while away from home.
If you spend enough time going from home to office to home, soon you'll find yourself dying for a long weekend, or even a month-long vacation. Anything to change the routine. But as we all know, travelling can come with a host of headaches. There's bumper-to-bumper traffic on the highway.
Get back the skin of your youth.
What woman hasn't admired the fresh, smooth skin on babies and children and wished she could have it back herself? While your skin naturally changes as you age, there's plenty you can do to keep it clear and youthful-looking. And you don't have to drop a bundle on fancy cosmetics and creams to do it.
When your total cholesterol level climbs above 240, it’s time to take action to decrease your risk for a stroke or a heart attack.
Quitting smoking, engaging in aerobic exercise at least three times a week, and eating a diet high in fiber and rich in fruits and vegetables will all contribute to the maintenance of a healthy balance of good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL); if the former is 60 or above, it actually prevents heart disease, while a level below 100 for the latter is desirable for people who have a higher likelihood for developing heart disease.
Follow these tips to stay heartburn-free while on the move.
For those who suffer from heartburn, an important part of managing the pain is maintaining a healthy weight. A great way to achieve this is through regular exercise Every day, researchers uncover new ways that fitness can benefit people of all ages. In...
Recent research has shown that those with a sunnier disposition may live longer.
We all have that one co-worker, friend, or neighbor who is constantly (and maybe even annoyingly) happy. And while some believe that people are just born optimists, recent exciting studies have shown that happiness is learned-much like crocheting or table tennis.
It's the number one killer of women, but with the right lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce your risk.
Even if heart disease runs in your family, getting it is not inevitable. There are many steps you can take to minimize your risk and live a long, healthy life, from making smart food choices to bumping up your exercise. So ditch the excuses, and check out this list:
Burn as many calories as you take in.
Certain foods really can enhance your memory and overall cognitive function. Are they part of your diet?
In general, any food that's good for you is good for your brain. That's because nutritious foods that lower your risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes naturally encourage blood flow to the brain. Your brain, like the rest of your body, needs quality nutrients to work at its highest level.
Alzheimer's Foundation of America calls for national dementia screening.
As the nation faces an aging population and an escalating public health crisis related to Alzheimer's disease, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) released its new research report entitled "Memory Matters". This report shatters unsubstantiated criticism over the value and utilization of memory screenings; emphasizes the safety and cost effectiveness of these tools; and calls on Congress to develop a national dementia screening policy.
Incorporating certain foods into your daily regimen could do wonders for your bones.
Osteoporosis, or bone fragility, is of particular concern as we age. It affects millions of Americans, most of them women in midlife and older, causing fractures and loss of height. But this disease is not an inevitable part of aging-what you eat can make a huge difference in keeping your bones strong and able to support you throughout your life.
By taking certain precautions, you can enjoy your time away from home in a safe and healthy manner.
Whether you're leaving on a jet plane or just taking a road trip for the weekend, it's important to remember that wherever you go, your diabetes goes with you. The good news is that, if you're diligent about managing your disease, you can go almost anywhere and do almost anything.
With the right knowledge and preparation, you can properly care for your condition while on the job.
If you think you're the only person with diabetes in your workplace, odds are you're mistaken. The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) shows that diabetes now affects nearly 24 million people, or 8 percent of the population, in the United States.
If you're leaving carbs out of your diet, you may be losing more than just a quick pound.
Few would argue the fact that no-carb diets work in the short run. What no-carb dieters may not realize are the effects on other parts of their body. A study conducted at Tufts University in Massachusetts found that diets that eliminate carbohydrates can have a negative effect on memory.
Exercise of any kind is beneficial. Perform these specifically for a healthy heart.
The benefits of exercise are plenty, but the cardiovascular system is the big winner when it comes to aerobic activities such as swimming, elliptical training, rowing, and stair climbing.
The following options are relatively easy forms of aerobic exercise that you can engage in without spending a whole lot of cash or stepping foot into a gym (just remember to consult your doctor before embarking on any exercise regimen):
1.
When your total cholesterol level climbs above 240, it’s time to take action to decrease your risk for a stroke or a heart attack.
Quitting smoking, engaging in aerobic exercise at least three times a week, and eating a diet high in fiber and rich in fruits and vegetables will all contribute to the maintenance of a healthy balance of good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL); if the former is 60 or above, it actually prevents heart disease, while a level below 100 for the latter is desirable for people who have a higher likelihood for developing heart disease.
Eight Celebrities Who've Turned Flaws Into Trademarks
Hollywood has always had its quirky-looking stars. And although their ranks may be thinning in this age of nose jobs and Photoshop, we've rounded up eight celebs who've stuck to their guns — and refuse to shy away from their individuality. Tyra Banks.
Sometimes escaping the daily grind doesn't require a tropical vacation.
Being stressed is an awful feeling. It can toy with your mental state ("I'll never get my work done") and can affect your physical well-being: according to a recent study, being stressed can actually make you itchy. But the secret to stress management may lie in an activity that involves fundamental human actions: stretching, breathing, and relaxation.
Feeling sluggish? These good eats will give you the perfect pick-me-up.
Being tired is no fun at all. You can't concentrate at work, you exercise less, and getting out of bed takes a lot of effort. It's a miserable way to trudge through life. But did you know that having more energy may be as simple as choosing the right foods? Overall, the key is to focus on low-glycemic foods (because they release energy slowly) that are high in complex carbohydrates and low in excess fats.
With these helpful tips, you can enjoy restaurant food while still being good to your body.
What should you eat when you go out to a restaurant? Or when you're a guest at someone's house? How about when you stop for fast food with the kids?
If you have diabetes, these are questions that might plague you. Diet is a key component to successfully managing diabetes, and eating out can make it difficult to control ingredients and portion sizes.
Feeling weird? Your over-the-counter or prescription drug could be to blame.
Ever experience a sudden, strong desire to gamble, or a funny feeling that you've been driving in your sleep?
It could be nothing. Or maybe it's time to finally read the warnings that came with that bottle of over-the-counter or prescription drugs you're taking.
Learn more about what causes hip fractures and how you can prevent them from affecting you or a loved one.
Anyone, at any age, can break a hip, although the injury is far more prevalent among those who are 65 and older. In fact, 95 percent of hip injuries occur in people who are over 65. Hip fractures are hard to ignore, as they usually cause severe pain in the hip and/or groin area.
Think you're too old to accomplish something? Follow these tips to defy your age and live a longer, healthier life.
Clint Eastwood still winning Oscars at 78. "Godfather of Fitness" Jack LaLanne still working out two hours a day at 94. All around us, individuals who would have once been considered "past their prime" are accomplishing incredible feats that make people half their age shake their heads in amazement.
Learn about the key factors that will help you determine when you can set off on the road to retirement.
Have you spent your entire working life dreaming of the time you could retire to worry-free, unscheduled existence? If so, it's important to remember that retirement isn't always that simple. It an emotional, financial, and physical change—and is not a decision that should be taken lightly.
Want younger-looking skin? Try incorporating these six foods into your daily diet.
Yes, aging is inevitable, but looking older than you are isn't. Smooth skin can take years off your appearance, and there are several things you can do to keep yours looking young and healthy. Start by avoiding activities like tanning and smoking, which can cause skin to age more quickly.
Looking for the perfect spot to enjoy your golden years? Avoid these destinations at all costs.
When you're looking for a location to retire, you probably have a long list of criteria: prices you can afford, proximity to your children, and a climate that's just right. After all, this is where you're going to live out your golden years. But all too often, retirees overlook several important factors—and wind up making the wrong move.
More and more Americans are living to 100. Here, the secrets to their longevity.
Imagine blowing out 100 candles on your birthday cake. If the idea appeals to you, you're not alone—two out of every three Americans say that they want to live for a century, according to a survey sponsored by the Alliance for Aging Research. What's more, a growing number of studies suggest that many of them just might get their wish.
Learn how to minimize wrinkles, diminish age spots, and reveal a more youthful you.
The battle against aging is one of the longest wars we humans have ever waged. From ancient explorers who searched tirelessly for the elixir of life to innovative cosmetics that stock the drugstore shelves today, we've been on an eternal quest to stave off the ravages of old age-or at least its outward signs.
Will you live to a ripe old age? Read on to calculate your odds.
We've split the atom, spliced the gene, even sent a spacecraft to Mars. But finding a reliable way to predict a person's life span? That's proven a bit more difficult. In recent years, however, scientists have begun to crack the code-identifying 22 genetic, demographic, and lifestyle factors that can estimate life span with a surprising amount of accuracy.
These daily behaviors may be seriously damaging your diet.
Relying on fast food. Eating when we're upset. Bingeing until we're full. When it comes to bad eating habits, Americans sure have a lot of them. Fortunately, these no-good behaviors could be doing a number on our waistline and our health. Read on for a list of the five worst eating habits of all time-how many are you guilty of?
Eating in front of the T.
You've got a financial plan for your golden years. What about a fitness plan?
Odds are, if you're 50 or older, you know you should be exercising. But in all likelihood, you're probably spending more time on the couch or in the car than on the treadmill or hiking trail.
Only just over one-fourth of the 50-plus crowd are engaged in some type of physical activity in their leisure time, including 29.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects up to 30 million American men. From causes and diagnosis to treatment and recovery, we have the facts on this common condition.
For years, it was believed that erectile dysfunction (ED), the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during sexual intercourse, was the result of a psychological problem or simply an unfortunate part of the aging process. Men were reluctant to discuss the problem, despite the fact that it affects up to 30 million of them in the United States each year, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Understanding erectile dysfunction is the first step in treating it. Get the facts about this common condition.
If you think erectile dysfunction (ED) strictly affects the aging population, think again. As it turns out, ED affects up to 30 million males of all ages in the United States each year, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Although it was once a taboo subject, men are more willing to discuss and seek treatment for the condition today.
Osteoporosis may weaken your bones, but it doesn't have to weaken your resolve to live a healthy and productive life.
In the United States alone, approximately 8 million women and 2 million men have osteoporosis—a disease that causes deterioration of bone tissue and can lead to bone fragility as well as an increased risk of fractures. It's considered a "silent disease," because sufferers can remain symptom-free for many years, often until the event of a fracture or major break.
Will getting the flu shot prevent you from getting sick? Find out here.
Many people may think the flu is not a serious disease and that it's just an inconvenient illness, like the common cold. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that every year as many as 36,000 people die from the flu. Most of them are older than 65, which is why people in this age group are strongly encouraged to get a flu shot.
How healthy are you? The answer may depend partly on where you live.
There are certain things you can do to take control of your health: eat right, exercise, quit smoking (or better yet, don't start). Getting health insurance helps, too. But according to experts, living a healthy lifestyle can be harder in some parts of the country than others.
Simple screw-ups are a part of life, but in medicine, these mistakes can be fatal. Learn how to protect yourself.
Doctor mistakes can mean the difference between life and death, and sadly, these errors are all too common. According to a study by the Institute of Medicine, medical mistakes in hospitals alone are the eighth-leading cause of death in the United States, exceeding those by car accidents, breast cancer, and AIDS.
The packaging of some of your favorite foods may be hiding crucial information from you.
What do you look for when you check a food label? Some people may check for fat content, while other may want to see if the product contains whole grains or meat byproducts.
Companies have been required to list the nutritional information on the packaging of food products since 1994; however, what's written on the package may be presented in an intentionally misleading way.
As you age, your body doesn't stay the same. Neither should your diet.
When you think about aging well, wrinkle creams, exercise programs and even plastic surgery probably come to mind. But if you really want to make sure you're able to enjoy those later years, experts say you've also got to know something about fine-tuning your diet.
Tired of flabby abs or love handles? If diet and exercise haven't worked for you, abdominoplasty may be the solution.
Who doesn't want a trim, flat stomach? Millions strive for tighter tummies, usually starting by improving their diet and exercise routines. However, these changes often aren't enough to achieve desired results. While body fat can be reduced through a healthy diet and workout plan, the loose muscles and skin that frequently result from extreme weight loss, pregnancy, and even aging and heredity aren't as easily eliminated.
Hip pain is an increasingly common phenomenon that tends to occur with age. Find out what causes hip pain and what you can do about it.
It's often said that aging tends to go hand-in-hand with a long list of ailments, and unfortunately, many people can add hip pain to that list. Hip pain can be extremely debilitating and uncomfortable, and it can occur for numerous reasons.
The term "hip pain" generally refers to any pain in or around the hip joint.
The National Alliance for Caregiving and MetLife Foundation honored innovative programs for caregivers.
Caregivers are most often family members of the person for whom they are caring. Currently there are 44.4 million family caregivers in the United States, and experts anticipate that family caregiving will continue to grow in the years ahead. Because nearly 60 percent of caregivers work and 40 percent have children under the age of 18, it can often result in caregiver stress, burnout, and other health problems.
Research suggests that certain foods can help reduce your cancer risk.
While there's no single food that can protect you against cancer completely, a growing body of research suggests that certain edibles can help to reduce your risk. Some of these foods and spices may thwart the onset of the disease, while others can help to limit the spread of cancer cell growth.
Could you spot the warning signs of cataracts, glaucoma, and other vision disorders? Get the whole picture here.
How much do you know about your eyes? Many Americans are in the dark about eye diseases that could cause blindness, according to a recent survey conducted by U.S. National Eye Institute and the Lions Clubs International Foundation. Use this guide to separate sight myths from reality and to become more enlightened about your vision.
As life expectancy increases, so, too, does the prevalence of dementia. Here, a look at the disorder, from symptoms to treatment.
For many patientsand the families who love thema diagnosis of dementia can be devastating. A degenerative disease, the condition causes a progressive decline in cognitive function, including memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills. In some cases, dementia patients may suffer from hallucinations or severe disorientation, failing to remember what decade it is, where they are, or even their own names.
Before you splurge on the latest anti-wrinkle cream or step inside a tanning booth, check out these common misconceptions.
Greasy foods give you acne. Dry skin leads to wrinkles. Sunscreen blocks UV rays. These are just a few of the most common skin-care mythsand by this point, you've probably heard them all. Some of these myths promise overnight acne fixes, while others suggest amazing anti-aging effects.
A healthy diet is essential to managing diabetes. Here, a complete guide to diabetic-friendly nutrition, including shopping tips, quick recipes, and more.
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor has most likely stressed the importance of eating right to help keep your disease in check. Most experts agree that although there's no one correct diet for diabetes, people with the disease should follow the nutritional guidelines outlined in the USDA Food Pyramid.
Follow these tips to enhance your recall and make your mind more nimble.
Have you ever lost your reading glasses and then found them on top of your head? Have you ever gotten your kids off to school, only to find their lunches still in the refrigerator? If so, you're not alone. According to experts, many of us have minor problems with recall as we age.
As average life expectancies increase, people are challenging the old stereotypes of age. Learn what you can do to look and feel great at 50, 60, and beyond.
Victor Hugo once famously said, "Forty is the old age of youth; 50 the youth of old age." But times are changing, and in this first decade of the 21st century, 50 is beginning to take on a whole new meaning. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average U.
These daily behaviors can boost your health and increase your longevity.
These days, the average American man can expect to live for up to 74 years, while the average U.S. woman will see her 79th birthday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although genetics and sheer luck play some part in life expectancy, our longevity also depends largely on the habits we incorporate into our daily lives.
Learn how to detect and prevent the most common diabetes-related infections.
It's no secret that people who have diabetes are more susceptible to infection than their non-diabetic counterparts. And these infections can come in a variety of forms from styes and boils to foot ulcers and sores. But the good news is, there are ways to lower your risk.
These delicious superfoods can help to lower your levels.
If you have high cholesterol, that doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to a bland diet. In fact, a tasty salmon entree, a handful of sweet berries, or even a glass of red wine can all help to lower your levels and improve your heart health. The next time you go grocery shopping, look for these cholesterol-lowering treats recommended by the American Heart Association.
A few simple changes can help take years off your appearance.
High-school reunions can be a shock. Everyone attending is about the same age, so why do some classmates look amazingly young while others look at least a decade older than the rest? Genes play a significant role, of course. Grandma Esther's smooth, wrinkle-free skin may have been passed down to future generations, along with Uncle Jake's slim physique.
Mike Johnston, 49, an electrical contractor in Bristol, Tennessee, had his life turned upside down by Parkinson's disease. Learn about his courageous journey.
Shortly after Mike Johnston learned he had Parkinson's disease, he felt as if his world were crashing down around him. But gradually--with faith, love, and the right treatment--he has learned not only to live with the disease, but also to flourish.
I was on top of the world: I had a super daughter, a new house, and pets.
Parkinson's disease doesn't have to keep patients from living full and active lives. Follow these seven tips to help manage your symptoms.
Parkinson's patients spend more than $5 billion on treatment each year. Drug treatments have improved so much that doctors are now less likely to recommend surgery to people with Parkinson's. These tips can help you manage your symptoms and maintain an active lifestyle, but it's important to consult with your doctor, too.
Our expert weighs in on when and how to think about estate planning.
Q: I keep hearing about the need to have an estate plan. I'm fairly young, with two small children. Isn't estate planning for those nearing retirement and advanced age?
A: Contrary to popular belief, estate planning isn't just important for the elderly; it's a necessity for people of all ages, and as a parent, it's especially crucial for you.
A national survey recently examined 21 major occupational categories and found that people who change diapers, tend to the elderly, and wait tables have the highest rates of depression, while the lowest rates occur among engineers, architects, and surveyors.
Are you a daycare worker, caregiver, or full-time waitress? If so, you may be at a higher risk of becoming depressed. A national survey recently examined 21 major occupational categories and found that people who change diapers, tend to the elderly, and wait tables have the highest rates of depression, while the lowest rates occur among engineers, architects, and surveyors.
Follow these steps to make the holiday season easier for you and a loved one who lives far away.
If you're caring for an elderly parent or loved one who lives far away, you're not alone. According to the National Institute on Aging, approximately 7 million adults are long-distance caregivers. And perhaps at no time is the challenge of long-distance caregiving greater than when you can't be there for the holidays.
No matter how far away you live, these strategies can help you improve the time spent with an aging loved one.
An estimated 6.9 million Americans are struggling to care for an aging parent or loved one who lives far away, according to Caring from a Distance (CFAD), an independent, nonprofit organization created by men and women who personally struggled with the anguish, stress, and frustration of long-distance care.
According to some researchers, a four-legged friend can add years to your life.
It's no secret that people rely on their pets for love, companionship, and a sense of security. After all, the iconic American family traditionally includes a mom and dad, 2.5 kids, and a pet of some kind. But as it turns out, the benefits of having a pet go far beyond camaraderie and protection; a four-legged friend can actually boost your health and, according to some researchers, lengthen your life by about seven years.
Caregiving expert Jackie Pinkowitz explains what families need to know when a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
For many families, determining whether their loved on has age-related memory problems or Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be a challenge. And if their family member is diagnosed with AD, they then face a daunting, open-ended question: "Now what?" Most Alzheimer's caregivers wish that they had known early on what to expect in terms of the disease's progression and their loved one's behaviors.
Even the biggest couch potatoes can learn to love exercise.
For many of us, the word "workout" conjures images of profuse sweat, intense pain, and utter confusion. The good news: You don't have to be a natural exercise enthusiast to get in shape. Even the biggest couch potatoes can learn to love exercise.
Just follow these six simple tips.
Heartburn—or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), if it occurs regularly—is a common digestive disorder that affects about 15 million Americans. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options.
The symptoms are all too familiar: a burning sensation just under the breastbone startles you awake in the middle of the night, or an unbearable acidic or sour taste in your mouth. Your stomach feels bloated, full. This scenario repeats itself for several nights, possibly over several weeks and months.
