_ Skin Skin Health What Your Skin Says About Your Health By Jane Farrell article According to the National Institutes of Health, our skin is the bodyΓÇÖs largest organ. While it protects the body, it also does things such as hold fluids in, keep microbes out, regulate body temperature, and more. While most people think of skin only in terms of beauty, but thereΓÇÖs a lot more to it. ΓÇ£The way our skin looks says a lot about how healthy we are, believe it or not,ΓÇ¥ explains Dr. Sanjiv Saini of MD Dermatology, in Edgewater and Lexington Park, Maryland.
_ Volunteering is Healthy for Body as Well as Mind By Jane Farrell article Older people who volunteer are getting not only an emotional boost ΓÇô itΓÇÖs also benefiting their health. A study led by researchers from the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Health services analyzed data from 73 studies over the past 45 years. The studies involved adults over 50 who were involved in formal volunteering roles.
_ Preventing Falls and Fractures By Jane Farrell article A simple thing can change your lifeΓÇölike tripping on a rug or slipping on a wet floor. If you fall, you could break a bone, like thousands of older men and women do each year. A broken bone might not sound awful. But, for older people, a break can be the start of more serious problems.
_ "Old" People Often Believe They Are in Bad Health By Jane Farrell article People who identify as ΓÇ£oldΓÇ¥ are likelier to have a worse view of their health than those of the same age who donΓÇÖt think of themselves as old, according to new research. The findings, from researchers at the University of Kent, UK, used data from a study, the European Social Survey. The respondents, who were 70 or older, were asked to rate their health.
_ Exercise Ready, Set - Change Your Health Habits! By Jane Farrell article We all know how crucial it is to make lifestyle changes to improve our health, but knowing that and actually changing a habit are two very different things. Here, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, offers an easy-to-follow plan that will help you understand how best to make the move to healthier habits.
_ 10 Natural Ways to Control Blood Pressure By Jane Farrell article If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure ΓÇö the top number ΓÇö of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure ΓÇö the bottom number ΓÇö of 90 or above), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down. Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication. Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.
_ A Possible Improvement in Measuring Glucose Levels By Jane Farrell article Researchers have developed a new glucose measuring material that could eventually eliminate current measurement instruments such as test strips. The material changes colors as glucose levels fluctuate, providing a much more precise readings than are now available. ΓÇ£There are significant limitations to current continuous glucose monitoring technologies,ΓÇ¥ said study leader Paul Braun, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois. ΓÇ£The systems available today all have some combination of limited sensitivity [and] limited precision.ΓÇ¥
_ The Bug Battle Isn't Over Yet By Jane Farrell article EditorΓÇÖs note: Although most of us think of ticks and mosquitoes as primarily summer pests, sadly, theyΓÇÖre not. According to the University of Rhode Island Tick Encounter Center, some species of ticks, such as deer ticks, remain active as long as the temperature is above freezing. Still other kinds of ticks, such as the American dog tick and the Lone Star tick, just arenΓÇÖt active in the cold weather, the Encounter Center experts say.
Five Lessons I Learned From My Years as an Alzheimer's Caregiver By Jane Farrell blog Why is life so much clearer in retrospect? With the passage of time, it is easy to look back, see the big picture and think: ΓÇ£If IΓÇÖd only known then, what I know now.ΓÇ¥ I often hear caregivers voice this sentiment. And, as a long-time AlzheimerΓÇÖs caregiver myself (for my mother, father and other relatives ΓÇö now all deceased), I feel the same way. In the rear view mirror, the decisions and choices that I agonized over at the time now either seem so obvious or so trivial. I wish IΓÇÖd not been so caught up in details that were unimportant.
_ Exercise Finding the Right Fitness Trainer for You By Jane Farrell article As summer turns to fall, you might be thinking about moving your exercise routine indoors. Once the weather gets snowy and frigid, itΓÇÖs harder to get out and hit the walking or bike trails. Or you may be thinking that you want to move beyond your current 30-minute treadmill routine at the gym. A fitness trainer may be the way to go. A trainer can help you do everything from helping you use the gym equipment correctly to taking your workout to the next level. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are some tips on how to find the best trainer for you.
_ A Good Way to Improve Nursing-Home Care By Jane Farrell article A ΓÇ£culture changeΓÇ¥ to a more residential atmosphere in nursing homes can lead to significant improvements in quality of care, according to a new study. Researchers from Brown University examined the effect of culture change ΓÇô an adjustment in nursing homes to allow a more flexible lifestyle for patients. Specifically, that means, among other adjustments, more resident choices in schedules and activities, and more input into care management from ΓÇ£front-lineΓÇ¥ workers who have close daily contact with residents.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Watch: Do You Have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? By Jane Farrell article Here's another addition to our Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning.
_ Exercise Could Prevent Cognitive Decline By Jane Farrell article Cardiovascular exercise, which has been shown to help our bodies, may also protect our minds, according to new research.
August 30th: Grief Awareness Day By Jane Farrell blog Not long ago, I had Angie Cartwright on my radio show. She is the pioneer who, having had many losses in her life, has raised her voice, gained support for those suffering loss and is now on her way to gathering support for a National Grief Awareness Day.
_ Study: Watch Out for Prescription-Level NSAIDs By Jane Farrell article Three widely used drugs, known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, alter the activity of enzymes within cell membranes and could lead to unwanted side effects. Those side effects could be the results of taking the drugs for a long period of time and/or at a higher-than-approved dosage level. The NSAIDS, sold over the counter as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, would have the effects primarily at prescription levels.
_ Watch: 6 Easy Stress Busters By Jane Farrell article Here's another video from our Third Age collection. Press play to start learning.
_ Weight Loss Back to Basics: Counting Calories By Jane Farrell article Despite all the diet strategies out there, weight management still comes down to the calories you take in versus those you burn off. Fad diets may promise you that avoiding carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit is the secret to weight loss, but it's really all about calories. CALORIES: FUEL FOR YOUR BODY Calories are the energy in food. Your body has a constant demand for energy and uses the calories from food to keep functioning. Energy from calories fuels your every action, from fidgeting to marathon running.
_ Antibacterial Soap May Be Unhealthy By Jane Farrell article Antibacterial soap may not have the health benefits you thought: A new study shows that washing with the soap exposes hospital workers to a high level of the potentially unsafe levels of the chemical triclosan.