Scientists seem to have figured out a way to attack a protein that many viruses rely on to replicate. It has been difficult to treat viruses that cause severe disease because there are few options for effective treatment. Many viral infections, such as the common cold, cause mild illnesses that the body’s immune system eventually… Continue reading A Key to Fighting Severe Viruses
Author: thirdAGE
Toward A Better Understanding of IBD
A new study has uncovered how genetics affect exactly where gut inflammation is located in inflammatory bowel disease patients. The discovery has implication for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD patients. The study, from an international team headed by researchers at the nonprofit Wellcome Institute in the UK, drew on genetic and clinical data from… Continue reading Toward A Better Understanding of IBD
Not Just Bone Density Anymore: Genetics, Aging and Osteoporosis
One of the defining moments of my work in aging research was learning how dramatically age affects the deterioration of the skeleton. This realization motivated me to perform research focused on understanding age effects on the skeleton. Thus I have spent my career studying the impact of low bone density and working to characterize the… Continue reading Not Just Bone Density Anymore: Genetics, Aging and Osteoporosis
Vegetarian? Make Sure You’re Eating Well
Vegetarian diets can meet all the recommendations for nutrients. The key is to consume a variety of foods and the right amount of foods to meet your calorie needs. Follow the food group recommendations for your age, sex, and activity level to get the right amount of food and the variety of foods needed for… Continue reading Vegetarian? Make Sure You’re Eating Well
Want Your Marriage to Last? Show Some Gratitude
Gratitude might be key to improving marriages, according to new University of Georgia research. “We found that feeling appreciated and believing that your spouse values you directly influences how you feel about your marriage, how committed you are to it, and your belief that it will last,” said study co-author Ted Futris, an associate professor… Continue reading Want Your Marriage to Last? Show Some Gratitude
The Social Security Dilemma: Draw Now Or Draw Later?
The temptation is great. Maybe too great for some. The federal government allows retirees to start drawing Social Security as early as age 62, a feature that more than 40 percent of Americans take advantage of as they gladly draw from the system they spent a lifetime paying into. But many of those people may… Continue reading The Social Security Dilemma: Draw Now Or Draw Later?
Medication Errors & Adverse Drug Events in 1 out of 2 Surgeries
The first study to measure the incidence of medication errors and adverse drug events during the perioperative period – immediately before, during and right after a surgical procedure – has found that some sort of mistake or adverse event occurred in every second operation and in 5 percent of observed drug administrations. The study of… Continue reading Medication Errors & Adverse Drug Events in 1 out of 2 Surgeries
New Policy Statements Urge Strong Regulations of E-Cigarettes
Parents and grandparents, take note! While adolescent use of tobacco has declined since the 1970s, e-cigarettes are threatening to addict a new generation to nicotine. In a comprehensive set of policies issued during its National Conference & Exhibition in October 2015 in Washington D.C., the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) presented extensive recommendations to protect… Continue reading New Policy Statements Urge Strong Regulations of E-Cigarettes
Solve the Medical Riddle: Her Broken Bone Isn’t Healing, First Week
Editor’s note: Welcome to our ThirdAge feature that gives you a chance to play medical sleuth as we share the details of what happened when a patient presented with a problem that stumped the physician at first. We’ll start this week by letting you know what the patient told her PCP and how the doctor… Continue reading Solve the Medical Riddle: Her Broken Bone Isn’t Healing, First Week
Can Cats Recognize Poisonous Plants?
The common belief that cats have bitter taste receptors to protect them from ingesting poisonous plants may not be true, according to new research from the Monell Center. The research showed that there doesn’t appear to be a strong relationship between the number of bitter receptors and the extent to which a species consumed plants… Continue reading Can Cats Recognize Poisonous Plants?
5 Bedroom Issues Linked to Heart Disease
Experts say the bedroom is often the first place couples detect early symptoms of heart disease, many tied to aging. If you start noticing issues in the bedroom such as erectile dysfunction or hot flashes, you may be ignoring a much more serious problem. Dr. Laxmi Mehta, a cardiologist at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center,… Continue reading 5 Bedroom Issues Linked to Heart Disease
Patients’ Preferences for Receiving Test Results
The results of common medical tests are sometimes delivered to patients by email, letters or voice mail, but are these the most preferred methods? According to one of the first studies to look at this question, the answer is no. The Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) survey, published October 31st 2015 in the Journal of… Continue reading Patients’ Preferences for Receiving Test Results
How to Find a Good Complementary Health Practitioner
Choosing a complementary health practitioner – such as a massage therapist – can be a tricky task. And you should make your choice with as much care as you do with a practitioner of conventional medicine. Here, the experts from the SeniorHealth division of the National Institutes of Health share the best ways to pick… Continue reading How to Find a Good Complementary Health Practitioner
Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths
“Lose 30 pounds in 30 days!” “Eat as much as you want and still lose weight!” “Try the thigh buster and lose inches fast!” Have you heard these claims before? A large number of diets and tools are available, but their quality may vary. It can be hard to know what to believe. This fact… Continue reading Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths
In Defense of Living Again After Loss
If the article title sounds a bit baffling…it’s because that it is a bit baffling. Why should anyone feel as though they have to defend living again after loss? I am not sure – but unfortunately, it is happening. Many survivors of loss find themselves defending an eventual continuity of life in the ways that… Continue reading In Defense of Living Again After Loss
Scientists Produce Resveratrol in Tomatoes
As a result of research done at the John Innes Centre in the UK, one tomato can provide as much Resveratrol as fifty bottles of red wine. One tomato has also produced the amount of Genistein found in 5 ½ pounds of tofu. Bot of these compounds are phenylpropanoids. Resveratrol has been reported to extend… Continue reading Scientists Produce Resveratrol in Tomatoes
A Simple Blood Test to Detect Dehydration
Inexpensive blood tests already in use can diagnose dangerous dehydration in older people, a new study says. The best test for diagnosing dehydration, known as a serum osmolality test, is expensive .But new research published today reveals how routine blood tests for sodium, potassium, urea and glucose could be used to screen for dehydration, which… Continue reading A Simple Blood Test to Detect Dehydration
The Most Dangerous Devices on Your Dashboard
Most of us know about the dangers of texting while driving, but talking to your car infotainment system or smartphone, according to new studies for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. One of the studies showed that it is highly distracting to use hands-free voice commands to dial phone numbers, call contacts, change music and… Continue reading The Most Dangerous Devices on Your Dashboard