Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something might be wrong. But, according to the experts at Go4Life, a division of the National Institute on Aging, say that doesn’t necessarily mean you should avoid exercise. In fact, they say, it could be helpful. But as always, check with your doctor if you are… Continue reading Can You Exercise with Pain?
Author: Jane Farrell
4 Medication Safety Tips for Older Adults
Here, from experts at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are some tips on managing your medications: Whether you’re settling into your sixties or heading into your ninth decade, be careful when taking prescription and over-the-counter medicines, herbal preparations, and supplements. And if you’re caring for older loved ones, help them stay safe, too. Why… Continue reading 4 Medication Safety Tips for Older Adults
Light Therapy May Someday Help Fight Heart Disorders
Using high-tech human heart models and mouse experiments, scientists at Johns Hopkins and Germany’s University of Bonn have shown that beams of light could replace electric shocks in patients reeling from a deadly heart rhythm disorder. The findings, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, could pave the way for a new type of implantable… Continue reading Light Therapy May Someday Help Fight Heart Disorders
Scar Treatments Can Improve Patients’ Quality of Life
Editor’s note: Although scarring may seem like a minor problem, it’s more than skin deep. Here, the American Academy of Dermatologists (aad.org) explains why it occurs and what you can do about it: Whether it’s from sudden trauma, scheduled surgery or serious acne, scarring can have a profound impact on patients. “While some may consider… Continue reading Scar Treatments Can Improve Patients’ Quality of Life
Sex in Later Years: Healthier for Women than Men?
Having sex frequently – and enjoying it – puts older men at higher risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. For older women, however, good sex may actually lower the risk of hypertension. That’s according to the first large-scale study of how sex affects heart health in later life. The federally funded research, led… Continue reading Sex in Later Years: Healthier for Women than Men?
A New Understanding of Synapses
In 1959, Edward Gray showed that the minuscule gaps between neurons where chemical messages are sent, called synapses, come in two main varieties, which researchers later dubbed “excitatory” and “inhibitory.” Inhibitory synapses act as the brakes in the brain, preventing it from becoming overexcited. Researchers thought they were less sophisticated than their excitatory counterparts because… Continue reading A New Understanding of Synapses
Dehydration Can Be A Serious Condition
Here, an overview from the Mayo Clinic on an often neglected health issue: Dehydration – this happens when you use or more fluid than you take in; as a result, you don’t have enough water and fluids to carry out normal functions of the body. Without replacing fluids, you will get dehydrated. According to Mayo,… Continue reading Dehydration Can Be A Serious Condition
Life after Fitbit
Why do people quit self-tracking devices like Fitbit? University of Washington researchers have found a number of reasons: Some don’t like what their Fitbit or financial tracking tools reveal, others find collecting data a hassle, don’t quite know how to use the information or simply learn what they need to know about their habits and… Continue reading Life after Fitbit
Why You Shouldn’t Be Friends with Your Broker
Building a trusting relationship with a financial professional is important because you’ll be sharing information about your assets and income, and you’ll want to feel confident when acting on any advice you receive. But be wary of becoming too close, says Dennis Notchick, an Investment Advisor and Certified Financial Planner with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group… Continue reading Why You Shouldn’t Be Friends with Your Broker
Four Things to Know About Memory Care
It’s more than just assisted living. Memory care is more than just a room. Memory care is a program, a way of life. In a memory care program, staff members are trained to care for residents with cognitive issues and to help them with daily living tasks. The activities are aimed at enhancing their physical,… Continue reading Four Things to Know About Memory Care
How to Get In To See the Doctor – Fast
It starts out with a tickle in the back of your throat and a nagging headache. A few days later, you have a fever, a bad cough, and muscle aches. Your niece is getting married next week, and you don’t want to miss the wedding. What do you do? You pick up the phone and… Continue reading How to Get In To See the Doctor – Fast
New Insight into Complication of Bone Fractures
Researchers have identified risk factors that may help orthopedic surgeons better predict a serious complication of bone fractures. The complication, fracture nonunion, may be increasing as more patients survive serious fractures. The investigators included Dr. Robert Zura, the Robert D’Ambrosia Professor and Head of Orthopedic Surgery at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. The… Continue reading New Insight into Complication of Bone Fractures
Psoriatic Arthritis: What You Need to Know
Editor’s note: Psoriatic arthritis, a troublesome condition, is often difficult to detect. Here, the American Academy of Dermatology tells you what you need to know about its symptoms, diagnosis and management. Do you have psoriasis? If so, it’s important to pay attention to your joints. Some people who have psoriasis get a type of arthritis… Continue reading Psoriatic Arthritis: What You Need to Know
Radiologists Can Detect Breast Cancer in Less than A Second
Radiologists can detect breast cancer in the “blink of an eye” while studying mammograms, according to new research. The study, by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in collaboration with researchers at the University of York and Leeds in the UK and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, was published in the Proceedings of the… Continue reading Radiologists Can Detect Breast Cancer in Less than A Second
The Emotional Benefits of Exercise
Research has shown that the benefits of exercise go beyond just physical wellbeing. Exercise helps support emotional and mental health. So next time you’re feeling down, anxious, or stressed, try to get up and start moving! Physical activity can help: Reduce feelings of depression and stress, while improving your mood and overall emotional well-being. Increase… Continue reading The Emotional Benefits of Exercise
On the Trail of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Researchers have now identified a characteristic chemical signature for the baffling and debilitating ailment known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The researchers, from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, used a variety of techniques to identify the signature. The finding were published in the journal PNAS. It is similar to the state… Continue reading On the Trail of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Why Sunglasses Are A Must
Sometimes bigger is better! When it comes to sunglasses think Audrey Hepburn movie star chic! . With spring sliding into summer, dermatologist Dr. Dawn Davis, in a report from the Mayo Clinic, explains why a good pair of (big) sunglasses is essential. It’s a very good investment to have big sunglasses around the eyes,” Davis says. Why?… Continue reading Why Sunglasses Are A Must
Telemedicine Could Fight Diabetes-Related Blindness
Eye exams using telemedicine could help patients in the U.S. who see them as an easy way to visit the eye doctor. And that could have significant health results: in England and Wales, diabetic retinopathy is no longer the leading cause of blindness there. Similar e-health programs could grow stateside, where diabetic retinopathy remains the… Continue reading Telemedicine Could Fight Diabetes-Related Blindness