“Gluten-free” is one of the most popular food categories today. Mayo Clinic experts share what you should know about it, and what traps to avoid: Gluten-free diets are those that omit the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye and a cross between wheat and rye known a triticale. A gluten-free diet is… Continue reading Gluten-Free Foods: Making the Right Choices
Author: Jane Farrell
People Foods that Are Bad for Your Dog
The latest from If you consider the family dog, well, family—and are apt to toss him a piece of your food now and then—proceed with caution. Some foods meant for human consumption can be dangerous, and even deadly, to your dog. How are people and animals different when it comes to food? According to Carmela… Continue reading People Foods that Are Bad for Your Dog
Compensating for Hearing Loss
Scientists know that as people age, they compensate for hearing loss by tapping into other areas of the brain. But now, it’s becoming clearer how – and where – this compensation takes place. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. The background: As people age, their peripheral and central auditory system (areas of… Continue reading Compensating for Hearing Loss
7 Things to Know about Long-Distance Caregiving
Caregiving is difficult and stressful, and caregiving from a distance adds another level of stress. You can reduce that stress, though, if you plan ahead and keep your focus on your priorities. Here, the National Institute on Aging shares some steps you can take: Know what you need to know. Experienced caregivers recommend that you… Continue reading 7 Things to Know about Long-Distance Caregiving
Evolution of the Female Orgasm
Researchers at Yale and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital are studying the evolution of the female orgasm across different species. The findings were published in the journal JEZ-Molecular and Developmental Evolution. “Prior studies have tended to focus on evidence from human biology and the modification of a trait rather than its evolutionary origin,” said Gunter Wagner,… Continue reading Evolution of the Female Orgasm
Smartphone Exercises Make People Feel Better Fast
Exercises on smartphones can help people quickly improve their mood, according to researchers from the University of Basel, Switzerland, and international colleagues. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. Participants in the international study felt more alert, calmer and uplifted after – using five-minute video tutorials on their smartphones as a guide… Continue reading Smartphone Exercises Make People Feel Better Fast
Study: Poor Skin-Cancer Survival Rates in People of Color
Because Caucasians have a higher skin cancer risk than the general population, people with skin of color may believe that they don’t need to be concerned about this disease — but new research reveals this to be a dangerous misconception. According to a study published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,… Continue reading Study: Poor Skin-Cancer Survival Rates in People of Color
Why Are Women Less Active after Menopause?
As women enter menopause, their levels of physical activity decrease; now, scientists are beginning to understand why. Researchers from the University of Missouri have found a connection between lack of ovarian hormones and changes in the brain’s pleasure center, a hotspot in the brain that processes and reinforces messages related to reward, pleasure, activity and… Continue reading Why Are Women Less Active after Menopause?
Staying Safe while Exercising
Here, the experts from Go4Life, a division of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), are some good ways to stay safe while you’re getting fit – or fitter: You’ve made a plan to be more active, and you’re ready to go outside and get started. But before you do, make sure that you can exercise… Continue reading Staying Safe while Exercising
Positive Memories May Not Always Be Good
People who selectively recalled positive information rather than neutral or negative information may be at risk for early stages of memory loss, according to researchers from the University of California, Irvine. For a study appearing in the August edition of Learning & Memory, Michael Yassa, associate professor of neurobiology and behavior and neurology, and colleagues… Continue reading Positive Memories May Not Always Be Good
A “Double” Drug for Diabetes
Researchers are developing a new class of drugs that could treat both Type 2 diabetes and bone fractures – a hazard associated with diabetes. In addition to its more obvious ills, type 2 diabetes is a condition closely associated with bone fractures, A new study, co-led by Patrick R. Griffin, a professor on the Florida… Continue reading A “Double” Drug for Diabetes
An Easier Way to Detect Gout
Researchers have designed a portable imaging system that can diagnose gout, a condition that affects more than 8 million adults in the U.S. The new system, developed by UCLA researchers, is compact and cost-effective, and it could allow many more primary care doctors to screen for the disease, which is the most common type of… Continue reading An Easier Way to Detect Gout
Vacation Advice for Caregivers
Summer vacation season is in full swing, and many people are making plans to get away. For some, the most difficult decisions are choosing where to go and when. For caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, there are a host of other things to consider. “Vacations provide a chance to recharge one’s… Continue reading Vacation Advice for Caregivers
Diabetes and Eye Disease
Diabetes affects other organs besides the kidneys. It often affects vision. Experts from the National Eye Institute share what diabetic eye disease is, and how it can be managed. Diabetic eye disease comprises a group of eye conditions that affect people with diabetes. These conditions include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema (DME), cataract, and glaucoma.… Continue reading Diabetes and Eye Disease
Encouraging News about Parkinson’s
Researchers have discovered an interaction in neurons that contributes to Parkinson’s, and new drugs under development may block the process. The researchers, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has shown that the most common genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease — a mutant LRRK2 kinase enzyme — contributes to the formation of inclusions in neurons,… Continue reading Encouraging News about Parkinson’s
Sleeplessness and Aging
Insomnia, which often accompanies menopause, has a clear association with age acceleration, according to UCLA researchers. The investigators also said that menopause increases biological aging. The dual findings suggest both factors could increase women’s risk for aging-related diseases and earlier death. The two studies, published in separate journals, contribute to increasing evidence of the biological… Continue reading Sleeplessness and Aging
What You Should Know About Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is probably less well known than cardiovascular disease, but it can be just as deadly. Experts from SeniorHealth, a division of the National Institutes of Health, share what you should know about the illness and how you can help prevent it: Peripheral arterial disease is a disease in which plaque builds… Continue reading What You Should Know About Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
What Should You Know about Proteins?
Editor’s note: Protein foods are an essential part of a healthy diet. Here, experts from ChooseMyPlate, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offer a basic guide to this important food group as well as tips on selecting the best kinds of protein-rich foods. What foods are in the protein foods group? All foods… Continue reading What Should You Know about Proteins?