It’s human nature to want to minimize or deny uncomfortable or bad news. This is especially true when it comes to news about our health. I have family and friends who refuse to go to the doctor for an annual physical, claiming a lack of time or that they are not sick despite having frequent… Continue reading Do You Sugar Coat Your Health Challenges?
Author: Sondra Forsyth
Sondra Forsyth is Co-Editor-in-Chief of ThirdAge.com. She is a National Magazine Award winner with scores of major magazine bylines and twelve books to her credit. Her most recent book is “Candida Cleanse: The 21-Day Diet to Beat Yeast and Feel Your Best”. Sondra was Executive Editor at “Ladies’ Home Journal,” Features Editor at “Cosmopolitan,” and Articles Editor at “Bride’s”. A former ballerina, she founded Ballet Ambassadors, an arts-in-education company in New York City, and served as Artistic Director for 16 years.
Weighing Screening Options for Older Women with a Family History of Breast Cancer
Family history of breast cancer continues to significantly increase chances of developing invasive breast tumors in aging women — those ages 65 and older, according to research done at Georgetown University School of Medicine and published in February 2018 in JAMA Internal Medicine. The findings could impact mammography screening decisions later in life. A release… Continue reading Weighing Screening Options for Older Women with a Family History of Breast Cancer
3 Ways Millennials Can Help Their Baby Boomer Parents Get Fit
Aging baby boomers who neglect their health and fitness don’t just harm themselves. Their lifestyles also affect their adult children, who eventually could end up caring for them – both financially and physically – as their health declines. Of course, that’s not the only reason those adult children might feel concerned. They also may like… Continue reading 3 Ways Millennials Can Help Their Baby Boomer Parents Get Fit
Talking to Doctors About Your Bucket List Could Help Advance Care Planning
For physicians, asking patients about their bucket lists, or whether they have one, can encourage discussion about making their medical care fit their life plans, according to a 2018 study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The study was published February 8th 2018in the Journal of Palliative Medicine. A release from Stanford… Continue reading Talking to Doctors About Your Bucket List Could Help Advance Care Planning
A Majority of Middle-Aged People Show a High Level of Mental Well-Being
A February 2018 study has found a surprisingly high level of mental well-being among middle-aged individuals. The study, done at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, examined multiple dimensions of mental well-being, including satisfaction with life and psychological and social well-being. Psychological well-being refers to an individual’s sense of having a purpose in life and… Continue reading A Majority of Middle-Aged People Show a High Level of Mental Well-Being
4 Reasons People Fear The Dentist – and Why They Shouldn’t
A dental appointment still provokes fear in many people. In fact, that fear leads millions of Americans to avoid the dentist – despite the potentially serious consequences that delayed action can have to their oral health or even to their physical well-being. According to WebMD, between 9 and 20 percent of Americans steer clear of… Continue reading 4 Reasons People Fear The Dentist – and Why They Shouldn’t
Managing the Skin-Whitening Condition Vitiligo
Winnie Harlow’s striking appearance regularly turns heads. The fan-fave from America’s Next Top Model – face of the Spanish fashion brand Desigual – has more than one million Instagram followers. This embrace was impossible for Harlow to imagine when she was younger – and left high school to escape peer torment over her unusual appearance:… Continue reading Managing the Skin-Whitening Condition Vitiligo
Stroke Risk Factors Unique to Women Identified
Stroke disproportionately affects more women than men. It is the third leading cause of death in women in the United States, is a leading cause of disability and affects 55,000 more women than men each year. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and their colleagues are exploring the effects of potential risk factors that are… Continue reading Stroke Risk Factors Unique to Women Identified
How to Overcome Investor Paralysis
Many people feel paralyzed about investing, especially if they’ve invested little or nothing in the market before. Investors are bombarded with conflicting messages about whether the stock market will continue hitting new highs or is a house of cards waiting to self-destruct. If the experts are so unsure, it’s understandable that the average investor can’t… Continue reading How to Overcome Investor Paralysis
Expert Tips for Helping the School-Aged Athlete Avoid Burnout and Injury
According to Stanford Children’s Health, there are over 3.5 million children who sustain sports-related injuries every year. Add to that the notion that around 70% of kids who play organized youth sports quit by the time they turn 13, and it’s clear to see the red flags. Those who have a school-aged athlete can help… Continue reading Expert Tips for Helping the School-Aged Athlete Avoid Burnout and Injury
Helping Veterinarians Navigate Complex Care Situations
Advances in veterinary technology provide pet owners with an ever-increasing array of treatment options for their pets. However, more options can lead to complex situations and difficult questions about care goals and quality of life that must be navigated by veterinary caregivers and pet owners. Clinicians and researchers from North Carolina State University and Duke… Continue reading Helping Veterinarians Navigate Complex Care Situations
What Do Your White Blood Cells Have to Do With the Flu?
As part of your annual physical, your doctor may order a complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate your overall health. This is a very important test that measures your white blood cells. Your white blood cells play a critical role in your fight against the flu and other viruses and infections. Think of your white… Continue reading What Do Your White Blood Cells Have to Do With the Flu?
Researchers Take an Important Step Toward a Gonorrhea Vaccine
Researchers at Oregon State University in Corvallis and Purdue University are paving the way toward a new therapeutic approach for gonorrhea by shedding light on the mechanism behind important proteins on the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria’s outer membrane. The findings were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in February 2018. The National Institutes of Health… Continue reading Researchers Take an Important Step Toward a Gonorrhea Vaccine
How to Tell If Someone You Love Needs Therapy
According to a report issued by Mental Health America (MHA), over 40 million Americans are dealing with a mental health issue. Yet 56 percent of those struggling do not seek help for a variety of reasons – i.e.: the cost of treatment; shame; the difficulty of pulling oneself out of the emotional gridlock that typically… Continue reading How to Tell If Someone You Love Needs Therapy
A Pain in the Butt: Piriformis Syndrome
I experienced my first prolonged pain in the butt after moving to Delray Beach, Florida, and immersing myself in an intense barre exercise class – guaranteed to firm the butt and slim the waist. Healing a broken heart after my 35-year marriage blew up, the idea was to challenge myself with such a strenuous workout… Continue reading A Pain in the Butt: Piriformis Syndrome
An Enhanced Recovery Program Reduced Costs and Improved Outcomes for Colorectal Surgery
A standardized protocol for managing patients immediately before, during, and after colorectal operations not only improved clinical outcomes, it also significantly reduced overall hospital costs. One of the first studies to investigate hospital costs associated with an enhanced recovery pathway for colorectal patients was published online in February 2018 as an “article in press” on… Continue reading An Enhanced Recovery Program Reduced Costs and Improved Outcomes for Colorectal Surgery
Light ‘em up Now for Better Garden Results
It’s time to break out the seeds and potting mix to start your garden plants indoors. It’s a great way to keep your green thumb in shape over winter. Plus, you’ll save money, increase your variety of plants and jump start the growing season when you start seeds under LED grow lights. more info on… Continue reading Light ‘em up Now for Better Garden Results
Getting Ready for the Summer Sun with “Green” Sunscreens
Although it’s been a tough winter for many people in the U.S., summer is coming. And that means backyard barbeques, fun on the beach and, of course, slathering on sunscreen. But one particular environmentally friendly sunscreen ingredient has been difficult to obtain — that ingredient, shinorine, could only be harvested from nature. Now, as of… Continue reading Getting Ready for the Summer Sun with “Green” Sunscreens