Just like we work to improve our physical health and well-being, it’s also vitally important to improve our cyber health and keep ourselves safe from online danger. Here are five easy fixes to keep yourself cyber safe this year: What You’re Doing: Clicking in Emails What You Should Be Doing Instead: Never click on a… Continue reading Five Things You’re Doing That Are Compromising Your Online Safety
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.
Here’s to a Valentine’s Day Toast to Your Brain Health with Wine in Moderation
Research done at the University of Rochester Medical Center and published in February 2018 in the journal Scientific Reports shows that low levels of alcohol consumption tamp down inflammation and help the brain clear away toxins, including those associated with Alzheimer’s disease. A release from the university quotes Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., co-director of the… Continue reading Here’s to a Valentine’s Day Toast to Your Brain Health with Wine in Moderation
Researchers Find That Grape-Derived Compounds May Promote Resilience Against Depression
In a study published online February 2nd 2018 in Nature Communications, scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai describe an extensive analysis of novel grape-derived compounds, dihydrocaffeic acid (DHCA) and malvidin-3′-O-glucoside (Mal-gluc),which might be developed as therapeutic agents for the treatment of depression. The study results indicate that these natural compounds may… Continue reading Researchers Find That Grape-Derived Compounds May Promote Resilience Against Depression
Spider Veins: Addressing the Appearance of Broken Blood Vessels
Over time, what may have started out as an “itsy bitsy” spider vein can become a real concern. We call them ‘spider veins’ because of their web-like appearance. But really they’re ‘broken’ blood vessels: veins that are not properly returning blood to our heart. They can be unsightly and – in some cases – indicate… Continue reading Spider Veins: Addressing the Appearance of Broken Blood Vessels
Longevity Insurance Is Underused in Retirement Planning
More people are living into their late 80s, 90s and even past 100. But longevity isn’t so great if you run out of money. To avoid that risk, you can buy longevity insurance. It’s a special kind of deferred annuity that assures you’ll have a guaranteed income forever, even if you live to 100 or… Continue reading Longevity Insurance Is Underused in Retirement Planning
Guarding Against the Misuse of Language When Guiding Patients and Families on Death and Dying
A University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) perspective article published in February 2018 in the journal Perspectives in Biology and Medicine cautions that care must be taken by clinicians to guard against the misuse of language when guiding patients and families on death and dying. According to a release from Penn, in general,… Continue reading Guarding Against the Misuse of Language When Guiding Patients and Families on Death and Dying
Curcumin Improves Memory and Mood
Turmeric contains curcumin, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Lovers of Indian food, give yourselves a second helping: Daily consumption of a certain form of curcumin — the substance that gives Indian curry its bright color — improved memory and mood in people with mild, age-related memory loss, according to the results… Continue reading Curcumin Improves Memory and Mood
Breast Reconstruction: Why Going Out-of-Network Might Work for You
A diagnosis of breast cancer turns a woman’s life upside down. Despite roiling emotions, she must make crucial decisions about treatment and figure out how to manage her life in the face of a new reality. Not least among her concerns are the financial ramifications of her illness, particularly if she will need a mastectomy.… Continue reading Breast Reconstruction: Why Going Out-of-Network Might Work for You
Who Makes Your Medical Decisions? How to Stay in Control with Palliative Care
Most emergency patients rely on physicians to tell them what to do. But if a patient says the following four words, the patient stays in charge: “I receive palliative care.” This compels physicians to listen to the patient first and order tests accordingly. Palliative care means “person-centered care.” Dr. Kevin Haselhorst wants patients to guard… Continue reading Who Makes Your Medical Decisions? How to Stay in Control with Palliative Care
Many Older People with Type 2 Diabetes Are Over-Treated
In a January 2018 Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism analysis of individuals aged 70 years with type 2 diabetes, almost 40% with recommended HbA1c levels (which indicate blood glucose levels) were over-treated. A release from the publishers explains that the majority of over-treated people were frail and used five medicines. Hypoglycemia occurred in 20.3% of these… Continue reading Many Older People with Type 2 Diabetes Are Over-Treated
A Call for Greater Attention to Older Women’s Sexual Health
A January 2018 Journal of the American Geriatrics Society article reviewed common issues in caring for the sexual health of older women, noting that physicians often lack sufficient training. A release from the publishers notes that only a minority of older women report discussing sexual issues with a physician, and when discussions do occur, they… Continue reading A Call for Greater Attention to Older Women’s Sexual Health
Herbal Products May Compromise Prescription Drugs and Cause Serious Side Effects
A 2018 analysis of published studies and reports indicates that a number of herbal products may affect the properties of prescription drugs, leading to alterations in the drugs’ effectiveness as well as potentially dangerous side effects. The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology analysis included 49 case reports and two observational studies with 15 cases of… Continue reading Herbal Products May Compromise Prescription Drugs and Cause Serious Side Effects
Navigating the 3 Stages of Retirement
People often view retirement as just one more stage of life. But that’s not exactly the case. Retirement isn’t just one stage; it’s at least three – although all three do share something in common. Every stage of retirement requires planning. Otherwise, you could end up running out of money, or your health might take… Continue reading Navigating the 3 Stages of Retirement
Wisdom at the End of Life
Wisdom is typically considered to be the fruit of a long life, the accumulation of experiences lived and lessons learned. In recent years, scientists have created a consensus definition of wisdom as a complex trait with several inter-related components, such as compassion, emotional regulation, spirituality and tolerance. For a paper published January 24th 2018 in… Continue reading Wisdom at the End of Life
Some Nursing Homes Are Gaming the System to Improve Their Medicare Star Ratings
For families faced with the difficult decision of placing a loved one in a nursing home, a government rating system is often the only source of information to determine which facilities are the best. However, a January 2018 study of nursing homes in California, the nation’s largest system, by faculty at Florida Atlantic University and… Continue reading Some Nursing Homes Are Gaming the System to Improve Their Medicare Star Ratings
Mixing “Benzos” with Opiates Will Cause a Drug Pandemic in America
Leading Addiction Medicine expert Dr. Indra Cidambi, Medical Director at Center for Network Therapy, has highlighted a steep climb in the number of people taking highly addictive opiates (Morphine, Oxycodone, Heroin) while simultaneously using benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Klonopin). The concurrent drug abuse resulted in a 570% increase in the number of people admitted for co-abuse… Continue reading Mixing “Benzos” with Opiates Will Cause a Drug Pandemic in America
Over-the-Counter Treatments for Acne
Even before humans could write, they were trying to get rid of their acne, and ancient Egyptians’ first notes on papyrus referenced pharaohs with problem skin. In the U.S., acne is the most common skin condition there is. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since ancient times: We understand the processes in play, and we… Continue reading Over-the-Counter Treatments for Acne
Researchers Discover the Structure of an Anti-Aging Hormone
A January 2018 study revealed the molecular structure of a protein called alpha(α)Klotho, and how it helps to transmit a hormonal signal that slows aging. Led by researchers from NYU School of Medicine and published online January 17th in Nature, the study refutes 20 years of conjecture that αKlotho – named after the Greek goddess… Continue reading Researchers Discover the Structure of an Anti-Aging Hormone