Happy 2018! Many people make New Year resolutions to better themselves. Since the most popular resolution is a happier life and healthier body, Stop Foodborne Illness reminds goal-setters that “healthy foods” may come with their own health risks. Before kicking off any food-centric New Year’s resolutions, review proper food safety practices. One of the more… Continue reading New Year’s Food Safety Tips
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.
How Cholesterol Contributes to Age-Related Neuron Impairment
A 2018 study sheds light on why neurons of older individuals are less able to repair their fatty, protective sheaths. Excess cholesterol may be overburdening certain immune cells, resulting in lingering inflammation that interferes with the natural repair process. The results hint that drugs being developed to promote cholesterol clearance in humans may also be… Continue reading How Cholesterol Contributes to Age-Related Neuron Impairment
3 Ways the New Tax Law Will Hit Seniors Hard in Health Costs
Trump’s new Tax Law, which will result in a $1.5 trillion tax cut, was seen by some as a Christmas present to most American taxpayers. Critics of the law, however, suggest that the Grinch will have stolen Christmas from some seniors. Older Americans have some important issues to consider in terms of how the new… Continue reading 3 Ways the New Tax Law Will Hit Seniors Hard in Health Costs
How to Stop Constipation with a Few Simple Adjustments to Your Diet
Constipation is one of the most common digestive complaints, affecting around 42 million people in the U.S, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This common condition is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week, and having bowel movements that are hard, dry and small, making them difficult to pass.… Continue reading How to Stop Constipation with a Few Simple Adjustments to Your Diet
Do You Really Need the New Year to Make Resolutions?
It’s that time of the year again when most people make resolutions for the New Year. Lose weight. Organize closets. Clean out the attic. Stick to a budget. Sounds familiar? Now think about this for a second. If you really, really want to do any of this, why wait for a particular day on the calendar to… Continue reading Do You Really Need the New Year to Make Resolutions?
Impact of Inactivity on Muscles More Severe for Older People
According to a study published in January 2018 The Journal of Physiology, researchers have been able to document for the first time how the same period of inactivity has a greater and more severe impact on the muscle power of the lower limbs of the elderly than young people, which is essential for movements like… Continue reading Impact of Inactivity on Muscles More Severe for Older People
Experts Call for World Health Organization to Rethink “Unacceptable” Plan for Older People
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been accused of “washing its hands of older people” in its proposed priorities for future work. In a letter published online in January 2018 in The Lancet, experts on ageing from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) say the… Continue reading Experts Call for World Health Organization to Rethink “Unacceptable” Plan for Older People
Girls’ Social Camouflage Skills May Delay or Prevent Autism Diagnosis
On parent-reporting measures, girls with autism seem to struggle more than boys with performing routine tasks like getting up and dressed or making small talk, even when the study group is normalized to meet similar basic clinical diagnostic criteria across sexes. The findings add to the growing evidence that girls with autism may show symptoms… Continue reading Girls’ Social Camouflage Skills May Delay or Prevent Autism Diagnosis
Uncovering the Benefits of Fractional Laser Treatments
In the world of laser skin technology, a time-capsule trip back to the early aughts shows dermatologists at a crossroads: attempts to adjust more invasive approaches were increasingly recognized as failing to bring meaningful improvements. Enter the fractional laser: I think of it as the “Goldilocks’ solution”, offering just the right amount. These lasers can… Continue reading Uncovering the Benefits of Fractional Laser Treatments
Accessing Your Own Genomic Data Is a Civil Right
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, or GINA, expanded individuals’ access to genetic information by forcing changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. These amendments, finalized in 2013 and 2014, gave Americans a civil right to obtain copies of their own genetic test results stored at HIPAA-regulated laboratories. In… Continue reading Accessing Your Own Genomic Data Is a Civil Right
Junk food Tax Is Legally and Administratively Viable
An original analysis by researchers at New York University College of Global Public Health and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University finds that a federal tax on junk food is both legally and administratively feasible. The article, published online in January 2018 in the American Journal of Public Health, points to… Continue reading Junk food Tax Is Legally and Administratively Viable
How to Make New Year’s Resolutions and Make Them Stick
Every year we begin a new year resolving to do (or quit doing) something and expect to be the game changer in our lives. For some it’s to workout, lose weight, cut out all carbs and sweets. For others, it’s a promise to save more money and get finances on track. Regardless of what you… Continue reading How to Make New Year’s Resolutions and Make Them Stick
NIH Discovery Brings Stem Cell Therapy for Dry AMD Closer to the Clinic
Scientists at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, report that tiny tube-like protrusions called primary cilia on cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) — a layer of cells in the back of the eye — are essential for the survival of the retina’s light-sensing photoreceptors. The discovery has… Continue reading NIH Discovery Brings Stem Cell Therapy for Dry AMD Closer to the Clinic
Knowing About “Drunkorexia” Can Save Your Child’s Life
I learned about “drunkorexia” the hard way the other night when a “very close family member” called me, asking for a ride home after he was arrested for driving under the influence. He was heading home after a night out with friends and was “pulled over” by the police. He is normally a responsible, level-headed… Continue reading Knowing About “Drunkorexia” Can Save Your Child’s Life
Scientists Take a Big Step Toward Building a Better Opioid
For the first time, scientists at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and collaborators solved the crystal structure of the activated kappa opioid receptor bound to a morphine derivative. They then created a new drug-like compound that activates only that receptor, a key step in the development of new pain medications. A release… Continue reading Scientists Take a Big Step Toward Building a Better Opioid
Cell Transplant Is Better Than Drug Therapy for Scleroderma
Scleroderma with internal organ involvement is a debilitating and lethal autoimmune disorder with few effective treatments. But a study led by Duke Health researchers has found new cause for optimism using an aggressive stem cell transplant regimen. A release from the Medical Center notes that the researchers, publishing in the January 4th 2018 issue of… Continue reading Cell Transplant Is Better Than Drug Therapy for Scleroderma
Tips to Find Happiness at Any Age
The New Year is a wonderful time to not only evaluate your past, but explore your goals for the year ahead. While it is common that health and fitness resolutions land at the top of people’s list, the truth is that achieving any goal in 2018 is dependent upon good health, especially as we age.… Continue reading Tips to Find Happiness at Any Age
Annuities Beat CDs by Offering Higher Guaranteed Rates and Tax Savings
Older Americans love certificates of deposit. But fixed-rate annuities, which function like CDs, usually pay much higher guaranteed rate. And they offer tax deferral. CDs have one main advantage over annuities: they’re insured by the FDIC. But I think it’s a tiny advantage, all things considered. Fixed annuities are guaranteed by life insurance companies, which… Continue reading Annuities Beat CDs by Offering Higher Guaranteed Rates and Tax Savings