Researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine, led by Dr. James E. Schwob, are examining the behavior of adult stem cells within the context of aging and, specifically, the sense of smell. As part of the normal aging process, older adults frequently experience a decline in their olfactory function, resulting in a compromised or complete… Continue reading Can Loss of Sense of Smell Be Repaired?
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.
What Don’t We Know About Bladder Control?
Nearly 40 percent of older women and up to 35 percent of older men live with distressing urinary symptoms, including difficulty with bladder control and urinating (sometimes known as “voiding”), which often compromise quality of life and overall health. The lack of truly effective and safe therapies for these challenges stems from insufficient knowledge of… Continue reading What Don’t We Know About Bladder Control?
Surrogate Healthcare Decision Makers for the Elderly Experience Psychological Distress
Nearly half of the 13 million older adults hospitalized annually in the United States are unable to make their own medical decisions and rely on surrogates, usually close family members, to make decisions for them. However little is known about how these surrogates respond to the demands put upon them. A study from the Indiana… Continue reading Surrogate Healthcare Decision Makers for the Elderly Experience Psychological Distress
Seven Smart Strategies for Enjoying the Holidays Without Gaining Weight
Pregame: If you skip meals or snacks during the day to “save up” for a holiday party, you will arrive starving and much more likely to inhale every tray of passed apps that walks by. To prevent this, plan for a small yet satisfying pre-party snack about an hour before you head to out the… Continue reading Seven Smart Strategies for Enjoying the Holidays Without Gaining Weight
Updating Beneficiaries When Life Changes is Crucial
Once you’ve bought an annuity or a life insurance policy and named your beneficiaries, you may never think about your beneficiaries again. But that could be a big mistake. If you get divorced and remarry but fail to change your beneficiary from your ex-spouse to your current spouse, your ex will receive the proceeds. Besides… Continue reading Updating Beneficiaries When Life Changes is Crucial
Pop the Bubbly and Hear the Quality
The classic sparkling wine that has rung in countless new years with a bang may have more to its bubbles. Champagne is notable for its iconic cork popping, but the bubble acoustics also play a key role in determining how expensive that bottle should be. Investigators Kyle S. Spratt, Kevin M. Lee and Preston S.… Continue reading Pop the Bubbly and Hear the Quality
Beauty 911: How to Nip a Skin Disaster in the Bud
What can be worse than the onset of an unsightly skincare emergency the day of a big event such as a wedding, reunion, business interview, or first date? Have you ever cancelled a first date because a cold sore erupted? How about an acne breakout the morning of your sister’s wedding or worse… your own? With… Continue reading Beauty 911: How to Nip a Skin Disaster in the Bud
Suddenly Obtained Power of Attorney? Five Things to Do & Five Things Not to Do
The operative word here is “suddenly.” In reality, it is best for everyone, including banking institutions and physicians, friends and neighbors, if the chosen Power of Attorney and the loved one assigning that title prepare well before incapacitation. It is a tough word to accept – incapacitation – but it is the reason for a… Continue reading Suddenly Obtained Power of Attorney? Five Things to Do & Five Things Not to Do
Worried About Holiday Weight Gain? Your Scale Isn’t Giving You the Whole Picture.
A new, long-term diet study published in November 2017 the American Heart Association journal, Circulation, used MRI imaging technology for the first time to plot the diverse changes in an array of body organ fat storage pools during 18 months of Mediterranean/low-carb (Med/LC) and low-fat diets, with and without moderate physical exercise. The CENTRAL MRI… Continue reading Worried About Holiday Weight Gain? Your Scale Isn’t Giving You the Whole Picture.
Why You Shouldn’t Tailgate at Traffic Lights
When pulling up to a traffic light, most drivers get pretty close to the car in front of them, leaving just several feet of space between their bumper and the next. The practice of packing tightly at traffic lights is widely accepted. Traditional thinking says the closer a car is to a traffic light, the… Continue reading Why You Shouldn’t Tailgate at Traffic Lights
The Secret to Raising Healthy Kids Starts in the Kitchen
The incidence of children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently about one in five school-aged children (ages 6-19) are obese. In addition, “about one-third of American youth are overweight, a problem closely related to the increase in kids with… Continue reading The Secret to Raising Healthy Kids Starts in the Kitchen
Garlic Can Fight Chronic Infections
An active sulphurous compound found in garlic can be used to fight robust bacteria in patients with chronic infections, according to a study done at the University of Copenhagen and published in November 2017 in Scientific Reports. A release from the university explains that the researchers showed that the garlic compound is able to destroy… Continue reading Garlic Can Fight Chronic Infections
The Trigger for Macular Degeneration Has Been Discovered
In a major step forward in the battle against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss among the elderly, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville have discovered a critical trigger for the damaging inflammation that ultimately robs millions of their sight. The finding may allow doctors to… Continue reading The Trigger for Macular Degeneration Has Been Discovered
5 Health Benefits of Apples
Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Well, there are definitely health benefits to eating apples! Stay Regular: One medium apple contains over 4 grams of fiber. With the big meals and rich foods of the holiday season, fiber is essential to keeping you regular and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels … Continue reading 5 Health Benefits of Apples
Lack of Communication Puts Older Adults at Risk of Adverse Medication Interactions
Most older Americans take multiple medicines every day. However, a 2017 poll suggests they don’t get – or seek – enough help to make sure those medicines actually mix safely. The poll was conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, and sponsored by AARP and Michigan Medicine, U-M’s academic medical… Continue reading Lack of Communication Puts Older Adults at Risk of Adverse Medication Interactions
Nipple-sparing Surgery Is Safe for Women with Harmful BRCA Mutations
According to the National Cancer Institute, the risk of breast cancer is approximately 12% for women in the general population, which means that one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in her life. But the risk is considerably greater for women who inherit a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene… Continue reading Nipple-sparing Surgery Is Safe for Women with Harmful BRCA Mutations
Osteoporosis-Related Bone Fractures Linked to Air Pollution
Exposure to air pollution is associated with osteoporosis-related loss of bone mineral density and risk of bone fractures, according to a done study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Their findings were published in November 2017 in The Lancet Planetary Health. A release from the university explains that the researchers are… Continue reading Osteoporosis-Related Bone Fractures Linked to Air Pollution
Leaving the House Every Day May Help Older Adults Live Longer
In a Journal of the American Geriatrics Society study of community-dwelling individuals aged 70 to 90 years who were participating in the Jerusalem Longitudinal Study, leaving the house daily was linked with a lower risk of dying over an extended follow-up period, independent of social, functional, or medical factors. The findings were published in November… Continue reading Leaving the House Every Day May Help Older Adults Live Longer