_ Aging Well Why Our Word Choices Matter As We Age By Sondra Forsyth article By Roger Landry MD Have you ever considered how the words we use impact the culture around us? How do those words reflect our own attitudes, beliefs, and values? Furthermore, for those among us who work in the aging profession, how does what we say affect both how we perceive older adults to be, and how they self-identify? How Our Brains React to the Words We Say
_ Lung Cancer AHA E-Cigarette Recommendations By Sondra Forsyth article The American Heart Association issued new policy recommendations August 25th 2014 on the use of e-cigarettes and their impact on tobacco-control efforts. The guidance was published in the association's journal, Circulation. Based on the current evidence, the association's position is that e-cigarettes that contain nicotine are tobacco products and should be subject to all laws that apply to these products. The association also calls for strong new regulations to prevent access, sales and marketing of e-cigarettes to youth, and for more research into the product's health impact.
_ Aging Well Healthy Diet & Nutrition Are You as Old as What You Eat? By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers from University College London (UCL) have demonstrated how an interplay between nutrition, metabolism, and immunity is involved in the process of aging. The two new studies, supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), could help to enhance our immunity to disease through dietary intervention and help make existing immune system therapies more effective.
_ Caregiving 5 Questions About Long-Distance Caregiving By Sondra Forsyth article What is long-distance caregiving? It can be helping Aunt Lilly sort through her medical bills or thinking about how to make the most of a weekend visit with Mom. It can include checking the references of an aide whoΓÇÖs been hired to help your grandfather or trying to take the pressure off your sister who lives in the same town as both your aging parents and her aging in-laws. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are the answers to five key questions about long-distance caregiving:
_ Sex The Talk That Can Jump-Start Your Love Life at Any Age By Sondra Forsyth article By Eve Marx How long has it been since you and your partner made love? Six weeks? Six months? Six years? You may be surprised to know that many committed couples in seemingly happy relationships have not engaged in sex with each other in a very long time.
August 30th: Grief Awareness Day By Jane Farrell blog Not long ago, I had Angie Cartwright on my radio show. She is the pioneer who, having had many losses in her life, has raised her voice, gained support for those suffering loss and is now on her way to gathering support for a National Grief Awareness Day.
_ Study: Watch Out for Prescription-Level NSAIDs By Jane Farrell article Three widely used drugs, known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, alter the activity of enzymes within cell membranes and could lead to unwanted side effects. Those side effects could be the results of taking the drugs for a long period of time and/or at a higher-than-approved dosage level. The NSAIDS, sold over the counter as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, would have the effects primarily at prescription levels.
_ Vision Health Vision Loss Increases Risk of Death By Sondra Forsyth article Vision loss can adversely affect the ability of older adults to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), such as using the telephone, shopping and doing housework, which are all measures of an individual's ability to live independently, and that subsequently increases the risk for death. That is the conclusion of Sharon L. Christ, Ph.D., of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., and colleagues. The study was published online August 21st 2014 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
_ Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias Brain Health Pomegranate Tx for AD, PD, & RA By Sondra Forsyth article The onset of Alzheimer's disease can be slowed and some of its symptoms curbed by a natural compound that is found in pomegranates, according to the findings of a two-year project headed by scientist Dr. Olumayokun Olajide, at the University of Huddersfield in the UK. Also, the painful inflammation that accompanies illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson's disease could be reduced by the pomegranate drug. The study was published in August 2014 in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
_ Epidemics and the Global VillageΓÇ¿ By Sondra Forsyth article By Bill Miller ΓÇ¿MD The agitating Ebola emergency has captured headlines. There are some who undoubtedly assume that this kind of epidemic is unusual. However, localized epidemic disease has been a part of the biological system of the planet since the origin of life. Pandemics in which the spread of disease can encompass a continent or the world are just as ancient a process. ΓÇ¿
Energy Therapies Offer Support in Healing for Cancer Survivors By blog Reiki and Healing Touch are two energy therapies designed to support and nurture your body, mind, spirit and emotions. For cancer survivors, energy therapies work in harmony with your standard medical care and treatment. Reiki is a touch therapy that promotes relaxation and enhances healing within the body. Reiki therapy is done in a relaxed setting (seated or lying) by gentle touch on specific areas of the body.
_ Weight Loss Back to Basics: Counting Calories By Jane Farrell article Despite all the diet strategies out there, weight management still comes down to the calories you take in versus those you burn off. Fad diets may promise you that avoiding carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit is the secret to weight loss, but it's really all about calories. CALORIES: FUEL FOR YOUR BODY Calories are the energy in food. Your body has a constant demand for energy and uses the calories from food to keep functioning. Energy from calories fuels your every action, from fidgeting to marathon running.
Coming Next Week! August 25th to August 29th 2014 By Sondra Forsyth article HereΓÇÖs a sneak preview of the articles, slideshows, and blogs weΓÇÖll be posting during the coming week on ThirdAge, the biggest and best site for ΓÇ£boomer and beyondΓÇ¥ women since 1997. As always, weΓÇÖll bring you the latest information from top experts about maintaining a healthy body, mind, and spirit as you navigate both the challenges and the joys of being a ThirdAger.
_ Sleep Health Why the Elderly Have Trouble Sleeping By Sondra Forsyth article As people grow older, they often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and tend to awaken too early in the morning. In people with Alzheimer's disease, this common and troubling symptom of aging tends to be especially pronounced, often leading to nighttime confusion and wandering.
_ Breast Cancer Perspectives on Breast Reconstruction By Sondra Forsyth article Less than 42 percent of women underwent breast reconstruction following a mastectomy for cancer, and the factors associated with foregoing reconstruction included being black, having a lower education level and being older. That is the finding of Monica Morrow, M.D., of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues who published their results online August 20th 2014 JAMA Surgery.
_ Staying Smoke Free After Hospital Discharge By Sondra Forsyth article Smokers admitted to U.S. hospitals canΓÇÖt smoke during their stay and could use this time as an opportunity to quit, but few are able to stay smoke-free after returning home. Now a study done at Massachusetts General Hospital and published in the August 20th 2014 issue of JAMA describes a program that increased the proportion of hospitalized smokers who successfully quit smoking after discharge by more than 70 percent.
_ Pain Management Which Alternative Headache Remedies Are Safe? By Jane Farrell article Depending on the severity of their condition, headache sufferers may take over the counter medications or prescription remedies. Many ΓÇ£alternativeΓÇ¥ treatments are available as well. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), researchers are continuing to study the effectiveness of these treatments. While some of these widely-touted remedies may not work as advertised, others are effective. Here, from the NCCAM, is a rundown of the current research on alternative remedies for headaches:
_ Yoga Can Sharpen Your Mind By Jane Farrell article Regular practice of yoga can improve older adultsΓÇÖ performance of cognitive tasks, according to new research. Investigators from the University of Illinois found that eight weeks of hatha yoga classes, three times a week, led to speedier and more accurate performance on tests of information recall, mental flexibility and task-switching than before the patients had taken the yoga class.