_ How to Have Healthy Air At Home By Jane Farrell article One of the best things about warmer weather: throwing open the windows to let in some fresh air. But that doesnΓÇÖt automatically mean that the air in your house is healthy, or even safe. If you want to keep your house a healthy place for you, your family and your pets, the American Lung Association has some suggestions: If you havenΓÇÖt already, make your home a smoke-free zone. DonΓÇÖt let anyone smoke inside; if they want to inhale, they can go a safe distance away from the house, so smoke wonΓÇÖt blow in through your windows. Have a radon test, the ALA says.
Organize Your Kitchen For Healthy Eating By article By Andrea Cespedes, PT, Yoga Instructor, Chef A pledge to focus on healthy eating will do you no good if you still have cheese curls and chocolate chip cookies calling to you from your pantry. Sound familiar?
_ Alternative Health Finding A Good Alternative Health Practitioner By Jane Farrell article There are so many ΓÇ£alternativeΓÇ¥ or ΓÇ£complementaryΓÇ¥ therapies available today that it can be hard to tell which ones are effective, donΓÇÖt work at all or can do you harm. ItΓÇÖs just as much of a challenge to choose a complementary health practitioner. Should you want to go to one, itΓÇÖs best to do the research beforehand or you may end up paying money for ΓÇ£treatmentsΓÇ¥ that donΓÇÖt work. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is part of the National Institutes of Health and an authority in the field of alternative medicine.
_ Pets Healthy And Safe Exercise For Your Dog - And You By Jane Farrell article Now that spring’s here, it’s a perfect time to get out and exercise – and having a canine companion will make it ever more enjoyable. But just as you follow safety measures for yourself, you need to know what will keep your dog from danger. Here, from the ASPCA, are some tips: Get your pet a check-up
Aging Well Geroscience, The Study of Age-Related Health Issues By article A new collection of articles appearing in May 2014 in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences focuses on how the basic biology of aging drives chronic disease. Together, they highlight the value of the emerging field of geroscience, which uses an integrated approach to the study of diseases and disability associated with growing older.
Heart Health Sugar Is Bad for Your Heart Even If YouΓÇÖre at a Healthy Weight By article Researchers from New Zealand's University of Otago have uncovered evidence that sugar has a direct effect on risk factors for heart disease, and is likely to impact blood pressure, independent of weight gain. Dr Lisa Te Morenga, Research Fellow with Otago's Department of Human Nutrition, and colleagues conducted a review and meta-analysis of all international studies that compared the effects of higher versus lower added sugar consumption on blood pressure and lipids (blood fats or cholesterol) – both of which are important cardiovascular risk-factors.
_ Mental & Emotional Health May Is Mental Health Month: WhereΓÇÖs Your Sanity? By article By Dr. Claudia LuizΓÇ¿ΓÇ¿ Everybody is overwhelmed and nobody is afraid to talk about it. Historically speaking, we are more sophisticated than ever emotionally; we are highly aware of what we feel, and we can talk about it. If we don’t feel better, it’s only because our methods for dealing with what we feel are still so antiquated. It’s just the same-old, same-old: try to be better, get inspired to change. But it doesn’t’ work. ΓÇ¿ ΓÇ¿
_ Keeping Your Nails Their Healthiest By Jane Farrell article From the Mayo Clinic Take a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents, or areas of unusual color or shape? Many less than desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. Others indicate an underlying condition that requires attention.
_ Mental & Emotional Health A Healthcare Team Helps Women Beat Depression By article A collaborative approach to depression counseling for women at obstetrics and gynecology clinics involving psychiatrists, clinicians, specialists, and depression care managers is an improvement over typical of mental health care at specialty clinics. That is the finding of a study done at the University of Washington and published May 7th 2014 in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. A release from the university notes that approximately one-third of American women list an obstetrician/gynecologist as their primary physician.
_ Access to E-Health Records Could Improve Care By article Unlike medical records kept in paper charts, electronic health records (EHR) provide numerous access points to clinicians to review a patient's medical history. A multi-university study published in the May 2014 issue of Health Affairs has found that access to electronic health records in acute care situations may influence the care given to that patient, and in some cases, failure to review the EHR could have adversely affected the medical management.
37 Million Could Be Saved Through Global Health Programs By Jane Farrell article Reaching globally-agreed targets for health risks such as smoking and alcohol can prevent more than 37 million deaths by 2025, according to new statistics. The study, led by researchers from Imperial College London, said the health risks are caused by the “big four” illnesses: cancer, diabetes, lung disease and cardiovascular disease. The study, published in The Lancet, found that the majority of death prevention would be in low- to middle-income nations, while the reductions for smoking and blood pressure will lead to the largest benefits.
_ Challenging the Notion of ΓÇ£Healthy ObesityΓÇ¥ By Jane Farrell article Back in October of 2013, the concept of “healthy obesity” made news because of a study published in the journal Diabetologia about overweight people with no metabolic problems. Now a study published on April 30th 2014 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology challenges that assertion. A release from the publisher explains that obese people who have no signs of cardiovascular disease show a much higher prevalence of early plaque buildup in the arteries compared to healthy normal weight individuals, according to a study.
_ Home Health Visits Keep Heart Patient Out of the Hospital By article Research done at North Shore University Hospital on Long Island demonstrated a very significant reduction in hospital readmissions after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery for patients who received home health care through the “Follow Your Heart” program. The study was published in the May 2014 issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
_ Watch: 7 Health Apps You Need to Know About By article Here's another addition to our ThirdAge Video Collection. Press play to start learning!
_ Exercise Helps Brain Health By Jane Farrell article Add one more to the already long list of exercise benefits: A study of older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease shows that moderate physical activity may protect brain health. Everyone loses some brain volume with age, but people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s usually show greater weakening overtime in the area of the brain known as the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for memory and spatial orientation.
_ Health Searches Peak on Monday By Sondra Forsyth article Happy Monday! We’re glad you’re here on ThirdAge today to learn the latest about health. As it happens, you’ve probably got a lot of company. A study published on April 18th 2014 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that on average, searches for health topics were 30 percent more frequent at the beginning of the week than later in the week, with the lowest average number of searches on Saturday. This pattern was consistent week after week and year after year.
Spirituality, Health Care And Not Feeling Alone By blog “You’re a what?” The patient raises an eyebrow and looks at me suspiciously. “I’m a chaplain. I’m part of the hospital team, to focus on your spiritual and emotional needs.” “But I’m not religious.” “That’s ok. Neither am I!” My retort brings relaxed laughter and then conversation flows.