Healthy Diet & Nutrition Senior Health Nutrition Screenings for Older Adults By Sondra Forsyth article As older adults typically have one or more chronic health conditions that can affect dietary intake, malnutrition has been identified as a serious for this population. For this reason, nutrition screenings should be a mandatory part of the comprehensive geriatric analysis (CGA), according to a review article published on July 3rd 2014 in the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition's (A.S.P.E.N.) Nutrition in Clinical Practice journal.
_ A Declaration Of Independence From Tobacco By Jane Farrell article July 4th is a great time to celebrate freedom and independence of all kinds. Why not make it an occasion to declare your own independence ΓÇô from tobacco? The federal Centers for Disease Control has made July 4th its focal point for its program on freeing yourself from nicotine addiction. Anyone whoΓÇÖs ever quit can tell you itΓÇÖs a tough process, but understanding why itΓÇÖs so tough may help you deal with those moments when you feel you canΓÇÖt go one moment longer without a cigarette. Here are some insights from the CDC:
_ Alternative Health St. John's Wort & Drug Interactions By Sondra Forsyth article St. John's wort is the most frequently used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment in the U.S. for depression and similar psychiatric disorders. The many commonly prescribed medications that St. John's wort can interact withΓÇösometimes with serious consequences such as life-threatening ΓÇ£serotonin syndromeΓÇ¥ or heart diseaseΓÇöare reviewed in the July 2014 issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and on the web site.
_ Hepatitis C Liver Transplants for Hep C: A Surprising Finding By Sondra Forsyth article An international team of researchers was surprised to find that in some hepatitis C patients who receive liver transplants, genes that target the hepatitis C virus (HCV) as part of the innate immune system actually enable the patients to tolerate a foreign organ without taking immunosuppressant medication. The study was published in July 2014 in Science Translational Medicine.
_ How Private Is Your Mental-Health Information? By Jane Farrell article Whatever you think of the Affordable Care Act (and there are many different and heated opinions) thereΓÇÖs no doubt that itΓÇÖs expanded mental health and substance use disorder benefits and protections to 62 million Americans. Leon Rodriguez, Director of the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health and Human Services, wrote in a federal blog that the c hange represents ΓÇ£the largest expansion of behavioral health coverage in a generation and will help make treatment more affordable and accessible.ΓÇ¥
_ Making Sense of Carbohydrate Counting By Jane Farrell article If you or a loved one have been recently diagnosed with diabetes, you know that the nutrition guidelines for diabetics can seem overwhelming at times. And following the guidelines, which include carbohydrate counting, is crucial to a diabeticΓÇÖs health. Here, from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, part of the National Institutes of Health, is an easy-to-understand explanation of carbohydrate counting. This tool for planning meals will help you keep track of the amount of carbs youΓÇÖre eating each day, and whether youΓÇÖre in goal range.
Heart Coherence: 3 Simple Steps for Reducing Stress and Living Well By blog IΓÇÖve always prided myself on having a healthy heart. When IΓÇÖd have my yearly health checkups, the doctor always commented that I had the low blood pressure of an athlete. I do keep in good shape, but I havenΓÇÖt considered myself an athlete since high school when I played basketball and wrestled.
_ It's Never Too Late to Quit By Jane Farrell article When it comes to quitting smoking, older people may be faced with some especially discouraging issues. Maybe theyΓÇÖve tried to quit ΓÇô more than once. Maybe they think theyΓÇÖre too old and that the damage has been done. But according to experts, itΓÇÖs never too late to stop smoking, and to do it successfully. ItΓÇÖs not that older smokers donΓÇÖt want to quit. Many of them do, knowing that being smoke-free would have a number of positive results, from the avoidance of serious diseases like stroke and heart disease, to the likelihood of having more money and more energy.
What Are Cataracts? Cataract Awareness Month By blog June is Cataract Awareness Month - but what exactly are cataracts and what causes them? Cataracts are a clouding over of the eye - they can happen in one or in both and they are often associated with aging, but they can also occur in younger people and for reasons other than aging. Estimates by the U.S. National Eye Institute are that at least half of people who are 80 years old have either had a cataract or have one.
_ Menopause Are You Setting Off Your Hot Flashes? By Sondra Forsyth article By Gary Elkins If you start taking note of your hot flashes, you may recognize some events, emotions, or activities that actually seem to contribute to, or ΓÇ£trigger,ΓÇ¥ the onset of a hot flash. Scientifically speaking, while the physiology of hot flashes is associated with a decrease in estrogen level or an increase in gonadotropin concentrations, the actual physiological mechanism of hot flashes is not known.
_ The Best Way to Take Your Medicine By Jane Farrell article It pays to be cautious at any age about taking medications. But itΓÇÖs especially important for older people, who are likely to have multiple prescriptions. And that, according to the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), can increase the chances of harmful drug interactions.
_ Pain Management Getting Rid of Chronic Pain By Jane Farrell article As people age, chronic pain becomes a real problem. In your younger years, you probably had pain for a short while ΓÇô from a broken arm, say, or a bad toothache. But pain can become a constant, unwelcome companion for older people who have age-related illnesses like arthritis, cancer or diabetes. However, though chronic pain often accompanies aging, that doesnΓÇÖt mean itΓÇÖs something you should put up with. DonΓÇÖt delay going to your doctor. Here, from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), are tips on how to talk to your doctor so your pain problem can be solved.
_ Aging Well Discussing Sensitive Subjects With Your Doctor By Sondra Forsyth article Much of the communication between doctor and patient is personal. To have a good partnership with your doctor, it is important to talk about sensitive subjects, like sex or memory problems, even if you are embarrassed or uncomfortable.
_ Is Medical Marijuana Safe? By Jane Farrell article EditorΓÇÖs note: As of earlier this year, 20 states have legalized the use of marijuana for some serious medical conditions, including cancer, glaucoma and HIV/AIDS. But using medical marijuana isnΓÇÖt a casual decision. Here, the National Institute on Drug Abuse offers (NIDA) offers a briefing on the most controversial medicine of our time: According to NIDA, the term ΓÇ£medical marijuanaΓÇ¥ refers to the whole unprocessed marijuana plant or its crude extracts. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesnΓÇÖt recognize or approve those substances as medicine.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Imaging the Adult ADHD Brain By Sondra Forsyth article Brain scans done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology differentiated adults who have recovered from childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and those whose difficulties linger. The study was published in the June 10th 2014 issue of the journal Brain. A release from MIT notes that about 11 percent of school-age children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. While many of these children eventually outgrow the disorder, some carry their difficulties into adulthood: About 10 million American adults are currently diagnosed with ADHD.
_ When a Loved One Is Diagnosed With Parkinson's Disease By Sondra Forsyth article By Judy Santamaria MSPH The incidence of Parkinson's disease, which is common in people over the age of 60, is expected to rise with the aging of our populations. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that mainly affects movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease are tremor, rigidity or stiffness of the muscles, slow movement, loss of movement, and balance and walking problems.
Mice With MS Walk Again After Stem Cell Tx By Sondra Forsyth article Mice severely disabled by a condition similar to multiple sclerosis (MS) could walk less than two weeks following treatment with human stem cells. The study, which uncovers new avenues for treating MS, was don e at the University of Utah and published online on May 15th 2014, in the journal Stem Cell Reports.