_ Staying Safe in Hurricane Season By article WeΓÇÖre right in the middle of hurricane season, and even though the weather service might not be issuing a warning … Read More→
_ Sleep Health Sleep Problems and Aging By article From the National Institute on Aging: Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as young adultsΓÇöseven to nine … Read More→
Dementia Patients Getting Iffy Meds By article More than half of nursing home residents with advanced dementia, a terminal illness marked by severe cognitive impairment and functional … Read More→
_ A Warning About Dental Restorations By article Poorly-made dental restorations (veneers, crowns, inlays) can cause patients discomfort and even some health problems, but, according to dental-industry experts, … Read More→
_ Healthy Diet & Nutrition ΓÇ£SpiceΓÇ¥ Up Your Health By Sondra Forsyth article By Diane Blum Did you know that one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health is to use a handful of spices each day? Simply adding the right spices increases nutrients in your diet, allows you to use less salt and sugar for taste, and also has important health side benefits. Here are a few of the healthiest: 1) Cinnamon
_ Pain Management Chronic Pain & Painkillers: Why You ΓÇ¿Should Consider AlternativesΓÇ¿ By Sondra Forsyth article By Dr. Frank King Roughly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain lasting more than six months, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. Throughout the past decade, the use of painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin has soared by 300 percent. For many ΓÇô 17,000 people per year, or 46 each day ΓÇô the treatment is worse than the pain. ThatΓÇÖs the number of users who die from the medicine, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
_ 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.
_ 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:
_ Making Surgery as Easy as Possible By Jane Farrell article Have you been told by your doctor that you need surgery? If so, you're not alone. Millions of older Americans have surgery each year. Your primary care doctor may suggest a surgeon to you, and your state or local medical society can tell you about your surgeon's training. Try to choose a surgeon who operates often on medical problems like yours.
_ 5 Food-Drug Interactions You Want to Avoid By Sondra Forsyth article By Leah Shainhouse You have heard it again and again: Adapt to a healthy lifestyle. If you make sure to eat well, a plethora of diseases can be prevented or managed. However, there are times when you walk into your doctorΓÇÖs office, either for a routine check-up or for some sort of ache or pain and you have no choice. You walk out with another prescription, whether it is to help lower your cholesterol, control your blood pressure or fight off an infection.
_ Pets Vitamins + Supplements Should Your Pet Take Supplements? By Sondra Forsyth article Our pets are like our family, right? Even pet food manufacturers now refer to ΓÇ£pet ownersΓÇ¥ as ΓÇ£pet parentsΓÇ¥ in their marketing! This humanization trend has been fueled by us Baby Boomers who are refocusing our discretionary spending on our pets rather than spending it on feathering our now empty nests. So itΓÇÖs no wonder we ΓÇ£pet parentsΓÇ¥ are now pondering the question of vitamins and other supplementation for Fido and Fluffy. But whatΓÇÖs the real scoop of pet supplements? Good idea or bad?
_ Mental & Emotional Health Depression Often Untreated in PD By Sondra Forsyth article In light of the revelation that the late Robin Williams had early ParkinsonΓÇÖs Disease when he committed suicide on August 11th 2014, a study published in the August 2014 issue of the Journal of Parkinson's Disease is of particular interest. Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago in collaboration with the National Parkinson's Foundation (NPF) found that although depression is known to be a common symptom of Parkinson's disease, the mood disorder often remains untreated for many patients.
_ Too Hot For Your Health By Jane Farrell article Almost every summer, there is a deadly heat wave in some part of the country. Too much heat isnΓÇÖt safe for anyone, and itΓÇÖs even riskier if youΓÇÖre older or have health problems. ThatΓÇÖs why itΓÇÖs important to get relief quickly, and even better, to prevent overexposure in the first place. Being hot for too long can cause several illnesses grouped under the designation hyperthermia:
Prescription Drugs prescription medicines Safety Concerns About New Drugs By Sondra Forsyth article The authors of a study published in the August 2014 issue of Health Affairs contend that when the FDA approval process for medications changed in 1992 with the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), which allowed the FDA to collect fees to expedite drug approvals, the new process may have led to the release of drugs before they could be adequately evaluated for safety issues.
_ Medical Care Pharmacists Could Boost Drug Adherence By Sondra Forsyth article Community pharmacists can dramatically help their patients stick to their prescription regimens, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. The findings, published on August 4th 2014 in Health Affairs, suggest also that greater adherence to medications can lead to a reduction in emergency room visits and hospital admissions, thereby lowering health care costs for a variety of chronic conditions including diabetes and asthma.
_ Vision Health How to Know You Need Bifocals or Progressives By Sondra Forsyth article A gradual loss of the ability to see well up close is a natural part of aging. The condition is called presbyopia, from the Greek for ΓÇ£elder eyeΓÇ¥. If you already wear glasses or contact lenses for distance vision because you have myopia, the medical term for nearsighted, youΓÇÖll need to switch to a new prescription. Options include bifocals, vari-focals, and progressives. For contacts, you could also choose monovision in which one eye is corrected for distance and the other is corrected for close work.
_ How to Fight Prediabetes By Jane Farrell article Type 2 diabetes is one of the most serious chronic illnesses in existence; it puts people at risk for everything from heart and kidney disease to amputation of limbs. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), it is shockingly widespread 29.1 million Americans have the illness. And the ADA estimates that 86 million more Americans have prediabetes, a condition that indicates a high risk of developing the illness. Here, from the federal National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse and the ADA, is what you need to know about prediabetes:
_ Alcohol and Aging By Jane Farrell article Although we often associate drinking too much with younger people (parties, bars, spring break vacations), alcohol abuse is a problem at any age. And while itΓÇÖs true that younger people drink more than older people, alcohol abuse presents some age-specific issues for seniors. Here, from the SeniorHealth division of the National of Health (NIH), is an explanation of the damaging effects, and how you or a loved one can get help if itΓÇÖs needed.