A simple thing can change your life—like tripping on a rug or slipping on a wet floor. If you fall, you could break a bone, like thousands of older men and women do each year. A broken bone might not sound awful. But, for older people, a break can be the start of more serious problems.
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“Old” People Often Believe They Are in Bad Health
People who identify as “old” are likelier to have a worse view of their health than those of the same age who don’t think of themselves as old, according to new research.
The findings, from researchers at the University of Kent, UK, used data from a study, the European Social Survey. The respondents, who were 70 or older, were asked to rate their health.
Ready, Set – Change Your Health Habits!
We all know how crucial it is to make lifestyle changes to improve our health, but knowing that and actually changing a habit are two very different things. Here, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, offers an easy-to-follow plan that will help you understand how best to make the move to healthier habits.
10 Natural Ways to Control Blood Pressure
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure — the top number — of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure — the bottom number — of 90 or above), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down.
Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.
Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.
A Possible Improvement in Measuring Glucose Levels
Researchers have developed a new glucose measuring material that could eventually eliminate current measurement instruments such as test strips.
The material changes colors as glucose levels fluctuate, providing a much more precise readings than are now available. “There are significant limitations to current continuous glucose monitoring technologies,” said study leader Paul Braun, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois. “The systems available today all have some combination of limited sensitivity [and] limited precision.”
The Bug Battle Isn’t Over Yet
Editor’s note: Although most of us think of ticks and mosquitoes as primarily summer pests, sadly, they’re not. According to the University of Rhode Island Tick Encounter Center, some species of ticks, such as deer ticks, remain active as long as the temperature is above freezing. Still other kinds of ticks, such as the American dog tick and the Lone Star tick, just aren’t active in the cold weather, the Encounter Center experts say.
Watch: How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon
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Finding the Right Fitness Trainer for You
As summer turns to fall, you might be thinking about moving your exercise routine indoors. Once the weather gets snowy and frigid, it’s harder to get out and hit the walking or bike trails. Or you may be thinking that you want to move beyond your current 30-minute treadmill routine at the gym. A fitness trainer may be the way to go.
A trainer can help you do everything from helping you use the gym equipment correctly to taking your workout to the next level. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are some tips on how to find the best trainer for you.
A Good Way to Improve Nursing-Home Care
A “culture change” to a more residential atmosphere in nursing homes can lead to significant improvements in quality of care, according to a new study.
Researchers from Brown University examined the effect of culture change – an adjustment in nursing homes to allow a more flexible lifestyle for patients. Specifically, that means, among other adjustments, more resident choices in schedules and activities, and more input into care management from “front-line” workers who have close daily contact with residents.
Watch: Do You Have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
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Exercise Could Prevent Cognitive Decline
Cardiovascular exercise, which has been shown to help our bodies, may also protect our minds, according to new research.
Study: Watch Out for Prescription-Level NSAIDs
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.
Watch: 6 Easy Stress Busters
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Back to Basics: Counting Calories
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.
Antibacterial Soap May Be Unhealthy
Antibacterial soap may not have the health benefits you thought: A new study shows that washing with the soap exposes hospital workers to a high level of the potentially unsafe levels of the chemical triclosan.
Watch: How to Cope with Tech-Related Dry Eyes
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Which Alternative Headache Remedies Are Safe?
Depending on the severity of their condition, headache sufferers may take over the counter medications or prescription remedies. Many “alternative” 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
Regular practice of yoga can improve older adults’ 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.