Neanderthal DNA still lives on inside us
Neanderthals live on within us. These ancient human cousins, and others called Denisovans, once lived alongside our early Homo sapiens ancestors. They mingled and had children. We now know that some of who they were never went away — it’s in our genes. And science is starting to reveal just how much that shapes us. Using the new and rapidly improving ability to piece together... READ MORE
Acid reflux is common; so are remedies
My son, Michael, a lover of spicy cuisines, once accepted a taco-eating challenge in Orlando. After consuming 20-something street tacos complete with spicy salsa, he felt the aftermath, leading him to seek antacids. But acid reflux doesn’t only affect food contestants. In fact, approximately 20% of Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a more severe form of... READ MORE
Variety of ways to ease the winter blues
Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about seasonal affective disorder? I’ve always disliked winter, but since I retired and am home a lot more, the gray, cold winter months make me feel really blue. —Sad Sam Dear Sam, If you get depressed in the winter but feel better in spring and summer, you may indeed have seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a wintertime depression... READ MORE
Health Shorts — January 2024
Return of free Covid tests, telemed visits Last month, the federal government expanded the Home Test to Treat program — a virtual health program that offers free Covid-19 health services including at-home rapid tests, telehealth sessions and at-home treatments. Home Test to Treat, which is a collaboration of the National Institutes of Health, the Administration for Strategic... READ MORE
Why noses run and a yawn is contagious
There are certain things our bodies do so often and so automatically that we barely notice them. Yawning, growling stomachs and runny noses are good examples. Each is a universal part of our daily human experience. But did you ever wonder why? Below are a few things we know and a few we suspect. Why do we yawn? Perhaps you associate yawning only with being tired or bored. While we... READ MORE
Tips for coping with a dementia patient
Dementia poses many challenges both for people struggling with it and for those close to them. It can be hard to witness and cope with common behaviors that arise from illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia or frontotemporal dementia. Caring for a person who has dementia may be frustrating, confusing or upsetting at times. Understanding why certain behaviors occur and... READ MORE
Sauce for chewy, savory-sweet noodles
Scallion oil noodles, a popular Shanghainese dish, are springy wheat noodles dressed with scallion-infused oil, savory soy sauce, and sugar for balance. We slowly simmered scallion whites and thinly sliced shallot in peanut oil to draw out their aromas, with thin strips of ginger added for freshness. Dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar added to the scallion mixture helped form a ... READ MORE
Lifestyle choices reduce vision loss risk
Q: My mother has macular degeneration. How can I avoid getting it myself? A: Scientists have made progress in understanding what causes age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — the leading cause of vision loss for people ages 50 or older in the United States. We’ve learned that certain genes and lifestyle factors increase the risk for developing AMD, and we’ve discovered... READ MORE
Who can benefit from a cochlear implant?
Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m 70 years old and have worn hearing aids for about a decade. Over the past several years, my hearing seems to be getting worse. Although I have tried several different kinds of hearing aids, I feel as if they are not effective any longer. A friend suggested I ask an audiologist about cochlear implants. I thought those were just for people who are deaf. Could a... READ MORE
Exercise is key; it doesn’t matter when
The standard advice about exercise is to do about 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. But in terms of heart-related benefits, does it matter if you rack up most of your exercise minutes over just one or two days — as a “weekend warrior” — instead of spreading them out over an entire week? Earlier research has suggested that both patterns are equally beneficial. But those... READ MORE
