Ways to save money on healthier food
Contrary to what you may have heard, eating healthy doesn’t have to be really expensive. A meta-analysis of 27 existing studies by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that the healthiest diets only cost $1.50 more per day, on average, than the least healthy ones. Here are ways you can cut costs and eat healthy on a budget. Cook at... READ MORE
When is it safe to stop screening tests?
Screening tests, such as Pap smears or blood pressure checks, could save your life. They can detect a disease you have no reason to suspect is there. Early detection may allow treatment while a health condition is curable and before irreversible complications arise. Some screening tests help prevent the disease they are designed to detect. For example, colonoscopies and Pap smears (for... READ MORE
New studies target long Covid symptoms
The National Institutes of Health is beginning a handful of studies to test possible treatments for long Covid, an anxiously awaited step in U.S. efforts against the mysterious condition that afflicts millions. The July announcement from the NIH’s $1.15 billion RECOVER project came amid frustration from patients who’ve struggled for months or even years with sometimes-disabling... READ MORE
Six simple steps to a satisfying salad
Salads may get a poor reputation for being simply “rabbit food” or not satisfying enough to be more than a side dish. But you can learn how to make a salad that is more than just a side if you know what components to include. Our general six-step formula is helpful to have on hand for creating healthy, hearty, meal-sized salads. Then you can take it in endless directions by using... READ MORE
Exercise may fight residual Covid effects
If you’ve had a bout of Covid and are still feeling tired or out of breath, you’re not alone. As many as 20% of people who have recovered from an initial Covid infection have residual symptoms that affect their daily lives. That’s why the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center launched a study to determine whether exercise can help people recover faster. “The... READ MORE
Protect your lungs from wildfire smoke
Last month, huge wildfires throughout Canada caused smoke to blanket many U.S. cities. As a haze stretched over parts of the country, health authorities raised the alarm about poor air quality. A cascade of health effects may become a growing problem in the wake of wildfires, including downwind from the source, said Ed Avol, professor emeritus at the Keck School of Medicine at the... READ MORE
Zapping metastatic tumors with radiation
Oligometastatic cancer is an early form of stage 4 prostate cancer that has spread to other organs in the body, but only to a limited degree — generally defined as no more than three to five areas outside the prostate gland, most commonly the lymph nodes or bones. Barely a decade ago, it was considered universally fatal, and treatment was limited to systemic hormonal therapies that... READ MORE
Busting widely repeated nutrition myths
Nutrition is a hotly contested topic. Scrolling through social media, reading your favorite food blogs, and listening to podcasts exposes you to endless information about nutrition and health — much of which is a little suspect, to say the least. Myths that were previously passed through word-of-mouth now spread like wildfire through these channels, making it difficult to tell what’s ... READ MORE
Preventive screenings Medicare covers
Dear Savvy Senior, How does Medicare cover preventive health screenings? I’m due to get a physical and a colonoscopy this year, but I want to find out what I’ll have to pay for before I go in. —Just Turned 65 Dear Just Turned, You’ll be happy to know that Medicare covers a wide array of preventive and screening services to help you stay healthy. But not all... READ MORE
What a genetic counselor can do for you
Dear Mayo Clinic: My grandmother and mother, as well as an aunt and a cousin, have had breast cancer. Another cousin was diagnosed with colon cancer recently. It has been suggested that I undergo genetic counseling to determine my cancer risk. As a young man, is genetic testing necessary for me? What benefit would I gain from visiting a genetic counselor? A: Although it can be... READ MORE
