Studying vitamin D’s effect on fall risk
Falls are the leading cause of injury and accidental death in adults over the age of 65. Every year, more than 33 percent of seniors fall in the United States. Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for an injury related to a fall.Clutter, inappropriate footwear, poor balance, distractions and tripping hazards can all contribute to a stumble or fall, potentially... READ MORE
Strategies to cope with the loss of a pet
More than a third of American households own at least one pet, and people often have close bonds with them. In one study, 13 of 16 people said they would give a hard-to-get lifesaving medicine to their pet over non-family people.The death or loss of a pet can be a traumatic experience and result in grief and bereavement. The loss is unique in a number of ways. While pets may die naturally,... READ MORE
Are artificial sweeteners bad for the brain?
Sometimes it seems like people trying to choose a healthy diet and watch their weight can’t catch a break.Past studies have linked the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and obesity. So it’s easy to understand the appeal of diet soft drinks and other artificially sweetened beverages.If you drink two cans of Coke per day,... READ MORE
What’s behind all the talk about turmeric?
The turmeric plant (Curcuma longa or Curcuma domestica) is a relative of ginger grown in India and Indonesia. This yellow-orange spice not only gives curries their rich color, it also has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years.Research on some of the chemical compounds in turmeric is finding a wealth of potential health benefits, but does turmeric itself live up to the... READ MORE
Hospitals can treat pain without opioids
A car crash shattered Stuart Anders’ thigh, leaving pieces of bone sticking through his skin. Yet Anders begged emergency room doctors not to give him powerful opioid painkillers.He’d been addicted once before and panicked at the thought of relapsing. “I can’t lose what I worked for,” he said.The nation’s opioid crisis is forcing hospitals to begin... READ MORE
Speech may be first clue to mental decline
Your speech may, um, help reveal if you’re, uh...developing thinking problems. More pauses, filler words and other verbal changes might be an early sign of mental decline, which can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests.Researchers had people describe a picture they were shown in taped sessions two years apart. Those with early-stage mild cognitive impairment slid much... READ MORE
Avoid spinning out of control with vertigo
Vertigo isn’t just a catchy song by the band U2, or a famous movie by Alfred Hitchcock. It’s also a common symptom that has multiple potential causes.Although most people think that vertigo has to involve a spinning sensation, vertigo is actually the sensation that one is moving or that one’s surroundings are moving in the absence of any actual movement.A balancing actTo... READ MORE
Interages brings the generations together
In the 1980s, Austin Heyman knew that something had to be done to improve the sometimes rocky relationship between the older and younger generations.“Somebody brought to my attention an article about intergenerational connections,” Heyman recalled. “Since I’d worked a lot with schools and kids’ issues, I thought that it would be beneficial to have those... READ MORE
Ways to boost your energy without coffee
We all experience fatigue or low energy at some point in our lives. Sometimes it is temporary — like after an all-nighter, or a bout with the flu. Whatever the cause, fatigue is difficult to deal with. One common but overlooked reason for fatigue is a missed diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Today, I’ll share my secrets for natural and effective ways to improve energy… without... READ MORE
Passion for people, public policy
“My main goal is to help the citizens of Howard County — the older adult community, the very young — live the best life possible,” said Jackie Scott, the new director of the county’s Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS). It’s a tall order, but the position puts Scott, who has lived in Columbia for over two decades, in a strong position to work towards it. The ... READ MORE
