Snacks can be fine, if you snack smarter
Eating a snack or two between meals can curb hunger so that you don’t inhale everything on the dining room table when you finally sit down to supper. Snacking can also help you get in all the nutrients you need.On the flip side, grazing all day — particularly on foods of little nutritional value — may result in eating too much and packing on extra pounds. The key is taking ... READ MORE
Medicare open enrollment thru Dec. 7
It’s time for your annual checkup — of your Medicare plan. Medicare’s annual open enrollment period started Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7. This is the time of year you can make changes to your plans.Review your current Medicare Part D Prescription Drug and, if you have it, your Medicare Part C Advantage Plan coverage to see if you can lower your costs or find a... READ MORE
Avoiding delirium during a hospital stay
My mother was lucid and alert when she was hospitalized for pneumonia. But by the middle of the first night, she was wondering how she had ended up at a “hotel” that allowed strangers to enter her room at all hours. The second night, she wandered into the corridor, slipped and fractured a hip. She didn’t leave the hospital alive.Her story, though extreme, is sadly typical. ... READ MORE
Reaping benefits from simple meditation
Q: I have been hearing a lot more about mindfulness recently. Given my hectic life, it sounds like I might benefit. But I am not sure how to start. Any suggestions?A: Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment — and accepting it without judgment.Mindfulness meditation is an excellent way to get started. In mindfulness meditation, you learn... READ MORE
The truth about tequila and bone health
“Tequila could reverse osteoporosis!” “Drinking tequila is good for your bones!” “Have a third margarita — because tequila’s great for your bones!”Talk about misleading headlines! These are prime examples.It’s true that a newly published study found that a substance in tequila — called agave tequilana, or tequila agave... READ MORE
New technique depicts brain synapses
The brain’s nerve cells communicate by firing messages to each other through junctions called synapses. Problems with those connections are linked to disorders like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy.Now Yale University researchers have developed a way to picture synapses in living brains. The technique, using PET scans, is highly experimental, but it raises the possibility of one day... READ MORE
FDA approves new stent that dissolves
A medical implant that slowly dissolves into the body could be the answer to long-standing safety concerns with devices used to treat clogged arteries.But not so fast, say experts.Abbott Laboratories’ newly-approved Absorb stent comes with one important caveat: it hasn’t yet been shown to be safer than older metal implants. The Food and Drug Administration approved the... READ MORE
How regular exercise may cut cancer risk
Q: It makes sense that regular exercise helps prevent heart disease. But I have also read that it might help prevent cancer. What’s the reason?A: Many studies show that people who are physically active are less likely to develop cancer. Such associations don’t prove that exercise prevents cancer. But there are also several potential biological explanations for a protective... READ MORE
Where to donate hearing aids, glasses, etc.
Dear Savvy Senior: Where are some good places to donate old hearing aids, eyeglasses and mobility equipment? My uncle passed away a few months ago and left behind a bunch of useful aids that could surely help someone else. Searching Nephew Dear Searching: Donating old, unused assistive living aids and/or medical equipment is a great way to... READ MORE
Behavior changes may precede dementia
Memory loss may not always be the first warning sign that dementia is brewing — changes in behavior or personality might be an early clue.Researchers recently outlined a syndrome called “mild behavioral impairment” that may be a harbinger of Alzheimer’s or other dementias, and proposed a checklist of symptoms to alert doctors and families.Losing interest in favorite... READ MORE
Health 2024
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