Volunteers get trained for dementia visits

By Sununu Bah
Posted on August 14, 2017

During his eight years working in three nursing homes, John Wortman had a first-hand view of the needs of residents.He was struck by the fact that many of those with dementia were rarely, if ever, visited by family and friends. While the staff attended to their physical and medical needs, their intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs were not well addressed, fueling feelings of... READ MORE

Climbers reach for new heights

By Barbara Ruben
Posted on August 11, 2017

On Leslie Hulse’s 61st birthday, a couple of years ago, her niece took her rock climbing. As she scrabbled over the neon-colored toe and finger holds toward the top of the wall, Hulse had one thought: “‘Oh my gosh, I’m having so much fun!”Today, the Capitol Hill resident regularly scales the walls at Earth Treks indoor climbing gym in Crystal City, Va.“I... READ MORE

Some great home remedies for bug bites

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on August 10, 2017

You know when you have one of those awkward moments that you think could go viral on social media, if only someone had a camera on you? Well, recently, my friend was outside when a bug swooped from above and descended down her V-neck shirt. Faster than you can say “bugger,” she was stung or bit on not one, but both of her breasts.  It then dropped out the bottom of her shirt and... READ MORE

Some tips for those with low back pain

By Monique Tello, M.D.
Posted on August 04, 2017

Low back pain is the second leading cause of disability in the United States, and the fourth worldwide. It’s also one of the top five medical problems for which people see doctors. Almost every day that I see patients, I see someone with back pain. It’s one of the top reasons for lost wages due to missed work, as well as for healthcare dollars spent. Hence, it’s a very expensive... READ MORE

Falls take a rising toll on older brains

By Mike Stobbe
Posted on July 27, 2017

Older adults are suffering concussions and other brain injuries from falls at what appear to be unprecedented rates, according to a new report from U.S. government researchers. The reason for the increase isn’t clear, the report’s authors said. But one likely factor is that a growing number of older people are living at home and taking repeated tumbles, said one expert. “Many... READ MORE

Living drugs: new frontier in cancer care

By Lauran Neergaard
Posted on July 26, 2017

Ken Shefveland’s body was swollen with cancer, treatment after treatment failing until doctors gambled on a radical approach: They removed some of his immune cells, engineered them into cancer assassins and unleashed them into his bloodstream. Immune therapy is the hottest trend in cancer care and this is its next frontier — creating “living drugs” that grow inside the body into... READ MORE

Can cocoa flavanols prevent disease?

By Rebekah Alcalde
Posted on July 17, 2017

Chocolate lovers may be on to something. A new long-term study is trying to find out if taking daily, dietary supplements of cocoa extract containing cocoa flavanols and theobromine from the cocoa bean, and/or a standard multivitamin reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer.The study is being conducted in a partnership by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the... READ MORE

Beware of the sun if you take these drugs

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on July 12, 2017

Farmacia Sevilla España

Women face as many heart risks as men do

By Densie Webb, R.D.
Posted on July 07, 2017

In the U.S., 1 in 4 women will die from heart disease — almost half a million deaths each year. Yet the perception that heart disease is primarily a man’s disease persists. An American Heart Association survey found that fewer than half of American women are aware that heart disease is their leading killer. The reality is quite different — coronary heart disease (CHD) is the No. ... READ MORE

Coping with increasing food intolerance

By Matthew Solan
Posted on June 28, 2017

Who hasn’t eaten something that did not agree with them? But when your stomach issues become more frequent and severe, you might have a bigger digestion problem called food intolerance. Food intolerances occur more often as you age, since your digestion naturally becomes slower and your body produces fewer enzymes needed to break down food. “This allows more time for bacteria to... READ MORE