The cold sore connection to Alzheimer’s
Cold sores are a common problem, and people everywhere get them. If you have not had them, you probably know someone who has. [Ed. Note: They should not be confused with canker sores. See “Canker sores not contagious.”] They are caused by a virus known as herpes simplex, and about 90% of people are infected with it. Most of us pick up the virus in childhood and recover from the cold... READ MORE
Safe storage is important for insulin pens
Q: I am diabetic and use an insulin pen. I am often confused over how to store the product and how long it can last once opened. Can you help me? A: Insulin is used to lower blood sugar in patients with diabetes/high blood sugar. Insulin can come packaged in vials (for injection by syringe) as well as in injectable pen devices that utilize a spring activated by a simple push-button to ... READ MORE
Some practical ways to reduce food waste
Consumers around the world waste mountains of food. In fact, food is the largest category of waste in landfills, where it generates methane, a contributor to global climate change. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that uneaten food belts out 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gases to the earth’s atmosphere each year. If global food waste were a... READ MORE
What acupuncture does Medicare cover?
Dear Savvy Senior: Is acupuncture a viable treatment for pain and is it covered by Medicare? Since the pandemic hit, I have a lot of lower back and neck pain and am wondering if it’s worth trying. What can you tell me? —Looking for Solutions Dear Looking: Many studies over the years — funded by the National Institutes of Health — have found acupuncture to be very... READ MORE
Study pays volunteers 60+ to exercise
What’s the best way to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease? It might be by exercising several days a week. If that sounds daunting, consider enrolling in a study at the University of Maryland, which pays you to work out in your home for four hours a week. The Exercise for Brain Health — Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease study (E4BH-FAD) began in early 2019, but had to cancel... READ MORE
Blood test for Alzheimer’s now available
A company has started selling the first blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease — a leap for the field that could make it much easier for people to learn whether they have dementia. It also raises concern about the accuracy and impact of such life-altering news. Independent experts are leery because key test results have not been published, and the test has not been approved... READ MORE
Medicare to cover hospital care at home
Hospitals will be allowed to care for Medicare patients in their own homes during the pandemic under a government program called Acute Hospital Care at Home, announced in November. It is designed to help hospitals deal with the latest surge. Some hospitals already offer patients with private insurance the choice of getting care at home instead of in the hospital. The pandemic... READ MORE
Editing genes may end sickle cell disease
Scientists are seeing promising early results from the first studies testing gene editing for painful, inherited blood disorders that plague millions worldwide, especially Black people. Doctors hope the one-time treatment, which involves permanently altering DNA in blood cells with a tool called CRISPR, may treat and possibly cure sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. Partial... READ MORE
If someone in your home has COVID…
You’ve been vigilant throughout the pandemic, wearing masks, avoiding close contact with people — but now someone in your household has come down with COVID. Your odds of contracting the virus are as high as 50%, according to one study. What do you do? First, of course, quarantine the sick person, and wear a mask indoors. Second, consider enrolling in a Johns Hopkins study at Green... READ MORE
Overview of video chat services, devices
What’s the key to staying in touch with others this winter? The ability to enjoy all the face time you want with people outside your household while still practicing social distancing. And that means more virtual visits. By now, most people are accustomed to using technology for face-to-face conversations. “It became a part of my life, seeing people in two dimensions instead of... READ MORE
