Volunteer for studies of lung health, COPD
If you’re a former smoker or are suffering from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or another lung illness, Johns Hopkins’ Breathe Center may be able to help. At the same time, you can help others if you enroll in one of the center’s many studies on lung health. The Baltimore Breathe Center, originally known as the Johns Hopkins Center for Childhood Asthma in the Urban... READ MORE
Social media: the good, the bad, the ugly
There are few things more characteristic of the 21st century — or more controversial — than social media. Whether it’s catching up with friends on Facebook, watching videos on YouTube, or posting a new selfie on Instagram, social media has come to dominate our lives, especially for young people. And given its undeniable presence and impact, it is essential that we consider its... READ MORE
Study pays you for trying to quit smoking
How many clinical trials offer a free T-shirt emblazoned with an image of your brain? A new Johns Hopkins research study that promises the T-shirt will try to help smokers quit by using e-cigarettes. Perhaps more enticing, the one-year study offers up to $1,690 in compensation to make a total of 16 visits to the Bayview Center in East Baltimore. You may qualify if you are up to 60... READ MORE
How to find the right post-hospital care
For patients and their families, a hospital stay can be a confusing and stressful time. But for hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries who are very sick or have complex needs, the question of where to go after the hospital may be even more difficult. Patients who need continued care after a hospital stay are destined for “post-acute care” — skilled nursing or therapy services that may ... READ MORE
Beacon celebrates 20th year of 50+Expos
For the past 20 years, the Beacon newspaper has been providing free community education events every fall for readers and their families. Known as the 50+Expos, they are held in both suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia for the convenience of residents throughout the metro area. Between the two events, more than 100 informative exhibitors will provide giveaways and helpful... READ MORE
A guide to grains for eating healthily
Grains can be confusing. We hear “eat more whole grains” and then “cut out grains.” What should we actually be doing? Grains are loaded with nutrients, including B vitamins and carbohydrates, your body’s main source of energy. In addition, whole grains such as oats and brown rice are good sources of fiber, protein and even more vitamins and minerals. It’s recommended that... READ MORE
Our quick guide to grains
Amaranth: Technically a seed, amaranth is high in protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Barley: Try traditional pearl barley in soups or as a base for a stir-fry. Brown rice: Always a better choice over white rice due to its fiber content, brown rice also contains magnesium and selenium. Buckwheat: Despite its name, this seed is gluten-free. Try it in... READ MORE
When your sense of smell lets you down
We spend our days interacting with the world around us through our senses of sight, sound and touch. But anyone who has developed complete nasal obstruction from an infection or severe allergies has experienced what it’s like to be without one of our most basic senses: our sense of smell. In other animals, the sense of smell is crucial for survival, reproduction and rearing of... READ MORE
Hope for nipping Alzheimer’s in the bud
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to nip Alzheimer’s disease in the bud before it got started — or at least nab it in its early stages? This has, of course, been the dream of researchers and medical professionals for several decades. Now it appears the dream might soon become a reality. Last month, an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences... READ MORE
Gut feelings: How food affects our mood
The human microbiome, or gut environment, is a community of different bacteria that has co-evolved with humans to be beneficial to both humans and the bacteria. Researchers agree that an individual’s unique microbiome is created within the first 1,000 days of life, but there are things you can do to alter your gut environment throughout life. In the relatively new field of... READ MORE
