We all probably need to drink more water
Do you drink enough water each day? If not, your overall health may be taking a toll. Drinking water regularly can help you to lose weight, think better, be in a better mood, prevent disease and more. How our bodies use water Water makes up about 60% of our body weight. It’s vital for almost every function in the body. Water acts as a building block, a solvent for chemical... READ MORE
Men get osteoporosis, too; how to fight it
Dear Savvy Senior: Can men get osteoporosis or is it primarily a problem for women? When I fell and broke my wrist last winter, the doctor that treated me told me I might have osteoporosis, but I never got it checked. What can you tell me? —Bony Bill Dear Bill: Many people think osteoporosis is a woman’s disease, but men can get it too, especially in their later years.... READ MORE
California changes its mind about coffee
After raising the prospect last year of requiring a cancer warning on coffee, California officially gave its blessing to coffee in June, declaring the beverage does not pose a “significant” cancer risk. The rule, proposed a year ago by regulators, means coffee won’t have to carry ominous warnings that the beverage may be bad for you. The state took the rare move after a Los... READ MORE
Lifestyle may offset Alzheimer’s genetic risk
A large study has found that, regardless of how much genetic risk someone had for Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, a good diet, adequate exercise, limiting alcohol and not smoking made dementia less likely. About 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type. Genes and lifestyle contribute to many diseases, but researchers only... READ MORE
A second look at MSG corrects the record
It’s commonly accepted as fact that MSG, a.k.a. monosodium glutamate, is something we should avoid. It’s the culprit behind so-called “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” and contributor to myriad health problems, right? But is there any substance behind MSG’s bad reputation? What is MSG? Glutamate is one of 20 amino acids — the building blocks of protein — but it’s also an... READ MORE
Surprise medical bills are a national issue
Even if you carefully select a healthcare provider in your insurance plan’s network, you could still end up with an unexpected bill for thousands of dollars. A study by the Health Care Cost Institute found that one in seven patients received a surprise bill even though the care was delivered at an in-network hospital. These surprise medical bills tend to happen when one member of the... READ MORE
Hot chili peppers could help with chronic pain
Many people like a little kick to their dish, whether that’s through hot sauce or some other type of spicy ingredient. But can a fiery sensation help treat chronic pain? A possible method for understanding chronic pain better could be through capsaicin, an irritant from hot chili peppers that produces a burning sensation, according to Dr. Claudia Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor of ... READ MORE
Hearing is essential to health, well-being
For many years, it was clear that my father was becoming hard of hearing. Normally gregarious and the life of the party, he became increasingly withdrawn because he couldn’t hear well enough to partake in conversations around the table. He began to walk with a shuffling gait. He was declining in front of my eyes. And yet, when we communicated by email, his intellectual curiosity and... READ MORE
Your smartphone can help with meds
Q: It’s hard for me to keep up with my daily medication routine, and I sometimes forget a dose. Are there any tools or technology out there that I can use to help? A: If you have trouble remembering to take the right medicine at the right time, you’re not alone. Taking medications as prescribed, also known as medication adherence, is a common problem for many people. According to ... READ MORE
How cooking helped me cope with Mom
The following is excerpted from the new book, The Lost Kitchen, by Miriam Green. In it, the author shares family recipes and discusses her mother’s Alzheimer’s and how it affected her family. Those early months were difficult. I didn’t want to believe the diagnosis. If I was being honest with myself, though, I knew with certainty that Mom had Alzheimer’s. I was not prepared... READ MORE
