Alzheimer’s disease experts say having a brain scan done is not a good choice for many people who believe they may have the condition. New guidelines published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia advise the use of positron emission tomography (PET) scans only for cases of progressive dementia for individuals under the age of 65, people who… Read more »
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National Senior Independence Month focuses on healthy aging in place
With people living longer and healthier lives, there is a growing movement focused on aging in place, or living independently in one’s home for as long as senior citizens are able to keep up with the physical and cognitive demands of maintaining their own residences. The day-to-day activities in the typical senior citizen’s home demands the… Read more »
National Cancer Prevention Month focuses on lowering risk of disease
Every day it seems there’s news of a well-loved food that’s believed to cause cancer or a report of a wonder drug that helps prevent the disease. What’s a person to do? According to the Mayo Clinic, by living healthy in general you can lower your risk of cancer and many other ailments. That’s good advice, particularly in February when… Read more »
Study finds emotional stress may affect hearing in women
A new study by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that emotional exhaustion, particularly for women, is linked to hypersensitivity to sound. After exposing 208 women and 140 men, ages 23 to 671, to five-minute intervals of physical, mental and social stress, women who were the most emotionally stressed showed the strongest sensitivity to sounds,… Read more »
Wise Healthcare Consumer Month is a time to consider best health choices
The rising cost of healthcare is a concern for most Americans and is so serious that many may cut back on their health needs to save money, according to the American Institute for Preventive Medicine (AIPM). It doesn’t have to be that way if individuals and the companies where they work would embrace intelligent health… Read more »
Certain kinds of breast cancer may be reduced by eating more fruits and vegetables
Eating more fruits and vegetables, long considered a major part of a healthy lifestyle, may also help lower the risk of a type of breast cancer that is generally difficult to treat. Data from 20 studies on women who were followed by researchers for as long as two decades suggests that there may be a link between… Read more »
Being kind reaps emotional benefits for both children and adults
It turns out that paying it forward may be good for one’s health. Small acts of kindness often make people feel good, and now a study at the University of California (UC) Riverside seems to prove that. Researchers there studied the effect that being nice to others has on one’s happiness and determined that a… Read more »
Heart-healthy diets may not improve cognitive function in seniors
A study by scientists at a nutritional research center in France found that the heart-healthy benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet don’t necessarily strengthen cognitive ability in people as they age. A Mediterranean diet, so named for the cuisine of that region, is heavy in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and olive oil. It has long been associated… Read more »
Electronic devices used right before bed may disturb rest for children
In an ideal world, elementary school children would get 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night and teens about eight to nine hours. That’s according to the National Sleep Foundation, which promotes nightly rest to keep people healthy and alert for all that life throws at them. Real life, in which young people spend a growing amount… Read more »
Minor interruptions can cause errors in daily tasks
A glance at a text message – one of many seemingly tiny interruptions that occur every day – can distract people long enough to make mistakes while they work on daily tasks. That’s what researchers at Michigan State University, who considered the effect of minor distractions, discovered when they examined the influence that such interruptions could have. In… Read more »