Health and Fitness
Gaining Weight As We Age? Yup!
Every annual physical starts the same way – a stop by the dreaded scale. As both men and women get older it seems inevitable that a few extra pounds show up each year. While gaining three to five pounds might not seem like a big deal, it sure can be if it’s become an annual occurrence. We talked with Tufts Medical Center Clinical Bariatric Dietitia...Read More
To Test or Not! For Genetic Testing, Let’s Think This Through!
**When it comes to health and disease — and, of course, many other aspects of life — one thing is certain: genes matter. A single gene mutation can cause some conditions, such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. More often, multiple genes are involved in disease development, and they act in concert with nongenetic factors, such as diet or ex...Read More
Great Books on Dementia – For Those of Us Concerned about Aging Loved Ones
There’s a common misconception that people with dementia can’t maintain meaningful relationships. But 80 percent of people with dementia can effectively communicate, and approximately one-third of them can make important decisions, one study found. The best books on dementia break down barriers and provide helpful strategies to make those types of ...Read More
Our Aging Faces – and What (if anything) To Do About It
A gracefully aging face is a beautiful thing, but there are changes that occur with age that we would like to slow down. Age affects every nook and cranny of the body. Along with the wisdom, experience, and accomplishments that come with getting older, there are changes that occur in our outward appearance. Changes in our faces are most at the fore...Read More
6 regrets you don’t want to have as you get older
Wouldn’t that be amazing if we could live a life without absolutely any regrets? The best we can do in life though is try not to do things we will inevitably regret later. Here are 6 regrets you do NOT want to have in your life.
8 Risk Factors for Bone Fracture
Fact: More than half of all bone fractures are in people with osteopenia rather than osteoporosis. Right now may be the perfect time to bone up on your potential fracture risk. If you haven’t heard of FRAX, it stands for Fracture Risk Assessment Tool. It was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to estimate a person’s risk of bone fractu...Read More
Create a Wellness Plan: Independent Living Communities May = Health and Better Living!
Just about everyone looks forward to retirement. The day you finally get to hang up your hat for good and break free of the 9-to-5 is a cause for celebration! It represents the beginning of the rest of your life, spent doing what you want to do instead of what you have to in order to earn a living. Of course, there are some things you’ll need to pa...Read More
For Osteoarthritis, Finding Relief Doesn’t HAVE to Mean More Pills!
Osteoarthritis? Here are some steps you can take to reduce your reliance on medication to control symptoms and stay functional. For mild wear-and-tear osteoarthritis, an occasional dose of an over-the-counter pain reliever may be all you need to control the pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis and keep living your life as you please. B...Read More
I’ll Take Some Mouthwash, Aspirin, and Oh Yeah – Some Hearing Aids!
When Congress passed the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act in 2017, it opened up a new world of possibility for people with hearing loss. Instead of paying $5,000 for a pair of FDA-approved hearing aids and follow-up service, you could pay hundreds of dollars for an OTC pair from any seller — no doctor appointments, hearing tests, or fittings ...Read More
Concerned? Weak Bones (Osteopenia) – but not quite Osteoporosis
Like their names suggest, osteopenia and osteoporosis are related diseases. Both are varying degrees of bone loss, as measured by bone mineral density, a marker for how strong a bone is and the risk that it might break. If you think of bone mineral density as a slope, normal would be at the top and osteoporosis at the bottom. Osteopenia, which affe...Read More
Achieving A Healthy Weight – It Doesn’t Just Happen
It’s the new year. Resolutions abound. And we’re thinking that weight loss is one of the most popular of the resolutions out there! You may have heard that losing weight is as easy as eating less and exercising more. Well it is true—taking in fewer calories than you use each day is the simplest way to lose weight. Never mind the fad d...Read More
Staying Engaged: Just What The Brain Doctor Ordered!
Declining brain health is perhaps the greatest fear of older adults. The good news is that you can take steps to maintain your thinking and memory for many years to come. A healthy diet, regular aerobic exercise, and proper sleep are essential to keep your brain healthy. But work engagement and life satisfaction are two additional factors that conf...Read More