Zinc: What it does for the body, and the best food sources
Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help
Tips to leverage neuroplasticity to maintain cognitive fitness as you age
Can white noise really help you sleep better?
Celiac disease: Exploring four myths
What is prostatitis and how is it treated?
What is Cushing syndrome?
Exercises to relieve joint pain
Think your child has ADHD? What your pediatrician can do
Foam roller: Could you benefit from this massage tool?
Staying Healthy Archive
Articles
Keeping tabs on triglycerides
People monitor their cholesterol levels, but they should also watch their triglycerides.
Most people have heard of the two main kinds of cholesterol: the "good" HDL and the "bad" LDL. Doctors focus on controlling LDL, as high levels can lead to a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries and block blood flow, which can trigger a heart attack or stroke.
A blood test called a lipid profile measures your HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol levels. But within that test is another number you should not ignore: your triglyceride levels.
Focus on easier reading
Here's how to make reading and close-up work less stressful on the eyes.
At some point, almost everyone needs reading glasses. As people age, their eyes naturally lose their ability to focus up close, a condition called presbyopia. This occurs when the lenses inside the eyes become less flexible.
Common signs of presbyopia include the need to hold reading material at arm's length, blurred vision, and eye fatigue when doing close-up work.
Run for a healthier life
Not a big fan of running? Good news: You don't need to run fast or far to reap its many rewards.
Running is perhaps the oldest form of exercise and one that offers some of the greatest health benefits.
Running has shown to improve heart health, assist with weight loss, and improve mood. Worried about your joints? Some studies have found that running may actually improve the health of aging knees and ease symptoms of osteoarthritis like joint pain and stiffness.
Puppy love may help your heart
An increasing body of research shows that dog ownership may boost heart health.
Looking to improve your heart health? You might want to think about getting a dog.
A growing body of scientific research suggests that having a canine companion is associated with number of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health. "Numerous studies from Scandinavia, England and the United States suggest that dog owners have better health than individuals who don't own dogs. But what we really want to know is whether owning dogs produces better health or if it just means that healthier individuals are more likely to own dogs," says Dr. Dhruv Satish Kazi, a cardiologist and associate director of the Smith Center of Outcomes Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a member of the faculty of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
What is inflammation, and why is it dangerous?
Ask the doctors
Q. I've heard a lot recently about inflammation being a health risk, but I'm not sure I really understand what it is. Can you explain?
A. When people talk about inflammation, they're actually talking about your immune system's response to a perceived injury or infection. When you're injured, this inflammation is actually a good thing. The area you injured will become red and swell as an army of beneficial white blood cells flow in to fight infection and help you heal. The same response occurs in other parts of your body when you encounter a virus or infection. But sometimes this immune response occurs when it shouldn't. It can be triggered, for example, when you are exposed to toxins, and by other causes such as chronic stress, obesity, and autoimmune disorders. In these cases, instead of moving in, healing the problem, and then returning to normal, the inflammation persists over time. It's thought that this chronic state of inflammation can lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and even cancer.
Plant milk or cow’s milk: Which is better for you?
As long as the nutrient profile is the same, choosing one or the other is really about preference.
Plant-based milks line the shelves in the refrigerator section of most supermarkets these days: soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk, even milk made from rice, oats, or peas. Choosing a plant-based product seems like it would be a healthy option. But is it always? And is it better for you than drinking cow's milk?
We asked Vasanti Malik, adjunct assistant professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, for some advice on how to choose the best product.
Longer work week, higher blood pressure
Research we're watching
A long work week may raise your blood pressure, according to a study published online Dec. 19, 2019, by Hypertension. Researchers found that among more than 3,500 Canadian workers, those who worked 49 hours a week or more were more likely to have high blood pressure than workers who were on the job fewer than 35 hours a week. Blood pressure was measured at the start and end of the five-year study as well as once midway through. Readings were taken by both a trained technician and a wearable monitoring device. Even after adjusting for other factors, the 49-hour-plus workers were 70% more likely to have a type of high blood pressure called masked hypertension (normal blood pressure readings at doctor visits but high outside of that setting) and 66% more likely to have sustained hypertension (defined as consistently high blood pressure readings both in and outside of the doctor's office). People who worked 41 to 48 hours a week also had higher blood pressure than those who worked fewer than 35 hours a week.
Image: NicoElNino/Getty Images
A thousand rideshare options for older adults
News briefs
Catching a ride to the doctor or grocery store has never been easier, thanks to rideshare services like Uber or Lyft. You simply download an app to your smartphone and enter your credit card information. Then you can just tap a button whenever you need a ride. But if you're not comfortable with the concept, take heart: the United States now has about a thousand rideshare services that cater to older adults, according to a CDC-funded study conducted by NORC, a nonprofit research organization based at the University of Chicago. The results were released Dec. 5, 2019. Researchers found more than 900 individual nonprofit rideshare services and three for-profit rideshare companies (with a total of 888 locations) available for older adults in the United States. The rides weren't just for doctor or grocery store visits. Many rides were for other errands, work, or fun (an important point, since older adults are at risk for isolation). Also appealing: about two-thirds of the rides were free, and about a third of the services provided help in and out of the vehicle. Want to give it a try? Contact your local Area Agency on Aging (www.health.harvard.edu/aaa) to find groups that offer rides for older adults.
Image: adamkaz/Getty Images
Consumer alert: CBD products not necessarily safe
News briefs
The FDA is urging consumers to use caution with products infused with cannabidiol (CBD), the cannabis-derived extract that's touted as a cure-all. CBD is widely available in creams, tinctures, oils, patches, gummy bears, capsules, and more. But some products are being sold illegally, with claims that CBD can treat health conditions. In November, the FDA cracked down on 15 companies that were making such claims, or that were illegally adding CBD to food or selling it as a dietary supplement. "We remain concerned that some people wrongly think that the myriad of CBD products on the market, many of which are illegal, have been evaluated by the FDA and determined to be safe, or that trying CBD can't hurt.' Aside from one prescription drug approved to treat two pediatric epilepsy disorders, these products have not been approved by the FDA, and we want to be clear that a number of questions remain regarding CBD's safety," says FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy. Even legal CBD products have potential health risks such as liver injury, drug interactions, sedation, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and mood changes. Talk to your doctor before trying any new supplement, especially if it contains CBD.
Image: Alena Okunkova/Getty Images
Zinc: What it does for the body, and the best food sources
Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help
Tips to leverage neuroplasticity to maintain cognitive fitness as you age
Can white noise really help you sleep better?
Celiac disease: Exploring four myths
What is prostatitis and how is it treated?
What is Cushing syndrome?
Exercises to relieve joint pain
Think your child has ADHD? What your pediatrician can do
Foam roller: Could you benefit from this massage tool?
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
Sign Up
