Staying Healthy Archive

With an emphasis on proper speed and form, a regular walking routine can make great strides toward improving your health.

A dedicated walking program can be your main source of exercise.
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Walking is the oldest exercise, but nowadays it tends to be recommended only for people who have trouble staying active, have mobility issues, or are recovering from an injury or surgery. Yet you should rethink the role walking can play in your overall fitness.

It is normal to lose some weight as a person ages. In fact, an estimated 10% to 20% of men older than age 65 lose 5% or more of their body weight over the rest of their lifetime. However, losing 5% of total weight in one year or 10% over two years warrants some medical testing.

The hype around human growth hormone (HGH) comes from a few studies that showed HGH injections can increase lean body mass and shrink body fat, which led to claims of HGH as an “anti-aging” hormone. Yet, the benefits of HGH supplementation for older adults are unproven, and there are concerns about potential side effects.

Travel can keep you active and healthy, but to enjoy your journey, make sure you are well prepared.

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Travel at any age is not only fun and exciting but also good medicine. "Experiencing new places often stimulates positive reactions," says Dr. Esteban Franco-Garcia, a geriatric physician with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "It helps you remain physically active and offers the brain new challenges."

In fact, a survey of American travelers reported by the Global Coalition on Aging found that 93% felt happier after time away, 77% believed their health improved afterward, and about 80% said travel increased their productivity, energy, and focus.

Loneliness and social isolation raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, and even early death, says a new study. The risk was similar to light smoking or obesity. 

This summer, it's especially important to take precautions against mosquitoes and ticks.

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You're no doubt aware that a mosquito bite can transmit the Zika virus and that pregnant women infected with the virus may have babies with microcephaly—incomplete brain development. Although Zika is getting the most attention this summer, mosquitoes and ticks carrying the pathogens responsible for other conditions, including West Nile fever, Lyme disease, encephalitis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, are still at large in areas of the United States.

While scientists work to develop vaccines against these illnesses, the best protection is still prevention. "One thing everyone can do is to reduce their risk of exposure," says Dr. Mary E. Wilson, adjunct associate professor of global health and population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Getting the best protection depends on the type of bug you're protecting yourself against.

You can take measures to keep yourself or a loved one from becoming confused and disoriented during hospitalization.

Arranging for support from family and friends is one of the most important things you can do when planning a hospital stay.
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During hospital stays, about half of people over 65 have episodes of delirium (a sudden change in mental status), according to several major studies. Those who do are at increased risk for developing cognitive impairment and dementia after their release.

Although they may seem unfamiliar, these nutritious foods are as easy to cook and use as white rice.

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Refined carbohydrates are out; whole grains are in. That's one of the messages from the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It makes a lot of sense, given that diets rich in whole grains are linked with a reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers.

"All the grains we eat now started as whole grains, but we've stripped them down and lost some of the nutrition," says Stacey Nelson, manager of clinical nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Sun protection is essential whenever you are outdoors. Self-tanning products offer a safe alternative for attaining that sun-kissed look.

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Gone are the days when we were urged to soak up the rays to get a healthy glow and absorb the "sunshine vitamin." Decades of medical research have determined that sun exposure causes skin cancer and that a nutritious diet and supplementation are reliable ways to obtain the vitamin D essential for good health. In other words, there is no good reason to expose your skin to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

There is no such thing as a healthy suntan. "A tan is a response to DNA damage," says Dr. Barbara Gilchrest, a dermatologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Such damage is instrumental in the development of skin cancer, and it also accelerates skin aging. "Some women may tan well for many years, but eventually the skin quality will change, become leathery, develop lentigenes ["age spots"], and then coarse wrinkling," Dr. Gilchrest says. If you're a lifelong tanner, compare the skin on the underside of your upper arm or buttocks to a tanned area, and you'll see evidence of the changes wrought by UV radiation.