Recent Articles
Sundowning: What to know if your loved one with dementia experiences late-day symptoms
An action plan to fight unhealthy inflammation
How to treat spider bites and when you need to see your doctor
Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives
Skin care for aging skin: Minimizing age spots, wrinkles, and undereye bags
Medicare versus Medicaid: Key differences
Prostate cancer: Short-course radiation as effective as longer-term treatments
Lost a tooth? What to know about dental implants
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Evidence-based uses and unproven claims
Gatorade. Liquid IV. Do you need extra electrolytes?
Staying Healthy Archive
Articles
It’s not too late to get in better shape
No matter what your age, you can improve your fitness.
If it's been a long time since you've exercised and you're feeling less than fit, you might think that it's too late to make a change. But you're wrong. You can improve your fitness at any age.
"The stories in this area are actually very dramatic. Even people 100 years old or older can build muscle strength," says Dr. Edward Phillips, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School.
Another benefit of drinking green tea or coffee
News briefs
Drinking coffee or green tea is associated with many health benefits, such as better cardiovascular health, lower inflammation levels, and a reduced risk for developing chronic disease. Now, a study published online Oct. 20, 2020, by BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care suggests tea and coffee consumption are also linked to a reduced risk for early death among people with diabetes. Researchers evaluated the health and self-reported lifestyle habits — including diet — of about 5,000 people in Japan over five years. Compared with people who didn't drink any coffee or green tea, people who drank the most had much lower risks of premature death from any cause: about 40% lower for people who drank either two cups of coffee or four cups of tea per day; and 63% lower for people who drank both four cups of tea plus two cups of coffee per day. The study is only observational and doesn't prove that the drinks keep people alive longer. But we know coffee and tea contain powerful plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that are good for health.
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Vitamins A, E, and D tied to fewer colds, lung disorders
News briefs
Getting enough vitamins through diet (or a multivitamin, if necessary) is one of the best ways to bolster your immune system. And you may wonder if vitamins can also ward off colds and other respiratory conditions. An observational study published Oct. 27, 2020, by BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health offers encouraging news. Researchers evaluated the self-reported diet information of more than 6,000 British adults over eight years. People who reported the highest intakes of vitamins A and E from both diet and supplements, and high intake of vitamin D just from supplements, had the fewest complaints of respiratory illness, such as colds, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study doesn't prove that these vitamins prevented respiratory problems, but other studies have linked them to lower risks for respiratory disease. Vitamins are most effective when they come from diet. Good sources of vitamin A include liver; whole milk; cheese; carrots; and dark, leafy greens. Good sources of vitamin E include vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. It's difficult to get enough vitamin D from food (such as fish or fortified milk), so taking 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 provides some insurance.
Image: © o-che/Getty Images
Beware do-it-yourself cosmetic injections
Research we're watching
Cosmetic procedures, including injection of neurotoxins (like Botox) and dermal fillers, have become very popular for their power to smooth wrinkles and minimize signs of aging. But the American Academy of Dermatology is warning that these procedures are not for DIYers. An article published in the April 2020 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology outlined an uptick in the number of illegal injectable fillers and neurotoxins being sold to the public online. When used by trained providers, these products are generally safe, but serious complications can arise, including stroke, infections, blindness, and tissue death. In rare cases, improper use leads to fatal complications. Some people have been purchasing these products online and following Internet tutorials to inject the products themselves. If you are planning on having any of these treatments, be certain to have the procedure performed in a medical office by a licensed medical professional.
Image: © Anastasiia Kurman/Getty Images
How important are whole grains in my diet?
On call
Q. I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, but are whole grains also important?
A. Fruits and vegetables seem to get top billing on the healthy food list, but I put whole grains right up there. There are two types of grain: whole and refined. All grains grow as kernels, and each kernel has three layers:
Harder workout intensity may not increase your longevity
Research we're watching
Good news if you take a more leisurely approach to your workouts: a recent study found that people who performed harder workouts didn't live any longer, on average, when compared with people who did more moderate workouts. Researchers studied a group of people in Norway who participated in five years of supervised exercise training. The participants included 790 women and 777 men (with an average age of 73), divided into three groups. Everyone followed federal recommendations to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week. But in addition to that, one group received two supervised weekly sessions of high-intensity interval training. A second group added two supervised moderate-intensity continuous training workouts per week. All three groups continued their assigned workouts for five years.
At the conclusion of the trial, 4.6% of the participants had died, but there was no significant difference in death rates between the group that followed the modest federal exercise recommendations and the two groups that did the more intense workouts. In addition, all groups had similar levels of cardiovascular disease and deaths from cancer. However, that's not to say that participating in regular high-intensity workouts wasn't linked to any benefits. The participants who did the harder workouts had better outcomes on certain measures of mental health and physical fitness.
How to build a better core
Your core is more than just your abdominals — it also involves your hips, back, and even your shoulders. To strengthen your entire core, take a loaded carry walk.
Your core is the stable part of your body that helps make everyday movements more efficient and safe — like whenever you reach, carry, walk, bend, or twist. A strong core offers other health benefits as you age in addition to proper movement (see "Get more from your core").
Some floor exercises like the plank and superman poses are great for engaging your core muscles. A plank pose is where you hold a push-up position — with straight arms or resting on your forearms — for 10 to 30 seconds.
Reset your schedule, reset your health
Schedule shifts can hurt your health. The New Year is a great time to hit the reset button.
Throughout most of human history, the pattern of daily life was regular. Dreary for many, but regular. In recent centuries, "modern" life has introduced many irregularities, including changing work schedules. Advances in information technology mean that many of us are always connected — and that we spend time connecting at all hours. And the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced whole new irregularities into daily life.
One thing is certain: "When your schedule changes, you can lose the regular self-care routines that kept you active, eating right, and managing stress — things we need to control weight and inflammation and fight disease," says Dr. Monique Tello, a primary care physician and healthy lifestyle specialist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
Should you crank up your early allergy strategies this year?
Even if you're isolating to avoid COVID-19, it's still important to be proactive when it comes to allergies.
This is normally the time of year to think about taking medications to ward off spring allergies. Starting treatment about a month before the season (which begins in February in some parts of the country) gives the drug time to achieve its full effect and prevent symptoms.
But the pandemic may have you questioning that approach: is an early regimen necessary if you're isolating and you're not going outside very often? The answer is yes. "Even a short walk around the neighborhood, sitting on a patio, or simply opening the windows for fresh air could expose you to allergens," says Dr. Anna Wolfson, an allergist and immunologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
COACH yourself to success
Make this year's batch of New Year's resolutions stick by taking a new approach.
It's a new year, and you've got a resolution in mind. Whether it's aiming for a healthier diet, improving your stress management, or finally committing to that daily workout, achieving your goal probably won't be easy. Resolutions made on New Year's Day are often in the trash bin by Valentine's Day. But this year can be different if you learn how to COACH yourself to success.
Dr. Beth Frates, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, designed a strategy she calls COACH to move you toward your goals. It's a process that can help sidestep pitfalls that may have derailed you in the past.
Recent Articles
Sundowning: What to know if your loved one with dementia experiences late-day symptoms
An action plan to fight unhealthy inflammation
How to treat spider bites and when you need to see your doctor
Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives
Skin care for aging skin: Minimizing age spots, wrinkles, and undereye bags
Medicare versus Medicaid: Key differences
Prostate cancer: Short-course radiation as effective as longer-term treatments
Lost a tooth? What to know about dental implants
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Evidence-based uses and unproven claims
Gatorade. Liquid IV. Do you need extra electrolytes?
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