Older seniors are often willing to talk about death, but they’re rarely asked about it. British researchers interviewed several dozen people over 95 years of age about their attitudes on death and end-of-life care and noted that most of them felt … [Read more...]
Health News
Quote of the Week
“Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length.” ~ Robert Frost … [Read more...]
Vitamin D Levels Linked to Cardiovascular Disease Risk
New research suggests that the risk of cardiovascular disease could be predicted by measuring levels of total and bioavailable vitamin D in both men and women. The study analyzed the vitamin D levels of 4,200 individuals aged 52-76 and assessed … [Read more...]
Musculoskeletal Pain Common in Veterans
A recent study investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among United States veterans. The study included 5,237,763 former soldiers and found that non-traumatic joint pain (27%), back pain (25%), and osteoarthritis (21%) are the most … [Read more...]
Too Few Children Get 60 Minutes of Exercise Daily
In this study, investigators observed 453 schoolchildren during a one-week period and found that only 15% achieved the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each day. Furthermore, compared with normal or underweight … [Read more...]
Daily Fruit Consumption Helps the Heart
Consuming fresh fruit, such as apples and oranges, each day appears to reduce the risk of dying from either a heart attack or stroke by about one-third. Investigators collected data on more than 500,000 adults between 2004 and 2009 and found that … [Read more...]
Diabetes Has Quadrupled Worldwide Since 1980
According to a new report, the number of men and women diagnosed with diabetes around the globe increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014, with the most severe increases noted in low- and middle-income countries. Experts say these … [Read more...]
Sleepless Nights Linked to Changes in the Brain
Chinese researchers report that insomnia may lead to abnormalities in the white matter of the brain, the tissue which carries information between the various parts of the organ. For the study, the researchers recruited 23 patients with primary … [Read more...]
Quote of the Week
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ~ Seneca … [Read more...]
Experts Unsure If Seniors Should Have Routine Vision Checks
A panel of experts concludes there is not enough data to say whether or not seniors should be routinely screened for vision trouble by their primary care physicians. According to the panel, primary care doctors typically check vision with an eye … [Read more...]
Is it CTS or Double Crush Syndrome?
Many patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may also have median nerve entrapments further up the course of the nerve (in the neck, shoulder, elbow, etc). When the median nerve is encumbered at two anatomical locations, it's described as a double … [Read more...]
Brain Chemicals Affected By Exercise
Researchers have found that people who exercise not only have better physical fitness than inactive persons, but they also have better mental fitness. Using MRI scans, researchers found that intense exercise increased the levels of two common … [Read more...]
High-Fat Diet May Raise Cancer Risk
New research suggests that a high-fat diet could increase the risk of colon cancer. In this study, researchers fed healthy mice a high-fat diet (60% of total calories from fat) for nine months and found the mice gained 30- 50% more body mass and … [Read more...]
Secondhand Smoke Exacerbates COPD Symptoms
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease that makes breathing difficult and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. A recent study found 20% of COPD patients live with an active smoker and 27% were … [Read more...]