Category: health-letter

Chronic conditions, dehydration, low vitamin D levels, and medication side effects can all lead to a fall.

While eating several meals per week of fish has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, fish do contain small amounts of toxic substances – particularly mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls.

Added sugar is a risk for weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and even dementia. Women should limit added sugar intake to 6 teaspoons per day, and men should limit added sugars to 9 teaspoons per day.

Exercising at home is much easier than people think. A simple routine can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life and stop the decline in muscle mass that happens naturally with aging.

Drinking green tea may have health benefits such as an increased metabolism and a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

Treating gum disease is associated not only with better health, but also with lower health care costs.

Atrial fibrillation (afib) is an irregular, quivering heartbeat that is associated with older age. Hospitalizations from afib are expected to increase as the baby boomer population ages.

People need flexible muscles in order to extend the arms and legs, walk across a room, and maintain balance. A program of daily stretching is recommended for people who’ve lost flexibility.

Ask the doctor: Vitamin B12 essential for thinking skills?

It’s unclear how much protein is essential as people get older. It’s best to follow the current Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein intake, which is 46 grams per day for women and 56 grams for men.