Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

A prediabetes diet is an eating plan that may help prevent prediabetes from turning into full-blown diabetes. Many different foods can fit into this style of eating, including fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. While no foods are off-limits, prediabetes diets generally are low in sugary foods, refined carbohydrates, fast foods, fried foods, and alcohol.

Some prescription and over-the-counter drugs produce side effects that resemble problems tied to aging, such as memory lapses, balance issues, or fatigue. Older adults are more sensitive to medication side effects because their body composition and metabolism change.

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by too much uric acid, which leaves the bloodstream and settles in joints. Uric acid crystals can form in joints, causing redness, swelling and pain—a gout flare. Drugs taken over a long term can lower uric acid levels and prevent flares.

Early symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be subtle and progress slowly. They include shortness of breath, chronic cough, fatigue, increased mucus or phlegm, and intermittent wheezing or chest tightness.

Most cancer screening guidelines recommend an upper age limit to cease regular testing. But older adults should ask their doctor whether the benefits of continuing screening outweigh the risks, which may include unnecessary treatments and potentially dangerous complications.

Intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy delivers vitamins, minerals, and fluids directly into the bloodstream. It is marketed as a quick fix for fatigue, immune health, and hangovers. But scientific evidence does not back up those claims, and IV therapy also poses risks.

While menopause means the end of irregular periods and heavy bleeding typical in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS; formerly polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS), they continue to face some of the same symptoms along with greater lifelong health risks.

A 2026 national survey suggested that half of all American adults under 50—and 35% of older adults—get health information from social media influencers or podcasters, the minority of whom are health care professionals. People should be skeptical of any advice from these sources.

A 2026 research review and analysis suggested that consuming more soy products and other legumes was associated with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

People may cough more at night or in the morning due to phlegm or throat irritation that affects the airways when they’re lying flat. Coughing helps clear mucus and other secretions that collect there.