Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

Aging well is sometimes a matter of luck, but there are some strategies that increase the chances of living well for longer. These include protecting brain health by adopting healthy lifestyle habits, walking regularly, and regularly reviewing medications to ensure that you still need to be taking them, that you are taking the correct dose and to prevent dangerous side effects. Other strategies such as learning to use technology to increase connections with others and using assistive devices, such as walkers or canes, can help people remain independent for longer.

Regular exercise and stretching can reduce knee pain related to some common conditions. Exercises that strengthen muscle groups in the upper and lower legs, hips, and core can help them better support the knee and improve movement. Strength-building exercises should be done at least two days a week, and stretches should be performed daily.

Silent heart attacks often go unnoticed because they don’t produce any symptoms or only mild symptoms that are mistaken for something else, such as heartburn or muscle pain. They are thought to make up from 20% to 60% of heart attacks and can raise risk of a future heart attack or related problem. Both women and men are at substantial risk. Making lifestyle changes and being proactive about managing risk factors for heart disease can help prevent future heart-related problems.

On busy nights, a quick, healthy dinner can be pulled together from convenience items from the local grocery store.  Precooked protein, vegetarian foods from the freezer section, and quick-cooking seafood and grains are some options to try.  The best options are those without added sauces, and that are low in sodium and added sugar. Choose unseasoned options whenever possible, and season food at home to avoid unwanted additions.

Essential tremor causes involuntary shaking, most often in the hands, head and voice. It may be an inherited condition and is different from another well-known tremor disorder called Parkinson’s disease. There is no cure, but symptoms can be managed through medication and lifestyle changes.

Caring for someone can be stressful, and this can be even more challenging if a loved one is not ready to accept help. Caregivers who find themselves in this situation should take steps to enlist others’ help to ease their burden and should take time for themselves to reduce their stress levels and protect their mental health.

New research suggests that people who wake up an hour earlier than usual, without sleeping less, may reduce their risk of major depression.

People who regularly skip breakfast miss getting vital nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin C, and fiber found in typical breakfast foods. They also are less likely to get the recommended daily amounts of folate, iron, and vitamins A, B₁, B₂, B₃, and D.

Older couples face many natural changes in their bodies that can interfere with their sex life. For men it’s falling testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction, while for women it’s often effects from menopause. Couples should see this new phase as an opportunity to explore different ways to stay intimate and satisfy each other’s needs without relying on traditional intercourse.

Approximately 88 million Americans—more than one in three—have prediabetes, a condition in which the average amount of sugar in the blood (glucose) is high but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Among people who develop prediabetes, older ones are less likely than younger ones to eventually develop full-blown diabetes. Still, they should have their glucose levels checked, as prediabetes can put them at high risk for heart attack and stroke.