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Healthy lifestyle changes may lower blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a substance linked to heart disease risk. CRP is a byproduct of inflammation, an immune-related response involved in the formation of artery-clogging plaque.
Getting regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise may help prevent atrial fibrillation.
Intermittent fasting means that people avoid food for a designated amount of time each day. One of the most popular approaches is called 16/8. People eat during an eight-hour period—for example from noon to 8 p.m.— followed by 16 hours of fasting, in this case from 8 p.m. until noon the next day, when the pattern repeats. While science does not yet know the long-term benefits of intermittent fasting, initial short-term research has suggested the practice may help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight, among other health benefits.
Many experts recommend monitoring maximum heart rate to gauge exercise intensity. An easy way for people to measure their maximum heart rate is to use formulas based on their age.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe and potentially debilitating anxiety disorder that affects people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. PTSD often develops in combat veterans, but it can also strike older adults, and especially men. Fortunately, there are many proven ways to help treat and manage PTSD. These include prolonged exposure therapy, social support, medication, exercise, and meditation.
A strong core can stabilize your spine to help keep your lower back healthy and pain-free. The muscles, ligaments, and nerves surrounding the spine can weaken with age or from an injury, which can make movements like twisting, stretching, lifting, and bending difficult. The “big three” exercises—the curl-up, the side plank, and the bird-dog—can help develop a stable spine by strengthening the entire core musculature, from the abdominals to the whole back.
During his lifetime, a man loses about 30% of his muscle mass. Older men can maintain and even regain muscle by combining regular weight training and a proper diet, including adequate amounts of protein. Research suggests that to help counter lost muscle mass, healthy older adults need 1.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. This is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in pounds by 2.2 and then multiplying by 1.2.
Approximately one in three people ages 65 to 74 has age-related hearing loss. Research continues to show that people with hearing loss who get fitted for hearing aids tend to be more active. Some science has even suggested wearing hearing aids is linked with fewer cognitive issues and a lower risk of depression and dementia.
Researchers found that high levels of nonsexual intimate touch, such as hugging, holding hands, and cuddling, was associated with greater relationship satisfaction.
Scientists continue to explore the health benefits vs. risks of aspirin therapy. One new analysis suggests that regularly taking aspirin may protect against several types of digestive tract cancers, such as bowel, stomach, gallbladder, esophageal, pancreatic, and liver cancers.