Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

The 1,000 Hours Outside challenge can motivate people to spend more time outdoors by trying to accumulate 1,000 hours of outdoor time over a year.

Body roundness index, which is calculated based on a person’s height, waist, and hip size, might be a more accurate measurement than body mass index for predicting weight-related health risks, according to a 2024 study.

A 2024 study of people ages 80 and older suggested that following healthy habits—like eating a diversified diet that includes high amounts of fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, and tea; regularly exercising; and not smoking—can help people live longer.

A growing number of people ages 60 and older suffer from knee osteoarthritis. If lifestyle strategies, such as weight loss, physical therapy, exercise, and oral or topical medications don’t offer sufficient pain relief, people may benefit from either corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections. Injections can provide immediate pain relief, reduce inflammation, and increase mobility. However, they are a temporary treatment that won’t cure knee osteoarthritis or change the course of the disease.

There are four main FDA-approved erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs: sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil, and avanafil (Stendra). While all ED drugs work the same way, they differ in how quickly they act (from 15 to 45 minutes) and how long the effect lasts (from six to 36 hours). Which one is the best choice for a man depends on his lifestyle and whether he takes medication that ED drugs may interfere with.

Of the cancer screening tests for men, tests for colon cancer has the strongest evidence for benefit. Men who opt in for prostate cancer screening may have more options beyond PSA blood testing to more accurately identify aggressive cancers. Other screening tests such as full body scans have not been shown to improve outcomes.

Walking is one of the most accessible and versatile types of exercise. It can help people get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, and workouts can be adjusted to fit any fitness level. But sometimes walking becomes too routine. To make outings more exciting and challenging, people can do interval training, add hills or stairs, use walking poles, carry weights, incorporate body-weight exercises, or try to beat their best time on a route.

Heartburn usually goes away on its own, but sometimes medication is needed to provide relief. For occasional heartburn, people can use over-the-counter antacids that are magnesium-based, aluminum-based, or calcium-based. If heartburn strikes several times a week or symptoms become more severe, a nonprescription H2 blocker can help. Individuals with persistent heartburn may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and will probably need a proton-pump inhibitor. These are available in over-the-counter and prescription versions.

New research has found that Americans are now dying from heart failure at a higher rate than 25 years ago, making prevention more important than ever. The best strategy to lower one’s risk from heart failure is to address its top underlying contributors: high blood pressure, abnormal blood lipid levels, and weight gain. Addressing these risk factors can also protect against developing coronary artery disease and diabetes, two of the main medical conditions that cause heart failure.

A 2024 study found that women who closely followed a Mediterranean diet were up to 23% less likely than women who didn’t to die over a study period of 25 years.