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A 2023 study found that people who engaged in moderate or vigorous exercise an average of four days a week had more brain mass in regions associated with cognitive skills like memory and learning, compared with people who did not exercise.
Most people will experience shoulder pain at some point in their lives. The most common causes of shoulder pain are bursitis, rotator cuff problems, frozen shoulder, and osteoarthritis. They can occur for various reasons, such as overuse, injury, and age-related wear and tear. A doctor may be able to make a likely diagnosis based on a person’s symptoms, a shoulder exam, and sometimes MRI. Treatment often includes a combination of rest, over-the-counter medication, corticosteroid injections, and physical therapy. In some cases, surgery is needed to repair damage.
Walking and running share similar movements, but how the foot is supported differs, which is why most walking and running shoes are designed differently. When walking, the heels hit the ground first before the foot rolls forward to begin the next step. Because of this rolling motion, walking shoes are designed to have soft, flexible soles, which help a person push off with each step, and an angled heel to absorb most of the shock and reduce pressure on the ankles. In comparison, runner’s feet strike anywhere from the heel to the midfoot or forefoot. Therefore, running shoes are designed to have thicker soles that act as shock absorbers.
Performing hand exercises using therapy putty can help a person improve grip and pinch strength.
Several types of “electroceutical” therapies use tiny zaps of electricity to help ease chronic pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy and electroacupuncture are designed to work by interrupting pain signals being sent to the brain. Scrambler therapy is thought to work by changing pain information sent to the brain. Good candidates for such therapies are people with arthritis, neuropathy, neck or back pain, or pain from cancer treatment. Some people should stay away from electroceuticals, including those with any kind of implanted stimulation device, such as a pacemaker or bladder stimulator.
Vision loss has many risk factors. Some risk factors are well known, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and older age. Other risk factors for vision loss are not as well known, such as inactivity, psoriasis, shingles, and smoking. People who have these risk factors might need eye exams more often than the standard recommendations for healthy adults (a comprehensive eye exam every two years from ages 40 to 65, and every year or two after age 65).
Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of interrelated health conditions that significantly increases the risk for heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and more. A diagnosis requires at least three of the following risk factors: obesity, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, or high blood pressure. Metabolic syndrome can be reversed if it’s recognized. Losing weight is central to reducing many of its features. Lowering elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels also plays a major role in reducing the risk for heart disease and stroke.
Pharmacies across the United States are struggling with budget cuts and staffing shortages. As a result, customers are sometimes experiencing delays in getting their prescriptions filled. Until pharmacies resolve their challenges, customers might need to work a little harder to get their medications promptly. One strategy that can help is ordering prescription refills early. If customers continue to have frequent delays at their pharmacies, they might consider switching their prescriptions to another store.
For people older than 75 who have heart disease already, or who are at increased risk of developing heart disease, there now is solid evidence that statins remain effective at lowering cholesterol and, more important, in reducing the risk of new or recurrent heart disease. For people older than 75 who have not been diagnosed with heart disease and are not at increased risk for developing it, the value of statins still is uncertain.
A 2023 study found that compared with “casual” walking (at less than 2 mph), walking 2 mph to 3 mph (brisk walking) was associated with a 15% lower risk of diabetes, no matter how long people walked each day.