Healthy Years back issues from December 2007:
Take steps to prevent falls: strengthen your legs, modify your environment, and monitor your medications to minimize your risk of falling.
Dec 01, 2007 ... One out of three adults over age 65 falls annually, estimates say. Since fall-related injuries can result in hospitalization, disability, and even death, it's essential to take steps to keep your fall risk low. But many people don't take the recommended actions because they believe the ...
Optimal HDL levels greatly reduce cardiovascular risk.
Dec 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] High-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good" cholesterol) levels may be more indicative of cardiovascular risk than low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad" cholesterol) levels, according to a study in the Sept. 27 new England Journal of Medicine. Researchers ...
Diabetes drug lowers some cardiac risks, but not heart failure.
Dec 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The drug pioglitazone (Actos), which is used to control high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, may slightly lower the risk of heart attack and death, according to a review in the Sept. 12 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association ....
CPAP treatment for sleep apnea may help prevent heart disease.
Dec 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to keep your airways open while sleeping, you may be lowering your risk of atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart disease, according to a study in the Oct. 1 ...
Receptor in brain may hinder relief from fibromyalgia.
Dec 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you have fibromyalgia and don't get relief from pain medications, there may be a scientific reason for it, according to a study in the Sept. 12 Journal of neuroscience. Researchers looked at 17 women with fibromyalgia, a rheumatic disease characterized ...
Smoking may reduce effectiveness of certain drugs.
Dec 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you or someone you love is a smoker, take note: Certain medications can have negative interactions with the substances in cigarette smoke, according to a review in the September 2007 issue of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. Researchers ...
Preventing pneumonia is the best defense: even if you are in a high-risk group, there are some things that may keep you healthy, like getting a flu shot.(RESPIRATORY HEALTH)
Dec 01, 2007 ... More than 60,000 people in the U.S. die from pneumonia every year, according to a July 2007 report from the American Lung Association. Influenza and pneumonia combined now represent the eighth leading cause of death. Of those deaths, 97 percent are due to pneumonia and occur in people over ...
Go soy to lose weight, lower cholesterol: soy-based, low-calorie diets may be more effective than traditional low-calorie diets.(DIET & NUTRITION)
Dec 01, 2007 ... If you're willing to substitute tofu for turkey, you could see your body fat drop right along with your serum total cholesterol and your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Those are the latest findings in a long list of studies reaffirming the role a soy-based diet can have in ...
Physical activity improves mental function: a modest amount of aerobic exercise can improve mental function, even among older, sedentary adults.(DIET & NUTRITION)
Dec 01, 2007 ... The case for exercising to improve mental function and perhaps lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease has just gotten stronger. Two psychologists at the University of Illinois published a review of scientific literature in the August 2007 issue of Trends in Cognitive Sciences and concluded ...
Tackling restless legs syndrome: this mysterious condition is very real for some people, but with better understanding comes effective treatment.(TREATMENT)
Dec 01, 2007 ... You've probably seen advertising for drugs used to treat a "new" disease known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). But RLS is hardly new. Discovered in the 1940s by Swedish neurologist Karl A. Ekborn, RLS is a neurological disorder that causes unpleasant sensations in the legs and an ...
Ask the doctor.
Dec 01, 2007; ... Q Which is more important, the distance I walk every day or the amount of time I spend walking? A The amount of time is more important, as long as you are walking at a relatively brisk pace. The American Heart Association recently issued new guidelines stating that older adults ...