What’s causing those swollen feet?

Sometimes swollen feet are a sign of an underlying problem. Swelling may signal vascular conditions, such as heart failure, venous insufficiency, deep-vein thrombosis, phlebitis, or liver disease or kidney disease. Swollen feet can also result when a person breaks a bone in the foot or develops tendinitis. Symptoms should be reported to a doctor if there’s so much swelling that it leaves an indentation when a finger is pressed into it, if it has developed suddenly, lasts for more than a few days, affects just one foot, or is accompanied by pain or discoloration of the skin. (Locked) More »

Is it safe for women to drink alcohol?

Women should avoid alcohol if they are pregnant or if they have a personal or family history of breast cancer, liver disease, or alcohol abuse. For other women, one drink a day is generally healthy. (Locked) More »

Is that brain fog really adult ADHD?

Sometimes older adults have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and don’t realize that symptoms such as forgetfulness and disorganization are linked to this condition. It’s possible that lifelong symptoms have been kept in check by structured, busy lifestyles. When structure fades away in retirement, symptoms may become more pronounced. An evaluation with a psychiatrist or psychologist can help. Medication is a mainstay of treatment for the attention challenges in ADHD, but behavior changes may be enough to help an older adult with ADHD cope with symptoms. (Locked) More »

Stop making these common workout mistakes

It’s common to make mistakes when exercising. But the consequences can affect health. For example, skipping a warm-up, lifting too much weight, or strengthening the same muscle groups daily can lead to muscle injury. It’s better to warm up for a few minutes before a workout, use lighter weights and lift them more times, and alternate which muscle groups get a workout (such as arms and shoulders on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but not Mondays or Wednesdays). Other common exercise mistakes include failing to drink enough water and keeping an inconsistent workout schedule. More »

What to order at the coffee shop

More coffee shops are ditching prepackaged pastries and sandwiches and offering fresh, gourmet food. But some of it comes with whopping amounts of fat, salt, carbohydrates, or sugar, just like any restaurant food. When ordering, one should not focus so much on nutrition details such as carbohydrate and fat counts, and instead make a choice based on the food displays or descriptions. If a food has refined grains (white bread, tortillas, noodles), processed meat (bacon, sausage, ham), or too much cheese, butter, cream, or sugar (like all pastries), it’s not a good choice. (Locked) More »

Bracing for flu season: Steps to protect yourself right now

Flu shots are not guaranteed to keep someone from getting influenza. Sometimes the shot is not a good match for the viruses that cause epidemics. Still, older adults should get the trivalent or quadrivalent flu shot, especially people who have diabetes or heart, lung, or kidney disease, or who take medication that suppresses the immune system. Other anti-flu precautions include washing hands often (with soap and warm water or hand sanitizer if soap is unavailable), and covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. (Locked) More »