Even a little exercise linked with lower stroke risk in people with afib
Testosterone therapy without evidence of deficiency may boost heart risk
Weight-loss drug may lower risk of heart attacks and infections
What to eat on the DASH diet
Migraine: How it's diagnosed and what that means
Tricep workouts you can do at home
Mindfulness practices to reduce stress and improve focus
Antihistamines may not offer meaningful relief from eczema symptoms
Overweight and taking blood pressure medications: Study finds it's a trend that's working
FDA approves first mRNA-based flu vaccine
Caregiving Archive
Articles
Do antibacterial soaps really work?
Soaps with added “antibacterial” chemicals are not better at protecting people against infection and illness. The added chemicals may be harmful.
Is it too late to get a flu shot?
The best time to get an annual flu shot is in mid-October. However, it’s not too late to get the shot in December, since people are still at risk of getting flu for several more months.
Is your antidepressant making life a little too blah?
Some drugs go too far, dulling emotions across the spectrum. A dose adjustment or a switch to a different medication can help.
Image: Wavebreakmedia/Thinkstock
When your doctor prescribes a medication for depression, the goal is to reduce painful feelings of sadness or hopelessness. The majority of people taking the most commonly prescribed antidepressants—selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—improve substantially. But sometimes, SSRIs go beyond improving mood and make a person feel too little emotion. "Some people feel like they've lost the richness of daily life," says Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Serotonin and SSRIs
Too effective?
Scaling back the intensity of moods is often the goal. "It's a huge relief if you're very irritable, easily upset, or feeling overly burdened by stress," says Dr. Miller.
But for some people, the reduction in intensity can be experienced as a "blunting" or "dulling" of their emotions. "You might not cry at a movie's happy ending or laugh with the same gusto. Or you might feel apathetic and not get the same kick out of doing things you enjoy, like playing golf or painting," Dr. Miller explains.
Sometimes the blunting affects sexual response. "Some people will say they're not having the same sexual pleasure," says Dr. Miller.
What you should do
Stretching: The new mobility protection
A regular stretching program will help you stay active and independent.
Image: MonkeyBusinessImages/Thinkstock
A loss of flexibility may not seem like a big deal as we age. After all, it's no longer necessary to do the kinds of athletic moves we did when we were younger. But flexibility is the secret sauce that enables us to move safely and easily, and the way to stay limber is to stretch. "People don't always realize how important stretching is to avoiding injury and disability," says Elissa Huber-Anderson, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
Losing flexibility
Stretching benefits
When you stretch a muscle, you extend the tissue to its full length. If you hold that tension long enough, the muscle will be longer once it relaxes again. "Stretching your muscle is similar to stretching an elastic band," says Huber-Anderson. "The elastic's resting length becomes longer."
The more often you stretch your muscles, the longer and more flexible they'll become. As a result, you'll
increase your range of motion
reduce your risk for muscle and joint injury
reduce joint and back pain
improve your balance, thus reducing your risk of falling
improve your posture.
Regaining flexibility
Types of stretches
It's crucial to warm up the muscles before you stretch them. That means getting blood and oxygen to the tissue to make it more pliable and amenable to change. If you don't warm up, a stretch can damage the muscle fibers.
One way to warm up is dynamic stretching. "This is when you move a joint through its available range of motion repeatedly, without holding a position," says Huber-Anderson. Types of dynamic stretching include rolling your shoulders, lifting your knees, and sweeping your arms out to the sides and up to the ceiling repeatedly. Huber-Anderson recommends two to five minutes of dynamic stretching.
Then you'll be ready for the types of stretches that will help you regain flexibility, known as static stretching. These stretches are held for 10 to 30 seconds. Don't bounce—that can cause injury.
Note: An aerobic or weight-training workout can also prepare the muscles for static stretching. However, static stretching should not be performed before a workout, when the muscles aren't ready.
5 tips to get you started1. Get your doctor's okay before starting a stretching regimen. 2. Do two to five minutes of dynamic stretches before beginning a program of static stretches. 3. Try some of the stretches we've selected for you on page 5. 4. Stop stretching if you feel pain, beyond a mild burning sensation in the muscle. 5. Stick with the program. It won't magically restore flexibility overnight. In time, and with regular stretching, you'll feel the results of a successful regimen. |
1. Seated shoulder stretch
2. Seated rotation
Primarily stretches the back
Repeat 2–4 times
Hold: 10–30 seconds
Starting position: Sit up straight on a chair with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and your arms at your sides.
Movement: Slowly rotate your head and torso to the right side, placing your left hand on the outside of your right knee and your right hand next to your right hip. Hold. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat to the opposite side. This is one rep.
Tips and techniques:
Stretch to the point of mild tension, not pain.
As you rotate, keep your hips squared and facing forward.
Breathe comfortably.
3. Standing hamstring stretch
4. Floor hip flexor stretch
Primarily stretches the front of the hip
Repeat: 2–4 times
Hold: 10–30 seconds
Starting position: Lie on your back with your legs extended on the floor.
Movement: Relax your shoulders against the floor. Bend your right knee. Rest your hands on the back of your thigh and pull your knee toward your chest. Flex your left foot and press the thigh and calf of that leg down toward the floor as you do so. Feel the stretch in the front of your left hip and top of your thigh. Hold. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. This is one rep.
Tips and techniques:
Stretch to the point of mild tension, not pain.
When holding the stretch, remain as still as possible, without bouncing.
5. Double-knee torso rotation
6. Downward dog
Stretches the entire body
Repeat: 2–4 times
Hold: 10–30 seconds
Starting position: Position yourself on all fours, hands shoulder-width apart, legs hip-width apart, and fingers extended.
Movement: Exhale as you lift your knees off the floor, straightening your legs without locking the knees until you are in an upside-down V. While maintaining a neutral neck and spine, align your ears with your biceps. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed between your hands and feet. Press your heels down toward the floor while keeping your shoulders down and rolled back. Hold. Return to the starting position.
Tips and techniques:
Soften your elbows and keep your shoulders down and rolled back as you lengthen your spine. Brace your abdominal muscles.
If necessary, bend your knees slightly and let your heels come up off the floor.
Top screenings to avoid cancer
Talk to your doctor to nail down your cancer risk, and check this list to see which tests may help save your life.
Images: Monkey Business Images/Thinkstock
Recommendations for cancer screenings sometimes change, and it can be confusing about which tests you need and when. "It's best to talk to your doctor about your cancer risk factors and family history, learn which screenings are right for you, and then develop and stick to a screening schedule," says Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Routine screenings
Other screening tests
Some screenings are not recommended routinely but may be important based on your cancer risk.
Lung cancer. The American Lung Association recommends low-dose computed tomography to detect early signs of lung cancer for heavy smokers ages 55 to 74 who have a 30 pack-year smoking history (equivalent to one pack per day for 30 years) and who have smoked within the past 15 years. The USPSTF extends the screening age to 80. If you're not in this group, you should not have routine screening; the risk from radiation exposure and potential unnecessary follow-up testing is not worth the small chance of benefit.
Skin cancer. The USPSTF says there's not enough evidence to recommend regular visual skin exams by a doctor to screen for skin cancer, and that screenings increase the risk for unnecessary biopsies, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests that all people conduct skin self-exams and report any unusual spots on their skin to a dermatologist.
People with an increased risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, should talk to a dermatologist about how often they should get a skin exam.
What about a PSA test?One of the most debated screenings is the blood test used to look for prostate cancer in men. It measures the level of a protein in the blood called prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which can rise when prostate cancer develops. In 2012, the USPSTF recommended against routine PSA tests, saying they raise the risk of unnecessary follow-up testing and treatment, which can cause problems such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Recent evidence shows that fewer men are being screened as a result. "The sentiment among many physicians now is against offering routine PSA testing for men, especially when nearly every study has not shown any tangible benefits for those who have undergone testing and treatment," says oncologist Dr. Marc Garnick, editor in chief of Harvard's Annual Report on Prostate Diseases. The American Cancer Society suggests that men 50 or older (at average risk for prostate cancer) make the decision about screening with their doctor, but only if they have a life expectancy of at least 10 years, and only if they have been advised about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening. |
Should you try a subscription meal kit?
They provide hassle-free home-cooked meals. But watch the nutrient content.
Image: Bigstock
Wouldn't it be great if you had an assistant chef at home—someone who developed a delicious menu and then shopped for and measured all the ingredients to make it? All you'd have to do is cook and enjoy it. That's the idea behind the hot trend of subscription meal kits, which are delivered to your door. "It's very convenient, and it can challenge someone to try new foods with different seasonings," says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.
How it works
Downsides
Most meals take 30 or 40 minutes to prepare, a drawback if you're unable to stand for long periods. You'll have to do any necessary chopping yourself, a potential challenge if you have arthritis.
And while the food is fresh, it may not always be healthy. Some meals are high in sodium and calories. "And some recipes don't use whole grains or healthier carbohydrates; they use white potatoes and refined grains like jasmine rice," says McManus. That's especially important if you're on a restricted diet because of high blood pressure or diabetes.
What you should do
It's never too late to start exercising!
The older people get in the United States, the less active they are. But it’s never too late to become physically active, and evidence shows that changing from being inactive to active benefits health.
FDA approves a one-two punch for some strokes
The FDA has approved use of a clot-retrieving device along with a clot-busting drug on stroke patients, as long it’s within six hours of the onset of stroke symptoms.
Keep tabs on your drinking
When it comes to alcohol, moderation is still the mantra. But even one drink a day may pose a risk to the heart.
Wine, champagne, and cocktails are standard fare at many holiday gatherings. But before you raise your glass, make sure you're aware of just how much alcohol you're actually consuming—and how it may affect your heart.
As part of a standard health history, most physicians will ask about your drinking habits. In general, moderate drinking—defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men—is considered safe. But there are some caveats.
Even a little exercise linked with lower stroke risk in people with afib
Testosterone therapy without evidence of deficiency may boost heart risk
Weight-loss drug may lower risk of heart attacks and infections
What to eat on the DASH diet
Migraine: How it's diagnosed and what that means
Tricep workouts you can do at home
Mindfulness practices to reduce stress and improve focus
Antihistamines may not offer meaningful relief from eczema symptoms
Overweight and taking blood pressure medications: Study finds it's a trend that's working
FDA approves first mRNA-based flu vaccine
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