Cognitive health and memory Archive

This simple at-home exercise can improve flexibility, leg strength, and balance to protect against falls.

Falls continue to be a significant cause of fatal injury among older adults, according to the CDC. In fact, each year, falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency rooms and more than 27,000 deaths.

Lack of mobility and declining strength are the main contributors to falls. Still, another threat, which often goes unrecognized, is simply the fear of falling.

In the journals

Cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure drugs can improve heart health, but you still need to follow heart-healthy habits. That's the conclusion of a study published online Feb. 5, 2020, by the Journal of the American Heart Association, which found many people forgo healthy habits after they begin taking these medications.

Researchers in Finland identified 41,225 people who were free of cardiovascular disease. They collected such health data as body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake, smoking status, and whether the people took statins or blood pressure drugs. Updated information was gathered from surveys every four years over a 14-year period.

No single treatment—whether it's an antidepressant drug or a style of talk therapy—can ease depression in every case. However, research suggests you will improve your chances of getting relief if you combine drugs and therapy. One report that pooled findings from 25 studies found that adding psychotherapy to drug treatment was more helpful than medication alone in treating major depression. Earlier research suggested that one reason therapy and medication may complement each other is that they have different effects on the brain.

In addition to relieving depression, combination therapy may help ward off recurrences. A classic three-year study reported in JAMA tracked recurrences of major depression in about 200 people ages 60 or older. Of those who received monthly interpersonal therapy and who also took an antidepressant medication, 80% avoided a recurrence. In contrast, the same could be said for only 57% of those who received the drug alone, 36% of those given just interpersonal therapy, and a mere 10% in the placebo group.

Are you worried about your memory? You can go it alone and teach your-self techniques for strengthening your memory. Or, you can get pro-fessional memory training. Some medical centers offer memory training programs in which people meet every week or so to learn memory enhancement techniques, then practice them as homework. Another alternative is to attend a series of individual sessions with a clinician who specializes in memory and other cognitive problems. Such a specialist can recommend specific strategies for the types of memory problems that affect you.

If you are considering a memory enhancement program, choose one that is run by a health professional with specialized training in cognitive rehabilitation. Some people benefit from individual treatment, where their particular needs can be identified and addressed.

Most diets can help you lose weight, but that weight is frequently regained within a few months — a fact supported by an analysis of more than 100 research trials on diets. But losing weight is easier, and more likely to be permanent, if you choose a diet with foods you actually like.

There is disagreement over whether or not there is such a thing as a cannabis withdrawal syndrome, but it's definitely real, and with increased availability of legal marijuana and other products, even those who use it medicinally need to be aware of the symptoms, and what to do if they think they have it.

People are often surprised to learn that there's more to walking than simply putting one foot in front of the other. In fact, a little technique goes a long way to making your walks more enjoyable and more effective. Technique is especially important if you are hoping to become fitter and lose weight, because it will enable you to walk faster and longer. When you're standing tall, your muscles will move through a greater range of motion for a more powerful stride. Improving your walking posture will help you to look and feel more confident, too—and you'll look slimmer before losing a single pound. It will also help alleviate aches and pains and allow you to take deep breaths for more energy.

For any type of walking

The following rules will help you maintain good form.

The hip hike is used to build hip strength if you're about to get into a running or walking program. It's easy, but you can also perform the hip hike by holding a chair to steady yourself. Make sure you're standing on a low, but stable, platform before you begin.

It's easy. Make believe your big toe is a pencil and sketch out the alphabet. These muscle movements will help build foot and ankle strength, which aids balance and helps prevents falls. You can learn more at the Harvard online course Exercises for Bone Strength.

Feeling dazed and confused in the yogurt aisle? Here's some information to help you make good choices.

Yogurt used to be pretty straightforward. It came in small, simple containers, with a swirl of fruit on the bottom if you were lucky. Not anymore. Today there's Greek yogurt, shakes, and tasty-looking cups with sprinkles and crushed cookies. Yogurt is blended into smoothies and squirted into portable tubes and pouches. Over in the ice cream aisle, there are even more options, with a variety of frozen yogurt products in tubs and handheld popsicles.

This gives you lots of choices but might also leave you wondering which one to pick. At the root of the dilemma is this question: is yogurt a health food or a dessert? The truth is, today's yogurt can be either, depending on the type you choose. This means you've got to do a little detective work to figure it out.