Healthy aging and longevity Archive

Healthy aging and longevity

A vaccine that can prevent shingles

Published August 1, 2021

The best way to avoid shingles and long-lasting pain that may result from it is to get the shingles vaccine (Shingrix), given in two doses. The vaccine contains a protein from a dead varicella-zoster virus. The shot is 90% effective and is recommended for adults ages 50 or older, even those who have had shingles before, received an older shingles vaccine called Zostavax, or don’t recall having had chickenpox. People should avoid the vaccine if they currently have shingles, are allergic to components of the vaccine, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Healthy aging and longevity

Can a daily scoop of collagen powder really improve your skin?

Published August 1, 2021

Manufacturers tout collagen supplements as a way to improve signs of skin aging and skin quality. There is some research that shows they may bring skin benefits, reducing wrinkles, speeding wound healing, and improving skin hydration and elasticity. But because supplements aren’t regulated, quality may be highly variable. While collagen supplements are believed to be safe, there aren’t any long-term safety studies to date.

Healthy aging and longevity

CDC initiative aims to prevent injuries in older adults

Published August 1, 2021

The CDC’s Still Going Strong initiative aims to raise awareness about accidents that lead to injury in adults over age 65 and strategies to prevent them.

Healthy aging and longevity

Look inside your heart

Published August 1, 2021

The traditional measures to gauge heart disease risk don’t always tell the whole story. Sometimes more medical information is needed. An increasingly used test to predict a person’s risk for heart attack or stroke is a coronary artery calcium scan. It measures the amount of calcified plaque in the heart’s arteries, high levels of which suggest higher overall plaque buildup. The number can determine if people should begin statin therapy and make additional lifestyle changes.

Healthy aging and longevity

Green leafy vegetables offer a leg up on muscle strength

Published August 1, 2021

Eating high amounts of nitrate-rich green leafy vegetables may improve leg muscle strength and increase walking speed and reduce fatigue.

Healthy aging and longevity

Battle of the bulges

Published August 1, 2021

A majority of people over 60 have diverticulosis, a condition in which tiny bulges (called diverticula) appear in weak areas of your colon’s inner wall. The bulges themselves don’t cause symptoms, but they can lead to bleeding or diverticulitis, which occurs when a diverticulum becomes inflamed or infected. People can reduce their risk by eating more fiber and staying physically active.

Healthy aging and longevity

Ready for your routine medical checkup?

Published July 28, 2021

Before the pandemic did you schedule a routine, in-person health checkup every year? Is this necessary or can you safely skip a year or consider a telehealth visit or a combination of in-person and virtual care? There are pros and cons to these options and no single solution will work for everyone.

Healthy aging and longevity

Wondering about a headline-grabbing drug? Read on

Published July 20, 2021

News stories frequently tout "breakthrough" drugs, but how often does this turn out to be true? When you read or hear about the results of a study for a new medication, these steps can help you ask questions to get the full story and a better sense of what it might mean for your health.

Healthy aging and longevity

Is our healthcare system broken?

Published July 13, 2021

The US healthcare system is expensive, complicated, dysfunctional — and broken. The system needs a major overhaul, and the arguments for this fall into a few broad categories: high costs, uneven access, and undue emphasis on areas of spending that do not directly benefit patients

Healthy aging and longevity

Losing steam? Avoid these energy zappers

Updated July 2, 2021

Result 1051 - 1060 of 2422

Free Healthbeat Signup

Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!

Healthy aging and longevity Archive

Articles

A vaccine that can prevent shingles

Can a daily scoop of collagen powder really improve your skin?

CDC initiative aims to prevent injuries in older adults

Look inside your heart

Green leafy vegetables offer a leg up on muscle strength

Battle of the bulges

Ready for your routine medical checkup?

Wondering about a headline-grabbing drug? Read on

Is our healthcare system broken?

Losing steam? Avoid these energy zappers

Free Healthbeat Signup