Healthy aging and longevity Archive

People often aren't aware of the full range of conditions that physical therapy (PT) can effectively treat. PT can be used not only after surgery or injury, but also for stroke, brain injuries, balance problems, neuromuscular conditions, spinal cord injuries, and more. PT is also done to help people avoid falls, as well as for pelvic floor dysfunction and vertigo. People participating in PT work with physical therapists to determine goals and plan a course of treatment to meet those goals by improving mobility, strength, and flexibility.

If it's hard to fit balance training into a busy schedule, it might be easier to just do a one-minute balance exercise at different points in the day. Those points might occur during TV watching, cooking, or toothbrushing. Ideas for simple balance exercises include standing on one leg, heel raises, or sit-to-stands-going from a sitting to a standing position, arms crossed, then returning to a sitting position and repeating the process. It's best to stand near a counter or chair for support.

People with anemia have an abnormally low number of red blood cells. Those are the cells that pick up oxygen from the lungs, deliver oxygen throughout the body, and return to the lungs with a load of carbon dioxide and other gases to be exhaled. Without enough red blood cells, the organs and tissues don't get a sufficient amount of oxygen. That can cause nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, or wooziness, which are often attributed to other causes. As a result, anemia often goes undiagnosed.

Artificial intelligence (A.I.) has made an astonishing breakthrough in our understanding of certain biological processes. A.I. has now determined the structure of nearly all proteins in humans, plants, and animals and is exploring the way they interact with each other and with other molecules. This understanding is considered the key to biological medicine, a code that scientists have never been able to crack completely. These advances are expected to speed the development of many potent medicines, vaccines, and cures for some diseases.

The combination of drinking alcohol and sleeping while on a plane puts a big strain on the body, especially the cardiovascular system. This is because blood oxygen normally drops slightly when flying high above sea level, sleeping, or consuming alcohol. The more contributors to low blood oxygen there are, the harder the body has to work to compensate by breathing faster and increasing heart rate. There's even more strain if someone has heart or lung disease, which places the person at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Online hearing tests help detect if someone has hearing loss. The tests involve answering questions or listening to a series of tones or spoken words. The tests are not as comprehensive as tests conducted by an audiologist, but they are convenient and might help identify mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss; problems hearing particular pitch ranges; or differences in hearing ability in one ear compared to the other (asymmetry). A test might need to be followed up with a visit to an audiologist.

A 2024 analysis found that many people without heart problems are taking daily low-dose aspirin therapy, even though it might have more health risks than benefits. Some of them have not consulted with a doctor about whether daily aspirin is safe for them.

In 2024, RSV vaccinations are recommended for infants and young children; everyone ages 75 and older, regardless of health; and people ages 60 to 74 at increased risk for severe RSV, such as people with lung or heart disease or those who live in nursing homes.

Older adults who received interpersonal exercise coaching (which included connecting with peers to learn and share information) improved their step counts and activity levels more than seniors who received intrapersonal coaching that was mostly self-focused, a 2024 study found. Finding an exercise partner (a spouse, friend, or neighbor) may help inspire people to exercise more. A group exercise class may provide the same benefit, in addition to providing structure, a trained instructor, and camaraderie.

Small animals like turtles, iguanas, and frogs are often chosen as first-time pets for children, but it may be best to avoid them because they can carry bacteria that can make people sick. Here's what to know about this illness.