Healthy aging and longevity Archive

A new study found that eating an unhealthy diet high in processed food can affect people's deep sleep, the stage when the pituitary gland in the brain releases hormones to build and repair muscles and bones as well help boost cognitive function and memory.

Paddleboarding is a popular water sport in which people stand or kneel on a "surfboard" and use a long paddle. It's a great stress buster, and it can help improve balance and strengthen key muscles, like those in the core, back, arms, and shoulders.

The general consensus is that healthy people who eat right need a vitamin or mineral supplement only if they have a diagnosed vitamin or mineral deficiency. Still, multivitamins may provide a safety net to fill dietary nutrition gaps even for people who mostly eat healthy. Studies have shown that taking multivitamins as prescribed usually doesn't cause any serious issues, and many over-the-counter brands are relatively inexpensive. Some people also view taking a daily multivitamin as another way to support a healthy lifestyle.

Older adults need to safely be able to sit and rise from the ground whether kneeling in the garden, looking for something under the bed, or playing on the floor with the grandkids. This movement is also helpful when getting up after a fall. Three exercises that can help older adults with daily up-and-down mobility are kneel-to-stand, crawling, and sit-to-stand.

A 2023 study suggests regular physical activity, including walking, climbing stairs, gardening, and cleaning, may help prevent or delay the onset of Parkinson's disease in women.

Fatigue affects up to three-quarters of older adults with chronic conditions. Some causes are obvious, while others are less well recognized. They include sleep disorders, anemia, poor diet, thyroid problems, mood disorders, and medication use. People with prolonged, unexplained fatigue should see a doctor, who will perform a physical exam, ask about medical history, and in some cases perform blood or other tests. People can boost energy levels by exercising more, optimizing diet, using caffeine strategically, and limiting alcohol consumption.

Pickleball elbow is a type of tendinitis called lateral epicondylitis. The injury can result from gripping a pickleball paddle tightly for long periods or repeatedly twisting and turning the wrist while preparing to hit the ball. To avoid pickleball elbow, doctors recommend that players improve their muscle strength, use a paddle with the right grip size, build time on the court gradually, warm up their muscles before playing, stretch muscles afterward, ice their elbows after playing, and get guidance to hone their pickleball technique.

Increasing evidence suggests that people who take a daily multivitamin pill have a lower risk of cognitive decline compared with people who don't take multivitamins. In particular, two randomized controlled trials published in the spring of 2023 found that people older than age 60 who take a multivitamin are less likely to experience a slight age-related cognitive decline, at least over the next three years, compared to those taking a placebo. The benefit appeared to be particularly true for people who had cardiovascular disease.

A 2023 review of 70 studies found that both unprocessed and processed red meat are linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, with no apparent difference in risk between men and women.

A 2023 study of more than 577,000 people found that people who said they met the guidelines for weekly physical activity had a 48% lower risk of dying from flu or pneumonia over a nine-year period, compared with people who said they didn't meet the guidelines.