Managing chronic conditions Archive

Over time, everyone's digestive system works less efficiently and people can develop food intolerance or begin taking medications that can affect digestion. These changes can create problems like gas, bloating, cramps, and constipation. By identifying the reasons for the digestive issues, managing them becomes easier and can help keep the entire system running smoothly.

Keeping the gut microbiome diverse is good for health and may even be tied to healthier aging. To maintain such diversity, it helps to eat a healthy diet that includes lots of fiber, which gut microbes eat. Also, exercise may be helpful to the gut microbiome, since exercise may change the rate at which material moves through the intestines. Other ways to promote a healthy gut microbiome including getting a dog, which exposes us to more microbes; quitting smoking, which relieves stress on gut microbes; and maybe eating more probiotic-rich foods, which may boost beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Some types of cheese, including Swiss and Gouda, are a good source of probiotics, but eat cheese in moderation.

While the COVID pandemic changed how many people approached their health, the experience offers a teachable moment about how people can maintain new and improved healthy habits. Four areas that were most affected by COVID and enabled people to create positive changes are exercise, diet, medical check-ups, and social connections.

Adults who stay well hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions (such as heart and lung disease), and live longer than those who take in less fluid. Still, many older adults have trouble drinking enough water during the day. Adopting strategies like keeping water bottles close by, drinking with every meal, and eating more water-rich foods can help them meet their daily recommended amounts.