
5 timeless habits for better health

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Is your breakfast cereal healthy?

When pain signals an emergency: Symptoms you should never ignore

Does exercise give you energy?

Acupuncture for pain relief: How it works and what to expect

How to avoid jet lag: Tips for staying alert when you travel

Biofeedback therapy: How it works and how it can help relieve pain

Best vitamins and minerals for energy

Should you take probiotics with antibiotics?
Staying Healthy Archive
Articles
The body’s overlooked defense system
Make the most of your skin barrier to ward off certain types of disease. Hint: It pays to moisturize.
Picture it: You're the body's military commander, and you're reviewing your protective forces. Immune system? Check. Stomach acid? Check. Beneficial gut bacteria? Check.
Don't forget to include your skin: it's one of the most important bastions in the fight against disease, keeping harmful organisms and substances from getting inside the body.
Low calorie, but high risk?
Are artificial sweeteners benign or a threat to your long-term health? A recent study adds a new element to the debate.
Artificial sweeteners seem to offer a tantalizing free pass to dessert. These low- or no-calorie additives taste like sugar, but your body can't absorb them the same way it does natural sugars. You get the taste without the calories, which should mean that you can eat them guilt-free. Right?
Over the years, experts have increasingly questioned whether artificial sweeteners are too good to be true. Are they really your ticket to a Âlow-calorie treat — or will you wind up getting your just desserts for trying to outsmart Mother Nature?
Is it time to consider using medical marijuana?
The stigma is fading, but learn the pros and cons before trying it.
Despite the hype and popularity of medical marijuana, you may not be sure if it's something to consider. You're right to be cautious; the use of marijuana to treat health problems is still being studied, and we don't have all the answers about its risks and benefits.
We do know that medical marijuana use among older adults is increasing. "Older adults tend to use it for physical ailments. No. 1 is chronic pain. Insomnia is another big one, too. Older people have a hard time sleeping, and there aren't a lot of other safe options," says Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
Giving telemedicine a try
Here's what you need to know so you can see your doctor without leaving home.
Remember when "virtual" doctor visits became available a few years ago? Being able to chat with a doctor on a video call instead of an in-person office exam was novel, but it never caught on as a mainstay of treatment.
That changed in the spring of 2020, when the pandemic hit and telemedicine rocketed from novelty to necessity. "At Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, we did 1,600 virtual encounters across the system in February. In March it was 89,000, and in April it was 242,000. That's the kind of growth we're experiencing," says Dr. Joseph Kvedar, a dermatologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, senior advisor for virtual care at ÂPartners HealthCare, and president of the American Telemedicine Association.
How do I measure exercise intensity?
On call
Q. Exercise guidelines recommend a certain number of hours per week, depending on whether it's moderate or vigorous intensity. So how do I measure exercise intensity?
A. Outside of a physiology laboratory, there really is no standard agreement on how people should gauge their level of exercise intensity.
People know sun protection is important, but often skip it
Research we're watching
While more than three-quarters of Americans say that sun protection is important, less than half actually use it on a regular basis when they're heading outside, according to a survey by the American Academy of Dermatology. Some 28% of those polled said they rarely or never use sun protection, which includes using sunscreen, staying in the shade outside whenever possible, and wearing clothing such as hats or other items that can protect against the sun's rays. Sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancers, affecting one in every five Americans, so the AAD says it's important that people take steps to protect themselves. The AAD recommends that you
- wear sunscreen with 30 SPF or higher
- stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when its rays are the most intense
- use clothing to protect your skin, such as a hat and long-sleeved shirt.
Image: © Aleksej Sarifulin/Getty Images
Three moves for better spine health
Spinal instability can contribute to low back pain, but the "big three" exercises can help.
A strong core can stabilize your spine to help keep your lower back healthy and pain-free. The muscles and ligaments surrounding your spine can weaken with age or from an injury, which can make movements like twisting, stretching, lifting, and bending difficult.
"The lower back often has to compensate for this lack of mobility, which places greater stress and burden on its muscles," says Eric L'Italien, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Center.
Stay active to stay out of the hospital
News briefs
It's well established that regular exercise is healthy. But how much exercise do you need to achieve health benefits? Even just a little activity — both at home and at work — may reduce your risk of hospitalization, suggests a long-term observational study published May 6, 2020, in BMC Geriatrics. Researchers analyzed the self-reported workplace and leisure activity of 25,000 men and women ages 40 to 79 over a 20-year period. During the first 10 years of the study, people who were active were 25% less likely to be hospitalized for more than 20 days per year, compared with people who were inactive. In the second 10 years of the study, people who remained active or became active — even just slightly — were 34% less likely to be hospitalized for more than 20 days per year. Also, people who were inactive or became inactive during the study had the highest risk of being hospitalized. The take-home message: Stay as active as you can, whether it's a brisk walk most days of the week or just vigorous housework. Even a little activity protects your health.
Image: shapecharge/Getty Images
Sound check on hearing aids
Don't wait to get hearing aids if you need them. They can improve your quality of life.
Hearing aids may be a symbol of advancing age, but they also can be your means to a healthier and more vibrant life.
Research continues to show that people with age-related hearing loss who get fitted for hearing aids tend to become more active. Some science has even suggested they have fewer cognitive issues.

5 timeless habits for better health

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Is your breakfast cereal healthy?

When pain signals an emergency: Symptoms you should never ignore

Does exercise give you energy?

Acupuncture for pain relief: How it works and what to expect

How to avoid jet lag: Tips for staying alert when you travel

Biofeedback therapy: How it works and how it can help relieve pain

Best vitamins and minerals for energy

Should you take probiotics with antibiotics?
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