Staying Healthy Archive

Strengthen the shoulder, arm, buttock, and leg muscles.

Grocery bags, grandkids, and gardening supplies: they're all heavy items you may need to lift and carry short distances. That may be harder in older age, with a loss of muscle mass and strength. You'll have an easier time if you maintain the muscles that help you do the job.

Your "lifting" muscles

"Lift with your legs, not with your back." That old saying is true for a reason: "The muscles in the legs and buttocks are bigger and more power­ful than the tiny back muscles," notes Clare Safran-Norton, clinical supervisor of rehabilitation services at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Research we're watching

Having a regular bedtime isn't just good for kids; it may also benefit the health of older adults. A study published online March 2 by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that older adults with an irregular sleep schedule had nearly double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared with those who had a regular sleep schedule.

Researchers selected nearly 2,000 men and women, ages 45 to 84, who did not have cardiovascular disease. At the outset of the study, all participants underwent a sleep examination that included a questionnaire, an at-home overnight sleep test, and seven days of monitoring with a device worn on the wrist that tracked sleep patterns. Over the following five years, the participants with the most irregular sleep patterns had more than twice the rate of heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease compared with those who had the most regular sleep patterns. The increased risk of experiencing one of these events persisted in the irregular sleepers even after study authors adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors, average sleep duration, and other sleep problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea.

Take this list to the grocery store when stocking up on supplies.

Social distancing, severe weather, a lack of transportation — each one can keep you from getting to a grocery store, leaving you with precious little to eat. When you're looking at a near-empty pantry with an oddball collection of remaining goods — like a lonely box of penne pasta or a random can of beans — it's a sign to prepare differently next time. Fortunately, it's not hard to create an emergency supply kit to hold you over until you can get to the store or have someone shop for you.

Important supplies

Lean on nonperishable items if you're worried about losing power, and add frozen foods if the bigger concern is not getting to a grocery store. Avoid convenience foods like frozen dinners and canned soups, which typically contain excessive amounts of salt, fat, calories, preservatives, and added sugars.

Learn about a device's pros and cons so you're not stranded.

John was in trouble: The 84-year-old wound up on the floor after sliding out of a chair. While unhurt, John couldn't get up. He lived alone and couldn't reach his cellphone, house phone, or alert button; all were on a table next to his chair. After three long hours trying to inch across the floor, John remembered that his "smart" speaker (activated by voice commands) was connected to his smartphone. John called out for the speaker to dial his daughter, who sent help right away.

Electronic gadgets like smart speakers can be a great addition to the home.  But a smart speaker won't save the day in every emergency. Before investing in a gadget for security, learn about its potential limitations.

What you do before procedures can help get the best results.

If you're planning a complex medical procedure or surgery, you'll hear a lot about the steps you'll need to take afterward to speed up recovery and reduce complications. But it's equally important to focus on your health beforehand, too.

"Preparing both your body and mind before an invasive medical procedure can help you better manage and overcome the many stresses you encounter," says Dr. Julie Silver, associate chair for the department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. "If you are healthier and stronger going in, you have a much higher chance of avoiding setbacks."

News briefs

Struggling with high blood sugar or diabetes? A study published online March 6, 2020, by PLOS Medicine suggests that increasing your daily fiber intake may help. British researchers combed through dozens of studies with about 10,000 participants who had prediabetes, gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, or type 2 diabetes. Compared with people who ate low-fiber diets (19 grams of fiber per day), people who ate another 16 grams of fiber per day (a total of 35 grams per day) weighed less and had lower levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation. There were also 14 fewer deaths per 1,000 people among those who ate high-fiber diets. If you'd like to increase your fiber intake, try to eat more fiber-rich foods at each meal. Good sources include whole-grain cereals, legumes, and nuts. For example, a cup of bran cereal has up to 47 grams of fiber, depending on the brand; half a cup of white beans has about 10 grams of fiber; and an ounce of almonds has about 13 grams of fiber. Increase fiber intake slowly, to give your digestive tract time to adjust, and remember to increase your water intake as well.

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This simple at-home exercise can improve flexibility, leg strength, and balance to protect against falls.

Falls continue to be a significant cause of fatal injury among older adults, according to the CDC. In fact, each year, falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency rooms and more than 27,000 deaths.

Lack of mobility and declining strength are the main contributors to falls. Still, another threat, which often goes unrecognized, is simply the fear of falling.

In the journals

Cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure drugs can improve heart health, but you still need to follow heart-healthy habits. That's the conclusion of a study published online Feb. 5, 2020, by the Journal of the American Heart Association, which found many people forgo healthy habits after they begin taking these medications.

Researchers in Finland identified 41,225 people who were free of cardiovascular disease. They collected such health data as body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake, smoking status, and whether the people took statins or blood pressure drugs. Updated information was gathered from surveys every four years over a 14-year period.

No single treatment—whether it's an antidepressant drug or a style of talk therapy—can ease depression in every case. However, research suggests you will improve your chances of getting relief if you combine drugs and therapy. One report that pooled findings from 25 studies found that adding psychotherapy to drug treatment was more helpful than medication alone in treating major depression. Earlier research suggested that one reason therapy and medication may complement each other is that they have different effects on the brain.

In addition to relieving depression, combination therapy may help ward off recurrences. A classic three-year study reported in JAMA tracked recurrences of major depression in about 200 people ages 60 or older. Of those who received monthly interpersonal therapy and who also took an antidepressant medication, 80% avoided a recurrence. In contrast, the same could be said for only 57% of those who received the drug alone, 36% of those given just interpersonal therapy, and a mere 10% in the placebo group.

Are you worried about your memory? You can go it alone and teach your-self techniques for strengthening your memory. Or, you can get pro-fessional memory training. Some medical centers offer memory training programs in which people meet every week or so to learn memory enhancement techniques, then practice them as homework. Another alternative is to attend a series of individual sessions with a clinician who specializes in memory and other cognitive problems. Such a specialist can recommend specific strategies for the types of memory problems that affect you.

If you are considering a memory enhancement program, choose one that is run by a health professional with specialized training in cognitive rehabilitation. Some people benefit from individual treatment, where their particular needs can be identified and addressed.