Staying Healthy Archive

About half the time, people alter how much, how often, or how long they take a prescribed medication, or they don't take it at all. This phenomenon, called medication nonadherence, can gravely threaten people's health, and is linked to about 125,000 deaths annually. People might not be able to comply with their drug regimen if they feel they take too many drugs, they don't like the side effects, the prescriptions cost too much, or they have memory problems or depression. Doctors should review medication lists and remove what patients no longer need.

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.

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.

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.

Many home blood pressure monitors are not validated for accuracy, which means there's no way to know if information they provide is correct. Relying on inaccurate measurements can affect decisions people make about medical treatment. Fortunately, reliable organizations have developed lists of blood pressure monitors that have demonstrated clinical accuracy. If a blood pressure monitor isn't listed, it's probably not validated.

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.

Three group housing trends can help ward off loneliness and isolation in older age. One trend is specialized communities, which are private mini-neighborhoods that promote shared activities, involvement with neighbors, and sometimes shared goals (such as providing stable lives for foster children). The communities are run by the people who live there or by nonprofit organizations. Another trend is home sharing—taking on a boarder or sharing a home with friends. A third trend is residential care homes, which are small assisted living facilities in private homes licensed by the state.

Your doctor may ask you to track your blood pressure at home to help decide if you need to start taking medication or to track your response to treatment. Here's how to get accurate readings.