Stiff and achy in the mornings? How to fix that
Some days I feel incredibly ancient. Not in age or my knowledge of modern music (although my millennial daughter may disagree), but in how my body feels. There are mornings when everything is rusty and...
View ArticleWill eating more chilis help you live longer?
I have to admit it: it can be hard to take news about the latest healthy diet too seriously. There seems to be an endless list of recommendations about food choices, but little consensus. It’s enough...
View ArticleShingles: What triggers this painful, burning rash?
If you’re like 95% of American adults, you had chickenpox as a kid. Before the United States started its widespread vaccination program in 1995, there were roughly four million cases of chickenpox...
View ArticleMaking the most of physical activity apps
One of the best moves you can make for your health is to get moving. “Walking is man’s best medicine” is a well-known quote from Hippocrates. Centuries later, we have multiple research studies that...
View ArticleWe’re supposed to make resolutions now?
After everything that’s happened in 2020, setting goals seems like a big ask. Resolutions inherently mean discomfort and require resolve, and most of us have had enough of the former and don’t have...
View ArticleHow not to lose money because of Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers from Maryland and Michigan recently published an article showing that six years prior to their diagnosis, individuals developing Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder were more likely...
View ArticleShingles of the eye can cause lasting vision impairment
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a viral infection known for its characteristic painful, burning, or itchy rash. This rash appears along a particular affected nerve, for example in a band on one side of...
View ArticleHarvard Health Ad Watch: Can an arthritis drug help you become a morning person?
Perhaps this is obvious, but drug ads are not intended to inform you about the best way to treat a condition you may have. Their primary purpose is to sell a product, as explained in an earlier blog on...
View ArticleWhat’s your approach to health? Check your medicine cabinet
Do all kids spy? Just me? When I was a child, I spent hours snooping in my parents’ nightstands, Granny’s pocketbook, my older brothers’ dresser drawers. I’m not sure what I was looking for, exactly,...
View ArticleDoes your health monitor have device bias?
In recent years, there’s been a veritable explosion in the number and type of health monitoring devices available in smartphones and fitness apps. Your smartphone is likely tracking the number of steps...
View ArticleGlaucoma: What’s new and what do I need to know?
Glaucoma is the leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide, and the second leading cause of permanent blindness in the United States. An estimated three million people in the United States have...
View ArticleSimple, low-cost, low-tech brain training
We’re all looking for ways to boost our brain power. And fortunately, there are plenty of simple, low-cost, low-tech ways to help sharpen cognition. “Low-tech, mentally stimulating activities,...
View ArticleHarvard Health Ad Watch: Mitochondria do a lot for you — what can you do for...
Ever see an ad for a product that sounds awesome and wondered if it was really that good? That happened to me recently. “How are you taking care of your mitochondria?” an announcer asked. Well, there’s...
View ArticleWant to improve your memory? Get a good night’s sleep!
There are few things that are as beneficial for your memory as having a good night’s sleep. Let’s understand why. If you’re tired, it’s hard to pay attention, and memory requires attention To remember...
View ArticleWant healthy eyes? What to know at 40 and beyond
Did the print on that label suddenly shrink? If you’re in your 40s or beyond, you may have asked yourself that question as you struggled to read something that you used to be able to see clearly with...
View ArticlePills and the planet: Environmentally-friendly steps for your medicine cabinet
Most people might not guess that pills (or creams, patches, and inhalers, for that matter) have a big impact on the environment — but they do. Climate change is leading to noticeable effects on the...
View ArticleLife expectancy: How can we address uneven declines?
Not long ago, during pre-pandemic 2019, the reported life expectancy at birth for non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic populations was approximately 75, 79, and 82 years, respectively....
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