With heart disease being the number one killer in the United States, many of us are thinking about ways that we can all take good care of our hearts. Maybe we make a resolution to get more exercise, lower our stress levels, and control our blood pressure, making sure to keep it within recommended levels. For most people, the first step is to examine our eating habits, and look at all the ways we can switch to a healthier diet. Many of us may do this and then experience the disappointment of learning we have to give up some of our “guilty favorites” when we create our meal plans for the week.

Gout is a painful type of arthritis that commonly affects the joints of the big toe, but can also affect the ankle, heel, knees, wrists, fingers, or elbow. Like any other joint disease, gout can be painful and disabling, and yet many people with this condition sometimes fail to seek treatment due to misinformation.

Osteoporosis is a disease where the bones gradually lose density, thinning and weakening over time. It is common among older adults of all genders, not just women. And yet many people mistakenly believe that it’s only a health concern for women, and not something men should be at all concerned about either. While it is true that the disease more commonly affects women, the truth is that men can and do get it too.

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began and brought the idea of disease prevention to the front of our minds, many people have been wondering about what extra steps they can take to protect themselves. Though we have vaccines for the COVID-19 virus and for seasonal influenza, there are always extra measures and tools at our disposal. We learned during the pandemic that distancing, masking, and frequent hand washing and disinfection protocols can lower our risk of contracting diseases of any kind. But many of us are also wondering what we can do to boost the strength of our immune system and help our body’s natural line of defense. For seniors, this is a greater challenge due to the changes brought about from age.

As we age, some of the changes that our bodies go through can make driving a less safe activity for seniors. Eye diseases, arthritis, memory problems, side effects from medications, and more, can all make it harder to street, react to conditions on the road, and make decisions behind the wheel.

Playing board games is not just a fun way to pass the time. They can also provide numerous mental, emotional, and social benefits for seniors. Here are our best picks.

There has been a great deal of research done recently which has shed light on what has been called an “epidemic” of loneliness among seniors. The University of Michigan published a study which found that 25% of adults have reported feeling lonely. And you may not know this, but loneliness is in fact a health problem. Many experts have listed it among health concerns such as smoking or obesity in terms of causing negative health outcomes.

While it is entirely possible to work out at home or outside, joining and working out at a gym has numerous advantages. For one, there is a large amount of space and a wide variety of equipment and machines, all allowing you to perform many exercises that would be otherwise difficult or impossible at home. Staff and instructors teach classes for you to follow along with, and can show you the correct and safe way to use machines and perform exercises. Gyms also provide a place to exercise in the event of bad weather, and many health insurance plans offer discounted or even free gym memberships.

In the United States, more than 30 million people are currently living with diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that happens when levels of blood glucose, more commonly known as blood sugar, are too high.

Maybe your trips to the supermarket produce section are limited to grabbing a few tomatoes, bananas, apples and an onion or two for a basic selection of fruits and vegetables.

Our teeth and gums change as we age. The years of wear and tear will take a toll, often leading to thinning enamel and broken or lost teeth. And even when teeth are repaired, with crowns, fillings, root canals or bridges, they are still less hardy. And gums recede, leading to sensitive areas of the teeth not covered by enamel to be exposed.

Despite the challenges of Parkinson's disease, advances in technology have the potential to make a world of difference for seniors living with the condition.

For your elderly loved ones who still live alone in their homes, it is only natural to worry about their safety and well being. But no matter how much you worry, they may be less safe than you realize. But the good news is that there are steps that you can take to boost the safety of their homes, which will make them more secure and increase the peace of mind for both you and your aging parents.

One thing that seems to be in the air today is that good feelings for other people can be in short supply. Whether it’s arguments shooting back and forth from either side of the political divide, snarky comments on Facebook or Youtube, mean and inflammatory tweets, and news sites about one misery or another happening in the world somewhere, it seems like everything is designed to make us all feel prickly, judgmental, and self-focused.

With Daylight Savings past us and an extra hour of sunlight in the evenings as the days get longer as we travel through Spring on into Summer, it’s a good time to remind everyone that sunburn season is officially upon us. That means that it is time to start thinking about protecting our skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays that can give us painful sunburns as well as raise our risk of contracting skin cancer.

As we age, it’s harder to get a good night’s sleep. We may find ourselves in bed for hours, unable to drift off to sleep. Or, we might find ourselves sleeping right away, but then experience a period of wakefulness in the middle of the night, perhaps waking up at 4am and then being stuck staring at the ceiling until dawn. Painful health conditions and some medications can interfere with sleep. And middle of the night bathroom trips can get us up out of bed, of course, and even if we are getting the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep, we might not feel rested for the next day.

If you've noticed that your elderly relative mixes up their medication often lately, it's important that you stay involved in ensuring they get their doses on time and correctly. Here are some suggestions on how you can help.

Americans are living much longer than ever now, and the truth is that bad health is not an unavoidable or natural part of the aging process. There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding getting older, but with moderate research findings and practical experience they can be disproven, altering the way we think about aging into and through the twilight years.

Everyone alive is aware of the harmful effects of smoking, but the problem with nicotine addiction is that just being informed as to the negative health outcomes isn’t necessarily enough to stop. Any doctor under the sun will suggest for you to quit smoking, and your loved ones will certainly feel much better in their twilight years living a smoke-free lifestyle. But wanting to quit and actually quitting successfully are two different animals. Consider the following ways you can support and help facilitate your loved ones’ desire to give up their smoking habit.

It's essential to stay hydrated, especially for seniors. These are the benefits, risks, and recommended drinks when it comes to hydration.

The months following your loved one experiencing a stroke are frequently difficult. The transformation will necessitate an entirely new perspective on care, routine, and priorities. Not to mention the distress you’ll be feeling watching your loved one suffering from physical and emotional changes. However, with the large body of data around effective stroke therapy, there is optimism to be had for the road ahead.

One of the negative health effects of cancer is that it makes the immune system less strong. One of the things you can do to help build up your immune system is follow a healthy diet, which can help to build up the immune system and boost your body’s ability to fight off infections. A healthy diet also aids the body in the ability to heal the body tissues faster if the cancer or the treatment for it has caused any damage.

One thing you may notice if you should look at the fossils of early man is that their skeletons were comprised of thick, heavy and powerful looking bones. While you may attribute this to their existing in a state closer to nature and being closer to our wild, unevolved state, the surprising truth is that our own bones today have the potential to be just as strong.

Growing older brings with it a more common occurrence of tooth and gum problems. While some seniors think losing some or all of their teeth is inevitable, the truth is that good oral hygiene and care lowers the risk of dental problems. This is even more important than ever, as poor oral health is linked with malnutrition, and a whole host of other issues like heart disease and even dementia.

We all know that the things we eat are extremely important, but maybe we don’t know exactly why it’s important. The fact is that our diets have a great effect on our overall health.