Staying Healthy Archive

Long-term doses of certain medications may rob you of calcium, folic acid, and crucial B vitamins.

Short-term medication use will not lead to nutrient deficiency. But long-term use may interfere with your body's ability to absorb nutrients or produce them.
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Medications are well known for causing side effects such as nausea or drowsiness. These are the kinds of side effects you notice and can do something about. But sometimes a lesser known side effect happens without giving you any warning: nutrient deficiency.

Going for a ride is good for your heart and muscles, and it may improve how you walk, balance, and climb stairs.

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They say you never forget how to ride a bike, so maybe it's time to climb aboard a two- or three-wheeler and enjoy the health benefits of cycling. "It's socially oriented, it's fun, and it gets you outside and exercising," says Dr. Clare Safran-Norton, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Check out the main physical benefits.

Boosting intake of whole grains, such as wheat or oats, may reduce the risk of an early death.

The FDA is warning that over-the-counter antacids with aspirin in them can cause stomach bleeding in rare cases. 

It appears that vision impairment and blindness among U.S. adults ages 40 or older will double in the next 35 years, mostly because of an aging population. 

Fellow exercisers may keep you motivated, and learning proper form can help you avoid injuries.

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Is your solo walking or cycling routine getting a little humdrum? Maybe it's time to try a group fitness class at your local gym or community center. Working out with others in a class led by a trained instructor may help you stick to an exercise routine, which is a vital part of keeping your heart healthy.

"We know that in a broad sense, the more fit you are, the longer you live," says Dr. Meagan Wasfy, a cardiologist at the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Exactly how you achieve that fitness doesn't seem to matter—the main thing is making it happen. Group fitness classes, which come in a wide range of styles and intensities, may offer certain advantages toward that goal.

Like legions of earlier volunteers, you could contribute to the quest to improve care for people with heart disease.

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Imagine getting a letter from a physician based at a nearby academic medical center, telling you about research under way at the institution. It says you might be eligible to participate in a clinical trial designed to test a new blood pressure drug. Or maybe it's a study on the exercise habits of people ages 65 and older.

You're curious, so you check the box indicating that you're interested in learning more and mail it back.

Bariatric surgery can dramatically improve type 2 diabetes and other risks for heart disease.

The latest statistics on obesity suggest that this disease remains a huge problem in the United States: nearly one in three American adults meet the criteria for obesity. What's more, about one in 10 women and one in 20 men are considered extremely obese (see "Obesity in the extreme").

People with extreme obesity face a high risk of cardiovascular disease and myriad other health problems, as well as a shortened life span. Most have struggled with excess weight since childhood or early adulthood, and many have undergone multiple, frustrating attempts to shed pounds. For some, weight-loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery) may be the best—perhaps only—option for lasting weight loss.

People who are more physically fit in their mid-to-late 40s may be less likely to have a stroke after age 65 than those who are less fit.