Staying Healthy Archive

The loss of muscle mass begins in one's 30s and accelerates after age 60. A loss of upper-body strength can make it more difficult to complete daily activities, and it may also increase the risk for muscle injury during an activity that involves reaching. A physical therapy program can help increase muscle mass in older age. Such a program typically involves gentle stretching to keep muscles supple, plus strengthening exercises like triceps curls, with low amounts of weight (just a few pounds) and a high number of repetitions.

Exfoliation — the process of removing dead cells from the skin's outer layer — can make skin glow, help even out coloring, and offer other benefits, but it can also irritate or inflame. Which products should you choose and how often can you exfoliate?

Because metabolic syndrome boosts the risk of developing several serious health problems, a troubling rise in rates of occurrence of metabolic syndrome among certain segments of the US population is of great concern.

A survey found that one-third of couples reported occasionally or regularly sleeping in separate rooms to accommodate a bed partner. The main motivation behind separate sleeping is to ensure both people get a good night's rest, as sleep can get disrupted by a partner's snoring, teeth grinding, thrashing, sleep schedule, and different sleeping environments. Couples should work together to ensure sleeping apart does not interfere with intimacy, such as scheduling snuggle time, taking naps together, and planning times for sexual activity.

The foundation of a healthy lifestyle consists of lasting habits like eating right, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, managing mental health, and getting routine medical and wellness exams. Even making daily, small steps toward these goals can have a significant impact. Everyday strategies include doing morning stretching, taking regular naps, breathing exercises to manage stress, caring for skin and teeth, and being social.

A 2023 study suggests that older adults who exercise with their spouses might be less physically active than those who exercise on their own.

The demand for semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) and similar weight-loss drugs has renewed interest in the dietary supplement berberine. Some people say berberine suppresses appetite and promotes weight loss, but no rigorous evidence supports that claim.

People often confuse age spots with sun spots, which can develop into skin cancer. Age spots are flat, but sun spots (known medically as actinic keratoses) often feel rough and scaly. People should seek a doctor's evaluation if they develop sun spots.

Smokers were more successful at quitting when they used both electronic cigarettes and smoking-cessation counseling rather than only relying on counseling, according to a 2024 study.

The No. 1 health problem for the kidneys is chronic kidney disease (CKD), an irreversible decline in kidney function. People often don't notice any signs of trouble with their kidneys until chronic kidney disease has already occurred. People at high risk for CKD should have annual tests of kidney function. Adopting certain habits can help protect the kidneys, such as limiting alcohol intake, not smoking, staying hydrated, and not overusing over-the-counter pain medications.