Staying Healthy Archive

Two categories of shoulder injuries are particularly common among older adults: rotator cuff injuries and shoulder bone fractures. The key to warding off shoulder injuries is to keep the joints healthy, strong, and flexible. Many of the strategies to do this are the same ones that will reduce fall or fracture risk. Examples include weight-bearing activity, stretching, improving balance, and eating a healthy diet. Other strategies include strengthening the shoulder muscles, stretching the shoulders right before activity that requires shoulder power, and removing fall hazards from the home.

Increasingly, tests that measure C-reactive protein are marketed to health-conscious consumers as a way of determining if they have chronic inflammation. However, the test is just one piece of evidence and should be interpreted by one's doctor. Without that expertise, a customer might not understand what the CRP test result means, and as a result might suffer unnecessary anxiety or pursue unnecessary tests. It's best to talk to one's doctor before seeking tests that measure CRP levels.

Studies of contestants from the TV show The Biggest Loser found that due to changes in metabolism, people who have lost large amounts of weight have to follow an extremely low-calorie diet in order to maintain the weight loss. Subsequent research indicates that these metabolic changes are related to calorie restriction while weight is being lost, but later become a function of sustained physical activity.

There are other conditions besides arthritis that can make walking difficult and even painful, such as peripheral artery disease, chronic venous insufficiency, lumbar spinal stenosis, and diabetic neuropathy.

With colds, flu, and COVID variants circulating, keeping your immune system healthy is even more important. Advertising would have you believe that some supplement or other is the key to protecting yourself from getting sick, but the best strategies to protect yourself involve common sense and simple steps.

It's commonly believed that poinsettia plants are poisonous, but are they? If they are dangerous, what can happen if some is ingested? What about other popular holiday-season plants like mistletoe or holly? If you have any of these in your home, what should you know about them?

We all know that motivation is key to accomplishing our goals, but even if you have a much-desired goal in mind, it's too easy for motivation to dissipate. Before setting a goal, it's critical to identify why it is important to you, to create a detailed plan that outlines how you will achieve it, and to make a to-do list so you can track your progress.