Health and Wellness

Everyone needs boundaries in work and life, but in the world of family caregiving, the ability to make and understand your own line in the sand can be the difference between thriving or just surviving. Twenty years ago, when I was caring for my husband as he recovered from a traumatic brain injury, I was a frenzied,…

With every step, your feet take a pounding equivalent to up to 2.5 times your body weight. After decades of wear and tear, it’s no wonder foot woes start to crop up in your 50s. “Age plus weight plus inappropriate footwear plus genetics equals foot trouble,” says Eric Stamps, dean of the California School of…

Figuring out how much to eat while achieving or maintaining a healthy weight can be difficult. Getting the proper nutrients and eating the right amount for your weight and activity level can contribute to healthy aging. This article provides suggestions for how older adults can get the nutrients they need within a recommended daily number of calories.…

What’s the best over-the-counter pain medication? It depends on what hurts — and why.  “If you can target the pain with a medication that treats the underlying cause, the pain relief will be better,” says Sunny Linnebur, a professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Aurora. …

If the idea of gauging your organ age seems far out, impossible or irrelevant to assess health, consider that you’re probably already doing it without knowing. Think about that last time you met someone new, took a fresh look at your partner when you awoke in the morning or caught your reflection in the mirror.…

Cutting is critical when you’re trying to lose weight. You cut calories. You cut fat. Basically, anything that’s crammed with carbs, sweetened with sugar or dipped in a deep fryer is suddenly off-limits. But dieting doesn’t have to require deprivation. Many delicious (and healthy) foods can still be part of your dining repertoire. Some members of…

“I don’t like the way alcohol makes me feel anymore,” says Ellen Albertson, a 61-year-old psychologist and registered dietitian in North Hero, Vermont. She’s currently in breast cancer remission and cutting back on vices that could put her at future risk. In addition, she wants to work more toward practicing what she preaches as a…

Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy. It can be a normal response to physical activity, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep, but it can also signal a more serious mental or physical condition. Everyone feels tired now and then. If you feel tired continuously for multiple weeks, you may…

If you’re feeling lonely these days, you’re not alone. Isolation is a big concern for older adults.  ​According to a University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging taken in January 2023, 1 in 3 adults between ages 50 and 80 reported feeling isolated from others in the past year. ​ ​ Research has found…

Maybe you’ve seen social media posts, smartphone apps or ads promoting eye exercises as a way to ease eye strain, improve your vision or banish wrinkles. Some even promise to eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. While there are some eye exercises that can be beneficial, experts say it’s important to know that there’s no…