The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced that more people than ever are falling for “lonely hearts” scams, otherwise known as “romance scams.” Last year, these crooks stole more than $304 million from their victims. To protect ourselves, our friends and loved ones, we should learn about this type of fraud. “Lonely hearts scams” are Read More
Two years into the pandemic, are you struggling with the notorious “quarantine 15”? A lot of older adults report that they are carrying around some extra pounds these days. It’s not surprising, as many of us are unable to access many of our usual exercise activities. Perhaps we’re turning to food for entertainment and comfort. Read More
March is National Kidney Month. Kidney stones aren’t by any means the most serious kidney ailment we can deal with, but they are certainly painful and can affect quality of life. Here are questions often asked about this condition: Q: What are kidney stones? Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like deposits that form in the kidney, Read More
Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been experiencing another epidemic—this one of misinformation! Spreading unsubstantiated rumors is never a good thing, and in the case of health information, it can be life-threatening. For most of us, it feels good to know we’re sharing factual, accurate information—but how can we be sure we really are? “Health Read More
We’re celebrating American Heart Month during February, and many of us are thinking about ways to take good care of our hearts. Maybe we vow to get more exercise, lower our stress and control our blood pressure. Most likely, we are examining our eating habits and looking at ways we can switch to a healthier Read More
Here’s a common question: “What’s your New Year’s resolution this year?” And a common answer: “To lose some weight … same as last year and, come to think of it, the year before!” It can be so hard to lose weight! If you’re facing this challenge, you’re not alone. More people in the U.S. are Read More
Our New Year’s resolutions often include weight loss and healthy eating—and reducing our sugar intake can help us meet both of those worthy goals. USDA guidelines recommend that we take in less than 10% of our daily calories from sugar. For older adults, consuming too much sugar increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, Read More
We plan for health care during our senior years. We strategize our retirement finances. We make a plan about where to live, and how to remain socially connected. But there’s one other thing we might have forgotten. A recent study shows that having a plan for preventing falls is also very important! A research team Read More
If you are creating the holiday feast this year, protect your guests from the unwanted “gift” of foodborne illness. Here are three last-minute reminders from food safety experts: Don’t trust your cookbook Many cooks are unaware of how easy it is to spread bacteria. And studies show amateur chefs aren’t getting very good advice from Read More
When it comes to vaccines, most of the conversation these days concerns shots to protect us from COVID-19. People who are living with a heart condition are at higher risk of both contracting the virus that causes COVID, and experiencing serious illness when they do. But this is no time to overlook the importance of Read More