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In 30-Year Study, Head Injury Doubles Risk of Dying Early
Head injuries have already been linked with many chronic health issues, but a new study that spanned three decades now shows it may double, or even triple, the risk of dying early."This is particularly the case for individuals with multiple or severe head injuries,"...
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40-Year Study Finds Weight-Loss Surgery Boosts Longevity
It's well known that obesity fuels an increase in a person's risk for other chronic health conditions. Now, a new study shows that weight-loss surgery could set that person's health, and longevity, on a different path. Utah researchers who followed patients for up to 40 years...
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Acting Out Dreams During Sleep May Signal Parkinson's Disease
We've all had the experience of acting out our dreams, but this may be a harbinger of dreaded neurological diseases. Actor Alan Alda, best known for his role on the comedy-drama television series M*A*S*H* thought he was being threatened as he slept and threw a bag of...
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'Spare Tire' in Middle Age Doubles Risk for Frailty With Aging
Any 'middle-age spread' of excess weight around your tummy could raise your risk of becoming frail decades later, a new study suggests. Obese folks who've packed on pounds around their waist are more likely to develop symptoms of frailty, including exhaustion, weak grip...
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Initial Alzheimer's Symptoms Predict Rate of Progression
Memory loss is the most common symptom associated with Alzheimer's disease - the terrifying prospect of slowly forgetting yourself and everything around you. But people who exhibit memory loss early on in their dementia actually have a slower rate of decline than those who...
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Scientists Debate Potential Maximum Human Lifespan
The death of the world's oldest person at the age of 118 has reignited a debate that has divided scientists for centuries: is there a limit on how long a healthy human can live? After French nun Lucile Randon died last week, Spanish great-grandmother Maria Branyas Morera,...
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Hearing Aids Mitigate Dementia Risk From Hearing Loss
Could losing your hearing as you age be a harbinger of dementia? Maybe, suggests new research that found that older people who had trouble hearing were more likely to develop dementia down the road. But there's good news with the bad: Hearing aids - which are now available...
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Nursing Homes Under Investigation for Abuse of Antipsychotics
The federal government says it will begin a targeted crackdown on nursing homes' abuse of antipsychotic drugs and misdiagnoses of schizophrenia in patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is launching investigations this month into select nursing homes, aimed...
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More Women Over 65 Are Dying of Cervical Cancer
A new study shows that many women diagnosed with and dying from cervical cancer are older than 65 - a group for whom routine screening is usually not recommended. Cervical cancer screening has been credited with a sharp drop in deaths from the disease in the decades since it...
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The Truth Behind 6 Popular Health Claims
The conflicting headlines about all things dietary and health-based can make your head spin. One day, experts tout the advantages of drinking wine or eating breakfast and the next we see just the opposite could be true. Still, as more studies emerge, we're getting close to...
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Social Isolation Increases Risk for Dementia
Social isolation is a substantial risk factor for dementia in older adults, according to a pair of studies that add evidence to past research on this threat. But these new studies offer a potential solution: using technology to encourage older adults to text and email to...
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Retain Flexibility as You Age
Flexibility is important in everyday life, especially as we get older. It's not about the ability to touch your toes or do a backbend, but about functional fitness. Bending down to put on your socks or tie your shoes. Looking over your shoulder to change lanes. Reaching up...
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Declining Sense of Smell Signals Frailty in Older Adults
Doctors already test seniors' hearing and vision. Sense of smell could be added to screenings one day, according to researchers who found links between its loss and risk of frailty in older adults. "We use our sense of smell to identify the threat of a fire or to enjoy the...
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Study Determines How to Counteract the Negative Effects of Prolonged Sitting
Millions of adults spend too much time at a desk or in front of a screen, and experts have long advised them to sit less, move more. But if lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and a mood boost are the goals, what's the bare minimum of movement that will get the job...
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Just 6 Minutes of High-Intensity Exercise Could Delay Alzheimer's
Six minutes of high-intensity exercise might prolong the lifespan of a healthy brain, perhaps delaying the start of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, a new, small study suggests. Researchers found that short but intense cycling increased the production of a protein...
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Warning Signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma, the Most Common Form of Skin Cancer
First Lady Jill Biden had three skin lesions removed on Wednesday, two of which were found to be cancerous, says NPR. A week ago, the White House announced that Biden would be having a procedure called Mohs surgery to remove a small lesion above her right eye that had been...
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Schedule Your Annual Free Memory Screening Appointment Now
Many conditions cause memory issues, and early detection is essential for effective treatment, according to a national Alzheimer's disease organization. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) encourages people to get a memory screening in the new year.The foundation...
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Don't Scratch That Itch: How to Soothe Dry Skin
Itchy skin is annoying and uncomfortable. And dermatologists say it gets worse as we age. But there are ways to soothe and protect our skin, even in the dry winter months. However, you need to stifle the urge to scratch since it only makes itchiness worse. "Dermatologists...
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What You Need to Know About the New Alzheimer's Medication
A new Alzheimer's drug is hitting the market - the first with clear-cut evidence that it can slow, by several months, the mind-robbing disease. It's a long-needed new treatment, but experts also are voicing a lot of caution: The drug isn't a cure, it's only intended for...
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Genetic Discovery of How Humans Lost Body Hair Could Lead to Cancer Prevention
In the mammalian world, there are the hairy, the less hairy and the hairless. But why that is has remained a mystery. Until now. In a new study that compared the DNA of 62 animals, researchers found that while humans appear to have the genes for a full coat of body hair,...
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Study: Building a Cognitive Reserve Protects Against Dementia
According to the American Academy of Neurology, a new study found that there is a lot you can do to prevent Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive decline. Researchers discovered ways to help create a "cognitive reserve" that provides a buffer against the...
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Researchers Discover How Dry Eyes Weaken Corneas
Researchers studying dry eye disease in mice have found that the condition can alter how the cornea heals itself. They have also identified potential treatments. "We have drugs, but they only work well in about 10% to 15% of patients," said senior researcher Dr. Rajendra...
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Snore-Silencing Pillow, Smart Toilet, Massage Chair Debut at Tech Show
Pillows that stifle snores, urine-testing toilets, and "digital twins" for safer surgeries were all on display at a CES gadget fest in Las Vegas Tuesday, ahead of the opening of the consumer electronics extravaganza. Fueled by the pandemic, a rising trend in remote or home...
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Physician Group Updates Guidelines on Most Effective Osteoporosis Treatments
As millions of Americans born in the baby boomer generation are already finding out, bone loss is a common sign of aging. And now experts at the American College of Physicians (ACP) - one of the leading groups representing primary care doctors - is issuing updated guidelines...
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What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Smoking
Giving up cigarettes can be excruciating, with cravings and withdrawal symptoms lingering for weeks, especially if you aren't strongly motivated. Yet, just minutes after that first smoke-free breath, your body starts to change for the better. And with all the healthy breaths...