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These Healthy Habits Add Years to Your Life, According to New Research
A new study found that by adopting certain lifestyle habits you can boost longevity even in your 80s. Researchers from Osaka University in Japan say reducing drinking, not smoking, losing weight, and getting more sleep yield big dividends when it comes to longevity, even...
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Vision Problems Can Lead to Inaccurate Mental Decline Diagnosis
Poor eyesight makes it harder to read and easier to trip. But it can also lead to a misdiagnosis of mild mental decline in older people, according to a new, small study. That can happen if someone's thinking abilities are assessed using vision-dependent tests, researchers...
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Research Reveals How Long Teeth Survive After Root Canal
If you've had a root canal, you can expect your tooth to survive for about 11 years, researchers say. For a time, root canals can maintain teeth affected by cavities or other problems, but the tooth eventually becomes brittle and dies. To learn more about just how long that...
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Pollution Killed 9 Million People Worldwide in 2019
Pollution from varied sources caused 9 million deaths worldwide in 2019, accounting for 1 in 6 of all deaths, a new study says. Of those pollution-related deaths, three-quarters - close to 7 million - were caused by outdoor or indoor air pollution. Toxic chemical pollution...
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Injecting Body Fat Into Arthritic Hands Lessens Pain, Increases Function
Liposuction typically is used to flatten your stomach or shape up your booty, but a new study argues that it could also help people suffering from arthritis of the fingers. Injections of body fat into aching, arthritic finger joints appear to produce significant and lasting...
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Arthroscopy an Effective Alternative to More Invasive Hip Replacement
College basketball player Joey Liedel suffered years of debilitating hip pain that limited his ability to play. As a freshman at University of Detroit-Mercy, he was in constant discomfort. Eventually, the Erie, Mich., athlete underwent hip surgery and took some time off to...
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Resistance Training Boosts Longevity
Recent studies suggest that resistance training can prolong your life. An analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that people who spent 30 to 60 minutes strength training each week had a 40% lower risk for premature death, 46% lower risk for heart...
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Gallstones Linked to Higher Risk For Pancreatic Cancer
A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer may feel like a death sentence because this fast-moving disease is often discovered at a later stage, when it's harder to treat. Now, a new study offers hope for earlier diagnosis, finding an association between recent gallstone disease and...
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US Gun Homicides Jumped to Highest Level in 25 Years During Pandemic
During the first year of the pandemic, the number of Americans felled by gun violence reached a level not seen since 1994, a new government report shows. From 2019 to 2020, the rate of murders involving guns rose by nearly 35%, the highest logged in more than 25 years.In...
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Top Three Modifiable Factors That Raise Your Risk For Dementia
Certain lifestyle factors can sway the risk of dementia, and a new study points to the top threats to Americans these days: obesity, physical inactivity and lack of a high school diploma. Researchers found that in just the past decade, there has been a shift in the most...
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About 75 Percent of Sunscreens Are Not Effective or Contain Harmful Ingredients
More than 5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, making it America's most common cancer. Fortunately, skin cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. It is critical to use the best sun protection...
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Urinary Dysfunction in Men Linked to Earlier Death
Urinary incontinence can plague men as they age, but a new study suggests it may be more than just a bothersome condition and might actually be a harbinger of early death. "This indicates the importance of assessing the general health, risk factors and major co-morbidities...
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How Loneliness is Damaging Our Health
Loneliness was a common result of the COVID-19 pandemic as people had to stay secluded to prevent the transmission of the deadly virus. But experts say that America was suffering from a loneliness epidemic long before COVID-19 nudged us even further into isolation. That act...
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Report: Medicare Advantage Plans Often Deny Coverage for Eligible, Necessary Care
Coverage for eligible, necessary care is denied each year to tens of thousands of seniors with private Medicare Advantage plans, U.S. federal investigators say. In a report released Thursday, the team from the inspector general's office of the U.S. Department of Health and...
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Slash Your Cancer Risk by More Than 60 Percent With These 3 Simple Steps
It is not too late to take steps to prevent cancer in your senior years, and it may be as easy as one, two, three. A new study found that by combining three simple and inexpensive daily habits, you can reduce your risk of invasive cancer by as much as 61%.The study...
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Poll: Older People Fret Less About Aging in Place
The older you are, the less you fret about aging in place.
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Task Force Now Recommends Against Heart Preventive Daily Aspirin for Over 60
It seemed a simple prospect - take a low-dose baby aspirin tablet once a day and reduce your risk of ever suffering a heart attack or stroke. But new science has shown it's not that simple. Noting the drug's risk of dangerous bleeding, the nation's leading panel of preventive...
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Calcium Supplements Linked to Increased Risk for Heart-Related Death
Seniors are often advised to take calcium supplements, but new research says the pills might significantly increase an aging person's risk of heart valve problems that contribute to heart failure. People taking either calcium supplements alone or calcium with vitamin D had a...
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Just 7,000 Steps a Day Can Save Your Life
You can dramatically increase your lifespan just by taking a walk. New evidence reveals that the old rule of 10,000 steps daily is outdated, and if you are over 60 you really need only 7,000 steps per day to slash your mortality risk by 50%. A meta-analysis published in the...
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FDA Warns Against Potentially Harmful Skin Lightening Products
Twelve companies have been issued warning letters about selling over-the-counter skin lightening products containing hydroquinone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday. The products are unapproved drugs that are not recognized as safe and effective,...
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Estrogen, Testosterone Deficiencies May Raise Risk for Rotator Cuff Tears
Lower levels of sex hormones might be tied to tears of the shoulder's rotator cuff in men and women, a new study suggests. Among women with low levels of estrogen, researchers found the odds of a rotator cuff tear were 48% higher, compared with women with normal estrogen...
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How to Reduce Risky Nighttime Bathroom Breaks
Those nocturnal trips to the restroom may be harmful to your health, especially if you are over 65. The occasional urge to pee during the night might be triggered by drinking too may fluids close to bedtime or by certain medications. However, nocturia, a condition that...
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New Hope to Help Advanced Parkinson's Patients Walk, Sleep Again
People with advanced Parkinson's disease often struggle to walk more than a few steps or sleep through the night, but new research offers hope of relief from these two debilitating symptoms.
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COVID Infection After Age 50 May Increase Risk for Shingles
Catching COVID-19 appears to increase an older person's risk of developing a case of shingles. Researchers found that people 50 and older who had a COVID infection were 15% more likely to develop shingles, compared to people who were never infected. That risk climbed to 21%...
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Cancer Screening Blood Tests a Double-Edged Sword
Joyce Ares had just turned 74 and was feeling fine when she agreed to give a blood sample for research. So she was surprised when the screening test came back positive for signs of cancer. After a repeat blood test, a PET scan and a needle biopsy, she was diagnosed with...