Recent Blog Articles

What to do if you think your child has the flu

When should you hire in-home help or health aides?

Small pets are delightful, but some carry dangerous bacteria

Want to reduce your risk of dementia? Get your hearing checked today

Veins are a key player in the body: Here's why

Do toddler formulas deliver on nutrition claims?

Holiday arguments brewing? Here's how to defuse them

What does a birth doula do?

Cellulitis: How long does it take to heal on legs?

21 spices for healthy holiday foods
Staying Healthy Archive
Articles
When should you hire in-home help or health aides?
Most people want to live at home for as long as possible as they age, and managing this successfully may mean hiring outside help. Considering this step raises many questions, and answering them honestly will help guide decisions about when and how to proceed.
Small pets are delightful, but some carry dangerous bacteria
Small animals like turtles, iguanas, and frogs are often chosen as first-time pets for children, but it may be best to avoid them because they can carry bacteria that can make people sick. Here's what to know about this illness.
Try this: Progressive muscle relaxation for sleep
People with insomnia can quiet a racing mind or relax a tense body with progressive muscle relaxation, which involves gradually tensing and relaxing muscles, beginning with the toes and working up the body.
Stay safe playing pickleball
Pickleball continues to soar in popularity, especially among older adults. Unfortunately, more playing can lead to court-related injuries, the most common being strains and sprains in the legs and knees, and wrist sprains and fractures from falls. Pickleball injury prevention is threefold: performing lower-body strength exercises, such as lunges, squats, and heel raises, at least twice a week; doing a dynamic warm-up before playing; and working on agility and balance, which can help improve footwork and reduce the risk of falling.
How can I reduce my number of daily medications?
Many people end up taking a long list of medications when they might be able to safely reduce the number of daily pills. Reviewing medications with their specialists and primary care doctor can help determine which drugs may be reduced or perhaps discontinued.
Curcumin supplements might ease meal-related discomfort
A small randomized trial in 2023 found that taking two 250-mg capsules of curcumin four times a day was as effective at relieving dyspepsia symptoms as taking one daily 20-mg dose of the heartburn medication omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid).
Stopping a medication? Check first, quit safer
Abruptly stopping a medication can be risky and even life-threatening. For example, suddenly discontinuing certain drugs can cause a rebound effect, meaning that symptoms or problems that were controlled—such as high blood pressure or heartburn—can return with a vengeance. Stopping some medications, such as prescription painkillers or antidepressants, might result in withdrawal symptoms. Before quitting any drug cold turkey, it's important to consult with a doctor to make sure that it's safe.
When will we see a "one-and-done" flu shot?
Scientists are trying to create a vaccine that would protect people against all different strains of the influenza (flu) virus. These vaccines are being designed to target parts of the flu virus that don't change regularly and so are consistent across all strains. The perfect vaccine would also prevent symptoms (since current vaccines help prevent hospitalization and death, but not symptoms), and its effects would last for a lifetime. While such a vaccine is still many years away from reality, improved flu vaccines are expected in the meantime.
Warding off germs this winter: What's helpful, what's not
Some habits are essential to stave off respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses during the winter. Such habits include washing hands frequently, getting vaccinations, wearing a face mask in crowded indoor spaces, and using caution around sick loved ones. However, some habits probably don't make much of a difference and may be unnecessary. Those habits include washing groceries, cleaning a smartphone, removing shoes before entering a home, changing into clean clothes after being out, and wearing a rubber glove to touch a bank ATM or gas pump.
Recent Blog Articles

What to do if you think your child has the flu

When should you hire in-home help or health aides?

Small pets are delightful, but some carry dangerous bacteria

Want to reduce your risk of dementia? Get your hearing checked today

Veins are a key player in the body: Here's why

Do toddler formulas deliver on nutrition claims?

Holiday arguments brewing? Here's how to defuse them

What does a birth doula do?

Cellulitis: How long does it take to heal on legs?

21 spices for healthy holiday foods
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!