Daily Health News Blog

Tips for Helping Your Parents Plan for Retirement   Are you concerned with your parents and their future? If you are, you should talk to your parents about their retirement plans. In fact, the sooner, the better. Doing so can give you, as a loved one, comfort and peace of mind. You should start discussing retirement with your parents when they reach the age of fifty; however, you can start the conversation sooner if you wish. When talking to your parents about retirement, determine what their retirement wants and needs are. Where do they want to live? What type of property or establishment do they want to live in? What activities or hobbies would they like to enjoy? It is important to know how your parents want to live in their retirement years, as it will have an impact on how much they need to save.   continue reading article here

You've got holes in your head! No offense, you really do. They're your sinuses, one above each eye, one below, and two on each side of the nose.     Sinuses are lined with membranes that produce mucus, the stuff that keeps your breathing apparatus from getting dry. Mucus flows freely in and out of the sinuses, but if you have a cold or allergies, you've got trouble.     Blockage of sinus openings trap bacteria that are normally harmless, but now multiply and cause infection, fever, headache, facial pain and more, according to the Division of Allergy and Immunology at St. Louis University School of Medicine.     To prevent infection, keep sinuses open. Go on the offensive with:     Steam: Inhaling steam thins mucus and helps it drain. Try a hot shower or bath. Applying a warm washcloth to the nasal area can help.     Fluids: Drink at least one glass every few hours to thin mucus. Hot fluids like chicken soup are even better because of the steam.     Add moisture to the air:

Move over chicken, pork is making a big impact on heart-healthy mealtime. According to Duke University researchers, studies show that today's leaner pork fits into a low-fat diet and may even help individuals lower blood cholesterol levels.     Because of misconceptions, some consumers may not choose pork as part of a heart-healthy diet. A survey by Bruskin-Goldring Research reveals that only 15 percent of consumers consider pork to be a heart-healthy food, while 66 percent say chicken is a low-fat food.     Consumers are still learning that pork is lean and flavorful and can be enjoyed any day of the week. Today, it is 31 percent leaner than it was just 10 years ago.     Fresh cuts like pork loin, tenderloin and chops go well with a wide variety of flavors and ethnic seasonings, making great flavor combinations.     International dry rub mixes add great taste and few calories. Look for Caribbean rub, French provincial rub and Cajun rub.     For the leanest cuts of pork, select one

The subtle symptoms of chronic mild depression, called dysthymia, may be so woven into people's lives they will be unaware that they have a mental health problem.       When being irritable, uninterested in life or feeling miserable goes on for years, they begin to think it's just their nature. Often it isn't.       Now a report in the American Journal of Psychiatry adds to the evidence that antidepressants offer some relief, even for people who have had symptoms for 30 years or more.       Doctors at eight university medical centers treated more than 400 patients with either Zoloft or Tofranil. Patients ranged in age from 25 to 65, and their symptoms started about age 12, on average.       After 12 weeks of treatment, about half of the patients achieved complete remission. They saw improvements in family relationships, social and work life, and the overall quality of their lives. Prozac has also been effective.       Often a near life-long pattern of behavior resultin