Daily Health News Blog

Millions of people who have hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, or a family history of premature heart disease—or who have already had a heart attack—have been advised by their doctors to take low-dose aspirin. Just one-quarter adult tablet (81 milligrams, sometimes called a "baby" aspirin) daily reduces the tendency of the blood to clot, thus helping to ward off heart attack and stroke. Some people take half a tablet (162 milligrams) every other day or daily. Aspirin therapy has probably saved thousands of lives. If you are on it, you may have noticed recent headlines and TV news reports claiming that for some people, aspirin doesn’t work. What’s going on here? As aspirin therapy has become commonplace, scientists have learned more about it. While low-dose aspirin reduces the risk of a first heart attack in middle-aged men by 44%, for example, it is not a cure-all. Some people on aspirin therapy have a heart attack anyway. No one is sure why—but one factor may b

When it comes to cholesterol, most people think lower is better. But it isn’t so simple. While all the cholesterol you eat is the same, cholesterol in the blood travels in different types of packages. The two basic kinds are LDL (low-density lipoprotein, the "bad" type), which promotes atherosclerosis, and HDL (high-density lipoprotein, the "good" type), which helps protect against this. So while you want to keep your LDL and total cholesterol low, you want to keep your HDL high. HDL is turning out to be even more cardio-protective than previously thought. Not only does it help remove cholesterol from artery walls, but recent research indicates that it also acts as an antioxidant, reduces inflammation and blood clotting, and helps blood vessels to dilate and stay flexible. Low HDL is a part of the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes. It’s estimated that for every 1 mg/dl incre

Socializing to Continue Healthy Aging It is always a good thing to have friends, which you can socialize with. There are so many good things about being around people. It is difficult living alone without someone there to lend you an ear when needed. Unfortunately, we live in a world filled with consume souls, which rarely take the time to share and listen to others. Still, you can find someone in the billions of people in the world who will listen. When you are alone you, feel lonely. At this time your body and mind endures unwarranted stress from lack of socialization. Experts tell us all the time to get out and enjoy life, since withering away, locked behind the walls of your home will affect your health. What problems can non-socializing cause? Non-socialization can affect your mind and body. Usually a person who refuses to socialize will sit around dawdling in self-pity. The mind starts to stress out, which leads to depression. While you may enjoy being alone away from stre

Is Exercise a Natural Sleep Aid for Seniors? There are a number of reasons why exercise, particularly if performed at the right time of day, is considered the most positive sleep aid for seniors. None, however, are more significant than the fact that exercise is a completely natural form of aid. But before discussing why exercise is such a great sleep aid, it is important to examine both the definition of insomnia and the reasons that people suffer from this affliction. At its basic level, insomnia is defined as a difficulty to either fall or stay asleep, or to experience sleep that seems inadequate or fails to produce the refreshing feeling that sleep normally provides, despite the length of time spent sleeping. Insomnia is not considered a disease, rather it is a symptom that is thought to have numerous, quite different causes. Of the types of things that can lead to patterns of insomnia, physicians note that physical disorders, drinking large amounts of alcohol in th

The Importance of the 12 B Vitamin The 12 b vitamin is one of the b vitamins that are essential to maintain a healthy body. Otherwise known as Cobalamin, the 12b vitamin is needed for the processes to convert the carbohydrates, fats and proteins from food into energy. 12 b also, more importantly, helps keep the red blood cells healthy and therefore prevent heart disease as well as keeping the immune system functioning at its maximum level. In addition, 12 b is used to create the protective covering of all nerve cells in the body. The most important function of 12 b is to form healthy red blood cells. However, all cells need 12 b to keep them healthy. It is the white blood cells, amongst others, that need 12 b to help ensure that the immune system functioning properly. All of the nerve cells in the body also need 12 b to form their protective fatty layer. This is essential for all of the nerves but is especially so for those in the brain. If there is not sufficient 12 b to creat

Sex and the Baby Boomers The number of men and women continuing to have sexual intercourse into old age had increased from 52 per cent to 68 per cent among married men and 38 per cent to 56 per cent among married women. With the passage of time, pensioners are no longer inhibited about admitting their continuing desire to get between the sheets. The perception that sexual desire abates with age is wrong. Indeed, the post-50 phase is the golden age for couples, since their kids have grown up and their social responsibilities are over. Viagra is reviving bedroom lives, and often it is the women who push their husbands to consult a sexologist. What part has the post-liberalisation media, with its near-obsession with sex, played in the Great Awakening? Psychologist Anjali Chhabria believes it is a definite influence. "The openness with which the print and electronic media discuss sexual issues has encouraged senior citizens to look after themselves and their personal life,"

ARTHRITIC BASICS Arthritis signals people in a variety of ways. Joints might crack suddenly, like knees upon standing. Other joints may be stiff and creak. Maybe pain occurs, like when trying to open a jar. What’s it all about? Let’s look at the basics and learn more. Arthritis actually means “joint inflammation” and has over 100 related conditions or type / forms of disease. Left untreated, it can advance, resulting in joint damage that cannot be undone or reversed. So early detection and treatment are important. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although both have similar symptoms, both happen for different reasons. When joints are overused and misused, the results can be OA. What happens is that the cushioning cartilage that protects the joint breaks down, resulting in the bones rubbing together. This generally happens in the knees, but can be found in the hips, spine and hands often, too. And only in later stages wi