Health and Wellness

The brain controls many aspects of thinking — remembering, planning and organizing, making decisions, and much more. These cognitive abilities affect how well we do everyday tasks and whether we can live independently. Some changes in thinking are common as people get older. For example, older adults may: • Be slower to find words and…

A valuable tool to lowering high blood pressure is completely free and always with us: our breath. While it’s an essential function for life, many of us aren’t utilizing breathing to its full potential, including its ability to reduce hypertension, a condition that affects most older Americans. Breathing affects not just your lungs but also…

The 18th-century German novelist and poet Novalis once wrote: “Without dreams, we should certainly grow old sooner.” Sadly, Novalis never lived long enough to find out if he was right; he died at 28 from tuberculosis. But he and his fictional character — who was extolling the value of a dream he’d had that night…

In a typical scenario, when a person has high blood pressure – 130/80 or above, according to the latest guidelines – their top and bottom numbers are both elevated. Sometimes, just the top number, called systolic blood pressure, is high. But far less commonly, diastolic blood pressure – that bottom number – is high even…

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis among older adults. It is also one of the most common causes of physical disability among adults. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that happens when the tissues that cushion the ends of the bones within the joints break down over time. These changes usually develop slowly…

Doctors check your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight. Maybe they should ask you about your social life, too. That’s because people who struggle with social connection — whether they feel lonely, have few relationships or have troubled relationships — face multiple physical and mental health risks, according to a recent advisory from U.S. Surgeon General…