Staying Healthy Archive

News and social media are filled with disturbing stories and images. Anxiety about war, coming on top of two years of the pandemic, is hitting us particularly hard. The symptoms of war anxiety can be physical or mental; knowing what tools to use and how can help break the anxiety cycle.

Some people decide to adopt a vegan diet because of concerns about the health effects of eating animal products; for others it's more about concern for animal welfare and the environment. Regardless of the motivation, those who want to make this change should anticipate potential pitfalls and be aware of issues specific to vegan eating.

Most people are able to lose weight in the short term, but will probably regain that weight as time passes. By studying people who lose weight and are able to maintain the loss for several years, insight into their approach can help others understand the strategies that are most likely to lead to long-term success.

People who work the night shift might benefit from eating their meals during daytime hours. A 2021 study found a rise in blood sugar in people following night shift hours who ate some meals at night, but not in those who ate all meals during the day.

Olive oil, when consumed as a regular part of the diet, may help protect against an early death and specifically against deaths related to cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurogenerative conditions, and respiratory conditions.

Frequent handwashing may lead to dry, cracked skin. Strategies such as lowering the water temperature and moisturizing with a heavy hand cream after washing can allow the skin to heal. Also try wearing cotton gloves over a thick moisturizer at night.

Researchers estimated that if people increased daily activity by 10 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, it could result in 7% fewer deaths per year. Increasing daily activity by 20 or 30 minutes could lower the rate by 13% or 17%, respectively.

The number of people taking large amounts of melatonin (more than 5 milligrams per day) is at an all-time high. However, the amount in a supplement can be significantly higher than what the label shows. This can cause people to take too much, especially since many use melatonin regularly.

The medical world agrees that daily aspirin can help people with cardiovascular disease lower their risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, most people over age 70 without cardiovascular disease should avoid aspirin as a way to prevent a heart attack or stroke. Even if a person has taken aspirin for a long time as primary prevention of heart disease, it's time to talk to your doctor about potentially stopping it.

A placebo response (improvement in symptoms from the act of taking a drug independent of its biological effects) is not fully understood. Still, placebos are commonly used in clinical trials to test the effectiveness of a specific therapy.