Help UMD with a two-hour hearing study

By Margaret Foster
Posted on February 19, 2025

As we get older, loud restaurants, stadium games and other background noises can interfere with our hearing. It may become harder to understand certain accents. Or perhaps you’re just not catching every word in a sentence.  If we get a standard hearing test, though, the audiogram may appear normal. What then?  The Hearing Brain Lab at the University of Maryland in College Park... READ MORE

The best leafy green vegetables to eat

By Johna Burdeos, R.D.
Posted on February 13, 2025

Leafy green vegetables are a diverse group of vegetables known for their vibrant green color and abundance of nutrients.  On a calorie-for-calorie basis, leafy greens surpass other vegetables in their abundance of vitamins (A, E, K, folate), minerals (calcium, potassium), fiber and phytonutrients, registered dietitian nutritionist Jenn Schmidt told Health.  As part of a healthy... READ MORE

How to reduce your risk of dementia after age 55

By Lauran Neergaard
Posted on February 12, 2025

About a million Americans a year are expected to develop dementia by 2060, roughly double today’s toll, researchers reported in January.  That estimate is based on a new study that found a higher lifetime risk than previously thought: After age 55, people have up to a 4 in 10 chance of eventually developing dementia — if they live long enough.  It’s a sobering number, but... READ MORE

Reasons alcohol keeps you awake

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on February 11, 2025

Alcohol is a common part of socializing and unwinding, with almost 87% of American adults having consumed it at some point, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Surprisingly, around 20% of Americans use alcohol as their sleep aid, unaware it may worsen insomnia.   For me, if I drink even one regular full glass of wine, I will sleep for an hour and then... READ MORE

Why cooking, no matter the recipe, is healthier

By Lauren Wicks
Posted on February 10, 2025

You may be one of the 90% of Americans who don’t like to cook — but you probably know that you should cook more. Because while eating out or ordering takeout saves time, it depletes your bank accounts and your health.  The health benefits of a home-cooked meal outweigh almost any other method of eating, no matter the recipe. Here’s why:  You’re in control of the ingredients. ... READ MORE

Work with your hands? Watch out for carpal tunnel syndrome

By Kristin Karim, M.D.
Posted on February 06, 2025

Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m a homebuilder and have begun experiencing numbness and tingling in my hands. Sometimes I drop things because I can’t get a good grip. A friend suggested I might have carpal tunnel syndrome. But doesn’t that mostly affect people who use computers all day? Can you explain more about the condition?  A: Working with your hands day after day can take a toll on... READ MORE

New guidelines intend to prevent strokes

By Kenya Hunter
Posted on February 05, 2025

The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines released last fall that are aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that.  Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a million Americans have a stroke every year. But up to 80% of strokes may be... READ MORE

Think positively about aging for long life

By Howard LeWine, M.D.
Posted on January 29, 2025

People who tend to be more positive, optimistic and energetic as they get older are more likely to live longer and have healthier lives than those with negative thoughts about aging.  A study published in February 2022 in JAMA Network Open found that the people with the highest satisfaction with aging had a 43% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who were the least... READ MORE

Is it all in your head, or not identified yet?

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on January 28, 2025

The body and mind are intricately connected, and sometimes, this connection can lead to physical symptoms driven by emotional stress. These are known as psychosomatic disorders, and they demonstrate just how powerful stress, unresolved trauma and emotions can be in affecting our physical health. However, not all unexplained symptoms fall into this category. Some are the result of... READ MORE

Barley is a healthy, high-fiber whole grain

By Lori Zanteson
Posted on January 28, 2025

Barley, as a staple, is anything but basic.   Native to Ethiopia and Southeast Asia, barley has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. Since ancient times, it has been used for food — both human and animal — as well as tea, alcoholic beverages, medicine, and even as a standard of measurement.   These days, we’re most likely to enjoy our barley in a meal of hearty stew... READ MORE