Free online hearing tests to take at home
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any good online hearing tests? My husband has hearing loss, but I can’t get him to go in and get his hearing checked, so I thought a simple online test could help him recognize he has a problem. —Loud-Talking Linda Dear Linda, There’s actually a growing number of very good online and app-based hearing tests available that will let your... READ MORE
Is a genetic test for metabolism worth it?
Dear Mayo Clinic: I’ve been hearing a lot about lab tests that can look at my genetics to see how I metabolize medications. How does this work and why is it important for me to know how my body metabolizes medicine? A: Testing for how a person metabolizes medications is called pharmacogenomics testing, or PGx testing for short. This is a prime component of individualized medicine —... READ MORE
Is tracking your heart rate worthwhile?
Q: How does tracking your heart rate provide information about your heart health? A: Checking your heart rate at rest and with exercise can provide information about your fitness level, and may suggest a heart problem if your pulse is too slow, too fast or irregular. Three good times to check your heart rate are soon after you wake up in the morning, during exercise, and in the... READ MORE
Irregular? What to do and what not to do
Chances are most of us have experienced constipation, a condition that becomes more prevalent with advancing age. In fact, constipation is one of the leading gastrointestinal complaints in America — about 63 million people in the United States experience the condition, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). In layman’s terms,... READ MORE
Why (and how) to change Medicare plans
Medicare’s open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7, but 7 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries say they don’t compare Medicare plans during this period, according to a 2021 analysis by KFF, a health policy nonprofit. That’s not great, since Medicare Advantage plans — which operate much like the private insurance you may have had through an employer — change from year... READ MORE
With Covid in decline, telemedicine is too
Telemedicine exploded in popularity after Covid hit, but limits are returning for care delivered across state lines. That complicates follow-up treatments for some cancer patients. It also can affect other types of care, including mental health therapy and routine doctor check-ins. Over the past year, nearly 40 states and Washington, D.C., have ended emergency declarations that made... READ MORE
A scratch-and-sniff test for Parkinson’s
A seasonal cold or case of Covid can cause people to lose their sense of smell temporarily. But people whose sense of smell has disappeared for good may be at risk for brain disease. In fact, people with enduring smell loss have a 30% chance of having brain changes associated with Parkinson’s disease. Now, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is using a screening... READ MORE
Recipes for raw vegan meals and snacks
The raw food diet traces back to the late 1800s, when Maximilian Bircher-Benner, a doctor, discovered he could cure his own jaundice by eating raw apples. Thus began a series of experiments testing the effects of raw food on human health, and the diet has continued to evolve. We here at Bereisheet have also discovered many of its qualities, from less prepping and cooking time, to more... READ MORE
Five foods to eat to improve your sleep
Shortchanging your sleep makes you feel pretty crummy (as you likely know!), but the impact is even worse than you may think. Poor sleep can weaken your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to viruses. It also ups your risk of injury during intense workouts, and it can alter your appetite-regulating hormones, making you feel hungrier while simultaneously intensifying... READ MORE
Taming natural cell death for longer life
In his basement, 95-year-old Richard Soller zips around a makeshift track encircling boxes full of medals he’s won for track and field and long-distance running. Without a hint of breathlessness, he says, “I can put in miles down here.” Steps away is an expensive leather recliner he bought when he retired from Procter & Gamble with visions of relaxing into old age. He... READ MORE
Health 2025
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