Can COVID bring on a case of shingles?

By Jim Miller
Posted on April 12, 2022

Dear Savvy Senior: How effective is the shingles vaccine, and what is the CDC’s recommendation for getting it? My older brother and sister, both in their 50s, got COVID a few months back, followed by shingles. Do you know if there is a connection between these viruses, and would the shingles vaccine have protected them? —Scared of Shingles Dear Scared: Great question!... READ MORE

Stiff muscles? Don’t stretch; strengthen

By Lauren Hubbard, D.P.T.
Posted on April 07, 2022

Dear Mayo Clinic: online pharmacy buy amitriptyline no prescription online pharmacy order ventolin without prescription with best prices today in the USA I am a very active person. I visit the gym and run regularly. Although I have been able to avoid any major injuries, I find myself constantly stretching my hamstrings. It seems no matter how flexible I get, they still feel tight.... READ MORE

Say what? Study helps focus on hearing

By Margaret Foster
Posted on April 06, 2022

If you have trouble keeping up with a conversation in a noisy restaurant, you’re not alone. After all, as we age, our ears and brains age, too. Now researchers at the University of Maryland’s Hearing Lab are launching a study to teach older adults how to listen better. They’re seeking 100 volunteers between the ages of 65 and 85. “For someone who has trouble understanding... READ MORE

Gene therapy: evidence of a cancer cure

By Laura Ungar
Posted on April 01, 2022

In 2010, doctors treated Doug Olson’s leukemia with an experimental gene therapy that transformed some of his blood cells into cancer killers. More than a decade later, there’s no sign of cancer in his body. The treatment cured Olson and a second patient, according to the University of Pennsylvania doctors, who said it was the first time the therapy had been studied for such a long... READ MORE

Common questions about aging bodies

By Steven Perkins, D.O.
Posted on March 28, 2022

Throughout life, there are some surprising changes that can occur within our body and mind. As we age, some of those changes become more obvious, like wrinkles or forgetfulness. Learning what to expect as you get older can help alleviate some anxiety over aging. Below are some common questions from patients about aging: Q: I used to be 6 feet tall. Now I am 5 feet, 11 inches tall.... READ MORE

Andalusian garbanzo beans with spinach

By America’s Test Kitchen
Posted on March 22, 2022

Espinacas con garbanzos is a hyper-regional dish native to Seville, Spain, with strong Moorish influence. It’s substantive and full of flavor. Briefly simmering canned chickpeas (uniformly tender, well-seasoned and convenient) in a combination of chicken broth and chickpea canning liquid tenderizes them and infuses them with savory flavor. A picada (a paste of garlic and bread... READ MORE

Four health benefits from dark chocolate

By Julia Westbrook
Posted on March 18, 2022

You’ve seen the chocolate-is-healthy headlines — and who wouldn’t want to buy into them? Looking for license to eat decadent goodness? Here are some facts on the health benefits of dark chocolate backed by research: nothing here funded by chocolate companies and no small, one-off studies without a larger body of research backing them up. Take a look. Improves heart... READ MORE

Dealing with stress urinary incontinence

By Helen N. Reihl
Posted on March 16, 2022

Q: I notice that sometimes when I sneeze or laugh, I may urinate a little. Is there anything I can do, or is this just a part of getting older? online pharmacy fluoxetine for sale no prescription online pharmacy buy pepcid no prescription with best prices today in the USA A: You’re not alone! What you are experiencing sounds like stress urinary incontinence. This can affect almost a... READ MORE

How to treat sudden low blood pressure

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on March 14, 2022

When I was a practicing pharmacist at a large retail chain, I’d get this type of phone call a lot: “What do I do? My husband took his blood pressure pill, and now he feels faint! Is that normal?” Almost every pharmacist has received a similar call after dispensing any one of the popular anti-hypertensives like losartan, lisinopril, nifedipine, atenolol and others. The answer... READ MORE

Virtual reality makes therapy like a game

By Alina Tugend
Posted on March 11, 2022

Joe O’Connor, 62, who lives near Worcester, Massachusetts, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease six years ago. Exercise is one of the only things that slows the progress of the chronic disease, so he works out avidly — often in a virtual reality (VR) world. He dances. He plays tennis. He enjoys games that help him work on his short-term memory and hand-eye coordination. “VR ... READ MORE