Antibodies may treat, prevent COVID-19

By Marilynn Marchione
Posted on September 15, 2020

With a coronavirus vaccine still months off, companies are rushing to test what may be the next best thing: drugs that deliver antibodies to fight the virus right away, without having to train the immune system to make them. Antibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs; they attach to a virus and help eliminate it. Vaccines work by tricking the body into thinking... READ MORE

To keep your brain sharp, eat smart

By Leslie Goldman
Posted on September 15, 2020

Brain food is very real, helping to shape your ability to remember simple things (well, allegedly simple things) like where you put your darn keys, as well as fighting serious memory-related disorders. Here are four food tips that may help boost your brain: Sip tea. Whether green or black, this brew is rich in micronutrients called polyphenols. These compounds can travel into the... READ MORE

NIH study to track post-COVID recovery

By Margaret Foster
Posted on September 15, 2020

So far, there have been around 200,000 known coronavirus cases in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, with more than 6,300 deaths. If you are one of the unlucky people who falls sick, consider helping the National Institutes of Health learn more about the disease. NIH’s Clinical Center is conducting a clinical trial to learn more about COVID-19’s effects on the lungs, heart, ... READ MORE

Mexican rice made with homemade salsa

By Matthew Wendel
Posted on September 15, 2020

These recipes are reprinted with permission from Recipes from the President’s Ranch: Food People Like to Eat, by Matthew Wendel, White House chef to President George W. Bush and family, recently published by the White House Historical Association (WHHA). Mexican rice with a twist My twist on Mexican rice is very simple. For a base, I use my Prairie Chapel Ranch roasted ancho chili... READ MORE

Some good ways to avoid insect stings

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on September 15, 2020

Nothing can ruin a perfectly nice picnic or hike like an insect sting. It could lead to local discomfort, swelling, redness and pain. It could even cause an anaphylactic reaction to those people who are truly allergic to an insect’s venom. It’s not easy to train yourself to ignore insects. It’s more likely you’ll make sudden movements and wave your arms or swat the air. I totally ... READ MORE

Ways to limit eating from stress, boredom

By Lainey Younkin
Posted on September 15, 2020

You’ve had a bad day, so you grab a tub of ice cream, move to the couch and dig right in. You don’t feel physically hungry, but eating ice cream is comforting. This is referred to as emotional eating or stress eating. These terms are often used interchangeably, and both refer to turning to food to cope with emotions. This type of eating contrasts with wandering into the kitchen... READ MORE

Pros and cons of LASIK eye surgery

By Darby Miller, M.D.
Posted on September 15, 2020

Dear Mayo Clinic: What are the risks of LASIK surgery, and will my vision deteriorate again over time, even after surgery? A: It is not typical for a person’s vision to regress after LASIK, or laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, and complications that result in a loss of vision after LASIK are rare. Although the procedure may lead to some side effects, they are uncommon. A... READ MORE

Silent kidney disease can creep up on you

By Jim Miller
Posted on September 15, 2020

Dear Savvy Senior, Do kidney problems run in families? My mother died from kidney failure 10 years ago at age 74 but didn’t know she had a kidney problem until it was too late.  Just Turned 60 Dear 60, Anyone who has a family history of kidney disease, or who has high blood pressure or diabetes, is at increased risk and needs to have their kidneys tested. According to the... READ MORE

New blood test may diagnose Alzheimer’s

By Marilynn Marchione
Posted on September 15, 2020

An experimental blood test was highly accurate at distinguishing people with Alzheimer’s disease from those without it in several studies, boosting hopes that there soon may be a simple way to help diagnose this most common form of dementia. Developing such a test has been a long-sought goal, and scientists warn that the new approach still needs more validation and is not yet ready for ... READ MORE

Boomers and seniors no longer majority

By Mike Schneider
Posted on September 15, 2020

  OK, boomers: Millennials and their younger siblings and children now make up a majority of the U.S. population. A new analysis by the Brookings Institution shows that 50.7% of U.S. residents are under age 40 as of July 2019. The Brookings’ analysis of population estimates released this summer by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the combined Millennial, Generation Z and... READ MORE