Healthy aging and longevity Archive

People with heart disease may benefit from daily aspirin therapy to help reduce the risks for blood clots that cause heart attacks. A 2023 study suggests that neither the aspirin dose (81 mg vs. 325 mg) nor whether it is enteric-coated or uncoated affects the benefits or risks of daily aspirin therapy. However, aspirin carries the risk of brain and stomach bleeding. Some doctors maintain that people with heart disease are better off taking one low-dose, enteric-coated aspirin pill a day.

It's a good idea to eat a certain diet before and after a colonoscopy. Eating a low-fiber diet a few days before the procedure helps move foods through the colon quickly, which can make colon prep easier. On the day before the procedure, it's important to consume only clear liquids (such as broth or bouillon, black coffee, plain tea, clear juices, clear soft drinks or sports drinks, Jell-O, and popsicles). After the procedure, it's safe to resume a normal diet. But eating too much fiber too quickly might cause gas, bloating, and discomfort. It might be wisest to restart a normal fiber-rich diet gradually.

Replacing just five minutes of sitting with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity may lead to tangible improvements in cardiovascular health. Adding longer, more intense bouts of exercise can reap greater rewards. But even modest changes such as replacing sitting with standing may lead to positive changes in health parameters, including improvements in body mass index, waist circumference, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels.

Common activity guidelines recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two muscle-strengthening workouts per week. However, these targets are meant for a broad population, and for many older adults, hitting just the 150 minutes per week poses a challenge. Experts suggest breaking down the 150 minutes into manageable segments, like doing 30 minutes of activity five days a week, and even dividing those 30 minutes into 10 minutes of exercise three times a day.

A long-term study published in 2023 found that watching lots of television during young adulthood was linked to increased rates of obesity and other factors that raise heart disease risk in midlife.

People whose spouses have high blood pressure may be more likely to have high blood pressure themselves than people whose spouses do not have the condition, according to a 2023 study.

A 2023 study suggests that moving, standing, or even sleeping are all better than sitting for people's weight, waistlines, and heart health.

Forgiveness is defined by replacing ill will toward an offender with goodwill. A 2023 study suggests forgiveness boosts mental health by reducing depression and anxiety levels. Other evidence suggests physical benefits as well. Studies indicate forgiveness also eases stress, improves sleep, and lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Being unable to forgive can raise blood pressure, which can affect overall heart health. Some people are innately better at forgiving, but Harvard experts say all people can learn skills that help them forgive.

Food-borne illnesses are common, sickening 48 million Americans each year, hospitalizing 128,000, and killing 3,000. One way to keep food safe is to clean the refrigerator and pantry regularly to cleanse surfaces and purge dated and possibly contaminated products. The process should include taking all items out of food storage areas, washing all surfaces, checking expiration dates, assessing products' smell and appearance, marking dates packages are opened, and avoiding cross-contamination between raw and ready-made foods.

A 2023 study found that patients in intensive care units (ICUs) were less likely to die and spent less time on a ventilator during their stay when their teeth were brushed twice daily. Toothbrushing appears to protect patients from pneumonia, the most common ICU-acquired infection.