So You Think You Can not Have a Better Memory?
One true thing: memory erodes as we get older. Even though your hippocampus”that area of the brain responsible for building memory”loses about 5 percent of its nerve cells each decade, and the production of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter important for learning and memory) slows with aging, research shows that our brains are still able to form new, memory-building networks, which […]
Healthy Attitude, Healthy Aging
Yes, you can learn optimism, and you’re quite right that being optimistic is one key to healthy aging. The most recent evidence of this comes from a survey of 500 older people, aged 60 to 98. The researchers, from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, asked the participants whether they felt they […]
How to Deal With Constipation
If only it were socially acceptable, when someone asks why you are grumpy, to honestly answer, “I’m a little backed up.” Constipation is a common condition, especially among women. But that doesn’t make it any easier to talk about. While it might not be your topic of choice for ladies’ night out or the book […]
6 Common Myths About Aging
1. Myth: Dementia is an inevitable part of aging. Fact: “Dementia should be seen as a modifiable health condition and, if it occurs, should be followed as a medical condition, not a normal part of aging,” said Patricia Harris, MD, a geriatrician and associate professor at Georgetown University Medical Center. In other words, if you or your […]
The Secret To A Healthy Lifestyle
“If you want to be 80 and still be able to get out of bed, then staying active and avoiding obesity are the most important things you can do today,” says Patricia Harris, MD, a geriatrician and associate professor at Georgetown University Medical Center who also directs Washington Hospital Center’s House Call program, in which […]