Remember the last time you lost your cellphone or keys? Chances are you solved the mystery by retracing your steps, mentally going over where you’d been in the last few hours. But next time, you just may want to take a few actual steps backward to jumpstart your memory. I just came across some fascinating [...]
To keep memory loss at bay, many people make sure they clock up 10,000 steps every day. Fitbits and other devices make it easy to count every step you take, and make sure you get enough exercise. For most of us, 10,000 steps is a lot. Even at a moderate pace, such a goal would [...]
If you know you should lose weight, but haven’t quite summoned up the motivation to get the job done, today’s article may give you the extra push you need. In a large observational study,1researchers measured body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratios found in men and women. Those with higher ratios of both had the [...]
"Avoid them like crazy," was a recommendation I gave three years ago. We've had to wait a while, but the lead author of an important new study now says the same thing. Okay, she didn't put it quite as strongly as I did. In sober academic language she said, "The risks of this type of [...]
Hearing loss has emerged as an important risk factor for dementia. Compared to people with normal hearing, many studies have found those with a declining ability to hear have an increased risk of cognitive decline or dementia. Depending on the study, the increase in risk varied from almost double to five-fold. Yet a recent report [...]
Women generally live longer than men. And it used to be thought their longevity was the reason they developed Alzheimer’s disease more often than men. They simply lived longer. Men died sooner, from other medical issues. That belief is now being challenged. Women may be genetically more disposed to this medical problem. Here’s what researchers [...]
The last time you faced a big challenge like interviewing for a job or giving a presentation, did you try to get yourself stoked with a little pep talk? Good idea. Many of us try to psych ourselves up before a performance, and now academic research shows it works for that application. . .and more: [...]
The number of people prescribed one particular class of medication climbed by 64% in the US between 1999 and 2014. These days, one person out of every five over-60s take these meds, with women being twice as likely to rely on them as men. The drugs I’m talking about are supposed to relieve depression. A [...]
What keeps you awake at night? Nothing, I hope. But if you’re like most people, then caffeine, stress, worry, or simply reluctance to turn off the smartphone or the TV may be cutting into the time you need to sleep -- assuming you want to avoid dementia at some point in your future. It may [...]
The link between type 2 diabetes, impaired brain health and cognitive decline is so well established that some doctors call Alzheimer's disease “type 3 diabetes.” But don’t be too sure the risk of dementia only goes up once you’ve been diagnosed with full-blown diabetes, which typically happens when you’re middle-aged or a senior. In our [...]
