You know that the foods you eat affect everything from your waistline to your mood. New research shows how your diet may also play a role in how well you age. Several studies have explored the connection between popular diets and aging: The Mediterranean diet has been shown to slow the progression of aging, and …
Deborah Douglas enjoys walking to work, but usually stops about halfway to rest her back. As a senior lecturer at Northwestern University, the 56-year old is often on her feet—that’s become more challenging since being diagnosed with arthritis in her back, a condition known as spondylosis, last year. “I just hurt all the time,” she …
Every Monday morning, Melinda French Gates has her calendar blocked to walk with her three closest female friends. “I’ve been incredibly lucky to have three female friends now for over 30 years,” French Gates tells Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King in an interview posted to her YouTube channel this week. “If you’re in town, you …
Flu season is nigh, and if you’re 65 or older, don’t dally on getting your updated 2024–25 vaccine. Seasonal flu activity in the U.S. typically peaks between December and February, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone aged 6 months and older get their annual shot by Halloween. However, Dr. Robert …
For people with Medicare, if ever there was a year to take its Open Enrollment (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7) seriously and choose coverage carefully, this is it. “It’s going to be challenging,” says Philip Moeller, author of the newly revised and updated “Get What’s Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs,” coming …
For the government to provide Medicare to 67.4 million people per month, it has to get the money from somewhere. That funding, totaling $1 trillion in 2023, comes from a combination of government contributions, payroll taxes, and monthly premiums paid by Medicare beneficiaries. Each part of Medicare is financed through different methods, and the funds …
At the turn of the 20th Century, one could expect to live until 47 in the U.S. Now, medical advancements, like vaccines and antibiotics, and public health initiatives have increased life expectancy in the U.S. to 77 years old and 73 globally. While health conditions and systemic barriers like socioeconomic inequities and environmental conditions play …
Dr. Bill Dorfman, a 64-year-old cosmetic dentist in Southern California, prides himself on looking years younger, a characteristic he attributes to good genes and a daily workout regimen. Three days a week he focuses on abs and cardio; the other days are for lifting light weights at high reps. Dorfman says he got serious about …
In addition to regularly moving, reducing stress, and eating nutritious, whole foods, there’s another essential element to aging well: Flexibility. A recent long-term study found that being more flexible was associated with living longer, even when factoring in age and health status. The study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, …
Six areas across the globe are known as the blue zones, where a combination of culture, mindset, diet, and environment help their residents live longer and healthier lives than most. While there isn’t a straightforward rulebook for longevity, there are key lessons from the people who live in blue zones that can help you create …