Medical

New this month, Medicare is providing some people with $50 weight-loss drugs (GLP-1s). That's good news, right? But the benefit expansion runs only through Dec. 31, 2027, and it comes with the usual fine print. The devil (and fat loss) is in the details. ...

Grab an apple from the bowl and give it a quick swipe across my pant leg; that's how I cleaned fruit for most of my life. I never gave food safety much thought. But this parasite that's popped up (and out of our bodies) has got my attention. ...

Excuse my bragging, but I have the eyes (not vision) of a 20-year-old, according to my optimistrist. The reason? I wear sunglasses year-round. Read on about why sunglasses aren't just cool looking, but can protect your eyesight, too. ...

Aging in Place. The concept seems straightforward: Stay in the home you bought decades ago rather than downsizing and moving to a 55+ community or a residential healthcare facility. But over time, this assumption has become oversimplified and outdated. ...

Hydration does far more than just quench our thirst. Our brain is made up of 75% water, meaning even a tiny 1–2% drop in hydration can trigger brain fog, fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, changes in blood pressure and heart function, and a severe lack of focus, to name a few. Yet, most of us walk around chronically underhydrated without realizing it. ...

GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy, and GLP-1/GIP medications like Mounjaro and Zepbound are changing how physicians think about weight loss, diabetes and chronic disease prevention. For many older adults, these medications may offer other meaningful advantages, too. ...

Too bad I didn't have sunscreen or common sense when I was younger. I remember one especially painful spring break in Florida during college when I had a blistering sunburn that I tried to relieve with dabs of white vinegar. That was my mom's solution to our childhood sunburns. We smelled like dinner salads, but it did seem to relieve the pain. ...

Reducing the risk of developing dementia and identifying risk early can prove essential for older adults. A growing body of research links dementia to loneliness, depression, insomnia, and even food insecurity. ...