Video timeline: 0:24 – Flu Damage 1:25 – Lower population immunity 2:03 – Who’s most vulnerable? 3:05 – How can we protect ourselves?
Category Archives: Health
Cover Preview: Scientific American – January 2023
New Human Metabolism Research Upends Conventional Wisdom about How We Burn Calories
Metabolism studies reveal surprising insights into how we burn calories—and how cooperative food production helped Homo sapiens flourish
How Star Collisions Forge the Universe’s Heaviest Elements
Scientists have new evidence about how cosmic cataclysms forge gold, platinum and other heavy members of the periodic table
This Spiritual Tradition Could Be the Most Poetic Bereavement Therapy Ever Documented
A mourning ritual of dialogues with the dead speaks to the fragility of theological diversity
Aging: Healthy Longevity Journal – December 2022
Long COVID and older people
Long COVID is a poorly understood condition, with a wide spectrum of effects on multiple body systems and variable presentation in different individuals. Long COVID is of particular concern among older people (ie, aged 65 years or older), who are at greater risk than younger people of persisting symptoms associated with COVID-19. In addition, COVID-19 might trigger or exacerbate chronic conditions that occur commonly in older people, such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative conditions, and functional decline.
Quantum Healthy Longevity for healthy people, planet, and growth
It is widely thought that lifespans are increasing globally. However, life expectancy has begun to stagnate in the UK, and is falling in more than 50 countries including the USA. Lifespan stagnation or decrease is a consequence of socioeconomic inequalities, lifestyle factors, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In the UK, the National Health Service spends vast sums treating chronic diseases; by some estimates, 40% of its costs go to treating preventable conditions.
Is age-related hearing loss a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia?
The relationship of measures of age-related hearing loss such as pure-tone autiometry might not be as consistently associated with risk of dementia as previous studies have suggested. Peripheral age-related hearing loss has been posited as a midlife risk factor for dementia.
REVIEWS: THE TOP 5 ARTICLES ON HEALTHY AGING IN 2022
High Blood Pressure and Older Adults
— High blood pressure, or hypertension, is common in older adults. The good news is that blood pressure can be controlled in most people.
What Is Menopause?
— Menopause is a normal part of aging for women, but it affects every woman differently.
Memory, Forgetfulness, and Aging: What’s Normal and What’s Not?
— As you age, you may wonder about the difference between normal, age-related forgetfulness and a serious memory problem, such as dementia.
Shingles
— Shingles is a disease that triggers a painful skin rash. About one in three people will get shingles, but there is a vaccine for older adults to help prevent the disease.
Vitamins and Minerals for Older Adults
— Vitamins and minerals are types of nutrients that your body needs to survive and stay healthy.
Analysis: How To Make Healthcare Affordable
The cost of health care is unaffordable for many in the developing world. But while universal health care may sound like an impossible dream, it’s more achievable than you might think.
Video timeline: 00:00 – The argument for universal health coverage is clear 00:57 – Thailand’s path to universal health coverage 03:31 – Universal health care around the world 04:48 – How to finance universal health coverage? 05:30 – Rwanda: from genocide to public health exemplar 07:19 – What is a pooling finance system? 08:01 – Which services make the cut? 11:17 – The economic benefits of UHC 12:23 – Could covid-19 be a catalyst for reform?
Reports: Tufts Health & Nutrition – December 2022
Beware of “Health-Washing”
Front-of-package health claims can be helpful—but they can also be misleading. Learn how to tell the difference.
Habitual Coffee Consumption Associated with Health Benefits
A study that followed nearly 400,000 middle-aged individuals in the U.K. for a median of over 10 years found that, compared to individuals who reported drinking less than one cup of coffee a day, drinking four or more eight-ounce cups a day was associated with lower risk of 30 medical conditions.
FDA Proposes New Definition of “Healthy” on Food Packages
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently proposed new draft guidelines for food manufacturers who want to label their products as “healthy.” This term was last defined in the 1990s. According to the FDA, “our current definition permits manufacturers to use the claim ‘healthy’ on some foods that, based on the most up-to-date nutrition.
Women’s Health: ‘Google AI’ Partners With iCAD For Improved Mammograms
Greg Corrado – Ph.D., Head of Health AI, November 28, 2022:
Alongside licensing our AI technology, iCAD will also use Google Cloud’s secure, scalable infrastructure, giving them the ability to rapidly expand cloud-hosted solutions into new regions. By doing so, iCAD can scale access to AI-based tools in underserved regions where infrastructure challenges may constrain their ability to offer breast cancer screenings.
Breast cancer is one of the world’s most common cancers; thankfully, early detection can help save lives and improve outcomes among many who develop the disease. At Google Health we’re developing AI to improve the accuracy and expand the availability of breast cancer screenings. Over time, better screenings will improve health outcomes and reduce disparities for people around the world.
Today, we’re announcing a partnership with iCAD, a leader in medical technology and cancer detection, marking the first time we are licensing our mammography AI research model. iCAD will work toward validating and incorporating our mammography AI technology with its products for use in clinical practices with the goal of improving breast cancer detection and assessment of short-term personal cancer risk for the more than two million people globally diagnosed with breast cancer every year.
World Economic Forum: Top Stories – Nov 25, 2022
0:15 This island nation has moved to the metaverse – Rising seas are due to swamp Tuvalu by the end of the century. So the Pacific archipelago of 12,000 people has taken a remarkable step, declaring itself the world’s ‘first digital nation’.
1:39 Crosswords battle memory loss – Researchers studied 107 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment. 4 times a week, they spent half an hour either doing a crossword or completing tasks on a popular brain-training computer platform. Then they were reassessed after 12 and 66 weeks. Crossword players scored better on cognitive decline and daily functioning tests.
2:50 UK is rolling out ‘buzz’ stops for bees – The UK is planting bee-friendly native flowers on the roofs of roadside bus shelters, creating a parallel transport network for bugs. Management company Clear Channel aims to convert 1,000 shelters overall with native plants such as pansies and thyme.
4:05 Entrepreneur running 200 marathons for water – Guli is an Australian entrepreneur and environmental activist. She plans to complete Run Blue in time for the UN Conference on Water in March 2023 and to inspire as many people as possible along the way. Guli’s mission has taken her to the front lines of the global water crisis.
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The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.
Eye Health: The Causes Of Nearsightedness (Myopia)
Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:32 What causes nearsightedness? 1:01 Why can’t you see far? 1:20 When does nearsightedness usually begin? 1:42 What are symptoms of nearsightedness? 1:59 Can nearsightedness be corrected? 2:23 Is there a cure for nearsightedness?
What is myopia?
People who have myopia (also known as nearsightedness) have difficulty seeing distant objects, but can see objects that are near clearly. For example, a person who is nearsighted may not be able to make out highway signs until they are just a few feet away.
Myopia affects a significant percentage of the population. It’s an eye focus disorder that is easily corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery.
How common is myopia?
Myopia is very common. According to the American Optometric Association, more than 40% of Americans are myopic, a number that is rapidly rising, especially among school-aged children. Eye experts expect this trend to continue in the coming decades.
Today one in four parents has a child with some degree of nearsightedness. Some eye experts believe that if your child spends an extraordinary amount of time engaged in “near” activities, such as reading or using smartphones and computers, it may raise the risk of developing myopia.
Can myopia lead to blindness?
Usually, myopia is a minor nuisance that can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. But in rare cases, a progressive type called degenerative myopia develops that can be very serious and is a leading cause of legal blindness. Degenerative myopia affects only about 2% of the population. It is believed to be inherited and is more common in Jewish, Japanese, Chinese and Middle Eastern people.
Health Plans: Pros & Cons Of Medicare Advantage
For More Information
When you’re ready to start reviewing plans, check out the Medicare plan finder tool, which will let you compare Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans available in your area. You can also get this information by calling Medicare at 800-633-4227.
If you’re looking for a Medigap plan, you can also start at medicare.gov, where you can compare the different types of coverage, as well as find the policies available in your ZIP code.
Another good resource is the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free guidance over the phone. To find your state’s program, go to shiphelp.org or call 877-839-2675.
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