Health Headliners of the Week

As we do every week, we've culled the most important articles we brought you based on breaking stories from around the world that can help you and your family stay well. Whether you missed these items the first time they appeared or you caught them and could use a refresher, our goal is to help you stay up-to-date on medical research that can impact your life. Read on for our to stories from August 24th to August 30th 2012.

We hope you'll like what you find and come back every Friday for a new installment!

Hormone Therapy, Finally the Experts Agree

By Staness Jonekos

It’s been ten years since the Women's Health Initiative hormone trials announced that there was an increase in breast cancer, heart attacks and strokes with the use of hormone therapy. Headlines warned women against taking hormone therapy without fully disclosing all the facts and issues pertaining to this study.

The public fear was so great that within a year of the WHI publication 66% of hormone therapy users aged 50 and older discontinued therapy. There was so much confusion regarding the safety of hormone therapy, even the experts did not agree.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

The Dangers of Untreated Acid Reflux Disease

By Robin Westen

Around 25 million Americans suffer with gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Although it’s fairly common, don’t ignore it. Constant attacks can lead to inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis). And if the inflammation doesn’t get a chance to heal, it can result in more serious health problems like these:

To see the slideshow, click here.

Colon Cleansing: Yes or No There’s nothing glamorous about colon cleansing, the name for a group of therapies designed to flush your bowels. But still, there’s plenty of hype around it. Colon cleansers promise to eliminate the wastes in our stomachs and make us healthier. (Often, the theory goes, wastes have been in our intestines for months and even years.) Oxygen-based cleansers, colon irrigations, herbal supplements, enemas and laxatives, are used for the procedure.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Drug Abuse Among Seniors

By Judy Kirkwood

The problem of older adults abusing prescription medications and illicit drugs hasn’t gotten enough attention, says Dr. Gaya Dowling, acting chief of science policy branch at NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse). “When we think of drug abuse, we think of young people,” says Dowling. But there has been an undeniable rise in the number of patients over 50 who require intervention and treatment. Many more remain in the shadows, undiagnosed.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

5 Relaxation Tips for Caregivers

By Sherri Snelling

Relaxation is one of those words that are hard to find in the caregiving dictionary. For the 65 million Americans caring for a loved one, finding the time to relax is like looking for a needle in a haystack – virtually impossible. But for your own physical and emotional health, it’s essential to give yourself the gift of de-stressing. Here's how to do it:

To see the slideshow, click here.

What You Might Not Know about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

By Judy Kirkwood

An estimated 12 million Americans suffer from the painful nerve disorder of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We’ve heard the term so much that it might start to seem as if CTS is simply something you should live with. But investigators are working on new ways to prevent and cure it.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Best Diet tips Ever

By Robin Westen

Around 50 million of us go on a diet every year, but only about five percent manage to keep the weight off. One of the big reasons for these dim stats is that drastic changes in lifestyle or eating habits just won't work. What does? Choosing just three of these easy dieting tips and making them a part of your daily routine.

To see the slideshow, click here.

Should You Get That Medical Test?

By Barbara Bronson Gray RN

t can feel like a fast-paced game of ping-pong. Back and forth they go, experts chiming in on the latest research about screening tests that many of us were just getting used to. Prostate exams cause more harm than good? Mammograms are better less often? Colonoscopies not the only form of screening for colon cancer that’s effective? Yes? No? Yes?

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Watch: Enjoy Vacation Without Packing on Extra Pounds Here's another addition to our ThirdAge Video Collection. Press play to start learning!

To see the video, click here.

Good Nutrition for Older Adults The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has issued a position paper promoting the health and wellness of "all Americans aged 60 years and older" through "appropriate nutrition care." The Academy notes that "health, physiologic, and functional changes associated with the aging process can influence nutrition needs and nutrient intake" and that "the enjoyment of food and nutritional well-being, along with other environmental influences, has an influence on health-related quality of life and the aging process."

To read the rest of the article, click here.