Shrinking with age has two major causes. The first is directly related to a combination of gravity and the discs in the back. The second is osteoporosis or thinning of the bones. In both cases, poor posture can lead to an even shorter appearance by being slouched over. GRAVITY AND DISCS There are 23 discs in the spinal column. They are composed of a tough outer portion and a soft […]

Are you confused about estrogen? You are not alone. Before the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) was published in 2002, Premarin® was one of the most widely used medications in the world. But after the WHI suggested that Premarin’s side effects caused an increase in breast cancer, blood clots, stroke and heart attacks, women panicked and threw away their estrogen. Understandable in light […]

No one likes taking pills. But a recent study in the journal Menopause suggests that a little extra calcium and vitamin D3 in your day will make it less likely you will break your hip. The study was part of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and evaluated women ages 50 to 79.For purposes of this report, 27,347 women randomly were given […]

Soyfoods are an ancient food, consumed by Asian populations for centuries. They didn’t truly arrive in the United States until the 1960s when tofu and a few other soyfoods became embraced by the health-conscious counter-culture that helped fuel the societal changes taking place at that time. Over the next three decades, soyfoods steadily trickled into the mainstream, but didn’t really take off […]

Ever have a dry mouth? It could be a sign of osteoporosis. The journal Menopause published a study showing that women in menopause who have a dry mouth are at increased risk of low calcium and osteoporosis (brittle bones}. First the doctors eliminated medical reasons for a dry mouth such as: Medication (an antihistamine, diuretic or medicine for urinary incontinence) […]

With Fall in the air, and leaves, ice and snow beginning to layer the ground, the risk of taking a fall begins its season as well. This is particularly true for people over the age of 65 or those who have physical disabilities or reduced vision. One in four people who live at home and are over 65 will fall […]