Aging: What to expect as you get older
Seniors' HealthAging: What to expect as you get older
From MayoClinic.com
Special to CNN.com
Looked in the mirror lately only to find a few more wrinkles and gray hairs? Those are just a few of the changes you’re likely to notice as you get older. But what exactly is going on with your body? Here’s what you can expect as you age.
Regardless of how long you live, time takes a toll on the organs and systems in your body. How and when this occurs is unique to you. Some typical changes to expect as you age include:
Cardiovascular system
Over time, your heart muscle becomes a less efficient pump, working harder to pump the same amount of blood through your body. Also, your blood vessels become less elastic. Hardened fatty deposits may form on the walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis), narrowing the passageway through the vessels. The natural loss of elasticity, in combination with atherosclerosis, makes your arteries stiffer, causing your heart to work even harder to pump blood through them. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension). Read the rest of this entry »
Prostate gland enlargement
Men's HealthProstate gland enlargement
From MayoClinic.com
Special to CNN.com
Introduction
The prostate gland is located just below a male’s bladder and surrounds the top portion of the tube that drains urine from the bladder (urethra). The gland’s primary function is to produce most of the fluids in semen, the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.
From birth to young adulthood, the prostate grows from about the size of a pea to about the size of a walnut. Most men experience a second period of prostate growth in their mid- to late 40s. At this time, cells in the central portion of the gland — where the prostate surrounds the urethra — begin to reproduce more rapidly, resulting in prostate gland enlargement. As tissues in the area enlarge, they often compress the urethra and partially block urine flow. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the medical term for prostate gland enlargement.
Prostate gland enlargement affects about half of men in their 60s and up to 90 percent of men in their 70s and 80s. The presence or absence of prostate gland enlargement is not related to the development of prostate cancer. Read the rest of this entry »
Alzheimer’s: Balancing needs of caregiver and loved one
Family HealthAlzheimer’s: Balancing needs of caregiver and loved one
From MayoClinic.com
Special to CNN.com
As an Alzheimer’s caregiver, you may feel as if you’re riding a roller coaster — never sure of what the next curve may bring. It’s incredibly stressful; yet it can also be rewarding.
Rocked by this dizzying mix of emotions, you walk a tightrope, balancing your own needs against those of your loved one. Learning to recognize and defuse stress can make it easier to keep your balance. Focusing on the rewards from your efforts also helps.
The rewards of caregiving
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E. coli: Dangers of eating raw or undercooked foods
Children's HealthE. coli: Dangers of eating raw or undercooked foods
From MayoClinic.com
Special to CNN.com
Eating unwashed produce, such as spinach, lettuce or green onions, or undercooked beef, especially hamburger, can increase your risk of infection with Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. E. coli are a broad group of bacteria that live in the intestinal tract of healthy people and animals. Most of the bacteria are harmless and play an essential role in absorbing certain vitamins. But a few strains of E. coli are responsible for serious food-borne infections.
A particularly virulent strain of E.coli, called E. coli O157:H7, can cause severe, bloody diarrhea, kidney failure and even death. Most cases of E. coli O157:H7 have been traced to undercooked ground meat, but the bacteria can also contaminate raw fruits, particularly melons, and vegetables, such as lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, spinach and green onions. Prepackaged vegetables and salad mixes may present a particular risk. Although it’s not always possible to prevent food poisoning, knowing how E. coli spreads and how to handle food safely can help you avoid getting sick.
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