Chronic Illness

As we move back inside and prepare to hunker down during the coming winter months, we will continue to face threats to our health. In so many places, COVID is still raging strong and case numbers continue to rise. That means none of us can afford to let down our…

There’s ample proof that marijuana use is on the rise, not only among younger Americans but for those of us who are well into our senior years. Given the trend toward increasing legalization in the states and the growth in the baby boomer population (with all of the aches and…

Whether from inactivity, stress, or the inability to seek out help, many are experiencing ongoing pain as we continue to navigate the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, recent surveys report that millions are feeling increased back, neck, and foot pain, which is not at all surprising given that many have forsaken…

How long we live, and how healthy we stay as we age, is usually attributed to a multitude of factors, including our genes, lifestyle, socioeconomic factors, and even just good fortune. But a new research study reported online in Nature Communications has thrown another factor into the mix: It appears…

We know that older adults, with underlying chronic diseases and weakened immune systems, are at greater risk of infection with COVID-19, at greater risk of severe symptoms, and more vulnerable to the ravages of the disease. As the CDC reports, 8 out of 10 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the United…

The data alone tell a pretty damning story: According to the CDC, from 1999-2018, the prevalence of obesity among adults in the US went from 30.5% to 42.4%, and those with severe obesity went from 4.7% of the US adult population to 9.2%. These statistics are also tied to the…