Living Well at Home

A big dish of pasta, a sandwich on whole-wheat bread, even a bowl of oatmeal are all healthy choices, right? If you are allergic to gluten, those foods could be very bad for you.

Eating many different kinds of foods is an important way to stay healthy. Food contains nutrients that our bodies need. Sometimes, people don’t eat enough foods that are high in nutrients. Supplements are an easy way to add nutrients to your diet. Daily vitamins, protein powders, or nutrition drinks are types of supplements.

For a safe and healthy summer, speak to your health care provider if you have trouble breathing. Follow these tips to help prevent asthma attacks and reduce allergens.

Heat waves are never easy, but they’re very brutal in cities. Pavement and metal trap the heat, so cities can be 10 degrees hotter than suburbs! Heat waves can be very dangerous for people over age 65 or those with chronic medical conditions.

When blood pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder than normal to get blood to all parts of the body, and there is also increased pressure on all of the blood vessels. What are the risks for high blood pressure and how can it be treated and controlled?

Spending some time outside is good for us, mentally and physically. But you may be caring for someone who avoids leaving the house or apartment. Try these ideas to tempt your loved one into experiencing the benefits of time spent outdoors.

Every marriage sees a division of labor. The problem, of course, isn’t who does which job. It’s who will take care of a task when the person who has done it is too old, too sick, or too frail to do it. Sometimes it’s easy enough to take over a task or to learn a new skill. But if you’re faced with a job that’s beyond you physically or that requires a steep learning curve, here are some options to explore.

Too much cholesterol (pronounced “ko-LESS-ter-all”) in your blood can lead to narrowing and blocking of the arteries. (Arteries are the vessels that carry blood from your heart throughout your body.) This problem, often called heart disease, is the leading cause of death in the U.S. So, it’s very important that you understand cholesterol and how you can help control it.

When a person falls, they may be embarrassed and want to get up as quickly as possible. And it's natural to help them up. But in some cases, this can make things worse. A fallen person should get up slowly, and caregivers should encourage them to be careful. Here are five steps safety experts recommend that anyone follow when they see someone fall.

Loneliness can cause health problems, no matter how old one is. And people are more likely to feel lonely as they get older. Does your loved one have any of these risk factors?