The idea that high blood pressure, or hypertension, can compromise brain health is nothing new, says senior study author Lenore Launer, PhD, chief of the Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences with the Intramural Research Program at National Institute on Aging. But the results suggest people may need regular blood pressure checks much earlier in life, and much more often, in order to minimize the risk of cognitive problems that can be caused by hypertension....

Who hasn’t experienced mealtime mayhem? Between meal planning, grocery shopping, prepping and cooking, the family dinner ritual can be a very stressful time. For busy families like mine, a meal subscription service can be a lifesaver. But with so many meal kit options in the market, it’s difficult to choose one that suits our needs. Home Chef is an ideal meal-subscription service for the novice chef who’s willing to cook more than just the basics — and wants to put a healthy, fresh dinner on the table in about 30 minutes....

Because these tumors are typically slow-growing and less aggressive compared with adenocarcinoma, PNETs can often be surgically removed — and fortunately, this may cure the cancer. The type of surgery you receive depends on the size of the tumor and its location in the pancreas, according to the American Cancer Society. During surgery, a portion of your pancreas may be removed, as well as other nearby organs (like the spleen)....

The Role of Exercise in Psoriatic Arthritis Management Findings from a study published in February 2018 in the journal Clinical Rheumatology suggest that exercise helps reduce joint pain, strengthen your bones, and increase strength and flexibility in muscles supporting the joints. “Exercise may help people with psoriatic arthritis prevent joint degeneration while increasing functional abilities and improving their quality of life,” explains Raymond Peralta, PT, DPT, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy at NYU Langone Orthopedic Center in New York City....

Here’s a rundown of the health benefits of doing squats, when and how to add them to your exercise routine, and how to do them correctly. What Muscles Do Squats Work? Why do fitness trainers love to prescribe squats? “Not only is the squat a fundamental movement pattern that has functional carryover to many activities of daily living and sport, it also challenges and strengthens many muscles,” says Tony Ambler-Wright, CSCS, product manager and master instructor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and a coach at the performance training center Movement Edge, who’s based in Roswell, Georgia....

“In almost any circumstance it’s good to reevaluate what you’re eating and your lifestyle after having a stroke,” says Jordan Chen, RD, a cardiovascular dietitian at Heart and Vascular Clinics (HAVC) in Manhattan, Kansas. Chen notes that a person’s diet and exercise habits are among the main factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, and that looking out for overall heart health is an important factor in reducing your risk for stroke....

Probiotics can be found in certain foods and drinks, as well as in supplement form. While eating foods with probiotics can help with overall gut health and general nutrition, if you are looking to ease digestive symptoms, you can also try taking a probiotic supplement. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN) or certified nutritionist can help you determine if you’re getting enough probiotics in your diet or if you might benefit from taking a probiotic supplement....

This applies to people who are beginners to exercise, as well as those who are already regularly working out, but new to resistance band training. The difference (we’ll get to this below) is the intensity you train at. If you’re already doing cardio, you can fit in a resistance band workout on “off” cardio days, Matthews explains. Another option is to do both workouts on one day, doing exercise band training first, followed by cardio....

Crohn’s and colitis are both recurring inflammatory conditions; Crohn’s can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract while ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon, or large intestine. IBDs affect as many as 1.6 million Americans, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. The report, published in November 2018 in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Disease, noted that a higher likelihood of heart attack among those with IBD persisted even after statistically adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as age, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and high cholesterol....

That doesn’t mean you should throw caution to the wind: Although treatable, hepatitis C is a serious illness that can harm the liver and lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer, and other health complications. What’s more, it usually doesn’t cause symptoms and can go undetected for years — even decades. “The risk [of transmission] comes down to whether sex results in mucosal tears in body tissues, such as to the vagina or the rectum,” says Andrew H....

Italian Pasta Types Italian pasta comes in hundreds of shapes and sizes ranging from rice-like grains to long, thin noodles. In between you’ll find shells; twists; curls; rings; balls (gnocchi); hollow tubes; stuffed pasta; flat, broad noodles and festive shapes. Pasta also comes in different colors. The classic pasta noodles are yellowish white and made out of wheat and grain. However, other colors have become fashionable. For example green pasta (pasta verde) is made out of the same basic pasta dough but is colored with an extract of spinach....

A Unique Study Design Looked at Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms and Food While previous studies have already found positive connections between plant-based, anti-inflammatory diets and reduction of RA joint pain, this study differs in that it also included a crossover section, in which the diet participants and the placebo group (which believed it was getting special supplements) switched places after the first trial run was completed. An Elimination Diet Systemically Removes, Reintroduces Suspect Foods A vegan diet is the strictest form of a vegetarian diet....

“Our research shows us that following a Mediterranean-style diet that is rich in fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and beans and lower in meat and dairy, may reduce stroke risk for women over 40,” says lead study author Ailsa Welch, PhD, a professor of nutritional epidemiology at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. Researchers didn’t observe the same protective effect of the diet in men, who had a statistically insignificant risk reduction of 6 percent from following the diet, but, Dr....

RELATED: The Possible Benefits of Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes and Other Health Conditions Randomized Controlled Trial Suggests Metformin Offers Benefits During Pregnancy Researchers randomly assigned 502 pregnant women with type 2 diabetes who were using insulin to add metformin (1,000 milligrams twice daily) or a placebo to their treatment regimen. As women neared the end of pregnancy, at 34 weeks’ gestation, the participants on metformin had lower average fasting blood sugar levels than their counterparts who didn’t take metformin (41....

Semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus (an oral form of the medication), helped more than two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes lose at least at least 5 percent of their weight in a 68-week clinical trial, according to the study results published in March 2021 in The Lancet. Almost half of the participants lost at least 10 percent of their weight, and roughly one-quarter of them lost at least 15 percent of their weight....

It’s a bit ironic to me, then, that an MS symptom ripe for the picking as a metaphor is the exact experience I’m having, with no need for simile, allegory, or parable: I’ve found myself drifting in the very real sense of the word. ‘MS Drifting’ Is No Metaphor I first noticed my new tendency to fall off course — ever so slightly, ever so gently, ever so constantly — while on the surgical recovery ward this past summer....

Over the past month or so, I’ve noted several comments, mostly from folks on Tysabri, about hair loss. As a person not yet on this drug therapy (but considering it, intently) I want to know more; and I’m sure our other readers do as well. Novantrone, a chemotherapy drug used on some forms of cancer as well as MS, has a listed side effect of minor hair loss. When on a regular dosing schedule (every 3 months) I found a few more of my ever-graying tresses in the shower drain but not so much to be alarmed....

Then there are that which are difficult to describe. Cognitive fog (or cog fog) is one of those. There is no irony intended when I say that this cognitive disorder is difficult to describe, even though the fog can make finding any words — not just those to explain what we’re experiencing — a tough go. So Many Variations, It’s Hard to Describe Then there are those MS symptoms — I’m thinking of spasticity here — that should be easy to explain, but due to the range of presentations they can have, it’s like trying to describe what the north and south poles of the earth are: two wholly different places but both the ends of the earth....

I believe that my brain has been helping me cope with a vision issue , caused by MS, for some time now. For years now, I have felt like I am not seeing things as clearly as I once did. It’s been a while since my last eye exam but this seems to be less of a focus thing and more double vision. But it’s not so “double” that I can’t function....

And having the flu is no joyride, with symptoms more comparable to COVID-19 than to the common cold. Flu is associated with a range of complications as well — from ear infections to pneumonia — although again, if you’re vaccinated you’ll be far less likely to have complications, according to a report published in June 2021 in the journal Vaccine. Whether you’ve been vaccinated or not, it’s important to understand how to recognize the symptoms of flu and if you or someone you care for winds up getting sick, to know the steps to take for a speedy recovery....