I was being wheeled at speed through the corridors of the MedStar Cardiovascular Surgery Center in Washington, D.C. on a stretcher bound for an operating theater. My driver, another Chris, was also to be my anesthetist — so I refrained from commenting … Continue reading
Facing down 60, I was feeling pretty good about my chances for a long “mindspan” — brain health that would remain sharp as long as I live. Working with experts in the field, I’ve taken up high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts and strength tr… Continue reading
Bucket lists and adventure trips are more popular than ever, especially among older adults who are no longer spending their money and time raising children. Maybe you have aspirations to climb Kilimanjaro, hike across the Grand Canyon, ski the Swiss Al… Continue reading
When my husband, Dale, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2007, at the age of 46, his doctor prescribed medication, he attended a nutrition class and was instructed on testing his blood glucose level. Dale had annual physical exams, which monitored … Continue reading
You might think that when getting a tennis lesson, you would pick up a racquet and ball. But if you’re getting a lesson from Arthur Carrington Jr., the first thing you might pick up is a ribbon wand or a pair of maracas. Carrington, a tennis pro and co… Continue reading
People facing a cancer diagnosis, particularly a late-stage cancer diagnosis, may feel that their locus of control over life has been removed. They are now “patients,” relying on their oncologist, surgeon, radiation therapist and nursing staff. But, co… Continue reading
Last time you visited your doctor, did he or she ask if you felt lonely? Did your doctor inquire about how many friendships you have or ask about how many community groups you are involved with? There’s a growing body of research showing that extended … Continue reading
(This article appeared previously in Kaiser Health News.) When she worked on the trading floor of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, long before cellphone calculators, Susan Saran could perform complex math problems in her head. Years later, as one of… Continue reading
Maybe, just maybe, America’s greatest taboo — talking openly about death — is itself dying a slow death. Too slow, if you ask Diane Rehm, author of the new nonfiction book, When My Time Comes. “Until we overcome our fear about talking about death,” the… Continue reading
Tamaki Pan always considered herself healthy. She was thin and did Pilates and yoga. But an annual check-up a couple of years ago delivered a wake-up call: She had high cholesterol and was borderline pre-diabetes. Pan, a print designer for an apparel c… Continue reading