Humans are made up of over 100 trillion microbes, with the majority of them living in our large intestine. These microbes — fungi, yeast, bacteria and protozoa — are collectively called the microbiome. Our microbiome (unique to each individual) interac… Continue reading
Sixty percent of Americans have at least one chronic disease, such as heart disease or diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic diseases are even more common among older, low-income adults and minorities. But when … Continue reading
Robert Chance has lived with an essential tremor in his left hand since he was 6. He managed to help out on his family’s Minnesota farm, although he did have trouble flying kites. After college, Chance turned his love of flying into a stint as a Navy p… Continue reading
Caring for someone with a serious illness stretches people spiritually and emotionally, often beyond what they might have thought possible. Dr. Arthur Kleinman, a professor of psychiatry and anthropology at Harvard University, calls this “enduring the … Continue reading
Good muscle tone is important to health in many ways. But most people don’t realize that it’s also important to maintain, treat and improve muscle tone in the pelvis. The pelvis works sort of like a sling to support all the pelvic organs, holding them … Continue reading
Helene Rosenthal’s day starts when she gets out of bed and puts in her hearing aids, something that’s as natural as brushing her teeth. It ends when she climbs into bed and says to her husband, Jim, “Is there anything else you want to say? Because I’m … Continue reading
Michael Thomas has a radical idea that loneliness needs to be normalized. Thomas, a lecturer in social work at Brunel University London, says it should be accepted that everyone struggles “and it’s normal to move in and out of loneliness over your life… Continue reading
The holidays are a time for gathering and spending quality time with family members we don’t often see. It may also be the first time you notice a change in their health, such as their pace and mobility. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the most co… Continue reading
(Editor’s note: This story is part of a series for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) About 70% of patients want to talk about cost with their physicians, but fewer than one-third actually do, according to polling conducted a few years ago by Avalere He… Continue reading
(Editor’s note: This story is part of a series for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) Bill Craze, 81, of Houston, was frustrated with the doctor he’d been seeing for five years. “I didn’t think I was getting the attention that I needed,” Craze says. “I … Continue reading