Why It’s So Important to Take Care of Your Kidneys

A woman holds models of kidneys.
It took years for me, as a primary care doctor, to fully appreciate the many challenges patients face with chronic kidney disease. I still remember one of the first patients I ever admitted to the hospital when I was an intern. She was a dialysis patient who was in the hospital for cancer treatment. Seeing her condition made me realize how much I had to learn about chronic kidney disease....
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Shingles: Chickenpox Part II

Senior adult, male patient receives vaccine or medicine from his African descent, home healthcare nurse in nursing home or home setting. Nurse wears gloves and holds syringe.
For many adults, getting chickenpox was an unavoidable part of childhood. But if you’ve had chickenpox, you also have a 1 in 3 chance of developing shingles. That’s because the virus that causes chickenpox never leaves your body completely. Rather, it lies dormant and can reemerge later as shingles. Thankfully, there are things you can do to protect yourself from getting shingles....
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Preventing Heart Disease: Start Early for Good Heart Health

Girl holding big paper heart
Heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is a general term for plaque build-up in the heart’s arteries. Currently, the story about heart disease is a good news/bad news situation. Good news: Death from heart disease has declined over the past few decades. Bad news: Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women across most racial and ethnic groups in the U.S....
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How to Make Your Home Safe and Prevent Falls and Injury

A hand grips a safety handrail
Every year, millions of Americans age 65 and older have a fall, and almost 20 percent of those falls result in an injury, like a broken bone. But while these statistics are concerning, there is good news. The National Council on Aging has concluded that adults 65 and over, with the proper care, can expect to live a full,...
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Take Control of Your Health with Preventive Medicine

Close-up of a doctor pointing to a tablet, with a patient sitting in the foreground.
It’s difficult to find someone who hasn’t been affected by cancer — whether themselves or a loved one. Unfortunately, experts are predicting cancer deaths will rise over the next decade. But there’s hope because so much can be done with the power of preventive medicine. That is one reason why the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) started a world awareness day every February 4....
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Advocating for Accessibility

Close-up of a hand gripping the wheel of a wheelchair
As anyone who lives with a chronic health condition or disability knows, it’s easy to become isolated because of the body’s limitations. This is especially true for seniors. As the National Institute on Aging (NIH) has reported, social isolation and loneliness can worsen the physical health of seniors, leading to poor health outcomes. With as many as 13.8 million older adults living alone,...
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Winter Safety Tips

Looking down a quaint Philadelphia street in winter
Love it or hate it, winter’s here — and with the cold comes an increased risk of weather-related injuries. Make sure you’re ready for whatever the winter brings. Take these steps to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Stay Warm

Keep indoor temperatures at 65 degrees or warmer. If the expense is a problem,...
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Fact or Fiction: The Truth About Five Winter Wives’ Tales

A woman dries her young daughter's hair
As a full-time working mom, I am usually in a rush all the time, especially in the mornings. So it’s not uncommon for me to wash my hair and run out of the house while it’s still wet — even in the cold winter months. It’s a very defiant act considering that my mother scolded me my whole life for this (and still does)....
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Food vs. Food: Milk — To Dairy or Not to Dairy?

For years, if you wanted milk on your cereal or in your coffee, cow’s milk was your only option. But take a trip down the supermarket dairy aisle, and you’ll find a veritable herd of plant-based milk alternatives. There are options made from soybeans, nuts, rice, oats, and even peas! Udderly confused about whether to stick with traditional cow’s milk or switch to a plant-based milk alternative like soy or almond milk?...
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No Resolution Required: Tools for Better Health

If you’ve already given up on your New Year’s resolutions, don’t stress about it — statistically, only eight percent of people achieve their New Year’s goals. Despite our best intentions, changing our lives for the better isn’t easy. But, there are resources that can help you be a healthier you. Have you considered your health plan?...
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