Harvard Medical School Special Health Report

In many ways, our memories shape who we are. They make up our internal biographies-the stories we tell ourselves about what we've done with our lives. They tell us who we're connected to, who we've touched during our lives, and who has touched us. In short, our memories are crucial to the essence of who we are as human beings. Age-related memory loss, then, can represent a loss of self. It also affects the practical side of life. Forgetting how to get from your house to the grocery store, how to do everyday tasks, or how you are connected to family members, friends, and other people can mean losing your ability to live independently. It's not surprising, then, that concerns about declining thinking and memory skills rank among the top fears people have as they age. There's no getting around the fact that the ability to remember can slip with age. Many of these changes are normal, and not a sign of dementia. Improving Memory, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, helps you understand the difference between normal, age-related changes in memory and changes caused by dementia. The report discusses the different types of dementia and the treatments available for them. Equally important, it offers tips on how to keep your brain healthy, and how to help improve your memory if you're living with age-related memory loss. One of the key components of this memory-saving program is to keep the rest of your body healthy. Many medical conditions-from heart disease to depression-can affect your memory. Staying physically and mentally active turns out to be among the best prescriptions for maintaining a healthy brain and a resilient memory.

Is joint pain holding you back? Perhaps an achy ankle or sore knee is making it difficult to enjoy a run through your favorite park or even a short walk? Or a throbbing hip or shoulder prevents you from driving a golf ball down the fairway or from performing simple tasks like carrying a bag of groceries into your home? The exercises in this report can help relieve ankle, knee, hip, or shoulder pain, and help you become more active again, which in turn can help you stay independent long into your later years. The Joint Pain Relief Workout, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, was designed by knowledgeable exercise experts. The workouts they created are intended to strengthen the muscles that support your joints, increase flexibility in your joints, and improve range of motion. Done regularly, these exercises can ease pain, improve mobility, and help prevent further injury. The report includes four workouts that target your ankles, hips, knees, and shoulders. You'll find detailed instructions for each exercise, as well as information on how to adapt each exercise to make it either harder or easier, so you can tailor it to your ability. In addition, the report includes mini-workouts to address wrist and elbow problems, a planning worksheet to help you get started and stay motivated, and answers to common exercise questions.

Back pain has many causes and, as a result, many treatments. Low Back Pain: Healing your aching back, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, helps you understand why back pain occurs and which treatments are most likely to help. Treatment of low back pain has undergone a recent sea change. Experts now appreciate the central role of exercise to build muscles that support the back. They also better understand which conditions surgery will help and which patients are good surgical candidates. This report describes the different types of back problems and the tailored treatments that are more likely to help specific conditions. A special section is dedicated to the self-care steps you can take to mend your back, and features information on different types of exercise and complementary therapies such as chiropractic care, acupuncture, and massage, as well as healthy back habits and tips on choosing a mattress.

Positive emotions have been linked with better health, longer life, and greater well-being in numerous scientific studies. On the other hand, chronic anger, worry, and hostility increase the risk of developing heart disease, as people react to these feelings with raised blood pressure and stiffening of blood vessels. But it isn't easy to maintain a healthy, positive emotional state. People often misjudge what will make them happy and content. Positive Psychology, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, is a guide to the concepts that can help you find well-being and happiness, based on the latest research. This report includes self-assessment tests and step-by-step advice and exercises to help you maximize the positive emotion in your life.

Your "gut" is the series of organs-mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon-that transform the food you eat into the nutrients your body needs to live and to thrive. If you've ever had an upset stomach, constipation, heartburn or gas, you know how sensitive the gut can be. These "gut reactions" can be painful, disruptive, and sometimes embarrassing. Fortunately, you can do something about almost all gastrointestinal disorders and achieve a calmer, quieter coexistence with your digestive system. You can address, prevent, and treat the most common troublemakers, including acid reflux, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, and excessive gas. The Sensitive Gut, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, gives you strategies to prevent and treat heartburn, which is the key symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the most common gastrointestinal malady. You'll discover which pain relievers-from Prilosec and Nexium to Zantac and Tums-are the safest and fastest-acting remedies. You'll be alerted to six diseases that can mimic the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), be briefed on new diagnostic tests and find ways to eliminate the triggers and manage this vexing condition. The Sensitive Gut will give you an empowering understanding of your digestive system, how it works, and what you can do when it acts up. The report explains the brain-gut connection and the effect stress can have on your digestive system. It shares the best ways to treat constipation without laxatives, tells you how simple mealtime changes can spare you from indigestion without forgoing the foods you love, and much more.

Poor balance, a persistent problem for millions of Americans, triggers many falls. In young, healthy adults, balance is largely an automatic reflex. However, gradual changes linked to growing older-such as weak or inflexible muscles, slower reflexes, and worsening eyesight-affect the sense of balance. Certain health problems-such as inner ear disorders, neuropathy, and heart rhythm disturbances-may upset balance, too. So can alcohol and many medications. Perhaps it's not surprising that every year, at least one out of three people over age 65 falls. Shaky balance can spur a downward spiral. Often, people begin moving around less during the day, voluntarily cutting back activities. Confidence dips, muscles essential to balance grow weaker still, and unsteadiness rises in response. So does fear of falling-and falls. But there are ways to improve balance. Better Balance, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, shows you how. To create this report, two physicians with expertise in balance and aging joined forces with two master trainers to develop safe, effective balance exercises that can help stop this cycle. With practice, almost anyone can achieve better balance. Strong legs and flexible ankles help prevent falls and allow you to catch yourself if you do trip. What's more, the full blend of recommended activities can help you build better awareness of your body and surroundings, boost your confidence, and tune up your heart and lungs to keep you healthy and independent.