Hypertension, better known as high blood pressure, is a condition that affects nearly half of the U.S. population, according to the CDC. Blood pressure is a measurement of the amount of pressure that a person’s blood exerts on the arteries. Blood pressure that is too high can lead to dangerous conditions such as a heart attack or stroke and can also cause a myriad of other problems. Fortunately, hypertension is a condition that can generally be … [Read more...]

Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is a painful reactivation of the chickenpox virus within the body and it frequently affects seniors. According to the CDC, 1 out of every 4 people will have shingles in their lifetime, and 2 out of every 3 cases are patients over the age of 50. Shingles can develop more than once in a person’s lifetime and can result in extreme discomfort and in severe cases even infection and hospitalization. Although the … [Read more...]

Dementia is a serious medical condition that affects roughly 50 million people throughout the world. This condition encompasses a range of symptoms and manifestations that can cause significant decline in physical, mental and emotional health. In addition to forgetfulness, dementia can lead to anxiety, depression and an inability to communicate effectively. Fortunately, several studies have shown that mindfulness and relaxation techniques can be … [Read more...]

According to the American Thyroid Association (ATA), approximately 20 million people in the U.S. suffer from some form of thyroid disease, but up to 60% are unaware of their condition. These statistics may be surprising, but thyroid disease often has vague symptoms that can be attributed to other things. Patients often report feeling fatigued, mentally scattered or sometimes slightly depressed. Read on for some tips to help identify and address … [Read more...]

Aphasia is a disorder that robs the afflicted of the ability to understand language and communicate normally. It is not a mental illness, and it does not result in an impairment of intelligence. This condition can affect younger people, usually as the result of head trauma, but it is especially prevalent in older adults who have experienced one or multiple strokes. In some cases, aphasia is caused by a slowly-expanding brain tumor that causes … [Read more...]