Find Purpose and Live
Feeling that your life has meaning or purpose is probably an important factor in improving your health and lengthening your life. These articles listed at the AARP website explore ways and resources to help you "bring your own purpose into view."
Little Gray Cells Benefit from Travel
Rethinking Time Spent in Intensive Care
Here's an article to keep in your pocket if you're headed to an intensive care unit, as patient or visitor. Doctors who got patients up while in ICU and provided breaks in sedation found that those patients did much better after leaving ICU than patients who remained bed-ridden and sedated, especially for an extended period.
Recent Thinking on How to Protect the Heart
Check out two recent New York Times articles about changes in thinking on how to protect the heart, based on research indicating that most heart attacks are caused, not by large plaques that lead to blockage in arteries, but by smaller plaques that break free and, because of inflammatory and coagulation factors, result in clots and/or blockage. One, "More Isn't Always Better in Coronary Care," points out drawbacks to interventional surgeries, such as angioplasty, stents, and bypass surgery, thought to be over-prescribed because they don't always treat the true problems (small plaques and inflammation) that lead to cardiac death. The second article, "New Thinking on How to Protect the Heart," explains the role of inflammatory cells and examines lifestyle factors that promote heart health.