In the News

As if the pain of a sunburn wasn’t bad enough, in the days following, you might also find yourself covered in dry, flaky, peeling skin.

“There are different severities of sunburn,” says Gabriel Neal, MD, a clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Medicine. “If your skin is peeling, then it’s a mild to moderate sunburn.”

When most people think of the impact of a healthy lifestyle, they imagine having more energy or a better beach body. The truth is that a healthy lifestyle has far-reaching benefits that might surprise you.

Of course, the physical benefits of a healthy lifestyle are the most well-documented, and these effects are typically also the most obvious. Getting regular exercise helps you control your weight, which in turn lowers your risk for many of the most common diseases and health complications. It can also increase your energy, helping you power through errands on your to-do list instead of crashing on the couch after work.

To sleep or to snooze? You probably know the answer, but you don’t prefer it.

Most of us probably use the snooze function on our alarm clocks at some point in our lives. Just a few more minutes under the covers, a time to gather our thoughts, right?

While such snoozing might seem harmless, it may not be.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in every four deaths in the U.S. can be attributed to some form of heart disease.

It might seem like that jaw pain isn’t too serious, but it’s also a common heart attack symptom that’s rarely talked about.

“Sometimes the manifestation of a heart attack or some cardiac event can be felt in the jaws, the teeth, and the neck. It’s not just the left side; it can happen on the right side, too, especially for women,” says Dr. Steven D. Bender, DDS, director of the Center for Facial Pain and Sleep Medicine at Texas A&M’s College of Dentistry. “The pain is a sign. It’s an indicator that something is happening right then, right at that moment. It may come and go depending on the severity.”

These three simple words–connect, create and contribute–have become a catalyst for engagement and support for the positive impact that older adults have made, and continue to make, in our communities. Each and every day, older adults not only lead their own lives but help guide future generations. The experience, insight, and knowledge that older adults have enriches and strengthens neighborhoods, families, and communities.

Older Americans Month is an event developed by The Administration for Community Living that is celebrated during the month of May each year. This time is devoted to honoring the valuable contributions that older adults promote within the United States.

Dr. Marcia Ory, founding director of the Center for Population Health and Aging stresses the important role older adults can play. She indicates, “For example, we train older adults to be lay leaders for a variety of chronic disease self-management or fall prevention classes.  Giving back to the community is good for those getting the programs—as well as those volunteering in our research, service or educational activities.”