Make a DASH Toward Better Health
The DASH diet can help lower blood pressure By Alison Stanton Doctors often prescribe a low-sodium diet to combat high blood pressure, but experts say there is an even better approach. It’s called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH plan. “The DASH plan is much more than just a low-sodium diet,” says Registered […]
How to Increase Your Vitality
By Alison Stanton When Tracy Garrett thinks of the word vitality, she pictures people who are active and full of vim and vigor. The registered dietitian nutritionist and diabetes program coordinator from the Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing also defines vitality as the state of “being strong and of having energy.” But what […]
The Health Benefits of Meditation
How to maximize your meditation By Erin Thorburn What if there were a way to reduce depression and stress, increase mindfulness and concentration and even boost immune health and memory function – all without taking a single pill? Studies show there is. According to experts, meditation offers a host of mind, body and emotional benefits. In […]
Building a Community Through Education
Community Education covers wide variety of health and wellness topics geared to older adults By Alison Stanton A typical Sun Health Community Education program features a local health expert sharing the latest information on a health-related topic and answering questions in front of a live audience. It might seem like a quaint method of learning compared with […]
Hope for the Journey
Memory Care Navigators help clients and families cope with dementia By Susie Steckner and Ken Reinstein When Alan Hughes was diagnosed with vascular dementia four years ago, he and his wife Judi felt unprepared for the road ahead. “We didn’t know to what extent our lives were going to change. We were depressed and confused,” […]
Types of Dementia
There are multiple types of dementia – each related to cognitive decline and critical mental functions. Most impact older adults over 65, but not all. Although age is a risk factor for developing many forms of dementia, aging itself does not directly cause dementia, says Dr. David Irwin. “It’s possible to live to be over […]
Pillow Talk
Tips to improve the quality of your zzzz’s By Alison Stanton If you spend more time tossing and turning during the night instead of sleeping like the proverbial rock, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 35 percent of U.S. adults are not getting the recommended seven hours […]
Falls Are Inevitable – Don’t fall for this falsehood
By Alison Stanton According to the CDC, every year, one out of four adults over the age of 65 will fall. While this statistic shows that older adults tend to fall more often, Rhonda Zonoozi insists that we should never accept falling as a normal part of aging. Many falls can be prevented, says the exercise physiologist […]
On Point
The finer points of acupuncture By Alison Stanton Raul Ferran gets a kick out of showing how he can twist around and touch his lower back with his right hand. It’s a simple movement for most of us but for nearly 30 years the Sun City resident could not do it. Among other things, he […]
Lymphatic Massage Does a Body Good
While traditional massage involves applying pressure to sore muscles and kneading the skin with the help of lotions or oils, Susan Casaccio, licensed massage therapist, says lymphatic massage is completely different. “With lymphatic massage, no lotions or oils are used and the pressure on the skin is minimal. We use strokes rather than massaging, and […]
