Summer brings sunny days that beckon us outside to play and enjoy. It can also bring periods of high temperatures and high humidity, sending the heat index into dangerous territory. The danger increases with exercise or overexertion. Even a walk, a bike ride or gardening can be risky for some people when it’s too hot.

When my friend forgets what she was going to say, she gives a glib flip of the wrist, smiles and
says, “Give me a minute.” And sure enough, in a minute or two, she comes out with it.

Heart disease kills an estimated 610,000 Americans each year. It’s the leading cause of death for both men and women.¹

The pharmacy counter is not the place where you want to learn that a drug you’ve been taking is not covered by your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan. Yet it can happen. Fortunately, a prescription drug transition refill may be a remedy.

The difference between a physical exam and a Medicare Wellness Visit is basically the difference between your doctor focusing on what’s wrong versus on what’s right. Each is important, depending on the situation.

Women over 65 may hear conflicting medical advice about getting a Pap smear – the screening test for cervical cancer. Current medical guidelines say the test is not necessary after age 65 if your results have been normal for several years. Recent research suggests otherwise.

Scientists long believed that the human brain was finished with growth and development after twenty-five or thirty years of age. It seemed to be all downhill from there as the years took their toll. But it’s now thought that this decline may not be inevitable.

Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The graphic below, created at Georgetown University, shows more shocking statistics. For example:

Scan your doctor’s brochure rack or search “men’s health” on the internet. You will likely see common topics, such as heart disease and prostate cancer. These are important things to know about. But do they address your main health concerns?