2
q
How often you might want to set
aside time for keeping a gratitude
journal. Jot down achievements,
things that made you smile, touching
moments and good relationships.
Source: Mental Health America
The approximate amount of blood given during a
typical blood donation. A pint can help up to three
people. Every year about 5 million patients in
the U.S. need blood.
Source: American Red Cross
The year the rst hip
replacement surgery
was done. The operation
is one of the most
successful operations
in medicine, and about
285,000 are done each
year in the United States.
Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons
A balancing act:
Reduce the risk
of a serious fall
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty
Dumpty had a great fall.
We all know Humpty’s fate, and it wasn’t
a good one. Every year more than 9 million
Americans experience an injury or death
because of a fall, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In nearly every age group—including
babies, middle-aged adults and senior
citizens—falls are the No. 1 cause of non-
fatal injuries treated in hospital emergency
rooms, reports CDC.
Commonsense measures—including
keeping oors and stairs uncluttered,
removing throw rugs, and installing grab
bars on bathroom walls—can go a long
way toward reducing your risk of a fall.
But so can staying on top of your health.
Many falls are a result of medical problems.
To lower your chances of experiencing a
fall, follow these tips from leading health
organizations:
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Have your vision, hearing and blood
pressure checked on a regular basis. All can
a ect your sense of balance.
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Get moving. Regular exercise improves
strength, muscle tone and coordination.
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Ask your doctor about possible side
e ects of any medications that you take.
Some drugs can increase the risk of falling.
1pint
Bladder control: A conversation away
There are some changes you can de nitely
count on as you get older—a few more
wrinkles, a few more gray hairs. But you
de nitely should not count urinary inconti-
nence as just another normal part of aging.
Though the problem is more common as
a person gets older, it is almost always a result
of an underlyingmedical condition, notes the
National Institutes of Health. It is also a prob-
lem that usually can be treated or even cured.
So if you have been putting up with a loss of
bladder control, it is time to see your doctor.
Causing trouble.
Millions of Americans
have the condition. A wide range of factors—
both temporary and ongoing—can cause
this problem, including:
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Certainmedicines.
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Severe constipation.
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Changes in
hormones around the time of menopause.
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Nerve damage.
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Stroke.
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A diet high
in bladder irritants, such as ca eine or
acidic fruit juice.
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Weak or overactive
bladder muscles.
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Prostate problems,
such as an enlarged prostate.
Your rst step.
It might be awkward to
talk with your doctor, but that talk is very
important. Your doctor can perform tests to
nd the cause of your incontinence. And he
or she may uncover an underlying medical
problem that needs treatment.
Treatments for incontinence range from
simple muscle exercises to surgery. Your doc-
tor can recommend the best option for you.
