Experiencing and managing chronic health conditions can be very hard and is sometimes overwhelming. Unfortunately, there are no quick solutions, leaving one wishing for a superhero to come save the day,

Caring for a loved one with dementia can be challenging and at times, overwhelming. Currently, more than 16 million Americans provide unpaid care for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Salem resident and former caregiver Susan Jones cared for her partner Elizabeth for 12 year…

Growing evidence indicates that people can reduce their risk of cognitive decline by adopting key lifestyle habits.

We have all been reminded how important it is to see your doctor every year for your annual physical exam. The truth is, it’s even more important as you grow older.

Harvey Lewellen excelled at sports in Myrtle Point, where he lived for more than 30 years.

Joni Portmann joined Habitat for Humanity and hasn’t looked back

With summer around the corner and the warm temperatures we experienced earlier this month, keeping cool will be a priority. While heat-related illness is preventable, many people get sick, and even die, from extreme heat each year.

Alzheimer’s is a triple threat unlike any other disease — with soaring prevalence, lack of effective treatment and enormous costs.

In today's world knee placements are as common as blue skies.

Fibromyalgia sufferers know what it’s like to live with chronic pain and have their lives turned upside down.

It’s one thing to deal with having a broken arm or pulled muscle — everyone has to face temporary setbacks in the normal course of life.

For anyone living with a chronic disease, whether it’s cancer, an auto-immune disorder, pain issues or any other health problem, it is imperative that you optimize your intestinal health.

More than 11 million Americans live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including more than 210,000 people in Oregon.

Judith Kahn started running at age 40 but was derailed by a stroke in her late 50s and suffers from congestive heart failure.

Ohsu sports medicine specialist offers tips for resistance exercise and strength training as we age

If you were to ask the average person about habits they’d like to improve, nutrition would undoubtedly be at the top of the list.

After this crazy winter weather, many of us have been looking to amp up our fitness routine outdoors. But there’s one fitness activity that is independent of the weather — your local aquatic center.

Walt Blomberg views fitness as a lifetime plan and, at 69, the Woodburn athlete can still be called a “jock.”

Colleen Milliman only started running at age 90 and has been crushing her competition since. (Photos by Paul W. Harvey IV)

Brad Pendergraft acts out strategies to interrupt negative thought patterns. Worrying, he says, doesn’t have to be a constant in your life. You can change.

More Oregonians are making their end-of-life wishes known through forms known as Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment, or POLST, according to research published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine.

Here we are in a new year, and I’ve been thinking about something simple I could do to improve my life.

A local relationship expert offers 7 tips to update your skills

By age 50, the average person will have walked 75,000 miles, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. That’s a lot of steps, even without the Fitbit tracker.

Some people tap their fingers when impatient and annoyed, but did you know you might be able to tap away chronic pain?

Choosing a Medicare plan can be confusing, but help is available.

The ultimate fix for aging joints is to “stay strong or get strong.” When it comes to joints, physical therapist Mike Studer, president and co-owner of Northwest Rehabilitation Associates, strongly believes strength is paramount to healthy aging.

Dr. Michael Mega, a top researcher in memory diseases, says there are ways to strengthen your memory. That’s the good news. The tough part is whether you will make the lifestyle modifications he recommends. Habits are hard to break.

With the warmer weather and longer days, summertime is the perfect opportunity to get outside and be active. If you’re exercising outdoors this summer, or just having fun in the sun, it’s important to be aware of heat-related illnesses, like heat stroke and exhaustion, and know how to prevent them.

Many of my patients say they use sunscreen on a daily basis, but they’ll still come into the office with sunburns or tans. (Worth noting: Even though a tan might not hurt like a burn and “looks better,” tans are harmful to the skin, too.) So, what gives?

Does it matter how we live and how we treat one another? Have we lost our graciousness? Has our culture coarsened beyond repair?

Physical inactivity is a major health concern that contributes to some of our nation’s leading causes of death, including heart disease and stroke. It also increases risk for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Fortunately, there is something we can do about this.

A health practice birthed in the early 1950s is catching on in Salem. Flotation therapy was developed by John C. Lilly, a medical practitioner and neuro- psychiatrist who studied the effect of sensory deprivation on the human brain and mind. What he found was that taking a break away from gravity in a float tank releases endorphins — nature's pain relievers — and is a salve for stress.

The numbers are surprising: The average American consumes 7,000 milligrams of sodium per day. That far exceeds the daily intake recommendation, which is less than 2,500 mg (and even less if you have high blood pressure).

Certified physician assistant Kristina Uehlin started her career in medicine as a medical assistant in a primary care clinic. She met with patients before the doctor, recorded their vitals and noted concerns.

Many of today’s popular diets suggest cutting carbs, but opt for higher proteins and lower fats. However, a diet rising in popularity aims for low carbs, but higher fats with the idea that “fat burns fat.” If you love eating seafood, vegetables and even dark chocolate, the ketogenic diet may be for you.

Thanks to the world’s smallest pacemaker, Ruth Bissett of Salem plans to take up line dancing again, volunteer more at her church and keep up with her big, growing family.

When you look around your favorite grocery store or restaurant, it’s apparent that gluten-free foods have gone mainstream, which may leave you wondering: Are gluten-free diets a fad or are they actually a healthy way of eating?

This probably sounds familiar: You shiver, sweat and your throat is on fire. Your head is pounding, every muscle aches and you’re exhausted. Even getting out of bed seems impossible. You’ve got the flu. It’s not pretty. In fact, it’s pretty awful.