Aspirin and breast cancer risk: How a wonder drug may become more wonderful – Harvard Health Blog

Aspirin has been called a wonder drug. And it’s easy to see why. It’s inexpensive, its side effects are well-known and generally minor. And since it was developed in the 1890s, it’s been shown to provide a number of potential benefits, such as relieving pain, bringing down a fever, and preventing heart attacks and strokes. Over the last 20…

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Grandparenting: Navigating risk as the pandemic continues – Harvard Health Blog

At the end of March, as the pandemic reshaped all our lives, I wrote a blog post about how grandparents might cope with safety recommendations made at that time while remaining connected with their families. Many of us hoped that the crisis would be short-lived, enabling us to return to “normal” before too long. Now six months have elapsed,…

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Blown up in smoke: Young adults who vape at greater risk of COVID symptoms – Harvard Health Blog

COVID-19 has swept across the globe, infecting millions and resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Substantial resources have been invested into understanding individual vulnerability in order to protect those at greatest risk. Age is the most often cited risk factor; 75% of US deaths have been in people over the age of 65, while younger people generally have…

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Can controlling blood pressure later in life reduce risk of dementia? – Harvard Health Blog

Everyone talks about the importance of treating high blood pressure, the “silent killer.” And everybody knows that untreated high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks and strokes. But can treating high blood pressure reduce your risk of cognitive impairment and dementia? High blood pressure is a risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia Cognition encompasses thinking, memory, language,…

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Daily decisions about risk: What to do when there’s no right answer – Harvard Health Blog

Let’s face it: there’s still a deadly virus out there and it’s not going away anytime soon. And that means we all must make a lot of decisions that involve personal risk. And for many of these daily decisions, there’s no single right answer: no Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, World Health Organization recommendations, or expert advice exist….

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Reducing your risk of changes in thinking following surgery – Harvard Health Blog

Cognition is an important function of the brain that enables us to acquire and process information, to enhance our understanding of thoughts, experiences, and our senses. Any condition that affects our ability to think, reason, memorize, or be attentive affects our cognitive ability. Some cognitive decline is a normal part of aging, but there are many things you can…

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What to eat to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease – Harvard Health Blog

Would you like reduce your risk of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia? Researchers from around the world having been studying a variety of different factors that might reduce these risks and keep the brain healthy. Old news: The Mediterranean diet is beneficial One factor that a number of studies have converged on is a Mediterranean-style diet. This diet…

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