INSAF

When a person’s thyroid hormone level gets too low, nearly every system in the body is affected. An under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism) can set off a wide range of symptoms that can include fatigue, depression, weight gain, constipation, and dry skin. While typical of an under-active thyroid, all those symptoms could be easily attributed to other medical problems. And in people over 60, symptoms of hypothyroidism can be more confusing. Any of the following health issues in a person over 60, alone or in combination, could mean an underlying thyroid problem.  Unexplained high cholesterol. High cholesterol is sometimes the only evidence of an under-active thyroid in an older person. Because this may be the only symptom, a high cholesterol level warrants a thyroid evaluation. Heart failure. Some of the effects of low thyroid hormone levels — for example, reduced blood volume, weaker contractions of the heart muscle, and a slower heart rate — may contribute to he...

Stephanie Watson , Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch I’m not much use behind the keyboard until I’ve had my morning cup of coffee. And I’m far from the only American who needs a little java jolt to get their day going. If a study published in this month’s Journal of Nutrition is any indication, the caffeine in coffee might offer not just a momentary mental boost but also longer-term effects on thinking skills. Having an alcoholic drink a day might also benefit our mental performance, but the line between just right and too much is uncertain. An even better strategy for maintaining memory and thinking skills with age may be to eat a healthy diet. In the study, researchers from the National Institute on Aging compared scores on various tests of thinking skills and memory with caffeine, alcohol, and nutrient intake in 727 men and women taking part in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study...