ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and had a spinal tap a few months ago. It helped my brain fog, but my neurosurgeon didn't want to put in a shunt. I am 96. Can repeated taps help me? -- M.G.

ANSWER: NPH is a condition where the fluid inside the brain has a high pressure. It is unknown why this happens, but symptoms ...Read more

You've heard (over and over) how important it is to walk every day ... but if you're getting older and contending with increasing weakness and tiredness and moving more slowly than before, the recommended target of 7,000 to 10,000 steps may be too much for you (at least to start). Well, two new studies have great info on the amount of time spent...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am considering a new supplement to help my bones. My recent DEXA scan shows osteopenia with a T-score of 1.1 in my lumbar spine. My hips have a T-score of -1.5, and my FRAX 10-year risk score for hip fracture is 3.4%. The supplement contains plant-based calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, vitamin K3, boron, selenium, and other ...Read more

Although it sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, a new study in Nature suggests that your brain can sense when someone with an infection comes into your vicinity (or a pathogen floats by in the air) and send messages to your immune system so it can create a defense against the disease before you are actually infected with it. Wow! The ...Read more

All water is fundamentally composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms -- two of the former, one of the latter. But you might think otherwise when perusing grocery store shelves where you can purchase alkaline water, electrolyte water, water with special enhancements and even water associated with being smart.

They all purport to offer specific ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 71 and began having urinary issues due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) many years ago. I took alpha blockers (Flomax, double Flomax and tadalifil), which didn't provide any improvement. I was never offered finasteride or dutasteride. I managed my urinary issues well by double-voiding before leaving the house and not ...Read more

The list of harms that come from eating ultra-processed foods (UPF) keeps getting longer. You know such food choices contribute to chronic inflammation, damage your gut biome, harm your immune system and cognition, and make you older than your calendar years. But (a slightly controversial) new piece of research adds one more serious threat to ...Read more

A survey found that 88% of Americans lack sufficient vitamin E, 44% don't get enough calcium, and vitamins D, A and C, as well as magnesium, are also lacking in folks' diets. No wonder that around $71 billion was spent on dietary supplements in the U.S. last year. But you can have too much of a good thing -- and many people who drink vitamin ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a woman in my late 60s with a family history that includes an older brother who had a heart attack at a young age. My total cholesterol has hovered around 200 mg/dL for many years, but my HDL and LDL numbers are good.

A few years ago, I had a highly elevated level of lipoprotein(a), about 164 nmol/L. My doctor prescribed ...Read more

There may be "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" according to Paul Simon, but "40 Ways to Dodge Dementia" (per chapter 13 in my book "The Great Age Reboot") is a lot better for your heart, brain -- and every other part of your body.

Last year, the Lancet Commission identified 12 of these 40 ways that reduce the risk of dementia by up to 45%. (Better ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a friend who lives in Paraguay and had been diagnosed with chikungunya. It has been extremely painful for her for several years. Her doctor prescribed 90 mg of etoricoxib daily and a shot of duodecadron once a month.

I've never heard of chikungunya, and the medical care she is getting seems sketchy. I wish there was a ...Read more

Human activities like coal burning and gold mining can cause mercury pollution in the air, which eventually settles into water, where it is absorbed into the food chain, resulting in the risk of mercury poisoning in apex predators like bluefin tuna -- and people who eat tuna.

Mercury poisoning can cause birth defects, particularly ...Read more

As every oenophile knows, wines that convey hints of smoke or woodiness are generally the result of winemaking techniques, particularly oak aging. They are often appreciated.

But as wildfires become more frequent and intense in wine-growing regions, they don't just threaten the landscape, they change the nature of the grapes, which act like ...Read more