What causes hair to turn gray?

Posted April 10, 2012

Modern Indian Confident Attractive Mid Aged Business Woman

DEAR DOCTOR K: I am a 43-year-old woman whose hair has gone quite gray in the past year. I’ve had a fairly stressful year, and since the change in my hair felt quite sudden, I’m wondering if stress could have caused it. If not, what else might be the culprit?

DEAR READER: It’s easy to assume that stress causes gray hair, because there appears to be evidence all around us. Take President Barack Obama as an example. Compare photos of Obama taken before he ran for president to more recent pictures. You’ll notice a distinct difference. His hair used to be consistently dark brown. Now, there are areas of gray dotting the landscape. Is the stress of running a country to blame?

Will it someday be possible to slow the aging process?

Posted March 29, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: I’ve heard it may one day be possible to slow or stop the aging process. Is there any truth to this?

DEAR READER: In the past, most experts believed that aging was inevitable. Recent research indicates that may not be true. Life expectancy in developed countries has risen continually for 165 years. At the turn of the 20th century in the United States, just 112 years ago, life expectancy was about 50 years. Today, it is approaching 80 years — a 60 percent increase.

How much exercise do I need to stay healthy?

Posted January 26, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: I just turned 40, and I have finally accepted that I need to make regular exercise part of my life. I’m in pretty good physical shape, if slightly overweight. How much exercise do I need to stay healthy and maybe drop a few pounds?

DEAR READER: It’s easier than you might think. It also depends on your goals. You’ve probably heard that regular exercise protects you against many of the major diseases. I’m talking about heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and even some cancers. When I tell my patients this, they often get a certain expression on their face that says, “Not this exercise-is-good-for-you stuff again.”

What causes under-eye puffiness?

Posted November 08, 2011

DEAR DOCTOR K: As I get older, I’m noticing unwelcome changes to my appearance. Lately the problem that’s bothering me most is bags and puffiness around my eyes. What’s causing this, and what can I do about it?

DEAR READER: It’s said that old age isn’t for sissies, and it’s true: Of the many age-related changes we go through, changes to the face can be the hardest to accept. I know, because like you, I also look in the mirror every morning.

How can I prevent memory loss?

Posted October 25, 2011

DEAR DOCTOR K: I’m in my mid-60s. As I get older, my biggest fear is becoming forgetful. I’ve heard that keeping your mind active is a good way to stay sharp. Is this true?

DEAR READER: A lot of my patients have the same fear you do. In fact, to be honest, I have the same fear. Who doesn’t? And yet we all know that everyone is forgetful sometimes, and that we probably get somewhat more forgetful as we get older.

Who should get the shingles vaccine?

Posted October 19, 2011

DEAR DOCTOR K: I’m a healthy, 65-year-old woman. I recently read that I should get the shingles vaccine. What is shingles? And should I get the vaccine?

DEAR READER: Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a case of chickenpox, the virus can lie dormant inside your nerves. Some people get infected with the virus without knowing it — that is, without getting chickenpox. It gets into their body, infects some nerves and remains inactive. People catch the virus from other people, usually during childhood.

Tremors aren’t always a sign of Parkinson’s

Posted October 13, 2011

DEAR DOCTOR K: My mother’s hands are shaking more than usual lately. She has made an appointment with her doctor, but in the meantime, can you tell me if shaking is always a sign of something serious like Parkinson’s disease?

DEAR READER: The shaking in your mother’s hands is called a tremor. Tremors can affect the hands, limbs, head or voice. The actress Katherine Hepburn developed tremors of her head and voice in her later years. A person can’t control a tremor.

Healthy Aging