Aging parents can be a challenge for a family. I'm asking readers to write in and tell their stories and ideas about how to take care of aging parents without undue stress. Just click on the link below and read the brief article, then tell your story for everyone else:

Aging Parents - Solutions for Aging Parents

Can something as simple as putting pen to paper help improve your health? Could certain types of writing help reduce stress and give you a brain workout?

How Writing Can Help Your Health

The latest fad in dieting is the Cookie Diet. IN this diet, you buy cookies from a company and eat them. The only other food you eat is one "regular" meal. The cookies cost a little less than $10 a day (typically). The goal is to keep your total daily calorie intake extremely low (like around 1000 calories) -- but this raises the question: Are cookie diets healthy?

More on Cookie Diets

Who says 80 is old? Slate magazine has a list of the 80 most powerful people in America over the age of 80. It is a pretty incredible list and really puts into perspective the age "80". The list includes Thomas Monson (at number 1 - the president of the Mormon Church) as well as Supreme Court justices, numerous Senators and the like.

Check out the 80 over 80: Slate's 80 over 80: The most powerful octogenarians in America

Falls are a big deal - a major source of injury and disability for seniors. The good news is that you can take some simple, common sense steps to reduce your chances (or the chances of a loved one) from having a serious fall. Start with the obvious - tape down carpets, create clear paths - and then move into not-so-obvious solutions like adding nightlights.

The best thing to do is imagine in your head each precarious situation (getting up to use the bathroom at night or coming in the house with groceries) and then trouble shoot that situation to make it safer.

Here are some ideas to get you started: How To Prevent Falls and Hip Fractures

Here are some additional links for reading about H1N1 provided by About.com's own Hopkins-trained PhD infectious disease epidemiologist:

• Some Facts, Plain and Simple, About H1N1 (Swine Flu)
• Reye's Syndrome and the Flu
• Check Out FluView for the Real Flu Story
• How Much Will a Flu Vaccine Cost?
• Check Out This Flu "Self Assessment" Tool
• Which H1N1 Vaccine for People with Asthma?
• Why is H1N1 So Dangerous for Pregnant Women?
• H1N1 Myth: "Swine Flu" Vaccine is a New Vaccine Approach
• Q: Can I Get Both Flu Vaccines at the Same Time?
• Who Should Get 23-Valent Pneumococcal Vaccine to Prevent Swine Flu Complications?
• Pneumococcal Vaccines in the Age of H1N1
• H1N1 (Swine Flu) Mortality and Reality Check
• Many Parents Not Enthusiastic About Swine Flu (H1N1) Vaccine
• Read This Before Rushing to the Emergency Room for Flu Symptoms
• H1N1 (Swine Flu) Vaccine: 2 Doses for the Little Ones
• H1N1 (Swine Flu) Survival on Surfaces
• Why Does Obesity Put People at Greater Risk for Complications or Death from H1N1?
• Guillain-Barré Syndrome Risk More Likely From Flu Than Vaccine
• Thimerosal and the H1N1 (Swine Flu) Vaccine

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About.com has tasked out resident infectious disease epidemiologist (PhD from Johns Hopkins) with tracking information about H1N1 (aka Swine Flu). Here are some highlights from her blog on H1N1:

• Kids with Neurodevelopmental Conditions at High Risk for Death from H1N1
• Co-Infection with H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Could Be Nasty
• Swine Flu Parties Are a Terrible Idea
• H1N1 Term of the Week: Adjuvant
• Swine Flu Vaccine: Probably Too Late (and Too Little, Too)
• Treating Swine Flu (H1N1): Prepare Those at Highest Risk with Prescriptions Before Symptoms
• People with H1N1 (Swine Flu) Contagious for Longer than Thought
• H1N1 (Swine Flu) vs. Spanish Flu of 1918

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The past few years have seen an increase in "brain training" books and websites. Many of these come from researchers who developed programs for one specific area of brain function (like memory) and have been used in clinical settings. Now, from the editors of Prevention Magazine, comes a book that was designed to be used by people in real life. This book is filled with illustrations, activities and clear explanations. Read the full review: Brainpower Game Plan

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The U.S. spends more per person on healthcare than any other nation, but we do not live as long as any other nation. Nations, like Cuba, who spend thousands less per person per year have very similar life expectancies as U.S. citizens. This is called "the Longevity Gap" and has been cited as one example of how our healthcare system is failing.

This article (from the New York Times) by John Tierney gives a good overview of another explanation of the Longevity Gap - that people in the U.S. do some pretty harmful things to their bodies (like smoke and overeat) and our healthcare system costs more because, as a people, we are sicker.

What do you think? Should unhealthy habits be factored into the healthcare debate? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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Blood thinners are excellent medications that have helped countless people avoid strokes and other problems. That said, patients who have been prescribed blood thinners may worry about how this medication may impact their lifestyle.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has just come out with a DVD and online video that can help people on blood thinners lead active lives. The video is free and can be found at the link below. If you are on blood thinners check it out or forward this post to someone you know who is taking blood thinners.

Blood Thinner Pills: Using Them Safely

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