Health Pulse Keep More of Your Hair Most people lose up to 100 strands of hair per day – but new strands replace the lost ones. Hair loss, or alopecia, occurs when you shed more strands than you’re growing back. While you can’t always prevent it (hello, hair loss genes), a few simple steps can dial down the damage: ▶ Nutrition: Eat a healthy diet containing sufficient calories, protein and iron. ▶ Stress: It’s not a folk tale – stress can cause hair to fall out by pushing hair follicles into a resting phase (called telogen effluvium). Look for healthy ways to cope with stress. ▶ Health conditions: Manage medical conditions that could result in hair loss, such as thyroid disease. During chemotherapy treatment, wear a cooling cap. ▶ Hair care: Avoid hairstyles that pull tightly on your hair. When your hair is wet, use a wide-toothed comb to detangle it. If you have straight hair, let it dry a bit before combing it. Limit blow-drying and use of appliances such as curling or flattening irons. If you have hereditary hair loss – which affects both men and women – your health provider can advise you about the ever-growing list of treatment options, from minoxidil and other medications to platelet-rich plasma and hair transplants. Sources: American Academy of Dermatology, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic Everyday Brain Workouts Just like bodies, brains wear out over time – but certain activities may counteract the decline. According to a 2022 study, good old-fashioned crossword puzzles can improve brain function, even in people with mild cognitive impairment. If figures attract you more than phonemes, number puzzles such as sudoku will give your brain a reliable workout; in a study of adults aged 50 to 93, those who spent more time on number puzzles had better cognitive function. Don’t love filling in boxes? Pick up a new skill instead. From photography to foreign languages, practising new skills engages your brain and may improve its performance. Bonus: you get similar benefits if you teach someone a new skill. Alternatively, go hang out with some friends: a 2019 study linked social contact with preservation of cognition. Social activities that stimulate the brain include having discussions, playing games and engaging in social sports. The tech-savvy among us, meanwhile, have a smorgasbord of brain-boosting apps to choose from: Lumosity, MemoryOS, BrainHQ… stronger synapses are just a download away. Sources: MedicalNewsToday, healthline.com The Good News About Prediabetes Prediabetes refers to blood sugar that exceeds normal levels, but not enough to reach the threshold for diabetes. While some people with prediabetes progress to full-blown diabetes, it’s hardly a done deal: a 45-year-old with prediabetes faces only a 9 to 14 per cent chance of developing Type 2 diabetes within 10 years. That said, prediabetes itself puts you at higher risk of heart disease and stroke, so it’s not a diagnosis to ignore. Think of it as a personal warning system: when the alarm goes off, you have a chance to undo the damage before it gets worse. Prediabetes may lead to increased thirst, urination and fatigue, but many affected people have no symptoms at all. Only a lab test can confirm the diagnosis. That’s why Diabetes Canada recommends getting your blood sugar tested every three years after age 40 – more often if you have such risk factors as excess weight, high cholesterol or family/ethnic vulnerability. The best news about prediabetes is that you can reverse it. Lifestyle changes such as maintaining a balanced diet, weight management and increased physical activity can normalize your blood sugar, thus staving off Type 2 diabetes. If these changes don’t lower your levels enough, your health-care provider may recommend an oral medication. Sources: Diabetes Canada, Cleveland Clinic 36 | www.snowbirds.org
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