New Year Health Tips

Staying Well

Adults: Is it a cold hanging on, or is it a touch of asthma?

Your doctor could have an unexpected diagnosis for that pesky cough or bronchitis that won’t go away.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say one in 12 adults are now diagnosed with asthma. Symptoms can develop at any age.

Diagnosis is important, because you can then get the right treatment. Inhaled corticosteroids are the most common anti-inflammatory medications. Sometimes a quick-relief inhaler is prescribed for asthma attacks.

Avoid triggers, which commonly include allergens such as pet dander, dust mites and mold (wash your sheets in hot water every week). Tobacco smoke can be a trigger as well.

Your doctor will develop an action plan designed to help you know whether your treatment is working or has to be changed.

Get Out of the Easy Chair

Experts have long known that physical activity decreases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. New research by the American Institute for Cancer Research indicates that long periods of sitting may be responsible for 90,000 new cancer cases each year in the United States.

Their study indicates that about 49,000 cases of breast cancer and 43,000 cases of colon cancer could have been avoided if people got up and walked around occasionally.

Ideally, brisk 30-minute walks would lower these risks over time. But even among individuals who were regularly active, the risk of dying prematurely was higher among those who spent a great deal of time sitting.

People should avoid prolonged sitting without moving. They need to get out of the easy chair and take breaks.