By Dr. Gerard Muraida December may not be the coldest month of the year, but it can still introduce a stark change in climate. This seasonal transition can become more challenging the older we get. As we age, internal temperature regulation becomes more difficult. In...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, when hospice agencies nationwide raise awareness about the highest quality of care for people coping with life-limiting illnesses. Hospice prioritizes comfort and quality of life by reducing...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida The phrase “long-term care” is somewhat vague. This form of care can be provided in a variety of places by different caregivers, depending upon a person's needs. “Activities of daily living,” known as ADLs in the health care industry, may...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida As I have reached Medicare age, I can see that there are changes to my lifestyle that need to be made if I am to age gracefully. Restful sleep is the key to having enough energy to carry out a day’s work. So, let’s begin there. During sleep, the...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida Bill Withers’ 1972 hit song “Lean on Me” had a poignant message. He sang about helping others in their time of need not only as a selfless act of charity but also as an appeal to our own self-interests. Withers wrote the song in the form of a...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida In addition to the heat, hydration issues, and uninvited ants that come with summer, we often don’t hear much about another pest that can have profound lingering health issues. I am referring to ticks. Although New Mexico is not considered a hot...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida June is National Men’s health month. At first glance one might thing that a healthy prostate equates to a healthy senior male. However, men are afflicted with many more health issues north of the body’s equator. Before we discuss the health...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida Our mouths contain many bacteria, most of them harmless, although left unchecked they can cause disease. The body’s natural defenses include saliva that washes away food and controls acids produced by the bacteria. This protection can be...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida The Greek physician and philosopher Galen first described the shaking palsy, later known as Parkinson’s disease, in 175 AD. However, it was not until 1817, in London, that James Parkinson published a formal essay about this condition and titled...
By Dr. Gerard Muraida Caffeine is considered the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. It belongs to a chemical class of stimulants called methylxanthines, which exert stimulatory effects on the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and...
