HEALTH & WELLNESS

WELLNESS--Getting (and staying) asleep during oven-hot weather can sometimes feel like more work than, well, your job. You know an easy solution to staying cool and sleeping better would be to toss your covers ― yet no matter how sweaty and uncomfortable you get, you can’t bring yourself to go entirely free of a sheet or blanket.

WELLNESS--You’ve probably heard remarks like, “She could drink me under the table” or “He is a total lightweight.” Those comments, which come with (dubious) connotations of strength and weakness, are rooted in the concept of alcohol tolerance. 

WELLNESS--Los Angeles used to have some of the worst air quality in not just the country, but the world. One smog event in 1943 was so thick and toxic that Californians worried it was a chemical attack.

WELLNESS--Planning to travel abroad this summer? Before you go, keep in mind that Medicare usually does not cover health care services or supplies while you’re traveling outside the United States.

WELLNESS--The Food and Drug Administration approved the program Natural Cycles in August as a legitimate “method of contraceptive to prevent pregnancy” ― the first app-based fertility tracker to get the agency’s stamp of approval.

WELLNESS--It is no secret that addiction recovery can be one of the hardest things to do, but those who suffer from a co-occurring mental illness may have a more difficult time staying sober than those who do not.

WELLNESS--Can a supplement really make you smarter?

A quick online search for “mental clarity supplements” will turn up tons of products, such as Neurohacker Collective’s “Qualia Mind,” WTHN’s “Fully Charged,” and Bulletproof’s “Unfair Advantage,” just to name a few. These supplements claim to improve focus, sharpen thinking, boost productivity and fight fatigue.

WELLNESS--If you get injured or have surgery, your doctor may prescribe opioids, a class of drugs used to treat pain.

Although opioids can be an important part of treatment, they carry serious risks of addiction, abuse, and overdose, especially if used continuously. This is true even for seniors and other people with Medicare coverage.