Health Article description.Provides links to how-to information on special health concerns of seniors. Includes healthy aging, sexuality, hearing loss, osteoporosis, and walking for fitness. Also covers writing an advance directive.

Health Article description.Has links on complete blood count, sedimentation rate tests, and anemia. Also includes links to lymph topics such as swollen glands/other lumps under the skin and lymphedema.

Health Article description.Discusses changing your diet to help protect your kidneys when you have kidney disease. Gives general ideas about how to follow the diet your doctor or dietitian recommends. Covers limiting salt (sodium), protein, phosphorus, and potassium.

Health Article description.Decision Points are designed to guide you through key health decisions, combining medical information with your personal information to make a wise health decision. Click on a link below to learn more about treatment options or other decisions about your condition or issue: Advance Care Planning: Should I Stop Kidney...

Health Article description.Discusses decisions related to care near the end of life. Discusses choosing where to get care and what kind you want. Covers who will make decisions if you can't. Info on advance directives and need for durable power of attorney.

Health Article description.Discusses surgery to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy one. Explains what a living donor is. Covers what to expect after surgery. Looks at risks. Links to picture of kidney transplant. Links to more in-depth info on organ transplant.

Health Article description.Discusses basic types of advance directives. Covers living will and medical power of attorney to appoint a health care agent. Explains when and why advance directive is needed. Lists steps in preparing one.

Health Article description.E. coli (Escherichia coli) is the name of a germ, or bacterium, that lives in the digestive tracts of humans and animals. There are many types of E. coli, and most of them are harmless. But some can cause bloody diarrhea. Some strains of E. coli...

Health Article description.Anemia of chronic kidney disease means that kidney disease has caused your anemia. Your doctor will have ruled out other causes of anemia. Anemia means that you do not have enough red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to...

Health Article description.Discusses lupus, an autoimmune disorder. Focuses on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Covers symptoms and how it is diagnosed. Covers treatment with medicines like corticosteroids, NSAIDs, and antimalarials. Discusses the importance of good self-care.

Health Article description.Health insurance helps you pay for your health care costs. Having insurance can help protect you from high medical costs, and it may help cover expenses if you need unexpected care. It also can make it easier to have routine doctor visits and...

Health Article description.Provides tips for how to limit sodium (salt) for better health. Covers food labels, high- and low-sodium foods, and cooking with less sodium. Addresses keeping a sodium record, checking medicines, and letting others know that you're limiting sodium.

Health Article description.Discusses blood test to check level of potassium (K) in blood. Includes info on what affects potassium levels in the body such as kidney function, blood pH, and hormones. Explains how and why test is done. Covers what results mean.

Health Article description.Potassium is a mineral. It helps keep the right mix of fluids in your body. It also helps your nerves, muscles, and heart work properly. The recommended daily amount of potassium varies by age. Most people need the following amount each day. Talk...

Health Article description.Most packaged foods have a Nutrition Facts label. This will tell you how much sodium is in one serving of food. Here are some tips to help you. Look at both the serving size and the sodium amount. Food labels list the amount of sodium for each...

Health Article description.Offers tips for limiting sodium when eating at restaurants. Lists foods to avoid and options that are heart-healthy. Cautions that most restaurant food is higher in sodium.

Health Article description.An advance directive is a form. It describes the kinds of medical care you want to have if you're badly hurt or have a serious illness and can't speak for yourself. A living will (declaration) and a medical power of attorney (durable power of...

Health Article description.You may help cut down on your salt (sodium) intake by using a salt-free herb and spice mix to flavor your food instead of using salt. Mix the following dried herbs and spices together, and put them in a shaker. 2 tablespoons dried minced onion 2...

Health Article description.The foods you eat contain nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. Potassium is a nutrient. Your body needs the right amount to stay healthy and work as it should. You can use the list below to help you make choices about which foods to eat. The...

Health Article description.A folate test measures the amount of folate in the blood. Folate is one of many B vitamins. The body needs folate for normal growth and to make red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets. Folate also is important for the normal development of a baby (fetus). Folate can be measured in the liquid...

Health Article description.A central vascular access device (CVAD) is a thin, flexible tube. It's also called a central line. It is used when a person needs to receive medicine, fluids, nutrients, or blood products for several weeks or longer. It's often placed in the neck,

Health Article description.What is bird flu? Bird flu is an infection caused by a certain kind of avian influenza virus. Although there are many kinds of bird flu, the most common kinds that concern health workers are H5N1 and H7N9 bird flu viruses. These viruses are found in wild birds. Most of the time, wild birds don't get sick from the virus...

Health Article description.The Medicare hospice benefit covers care related to a terminal illness. Medicare is a health insurance program for people 65 years of age and older. It's also for some people younger than 65 who have disabilities. And it's for people with long-term (