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Candy Sagon

Biography: Candy Sagon writes about health topics for AARP. She previously was a reporter with the Washington Post and has written numerous articles on food, health and nutrition for national magazines.

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Candy Sagon 'sPosts

Is a Cold Mattress The Key to Better Sleep?

Posted on 06/19/2013 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthAre you hot in bed? No, no, not that kind of hot. (Although I’m sure you are.) I mean literally hot. Like sweaty, restless and unable to sleep well. A new survey by the Better Sleep Council found that disagreements about bedroom temperature topped tossing and turning and even snoring for the reasons couples gave for not getting a good night’s sleep. In the survey, taken last year, a  majority of American adults (85 percent) said they had problems sleeping …

Get Ready for Medicare Price Cuts on Medical Supplies

Posted on 06/17/2013 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthStarting July 1, a new Medicare competitive-bidding program will mean lower costs for the more than 15 million beneficiaries who order diabetes supplies and other medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds and walkers. This will especially affect those who receive their diabetic testing strips and lancets by mail — about 50 to 60 percent of diabetic patients, according to the New York Times. The competitive-bidding program — the official mouthful is Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) …

Is Your Coffee Habit a Mental Disorder?

Posted on 06/14/2013 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthMy husband knows not to talk to me before I have my first cup of coffee in the morning. Maybe not even until after the third. And the times I’ve been forced to forgo those daily cups? Headache, crankiness, fatigue—and did I mention crankiness? Obviously, I must have a mental disorder. Or at least I do according to the new edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s mental health manual, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5. See also: …

You Won’t Believe What They Found on Colonoscopy Instruments

Posted on 06/12/2013 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthIt’s hard enough convincing people to have a colonoscopy because of the laxative and liquids-only prep regimen you need to undergo the day before. Now a study at five hospitals nationwide finds that three out of 20 endoscopes (pictured at right) that are inserted in the rectum to examine the colon for cancer retained bits of “biological dirt” from past patients, putting people at risk for hepatitis and infection. “Three out of 20 is an unexpectedly high number of endoscopes …

How to Avoid Jet Lag? Go West (and Other Tips)

Posted on 06/10/2013 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal Health | TravelHaving just returned from a two-week vacation to France, I wish I could tell you that I found a great solution to the problem of jet lag, especially because scientists say that older people fare worse with a big change in time zones. Unfortunately, I have no magic answers (other than lots of coffee), although researchers are studying ways to help vacationers traveling overseas this summer. The one thing that does make a difference they say: Traveling west, to an …

Killer Heat Is Coming: Are You Prepared?

Posted on 06/7/2013 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Personal HealthIs it me, or is it getting hot out there? Federal health officials said this week that our summers have been getting more intense lately, with more “extreme heat events” causing power outages and an increasing number of heat-related deaths, especially among older adults. To prepare for this summer’s already climbing temperatures, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has introduced a new website on heat, with specific tips for those in the age 65-plus group. Included in the …

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