As we get older, health advice seems to come from every direction—friends, family, social media, television, and even well-meaning neighbors. The challenge is that some of the most common health "facts" we've heard for decades aren't entirely true. Here are 10 widespread health myths that science has helped clear up, so you can focus on what really matters for healthy aging. 1. You Must Drink Eight Glasses of Water Every Day Many of us grew up hearing that eight glasses of wa

Watch Your Step! Walking is a complex process. It involves your body from head to toes, including several parts of your brain. Some strides do more than just get you from point A to point B. Your gait, posture, and pace may also be broadcasting clues about your health and personality. Fast Pace Longer life: Studies on people over 65 show that a natural need for speed when walking tends to mean you'll live longer. But it doesn't work in reverse; you can't expect to extend your

During the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are cold, dark and short. It’s not an inspiring time to accomplish much of anything, much less those New Year’s resolutions that so motivated you back on December 31. Early backsliders may have already called it quits. Twenty-eight percent of people who make resolutions have dropped at least some of them by the end of January, and 13% report they have dropped them all, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center sur

You’ve probably heard the good news about frequent walking: less stress, lower blood pressure, and better blood sugar. But there are additional health benefits that don’t get as many headlines. “Walking is a highly underrated exercise,” says Layne Nordquist, C.P.T., an area director and master trainer at VASA Fitness in Denver. In fact, any amount of walking — even five minutes—can give you a health boost, according to the latest fitness guidelines. That’s especially good new

Some 25 percent of older adults fall at least once every year. In 2023, more than 41,000 people in the U.S. over age 65 died from one, according to a June 2025 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report also found that the death rate for falls in people ages 85 and older in the U.S. doubled between 2003 and 2023. A growing aging population increases the numbers. But there are other factors. For instance, people in this age range may have become mo