Active in Old Age

Can brain performance, concentration and memory be improved?

The brain is the most complicated piece of matter we know: over a quadrillion synapses form the more than a hundred billion nerve cells of our thinking organ. Our personality, the central contro...

Hay fever season: Are allergies a form of chronic inflammation?

Isn't spring wonderful? With the early bloomers, the first splashes of color return to the winter-gray landscape, and the trees slowly begin to sprout again. If you can only enjoy this to a limi...

Periodontitis: Why the hidden inflammation in the mouth is so dangerous

According to the current fifth German Oral Health Study (DMS V), every second middle-aged adult suffers from periodontitis. Among seniors, 75 percent are affected by the mostly chronic inflammat...

D-Mannose: More than just a sugar?

Sugar doesn't exactly have the best reputation. Too much of it is said to be bad for your teeth, make you fat and generally promote an unhealthy diet. This may be true for common household sugar...

Research and Discovery: The Amazingly Young History of Vitamins

Vitamins are vital nutrients that our bodies cannot produce on their own. They must therefore be consumed regularly with food. This is common knowledge these days. But while vitamin deficiency d...

Vitamin E: Protection for the cells

When it was discovered, it was assumed that vitamin E was important for the fertility of mammals. This is how it got its scientific name: tocopherol. This is derived from the ancient Greek words...

Which eye examinations are useful for children?

At birth, children are already equipped with two highly developed sensory organs with which they discover and conquer the world: their eyes. By the time they are born, the anatomical development...

Optical Illusions: The Pitfalls of Perception

For most people, the eye is the most important sense. Colors can warn us of danger, we can move effortlessly in three-dimensional space, and we can read complex emotions from faces in a matter o...

5 tips for switching to progressive lenses

Progressive lenses are the all-rounders among glasses: They correct short-sightedness (myopia) at the top and form a continuous gradient towards the bottom, where they correct presbyopia. This v...

Coenzyme Q10: Fuel for the cells

What a name! It sounds like it comes from another planet, or at least as if the substance had been developed in a secret NASA laboratory. It could also be Elon Musk's third child: Ubiquinone-10,...

A hot tip: Is the sauna really healthy?

We long for warmth, especially in the cold season. The sauna is a place where we can give ourselves this warmth. Saunas are considered healthy and fun - Finns knew this even in the Stone Age. Sa...

Mentally fit in old age: How to maintain your cognitive abilities

It doesn't mean you have dementia if you forget where your car keys are or what you should have brought home from the shop - apart from milk and eggs. Even if your cheeky grandchildren are quick...

Healthy eyes in the (home) office: The 9 most important tips

Many people know this: your eyes are tired, dry and irritated, even though you've only been working for half of the day. Irritated eyes not only make everyday work more difficult, they can also ...

Amsler Grid Test: Detecting Age-Related Macular Degeneration

It is the most common eye disease in western industrialized nations and the most likely cause of blindness in people over 50: we are talking about age-related macular degeneration, or AMD for sh...

Green tea or green tea extract? What's actually in it?

After water, tea is the most commonly consumed drink in the world. The plant has been cultivated in China for several thousand years. It is not possible to prove exactly how long. However, there...

Detox Myth – What is really true about detoxification?

Do you often feel tired and worn out, suffer from mood swings or have bad skin? Then you may have heard this advice before: it may be time to detoxify your body! The possible causes range from s...

Superfood Turmeric – What’s Behind the Indian Spice?

For a long time it was a main ingredient in curry powder and found in most households, but hardly anyone would have heard of the name turmeric. But for a few years now, turmeric has been on ever...

Oxidative Stress: Antioxidants in Competition with Free Radicals

Oxidative stress and cell damage caused by free radicals are often associated with all kinds of diseases, from arthritis to heart attacks and cancer. The natural antagonists of the harmful metab...

Astaxanthin: What potential does the blood-red substance from the sea have?

Studies show that the plant pigment astaxanthin could have great antioxidant potential. The responsible food authorities have not yet approved any official health claims, but there is great inte...

What is alpha lipoic acid and why is it so important?

Alpha-lipoic acid is considered to be an extremely effective antioxidant. Due to its antioxidant properties, i.e. its ability to bind free radicals, it was considered a vitamin for some time aft...

Impure skin and acne – signs of silent inflammation?

No matter how well you care for your skin, everyone gets a blackhead or a small pimple from time to time. Even if pimples are annoying and are perceived as a nuisance, they are not a cause for c...

Vitamin D3 and K2: Everything you need to know about the vitamin combination

One of the most sought-after products in the field of nutritional supplements is the combination of vitamins D3 and K2 - and for good reason. Both vitamins act as partners in important metabolic...

Leaky Gut Syndrome: Is the leaky gut fact or myth?

Most people are now well aware of the importance of a healthy gastrointestinal tract for our health. A balanced, healthy diet keeps the intestines fit and can help us to better fight off disease...

Primary chronic vs. secondary chronic inflammation – what are the causes and differences?

Inflammation is the part of our immune response that is noticeable and visible to the outside world and an important component of wound healing. Inflammation is an extremely powerful tool. Anyth...

Silent Inflammations: Insidious Smoldering Fires in the Body

If you experience sleep disorders or fatigue suddenly and without any obvious cause, this may be due to silent inflammation. In contrast to acute inflammation, silent inflammation is hardly noti...

Hot, red, painful: What exactly is inflammation?

First of all, inflammation is actually a good thing. It is a defensive reaction of the immune system to a harmful stimulus. This can be pathogens, high pressure, heat, cold or injuries caused by...

Nutrition and Omega-3 fatty acids: What do ALA, EPA and DHA mean?

What do salmon, herring and mackerel have in common with walnuts, hemp and linseed? It's simple: they contain omega-3 fatty acids, the benefits of which have been confirmed in numerous studies. ...

Overcoming crises with more resilience

We experience crises in life that affect us all differently in our everyday lives. This was the case during the corona pandemic, for example. In addition to fear for our own health and that of o...

Resveratrol and OPC – What’s it all about?

Triggered by the so-called French paradox, resveratrol has been the subject of numerous studies since the 1990s. The French paradox consists of the observation that France was one of the countri...

Bacopa Monnieri (Brahmi): Small stonecrop – big star!

One of the oldest and best-known plants in Indian medicine is Bacopa Monnieri - or Brahmi, as it is called in India. There it is traditionally very popular with students and scholars, but also w...

The guitar sounds green: What is synesthesia?

Even if it seems that way, sensory impressions do not arise in the nose or on the tongue - but in the brain. This incredibly complex organ interprets sensory impressions individually for each pe...

Can cold weather cause a bladder infection?

It could be so beautiful in autumn and winter: first October delights us with the colorful leaves and golden light, then the festive lighting of the pre-Christmas period sets the mood for cozy w...

From autumn depression to winter blues: does it even exist – and what helps against it?

As soon as the year draws to a close and the days get shorter again, many people's moods often drop in line with the temperatures outside. But what is the truth behind the terms such as autumn d...

What is dementia? Causes, symptoms – and what you can do about it

As we get older, our general performance often declines. But if, in return, forgetfulness increases, we worry that it could be dementia - a disease that affects almost 1.6 million people across ...

Mastering everyday life: How technology helps the visually impaired

According to an estimate by the Gutenberg Health Study, almost nine percent of Germans are affected by age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is therefore the most common cause of visual im...

Guide dogs for the blind with AMD: What you need to know!

Every year, an estimated 500,000 people worldwide suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD can lead to a significant loss of the central field of vision. This makes it more diffic...

Blue haze: Does smoking harm age-related macular degeneration?

For smokers, it is part of every visit to the doctor to receive a friendly reminder to please stop smoking. For doctors, this recommendation is a natural part of a holistic therapy approach - st...

Which sunglasses are right for age-related macular degeneration?

Sunglasses are a must in summer. They are not only an attractive accessory, but they are also important for protecting the eyes from possible damage caused by increased exposure to the sun. Both...

The Ten Percent Myth: Do We Really Only Use a Small Part of Our Brain?

Albert Einstein supposedly said that people only use 10 percent of their brain. Then it must be true: there is a little genius in each of us! We just have to - well - lure it out. No problem - d...

Why does sunlight damage the skin and eyes?

The sun warms you, gives you energy, puts you in a good mood and helps you stay healthy. In the long, dark winter months, many people miss it so much. Those who can fly south. All other sun wors...

The most important information about cystitis and urinary tract infections

It burns and you feel a constant urge to urinate? You are probably suffering from a bladder infection or a urinary tract infection. One in ten women suffer from these unpleasant symptoms at leas...

Siberian Ginseng – The Winner from the Taiga

In the 1980s, it was supposed to help Russian athletes win as a doping agent. Whether this worked is not proven. But a lot of research has been done since then to track down Siberian ginseng. In...

What is lutein and zeaxanthin?

Lutein and zeaxanthin are natural plant substances. Both substances are so-called xanthophyll, i.e. an oxygen-containing carotenoid . What about carrots are carotenoids...

How is age-related macular degeneration diagnosed?

Even though there are self-tests that you can use to check if you suspect age-related macular degeneration (AMD), only an experienced ophthalmologist can make a reliable diagnosis. But how exact...

Brain Food – Can the right diet make you smarter?

Even if it sounds fantastic, the answer is more likely: No. Unfortunately, wisdom cannot be eaten with a spoon. Nobody can take the arduous path of learning away from us. However, with the right...

What is age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?

When people are asked which of their senses they would least like to do without, they usually name their eyesight. The eyes are our most important window to the world - and a miracle of evolutio...

Air pollutants increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration

Severe air pollution can promote the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in particular appears to play a r...

Glaucoma: Causes and Treatment of Glaucoma

Glaucoma, also known as "green star," is one of the most common causes of blindness worldwide. In Germany alone, over half a million people suffer from the disease. The reason is the death of ne...

The macula – what is it actually?

If you could travel straight into a person's eye while sitting on a beam of light, you would first penetrate the cornea, then pass through the pupil with its iris, and finally cross the lens, wh...

Information about the eye disease cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the otherwise clear lens of the eye. The disease is usually a result of the natural aging process. In the advanced stage, the gray clouding behind the pupil can be se...