Senior health: Getting older and better

Arthritis: Good dental health may ease pain

Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is a chronic disease that causes inflammation, pain, stiffness, redness, swelling and warmth around affected joints. Roughly 1.3 million Americans -- 70% of them are women -- have RA. What causes it? We don't know yet, but we do know that although it can be treated, this chronic disease can't be cured.

Still, there are new ways to help people with RA. One study of 40 people with severe RA who also had gum disease showed that when dental problems were treated, RA problems also improved, resulting in less arthritic pain, fewer swollen joints and reduced morning stiffness.

There's also new hope for the estimated 27 million Americans who have osteoarthritis, or OA, a painful and debilitating condition that causes loss of cartilage in weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hips and spine. People who lost as little as 5% of their body weight reduced their risk of developing OA in the knees, a six-year study of 1,480 men and women age 45 and older found. For a 200-pound person, 5% is only 10 pounds; for a 150-pound person, it's just 7.5 pounds.

Osteoporosis: Vitamin D is key

Experts estimate that 10 million Americans -- 8 million women and 2 million men -- already have osteoporosis, and nearly 34 million have low bone mass that puts them at risk of bone loss. New research from Johns Hopkins demonstrates that vitamin D, a supplement recommended by doctors to prevent and treat osteoporosis, delivers an extra benefit: A study of 1,010 men showed that adequate levels of vitamin D not only helps prevent and treat osteoporosis but also may help prevent heart disease. Both men and women can increase their vitamin D levels by eating fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel) and vitamin D-fortified dairy products, taking vitamin D supplements, and briefly exposing skin to sunlight strong enough to enable the body to make vitamin D. A blood test to check your vitamin D level should show that yours is more than 30 nanograms per milliliter.

Cholesterol: A cancer link

Need another reason to reduce your cholesterol? How about cutting your risk of cancer? Doctors already recommend keeping your HDL (good) cholesterol high for cardiovascular health. Now, new research links high levels of HDL cholesterol to a 14% lower risk of cancer in men over age 50, and risk of the deadliest type of prostate cancer was 59% lower in men over 55 whose total cholesterol was less than 200 mg/dL.

Heart disease: Skip the salt

The American Heart Association reports that in 2010, heart disease and stroke will cost the United States about $503.2 billion, nearly 6% more than in 2009. Many cases could have been prevented with simple lifestyle changes. One review of 13 studies and 170,000 participants from around the world showed a direct link between high salt consumption and risk of heart disease and stroke. Reducing daily salt intake by 5 grams -- a little less than 1 teaspoon -- would slash stroke risk by 23% and cut cardiovascular disease risk by 17%. Cutting back on sugar would help, too, another study found.

Aging skin: Vitamin C promotes healing

Marketing claims for vitamin C have long promised skin improvements, and now there's scientific support. Researchers found a mechanism by which vitamin C could promote skin healing and protect against free-radical damage, which has been linked to premature aging. They say this discovery suggests that vitamin C could help maintain healthy skin and lead to new products that take advantage of vitamin C's ability to mop up free radicals and undo the DNA damage they cause. For now, use a humidifier to add moisture to the air, and apply moisturizers to help skin look and feel better.