Van Dam said drinking up to six cups of coffee a day is not associated with an increased risk of death from any cause. He warns that some people may want to avoid coffee or switch to decaf. These include pregnant women and those who find it difficult to control their blood pressure or blood sugar.

[A note to older people who suffer a blow to the head: If you are taking a blood thinner such as Coumadin, get immediate attention from a healthcare provider to check for internal bleeding.

The most common procedure used for removing cataracts is called phacoemulsification. A small incision is made in the side of the cornea (the front part of your eye), where your physician inserts a tiny instrument that uses high-frequency ultrasound to break up the center of the cloudy lens and carefully suction it out.

 Q: What exactly is a floater that you see in your eye?  A. Floaters create images in your eye that look like specks, filaments, rings, dots, cobwebs or other shapes. Floaters are the

However, I already had a problem that I was correcting with prescription lenses. My ophthalmologist told me I needed bifocals, glasses with lenses that have a correction on the top section for my existing conditions and one below to help me with my presbyopia.

Cerebrovascular disease or stroke is a leading cause of death. According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people suffer strokes each year. Of these, 5 million die. You are at risk for a stroke if you have high blood pressure, smoke cigarettes or are obese.

Therapy involves strength training, muscle and ligament stretching, stamina training, and moderate aerobic exercise. Most therapists recommend low-impact exercises such as biking or swimming; they recommend against activities such as walking or jogging, which may put stress on muscles and joints.

Some anatomy: The knee, which is the largest joint in the body, is made up of the thighbone (femur), shin bone (tibia) and the kneecap (patella). Surfaces of this joint are covered with cartilage, a smooth substance that cushions the bones and enables them to move easily.