Pain in the breast …

Breast pain (mastalgia) is a common complaint among women. You might describe your breast pain as chronic tenderness, sharp burning or tightness in your breast tissue. The pain may be constant or it may occur only occasionally.

Some women have severe breast pain, occurring more than five days a month, Severe breast pain may even persist throughout the menstrual cycle. Postmenopausal women sometimes have breast pain, but the symptom is more common in younger, premenopausal women and perimenopausal women.

Most times, breast pain signals a noncancerous (benign) breast condition and rarely signifies breast cancer. Still, unexplained breast pain that doesn't go away after your next menstrual cycle or that persists after menopause needs to be evaluated by your doctor.

Most cases of breast pain are classified as either cyclic or noncyclic. Each type of breast pain has distinct characteristics.

Breast pain characteristics
Cyclic breast pain	Noncyclic breast pain
·         Clearly related to the menstrual cycle ·         Described as dull, heavy or aching ·         Often accompanied by breast swelling or lumpiness ·         Usually affects both breasts, particularly the upper, outer portions, and can radiate to the underarm ·         Intensifies during the two weeks leading up to the start of your period, then eases up afterward ·         Usually affects premenopausal women in their 20s and 30s and perimenopausal women in their 40s	·         Unrelated to the menstrual cycle ·         Described as tight, burning or sore ·         Constant or intermittent ·         Usually affects one breast, in a localized area, but may spread more diffusely across the breast ·         Usually affects postmenopausal women

Extramammary breast pain
Extramammary breast pain feels like it originates in the breast, but its source is actually somewhere else. Pulling a muscle in your chest, for example, can cause pain in your chest wall or rib cage.

When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if:

·         You have breast pain that persists daily for more than a couple of weeks

·         Your breast pain is localized to one specific area of your breast

·         Your breast pain seems to be getting worse over time

·         Your breast pain interferes with daily activities

Although it's not a common symptom of breast cancer, localized breast pain is associated with breast cancer in a small percentage of women.

Most of the time, it's not possible to identify the exact cause of breast pain. Likely contributors are:

·         Reproductive hormones. Cyclic breast pain appears to have a strong link to hormones and your menstrual cycle. Cyclic breast pain often decreases or disappears with pregnancy or menopause so experts theorize that hormones play a role. However, no studies have identified a particular hormonal abnormality as a contributor to cyclic breast pain.

·         Anatomical factors. The cause of noncyclic breast pain is likely to be anatomical rather than hormonal, triggered by breast cysts, breast trauma, prior breast surgery or other factors localized to the breast. Noncyclic breast pain may also originate outside the breast — in the chest wall, muscles, joints or heart, for example — and radiate to the breast.

·         Fatty acid imbalance. An imbalance of fatty acids within the cells may affect the sensitivity of breast tissue to circulating hormones. This theory provides the rationale for taking evening primrose oil capsules as a remedy for breast pain. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a type of fatty acid. GLA is thought to restore the fatty acid balance and decrease the sensitivity of breast tissue to circulating hormone levels.

Breast size. Women with large breasts may have noncyclic breast pain related primarily to the size of their breasts. This type of breast discomfort is typically accompanied by neck, shoulder and back pain. Some studies have shown that breast reduction surgery sometimes reduces these symptoms. Breast surgery itself, however, also causes pain, which may linger after the incisions have healed.

Love me? Then give me your password!

Gen-i has a new test for intimacy - sharing passwords. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't!

A recent survey claims that 30% of teenagers who use the internet have shared at least one personal online password with a friend or a significant other. The study also says that girls are twice as likely as boys to give away their secret codes. Strange as it may sound, it is beginning to be considered as a sign of trust and intimacy among youngsters.

BFFs share everything
That girlie bonding between two BFFs ( Best Friends Forever) has now extended to sharing passwords. "My best friend and I share everything, and never keep a secret from each other, then why not our passwords? She checks my social networking page and informs me immediately if my crush comments on my picture, and I can check her mails and see which forward mail in her inbox I'd like for myself, etc. It's just fun," says Shweta Pahujani, 19, a fashion designing student.

Some have a serious reason too. "Ever since that b**ch in my class blocked me from her Facebook list, I took my best friend's password to check her account for that girl's updates. She got clicked with my boyfriend... &%*#$..." details a livid Aakriti Menon, 16, a class XI student. Another curious case is of photographer Ayesha Sharma, 22, who feels that sharing passwords with her friend is important. Otherwise, who will keep her account active when she, ahem, dies? "I mean, people can refer to my account even after I am gone," she explains, "I share it with my best friend and I know she can be trusted. That way, maybe, I'd never die, at least not for my loved ones."

Do you love me? Then give me your password.
According to the study, passwords are being compared to sex in terms of intimacy and vulnerability. So, people need to share them to show that they trust their partner. More often than not, girls urge their boyfriends to share their passwords so that they can check if they're cheating on them, etc. The insecure ones even check their BFs' chat records to know 'woh us ladki se kya baat kar raha tha?'

"We know each other's passwords and I love to scan every single chat of his. Somehow, it gives me peace of mind to know that he is loyal to me. Surprisingly, he does not even talk about me with his friends, something I thought he did," discloses Manjari Malhotra, 23, a content writer. But as researchers warn, password-sharing can have dangerous implications. "My girlfriend demanded my password, scanned my chats, and later broke up with me, 'coz she was upset that I complimented my female classmate. I'm not doing this ever again in a relationship," rues Shivam Singh, 20, a law student.

Can't share your password? I'm breaking up
However, some people might suffer a breakup only because they did not share their passwords. Ruchi Anand, 22, recalls, "My boyfriend wanted my Facebook password, and I didn't want to give it. I wasn't comfortable with letting him read my and my best friend's girlie conversations. Eventually, we broke up."

What do they do with passwords?
- "When I found out that my best friend was dating the guy I had a crush on, I forwarded the two's online conversation to my friend's mom. She got the lesson of her life."

- "I learnt that my boyfriend was dating multiple girls. So I used his password and sent a hate mail to all those girls. They dumped him, I dumped him too. My revenge was over."

- I sent a love letter to our class teacher from my ex's account. He still doesn't know who did it."

Facebook buddies not really 'friends in need'

An average young adult has around 237 Facebook friends, but out of that only two can be turned to for real support in times of crisis, a survey has found.

The survey, of 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 35, which was conducted by Macmillan Cancer Support, found that two-third of respondents said they had two or fewer really close friends.

It also found that one in eight respondents admitted they did not even have single person they considered to be good enough to rely on, if life got very hard.

The survey also revealed that men (16 per cent) were more likely than women (12 per cent) to have no one to turn to.

“It is surprising and concerning that people confide in such a small number of friends and family - and more so that others may not confide in anyone,” Jeannie Wilkinson, a Relate counsellor funded by the cancer charity said.

“It is important that, when going through something tough, like a cancer diagnosis and treatment, you can speak openly about what you’re going through to ensure you get the right support you need.

“We meet a lot of patients and people caring for someone with cancer who feel like they need to be ‘strong’ and bottle up their emotions. This causes great strain on relationships,” she said.

3 cups of black tea a day may cut blood pressure

Three cups of black tea a day may considerably reduce blood pressure, a new study has revealed.

Scientists at The University of Western Australia and Unilever based their findings on drinking black tea and the effect of drinking tea with milk is not known.

“There is already mounting evidence that tea is good for your heart health, but this is an important discovery because it demonstrates a link between tea and a major risk factor for heart disease,” the Daily Mail quoted lead author Research Professor Jonathan Hodgson as saying.

Blood pressure measurement comprises two numbers. The first is the systolic and measures blood pressure when the heart beats, or contracts to push blood through the body. The second number is the diastolic and measures the amount of pressure in between beats, when the heart is at rest.

In the study, 95 Australian participants aged between 35 and 75 were asked to drink either three cups of black tea or a placebo with the same flavour and caffeine content, but not derived from tea.

The researchers recorded their readings after six months and found that as compared to the placebo group, participants who drank black tea had a lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure of between 2 and 3 mmHg (millimetres of mercury).

The authors consider that a 2 to 3mmHg drop in blood pressure across the board would lead to a 10 per cent drop in the number of people with hypertension and heart disease.

“A large proportion of the general population has blood pressure within the range included in this trial, making results of the trial applicable to individuals at increased risk of hypertension,” Dr Hodgson said.

The study has been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Feeling fat? Try the GI diet

The celebrations are over and its time to feel those guilt pangs for the excesses done during the year-end. High calorie grub and, of course, copious amounts of liquor made weightloss regimes go for a toss.

It's finally time to settle on a diet plan. With increasing instances of obesity and other related diseases like diabetes, the low Glycemic Index (GI) diet seems to be a popular trend in food habit. Celebs like Kylie Minogue and Sharon stone swear by it! But before you get started on it, here's decoding what the GI diet is.

GI is a ranking of carbohydrates based on the extent to which they raise blood sugar l eve l s after eating. While high GI foods induce an immediate rise in the blood sugar levels, low GI food causes a relatively gradual rise in blood sugar. "There is a conception that having rice is bad for those looking to lose weight. But rice actually has fewer calories than an equal amount of wheat. The problem is that it does not have enough fibre in it. But rice with low GI is a very good option," says Paromita Das Dutta, joint secretary of the Indian Dietetic Association's National Executive Committee. She says it's perfect for people who want to lose weight, but don't want to change food habits. "We are suggesting this diet to patients, especially those who don't want to deviate from their lifestyle. The trend is catching up a lot and the health conscious lot is going for it," she adds. Some Indian dishes like sambhar is a low GI food, but is extremely healthy. Rajma and chana are other staples that have a low GI index. "Although the GI of polished rice is 60-69%, brown rice and specially produced low GI rice have a glycemic index of 40-49%. This allows people with diabetes to enjoy rice without throwing their diabetes out of control," says Dr Hemraj B Chandalia, endocrinologist and diabetologist.

Dietitians suggest consuming lots of fruits and vegetables since they have a low GI and avoiding high GI food like white bread and cornflakes. "We advise that people should go for food with low GI since a rise in the calorie intake gives rise to obesity. Low GI rice, which is actually rice with more fibre is a healthy option," says Babita Hazarika, chief dietitian, Apollo Gleneagles. She concedes that a low GI diet is fast catching up. So, need to lose sleep over that perfect diet plan. Just keep in mind the glycemic index of your food so you can have your cake and eat it too!

Diets that are in vogue- Atkins diet: Created by Robert Atkins, this diet is also known as Atkins Nutritional Approach. It's a low carb diet, popularized by a series of books. It started in 1972 with Dr Atkins's Diet Revolution. This diet stresses on limited consumption of carbohydrates to step up the body's metabolism and convert stored body fat to energy.

General motors or GM diet: Exclusively developed for the employees of General Motors, this diet is apparently effective since the food eaten burns more calories than it gives to the body. This is a seven day plan and helps flush the system of impurities.

South beach diet:This is a popular diet plan designed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and dietitian Marie Almon. The diet is relatively simple and it replaces bad carbs and bad fats with good carbs and good fats.

Mayo clinic diet: The diet prescribes eating a healthy breakfast everyday that consists of egg whites or low sugar cereals and having at least four servings of fruits and vegetables in a day. It also stresses on the inclusion of whole grains in the meal.

The zone diet: The diet emphasizes that all meals should be arranged according to this fixed ratio: 40 per cent carbohydrates, 30 per cent fat and 30 per cent protein as this is what it takes to lose weight.

Facebook addiction makes people depressed

While logging into Facebook account many times a day in office or at home may have turned an irresistible habit for a lot of people, particularly the young, a study has said being glued to it could actually be making people sadder.

According to the study by Utah Valley University, the more the people use the hugely popular social networking website, the more they will believe that others are much happier, the Daily Mail reported.

The study found the carefully-chosen pictures of smiling, cheerful faces which Facebook users tend to plaster over their pages cumulatively convey a debilitating message to others.

It says those who had used Facebook for longer were also 'significantly' likely to agree with the statement that 'life is unfair'.

Researchers thus suggest that a quick way to cheer oneself up could be deleting one's account from the site.

Conversely, the study - published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking - found that people who spent more time actually socialising with friends in real life were less likely to feel they had been handed life's short straw.

Get noticed, get promoted

Some tips to cut those promotion lines and be noticed at work for good.

Forget spouting the 'right phrases' and walking the boss's dog. There are more solid ways to be noticed at work. And no, you don't have to stoop to sycophancy and late hours. If you really want to stand out at work, here are the things you should do:

Don't wait to be asked
Take the initiative and do little things that impact the team, without being asked. Preparing progress reports, putting back-ups in place or setting up reminders - it's a sure way to be noticed in a hurry. If you can see the logical conclusion of steps A and B, go ahead and do before being told to.

Don't shut up
Meetings are black holes that gulp time, attention and energy. First off, don't sit in a corner or near the door which indicates you are anxious to buzz off or remain unseen. Sit up front and pay attention. Ask questions and voice opinions - but not too much. Don't be afraid to disagree.

Jot it down
The reputation for being reliable is slowly built and start with small steps. Keep all the visiting cards you collect handy, phone numbers in a file, pens in a stand, a calendar on your desk - and you become the go-to guy for everything.

Keep books around
Sure, you can find everything on the Internet, but books give you an air of intellect. They also indicate that you keep yourself updated, cross-check your knowledge and believe in reference.

Know the staff
Be kind and respectful to the staff you don't have to 'work' with - janitors, liftman, peons and watchmen. But don't be condescending. Know their names like you would your colleagues' and address them by it. Don't forget 'please' and 'thank yous' and never raise your voice at them.

Getting children off the couch

Wonder how to promote fitness for kids? Start by getting in the game yourself — and allowing your child's interests to guide the way.

For many kids, biking to the playground and playing kickball in the backyard have given way to watching television, playing video games and spending hours online. But it's never too late to get your child off the couch. Use these simple tips to give your child a lifelong appreciation for activities that strengthen his or her body.

Set a good example

Your active lifestyle can be a powerful stimulus for your child. If you want an active child, be active yourself. You can't just "talk" activity — you need to make activity a priority for yourself as well. Go for a brisk walk, ride your bike or take a yoga class. Better yet, invite your family to play catch or to join you on a walk. Talk about physical activity as an opportunity to take care of your body, rather than a punishment or a chore. Praise, reward and encourage activity. You might even set goals and have everyone track their activities and progress.

Wonder how much physical activity is enough? Consider these guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services:

·         Kids. Children and adolescents age 6 and older need at least an hour a day of physical activity. Most of the hour should be either moderate or vigorous aerobic activity. In addition, children should participate in muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities at least three days a week. Many classic activities — such as playing on playground equipment and jumping rope — cover all the bases at once.

·         Adults. Most healthy adults need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking or swimming, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, such as running — preferably spread throughout the week. Adults also need strength training exercises at least twice a week.

Limit screen time

A surefire way to increase your child's activity level is to limit the number of hours he or she spends in front of a screen — including television, video games and online activities. For example, you might consider a limit of one or two hours a day and, for a better night's sleep, no screen time in the hour before bed. To make it easier, don't put a television in your child's bedroom, don't watch television while you're eating dinner, and restrict computers and other electronic gadgets to a family area. Also consider limiting other sedentary activities, such as text messaging or chatting on the phone.

If your child plays video games, opt for those that require movement. Activity-oriented video games — such as dance video games and video games that use a player's physical movements to control what happens on the screen — boost a child's calorie-burning power. In a Mayo Clinic study, kids who traded sedentary screen time for active screen time more than doubled their energy expenditure.

Establish a routine

Set aside time each day for physical activity. Get up early with your child to walk the dog or take a walk together after dinner. Start small, gradually adding new activities to the routine as you — and your child — become more fit.

Let your child set the pace

For many kids, organized sports are a great way to stay fit. But team sports or dance classes aren't the only options. If your child is artistically inclined, take a nature hike to collect leaves and rocks for use in a collage. If your child likes to climb, head for the nearest jungle gym. If your child likes to read, walk or bike to a local library for a book. Or simply turn on your child's favorite music and dance in the living room. Get creative as you search for activities your child enjoys.

Promote activity, not exercise

To keep your child interested in fitness, make it fun:

·         Get in the game. Play catch, get the whole family involved in a game of tag or have a jump-rope contest. Try classic movement games such as Simon says or red light, green light. If you don't remember the rules, make up your own!

·         Try an activity party. For your child's next birthday, schedule a bowling party, take the kids to a climbing wall or set up relay races outside.

·         Put your child in charge. Let your child choose an activity of the day or week. Batting cages, bowling and neighborhood play areas all count. What matters is that you're doing something active.

·         Give the gift of activity. Offer activity-related equipment, games or outings as gifts and rewards — both for your child and others.

Remember, incorporating physical activity into your child's life does much more than promote a healthy weight. It sets the foundation for a lifetime of fitness and good mental and physical health.

Learn to lead

In today's challenging times, learning to lead is one of the most important skills. Unnati Narang tells you three simple steps required to become a true leader

Leaders are not born, but made. In that sense, leadership is something one is honed into and not inherently blessed with. It comes with years of experience gained from working in teams, continuous self-analysis, understanding what one is good at and how those good qualities can shine through and rub into inspiring others. Such a model of charismatic leadership is not built in one night. It comes from perseverance and investment in the self.

Experience
Developing leadership skills is easier said than done. It is not a matter of two days of classroom training, or watching an inspiring leadershiprelated movie. It comes from practice, practice and practice. Leadership is an experience, or a culmination of learning through a set of experiences. Dhimant Parekh, founder, The Better India, completed his MBA (Strategy, Leadership and IT) from ISB Hyderabad in 2006. Sharing his learning experience, he says, "At ISB, the diversity is very varied. When you actually meet people from all ages and backgrounds, you quickly learn to adapt. In one year, you're thrown into diverse study groups; it just teaches you how to rally your team. When you are back at work with a fresh leadership perspective, you know how to find a common thread running through various ambitions, needs and mindsets. I worked for five years before joining ISB and could actually appreciate these complexities and possible clashes between your work objectives and the team objectives. In contrast, short-term training programmes are effective only for a short span of time."

Observe
So how should one go about developing leadership skills when it's largely about experiences? "Learn from observation," advises Mohammad Nibras PK, HR head and Qualitative Research head, LeadCap Knowledge Solutions and founding trustee, LeadCap Trust. "Some of the leadership lessons are best learnt from children. Look at children learning new things and it observe that they normally follow a pattern of imitation to start with.

They imitate the actions, language, emotions, etc of the people they come across on a daily basis; the initial level of following others' actions would continue till a point where they start discovering their own thought process, character and behaviour. Potential leaders can use the learning pattern of children to start their leadership journey by following the action manuals of other recognised leaders. The experiences of world leaders are easily available nowadays in the form of books, online, seminars, etc. Thus, to lead, first we need to follow the footsteps of other leaders and eventually discover our unique style of leadership in the journey."

Persevere
Individuals and organisations alike can build leadership over a sustained period of time. Dinesh V Divekar, Bangalore-based management and behavioural training consultant explains, "Leadership training for a couple of days in isolation does not work. Organisations should embark on a Leadership Development Programme (LDP) instead, that lasts for a couple one-two years. Organisations should have a demarcating structure of the various stages of leadership. As the level increases, the requirements change and training contents should vary accordingly. Follow-up by senior managers should be built in."

To develop leadership skills, it is important to first recognise and understand what these leadership skills essentially consist of. "The term leadership has been very loosely used in varying contexts. Fundamentally, a leader is someone who leads, who influences others and inspires them. It could be a Steve Jobs known for inspiring innovation and creativity or a JRD Tata known for his strong vision.

Leaders empower others, they delegate work in a way that others shoulder responsibility and have the space to grow. The first step towards building leadership skills is to be open-minded, empathetic and to know your people to work with them. A leader should also know when to be a follower and learn from others," concludes Pratyush Pundir, partner, sales and operations at Four Forty Hertz Music LLP.

Would you shop for a man?

A French dating site is promoting the same giving you the option to pick your type and put the man of your choice in a shopping cart.

The male gaze is already facing stiff competition from the female gaze, and a new French dating website is adding to this divide by treating men like products and allowing women to pick from the site and put men in their shopping carts. Men's profiles are featured as 'deals of the day' and have been categorised into slots including nerd, adventurer, beardless and bisexual. Will this tickle a funny bone or should men be appalled? We quiz both the sexes and find out if the sexist scales are tilting in favour of a skewed version of gender equality.

More about the site Called AdopteUnMec, the site allows ladies to pick the kind of man they would like to meet for an evening out. The idea is to give women plenty of choice and a bargain for their money, as you have to subscribe to get on board. How men feel about being treated like a product? Andrew D'Souza, an advertising professional, feels it's a matter of perception and how one wants to position themselves on the dating scene.

"Personally I hate the idea of being objectified and slotted into categories and being treated like an item on display at a supermarket. However, this may not be the case with other men, for some of them have gone ahead and provided testimonies on the site describing what they desire as their USP. From huggable qualities to their sexual status, it's put out there, seeking contact with like-minded women." Harish Seth, a marketing executive, adds, "I see no harm in it. People tend to take things a tad too seriously at times.

Dating is all about having fun while you get to know someone. This concept is a leveller in that sense as it gives women the chance to be in the driver's seat, calling the shots, and it's all done in a playful way. So, I don't see why anyone would have a problem with it." What women think of men being under the female gaze?

Shivani Gade, a working professional believes that objectifying men or women has become a trend of sorts. It's hard to slot it as black or white as it's catering to a demand, and as long as people are okay with it it's fine." Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, Varkha Chulani, agrees with Shivani and adds, "I think women are coming into their own with regards to their sexuality and for the first time accepting that they can enjoy sex without love as much as if not more than sex with love! Now with this new sexual revolution they are willing to let their hair and clothes down and indulge from a basket of varied kinds.

This website helps in the resource availability! Speaks well for a woman's confidence in their sexual prowess and for once it is being stated unapologetically and without guilt or remorse." She goes on to say, "For once 'romance' is being downplayed and the 'real' thing is at the forefront. No problem really except that there are different strokes for different folks and to that extent everyone who treads there needs to know herself well enough and needs to choose whether they can handle what would ensue from this kind of experimentation." Dr Parul Tank, consultant psychiatrist, feels it's an interesting concept as it gives women a chance to screen guys before they decide to meet them. However, it can be dangerous because even though you are choosing men on the basis of personality types you can never be sure if what you see is what you get."

Aging: What to expect as you get older

Do you expect to find a few more wrinkles and gray hairs each time you look in the mirror? These are just some of the changes you're likely to notice as you get older. You're not necessarily at the mercy of Mother Nature, however. Here's a list of common aging-related changes — and what you can do to promote good health at any age.

Your cardiovascular system

What's happening. Over time, your heart muscle becomes less efficient — working harder to pump the same amount of blood through your body. In addition, your blood vessels lose some of their elasticity and hardened fatty deposits may form on the inner walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis). These changes make your arteries stiffer, causing your heart to work even harder to pump blood through them. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension) and other cardiovascular problems.

What you can do about it. To promote heart health, include physical activity in your daily routine. Try walking, swimming or other physical activities. Eat a healthy diet, including plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit. Your risk of heart disease will begin to fall almost immediately.

Your bones, joints and muscles

What's happening. With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density — which weakens them and makes them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter. Muscles generally lose strength and flexibility, and you may become less coordinated or have trouble balancing.

What you can do about it. Include plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Build bone density with weight-bearing activities, such as walking. Consider strength training at least twice a week, too. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Building muscle also protects your joints from injury and helps you maintain flexibility and balance.

Your digestive system

What's happening. Constipation is more common in older adults. Many factors can contribute to constipation, including a low-fiber diet, not drinking enough fluids and lack of exercise. Various medications, including diuretics and iron supplements, may contribute to constipation. Certain medical conditions, including diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome, may increase the risk of constipation as well.

What you can do about it. To prevent constipation, drink water and other fluids and eat a healthy diet — including plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Include physical activity in your daily routine. Don't ignore the urge to have a bowel movement. If you're taking medications that may contribute to constipation, ask your doctor about alternatives.

Your bladder and urinary tract

What's happening. Loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence) is common with aging. Health problems such as obesity, frequent constipation and chronic cough may contribute to incontinence — as can menopause, for women, and an enlarged prostate, for men.

What you can do about it. Urinate more often. If you're overweight, lose excess pounds. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit. Pelvic muscle exercises (Kegel exercises) might help, too. Simply tighten your pelvic muscles as if you're stopping your stream of urine. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day. If these suggestions don't help, ask your doctor about other treatment options.

Your memory

What's happening. Memory tends to becomes less efficient with age, as the number of cells (neurons) in the brain decreases. It may take longer to learn new things or remember familiar words or names.

What you can do about it. To keep your memory sharp, include physical activity in your daily routine and eat a healthy diet. It's also helpful to stay mentally and socially active. If you're concerned about memory loss, consult your doctor.

Your eyes and ears

What's happening. With age, the eyes are less able to produce tears, the retinas thin, and the lenses gradually become less clear. Focusing on objects that are close up may become more difficult. You may become more sensitive to glare and have trouble adapting to different levels of light. Your hearing may dim somewhat as well. You may have difficulty hearing high frequencies or following a conversation in a crowded room.

What you can do about it. Schedule regular vision and hearing exams — then follow your doctor's advice about glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and other corrective devices. To prevent further damage, wear sunglasses when you're outdoors and use earplugs when you're around loud machinery or other loud noises.

Your teeth

What's happening. Your mouth may begin to feel drier and your gums may pull back (recede) from your teeth. With less saliva to wash away bacteria, your teeth and gums become slightly more vulnerable to decay and infection. Your teeth also may darken slightly and become more brittle and easier to break.

What you can do about it. Brush your teeth twice a day and clean between your teeth — using regular dental floss or an interdental cleaner — once a day. Visit your dentist or dental hygienist for regular dental checkups.

Your skin

What's happening. With age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile. You may notice that you bruise more easily. Decreased production of natural oils may make your skin drier and more wrinkled. Age spots can occur, and small growths called skin tags are more common.

What you can do about it. Bathe in warm — not hot — water, and use mild soap and moisturizer. When you're outdoors, use sunscreen and wear protective clothing. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking contributes to skin damage, such as wrinkling.

Your weight

What's happening. Maintaining a healthy weight — or losing weight if you're overweight — is more difficult as you get older. Muscle mass tends to decrease with age, which leads to an increase in fat. Since fat tissue burns fewer calories than does muscle, you may need to reduce the number of calories in your diet or increase your physical activity simply to maintain your current weight.

What you can do about it. To prevent unwanted weight gain, include physical activity in your daily routine and eat a healthy diet. Also keep an eye on portion sizes. You might not need to eat as much as you used to.

Your sexuality

What's happening. With age, sexual needs, patterns and performance may change. Illness or medication may affect your ability to enjoy sex. For women, vaginal dryness can make sex uncomfortable. For men, impotence may become a concern. It may take longer to get an erection, and erections may not be as firm as they used to be.

What you can do about it. Share your needs and concerns with your partner. You might experiment with different positions or sexual activities. Be open with your doctor, too. He or she may offer specific treatment suggestions — such as estrogen cream for vaginal dryness or oral medication for erectile dysfunction.

Remember, it's never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle. You can't stop the aging process, but you can minimize the impact by making healthy lifestyle choices.