Total Access Medical - Direct Primary Care Blog

Isn’t it remarkable the way certain smells can instantly transport you to a different place or time in your life? Perhaps the smell of fresh baked apple pie can bring you right back to your grandmother’s kitchen. Maybe the smoke of a campfire evokes your summers spent with childhood friends. Your sense of smell can awaken forgotten memories and different parts of your brain. 

Recently, a study performed at the University of California, Irvine and published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience yielded some very interesting findings, which confirmed the deep connection between the sense of smell and memory.

Although you should expect to experience some forgetfulness with age, there is plenty you can do to minimize memory loss and even improve and enhance your memory as you get older.

Early symptoms of cancer in males can include changes in bowel habits, the testicles, and urination. However, the signs will depend on the type of cancer. In some cases, symptoms do not appear until a later stage.

In 2024, an estimated 2,001,140 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 611,720 people will die from the disease.

The most common cancers (listed in descending order according to estimated new cases in 2024) are breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, colon and rectum cancer, melanoma of the skin, bladder cancer, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, endometrial cancer, pancreatic cancer, leukemia, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer.

Getting enough sleep and doing moderate-to-vigorous exercise can help with healthy aging, according to a study published today in the journal JAMA Network Open.

The study’s recommendations may sound like common sense, but the research adds more weight to the idea that a combination of movement and good sleep, even into later years, helps make for a longer, healthier life.

Although the primary symptom of depression for many is often a feeling of sadness, men may have a higher tendency than women to feel anger, demonstrate aggressive feelings, and engage in substance abuse. 

Every year about 805,000 Americans have a heart attack. 

The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body through an intricate network of arteries. However, the arteries around your heart can get blocked, usually by a blood clot and less often because of severe spasms and dissection. When this happens, blood flow is slowed or blocked. 

The classic image of a person having a heart attack is one of a person clutching their chest, complaining of crushing chest pain or an elephant sitting on their chest. However, in real life, the symptoms can be more subtle.

Cognitive decline is usually the first noticeable sign of dementia, which is the common term that describes the impaired ability to think, remember, or make decisions that impact everyday activities or life. Consumption of ultra-processed foods adds to the possibility of developing obesity and other diet-related diseases. 

In the United States, more than 18% of adults are affected by anxiety disorders each year, making it one of the most common mental health issues. Anxiety involves a person feeling disproportionate and sustained distress, worry, or fear in response to an emotional trigger. Anxiety is a normal, necessary emotion, and it can have a wide range of causes. 

In the sections below, you can learn about a wide range of natural and home remedies that can help with stress and anxiety.