https://gunkangfirst.com/en/ Supplement schedules, pain self-checks, and evidence-based supplement information for people in their 50s and 60s en Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/flu-covid-vaccine https://gunkangfirst.com/en/flu-covid-vaccine Start dates and eligible birth years for Korea's free 2026–27 influenza and COVID-19 vaccines for people 65 and older, the XFG-variant COVID-19 vaccine, whether you can get both shots on the same day, what to tell the doctor, side effects, and the pneumococcal vaccine. Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/flu-symptoms https://gunkangfirst.com/en/flu-symptoms Korea declared its 2026–27 influenza advisory on September 11, more than a month earlier than last season. How flu symptoms differ from COVID-19 and the common cold, why antivirals work best within 48 hours, warning signs for people over 65, and common myths. Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/glp1-side-effects https://gunkangfirst.com/en/glp1-side-effects Korea's 2026 parliamentary audit found 9,476 people treated for conditions such as gallstones (5,973) after starting Wegovy or Mounjaro, and the drugs may be designated as medicines prone to misuse. Common side effects and how often they occur in trials, warning signs of gallstones, pancreatitis and optic nerve damage, and what to tell your doctor. Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/scrub-typhus https://gunkangfirst.com/en/scrub-typhus Scrub typhus is Korea's signature autumn infection, with most cases in October and November. Why a fever 1–3 weeks after grass cutting, visiting family graves, chestnut picking or farm work should raise suspicion, where to look for the black scab (eschar), how it compares with other autumn fevers, treatment and prevention. Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/supplement-liver-caution https://gunkangfirst.com/en/supplement-liver-caution On October 23, 2026, Korea's food and drug ministry proposed banning products that combine 15 ingredients carrying liver warnings, including garcinia, green tea extract, red yeast rice, glucosamine and CLA. What the proposal says, the evidence on liver injury, how to check your own supplements, and warning signs. Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-foam-roller https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-foam-roller Daiso Korea sells 45 cm (18 in) foam rollers for KRW 5,000 and massage balls from KRW 1,000. Which type to pick, how to roll each body area, what the research shows, and where not to roll. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-probiotics https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-probiotics Probiotics at Daiso Korea cost about KRW 5,000 a box. What is on the shelf, cost per day, how to read CFU counts on a Korean label, and how to keep live cultures alive while traveling. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-running https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-running Daiso Korea's HEAD running line sells vests, windbreakers, and socks for KRW 1,000–5,000. What is worth buying, what to buy elsewhere, and how to start running safely after 50. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-vitamind https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-vitamind The 4,000 IU vitamin D tablet sold at Daiso Korea equals the daily upper limit. What is on the shelf, how it compares with US and Korean guidelines, how to read the Korean label, and when to take it. Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/carpal-tunnel https://gunkangfirst.com/en/carpal-tunnel If your hand goes numb and wakes you at night, carpal tunnel syndrome is a possibility. Which fingers are affected, a self-check (Phalen test), how to tell it from a pinched neck nerve, the evidence for splints, injections and surgery, and whether vitamin B6 helps. Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/cholesterol-supplements https://gunkangfirst.com/en/cholesterol-supplements Do cholesterol-lowering supplements actually work? Normal LDL levels and risk-based targets, how much red yeast rice and plant sterols lower LDL compared with statins, and what to check before taking them. Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/menopause-supplements https://gunkangfirst.com/en/menopause-supplements When do menopause symptoms start and how long do they last? Hot flashes and a self-check, the evidence behind supplements Korea approves for menopausal women (Cynanchum wilfordii blend, pomegranate, Japanese pagoda tree fruit), and how they compare with hormone therapy. Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/milk-thistle https://gunkangfirst.com/en/milk-thistle Does milk thistle really lower liver enzymes (AST, ALT)? The function Korea approves and the daily silymarin amount, how checkup liver results are graded, what Cochrane and other reviews found, and whether claims like hangover relief hold up. Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/plantar-fasciitis https://gunkangfirst.com/en/plantar-fasciitis If your heel stabs when you take your first steps in the morning, it may be plantar fasciitis. Symptoms and a self-check, how it differs from other heel pain, the stretch with the best evidence, what insoles, injections and shock wave therapy can do, and common myths. Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/blood-sugar-spike https://gunkangfirst.com/en/blood-sugar-spike Is your after-meal sleepiness a blood sugar spike? Normal blood sugar ranges, and what studies show about eating vegetables and protein before carbs and taking a walk after meals. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/creatine-midlife https://gunkangfirst.com/en/creatine-midlife Creatine, long known as a gym supplement, is drawing interest from people in midlife and women around menopause. What studies show for muscle, strength, bone and the brain, how much to take, and cautions such as kidney test results. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/frozen-shoulder https://gunkangfirst.com/en/frozen-shoulder Can't raise your arm, and your shoulder hurts at night? Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) symptoms and stages, how to tell it apart from a rotator cuff tear, home stretches, and when to see a doctor. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/shingles-vaccine https://gunkangfirst.com/en/shingles-vaccine At what age to get the shingles vaccine, how the live and two-dose recombinant vaccines differ, whether you need it if you already had shingles, and what research says about shingles vaccination and dementia risk. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/slow-aging-diet https://gunkangfirst.com/en/slow-aging-diet The core principles of a "slow-aging" diet and the research behind them: what Mediterranean and MIND diet studies found, how to build a plate in your 40s and 50s, and common myths about lentil rice and anti-aging supplements. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/astaxanthin https://gunkangfirst.com/en/astaxanthin Astaxanthin from Haematococcus algae: its approved claim for eye fatigue in Korea, the 4–12 mg daily amount, the limits of the research, how it differs from lutein, and whether you can take both. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/bifidus-probiotics https://gunkangfirst.com/en/bifidus-probiotics What the research says about Bifidobacterium probiotics for constipation and gut health, from meta-analyses and trials in older adults to Korea's approved claims, plus how to choose and use them safely. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/calcium-timing https://gunkangfirst.com/en/calcium-timing Does it matter when you take calcium? Daily calcium needs after 65, why to keep it apart from iron and zinc supplements, why vitamin D matters, and the risks of taking too much. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-hfood https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-hfood Are the supplements sold at Daiso Korea worth buying? The pharmaceutical brands on sale, typical prices, why they are so cheap, and what to check before you buy. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-magnesium https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-magnesium How do the magnesium supplements sold at Daiso Korea differ in dose and price? Plus what magnesium does, signs of deficiency, and the risks of taking too much. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-omega3 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/daiso-omega3 How do the omega-3 products from Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Chong Kun Dang Health sold at Daiso Korea differ? Plus omega-3 benefits and cautions about deficiency and excess. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/enzyme-encapsulation https://gunkangfirst.com/en/enzyme-encapsulation Can swallowed enzymes survive stomach acid? How enzyme encapsulation (enteric coating, microcapsules) works, and what studies and official sources say about digestive enzyme supplements. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-europe-2027 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-europe-2027 Dates and content of International Living's Fast Track Europe Conference in the Algarve, Portugal, March 20–22, 2027, covering five European countries including Greece, the new No. 1 in the retirement index. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-immigration-coex-2026 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-immigration-coex-2026 Dates and highlights of the 49th Overseas Immigration & Investment Expo held at COEX, Seoul, in September 2026, including the Philippine retirement visa briefing and when the next edition is. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-jipconomy-2026 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-jipconomy-2026 The senior housing pavilion and senior housing seminars at Jipconomy Expo 2026, held at COEX, Seoul, from September 30 to October 1, 2026, with tips for anyone considering downsizing, senior housing, or home modifications. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-panama-2027 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/expo-panama-2027 Dates and content of the Live and Invest in Panama Conference in Panama City, January 20–22, 2027, the local tours held alongside it, and what to know before attending. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/glp1-muscle-exercise https://gunkangfirst.com/en/glp1-muscle-exercise When you lose weight on GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, you can lose muscle too. How much lean mass was lost in clinical trials, and how older adults can protect their muscle with strength training, plus precautions. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/glutathione-facts https://gunkangfirst.com/en/glutathione-facts Does taking glutathione really lighten your skin? What the claims say, what the studies actually found, how Korea regulates it, and the risks of so-called whitening injections. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/hfood-disposal https://gunkangfirst.com/en/hfood-disposal Can you just throw away leftover or expired supplements? How to dispose of them properly, using medicine take-back bins in Korea and elsewhere, and how to sort the packaging. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/hfood-guide https://gunkangfirst.com/en/hfood-guide What exactly is a 'health functional food' in Korea? How it differs from ordinary food and medicine, the official MFDS mark versus GMP and HACCP marks, and how supplement ads are reviewed. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/hfood-sales-license https://gunkangfirst.com/en/hfood-sales-license Do you really need a license to sell supplements (health functional foods) in Korea? Business registration, hygiene training, the difference between general sales and distribution-specialist sales, and private certificates. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/knee-supplements https://gunkangfirst.com/en/knee-supplements Do glucosamine and omega-3 really help knee joints? A balanced look at the evidence from Cochrane, the NIH, and Mayo Clinic, plus intake and safety notes for adults over 65. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/lutein-zeaxanthin https://gunkangfirst.com/en/lutein-zeaxanthin How lutein and zeaxanthin differ, and do they really help with macular degeneration? Korea's approved claim, daily intake, when to take them, the AREDS2 findings, and a caution for smokers. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/omega3-guide https://gunkangfirst.com/en/omega3-guide What omega-3 (EPA and DHA) does, how much adults over 65 need, what the latest research says about heart benefits, and precautions for people on blood thinners or facing surgery. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-aquatic https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-aquatic Does water exercise help older adults with knee or hip pain? How buoyancy and water resistance help, basic moves such as pool walking, and pool safety precautions. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-balance https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-balance How much do balance exercises reduce falls in older adults? The Cochrane evidence, plus how to do single-leg stands, heel-to-toe walking, and heel raises at home, with precautions. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-band-exercise https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-band-exercise Strength training for older adults with a resistance band instead of heavy equipment: the benefits, four seated upper- and lower-body moves, how to choose a band, and precautions. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-chair-squat https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-chair-squat Chair squats are a lower-body strength exercise for older adults that you can do at home with just a chair. The benefits, step-by-step instructions, the 30-second chair stand self-test, and precautions. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-walking https://gunkangfirst.com/en/senior-walking How many steps a day is right for older adults? The benefits of walking, good walking posture, a step-by-step routine, and seasonal precautions, based on trusted sources. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900 https://gunkangfirst.com/en/vitamind-guide https://gunkangfirst.com/en/vitamind-guide Signs of vitamin D deficiency in adults over 65, and how much you need each day, with Korean and US recommendations and the safe upper limit, based on trusted sources. Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0900