Mental & Emotional Health Take Off Your Mask of Depression By article The tragic death of Robin Williams has stirred up so much conversation about depression, a difficult topic but one that … Read More→
_ Money Matters Plants in the Office Boost Productivity By Sondra Forsyth article ΓÇ£GreenΓÇ¥ offices with plants make staff happier and more productive than ΓÇ£leanΓÇ¥ designs stripped of greenery, according to research done … Read More→
_ When Swelling Isn't So Swell: Curbing Chronic Inflammation By Jane Farrell article By Dr. Mickey Barber Of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States, chronic, low-level inflammation contributes to … Read More→
_ Relationships & Love Meaningful Relationships Help Us Thrive By Sondra Forsyth article Deep and meaningful relationships play a vital role in overall well-being. Past research has shown that individuals with supportive and rewarding relationships have better mental health, higher levels of subjective well-being and lower rates of morbidity and mortality. A paper published in August 2014 in Personality and Social Psychology Review provides an important perspective on thriving through relationships, emphasizes two types of support that relationships provide, and illuminates aspects where further study is necessary. What is ΓÇ£thrivingΓÇ¥?
_ Sleep Health 4 Simple Steps to Get You Back to Sleep Fast By Sondra Forsyth article WeΓÇÖve all been there. You are wide awake at 3 a.m., your mind racing with a rising sense of panic about the difficult day ahead if you donΓÇÖt fall back to sleep. What youΓÇÖre experiencing is a type of insomnia, says sleep disorders specialist Harneet Walia, MD, DABSM, of Cleveland ClinicΓÇÖs Sleep Disorders Center. Many underlying health problems such as chronic pain, sleep apnea or acid reflex can cause insomnia. But if your difficulty in sleeping is not due to health problems, here are some tips that can help you get back to sleep.
_ 10 Natural Ways to Control Blood Pressure By Jane Farrell article If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure ΓÇö the top number ΓÇö of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure ΓÇö the bottom number ΓÇö of 90 or above), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down. Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication. Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.
_ Caregiving Mindfulness Training for Caregivers & Loved Ones By Sondra Forsyth article Mindfulness training for people with early-stage dementia and their caregivers together in the same class turned out to be beneficial … Read More→
_ Pain Management Chronic Pain & Painkillers: Why You ΓÇ¿Should Consider AlternativesΓÇ¿ By Sondra Forsyth article By Dr. Frank King Roughly 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain lasting more than six months, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. Throughout the past decade, the use of painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin has soared by 300 percent. For many ΓÇô 17,000 people per year, or 46 each day ΓÇô the treatment is worse than the pain. ThatΓÇÖs the number of users who die from the medicine, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
_ Aging Well Why Our Word Choices Matter As We Age By Sondra Forsyth article By Roger Landry MD Have you ever considered how the words we use impact the culture around us? How do those words reflect our own attitudes, beliefs, and values? Furthermore, for those among us who work in the aging profession, how does what we say affect both how we perceive older adults to be, and how they self-identify? How Our Brains React to the Words We Say
_ Lung Cancer AHA E-Cigarette Recommendations By Sondra Forsyth article The American Heart Association issued new policy recommendations August 25th 2014 on the use of e-cigarettes and their impact on tobacco-control efforts. The guidance was published in the association's journal, Circulation. Based on the current evidence, the association's position is that e-cigarettes that contain nicotine are tobacco products and should be subject to all laws that apply to these products. The association also calls for strong new regulations to prevent access, sales and marketing of e-cigarettes to youth, and for more research into the product's health impact.
Energy Therapies Offer Support in Healing for Cancer Survivors By blog Reiki and Healing Touch are two energy therapies designed to support and nurture your body, mind, spirit and emotions. For cancer survivors, energy therapies work in harmony with your standard medical care and treatment. Reiki is a touch therapy that promotes relaxation and enhances healing within the body. Reiki therapy is done in a relaxed setting (seated or lying) by gentle touch on specific areas of the body.
Coming Next Week! August 25th to August 29th 2014 By Sondra Forsyth article HereΓÇÖs a sneak preview of the articles, slideshows, and blogs weΓÇÖll be posting during the coming week on ThirdAge, the biggest and best site for ΓÇ£boomer and beyondΓÇ¥ women since 1997. As always, weΓÇÖll bring you the latest information from top experts about maintaining a healthy body, mind, and spirit as you navigate both the challenges and the joys of being a ThirdAger.
_ Pain Management Which Alternative Headache Remedies Are Safe? By Jane Farrell article Depending on the severity of their condition, headache sufferers may take over the counter medications or prescription remedies. Many ΓÇ£alternativeΓÇ¥ treatments are available as well. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), researchers are continuing to study the effectiveness of these treatments. While some of these widely-touted remedies may not work as advertised, others are effective. Here, from the NCCAM, is a rundown of the current research on alternative remedies for headaches:
Why Our Minds Are Velcro for the Bad, but Teflon for the Good By blog Most everyone has at least one traumatic memory embedded in their brains. One that still resonates for me was the time my mother left me alone when I was six years old to take the baby sitter home. When I looked apprehensive, she told me not to worry. ΓÇ£IΓÇÖll be right back,ΓÇ¥ she said smiling brightly and drove off. As it got dark I became more and more frightened that something had happened to her and she wasnΓÇÖt coming back. By the time she returned I was totally terrified. She found me standing outside wailing. She scolded me and took me inside.
Brain Health Elasticity of Brain Arteries & Aging Well By Sondra Forsyth article In an effort to identify how the elasticity of the arteries in the brain correlates with aging well, researchers at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign used optical methods developed in their lab to map out the pulse pressure of the entire brainΓÇÖs cortex.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Older Adults Weathered the Recession Well By Sondra Forsyth article The "Great Recession" may have put a dent in many older adults' pocketbooks, but a study presented at the 109th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association in August 2014 in San Francisco found that more than 40 percent reported a decrease in "financial strain" between 2006 and 2010.
_ Many Elderly ER Visitors Are Malnourished By Jane Farrell article In a new study, researchers found that more than half of elderly patients in a hospital emergency room were either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Additionally, more than half of the patients who were malnourished hadnΓÇÖt been diagnosed with the condition. Researchers focused on patients 138 65 and older who were seen at the University of North Carolina hospitals over an eight-week period. The patients were not cognitively impaired or critically ill. None of them lived in a nursing home or skilled nursing facility.
_ Caregiving Managing Dementia Related Personality Changes By Sondra Forsyth article AlzheimerΓÇÖs disease causes brain cells to die, so the brain works less well over time. This changes how a person acts. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are suggestions that may help you understand and cope with changes in personality and behavior in a person with AlzheimerΓÇÖs disease. Common personality and behavior changes you may see include: ΓÇó Getting upset, worried, and angry more easily ΓÇó Acting depressed or not interested in things ΓÇó Hiding things or believing other people are hiding things