Better health is within sight of your…. pillow!
Nearly each day, I read another professional study or chapter about the relationship between how we live our lives and chronic illness such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and a variety of autoimmune disease. There is clear and consistent scientific evidence that changes in our day to day behavior—small, realistic changes—improve our health, […]
Exercise—it’s not snake oil.
The benefits are exercise are many, and they are well documented. Point in truth, no medical or psychological intervention has as many benefits with so few unwanted effects. This is particularly true for most types of chronic illness—type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, fibromyalgia, as well as cardio vascular disease. Benefits for living with osteoporosis […]
The Lark-Owl Scale: When Couples’ Sleep Patterns Diverge – The New York Times
Some challenges that couples experience are far more common than we realize. Differing sleep cycles can challenge a relationship, and may trigger deeply meaningful issues between partners. While it’s essential to understand and work with the emotional and symbolic effects of sleep differences, this newly emerging understanding of sleep patterns can also reduce the friction […]
Frequently monitoring progress toward goals increases chance of success – ScienceDaily
If you are trying to achieve a goal, the more often that you monitor your progress, the greater the likelihood that you will succeed, according to research. Your chances of success are even more likely if you report your progress publicly or physically record it. I think this applies to many goals and life changes. […]
Various types of medical inflammation can be connected to depressive symptoms. ScienceDaily
Most of us know when some part of our body is inflamed. But we aren’t as aware of internal or biological system inflammation. And our western diet and lifestyle places many of us at risk for exactly this condition. Turns out, there are mental health consequences such as symptoms we associate with depression. Source: […]
Build a better brain—exercise
Turns out that exercise has direct impact on the brain. Have a look— http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/mental-conditioning/Break-a-Sweat-Exercise-and-the-brain.html?utm_source=dispatch&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=MRlink5&utm_campaign=12102013
How Doctors Die—and how this can inform our own decisions.
This interesting editorial on The Healthcare Blog offers not only a window into the world of medicine and the current practice of medicine, but also a valuable point of view that can inform the choices we make and how we communicate our wishes. http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/08/06/how-doctors-die/ Many people will find the National Hospice Association’s website of great […]
The benefits of forgiveness
Clients who have endured early-life traumatic experiences, domestic violence and other dehumanizing events have taught me the importance of genuine forgiveness. I’m not referring to the “turn the other cheek” variety, though that has its place in our oftentimes brutal world. I’ve seen the continued harm resulting from people who hold themselves responsible for the violating, […]
Life experiences trump purchases
Research indicates that happiness is not acquired by amassing possessions. Whatever the amount available—using one’s resources to enrich our “lived experience” and sharing those adventures with others goes much further! http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-norton-happiness-spending-20130519,0,3517116.story
Health toll of immigration
My work in a primary care setting has enabled me to increase the amount of behavioral medicine work within my practice. Collaborating with medical professionals caring for people with chronic illness necessitates my paying even greater attention to medical research and health related media items. It’s notable when the exportation of US culture impacts the […]