Posts

Diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease are two of the most common diseases that affect older adults worldwide. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects the body’s ability to process glucose. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that damages brain cells and cell connections, resulting in memory loss and other essential mental functions. Research suggests that diabetes may increase a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Among people without diabetes, almost 2 in 1,000 will develop Alzheimer’s....

When you start out breastfeeding your little one, you may be told that breast milk has everything your baby needs—that it’s the “perfect” food for infants until they begin eating solid foods. That’s why it can be confusing when your pediatrician recommends vitamin supplements during the first few months of your baby’s life. “Isn’t my milk enough?” you might think. Let’s take a look specifically at iron supplements, which are usually suggested for breastfed babies starting at 4 months old....

Functional fixedness is a type of cognitive bias that involves a tendency to see objects as only working in a particular way. For example, you might view a thumbtack as something that can only be used to hold paper to a corkboard. But what other uses might the item have? In many cases, functional fixedness can prevent people from seeing the full range of uses for an object. It can also impair our ability to think of novel solutions to problems....

Regular, higher-intensity exercise in adolescence could have benefits for bone density and osteoporosis prevention later in life, a recent study in JAMA Network Open suggests. Key Takeaways Higher-intensity physical activity in childhood and adolescence could protect against osteoporosis in later life, a new study suggests.Early adulthood is a time of peak bone strength, so preparing as a teen could have significant effects later.This type of exercise can have far-reaching impacts for teens beyond bone health....

It seems that moms can’t catch a break when it comes to feeding their babies. They are judged when breastfeeding doesn’t work out for some reason, and choose to formula feed. They are judged for nursing their baby too often—or not nursing their baby enough. They are judged when they need to supplement, or when they ask for extra time to pump at work. They are judged for breastfeeding in public, and they are judged for feeding their baby a bottle of pumped milk at the park....

Interest in cultivating a meditation practice has surged during the pandemic. According to an app store intelligence report, the top 10 English-language mental wellness apps neared a combined 10 million downloads in April 2020, which is 2 million more than in January 2020. The top three of those apps focus on meditation. Key Takeaways Meditation is linked to such mental and physical benefits as lessening symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia and lowering blood pressure....

Magnesium sulfate, or mag for short, is used in pregnancy to prevent seizures due to worsening preeclampsia, to slow or stop preterm labor, and to prevent injuries to a preterm baby’s brain. Magnesium sulfate is given as an intravenous infusion or intramuscular injection in the hospital over 12 to 48 hours. It relaxes smooth muscle tissues, which helps to prevent seizures and slow uterine contractions. Uses Magnesium sulfate infusions have been a common practice on obstetrical floors for more than 60 years....

Many would agree that one’s environment can impact mental health. New York residents may soon personally understand this thanks to funding from Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams for mental health services. Key Takeaways New York governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a $27.5 million investment in inpatient psychiatric care.New York City Mayor Eric Adams shared his Subway Safety Plan, which prioritizes serious mental illness.While these efforts are a small step in addressing mental health in New York, it is at least in the right direction, when compared to the earlier decisions of their predecessors....

Phineas Gage is often referred to as the “man who began neuroscience.” He experienced a traumatic brain injury when an iron rod was driven through his skull, destroying much of his frontal lobe. Gage miraculously survived the accident. However, his personality and behavior were so changed as a result of the frontal lobe damage that many of his friends described him as an almost different person entirely. The impact that the accident had has helped us better understand what the frontal lobe does, especially in relation to personality....

Along with what you can eat and drink while pregnant, there are certain guidelines to follow when it comes to beauty and skin products. While acne treatments and anti-aging products are generally safe, there are certain ingredients that are considered a no-no when expecting. However, before you get nervous that you’ll have to completely overhaul your routine, you don’t have to worry. “Most people don’t need to make significant changes to their beauty routines,” says Hayley Goldbach, MD, FAAD, FACMS, a double board-certified dermatologist, dermatologic surgeon, and assistant professor of dermatology at Brown University....

At any point in a romantic partnership, asking the right questions can help you progress your connection and work toward shared goals. From those early dating days where you’re trying to understand who the other is, to later stages where you’re determining whether the relationship is moving toward a forever commitment, we’re sharing important questions to ask your partner at every stage of your relationship. Early Relationship If you’re serious about getting serious, asking your mate key questions is vital in the early stages of dating....

Whether you’re hanging at the beach, working hard in the backyard, or pushing through an outdoor workout, a cooling towel offers a quick way to lower your body temperature and beat the heat. Cooling towels are made of high-tech fabrics that are activated with water. Just wet your towel, wring it out, and snap it a few times before applying it for cooling relief. While cooling towels don’t provide hydration or full-body sun protection—two other hot-weather essentials—they can be a helpful tool to have on hand when you are spending time outdoors in hot and humid weather (especially if you are also elevating your body temperature with exercise)....

Your bike probably came with a set of built-in pedals. But since bikes are highly customizable, it may be worth it to swap out those pedals with a more personalized pair. “When buying a new set of cycling pedals, I would recommend thinking about what your main use/purpose is for them,” Mindy Sartori, CycleBar XPRO for Xponential+, says. Start by considering your go-to cycling style: Are you a road cyclist, a mountain biker, an indoor cyclist, a commuter, or a recreational cyclist?...

People diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome have, in general, also been likely to be diagnosed with other mental health conditions. As such, research has found a connection specifically with depression. It should be noted that the diagnosis of Asperger’s was removed from the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and is now diagnosed as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) instead. However, since this term is still used regularly, for simplicity’s sake, the term Asperger’s will be used in this article....

When people have an addiction—whether to drugs, gambling, sex, shopping, or something else—there is a feeling of pleasure and euphoria that comes with that addiction. It makes them feel elated, confident, incredibly happy, or invincible. This is often described as a “high,” and it can be a heady experience that causes people to want to continuously pursue this sensation. But this feeling is usually fleeting, leaving quickly. This leads to a comedown and a desire to try and reach that high again....

Depression is usually managed with medication, therapy, or a combination of the two, and usually, symptoms resolve with treatment. But sometimes, symptoms don’t get better with typical treatment. Although definitions may vary, when two or more treatment attempts of adequate dose and duration fail to provide expected relief, the disorder may be considered “treatment-resistant depression.” Treatment-resistant depression can be complex. Depression symptoms, such as sleep issues and appetite problems, may continue despite patient compliance with treatment....

What Is Trichotillomania? Trichotillomania (TTM), also known as hair-pulling disorder, is a condition in which the affected person repeatedly pulls out, twists out, or breaks off hair from any part of the body for non-cosmetic reasons. People with trichotillomania will pull out head hair as well as eyelashes, eyebrows, and/or hair on other parts of the body, such as the underarm, pubic, chin, chest, or leg areas. They may pull out their hair intentionally or unconsciously....

If you’re looking for a baby name that exudes classic beauty, Victoria is a top choice! Meaning “victory,” Victoria is of Latin origin and the feminine variant of the masculine name, Victor. In Roman mythology, Victoria is the goddess of victory, equivalent to the Greek goddess Nike. Queen Victoria ruled over the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for almost 64 years, which was the second-longest reign of any British monarch....

In the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), “NOS” is an abbreviation for “not otherwise specified.” It serves as a sort of catch-all term to label symptoms that don’t neatly fall into a well-defined diagnosis, but that clearly indicates that someone is dealing with an illness that’s part of a specific family of diagnoses. An example of this is “depressive disorder NOS....

Medication tolerance, or drug tolerance, occurs when the body gets used to a medication so that either more medication is needed to give the desired effect, or a different medication is needed. Depending on the drug, tolerance can develop acutely, in a manner of days, or chronically, over a number of weeks or months. There are several mechanisms behind tolerance, including changes in the metabolism of a drug, cellular changes, or behavioral effects....