Posts

To live a happier, healthier life, it’s important to learn how to accentuate the positive. Commit to following the simple steps outlined below for one week and you’re sure to bring more positivity and happiness into your life. Consider it a one-week experiment. How to Become More Positive What You’ll Do: You can boost your happiness by focusing on positive things and reducing your negative thinking. This week, follow every negative thought with a positive one....

You can knock out a great Pilates workout with little to no accessories or props, but if you want to keep your workouts dynamic and challenging, proper equipment can help you reach the next level. The best pilates equipment will match your skill level, accommodate the size of your exercise space, and be durable. There is a lot of Pilates equipment out there. So to figure out which categories of equipment were worth reviewing, we spoke to three Pilates instructors and asked them what items they’d recommend....

Piaget’s theory suggests that children progress through a series of four different stages of cognitive development. These stages encompass numerous aspects of mental development including that of reasoning, language, morals, and memory. Piaget believed that kids take an active role in this cognitive development, building knowledge as they interact with the world. The sensorimotor stage is the earliest in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. He described this period as a time of tremendous growth and change....

You know your preschooler wasn’t raised in a barn but how do you convey that to anyone that eats with her? Chewing with his mouth open, eating with her hands, burping, the list goes on and on. It’s no wonder that dinner time in many houses where ​with a child under five becomes a cringe-worthy event for most parents. The good news is, teaching your preschooler manners is not a difficult proposition....

Hemorrhoids, the inflamed and swollen veins of the rectum and anus, are fairly common in pregnancy. They are not only painful, but they can also persist and often worsen as the pregnancy progresses. Hemorrhoids will most often develop in later pregnancy as the blood volume increases and the uterus is pressed against the wall of the pelvis. This, in turn, can cause the veins of the anus or rectum to swell into grape-like clusters....

Bulimia nervosa is a very common eating disorder. This condition affects men and women alike but is more often diagnosed in women. Studies have shown that women are around five times more likely to be affected by bulimia than men. This disorder usually begins in adolescence, with teenage girls forming a large percentage of those affected. Up to 10% of college-aged women are affected by bulimia. Because of the nature of this condition, it can be very well hidden, leading to a habit that can continue into adulthood....

There are many behaviors that are categorized as sexual abuse, and physical contact does not need to be made between the offender and the child for something to be classified as sexual abuse of a child. Childhood sexual abuse is considered any “completed or attempted sexual act, sexual contact with, or exploitation of a child.” This type of abuse often involves the perpetrator using force or making threats. Childhood sexual abuse is one of the most stigmatized issues in society and is recognized as both a violation of basic human rights and a serious public health concern....

Stalking is a word we often use jokingly, such as telling a friend you “stalked” their social media profile. But actual stalking is a serious and dangerous crime, and it can lead to terrible consequences for its victims. About 8% of women and 2% of men are stalked at some point in their lives, and people who stalk are most often men. Read on to learn what constitutes stalking, why it happens, and what actions you can take if you’re being stalked....

Abortion can feel like a tough subject to talk about or even think about. Yet millions of women face the prospect of an untimed, unintended, or unplanned pregnancy or a pregnancy that must be terminated for medical reasons. While abortion may feel taboo to talk about, many women get abortions each year because that feels like the best choice for their lives. If you are looking at the possibility of getting an abortion, what you need is good information and resources....

If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, you should know that you’re not alone—an estimated 4.7% of U.S. adults will experience panic disorder at some point in their lives. However, despite being a relatively common condition, coming behind only social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety for the most widespread anxiety disorders, many will wonder when their next panic attack will occur. Even more worrying is not knowing how long these attacks will last....

At first, your baby will get all of his nutrition from breast milk or an iron-fortified infant formula. If you plan on breastfeeding, ask the hospital personnel if they will allow you to nurse your baby right after he is delivered and before he is taken to the nursery. There will be no need to supplement with water, juice or cereal. Your newborn baby will probably be eating every hour and a half to three hours and if feeding on-demand and following your baby’s cues remember that not all cries are ‘hunger-cries’ and you may have to set some limits (for example, not allowing him to feed every half hour)....

Building self-esteem is a core component of bullying prevention. With healthy self-esteem, your teens will not only be more confident, but they also will be able to identify their strengths — and their weaknesses — and still feel good about themselves. Healthy self-esteem also helps protect teens from bullying. Bullies are less likely to target kids that are confident in who they are. And, if they are targeted, their solid self-esteem will help them cope with bullying....

At 4 weeks pregnant, the tiny life inside you (which is technically an embryo) is implanting in your uterus, where it will grow and develop over the next 36 weeks. Along with implantation in the uterine lining, comes a rise in the pregnancy hormone hCG. At the end of this week, there may be enough hCG to detect with a sensitive early home pregnancy test. Learn more about pregnancy symptoms and your baby’s development at 4 weeks gestation....

Psychological perspectives are different ways of thinking about and explaining human behavior. Psychologists utilize a variety of perspectives when studying how people think, feel, and behave. Some researchers focus more on one specific school of thought, such as the biological perspective, while others take a more eclectic approach that incorporates multiple points of view. This article explores seven of the major perspectives in psychology, where these perspectives originated, and how they attempt to explain psychological issues....

What Is ABA Therapy? Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy is an approach to treatment that focuses on using positive reinforcement to improve behavioral, social, communication, and learning skills. ABA therapy utilizes behavioral principles to set goals, reinforce behaviors, and measure outcomes. This approach is often described as the “gold standard” in the treatment of autism. It is widely used and has been shown to be effective for improving specific skills and decreasing problem behaviors....

What Is Acute Schizophrenia? Acute schizophrenia is considered an active phase of schizophrenia—a mental health disorder that can affect an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. “The media tends to play up the diagnosis as [individuals] who only hear voices and are talking to themselves,” says Abigale Johnson, LCSW. “This can be an aspect of schizophrenia, but not everyone presents the same way.” Stephen Geisler, M.D., staff psychiatrist at Brooklyn Minds, adds that people might experience hallucinations or delusions, but their thoughts can be completely logical and coherent....

If you love riding your bike to work or along bike paths, you may be wondering if it’s safe to ride a bike while pregnant. Whether you are concerned about the intensity of the exercise, the way pedaling brings your knees up toward your baby bump or even the risk of falling off your bike we have some good news. Certified personal trainer and founder of Every Mother, Leah Keller, assures us, “Bike riding is a safe, low-impact option for aerobic exercise that can be enjoyed throughout the entire pregnancy....

Most people probably think of bipolar disorder as a psychiatric disorder, but it is also considered a neurological disorder. This is because the expression of the genes associated with bipolar leads to chemical, structural, and functional neurological differences from a brain that doesn’t have bipolar. Here’s a look at how the brain of someone with bipolar disorder might differ from someone who doesn’t have bipolar, including people with unipolar depression. Brain Structure First, a little bit of background information on the brain in general....

Wherever you see something written about bipolar disorder, the term episode is usually encountered. An episode refers to a collection of symptoms that describe a person’s overall mood and behavior. Episodes in Bipolar Disorder Let’s take a closer look at episodes in bipolar disorder, according to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Manic Episodes During a manic episode, a person has a sustained and abnormally elevated, expansive, or irritable mood for at least one week, and at least three of the following symptoms:...

Jerky can be a protein-rich, satisfying salty snack that’s easy to munch on when you’re on the go. But just because something is a tasty snack option pre-pregnancy does not necessarily mean it will continue to be during pregnancy. “Generally speaking, only cooked meats are safe in pregnancy,” says Shivani Patel, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern. “Typically, jerky is made by drying meat and not cooking it, so I would caution women from eating jerky while pregnant....