Mind, Mood & Memory
This is where we explore brain health, emotional resilience, and the inner challenges that often go unseen. Whether you’re dealing with brain fog, recovering from a difficult season, or simply working to stay mentally sharp and grounded after 55, you’ll find thoughtful insight and support here. From cognitive wellness to mood changes and deeper emotional healing, this space honors your mind as a vital part of your whole-body health.
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Compartmentalizing the Brain and the Stigma Attached to the Term Mental Illness
I dislike the phrase mental illness. People are already trying to figure out what’s happening inside their own minds, and then we attach the word ‘mental’ — a word loaded with judgment and misunderstanding. It’s no wonder so many end up suffering in silence. Compartmentalizing the Brain and the Stigma Attached to the Term Mental Illness invites you into the complexities of neurodiversity, challenging preconceived notions and reimagining our relationship with this magnificent organ—the brain! Let’s abandon the societal belief that the brain is a rather lazy organ, leisurely sitting behind the eyebrows in a mental compartment. Indeed, the cranium holds it in protective custody, but it’s not the cellmate…
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How to Stay Vital if Your World is Shrinking
It’s 5 p.m. You’re right on schedule.Dinner is on. You’re sitting at the table in the same chair, at the same time, one day blending into another. Your eyes drift to the strip of sunlight sneaking through the blinds. Darkness comes so early now, and every part of your being is desperately trying to soak up whatever daylight is left. You’ve made a good dinner—a favorite. You glance up and see him enjoying the meal. It makes you smile. And your heart warms. Then, you feel a stir that seems to rise from your soul, and you raise your eyes again. A different feeling creeps in. You realize you’re not…
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Sugar Spikes, Microclots, and Brain Fog After 55
You’re not “just forgetful.” Sugar swings can feel like a fog machine. Oatmeal with raisins and a quick OJ, then—snap—your focus vanishes. Your brain isn’t derelict of its duty. Your blood sugar just took an unpredictable leap. What Are Microclots—In Plain English Think tiny. Microclots are microscopic clumps made of platelets and fibrin that form in the smallest blood vessels—your capillaries and arterioles. They’re not the big, scary leg clots you hear about. These are specks that can slow local blood flow just enough to leave nearby tissues a little under-fueled. How they’re different from “big clots” Big clots block major highways; microclots gum up the side streets. You usually…
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How to Shatter the Silent Killer of Memory Loss
The silent killer of memory loss and dementia isn’t a single event—it creeps in slowly. But lifestyle changes, nutrition, and stress reduction can protect your brain naturally. I’ll never forget the phone ringing that quiet morning. I picked up, with dread in my gut. Nobody calls me this early. “Hello?” “He’s dead,” came the response in a raspy whisper. “What, what did you say?” I could feel my throat tightening. “He’s dead,” she said. My stomach sank. My mind went blank, and a foggy haze took hold. I saw him four months ago while visiting out of state. He looked the same as when I last saw him—a handsome man…
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The Habits That Kill Brain Cells After 60 (And How to Fix Them)
Are we aging ourselves to death? Or are we just stuck in routines that are boring our brains into early tired-ment? 💡I remember sitting in the doctor’s office, exhausted to my core—tired, fried, burned out, call it what you will. And what was my grand reward? The usual checkout line: 🛒 Mammogram …………… Scan ✅ ………. $$$🛒 Colonoscopy ………….. Scan ✅ ………. $$$🛒 DEXA (bone density) ….. Scan ✅ ………. $$$$🛒 Eat more fiber! ……….. Scan ✅ ………. $$🛒 Elevated cholesterol? …. Scan ✅ ………. $$$$ Was there a barcode tattooed on my forehead? High cholesterol? Really? It was 228. My brain calls that a light snack rich in omega-3s.…
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He Walked Into the Clinic. He Never Walked Again!
Ignored Warnings, Added Diagnoses — and a Life Forever Changed Nearly 800,000 Americans die each year because of diagnostic errors. It’s a staggering and outrageous number, reported by researchers at Johns Hopkins — and it should make everyone perk up and think. Errors in diagnosis are alarmingly common among older adults. There are many reasons why this occurs. Seniors often live with multiple health conditions, take several medications, and illnesses can show up very differently than they do in younger people. Sometimes symptoms are vague or don’t appear at all. And far too often, what’s really going on gets a shoulder shrug by our health care providers: “It’s just part…
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Lab Results that Screech Something is Not Kosher
This post currently contains Amazon links, but I am no longer an Amazon affiliate. Links are provided for convenience only. Know your labs before you’re in crisis—because once you’re in the system, it might be too late to ask questions. If I hadn’t seen these labs myself… I still wouldn’t know the truth! Not once—not once—in all the pages of medical records did I find a note suggesting the sudden drop in H&H might be related to trauma. No mention of an actual trauma that may have occurred. No exploration of internal bleeding. Just a diagnosis of anemia. But when blood values plummet out of nowhere, shouldn’t someone ask why?…
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The Startling Risks in Screening Guidelines for Older Women
As a vital, sassy senior, you face unique challenges regarding your health, especially outdated screening guidelines that don’t fully address your needs. While screenings for conditions like heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer are a starting point, these guidelines often lead to treatments that may not always be in your best interest or the best solution. So, we’ll explore the gaps in these screening practices and highlight preventive and alternative approaches that can also support a positive health outcome for older women. How Screening Guidelines Are Failing Older Women We all agree that screening is a fundamental tool for the early detection of serious conditions, but many guidelines for older women…
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Underdiagnosis in Older Women and How Research Gaps Impact Healthcare
Did you know that older women are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed for conditions like chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, and heart disease? That’s right—it’s all in your head, Missy! Underdiagnosis is a growing concern in healthcare for older women, primarily due to gaps in medical research. These gaps contribute to missed or delayed diagnoses, leaving women vulnerable to untreated conditions. In this post, we’ll discuss the reasons behind underdiagnosis in older women and what steps you can take to ensure better healthcare outcomes. Why Underdiagnosis Happens More in Older Women Indeed, despite improvements in healthcare, older women still suffer from incorrect diagnoses disproportionately because many medical conditions present differently in women…
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Hidden Risks in Medication for Older Women
Have you ever been warned about the hidden risks of your medications, or were they kept out of sight? Medications can be instrumental in managing chronic conditions and improving the quality of life for us older gals, but a significant issue remains. Older women have been underrepresented in clinical trials, leading to medications that aren’t adequately tested for our needs. This exclusion can result in unexpected and harmful side effects. In this post, we’ll explore why older women are at greater risk for adverse drug reactions and what we can do to protect ourselves in a healthcare system that doesn’t always consider our unique needs. Why Older Women Face Higher…
