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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 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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Ditch Seed Oils Now for Better Brain and Heart Health
Yes, you read that right! Ditch the seed oils. Learn why! You’ve had your first sip of morning brew, and now you’re ready to flip on your laptop to see what the world is up to. But nothing happens. A black screen glares back at you. Suddenly, you notice the plug lying on the floor under the table. You forgot to plug it in. It has no charge. It’s depleted of energy. That’s precisely what happens when your mitochondria aren’t working properly. These tiny power plants inside your cells are responsible for charging you—turning food and oxygen into energy. But when they’re damaged or not running up to par, it’s…
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Do the Hard Stuff—Feel Better! My 60s Health Overhaul
Why wait for tomorrow when you can start improving your health today? Every age is the right age to feel vital. “I’m too young to feel like a wet mop. What the heck is going on?” I was in my early 60s and felt exhausted all the time. I was walking around in a fog, feeling sleepy and tired. Press a button and pop—jack-in-the-box anxiety? “Okay, Cindy, time for a doctor’s visit. It’s been a long time.” My lab results, surprisingly, were normal, except for “high cholesterol,” or so was the diagnosis. Instruction from the doctor was to eat more fiber and get a colonoscopy and mammogram—sigh! I felt like…
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How to Triumph Over Depression, Anxiety, and Emotional Turmoil
Even in the throes of my teenage years, energy seemed to elude me more often than not. I was 16, nodding off in the middle of a packed movie theater—not exactly what you’d call normal for someone my age. What was wrong? More on that later, but first, I want to introduce you to Uma Naidoo, MD, a board-certified nutritional psychiatrist and nutritional specialist at Harvard Medical School. The national bestseller, This Is Your Brain on Food,[1] is the surprising science of nutritional psychiatry we’re exploring. Did you know that apple cider vinegar, yogurt, and pickled vegetables can help with anxiety, while deli meats, bacon, and sausage can cause depression?…
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The Startling Saga of Our Sick Society
We are a seriously sick society. Each year, obesity contributes to about 112,000 preventable deaths. Please don’t make it 112,001. Let’s investigate this health crisis a little further. Accompany me into the typical American family home. We’ll stop momentarily to eavesdrop. “Hey, honey, what’s for dinner tonight?” Oh, I don’t know, but there’s some mac & cheese in the cupboard or a lasagna in the freezer.” Does this conversation sound familiar? Perhaps the lasagna was freshly home-baked by our culinary friend, Marie Callender, or the Stouffer’s? I ponder what they ate for breakfast. Crunchy Nut cereal contains 26 g of sugar per serving. And the Kellogg’s must be exploding with…
Vital Sassy Seniors
Wellness and Passion for a Purposeful Life
