Health & Wellness

The Healing Power of Hope

jbloustein — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:45:04 -0500

Patty*, in her early 60s, was depressed, sure that her weight gain had caused her recent divorce. She began working out and eating better, and eventually the pounds came off. She felt great.

But, after a few months of being at her ideal weight, she began to feel depressed again. Life was blah. Though she kept up her exercise and diet regimen, she stopped being socially active. Then one day, she saw an ad for a research study offering free sessions of hope therapy.

Wheelchair Users Play Rugby as a Competitive Outlet

batch — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:05:08 -0600

Shephard Center, a rehabilitation clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, decided it needed to find a way to boost positive attitude for those who found themselves paralyzed from the waist down.

Play to Win

mcherkezian — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:30:58 -0500

There was a time in most of our lives when we had no fear—that feeling when we jumped from the jungle gym and slammed our little bodies to the ground.

Perhaps it was when we went on our first roller coaster, or when we were in high school or college and felt that there was nothing we couldn't do.

No goal was unattainable. We were an unstoppable force that would think of something and then make it happen.

Strength Amid the Recession

batch — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:05:06 -0500

The effects of the recession are taking a serious toll on American families—however, a new survey reveals the nation's women to be resilient and resourceful in the face of these challenges.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, more than two-thirds of female respondents to a telephone poll said that the poor economic climate has negatively affected their lives or the lives of their loved ones.

Dealing with…and Defeating Emotional Eating

mcherkezian — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:44:07 -0500

Question: I’m an emotional eater and stray at times. I then beat myself up...get back on track...and all the while worrying about my health. I had a heart attack in 2005 and made a lot of changes since then. Lately, however, I’m not as strict with my diet as I was right after the attack.

How can I get back to eating healthy?

Rolanda P.

Have a Laugh to Help Your Heart

jbloustein — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:51:30 -0500

Healthy eating may not be the only way to improve your cholesterol levels—try setting aside some time for a good laugh, scientists suggest.

Researchers from Loma Linda University in California found that adults with type II diabetes who let themselves laugh at "self-selected" humor for a half-hour each day boosted their health as a result.

The laughter group saw their levels of good cholesterol rise by 26 percent, while their levels of harmful C-reactive proteins dropped by 66 percent.

Some Things Are More Important Than Winning

admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:01:00 -0500

The Orange Bowl crowd let out a deafening roar. Penn State had just blocked a Kansas punt with a minute and 20 seconds left in the game.

That gave us the ball at mid-field and a slim chance to get back in the game which we were losing, 14-7.

Until then, it had looked as if our undefeated season of ten straight wins was going down the drain.

Americans See Upside Amid Downturn

batch — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:05:25 -0600

Nearly two years after the official start of the U.S. recession, a new survey reveals how Americans have responded to the resulting financial, lifestyle and emotional challenges in their lives.

According to the findings of the poll, conducted by Parade magazine, while the downturn may have come as a shock and caused a great deal of concern, a large proportion of people have approached the issue with a positive attitude.

My Waiting Game

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:45:00 -0500

Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, I always thought of baseball as a way of life. I couldn't get enough of it. But along with the hitting and fielding I developed a growing irritation for anything that didn't work out for me. I got bugged by things that took time.

Without my seeing it, this impatience began to carry over into various parts of my life. I remember once standing in line in the high school batting cage. I was anxious to take some extra cuts and annoyed that others were taking too many. I rudely pushed my way ahead of a couple of players.

Car Accident Survivor Inspires Through His Positive Attitude

batch — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:05:08 -0500

Some people who are involved in near-death car accidents are affected by it for the rest of their lives.

Brian Boyle took such an experience and became stronger.

After being involved in a car accident with a dump truck that nearly took his life in 2004, Boyle said he used a positive attitude to get him through the "dark days," allowing him to learn how to walk again and, eventually, participate in marathons and ironman competitions.