Mental Health and the Silver Tsunami

An older woman sits on a sofa, hands on her legs, looking away with an air of sadness
Over the past few years, I’ve been pleased to see mental health getting more of the attention it deserves as a factor in overall health. But as a physician who specialized in geriatrics, I feel more awareness is needed of the mental health of older adults. There’s no better time than now, after we’ve been social distancing for months through the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic....
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Repeat After Me: Self-Care is Not Selfish

A young woman relaxes with a book and a cup of coffee.
Like many women, I tend to put my health and well-being last on my list of priorities. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I went to see my specialist (yet I manage to schedule and attend many of my husband’s and parents’ appointments) or even worked out consistently (but I watch the baby so my husband can work out two to three times a week)....
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Can Yoga Help with Depression?

A young woman meditates, practicing yoga
Lots of people struggle with their mood, but depression is more than just “feeling blue” for a few days. Depression is a common medical condition that can affect anyone, at any time, and at any age.

Recognize the Signs

Depression is serious and can come at any time. Symptoms include fatigue, irritability, over eating or loss of appetite,...
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Tips to Protect Your Skin in the Sun

A woman reads in a shady garden
For the past few months, everything in my life seems to revolve around COVID-19. When I’m not working from home, I’m foraging for food, making sure I have my prescriptions filled, adjusting to telemedicine visits with my doctor, and remembering how to take care of myself. Taking care of yourself while being socially isolated can be quite challenging....
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Heart Smarts: 4 Tips for Lifelong Heart Health

Selection of food that is good for the heart, rustic wood background
Half of all Americans have one of the top three risk factors for heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Are you one of them? Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but the news isn’t all bleak. Take a minute to improve your heart smarts to help you keep your ticker in tip-top shape: 1....
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The Power of the Brain Break: Balancing Your News Intake with Mental Breathers

A young man tends a garden
The COVID-19 global pandemic has nearly everyone glued to the news 24/7. With things changing by the minute, the news can seemingly provide a sense of control because knowledge is power, right? Sometimes. The problem with the constant newsfeed is that it often does the opposite — leaving us feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, and powerless. Our brains were not designed to handle this information overload....
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Rescue Your Recipe: Easy Ingredient Swaps

A woman looks into a refrigerator
Now that I’m spending most of my time at home, I am cooking more than usual. This gives me the perfect opportunity to try out all those recipes that I’ve been saving on my computer. While I’ve been able to create quite a few culinary masterpieces, I’ve also had a couple recipes almost derailed by one missing ingredient....
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Mental Health Month: Stress Management for Your Overall Health

If you let your stress go unmanaged, you could be putting your health at risk.
As we go from adolescent to adult, it’s typical for our responsibilities to grow over time. It starts with being on time for school and doing homework and evolves to a line-up that includes bills, jobs, significant others, home ownership, debt, kids, and more. Before you know it, you’re full-blown adulting. And, if you’re like me,...
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How the COVID-19 Outbreak Made Independence Member Robert Heiler a Believer in Telemedicine

An older man uses telemedicine from his laptop
Technology has made our lives simpler, faster, and better in more ways than we can count. But having grown up in a generation where the most techie thing I owned was a transistor radio, I’ve been admittedly slow to embrace the electronic world in which we live. I finally converted to a smart phone last year,...
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Top 3 Ways to Add Well-being to Your Workday

A young man stretches at the desk in his home office
Sitting at a desk all day can take a toll on your mind, body, and spirit. Consider these three things you can do while you work to protect your health and well-being.

Stand Up for Yourself (Literally!)

It’s been said that that sitting is the new smoking. Don’t believe it? Google it! Even if you’re physically active outside of work,...
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