Taking a break When the snow melts for good and the sun comes out, so does my hammock. Fortunately, my boss (me) thinks taking a nap is ok — healthy even. A 20-minute power nap swinging under a blue sky between the birch trees. Doesn't that sound heavenly? Check out this infographic from Patio Productions (they [...]
Adding nuts to your diet is a smart move for your health. We have some nutty ideas to get you started.
I recently wrote a blog post encouraging you to ask your doctor how much tests and procedures will cost. Sharon Rose Vaznis and I continued the conversation on the Morning Report with a look at the often confusing pricing structure. Retail price versus negotiated price. What’s that all about? Watch the video. [...]
Imagine that you have trudged to the top of your favorite sliding hill. A deep breath and down you fly — sitting or stretched out on your belly. Your choice.
Last year, my family had some unexpected medical expenses. The bills began to add up after I had my annual mammogram. Because there were some suspicious looking calcifications, I was called back for additional views. Next, I had a stereotactic biopsy, which was positive for DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ or stage zero breast cancer). [...]
Happily, little Wiper is doing better. His brush with Lyme Disease serves as reminder to protect our pets against deer ticks. Sharon and I pass along some important Lyme Disease prevention tips on the Morning Report. […]
Source: Choral Art Society You wouldn’t think that Alzheimer’s or any form of dementia was something to sing about. I’m not talking about the effect music can have on someone with dementia, which I happened to witness just the other day at the memory care facility where my mother lives. (I [...]
A few weeks ago sweet little Wiper was so sick his humans thought he might be dying. Terrified, they rushed him to the nearest veterinary clinic.
Hip joints are pretty amazing. At the top of their game, they allow us to move in all directions. It takes a lot to hurt a healthy hip, but age brings risks.
Achievement can be significant for anyone, but especially someone with a mental illness. That's why the Cabin Fever Art Show at the Maine Jewish Museum is important.
Source: Spurwink Guest post by Sue Murphy, BS, Adult Program Senior Program Director, Spurwink Films by, for and about people with developmental and intellectual disabilities — including autism — increase knowledge and understanding. […]
Source: Pond5 When I was growing up, my father was always trying to save energy and money. We were a big family and used a lot of electricity, heat and water. He would constantly scold me and my siblings for leaving on the lights, taking too long in the shower [...]
A split second. That’s all it took for life to change for every single person in this picture. Carole Starr, for instance. She’s smack dab in the middle, wearing a blue top. Carole suffered a traumatic brain injury when she was in a car accident 15 years ago. At the time, she was a teacher [...]
© Kengmerry | Dreamstime.com Did you know? It takes a minimum of 25 years to build a basic brain. And we all play a role in shaping the adolescent brain. […]
Deb Nelson When you first hear the news that you have cancer, it’s like being punched in the gut. Your brain is instantaneously filled with a million questions, but you’re so dumbfounded that, even if they made sense, you couldn’t get them out. The best you can do is ask, [...]
Do you find that the older you get, the more trouble you have sleeping? You’re not alone. Insomnia is a fairly common problem at any age, but even more so once you hit 60. It’s estimated that half the people in the United States who are 60 and older either have trouble getting to sleep or [...]
Source: Pond5 I’m guessing that a few people are hung over today after celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Do you have a tried and true hangover cure? […]
In a split second, Martha Davoli's view of the world shifted, literally and figuratively, when she slipped on the ice and hit the back of her head.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee released a new report that has big implications for the health status of Americans.
If you’re dealing with cancer, your primary focus should be on getting better. It’s not always easy, especially if you’re worrying about things like how you’ll get to and from treatments, pay your bills or take care of your house and family. Today on the Morning Report, we talk about how Karen Page and the [...]
With below zero temperatures in Maine, it’s important to be on the lookout for signs of hypothermia. Sharon and I shared some lifesaving advice on the News Center Morning Report. […]
I was recently invited to tour the Stewart Center in Falmouth — an adult day center for people living with dementia. It’s in the former Lunt School on the grounds of OceanView, a large retirement community that also includes the recently opened Legacy Memory Care residence. […]
Imagine suddenly become allergic to all sorts of things — smells, soap, dust — everything. That’s what happened to 30-year-old Crystal Goodwin. A little over three years ago she started having severe allergic reactions about every two to three weeks. I shared her story on the Morning Report. […]
I was invited by MaineHealth to “watch” a Twitter chat recently. It was organized by the MaineHealth Learning Resource Center and was its first ever. For those of you who don’t know, a Twitter chat is a live conversation on Twitter centered around a specific topic. In this case, since it’s American Heart month, the [...]
Shoveling pounds and pounds of snow can take its toll on your heart and your back. Catching Health has some helpful tips.
We all have different ways of reacting to and coping with challenging or traumatic events. An expert on post-traumatic stress shares some possible signs to watch out for.
Source: CDC The last major outbreak of measles in the United States was 1989 – 1991. Dr. Dora Anne Mills, former head of the Maine CDC, remembers it well. […]
In the United States alone, 27,000 people are diagnosed with an HPV-related cancer every year. That is a new case every 20 minutes. Prevention is possible.
Source: Pond5 Guest post by Patsy Catsos, MS, RDN, LD, courtesy of the Maine Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. Most people experience uncomfortable, but transient digestive symptoms at some point or another, and while it might not be something we want to chat about with others, it’s a good idea [...]
The trouble with blue light is that it can interfere big time with our sleep. If you’re in the dark about blue light, watch this video of Sharon and I talking about the issue on the Morning Report. […]
Winter in New England can be a beautiful time of year. It can also trigger seasonable depression in some people. We have some advice from an expert.