Category: Better Living

Latin Dancing May Boost Brain Health, Study Finds

If you like to dance, here’s some great news: It may help your brain. A new study suggests that Latin dance classes may be more than a great workout and social outlet: They could help your brain. The research indicates that learning the intricate steps of salsa, samba, and merengue may also improve memory. The…


Possible Food Shortages Have You Worried?

Depending on where you live, there may be food shortages as we head into summer. Now is a perfect time to stock up on fresh local produce as the growing season bursts forth. Most of us don’t think twice about going to the store when we need groceries. We are used to buying what we…


Migraines: What You Need to Know

B.B. is a 32-year-old woman who has suffered from monthly migraines since she was about 15. The first two days of her period were so bad that as a teenager she couldn’t go to school; as an adult, she also can’t work for those two days each month. She tried multiple medications, but experienced too…


An Effective Yet Neglected Treatment for Chronic Pain

More than 20 percent of U.S. adults—50 million people—live with chronic pain such as spinal disorders and disc disease, pinched nerves, low back pain, neck pain, complex regional pain syndromes, fibromyalgia, shingles, diabetes-caused neuropathies, and arthritic and musculoskeletal conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People suffering with chronic pain were frequent…


Decluttering Mistakes to Avoid

As I stood in my kitchen, my view spanned across the countertops, into the living room, and through the adjacent playroom. I saw piles of unopened mail, dozens of small toys scattered by my toddler, last night’s clean dishes left to dry next to the sink, and a large stack of clothes that beckoned to…


Try to Do This Once an Hour to Keep Blood Moving

It’s easy to take a seat and not give it up. Last night, for example, I sat down around 7 p.m. and don’t think I moved until about 10:45. The seat was just that good. I know you can relate. You’ve likely sat through an entire sports game, movie, or back-to-back episode of a binge-able…


Why We Don’t Change What We Can Change

Have you ever found yourself in a situation you didn’t want to be in? If you’re over the age of 7, the answer, I’m guessing, is yes. As a therapist, I often meet people in moments of conflict. Something in their life isn’t working, but they don’t know how to get out of it; they…


Fight Off Osteoporosis by Strengthening Your Bones

A strong musculoskeletal system holds you together—literally. It’s important from your formative years to later life. With proper nutrition and consistent exercise, you can stay vital well into your golden years. That’s important, because an ever-larger percent of the American people is over 65 years old. Just as engineers reinforce a building’s framework to withstand…


Ending the Vicious Cycle of Insomnia Without Sleeping Pills

“O sleep! O gentle sleep! Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee? That thou no more wilt weigh mine eyelids down and sleep my senses in forgetfulness?”—William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act 3, Scene 1 The state of worldly affairs is enough to keep anyone awake, but when our sleep is regularly disrupted,…


Uncommon Sleep Advice From an Expert and Why Sleeping Pills Should Be a Last Resort

“O sleep! O gentle sleep! Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee? That thou no more wilt weigh mine eyelids down and sleep my senses in forgetfulness?”—William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act 3, Scene 1 The state of worldly affairs is enough to keep anyone awake, but when our sleep is regularly disrupted,…