This week a 90s heartthrob died of a massive stroke. Luke Perry was a relatively young 52 when he suffered a massive stroke. While that seems quite young, ten percent of strokes happen in adults younger than 45.  The causes are many, but the prevalence of diabetes and obesity are largely to blame as well as smoking or, more rarely, an injury that damages a blood vessel in the brain. A stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or bursts. When this happens, the impacted part of the brain starts to die, leading to common symptoms such as numbness or difficulty with speech.  A... Read More

If you are of a certain age, you remember when computers were huge mainframes in the computer science lab, you took a typewriter to college, and you wrote notes by hand in class. Technology has presented us with many modern opportunities to take notes – laptops, tablets, phones, watches.  While we have many options at our disposal, science is proving that the best way to take notes for retaining knowledge is a good, old-fashioned paper and pen. Studies of memory retention using a variety of different tools for note taking show that note-taking by hand improves retention in almost all circumstances.... Read More

Recently, an article in Forbes magazine highlighted a study in Australia that claimed, when it came to weight loss, there was no significant difference in people assigned to skip breakfast and those assigned to eat it. Some in the intermittent fasting community say you should not eat anything before 11AM, so your eating cycle can go on later in the day and make you less likely to break the fast before bedtime. While these assertions may be true, there are some good reasons to eat breakfast. There are studies that show those who eat earlier in the day lose more weight than those who eat later in... Read More

If you look closely at a Gatorade commercial featuring Serena Williams called “You Fuel Us, We’ll Fuel You,” you may have noticed she is wearing a small patch.  That patch is a biosensor being used as a health monitor—in this case, by assessing sweat. Biosensors are currently being tested in athletes, but have other applications in the world of health. The sensor itself is a soft, flexible patch that adheres to the skin and is placed directly on the forearm or back. It’s a little larger than a quarter and about the same thickness. Fluids can be collected non-invasively and many... Read More

It’s February, the month we celebrate matters of the heart. Valentine’s Day aside, February is also American Heart Month and Go Red for Women Day, the American Heart Association’s initiative to increase women’s heart health awareness. What better time to talk about that thing that makes you tick? The Centers for Disease Control identifies cardiovascular disease as the number one killer of Americans. Most Americans know the most common indicators of heart trouble, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, weight, and diabetes. Instead of sharing traditional heart health tips,... Read More

Winter is not a fun time to date.  On the coldest of days you might not feel like going anywhere or doing anything.  You’re bundled up in your warmest, perhaps least sexy-feeling clothes and have hat hair.  So how do you break out of the winter dating funk? Here are some tips to make your winter dating experience a little brighter. Tell your friends.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from those who love you. There’s a feeling of trust that comes from meeting your friends’ friends. It can be scary to tell people that you’re looking for love, but 39% of people report meeting their mate... Read More

Low- and no- carb eating is all the rage these days.  Ditching carbs is tough to do-over the long haul. For starters, adults in the U.S. get about 50 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates. If you cut out all carbs, you’ll have to give up fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans — which are the building blocks of a healthy diet. If you’re a woman, you may be doing yourself a disservice giving up carbs.  For women, particularly peri-menopausal or menopausal women, carbs stimulate serotonin production in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that governs our mood.  Some... Read More

Already struggling with your New Year’s resolution?  Most will abandon their resolutions as early as February.  If you feel like you keep setting goals for yourself and then failing to achieve them, instead of doing the same thing (can you say the definition of insanity?), try something new! Micro resolutions are small goals that you can achieve in 30 days or less.  The goal of the micro resolution is that each goal snowballs into the next, creating a pattern for success.  If you don’t accomplish your goal, you start with a clean slate the next month.  Here are some tips for successfully... Read More

Did you resolve to eat healthier in 2019?  Eating healthy is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, right up there with “spend less money” and “exercise more.” Healthy eating can be expensive if you’re on a tight budget, but it can be done with a little thought and creativity.  Here are some easy tips for eating healthy on a budget: Plan your meals. If you plan your meals, build a shopping list, and only buy what’s on the list, you’ll spend less on stuff you don’t need.  You can save even more if you take a look at what’s on sale at your grocery store... Read More

It’s more than just a song lyric—rainy days really can get you down! Weather has a definite effect on our emotions. About 9 percent of people fall into a “rain haters” category, a group that feels angrier and less happy on days with more precipitation.  When it’s dark and dreary, some of us are more susceptible to feeling lonely or down. A lack of sunlight can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This mood disorder usually affects people during the months when daylight becomes more scarce. When exposed to less sunlight, your body produces more melatonin, the hormone which... Read More