Andre Agassi or Serena Williams you may not be, but according to the American Journal of Medicine, the value of playing tennis through middle age is invaluable to a healthy heart. A study of 1,000 men who played tennis during their 20s and who continued on through their 40s, 50s and 60s found that only 12 percent had developed cardiovascular disease during the follow-up period of 40 years compared to 28 percent of non-tennis players.
The sexes at battle once again — he says go north, she says turn by the gas station. But instead of there being a clear victor in the war of navigation, both may be correct according to a new study published in Behavioral Neuroscience. Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan have found men and women do equally fine with receiving directions — when done so according to their preference. For instance, men do better when given abstract spatial cues, such as compass directions or distance. Women, on the other hand, do better when given landmarks.
According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, snacking throughout the day and eating as many as six meals or more can reduce cholesterol levels (under the guide you don’t consume more calories than you would in a normal day). After testing 15,000 men and women, researchers found those who ate six or more meals had a cholesterol reading 5 percent lower than those who ate one or two meals daily.
According to the environmental group Coming Clean, chemicals known as phthalates are in a number of everyday consumer products, including cosmetics. This harmful plasticizer is used as a softening agent in vinyl products, including, feeding bottles, teethers, perfumes, soaps, lotions, shampoos, and more, and can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested. In animal studies, phthalates have been known to cause organ damage, reproductive problems and developmental inadequacies.
Babies born into a household with pets may have a decreased risk of suffering from allergies down the road, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study evaluated the pet population in the suburban Detroit homes of 474 infants. Six to seven years later, the same children were tested for common allergens such as dust mites, dog, cat, ragweed and blue grass.
The winter season brings with it cooler temperatures and drier air, which can lead to skin dehydration, formation of fine lines and loss of nutrients. Incorporating some specific face and body treatments into your weekly regimen can help to combat these skin concerns. These seasonal treatments can assist in rebalancing the skin, as well as helping to prevent premature aging.
Each of us has the opportunity to go through life with courage and face our difficulties with dignity. This is a story about the forces of nature and the power of personal intent. After working within the beauty industry as a makeup artist and an esthetician for some time, I came to the conclusion — I was more than a beauty expert, I had become a healer.
Martha had just completed many months of treatment for breast cancer and was on a cruise to relax after the arduous experience. What she was most looking forward to after boarding the ship was receiving a massage. For weeks beforehand she had anticipated it. But when the time finally came, Martha was turned away. The massage therapist had been taught never to massage clients with cancer. Unfortunately the therapist didn’t know that a cancer diagnosis is no longer an automatic contraindication for massage.
While the changes accompanying aging can be unsettling and frightening to the elderly, it’s comforting to know that something as simple as frequent touch can stimulate maturing minds and bodies, ensuring that the concomitant traumas of our later years are minimized. As a bodyworker, bringing touch to this facility-bound population can bring both heartache and joy, but the value of your work cannot be denied.
One day after attending a geriatric workshop seminar, I visited a neighborhood boutique. While browsing, I overheard a customer tell the clerk she had fibromyalgia. Trying to explain the disorder to the clerk, the woman sighed and said doctors don’t know exactly what fibromyalgia is. Those who have it experience a general muscular aching, pain and stiffness, she explained. “I also have certain points that are so tender at times I can’t even get dressed,” said the woman. “With me, it began one day when I got the flu.
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