Two particularly masculine ways of expressing anger during fights with a significant other—letting it all out or shutting down emotionally—may take a toll on your health, but in very different ways. A team of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and Northwestern University found that men who explode with rage are more likely than...Continue reading
Remember the good old days when doctors used to make house calls? If you were feeling less than yourself, you’d pick up the phone, contact the family doctor and he or she would be right at your front door, medical bag in tow, ready to treat you. Over time, as doctor/patient relationships become “less personal,”...Continue reading
Helping your son or daughter get through a cold can be hard enough, so making healthcare decisions for them during a crisis can seem overwhelming. Aubrey and Jason Gibson know this first-hand. Three years ago their fourth-grade daughter Aria developed abdominal pains so severe, they took her to a nearby emergency department. Aria had appendicitis....Continue reading
As human beings, we’re constantly trying to find a balance between individuality and conformity. At first glance, it seems pretty easy: If forced to choose one over the other, most of us would instinctively opt for individuality. Conformity is seen as a deadly trap inhabited by mindless drones (just think of the negative images of...Continue reading
As I was recently arranging care for my ailing father-in-law, a friend texted me that I was in the “sandwich generation.” I texted back “No, that doesn’t quite capture it. A sandwich can be light and fluffy – it is more like a panini – hot pressure squeezing on both sides.” She replied: “Ha! You...Continue reading
If it weren’t for electricity, life as we know it in the United States would grind to a halt. But how much do you know about where all the electricity you’re using comes from? In rough numbers, 67 percent of our electricity comes from fossil fuels: coal (33 percent), natural gas (33 percent), and oil...Continue reading
For more than 100 years, scientists have told us that marriage is good for our health (especially if you’re a man). It reduces stress levels, lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke, and generally leads to longer lives. More recently, researchers have been looking at marital quality as a predictor of health, and the...Continue reading
Okay, so body size, youth, and symmetry play a part in dictating what we find attractive in prospective mates. Makes sense. But what about how we sound? Certainly, when it comes to romantic relationships, most humans would like to believe that since we’re more evolved than other animals, the words we speak to each other...Continue reading
We make decisions that affect our health all day long — when to go to bed, how many drinks to have, whether or not to exercise, and so on. Our choices are often influenced by the people around us. For example, if your partner wants to skip the gym, you might want to follow suit....Continue reading
If you have ever been a home owner then you will understand when I say that buying your own home is one of the most gratifying feelings in the world. Not simply because you know that you are financially stable enough as an adult to purchase a house, a place with four walls and a...Continue reading