Individuality vs. Conformity: Can’t Have One without the Other
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→
Sports, Concussions, and Traumatic Brain Injury, Part II
The Effects of Concussions The following Monday afternoon I went to football practice and sat with the team in the locker room to review the game film with the coaches. The head coach stopped the film after the kickoff and said, “The coaches and I have never seen a player run so fast down the...CONTINUE READING→
Detecting Early Signs of Alzheimer’s
The elusive cause of Alzheimer’s disease continues to frustrate researchers but they are getting better at discovering earlier indicators of it. A new report from researchers at the University of Calgary in Canada presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2016 (AAIC 2016), have developed a 38-point checklist that could be beneficial to doctors in...CONTINUE READING→
Too Much Protein, Not Enough Fiber
There’s no question that protein is important. It plays a role in just about everything that goes on in our body, keeping our bones and muscles strong; our nails, skin, and hair looking good; our internal organs running properly; and more. But the proliferation of high-protein products and the nonstop barrage of ads has got...CONTINUE READING→
How to Preserve Your Senses as You Age
As you get older, it’s normal to find that you’re not able to see, hear or smell things as well as when you were younger. Yes, you grow older and wiser, but you also feel older and less sharp in your senses. Luckily, there are preventative measures you can start taking now to preserve your...CONTINUE READING→
The Frightening World of Sports, Concussions, and Traumatic Brain Injury, Part I
Why I Quit Playing Football Thirty years ago, I abruptly quit playing high school football while my team was preparing for a playoff game in which the winner would advance to the 1985 New Hampshire Division I-High School Football Championship. My teammates and coaches were upset at me and confused as to why I just stopped...CONTINUE READING→
Greater Access to Long-Term-Care: A Call from the Panini Generation
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→
The Future of Do-It-Yourself Medicine
Why see a doctor if you can Google your symptoms anyway? Shucks, you can tile your bathroom, build a deck or even add a floor to your house using Home Depot. Resources for everything you can think, or do, are available on the world-wide-web. Don’t believe me? Just check out the innumerable “For Dummies” books online. Needed...CONTINUE READING→
Ferment Your Way to Optimal Health
There has been a rise in the flourishing and enthusiastic trend of experimenting with fermentation to enhance flavors and create healthier and more sustainable foods. Of course, fermentation is by no means a recent technique. It is ancient and there is evidence from the Neolithic period that suggests that there was intentional fermentation of fruit,...CONTINUE READING→
Here Comes the Sun: Are You Ready for Solar?
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→