Staying active is imperative to living a long, healthy and happy life. Lifestyles that incorporate a variety of physical, mental and social activities can really enhance the lives of seniors during their “Golden Years.” Studies have shown that even moderate to light exercise and physical activity can improve the health of individuals who are frail or have health issues that accompany aging. For many seniors, independence is vital to their quality of life. By increasing your physical activity, you can remain strong and fit, allowing you to continue independently doing the things you like to do.
Students in the Physical Therapy Department at the University of Michigan-Flint have big hearts – and a huge desire to contribute to the community. They not only undergo rigorous physical therapy training and study for many long and tedious hours; they have also formed a student-led, pro bono clinic at the Catholic Charities North End Soup Kitchen. Founded in January 2012, the non-profit clinic is called PT HEART (Physical Therapy, Health Education and Rehabilitation Treatment). The clinic is overseen by a student board of directors, operated by students, and is funded through grants, donations and fundraising.
Snoring can be a funny thing. Many a YouTube video shows people in the depths of sleep and sounding like a chainsaw. I, too, have chuckled at how funny they can be. Like many aspects of medicine, however, snoring has a severity spectrum ranging from funny to life-threatening. While snoring can certainly be life-threatening for adults in terms of “spousal retaliation,” the more “medical” consequence is related to sleep apnea. This latter category is more accurately referred to as obstructive sleep apnea, and is evidenced by pauses in breathing/snoring when the chest is moving like it’s trying to breathe, but no air or minimal air is going into the lungs.
Most Michigan residents are familiar with the mosquitoes that we often encounter during our summer months. Further, the current focus on Zika virus and its association to babies born with severe brain defects has captured international attention.
The long, busy and active days of summer are finally here! This is the perfect time to freshen up your snacking habits.
“Perfection” being the American model enables us to avoid the reality that we all have special needs. The brain does not function perfectly for anyone throughout a lifetime. We all have imbalances that start in the brain; some occur prior to birth, and others after. With most neurologically typical births, the child’s brain development continues and they can quite gracefully assimilate environmental inputs received by their senses. A neurologically compromised individual struggles to function in the chaotic environment of light, sound, taste, touch, smell, words and feelings; and they need to learn coping mechanisms in a highly-structured manner. The truth is: we are all far from perfect.
September is National Service Dog Month, dedicated to raising awareness and showing appreciation for the extraordinary work that service animals do.
Practiced for hundreds of years, midwifery is a medical profession that is present all over the world. Throughout that time, it has morphed into a refined and evidence-based childbirth method in which many people have expertise. The field, itself, includes both Certified Nursing Midwives who work with hospitals, as well as midwives who have their own practices.
For kids, summer camp can be a profound experience – an opportunity to be outside and physically active, gain confidence and resiliency – and to unplug from technology! Since 1916, The YMCA Camp Copneconic has been providing outdoor programs for kids and families. According to Executive Director John Carlson, Camp Copneconic has become the leading camp in the nation in forging partnerships with local organizations to meet the changing health needs of the community, and provide high-quality care for all children at camp.
Every year, aquatics-based activities bring tens of thousands of people to the water – along with thousands of preventable injuries. Swimming, boating, fishing and kayaking are a few of these activities that can and should be safe, if you follow a few preventive measures.
You might be surprised to know that one of every two Americans over the age of 30 has periodontal disease. After the age of 65, this unfortunate statistic increases to 70 percent. Currently, 64.7 million Americans are affected – 56.4 percent are men and 38.4 percent are women.
