Communicating across the generations
Alexis Bentz is a high school student who writes for the Beacon about ways older adults and students can learn from each other and develop better communication. All humans have an innate need for connection. We crave social interaction and thrive when we are surrounded by friends and loved ones. At the same time, we also have a natural fear of putting ourselves out there to make new... READ MORE
Explaining love hormones, eye floaters
Q: Do humans really have a love hormone? A: Yes, we do. It’s called oxytocin. It’s one of the many hormones released into the blood stream from the pituitary gland, a small structure at the base of our brain. It got the name “love hormone” because of its association with intimacy, both physical and mental. The pituitary gland releases oxytocin in response to a variety of... READ MORE
Options for those with hearing problems
Stephen Moore began to realize he had hearing problems more than a decade ago, when people seemed to mumble in conversations. He asked his wife to repeat lines at the movies. “It drove her crazy,” he said. He turned the TV volume up so high that family members complained. Finally, when he felt he was missing out on hearing important details during meetings at work, he got his... READ MORE
Volunteers recognized for lifelong service
At the age of 18, on the verge of starting college, Sharyn Duffin suffered an illness that nearly took her life, and left her blind and confined to a wheelchair. She persevered at her studies, taking only a few classes per semester for a number of years, until she earned both an associate’s degree from Montgomery College and an interdisciplinary bachelor’s in political science and... READ MORE
Can acupuncture replace opioids for pain?
Marine veteran Jeff Harris was among the first to sign up when the Providence VA hospital started offering acupuncture for chronic pain. “I don’t like taking pain medication. I don’t like the way it makes me feel,” he said. Harris also didn’t want to risk getting addicted to heavy-duty prescription painkillers. Although long derided as pseudoscience and still questioned by... READ MORE
Why do some stay so sharp as they age?
It’s pretty extraordinary for people in their 80s and 90s to keep the same sharp memory as someone several decades younger, and now scientists are peeking into the brains of these “superagers” to uncover their secret. The work is the flip side of the disappointing hunt for new drugs to fight or prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Instead, “why don’t we figure out what it is we... READ MORE
Testing acupuncture against side effects
Studies have shown that complementary medical therapies, such as acupuncture, can be highly effective in controlling symptoms of disease without the unpleasant side effects many traditional therapies have. GBMC and Mend Acupuncture are currently conducting a study to look at the use of acupuncture during cancer treatment as a cost-effective, non-drug tool for symptom management. The... READ MORE
How to keep your kidneys healthy as you age
Q: I recently was told that kidney function declines with age, and was wondering what I could do to keep my kidneys healthy? A: As we grow older, our kidneys undergo a gradual decline, even for people who do not have kidney disease. One major function of the kidneys is to remove waste products as well as excess fluid from the body through urine output. The kidneys also help... READ MORE
Powerlifter pushes herself to new heights
The year was 1986, and 40-year-old Linda Odum had a goal: to earn a spot on the U.S. Taekwondo team — a demonstration sport debuting at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Because she was older than her competitors, she felt she needed to step up her game and become stronger. She knew increased strength could give her the edge to make the team. Having come of age when women were not... READ MORE
Address daughter-in-law issues directly
Dear Solutions: My daughter-in-law came to stay at my house for a few days while she had a job close to where I live but far from where she lives. Without going into details, she just ignored certain ways I do things in my home, and acted as if I could be ignored. I asked her to go to dinner with me, and it was arranged —until her friend called, and then she just broke our... READ MORE
Health 2024
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