On election day, it feels right to talk about choices. When they come in ballot form, with the options laid out clearly in front of us, our choices can be easy to identify and navigate: we choose what we want and we fill in the circle. In this specific scenario, despite the ease of implementation, we understand the gravity of our decisions. Who we choose as president will ultimately dictate the type of leadership we want for ourselves, and the lives we want to lead as individ

Recent research points to happiness increasing with age, with elderly people experiencing more happiness than their younger counterparts. When considering the specific challenges the geriatric population faces, which include but are not limited to, illness, dementia, relinquishment of autonomy, death of partners and loved ones, this research is surprising, to say the least. Dr. Dilip V. Jeste, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, suggests why

It is my experience that people often feel the need to know what is wrong first in order to seek the help they require. This makes sense, of course, in the world in which we live. We seek services once we have identified the problem. When our tooth hurts, we hope it's not a cavity and we pray it's not a root canal, and with our fingers crossed we make an appointment to go to the dentist. The same is true of any physical ailment we are able to identify in our body. Once we rec

According to a New York Times article, loneliness may be bad for your heart in a very literal sense. The findings indicate that social isolation or loneliness can increase one's risk of heart attack, angina, death from heart disease and risk of stroke, by more than 25% percent, regardless of sex. A scary finding. Our social networks, comprised of supportive family, friendships, romantic relationships and community, are what keep us healthy. Therefore, the time, attention, ef

The New York Times highlighted a study in Translational Psychiatry that found that individuals diagnosed with depression experienced a decrease in symptomology as well as beneficial changes in brain structure when coupling meditation with running. 52 participants diagnosed with depression, both men and women, underwent an 8 week experiment in which they were required to meditate and exercise twice a week. Participants were required to meditate for 20 minutes with specific ins

Brief answers to important questions on the topic of postpartum depression. This is such an important article and area of focus. As many as 1 in 5 women develop mental illness during or after pregnancy. Whether it's you or someone you know, staying informed, helping to eradicate shame, and seeking out the necessary treatment is the best possible thing to do for both mommy and baby. Link to article here. #postpartumdepression #womensmentalhealth #depression #mentalillness #pre