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Mind & Mood Archive

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Play helps children practice key skills and build their strengths

In our increasingly digital world, it's not surprising that children are spending more and more of their time on some sort of device. But there are skills that devices can't teach — and that children need to learn.

Social challenges such as isolation linked to earlier death

A 2023 study suggests that certain social challenges, such as isolation, may be useful to help predict older adults' risk of earlier death.

Managing stress and eating leafy vegetables may protect the brain

Two studies found that managing stress and eating a plant-based diet with at least seven servings of leafy green vegetables per week can help improve cognitive function and protect against Alzheimer's disease, respectively.

Sneezy and dopey? Seasonal allergies and your brain

Allergy season is longer and more intense this year—causing sneezing, and itchy eyes in millions of people. But allergies also affect the brain, causing symptoms like brain fog. Here are some ways to prevent or ease brain fog from allergies.

Dementia: Coping with common, sometimes distressing behaviors

Dementia poses many challenges, both for people struggling with it and for those close to them. Understanding common behaviors and learning to handle situations that arise can help families and caregivers.

Can a healthy lifestyle ward off memory decline?

A 2023 study involving more than 29,000 older adults without dementia, followed for 10 years, suggested that people who stuck to at least four healthy lifestyle habits had significantly slower memory decline than people who didn't practice any healthy habits.

How to deal with grief

Grief can occur from the death of a family member or a friend, from a sudden change in health or lifestyle, or even after a traumatic event like a natural disaster or a mass shooting. No matter the source, grief can cause deep emotional and physical pain. Going through the grieving process is essential for healing. Certain strategies can support people along the way, such as reaching out to the deceased person's social circle, trying talk therapy, and exploring spirituality.

Junk food addiction more common in women

A 2022 nationally representative poll indicated that nearly one in five older women reported symptoms of addiction to highly processed foods and drinks over the prior year.

Does less TV time lower your risk for dementia?

More physical activity and less time watching TV is best for the body. But how does television time affect risk for declines in memory and problem-solving ability or risk for developing dementia? Researchers have been digging into these questions.

Some blood pressure drugs may lower dementia risk

Taking antihypertension drugs to lower blood pressure that also stimulate type 2 and 4 angiotensin II receptors in the brain may offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

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