Aging

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a general term for the loss of memory, language, and problem-solving skills. It also refers to other thinking abilities. These issues are severe enough to interfere with daily life. Too often, dementia is used to describe a state of confusion. It isn’t a disease but a broad group of symptoms caused by other conditions. The good news is that many causes are caused by delirium and curable. That’s why an assessment by a board-certified neurologist is crucial.  The next informational resource explains why a precise diagnosis is important. It will give you a general background to gain knowledge. This helps you advocate and ask pertinent questions during your consultations.

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Serotonin Robbers

By Nicolette Francey Asselin, M.D

1. Sparkless Days

Happiness determines how long we live and how strong our families are.

After returning from an overseas trip, I was fighting time changes and a cold that robbed me of hours of sleep. The day ahead appeared blurred, faint, colorless, and gray. The natural sparkle that generated my sense of enthusiasm and fired my first steps out of bed, had vanished. Later, I sat down to my favorite routine, writing, but chapters I had written appeared dull, unexciting, and soporific. The sunless day weighed heavily on me, or even spicy food seemed bland, vapid, and savorless. Why such a low mood? My husband and I had just had a pleasant visit with my family in Europe, and no dark clouds were lurking on the horizon of our peaceful lives. Full story

This story is the first of a 4 part article series:

  • 1. Sparkless Days
  • 2. Portrait of the Robbers
  • 3. Tryptophan Deprivation
  • 4. Manufacturing the “Magic Powder”

This article can be followed in ReFlex-ions.

Increasing Life Expectancy

By Jane Brody

Where’s the best place in America to live if you want to maximize your chances of living longer?

Based on an authoritative new state-by-state study of the American burden of disease, disability and premature death, and how it has changed from 1990 to 2016, you might consider setting down roots in Hawaii, where residents have the longest life expectancy 81.3 years.

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