6 Things Happy People Never Do

by Guest Blogger, Marc Chernoff

Happiness is not something you postpone for future; it is something you design into present.

Happiness, Heart & Health

Happy people do a lot of things.  They spend time expressing gratitude, cultivating optimism, practicing kindness, nurturing loving relationships, committing to meaningful goals, savoring life’s little pleasures, and so on and so forth.

But they NEVER…

1.  Mind other people’s business.

Forget about what others are doing.  Stop looking at where they are and what they have.  Nobody is doing better than you because nobody can do better than you.  YOU are walking your own path.  Sometimes the reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes circumstances with everyone else’s public highlight reel.  We listen to the noise of the world, instead of ourselves.  So stop the comparisons!  Ignore the distractions.  Listen to your own inner voice.  Mind your own business.

Keep your best wishes and your biggest goals close to your heart and dedicate time to them every day.  Don’t be scared to walk alone, and don’t be scared to enjoy it.  Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best you can be.  Keep doing what you know in your heart is right, for YOU.  Because when you are focused on meaningful work and at peace within yourself, almost nothing can shake you.  (Angel and I discuss this in more detail in the “Passion and Growth” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

2.  Seek validation of self-worth from others.

When you are content to simply be yourself, without comparing and competing to impress others, everyone worthwhile will respect you.  And even more importantly, you will respect yourself.

How are you letting others define you?  What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

Truth be told, no one has the right to judge you.  People may have heard your stories, and they may think they know you, but they can’t feel what you are going through; they aren’t living YOUR life.  So forget what they think and say about you.  Focus on how you feel about yourself, and keep walking the path that feels best under your feet.

Those who accept you are your friends.  Those who don’t are your teachers.  If someone calls you something and it’s true, it’s not your problem because it’s true.  If someone calls you something and it’s not true, it’s not your problem because it’s not true.  Either way, whatever they call you is not your problem.  What other people call you is their problem…

What you call yourself, and who you decide to become, is your problem.

3.  Rely on other people and external events for happiness.

Unhappiness lies in that gap between what we have now and what we think we need.  But the truth is, we don’t need to acquire anything more to be content with what we already have.  We don’t need anyone else’s permission to be happy.  Your life is magnificent not because someone says it is, or because you have acquired something new, but because you choose to see it as such.  Don’t let your happiness be held hostage.  It is always yours to choose, to live and experience.

As soon as you stop making everyone and everything else responsible for your happiness, the happier you’ll be.  If you’re unhappy now, it’s not someone else’s fault.  Take full responsibility for your own unhappiness, and you will instantly gain the ability to be happier.  Stop seeking in vain to arrange conditions that will make you happy.  Simply choose to appreciate the greatness that is yours in this moment, and the right conditions will start to line up around the contentment you seek.

The greater part of your happiness or unhappiness depends upon your outlook, and not upon our situation.  Even if things aren’t perfect right now, think of all the beauty still left around you.  A good reason to smile is always one thought away; choose to tap into it any time you like.  (Read The Gifts of Imperfection.)

4.  Hold on to resentment.

Let today be the day you stop being haunted by the ghosts from your past.  What happened in the past is just one chapter in your story; don’t close the book, just turn the page.

We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others, and while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long.  Feelings of resentment urge us to relive the same pain over and over, and we have a hard time letting go.

Forgiveness is the remedy.  It allows you to focus on the future without combating the past.  To understand the infinite potential of everything going forward is to forgive everything already behind you.  Without forgiveness, wounds can never be healed and personal growth can never be achieved.  It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened.  It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.

5.  Spend prolonged periods of time in negative environments.

You can’t make positive choices for the rest of your life without an environment that makes those choices easy, natural, and enjoyable.  So protect your spirit and potential from contamination by limiting your time with negative people and the environments they inhabit.

When other people invite you to act like victims, when they whine and moan about the unfairness of life, for example, and ask you to agree, to offer condolences, and to participate in their grievances, WALK AWAY.  When you join in that game of negativity you always lose.

Even when you’re alone, create a positive mental space for yourself.  Make it a point to give up all the thoughts that make you feel bad, or even just a few of them that have been troubling you, and see how doing that changes your life.  You don’t need negative thoughts.  They are all lies.  They solve nothing.  All they have ever given you is a false self that suffers for no reason.  (Read Buddha’s Brain.)

6.  Resist the truth.

It is a certain deathtrap when we spend our lives learning how to lie, because eventually these lies grow so strong in our minds that we become bad at seeing, telling and living our own truth.  Lives come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies.  If you resist the truth, you will live a lie every day as the truth haunts your thoughts every night.  You simply can’t get away from your truth by moving dishonestly from one place to the next.

So don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to hide the truth with deception; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion of what’s popular.  It is better to offer no explanation or excuse than a false one.  It takes courage and strength to admit the truth, but it is the only way to truly live.  Accept what is, embrace it fully, and live for the possibilities that lie ahead.

Your turn…

What would you add to the list?  What’s something you should NOT do if you want to be happy?  Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

 

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About Guest Author, Marc Chernoff

Marc and Angel Chernoff have been recognized by Forbes as having “one of the most popular personal development blogs.”  Through their blog, book, course and coaching, they’ve spent the past decade writing about and teaching proven strategies for finding lasting happiness, success, love and peace.

Marc and Angel both share a great passion for inspiring others to live to their fullest potential, and they honestly feel best when they are inspiring others to be their best.

Check Out Their Wonderful Books and Blog at:  http://www.marcandangel.com/

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30% off my own books until midnight tonight!  Use code: OSCAR30 at  checkout.

Link: http://www.lulu.com/shop/maria-dorfner/healthy-within/paperback/product-21813389.html

 

     

 

30% off my own books until midnight tonight!  Use code: OSCAR30 at  checkout!
LINK:  http://www.lulu.com/shop/maria-dorfner/healthy-within/paperback/product-21813389.html

   MARIA DORFNER, an award-winning health journalist, TV  writer and producer, including original health programming, is the founder of NewsMD Communications, LLC promoting best in class health startups, hospitals, non-profits, health books, physicians & health stories to national media & consumers. She is the founder of Healthy Within Network, a health content production, programming & distribution company.

This is her blog.

Contact:  maria.dorfner@yahoo.com

 “When We Tell Stories…People Listen.”

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Foods You Should Never Refrigerate

1.  ONIONS

2. COFFEE

3.  OLIVE OIL

 

4.  BASIL

5. HONEY

 

6. BREAD

 

7. GARLIC

8.  AVOCADOS

9.  POTATOES

10.TOMATOES

FIND OUT WHY HERE:  http://www.wcvb.com/health/10-foods-you-should-never-refrigerate/26291396

Excuse me while I go remove #7 from my refrigerator!  Stay healthy, everyone!  🙂

 

 

   MARIA DORFNER is the founder of NewsMD Communications, LLC and Healthy Within Network. This is her blog.  Contact:  maria.dorfner@yahoo.com

 “When We Tell Stories…People Listen.”

  

 

 

 

 

 

First Uterus Transplant in U.S. Gives Hope to Infertile

 

 

 

Photo provided by Cleveland Clinic Center, a team of Cleveland Clinic transplant surgeons and gynecological surgeons perform the nation’s first uterus transplant during a nine-hour surgery in Cleveland.

UPDATE TO ORIGINAL STORY:

 

Statement from Cleveland Clinic

March 9, 2016 Update on 1st Uterus Transplant

We are saddened to share that our patient, Lindsey, recently experienced a sudden complication that led to the removal of her transplanted uterus.

On February 25, Cleveland Clinic announced the first uterus transplant as part of a clinical study for women who suffer from uterine factor infertility. At this time, the circumstance of the complication is under review and more information will be shared as it becomes available.

There is a known risk in solid organ transplantation that the transplanted organ may have to be removed should a complication arise. The medical team took all necessary precautions and measures to ensure the safety of our patient.

While this has been difficult for both the patient and the medical team, Lindsey is doing well and recovering.

The study, which has been planned to include 10 women, is still ongoing with a commitment to the advancement of medical research to provide an additional option for women and their families.”

Statement from Lindsey

“I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude towards all of my doctors. They acted very quickly to ensure my health and safety. Unfortunately I did lose the uterus to complications. However, I am doing okay and appreciate all of your prayers and good thoughts.”

 

ORIGINAL STORY:

Surgeons at the Cleveland Clinic have performed the first uterus transplant in the United States on a 26-year-old, using a uterus from a deceased organ donor.

The operation took 9 hours and the woman is in stable condition.

The procedure is to help women who had their uterus removed, or were born without one.

Following a transplant, the woman needs to wait a year before trying to become pregnant.

Then she will need in vitro fertilization to become pregnant.

Before the transplant, the patient had eggs removed surgically, fertilized with her husband’s sperm and frozen.

The embryos will be transferred into her uterus.

If the procedure is successful, any children will be born by cesarean section and the mother will have the transplanted uterus removed after having one or two babies.

The transplant will be temporary: The uterus will be removed after the recipient has had one or two babies, so she can stop taking anti-rejection drugs.

Photo provided by Cleveland Clinic Center

The Cleveland hospital’s ethics panel has given it permission to perform the procedure 10 times, as an experiment.

Officials will then decide whether to continue, and whether to offer the operation as a standard procedure. The clinic is still screening women who may be candidates for the operation.

The leader of the surgical team is Dr. Andreas G. Tzakis, who has performed 4,000 to 5,000 transplants of kidneys, livers and other abdominal organs.

To prepare for uterus transplants, he traveled to Sweden and worked with doctors at the University of Gothenburg, the only ones in the world to have performed the procedure successfully so far.

About 50,000 women in the United States are thought to be candidates for transplanted uteruses.

 

THE DONOR     Surgeons remove the uterus, cervix and part of the vagina from an organ donor who has recently died, along with the small uterine vessels that carry blood to the organ. The uterus can survive outside the body for at least six to eight hours if kept cold.

THE RECIPIENT     The donor’s uterus is connected to the recipient’s vagina and the uterine vessels are redirected to large blood vessels running outside the pelvis. The recipient’s ovaries are left in place, and if she has any remnant fallopian tubes, they are not connected to the transplant. The recipient will wait a year to heal before having in vitro fertilization.

  Sources: Dr. Tommaso Falcone, Cleveland Clinic; BioDigital

By The New York Times

In an interview in October, Dr. Tzakis said that although women without a uterus could adopt children or hire surrogates to carry a pregnancy for them, many find those options unacceptable “for reasons that are personal, cultural or religious.”

At that time, a 26-year-old woman who was being screened as a potential candidate explained why she wanted a chance to become pregnant and give birth.

“I crave that experience,” she said. “I want the morning sickness, the backaches, the feet swelling. I want to feel the baby move. That is something I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember.”

Link to: Cleveland Clinic:  http://www.clevandclinic.org

A version of this article appears in print on February 26, 2016, on page A13 of the New York edition with the headline: National Briefing | Midwest; Ohio: Uterus Transplant Is First in United States.

Order Reprints| Today’s Paper | Subscribe by clicking here:

LINK:  http://www.nytimes.com/pages/todayspaper/index.html

   Maria Dorfner is the founder of NewsMD  Communications and Healthy Within Network (HWN).  This is her blog.

She can be reached at maria.dorfner@yahoo.com
 “When We Tell Stories…People Listen.”

  

 

 

 

 

Future Health: Diagnose Injuries on the Spot

Tap, Swipe, Scan:  New Ultrasound Technology by GE Speeds Up Injury Diagnoses

No more waiting for an MRI or x-ray results. Doctors say this is easy to use and accurate.

It was a day much like any other for 25-year-old Billy Roberts. That was until he was hit by a car while cycling in Headingley, a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, UK. Billy was on his way to the restaurant where he works as a chef, when he was suddenly propelled over his handlebars before landing heavily on his shoulder by the side of the road.

After feeling his shoulder ‘pop’, Billy contacted his insurance company who referred him to Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon Professor Len Funk, a leading specialist in shoulder injuries. Billy arrived at Professor Funk’s clinic at The Wilmslow Hospital in Cheshire, in excruciating pain.

“Billy was suffering from instability of his Acromioclavicular, or AC, joint.” explained Professor Funk. “Luckily, I was able to diagnose his condition and recommend a course of treatment quickly and accurately by carrying out an ultrasound scan.”

Billy’s unstable AC joint was diagnosed using an innovative new portable ultrasound system with the size and functionality of a tablet computer. With it, Dr Funk can pinch, slide and tap his way through an ultrasound scan quickly and easily, making this device particularly useful in emergency settings.

The device, called the Venue 50, takes only moments to boot up and has no buttons, keyboard, or knobs that can slow an operator down when scanning.

“Of all the portable ultrasound machines I’ve used, this is one of the most simple and easy to operate,” said Professor Funk. “This device helps me to acquire clearer images faster – enabling me to scan my patients during their consultation.”

Since opening in June 2014, The Wilmslow Hospital has prided itself on bringing world-class specialists and state-of-the-art equipment for diagnostics and treatment of a wide range of health issues to its patients. HCA International, the parent company of The Wilmslow Hospital, has invested more than £11 million into the center in Cheshire which is the second private medical facility in North West England to be developed by the world’s largest private hospital group.

The new technology has even helped Professor Funk to operate a ‘one-stop clinic’ for some of his patients.

“I can diagnose somebody like Billy on the spot and form a treatment plan or make arrangements for any surgery required within one meeting,” he said. “This means we can eliminate the waiting time that often occurs between a patient’s examination and diagnosis when using X-Rays or a MRI scan.”

“Besides costing a lot more, these methods only provide static images. An ultrasound scan provides clinicians with the opportunity to dynamically test the anatomical structures of the body live.”

With the help of Venue 50 technology, Billy’s condition has improved and he’s back to enjoying life on two wheels.

Courtesy: Pulse

More Information About the Device:

Venue 50 Point of Care Ultrasound

Maria Dorfner is  the founder of NewsMD Communications, LLC and Healthy Within Network. This is her blog.  Be sure to FOLLOW [tab upper right] to be the first to know What’s Hot in Health.   Contact: maria.dorfner@yahoo.com

 “When We Tell Stories…People Listen.”

  

 

 

 

 

First Pill To Prevent Alzheimer’s: One Catch

According to the Mayo Clinic, The Mediterranean diet is healthy for the brain. It’s rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fish and uses olive oil as the primary cooking fat.

Here are other steps that promote good overall health:

• Avoid smoking.
• Control vascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
• Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits and lean protein, particularly protein sources containing omega-3 fatty acids.
• Be physically and socially active, including engaging in aerobic exercise.
• Take care of your mental health.
• Use thinking (cognitive) skills, such as memory skills.

A pill commonly used for cancer may prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease

The catch is you have to take it in your 30s. It’s a pill which they say would be what a statin is to your heart. Here’s the thing  People who take statins for their heart have been shown to later get dementia and Alzheimer’s.  I think we’re going to find out in the future that dementia or Alzheimer’s is not a natural part of aging, but caused by two things: your lifestyle (what you eat, drink, how much you exercise and your exposure to toxins) and side effects from medications you take to combat what are essentially side effects of an unhealthy lifestyle.

Pharmaceutical companies work towards treating what should be prevented in the first place. So before you get excited about more pills to prevent dementia or Alzheimer’s, pay attention to what you can do NOW to keep your brain healthy.

Your brain benefits from the same exact things your body benefits from: healthy foods, exercise and avoiding toxins such as sugar, smoking, alcohol –all the usual suspects. It begins in childhood, but it’s never too late.

Neurogenesis, the growth of new brain cells can happen the moment you change these things.

They say in the future millions of 30-somethings may be taking this pill, but it’s so important to know whenever a new pill is announced or FDA approved –the longterm side effects are still unknown.

Heart Statins taken by millions of Americans and their link to dementia and Alzheimer’s wasn’t initially known.

Alzheimer’s is progressive, which means it happens over a long period of time. That’s the reason what you do today will affect your future. Pay attention to foods, beverages, exercise and activities which benefit your brain and those that have a detrimental affect on it.

Some experts say it’s “irreversible” when there are cases of people who have indeed reversed it through lifestyle changes. The key is recognizing early symptoms, so you can make necessary changes.

Even this pill was shown not to work in studies when given too late.

Prof Chris Dobson, Master of St. John’s College, University of Cambridge told the Telegraph, “You wouldn’t give statins to someone who had just had a heart attack, and we doubt that giving a neurostatin to an Alzheimer’s patient who could no longer recognize a family member would be very helpful…

But if it reduces the risk of the initial step in the process, then it has a serious prospect of being an effective preventive treatment.”

The drug targets the first step in the toxic chain reaction that leads to the death of brain cells.

Tests showed it delayed the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, both in a test tube and in nematode worms. I would pay attention more to the bodies natural ability to ward of Alzheimer’s. Please read the list below of Brain Toxic Foods and what you can do without needing a pill.

When the drug was given to worms genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer’s disease, it had no effect once symptoms had already appeared.

But when the drug was given before any symptoms became apparent, no evidence of the condition appeared.

• Human mini-brains to speed up Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research

The drug works by preventing a process called “primary nucleation.”

What is that? Primary nucleation occurs when proteins in the body mis-fold and begin to clump together, eventually forming sticky plaques that cause dementia.

“The body has a variety of natural defences to protect itself against neurodegeneration, but as we age, these defences become progressively impaired and can get overwhelmed,” said Prof Michele Vendruscolo of Cambridge’s Department of Chemistry, the paper’s senior author.

“By understanding how these natural defences work, we might be able to support them by designing drugs that behave in similar ways.

“This, in terms of an approach for Alzheimer’s disease, would be the equivalent of what statins do for heart conditions. So you would take them well in advance of developing the condition to reduce your risk.

“I think the spirit should be similar to the way statins are used, so they are given to people that are more at risk of disease and given fairly early.

“There is some evidence that amyloid-beta aggregation takes place in middle age, so we may start in people in their 30s.”

The research was published in Science.

In Case That Is Blurry When Enlarged.

KNOW TEN WARNING SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

1. MEMORY CHANGES THAT DISTURB DAILY LIFE
2. CHALLENGES IN PLANNING OR SOLVING PROBLEMS
3. DIFFICULTY COMPLETING FAMILIAR TASKS
4. CONFUSION WITH TIME OR PLACE
5. TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING VISUAL IMAGES & RELATIONSHIPS
6. NEW PROBLEMS WITH WORDS OR SPEAKING OR WRITING
7. MISPLACING THINGS AND LOSING THE ABILITY TO RETRACE STEPS
8. DECREASED OR POOR JUDGMENT
9. WITHDRAWAL FROM WORK OR SOCIAL SITUATIONS
10. CHANGES IN MOOD OR PERSONALITY

TIMELINE OF ALZHEIMER’S

1. Early brain changes
2. Subtle decline in thinking
3. Memory changes, confusion
4. Inability to bathe, dress or eat without help
5. Loss of ability to communicate and recognize loved ones

If  you or are a Caregiver to someone with Alzheimer’s remember:

New Study Reveals WHERE Alzheimer’s Disease Begins in the Brain.  It’s in the Locus Coeruleus where the red arrow is pointing in this illustration.

The Lous Coeruleus  is the First Brain Structure Affected By Alzheimer’s Disease.  More about that here:   http://ow.ly/Yp1uN

Meanwhile, here are some brain healthy foods to BOOST BRAINPOWER.

Check out U.S. News & World Reports which rated the BEST nutritional plan for Alzheimer’s disease prevention

PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S

KEEP FIT BY EXERCISING DAILY – YOUR BRAIN BENEFITS!

MAINTAIN A HEALTHY BALANCED DIET – AVOID SUGAR, PROCESSED FOOD, JUNK FOOD AND ALL SODAS

SATURATED FATS

ENJOY BRAIN CHALLENGES LIKE PUZZLES, READING

MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE, SOCIAL LIFE

Maintain a healthy, balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Keep fit.  The benefits of exercise on your brain’s health are extraordinary.   A daily walk can be done anywhere.

TIME Magazine even featured an article called, “This Is Your Brain on Exercise.”

Great read:  http://time.com/3956256/brain-exercise-effect/

If you or someone you know needs help with fitness I highly recommend Michael Gonzalez-Wallace, CEO, fitness expert and author of Super Body, Super Brain.

He has an on-line training program and has a passionate interest in optimizing brain function through fitness/lifestyle and brain-muscle training.

On-Line Fitness Training:  https://www.superbodysuperbrain.com/

Enjoy brain challenges like puzzle activities, cards and board games.

In related news be sure to check out the New York teen, Kenneth Shinozuka who invented an in-sole sensor that can track Alzheimer’s patients when they wander.

Kenneth Shinozuka has invented a new wearable sensor called the SafeWanderer that can help keep Alzheimer’s patients safe. Inspired by his own grandfather’s battle with the disease, the 15-year-old came up with a device that can keep tabs on patients if they begin to wander off. The sensor works by reacting to pressure and can notify a caregiver through a smart phone app when a patient is on-the-go.

Read more: New York Teen Invents In-Sole Sensor that Can Track Wandering Alzheimer’s Patients | Inhabitat New York City

Here’s more help for Alzheimer’s patients in the form of an app.  I like the simplicity of MindMate.

Keep in mind that not all Alzheimer’s patients use smart phone and they may resist adding one more thing to their proverbial To Do list.

Be sure to discuss it with the patient first. Show it to them and ask them if they would find it helpful. If yes, follow-up to check on their progress.

Great read: “Super Body Super Brain” by Michael Gonzalez-Wallace.  Michael has provided fitness programs specifically tailored for Alzheimer’s patients.

It focuses on keeping your brain sharp at all ages.

The book “Super Body, Super Brain” by Michael Gonzalez-Wallace is available here:

http://www.harpercollins.com/search-results/?search-term=super+body+super+brain

Stay healthy, everyone!

     MARIA DORFNER is the founder of Healthy Within Network. This is her blog. It curates and shares best in health from around the world without conflicts of interest for consumers  & media. Maria’s interest in health began in childhood. She won first place in science fairs and has always loved research, writing and creating. She covered the health beat in college and began professionally specializing in health after ten years of working in media.  The letters of gratitude she received from viewers after her medical segments aired is what gave meaning and purpose to her vocation.  Some people wrote to say seeing a segment saved their life.  She began as an executive intern at NBC News in 1983. In 1989, she helped launch CNBC, NBC’s cable station. In 1993, she began specializing in health. She founded NewsMD Communications and developed 7 half-hour original health series and pitched them to CNBC.  She senior produced and co-anchored them on CNBC for 3 years. She has since worked as director of research for Ailes Communications and as an associate producer, producer, field producer, medical/health writer, and on-air host. She has also written, produced and directed 21st Century Medicine, a documentary series covering future health, breakthroughs and pioneering medicine, airing on Discovery Health. She helped launch the Cleveland Clinic News Service (CCNS) on-site, and MedPage Today. Her award-winning original programs include Healthy Living, Healthcare Consumers, Lifestyles & Longevity, Healthcare Practitioners and Green Magazine. She has also produced for The Cutting Edge Medical Report and Healthy Women. She is the author of 3 books including Healthy Within available on Lulu Publishing. She is the  founder of NewsMD Communications, LLC.  Her alma mater, Pace University and Women in Corporate America awarded her an Outstanding Leadership Abilities award.

She can  be reached at maria.dorfner@yahoo.com

 “When We Tell Stories…People Listen.”

  

 

 

 

Experts Say Broken Heart Syndrome Is Real

 

It might sound like a story line from a movie – a person suffering from a ‘broken heart.’

While it’s not usually a fatal event, according to Steven Nissen, M.D., chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, there is such a thing as ‘Broken Heart Syndrome.’

Broken Heart Syndrome is real.

 

Dr. Nissen said ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’ is a type of cardiomyopathy and most often occurs after a person has suffered an extreme emotional experience.

“When that happens, for reasons we don’t fully understand, there’s a surge of adrenaline in the body, and the result simulates a heart attack,” said Dr. Nissen.

n.

 

Cardiomyopathy vs. Heart Attack

According to Dr. Nissen, during an episode of cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle actually stops contracting and as a result will look like a heart attack even when an electrocardiogram, or EKG, is performed.

However, unlike a heart attack, there is no blockage present, just a contraction problem.

Dr. Nissen said folks rarely die from ‘Broken Heart Syndrome,’ but they can become very sick.

The good news is that people who experience this type of event can expect their heart muscle to return to normal after a few weeks.

Gender differences

Dr. Nissen also said that for reasons not fully known, the condition effects more women than men.

“More people that have this are women than men, probably at least four or five to one,” said Dr. Nissen.

“So it does occur more commonly in women, perhaps it’s because women experience emotions more strongly than men typically in our society.”

 

 

Dr. Nissen stressed it’s very important to never assume that any chest pain or pressure is not a heart attack and that folks experiencing any type of heart-related symptoms should always call 9-1-1 first.

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VIDEO TRACK:

YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD IT IN THE MOVIES – A PERSON BECOMING SO SAD THAT THEY DIE OF A ‘BROKEN HEART.’

AND WHILE IT’S NOT USUALLY A FATAL EVENT, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS ‘BROKEN HEART SYNDROME.’

DOCTOR STEVEN NISSEN, A CARDIOLOGIST AT CLEVELAND CLINIC, SAYS ‘BROKEN HEART SYNDROME’ IS A TYPE OF CARDIOMYOPATHY (CAR-DEE-OH-MY-OP-ATHY), AND ITS SYMPTOMS MIMIC THOSE OF A HEART ATTACK.

HE SAYS BROKEN HEART SYNDROME MOST OFTEN OCCURS AFTER A PERSON HAS SUFFERED AN EXTREME EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE.

CG: Dr. Steven Nissen/Cleveland Clinic

“When that happens, for reasons we don’t fully understand, there’s a surge of adrenaline in the body, and the result simulates a heart attack.” :10

VO (B-roll: heart monitors, EKG, echo, people in the emergency department)

DOCTOR NISSEN SAYS THAT DURING AN EPISODE OF BROKEN HEART SYNDROME, THE HEART MUSCLE ACTUALLY STOPS CONTRACTING AND AS A RESULT WILL LOOK LIKE A HEART ATTACK EVEN WHEN AN E-K-G IS PERFORMED.

HOWEVER, UNLIKE A HEART ATTACK, THERE IS NO BLOCKAGE PRESENT, JUST A CONTRACTION PROBLEM.

DOCTOR NISSEN SAYS FOLKS RARELY DIE FROM BROKEN HEART SYNDROME, BUT THEY CAN BECOME VERY SICK.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE THIS TYPE OF EVENT CAN EXPECT THEIR HEART MUSCLE TO RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER A FEW WEEKS.

DOCTOR NISSEN ALSO SAYS THAT FOR REASONS UNKNOWN, THE CONDITION AFFECTS MORE WOMEN THAN MEN.

CG: Dr. Steven Nissen/Cleveland Clinic

“More people that have this are women than men, probably at least four or five to one.”

So it does occur more commonly in women, perhaps it’s because women experience emotions more strongly than men typically in our society” :13

IT’S IMPORTANT TO NEVER ASSUME THAT ANY CHEST PAIN OR PRESSURE IS NOT A HEART ATTACK AND YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CALL 9-1-1 FIRST WHEN EXPERIENCING ANY TYPE OF HEART-RELATED SYMPTOM.
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Stay healthy!

     MARIA DORFNER is the founder of MEDCrunch, a division of Healthy Within Network. She can be reached at maria.dorfner@yahoo.com

Relationship OCD

That’s right. Another disorder.

Brodsky says this Valentines Day longing hearts everywhere will eagerly anticipate a romantic gift or gesture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For millions, however, Valentines is the worst day, despite good relationships, leaving them confused, guilty, or mistrustful due to “Relationship OCD.”

 

Unlike jealousy, ROCD sufferers know their doubts of their partner’s love are irrational, but can’t stop anyway.

They compulsively check on them, call them, or inspect their phone and email history.

Valentines is one of many tests of their partner’s love (“if they really loved me they would…”).

They analyze words, tone of voice, and facial expressions. Eventually they cause the relationship to dissolve, ironically, on Valentines Day.

On the flip side, other ROCD sufferers doubt their own love for their partner.

They test their attraction (“if I really loved them I would never look at another…”) and magnify their partner’s flaws.

They fear a Valentines gift will mislead their partner, and feel guilty they will cheat.

They break up and make up weekly.

Couples therapy makes the problem worse.

Psychologist Steven Brodsky wants star-crossed lovers to know that their hot-and-cold behavior might be a serious anxiety disorder and that exposure therapy can save their relationships.

For more info: http://www.OCDhotline.com or call 212-726-2390.

What do YOU think?  We’d love to hear your thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

CDC Rolls Out New Workplace Wellness Program

Productivity losses due to personal and family health problems cost U.S. employers more than $225 billion every year.

The indirect costs of poor health—including absenteeism, disability and reduced work output—are even higher.

That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this month is rolling out a new program to train businesses in Florida for starting their own workplace wellness programs.

The program has already launched in Ohio and Georgia and is gaining momentum.

   I spoke with Jason Lang, Team Lead for CDC Workplace.  Lang says, “By learning how to promote and improve workplace wellness, employers will ultimately be able to strengthen their own bottom lines by reducing health care costs and increasing productivity.”

 

Florida Work@Health® T3s provide training and technical services to small-and-mid-sized Florida businesses (SMBs) with more than 20 employees to build a science-based workplace health and wellness program.

By implementing Work@Health®, employers may help lower their healthcare costs while improving Florida’s overall health.

Today’s announcement illustrates the successful expansion of the number of trainers equipped to deliver the Work@Health® employer curricula to additional employers in Florida to support their worksite wellness goals.

Chronic diseases are costly to Florida workers, their families and employers.

Studies have found that:

· Florida’s adult obesity rate is 26.2 percent, up from 18.2 percent in 2000 and more than double the 11.4 percent rate in 1990 (The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America (2015).

· An estimated 65 percent of adult Floridians are at an unhealthy weight (FloridaHealth.gov).

· Florida ranks 32nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in the 2015 Annual Report Health Rankings.

Floridians’ health is also threatened by smoking, lack of health insurance, and higher levels of diabetes (United Health Foundation).

· By 2023, gains in productivity and savings from improving the prevention and management of chronic diseases in Florida could reduce future related economic costs by an estimated 27 percent, or $91 billion, according to An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease, (Milken Institute. 2007).

 

Florida-area employers who participate in the Work@Health® Program, receive the latest information and resources associated with worksite wellness.

 

Benefits include:

· Free professional training

· Technical assistance and consultation with experts

· The opportunity to network with peers

· Recognition by the CDC as a Work@Health® employer

Work@Health® Train-the-Trainers (T3) will recruit employers in Florida until February 14, 2016.

Selected employers will begin Work@Health®’s three-week online training by February 15, 2016.

The program culminates in a one-day on-site training session, on or before March 16, 2016.

Each Train-the-Trainer will schedule dates, locations, and times in coordination with participating employers.

Employers interested in the program can apply at https://workathealth.us/community/apply-now/

Or contact the Work@Health® Customer Service team at workathealthcustsvc@ashlininc.com or 1-800-305-WELL FREE (9355).

The program includes access to the Work@Health® Training and Technical Assistance Portal, a web-based portal that provides employers with tools, information, and technical assistance from top experts in the field.

In addition, those completing employer training can apply for both Basic and Advanced Technical Assistance, which allows worksites to further develop their wellness programs over several months and apply for national accreditation.

Work@Health® is offered under the CDC’s guidance by ASHLIN Management Group, headquartered in Greenbelt, Md., with offices in Atlanta, Ga., and who is also responsible for the development of the training curricula, outreach and recruitment of employers, and delivery of the Work@Health® Program.

 

 

Stay healthy!  ~Maria

      MARIA DORFNER is the founder of MEDCrunch, a division of Healthy Within Network (HWN). She can be reached at maria.dorfner@yahoo.com

 

7 Tips to Live Agelessly by Dr. Adonis

1- Hydrate: 1 liter a day for each 50 lbs. of body weight.

2- Stay Active: Not necessarily the gym but active during the day: use a stand-up desk (500 calories extra a day burned), use the stairs, park far away

3- Sleep enough and Relax often. Avoid TV before sleeping especially violent movies and negative news. Meditate daily, even for 10 min.

4- Deep breathing. Yoga Pranayama or simply deep breaths often during the day.

5- Eat mostly greens. “Blue Zones” longevity communities around the world eat mostly vegetables and sparingly meats. Avoid processed meats (salami, etc). Eat “super foods” like blue-green algae.

6- Take nutraceuticals, anti-oxidants like Resveratrol and Omegas. Also take Vitamin D and Probiotics.

7- Replace hormones using bio-identical hormones once they start to be low in laboratory tests (Testosterone, Human Growth Hormone, Pregnenolone, Estrogens, DHEA and others)

GUEST AUTHOR, Adonis Maiquez, M.D. is Board Certified in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine*, with a special interest in the neuro-endocrine theory of aging.

As an active member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine( http://www.worldhealth.net) he is continually incorporating all the new advances, research and evidence-based medicine available.

He is also the author of The Function Medicine Handbook, Modern Medicine for Modern Times.

“Multiple factors influence our health and a combination of aging- oriented diet,supplements,hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with Bio-Identical Hormones,exercise and lifestyle modifications will have an impact on how and when we age.” -Dr. Adonis

Great tips.  For More Information or to Contact Dr. Adonis call:  (305) 624-0009.

 

Stay healthy, everyone!  🙂

      MARIA DORFNER is the CEO and founder of
Healthy Within Network and NewsMD Communications, LLC.  This is her blog.

Medical/Health Stories/Tips?  She can be reached at maria.dorfner@yahoo.com