Patti Reed was in pain. The Naples resident was only 30, but years hunched over grooming pets for a living had taken its toll. An ill-advised weight training routine made it worse. She consulted massage therapists but finally found solace in a hard foam ball. “It was like discovering the fountain of youth,” she says. “Body rolling” is the practice of taking rubber or foam balls of varying density and rolling on them. It sounds a little funny, but Reed became a convert. She switched careers and now locally practices Yamuna Body Rolling techniques one-on-one with people who were once like her. (You can learn more on her website, pattiintuitivemovement.com.) The key is how the ball interacts with the body—straightening tissue and muscles, similar to a deep-tissue massage. If you can get used to a different feeling, it may be for you, Reed says: “For me, it was a life saver.”
With old age comes happiness
Don’t let the kids in on the secret quite yet. But, according to a new study, older people are happier than younger people. The study in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that seniors actually reported being happier than their younger counterparts. It seems counterintuitive, especially considering the perils of growing older. But the researchers pointed out an interesting explanation: In old age, the little things just don’t bother you as much. Older people tend to get less stressed out. They’re wiser and tend to see the bigger picture of life. See, being young isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.
Most adults with depression aren’t treated
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. It affects about 15 million Americans. Yet, most cases of depression in adults go untreated. A study in JAMA International Medicine found that only about one-third of people with depression actually received treatment. Men, adults with less education and minorities tend to avoid more help, according to the study. The results surprised the researchers, who, like the rest of us, see the market flooded with antidepressants. “It is tempting to assume that under-treatment of depression is no longer a big deal,” lead author Dr. Mark Olfson told CNN. The study looked at just the numbers, not the causes behind them. Finding better ways to get people help is the next step.
Face your exercise fears
So you’re all decked out in new workout gear, you step into the gym for the first time in a while, and a slight panic goes through you: Can I do this? You’re not the only one to get a little intimidated by a new workout—especially if you haven’t exercised in some time. Don’t fear. We’ve got some advice—from a circus performer. The Pop Sugar website had the inventive idea to ask aerialist Ashley Vargas of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus how she stays in shape. Her advice for overcoming workout fear is what stood out. It breaks down to two things:
Fun: It’s a lot easier to start a workout if you’re looking forward to it.
Trust: Trust your trainer. Ignore the negatives voices in your head. Listen to the encouragement from your coach.
Beware a silent heart attack
Most people recognize the sharp chest pains that could signal a heart attack. But a silent heart attack can sneak up on you without you knowing. A new study in Circulation found that almost half of heart attacks are silent. A silent heart attack is subtle. Symptoms could be mistaken for fatigue, indigestion, or a strained muscle in the chest, upper back, arms or jaw. But silent heart attacks can be just as deadly (even more so among women). So, be on the lookout by knowing your risk factors (high blood pressure or cholesterol, obesity, etc.), and, as always, talk to your doctor if you feel like something is off. Not detecting a heart attack is a missed opportunity to prevent the second one from happening.
Don’t stress; your hair may suffer
Can stress cause hair loss? Yes, according to Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin of the Mayo Clinic. Literally pulling your hair out from stress is actually a medical condition. Trichotillomania is the overwhelming urge to pluck out hair as a means to deal with tension, stress or other negative emotions. But there are other ways stress may make you lose your hair. Telogen effluvium is a condition in which stress causes follicles to enter a resting phase and eventually lead the affected hair to fall out. Or, with alopecia areata, severe stress can cause the body’s immune system to actually attack the hair follicles. So, take a vacation—your hair will thank you.
The future of telemedicine is here
Telemedicine is already making it easier for patients to communicate with doctors without stepping foot inside a waiting room. Now, some new devices are potentially allowing for a routine exam to happen inside the comfort of your home. The latest is the MedWand. The handheld device can measure temperature, heart rate and oxygen level, and it even has a camera that can take a look inside the ear or throat. “If you’re just Skyping your doctor, it’s just medical chat,” lead engineer Terry MacNeish told the DailyMail. “With this we can get a picture of your tonsils, we can take your temperature. It’s much more precise.” Look for the MedWand to be available in mid-2017.
