The movie Bicycle Thieves stands out as most beautiful and unforgettable cultural events of my youth. Interesting that one of the unexpected side effect of coronavirus pandemic is the increase in bicycle thefts in all big cities around the world. Read on for why I care so much about this movie.
Laughter is our body’s and our mind’s natural, inborn coping mechanism for stressful and difficult times. Epidemiologic studies have shown that people who are cheerful and laugh a lot, have a longer and happier life span. How can we cheer ourselves up with laughter in these trying times?
President Trump’s coronavirus infection morally became very difficult and concerning for me. From a moral perspective, one could easily say that since he brought it onto himself, his family, the people around him and his countrymen, therefore he deserved what he got. On the other hand, one of the basic moral principle is that life is sacred, no matter whose life it is.
Neuroscientists using functional brain scan imaging ( f MRI ) have shown that focused attention is a very complex process and simultaneously involves many parts of specialized brain.
The average human mind wanders 47% of time when doing a task. It means that our mind, instead of focusing at the task in hand, wanders and thinks about something else. Why is this happening and are there consequences? Does the digital world and social media have something to do with it?
Do you know what your cholesterol levels are? Too much good cholesterol is just as bad as too low good cholesterol. It significantly increases the risk of premature death from heart diseases and even certain cancers. Read on for the changing story behind HDL, the “good” cholesterol.
While the Coronavirus pandemic rages on unabated, the flu virus visits us every winter causing its own pandemic. What will happen when we are hit with two pandemics simultaneously? Could this combination be more deadly? Are you ready for a double pandemic this winter?
I strongly oppose taking OTC or prescription sleep medications. They are only partly effective, soon lose their effectiveness, have many side-effects and can be addictive. To me, the best medicine for occasional sleeplessness is melatonin, a naturally produced hormone.
30% of American children and adolescents are chronic nail-biters. Child psychiatrists consider nail biting is a “body focused abnormal behavior” and it is often associated with nervousness, insecurity and anxiety. Why does this happen? And how do you stop it?
The majority of my patients were inflicted with psychosomatic gastrointestinal disorders, such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and various forms of FBDs (Functional Bowel Disorders). Patients had multiple and nonspecific GI symptoms like gas, bloating, abdominal pains, diarrhea and constipation, together with the physical and psychological symptoms of generalized anxiety disorders (GED). Why?
The unknowns of the COVID-19 pandemic are affecting every aspect of our lives. Many of us are suffering from worry, stress and anxiety. Why do we worry, stress or get anxious? Are they a normal part of human psychology?
Dietary supplements could have direct toxic effects on the body but also could interfere with the other medications a person is taking. A well-informed consumer must do some homework before deciding to take them.
The pros and cons of telemedicine during a pandemic and beyond
Today we live in a world of rampant denial of scientific facts and the truth of just about everything. Denial of science and scientific facts never cease to amaze me. Why do only certain people become deniers? What kind of mindset do they have? Isn’t the truth self–evident?
Many of us had our tonsils and adenoids removed or our appendix taken out. However, ongoing clinical and scientific studies have shown that all our organs and body parts are vital and essential, and that they play important roles in our health and wellbeing.
The amount of health care expenditures in America is more than Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, China and Australia put together. Yet, America still loses more peoples to preventable medical conditions than any of these countries. Why are the American yearly health care expenditures so high? Why nothing is being done about it?
Since the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown started, corporate America had no choice but make all of their non-essential employees work from home. Some employees are thriving, others feel trapped. Why?
Uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic could create one of the worst mental stressors and induce high stressor anxiety, which triggers the body’s neuro-chemical defense mechanism by producing plenty of stress hormones to create an immediate fight–or-flight reaction. How do you combat and prevent this from happening?
Breathing through your mouth is not good for us. In the long run, it could cause many health problems and even cognitive impairment. Why? And what are the health differences between breathing through your nose vs. mouth?
Because of the unknowns of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic, we all feel very tense and edgy. We are ready to fall into despair or explode in rage. When we feel this way, emotions take over our mind and our body. Instead of rational thinking, we act with our primitive spinal reflexes. The only way to get out of this terrible situation is to use our willpower to calm our body and our mind with a Buddhist’s approach.
