Think Healthier: because you need to!

Pregnancy is a beautiful thing — accompanied by a laundry list of not-so-beautiful symptoms: morning sickness, back pain, swollen ankles, heartburn and gas. Perhaps less discussed are the mental health symptoms that accompany the surging hormones, anxiety about new motherhood, and worries about everything from whether our late-night snack fits with our child’s prenatal dietary…

First-world problems. Lifestyle choice. There are a lot of misconceptions about what eating disorders are and whether or not they are true diseases. Regardless of the misconceptions, facts show that about 50 percent of Americans either know someone who has an eating disorder or have been personally affected by one. And because of the stigma…

When you hear the word “comfort food,” an image likely comes to mind of your favorite go-to meal or snack when you’re feeling down and out, whether it’s a rich meatloaf with mashed potatoes or your favorite pint of ice cream. However, for people who are battling depression, what goes into your mouth can have…

Isn’t it maddening when car keys suddenly vanish into thin air when you’re rushing out the door? Or when that bestseller book you’ve put down somehow disappears into some dark corner of the house? Ghostly spirits or plain old forgetfulness? Come on — you know the answer.   Those are examples of everyday forgetfulness. We…

It’s a condition that affects more than three million Americans each year, a debilitating disorder that can cause its victims to experience frightening flashbacks of a traumatic event and leave them feeling emotionally numb. The condition is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and it doesn’t just affect soldiers. What Is PTSD? Once called shell shock…

More than 5 million Americans will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease this year, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, which has been pushing research to end the problem for more than three decades. Surprisingly, Alzheimer’s can strike at any age, but most patients are 65 and older. Women comprise two-thirds of sufferers, clocking in at more than…

The National Alliance for Caregiving reports that more than 65 million Americans will serve as caregivers for family members during this year. That’s approximately 30 percent of the estimated number of American adults. Seven of 10 caregivers are non-Hispanic whites, 13 percent are African-American and the majority are female. While men provide assistance, female caregivers…

Everyone has things they do repetitively from time to time. You may feel that your hands aren’t quite clean, so you go back and wash them to your satisfaction. Or you may get in the mood to clean your house, even though you just did a thorough cleaning. These are normal behaviors, but people suffering…

Autism is a brain development disorder that causes difficulties in communication, social interaction and verbal responses. The autism spectrum disorder describes a range of behaviors for those who are afflicted with the condition, and terms include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, pervasive development disorder-not otherwise specified, and childhood disintegrative disorder. Like its many names, the condition…

Biofeedback is a mental technique used to focus on body functions, such as heart rate and breathing. Using your thoughts, you can focus on specific changes you wish to affect and the results you wish to obtain. The technique requires you to be hooked up to electric sensors that will monitor certain body functions, enabling…