Post-Concussion Management

Catherine O’Brien Post-Concussion Syndrome and Treatment In this article on the topic of concussion, I will discuss the management and treatment associated with concussion and post-concussion syndrome. Based on the two previous articles, it is clear that concussion is a prevalent and serious health issue among the athletic population. In response to the growing prevalence

girls basketball

4 Key Risk Factors For Concussions

Catherine O’Brien Last week’s article introduced the topic of concussion and addressed the role of sport participation in concussion risk. This week I am going to discuss some other key factors that increase risk for concussion. Risk Factors While it is clear that participating in contact sports and riding in automobiles increases risk of concussion,

grocery shopping

3 Tips To Minimize Everyday Chemicals

Adriane Cook B.S. Kinesiology, Michigan State University www.balancewithme.com Chemicals, toxins, and pollution, oh my! Do you ever feel as though every product you buy and food you eat is laced with hidden toxins and chemicals? Do you find yourself overwhelmed, wanting the healthiest life for you and your family, but not sure where to start?

Aerobic Exercise – A Treatment For Schizophrenia

Catherine O’Brien Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental disorder that impacts perception, cognition, emotional regulation and thought processes. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of schizophrenia are often categorized as positive, negative, or cognitive. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and thought and movement disorders. Negative symptoms include flat affect, reduced feelings

Mindfulness – What Does That Even Mean?

Gillian White – MSc, PhD (Candidate), University of Toronto Mindfulness Part I. What does that even mean?? Clearing the mist around what mindfulness means and why it’s not just a trend. If you have a hard time reading this sentence without thinking about your to-do list or reaching for your phone – this one’s for

Fit and Happy

Catherine O’Brien Fit and Happy Growing up, my mother always encouraged me and my three siblings to “run it out” to help cope with our emotions. Whether it be a bad test grade, a fight with a friend or anxiety about an upcoming game, running was always prescription #1. I feel fortunate to have learned

Neuroticism

A Healthy Dose of Neuroticism

Catherine O’Brien A Healthy Dose of Neuroticism The development of the 5-factor theory of personality, often deemed “The Big Five”, dates back almost 30 years. The theory, as discussed in Digman’s review of the model, holds that there are five major dimensions used to describe human personality- Openness, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Extraversion and Neuroticism. Within each

Laughter Yoga – The Next Big Thing

Dayton Kelly Why Laughter Yoga may be your next big thing A new type of yoga is fast emerging in fitness studios across north American: laughter yoga. Laughter Yoga is a variation of regular yoga in which participants are encouraged to laugh, even if they do not find anything funny. The class proceeds similarly to

Positive Workouts Get Results

Think Positive Thoughts For A Better Workout

Julia Basso – PhD Does the way that you feel during exercise motivate you to exercise? Or on the contrary, do you avoid exercise because of the way you feel during your workout? I crave my workouts because of the way I feel, not necessarily during exercise, but certainly afterwards. I love that exercise high!

Exercise: A Magic Pill To Help Protect The Brain From Cellular Pathology

Julia Basso – PhD The opening statement in a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association reads, “Pathology is not destiny” (Kuehn, 2015).  This statement is based off of a huge prospective study that followed 2,566 healthy, older adults (ages 65 years and up) for around 16 years.  During the study participants were

Drink and Exercise

Drink, Be Merry…and Exercise!

Julia Basso – PhD Most of us engage in a drink or two (or three…) every now and then, and ‘tis the season for a cup of holiday cheer. Unfortunately, the holiday season is “one of the most dangerous times of year for alcohol-related accidents and death,” says Dr. Drew Edwards of psychcentral.com. 16.6% of

Animal, Human, and Clinical Studies About Exercise

Julia Basso, PhD I recently returned from the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting located in San Diego, California.  The Society for Neuroscience boasts that this conference is, “the world’s largest meeting focused on scientific discovery related to the brain and nervous system.”  More than 30,300 researchers, clinicians, and advocates gathered at this meeting to discuss