The good news is that deaths from cancer in the U.S. continue to decline. And there will be no bad news to follow that statement. The continued drop in death rates is due to improved treatments and people’s better lifestyle choices and habits. As we recognize National Cancer Survivors Day on June 5 and Cancer
More children are suffering from depression than ever before. Suicide rates have skyrocketed and suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among children 10 to 18 years old. There are several theories about why depression is on the rise in kids, starting with social media. Kids are constantly connected, especially teens, and they compare
Today on my run I thought about a lesson my high school cross-country coach taught me. It was on the power of vision. I remember it clearly, it was hot, and I did not want to finish running up the hill that our practice ended on. She sprinted up to me, reminded me I was
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the gift of intuition. What is it? How do we hone it? Why don’t they teach us this language in school? How do we meld it with logic, intention and action? Psychology Today describes it as, “…a process that gives us the ability to know something directly without
While the ’80s brought us alternative music, traditional Chinese medicine brought us alternative medicine, now known as complementary medicine, in the form of acupuncture. Acupuncture has been practiced in China for thousands of years. It was reintroduced to the U.S. after then-President Nixon visited China in the early ’70s. His personal physician wrote an article
A couple of things come to mind when we think of spring. One is certainly taxes, and the other should be that March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. If we understand one message from these columns, hopefully it is that prevention is best and denial is not the river in Egypt! The American Cancer
As I stare at my laptop hoping to give you a February article that inspires and guides you on your way to happy, my brain keeps swirling on all the topics I could cover. Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, intentions of yours that were beautifully shared with me, and intentions of mine that I’ve yet
You can’t miss all the pink and red hearts in retail stores this time of year to promote Valentine’s Day. What better time to focus on your heart health than in February! While any regular exercise is beneficial to our overall health, what do you do when your health takes a less than desirable turn?
Happy January, Wheatridge! How is it that it’s already 2022? Many of you may be expecting your resident life coach to regale you with the need to resolve to be better this year. However, I’ve never really been keen on the idea of New Year’s resolutions. OK, I definitely followed all the fads of this
Although it has been a tumultuous two years, bringing new babies into the world remains an exciting aspect of care provided at Lutheran Medical Center. Nine months or 40 weeks may seem like a long time to prepare for the arrival of a new addition to your family, but there are several things to consider
When I sit down for a quiet moment, I’m overwhelmed that it’s already December. 2022 is weeks away, we’ve lived through another year of a global pandemic, and the movie, “Love Actually,” blessed our movie theaters 18 years ago. Time seems to be flying by at rapid speeds. Regardless of what your individual experience has
Often, when we hear the term palliative care, we immediately think of hospice and end-of-life care. Although palliative and hospice care share some similarities, they are distinctly different. Both use a team approach and are focused on a person’s physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing. However, palliative care is tailored to the patient wanting to
As this column is falling into your hands, the marketing messages have ramped up as to how this is the happiest time of year, reminding us that we should buy this and that. This time of year is so much more complicated. Many of us are triggered by seeing family members we don’t see often,
For many of us, November represents the Thanksgiving season. A time to gather with family and friends, perhaps watch a game of football and maybe eat a little too much. For the National Institutes of Health (NIH), November is National Diabetes Month. This year, the NIH is focusing on prediabetes and the prevention of diabetes.
Those of you that cook or flex other creative muscles know that generally the process is messy, no matter how organized you are. Alchemizing a series of ingredients that start separate but are meant to blend to create a masterpiece, often leads to lots of dishes to clean up, amongst other potential messes. The result
Ladies, here’s the good: We must be doing something right. We outlive men by over five years on average in the U.S., and 75 percent of centenarians are women (National Center for Health Statistics, 2021). But what accounts for this longevity? We are good about keeping our annual checkups, completing preventative screenings and getting age-recommended
It seems you can’t pick up a magazine, newspaper or watch a TV show without being bombarded with ads about the risk of A-Fib. A-Fib, or atrial fibrillation, is an irregular heartbeat that puts you at a five times greater risk for stroke, as well as a greater risk of heart failure if left untreated,
Recently a group of us planned on surprising a gal pal for her 40th birthday. Yes, it’s true, 40! Her husband initiated it. He would take care of their 2 year old, and we would kidnap her up to a cabin in Nederland. A few days prior to our unexpected arrival, we were all hit
At Lutheran, we have a nursing unit dedicated to pediatric patients, staffed by specialists affiliated with Children’s Hospital Colorado, to support your child’s medical needs. One thing the past 18 months has left us with is a greater knowledge about respiratory-borne viruses and how to prevent their transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
As some of you may know, I am a certified life empowerment coach. It’s recently been brought to my attention that a lot of people don’t really know what this whole life coach thing even means. So I thought I’d spend the next few columns defining the key traits of a coach and providing tips
Goodbye restrictions, hello summer! Most of us are anxious to get back to normal and experience the wonderful Colorado outdoors and fine weather with family and friends. Medically Speaking articles are intended to focus on prevention. There is no better time to have that focus than in the summer, when accidents and mishaps can result
In connecting with some of my closest friends recently, the concept of “and” versus “or” has been a recurring theme. What exactly do I mean by this vague intro? I’m referring to our humanness, the dichotomy and the inherent juxtapositions that live within us. I’m sure many of you can remember being taught a version
We have heard it all before: eat right, exercise, quit smoking, etc. Nag me some more. June is Men’s Health Month, an opportunity to raise awareness and educate on men’s health issues, but why is that significant for you? The fact is that men’s life expectancy has been declining in comparison to women’s over the
Today, I find myself writing this article from my mom’s house in Illinois. As much as I’d rather be in your beautiful town, I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I am here mainly to support my mom as she figures out what’s next post my dad passing. This time at home also
