Archive | September, 2013

Older & Happier

30 Sep

Scientific American Mind, 2013, 24, 2, p. 9): “The researchers found, after controlling for variables such as health, wealth, gender, ethnicity and education, that well-being increases over everyone’s lifetime.”

Joke

27 Sep

Dennis Miller: I admit it, I’m a hypochondriac. But I manage to control it with a placebo.

About Truth

22 Sep

Reverend John Porter (1981): May you never cease your quest after the truth; and may you always be spared the company of those who are absolutely convinced they have found it. (I really like this one.)

Timely Quote

19 Sep

T.S. Elliott: Half of the harm done in this world is due to people who want to feel important.

Suicide Hotline

15 Sep

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline telephone number is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Love at First Sight

13 Sep

48% of men and 28% of women say that they have fallen in love at first sight, according to a poll of about 100,000 adults. (Monitor on Psychology, 2013, 44, 3)

ADHD

9 Sep

Boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with Attention-Deficit  Hyperactivity Disorder than girls, according to JAMA

Pediatrics, January 2013).

Mindfulness

5 Sep

While meditating, there three very important points  to remember: 1) Focus attention on the breathe or mantra. 2) When attention strays, notice and gently refocus without self- blame about your mind having wandered.  3) Be non-judgmental about what you are thinking when your mind strays, just observe it and let it go.

Meditation

1 Sep

This month’s Harvard Health Letter (2013) advocates at least 10 minutes daily of mindful meditation to elicit the body’s relaxation responses to oppose the body’s stress reactions. The mental and physical benefits are many and well documented.