Beating the Holiday Blues

In honor of National Depression Screening Day, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is offering a free depression screening for UMMS employees and family members. Screenings will be brief, private, and confidentially reviewed by an experienced EAP counselor on site. The screening will take 5-10 minutes.  If needed, recommendations and/or referrals can be made for you…

In the January 14, 2014 Washington Post, author Maya Dangerfield writes about food that can boost your mood. She states, “Researchers have studied the association between foods and the brain and identified 10 nutrients that can combat depression and boost mood: calcium, chromium, folate, iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D…

PHYS ED Gretchen Reynolds on the science of fitness. Two new experiments, one involving people and the other animals, suggest that regular exercise can substantially improve memory, although different types of exercise seem to affect the brain quite differently. The news may offer consolation for the growing numbers of us who are entering age groups…

If you have trouble turning off your brain when you try to go to sleep at night, perhaps an app on your phone could help you. Helpline.com lists a number of different apps for iPhone and Android phones. Some apps have soothing sounds. Others guide you through a short meditation. Another one can track your…

How to Maintain Brain Health As we age, we need to exercise our brains in various ways to keep them sharp.  Some ways to do that are: Exercise -especially aerobic exercise such as running, walking, playing basketball, dancing, hiking, swimming, and tennis. Eat right-vegetables, fruits, protein and be sure to drink enough water. Stay away…