Author Archives: Zuzanna Walter

Managing Distractions During Telehealth Appointments 

August 13, 2021

\With the advent of telemedicine came several challenges not limited to IT security, patient-provider connection, and a host of technological issues. As the adoption of digital medical care is now relatively widespread, there is a new challenge facing telehealth – distraction. According to new survey data, approximately 44% of Americans engaged in a telehealth appointment during the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant proportion of those also reported multi-tasking or being distracted by other tasks during their visit.

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Examining Nutritional Interventions for Improved Wellbeing and Mental Health 

August 5, 2021

Emerging findings from intervention studies implicate healthy dietary patterns combined with lifestyle modifications have the potential to prevent and treatment mental health disorders and modify drug treatment effects.

There is strong evidence that nutritional patterns can affect later-life brain function; a healthy diet filled with high-quality foods has been linked to reductions in cognitive decline risk, while a poor diet appears to increase cognitive decline along with other health concerns. Mounting evidence suggests that early evaluation and treatment for depression can improve or maintain cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment – the first stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, the risk of developing dementia is doubled in older adults with depression, whereas the risk of Alzheimer’s is up to 65% greater. Not only is a healthy diet beneficial for preventing neurological decline, but it can also help address cardiometabolic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic disorders.

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Early-Life Exposure to Dogs Linked to Decreased Schizophrenia Risk

July 30, 2021

Owning a pet has been associated with many health benefits, ranging from decreased blood pressure and cholesterol levels to increased life expectancy. Pet dogs specifically provide opportunities for increased physical activity, socialization, and time spent outdoors while also improving emotional well-being by providing their owners with companionship. As a result, pet ownership is on the rise, according to data from the American Pet Products Association’s National Pet Owners Survey. Per current estimates, 67% of households in the United States own at least one pet – which equals approximately 85 million homes across the country.

The full extent of the health benefits – and risks – of pet ownership is yet unknown, however, the latest research reveals that there may be positive neurologic implications of owning a dog. Published online in the journal PLOS One, a recent study from Johns Hopkins Medicine implicates that exposure to dogs at an early age may have psychiatric health benefits, including the lessening of the likelihood of schizophrenia development in adulthood.

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