Coos County Medical Guide - Feb. 1st, 2008

If you want to live long and strong, you've got to do more than work out your body; you've got to exercise your brain, insists Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, clinical professor of neurology at New York University School of Medicine. While we've heard for years that mental stimulation can stave off dementia and Alzheimer's, Dr. Goldberg says scientists now know exactly how to keep our brains from turning to mush - by stimulating the growth of new neurons and interconnections between them that boost brain efficiency. If you don't use your brain in new and novel ways, your brain won't be fit to use. » Read More

A decade ago, the headline, "N.J. Woman, 60, Gives Birth to Twin Boys," could have only been read in the National Enquirer, probably alongside a story about the birth of a two-headed baby that also was half-dog. » Read More

As the fall and winter days get darker, many people experience holiday-related grumpiness, an urge to consume comfort foods or a desire to sleep in just a few more minutes to avoid the cold. Some people, however, who have a more serious reaction to the changing seasons may have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), an atypical depression linked to a lack of sunlight. Symptoms of SAD include lethargy, fatigue, weight gain and other problems that can impair daily life. » Read More

When people are laughing, they're generally not killing each other," said comedian Alan Alda. And although it is sometimes difficult to look on the bright side, laughter truly is the best medicine, and research proves it. » Read More