Thursday, November 30, 2017

Man Who Inspired ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Dies at Age 46

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Anthony Senerchia Jr., who was an inspiration for the viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, died on Saturday at the age of 46, ending a 14-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

“He worked tirelessly to raise awareness for ALS and was directly responsible for the world-renowned Ice bucket challenge,” his obituary said, calling him “a fireball who tried everything in life.”

Senerchia was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2003.

“It’s a difficult disease and tough when you’re losing,” his wife, Jeanette, told the Journal News Media Group. “Your body is failing you. But he was a fighter… He was our light. He made our life better.”

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral and raised $115 million during two months in 2014 — money that went largely to fund research. And Anthony Senerchia played a significant role in getting it started.

When Jeanette Senerchia’s cousin, golfer Chris Kennedy, was nominated early on to participate in the challenge, it was not yet specifically connected to ALS. But when Kennedy passed along the challenge to others, he chose the ALS Association as a beneficiary because of Anthony Senerchia’s battle with the disease. It took off from there.

“What started out as a small gesture to put a smile on Anthony’s face and bring some awareness to this terrible disease has turned into a national phenomenon,” Kennedy told TIME in 2014, “and it is something we never could have dreamed of.”



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Wednesday, November 22, 2017

4 Signs You Should See Another Doctor for a Second Opinion

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You leave your doctor’s office with a gnawing doubt. She’s the one with the MD, of course. But something’s not right. Should you get a second opinion? Yes, say experts, and don’t think twice. A fresh perspective can make all the difference for your health. Here, a few good reasons to schedule another appointment.

1. There’s been no mention of a specific diagnosis. Even before your doc IDs your ailment, she should be able to tell you what’s likely going on—or at least the range of possibilities, says Leana Wen, MD, author of When Doctors Don’t Listen ($13; amazon.com). “If she doesn’t, that’s a big red flag,” she says.

2. Your own research doesn’t match up. Once you have a diagnosis—and you’ve Googled the heck out of it—don’t be afraid to question your doc’s conclusion. “Does it really explain how you’re feeling?” says Dr. Wen. Do your symptoms align with the descriptions on reputable health sites? “If not, talk to your doc— and if you still have concerns, see someone else.”

3. You’re hearing about only one possible treatment. “In nearly every case, there is more than one treatment option,” says Dr. Wen. “And sometimes a viable option is watchful waiting.” Your provider should present multiple alternatives, along with their pros and cons, so you can decide what’s best for you.

4. You just don’t trust your doctor. If you don’t think she’s taking you seriously, or if you have any doubts about her competence, find a different expert, says Health medical editor Roshini Rajapaksa, MD. “It’s your body, so follow your instincts,” she says. “It never hurts to get a second opinion.”



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This Model Has Embraced Her Belly Rolls in the Most Playful Way

Friday, November 10, 2017

What Is Alopecia?

Alopecia is an umbrella term for many types of hair loss. Watch the video to learn what exactly alopecia is.

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Aaron Hernandez's Brain Suffered Severe Damage From CTE, Doctor Says

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

(BOSTON) — Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez suffered severe damage to parts of the brain that play an important role in memory, impulse control and behavior, a researcher who studied his brain said Thursday.

Dr. Ann McKee, director of the CTE Center at Boston University, said she could not “connect the dots” between Hernandez’s severe case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is linked to repeated blows to the head, and his behavior. The 27-year-old hanged himself in April, while serving life in prison for murder.

But McKee said she says Hernandez experienced substantial damage to key parts of the brain, including the hippocampus — which is important to memory — and the frontal lobe, which is involved in problem solving, judgment and behavior.

“In any individual we can’t take the pathology and explain the behavior,” said McKee, who has studied hundreds of brains from football players, college athletes and even younger players, donated after their deaths. “But we can say collectively, in our collective experience, individuals with CTE — and CTE of this severity — have difficulty with impulse control, decision-making, inhibition of impulses or aggression, often emotional volatility and rage behaviors,” she said.

Hernandez hanged himself in prison days after he was acquitted in the 2012 drive-by shootings of two men in Boston and just hours before his former teammates visited the White House to celebrate their latest Super Bowl victory.

Prosecutors claimed he gunned the two men down after one accidentally spilled a drink on him in a nightclub — and then got a tattoo of a handgun and the words “God Forgives” to commemorate the crime.

He had been serving a life sentence without parole in the 2013 killing of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd when he killed himself in April.

Hernandez, who said he was innocent, did not raise CTE in his defense at either trial.

But after his death and September CTE diagnosis, his attorneys filed a lawsuit against the NFL and football helmet maker Riddell, accusing them of failing to warn Hernandez about the dangers of football. The lawsuit, which seeks damages for Hernandez’s young daughter, said he experienced a “chaotic and horrendous existence” because of his disease.

Hernandez inherited a genetic profile that may have made him more susceptible to developing the disease, McKee said. She said Hernandez had the most severe case of CTE they’ve seen in someone his age. Hernandez was diagnosed with Stage 3, out of 4, of the disease.

While the outside of Hernandez’s brain appeared normal, the inside showed evidence of previous small hemorrhages, which experts associate with head impacts. Other parts of his brain had begun to shrink and show large holes in the membrane, McKee said.

“Individuals with similar gross findings at autopsy were at least 46 years old at the time of death,” McKee said.



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Olympic Gymnast Aly Raisman Reveals Sexual Abuse By Team Doctor Larry Nassar

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This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Aly Raisman, a six-time Olympic medalist and one of the most accomplished gymnasts in U.S. history, says she was sexually abused by Dr. Larry Nassar, who worked as the women’s gymnastics national team doctor for decades.

Raisman is the second member of the gold medal-winning 2012 Olympic women’s team to accuse Nassar of abuse. In October, her teammate McKayla Maroney tweeted that Nassar molested her for years, beginning when she was 13. Raisman disclosed the abuse in an interview scheduled to air Sunday on CBS’ 60 Minutes, as well as in her new book, Fierce.

Nassar, who worked as a volunteer doctor for USA Gymnastics, is currently in jail awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to child pornography charges in Michigan. He is also named in more than 100 lawsuits filed by gymnasts and athletes he treated while working with USA Gymnastics and at Michigan State University. Those suits claim he sexually abused athletes under the guise of medical treatment. Nassar resigned from USA Gymnastics in the summer of 2015.

In the interview, Raisman says she spoke to FBI investigators about Nassar after competing at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero in 2016, after an investigation by the Indianapolis Star revealed that USA Gymnastics had a policy of not reporting sexual abuse reports unless they were filed by the victims or a parent.

Raisman, who competed on the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams and is the nation’s second most decorated female Olympic gymnast, is pushing for change at USA Gymnastics, which governs the sport and oversees the selection of world and Olympic teams.

“I am angry,” she said in the 60 Minutes interview. “I just want to create change so [that young girls] never, ever have to go through this.”

In a statement to the program, USA Gymnastics said it has adopted new policies that require “mandatory reporting” of any potential abuse. “USA Gymnastics is very sorry that any athlete has been harmed…we want to work with Aly and all interested athletes to keep athletes safe.”



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Friday, November 3, 2017

When Is the Beaver Moon?

This article originally appeared on TravelAndLeisure.com.

It’s one of nature’s most arresting sights: a full moon slowly rising in the east as the sun sets in the west. Yet few people bother to look at this highlight of the lunar month.

November’s full moon is known as the Beaver Moon, or sometimes the Hunter’s Moon or the Frost Moon, and its rising this year is extra special because the moon will be closer to Earth than usual. This slightly bigger, brighter full moon is sometimes called a “supermoon.”

When is the full moon in November?

Though it will look very bright for a few days on either side, the moon is only full when it’s precisely opposite the sun, which will illuminate all of its Earth-facing side.

Related: Where to Find the Darkest Skies in the U.S. for Serious Stargazing

This moon phase will happen at 5:23 a.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017. That’s 1:23 a.m. in New York (EDT), 12:23 a.m. in Chicago (CDT), 11:23 p.m. on Friday, November 3 in Salt Lake City (MDT), 10:23 p.m. in Phoenix and Los Angeles (MST & PDT) and 9:23 p.m. in Anchorage (AKDT).

However, that’s not when to look at the full moon. By the time it’s risen high into the night sky, it’s too bright to comfortably look at.

A far better time to observe the moon is as it rises, which it will do on November 3, at the same time as sunset. As well as being much dimmer, it will appear orange – for the same reason a rising or setting Sun looks orange – though a rising full moon is far paler.

This highlight of the lunar month is a gorgeous sight, not least because the moon will appear impressively large as it rises. Not because it’s a supermoon — the difference in apparent size is negligible — but because of the so-called “moon illusion” perspective, where things look bigger when they’re viewed close to the horizon.

Why is it called the Beaver Moon?

November’s full moon comes as the temperatures start to drop in North America, where it’s become known as the Beaver Moon.

It’s a name from Native Americans and early colonists that indicates that November was when they needed beaver furs to survive the coming winter months. They therefore laid beaver traps in rivers under moonlight, taking advantage of when the animals were at their most active.

Additional November Moon Names

The many Native American tribes all had different names for various full moons to track the passing of the year. The Cherokee on the East Coast and the Carolinas called November’s Full Moon the nu-da-de-qua, or Trading Moon, because it was a time when much trade was done between tribes for goods, while the Kalapuya in the Pacific North-West called it alangitapi, which translates as “moving inside for winter.”

Since it arrives at a time of year when it’s getting colder and just before the first frosts and freezes, there are many other Native American names that associate it with cold. The Assiniboine of the Northern Plains called it cuhotgawi, or the Frost Moon, while the Haida tribe in Alaska termed it the Snow Moon.

November’s Full Moon has also sometimes been referred to as the Hunter’s Moon, because it illuminates prey at night.

Whatever you call it, the rising full moon on November 3 will be a beautiful sight.

And there will be more reasons to gaze up at the sky in November: The Leonid meteor shower will peak on November 17.



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Wednesday, November 1, 2017

If You Struggle to Find Time for Self-Care, These Clever Apps Can Help

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Finding time for self-care can be tricky, especially in the always-on, digitally connected world we live in. Even when we mean to relax, there are often distractions like work emails or Facebook messages at our fingertips.But believe it or not, your phone can also be a tool to help you prioritize self-care—as long as you know how to make it work for you.

We’ve rounded up the best apps and tech for promoting personal health and making time to recharge your batteries, so you can fill your phone with tools that deliver good vibes only. Because, hey, if you’re going to have your phone around 24/7, it might as well help you take care of yourself.

RELATED: 9 Easy Ways to Practice Self-Care This Week

Happify (free; iTunes and Google Play)

This app lets you select the mental health and wellbeing goals you want to focus on (think reducing stress or building confidence), and then gives you quick games and activities to help you move the needle on these goals. You’ll track your overall happiness and how it changes with time on the app, too.

Shine Text (free; shinetext.com)

Sign up for Shine Text to receive a daily text message with motivational quotes, affirmations, positive psychology articles, and tips for how to start your morning in an optimistic mood.The company claims that 93% of people who use Shine Text report feeling more confident and happy than they were before. Also cool: If you refer 10 friends, you can score free swag.

Gratitude Journal (free; iTunes and Google Play)

Think of this app as a virtual journal that reminds you to record what you’re grateful for each day, with the option to share it with friends if you want. You can also take photos and tag friends and locations so you can look back on the people and places that made you smile.Practicing gratitude has been shown to make people happier, and having the ability to journal on your phone makes it even easier to find time to reflect on the stuff you’re thankful for.

Headspace (free for first 10 sessions; iTunes and Google Play)

This meditation app gets rave reviews for its short guided audio meditations on different themes, rangingfrom “learning to meditate” to “falling asleep.” The first 10 sessions are free, and after that you can access more meditations by subscribing for $13 a month or $96 a year. Meditation has been shown to help decrease stress and improve focus, and with this app, you can learn to meditate anywhere, at any time—you just need a few minutes a day.

Acupressure: Heal Yourself ($1.99; iTunes and Amazon)

Self-massage is a great way to relive tension and stress, and this app can help improve your skills. The easy-to-use app shows you how to massage various pressure points on the body with illustrated instructions.

Sleep Cycle (free; iTunes and Google Play)

This app functions as a smart alarm that tracks your sleep habits and wakes you up at the optimal time (during your lightest sleep phase) so you feel more rested.Your phone doesn't have to be in bed with you, though; it uses sound analysis to track your sleep. To make sure you’re getting the best rest possible, you can also monitor snoring and other sleep stats.

Offtime ($2.99; iTunes and Google Play)

Your phone can actually help you stay on it (when you decide you want to) with Offtime. The app analyzes how you spend time on your phone to deliver honest insight, then you can set barriers to certain apps or features you find distracting, or block texts and calls (while allowing certain numbers to get through).Offtime gives you more control over how you use your phone, allowing you to have undistracted downtime, family time, or work time.

Yoga Studio (free; iTunes and Google Play)

This app allows you to practice yoga literally anywhere—you download classes instead of streaming them so you can watch without an Internet connection. Plus, if you’re a beginner yogi, you’ll learn basic moves and can even piece together your own classes with your favorite poses and flows (the app turns them into a seamless video for you). As a bonus, youcan also easily schedule classes from the app onto your phone calendar to make sure you’re fitting in time for your practice.

Clue (free; iTunes) or Glow (free; iTunes and Google Play)

Keep track of your monthly cycle with Clue. This period tracker app allows you to monitor how you’re feeling, skin problems, and sexual activity, so you can notice any patterns in your cycle. This can give you the info you need to prioritize self-care before you’re in desperate need of it.Glow is another great period tracker that syncs with many fitness watches and apps, so it can help you find patterns in activity levels and your cycle.

Talkspace ($32 a week; iTunes)

If you’re ever felt too busy for therapy, this app is for you. Talkspace matches you with a licensed therapist through a free consultation. Once you’ve connected with a therapist, you can text them daily (they usually respond once or twice a day, depending on an agreement you set up with them). Even better: Couples can use it, too.



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