10.07.11
Individuals with severe cognitive decline often experience frustration at their loss of independence, which may worsen symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. A study by researchers at the University of Sheffield and Bradford University reveals that allowing these people to make some of their own decisions may improve their quality of life.
The team noted that simple things like letting dementia patients pay the cashier at the grocery store can make a difference. Additionally, acknowledging positive or negative feelings – which are often communicated though facial expressions – may help these individuals know that their emotions are still valid.
"Their confidence can be quite fragile. It is important that they feel good about themselves and know that their views still matter," said co-author Geraldine Boyle.
Friends, family members and partners of individuals with cognitive decline may want to assist their loved ones in developing a personal growth plan. It's important for people to continue striving toward their goals. Perhaps it's something as exciting as a trip to a Sedona, Arizona attraction, or a minor event like shopping independently. Either way, their dreams are just as important now as ever.
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09.29.11
While some people may not be proud of the fact that they blush and feel embarrassed easily, research reveals that this may actually be a virtuous trait. In a series of trials, scientists from the University of California (UC), Berkeley, found that people tend to view others who show signs of embarrassment as being more trustworthy and generous.
Often, on journeys toward personal growth and development, people run into situations that make them get a little red in the face. For instance, they may mean well when they ask a woman when she is expecting her child, but then find out that the lady is merely overweight. While this is not a desirable situation to be in, showing regret or embarrassment over the mistake may prove to others that they are a conscientious, humble individual.
"Embarrassment is one emotional signature of a person to whom you can entrust valuable resources. It's part of the social glue that fosters trust and cooperation in everyday life," said UC Berkeley social psychologist and co-author Robb Willer.
Authors of the study were careful to distinguish between embarrassment – signaled by blushing, looking away and partially covering the face – and shame, which is a negative emotion that may indicate low self-esteem.
The researchers said that study participants who viewed individuals who reacted to certain social situations with embarrassment tended to want to affiliate with them more than with people who react to similar instances with pride or arrogance.
This suggests that individuals embarking on a personal growth plan should learn from embarrassing situations, as these can give them the opportunity to display personality traits that attract people.
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09.26.11
Excess fat around the midsection has been linked to a number of conditions, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Now, researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology believe that belly fat may also increase a person's chances of developing asthma.
In a study, a team of scientists found that people with a large waist circumference, also known as central obesity, were 1.81 times more likely to have asthma, compared to people of normal weight. Individuals who were overall obese, but not centrally obese, had asthma at 1.44 times the rate of their slimmer counterparts.
"Asthma can affect people of all sizes, but our study has highlighted both the individual and combined effect of central obesity and overall obesity on asthma development. Both these measures have an individual impact on asthma and an additive effect when they are combined," said researcher Ben Brumpton.
In order to reach their conclusions, the researchers examined the health data of 23,245 people aged 18 to 55 over the course of 11 years. The volunteers were all part of a second installment of the Norwegian Nord-Trondelag Health Study (HUNT).
Author and trailblazer Ilchi Lee believes that personal growth and development can only be achieved when a person is able to attain optimal physical, mental and spiritual health. Results of this study add further weight to theories that illness in one aspect of a person's well-being may lead to poor health in another.
Lee says that a personal growth plan for enlightenment and fulfillment is an effort worth taking, though these journeys are not typically easy. However, difficult endeavors are often the ones that matter the most.
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09.22.11
It's well-known that quitting smoking can vastly improve an individual's lung health and reduce their risk of several forms of cancer. But what about memory?
In a study, researchers from Northumbria University found that while smoking can have a significant impact on a person's memory, cessation may be able to reverse this brain-damaging effect.
A team of scientists found that just 59 percent of smokers were able to remember a set of assigned tasks, compared to 81 percent of people who had never smoked and 74 percent of volunteers who were successful in adopting a personal growth plan to kick their habit.
"We already know that giving up smoking has huge health benefits for the body, but this study also shows how stopping smoking can have knock-on benefits for cognitive function too," said researcher Tom Heffernan. "Given that there are up to 10 million smokers in the UK and as many as 45 million in the United States, it's important to understand the effects smoking has on everyday cognitive function – of which prospective memory is an excellent example."
Personal growth and happiness are often dependent upon physical, mental and spiritual health, according to trailblazer and flutist Ilchi Lee. Smoking tobacco can be a major detriment to all three of these aspects, as the substance has been shown to be extremely toxic to the mind and body.
As a result, smoking cessation is a great first step in any journey toward betterment and fulfillment. It's not an easy feat to achieve, but nothing worth doing is ever simple. In fact, the more difficult jobs you will accomplish in your life will likely be the most important, and also the ones you are most proud of in the end.
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09.08.11
Brown fat is a substance in the human body, found abundantly in babies, that burns energy, keeping individuals warm while burning excess calories. By contrast, white fat stores calories and can be detrimental to a person's health.
In a study on mice, researchers at Ohio State University found that socialization helps convert white fat into brown fat, leading to a healthier body weight and brain function in the rodents.
"It's usually hard to induce the switch from white to brown fat," said co-author Matthew During. "It takes months of cold – you really have to push – and it doesn't induce brown fat to the same degree as what on the surface appears to be a relatively mild change in physical and social environments."
In order to test their theories, researchers compared the health of mice that were placed in an environment with plenty of playmates and space to move with rodents in a traditional cage, given ample food but few other mice with whom to socialize. They discovered that animals in a socially enriched atmosphere had lower levels of belly fat than those in the control group.
Additionally, mice that were socially stimulated had higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a chemical known to enhance learning and memory ability.
The results of this study suggest that having a supportive network of friends and family is an important part of a personal growth plan to lose weight.
Author and philosopher Ilchi Lee says that personal growth and happiness are a matter of personal responsibility, but it never hurts to have other people around who can serve as inspirations.
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