Recent research suggests that improving hearing loss with hearing aids reduces the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In 2011, a team of Johns Hopkins medical school researchers discovered a significant association between hearing loss and the risk of developing these unwanted cognitive conditions. The worse someone’s hearing gets, the greater their risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. The researchers believe their findings could have substantial implications for individuals and public health because hearing loss is treatable with hearing instruments. These findings underscore how important regular hearing tests are as part of preventative health care.

Finding a dentist that can meet the needs of all members of your family is important. Kids often need different dental care than their parents do, whether it’s catching potential problems early or helping kids through losing their first teeth. Parents may be looking for advice on dental work or teeth whitening products for themselves. Whatever their dental needs may be, families often need flexibility when it comes to appointment scheduling and a dental team that can be there for sudden emergencies. Look for a dentist who has great rapport with the whole family, from youngest to oldest!

We all develop emotional and energetic attachments that can cause us suffering and hold us back from healing, growing, and making major leaps in our lives. These attachments disrupt the optimal flow of energy and magnetism through and around your body. If left untreated, this can lead to bigger problems, even physical disease. Reiki and other energy-healing modalities, like laser-light, sound, and crystal therapy, work to remove blockages, repair damaged and weakened spots, and increase the energetic flow of light through your system, creating a sense of wholeness and peace that allows you to move forward with grace and confidence.

When your child can write, not print, their name, they have the ability to do a thorough job of brushing and flossing. Until then, have them try brushing their teeth first on their own and then help them do a more thorough job after. For flossing, have your child lie down on a bed or floor so you can see what you’re doing and limit their movement. Begin cleaning your child’s mouth before their first tooth appears, and have your child see a dentist by 12 months of age or within 6 months of eruption of the first tooth.

In Lovely, Amanda Martinez Beck talks openly about the purpose of bodies, what makes a body good, and the need to reframe the way we think and speak about our own bodies and the bodies of the people around us. Much more than a “self-image” read, Lovely will retrain you to think about your whole self — body and soul — in terms of mercy, kindness, and wonder rather than criticism, failure, and self-loathing. Don’t let the scale, the mirror, your interior critic, or the world around you keep you trapped in lies. All bodies are good bodies, including yours.

The effects of dementia are devastating to individuals and their families. Researchers are keen to find ways to ease its symptoms and restore abilities and memory. Studies on music and dementia have shown promising findings. Did you know that the area of the brain associated with musical memory tends to be least affected by dementia? Music therapy may help reduce cognitive decline while improving the memory of people with dementia. In one study, test subjects performed better on memory tests when they listened to music. It has also been found that the emotional content of music can bring back emotional memories.