New Jersey: A Garden State of Mind

A healthy place to be!

Are you a Thanksgiver?

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By Valerie Minard Okay, I know that Thanksgiving in the United States is just around the corner. But, it got me thinking about the holiday and what it means — how I could be more grateful during the rest of the year. How I could be a more consistent thanksgiver. Studies show the benefits of gratitude include […]

Depressed?  You are not a label!

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By Valerie Minard “Abilify can break the ball and chain and “aid in symptom” improvement for women who suffer from depression.” That’s the message an ad now playing promises viewers taking this antidepressant booster. Marketing depression – and drugs to deal with it – to women is not new.  One study found that 93% of […]

Unbroken: when forgiveness replaces hate

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By Valerie Minard There’s  been a lot of buzz lately about WWII veteran Louis Zamperini, portrayed in the recent film adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s New York Times’ bestseller “Unbroken.”  If you haven’t seen the Oscar-nominated movie or read the book, Olympic champion Zamperini endures unimaginable hardship: being lost at sea for 47 days; enduring brutality […]

Does honesty really improve health?

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By Valerie Minard Benjamin Franklin once quipped that “honesty was the best policy.” It certainly builds better personal and business relationships. Those, in and of themselves, are great benefits. But are there more?  Yes!  Honesty also improves health.  That might be a stretch for some, but many have proven it over the millennia.  Even researchers […]

Making wise choices about health care

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By Valerie Minard If you haven’t seen Pharrell Williams’ music video of his “happy” song, you’ll enjoy this parody of it with lyrics by James McCormick advising viewers to think twice about health care before taking a pill or getting a medical exam. It’s part of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation’s Choosing […]

Do vitamins really make us healthy? From: mycentraljersey.com

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<img class=”alignleft size-medium wp-image-421" src=”http://www.newjerseyagardenstateofmind.com/files/Do-vitamins-really-make-you-healthy-300×199.jpg" alt=”@Glowimages.com” width=”300″ height=”199″ srcset=”https://www.newjerseyagardenstateofmind.com/files/Do-vitamins-really-make-you-healthy-300×199.jpg 300w, https://www.newjerseyagardenstateofmind.com/files/Do-vitamins-really-make-you-healthy.jpg 980w” sizes=”(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px” />By Valerie Minard When I was growing up, it was normal at breakfast time for my mother to have a variety of vitamins on the kitchen table for me to take each day.  She was convinced this regime would make me smarter, healthier and […]

Healthwise: Reversal of long-standing suicidal behavior offers new option for treatment From: mycentraljersey.com

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By Valerie Minard When Dr. Harold Koenig, met with one of his long-term suicidal patients, he did something most doctors might not do– he prayed for his patient– imploring God to help her make it just one more day.   But instead, he got more than he bargained for.  Her mental illness cleared completely and she […]

Healthwise: Is medical screening ‘an ounce of prevention’? From:mycentraljersey.com

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By Valerie Minard Ben Franklin’s quip, “An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure,” may not always prove right – at least when it comes to medical screenings.  According to the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force, medical testing may actually do more harm than good.  Although initial screenings may be harmless, the resulting […]

Healthwise: Can we reclaim our mental health? From:mycentraljersey.com

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By Valerie Minard Remember when a childhood temper tantrum, grief over a loved one’s passing, or the euphemistic senior moment was considered a “normal” part of life’s challenges? Well, the recent update of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)–the leading authority on mental health diagnosis and research– has […]