Caregiving Archive

Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten demonstrates how to use the medicine ball to add a little challenge to the plank position.

You should have some strength training under your belt before trying this workout. While you can modify the moves, it is still an advanced routine that combines both strength and power in many of the moves. This makes it a time-efficient workout, but also a more intense one. You may notice that your heart rate goes up more than during other strength workouts.

Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten explains the difference between strength and power, and how to work out each of these attributes in many of the same exercises.

The Basic Workout is good for everyone. If you're new to strength training—or haven't been exercising for a month or more—this dumbbell and bodyweight routine is a great starting point. But even if you lift weights regularly, this workout can help by targeting muscles in new ways.

Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten shows the proper form for using the kettle bell to maximize the health benefits and minimize injuries.

Kettlebells supply resistance when you are strength training, which builds muscles. This not only makes you stronger, but also increases your muscles' endurance and strengthens your bones as well.

Reduce your dependence on medications with these strategies.

More than a third of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure—a systolic pressure (the top number in a reading) of at least 140 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), or a diastolic pressure (the bottom number) of at least 90 mm Hg, or both. The condition injures blood vessel walls and forces the heart to work harder, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Taking medication to treat high blood pressure is just part of the solution.

November is National Family Caregivers Month. Being a caregiver is an act of love and responsibility, but it comes at a cost. There are currently 40 million caregivers in the United States. These individuals devote time to take care of a loved one, endure stress that carries health risks, and often bear a financial burden as well. It is hard work and it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate those who are caregivers. Ideally, doctors and the health care system will find ways to help caregivers integrate their responsibilities into the workflow of their lives in the interest of better outcomes for everyone.

The wandering mind can get stuck on negative thoughts and start to “react” to a perceived threat that feels very real–and makes you feel anxious. Naming the negative feeling associated with that thought and then helping your mind wander in a more positive direction can help.

Some research suggests that disclosing deep emotions through writing can boost immune function as well as mood and well-being. Conversely, the stress of holding in strong feelings can ratchet up blood pressure and heart rate, and increase muscle tension.

Deeply troubling situations, such as suicide or a violent death, are best explored with the help of an experienced therapist. You might want to seek professional support to help you start to deal with your grief before trying journal writing. If you'd like to try keeping a journal to help you process feelings of grief, keep these things in mind: