Abstracts of Magazine Articles, 2005

Fire Up Your Metabolism

Self, December 2005
Your metabolic rate isn't carved in stone. Instead, it's more like writing in sand—an active process that's always changing. Your diet and lifestyle choices can go a long way toward speeding up that process or slowing it down. This two-page article describes the latest research on six metabolism maximizers: drinking coffee, eating hot peppers, changing your cooking oil, getting plenty of protein, consuming small frequent meals, and maintaining a leaner body.

Acupuncture: What's New With an Age-Old Treatment

Arthritis Self-Management, November/December 2005
Western science still can't fully explain why sticking a needle in one part of your body should relieve pain in another. Yet growing scientific evidence suggests that this is precisely what happens in many cases. As a result, acupuncture has become so popular in the West that it's now almost mainstream. It's estimated that more than 2 million Americans used acupuncture within the past year. The treatment is offered by some 14,000 U.S. practitioners, including 3,000 physicians, and it's covered by a number of insurance plans. This cover story explains the basics of acupuncture and reviews the latest evidence on its use for arthritis treatment.

Forgive and Forget

Experience Life, November 2005
Whether it's an ex who cheated, a friend who lied, or a coworker who back-stabbed, we've all been wronged by someone. Now research shows that learning to forgive can be good for mental, emotional, and physical well-being. This three-page article explains how to let go of grudges. First and foremost, forgiveness is a process that takes place within your own heart and mind. But the article also includes tips for talking it out, should you choose to tell the offender that you're offering forgiveness.
[full article]

Coping With Your Diagnosis

Arthritis Self-Management, September/October 2005
Denial, anger, anxiety, depression, loneliness, guilt. They're all possible emotional reactions to learning that you have a chronic illness, such as arthritis. This three-page feature offers practical coping tips for dealing with difficult feelings. Eventually, the emotional bumps in the road should even out as you come to terms with your illness. In the long run, you may find that the diagnosis has made you a stronger, wiser person who's better able to cope with life's hard knocks.

A Good Dose of Safety

Friendly Exchange, Fall 2005
The news in recent years has been enough to make you wonder: What's riskier, the disease or the pill that treats it? Despite a spate of bad news, experts say there's no cause for panic. The benefits of most FDA-approved medications really do outweigh the risks when used as prescribed. Still, new information about side effects is constantly coming to light, even after a drug has been approved. This article for a custom magazine sponsored by Farmers Insurance Group tells where to turn for the latest updates on your medications.

The Nexus of Ethics

HR Magazine, August 2005
You've probably heard it many times: "I'm a completely different person when I go out that office door. What I do on my own time is totally separate from what I do at work." But is it really true? Many experts say that a person's ethics on and off the job are two sides of the same coin. This six-page feature explains why the same fundamental personality traits that lead someone to cheat on his spouse may predispose him to cheat stockholders as well.
[full article]

Caring for Someone With Arthritis

Arthritis Self-Management, July/August 2005
It's estimated that 52 million Americans provide some type of caregiving for a family member who is ill or disabled. This cover story features advice and support for those who are caring for someone with painful or disabling arthritis. The article takes a realistic look at both the benefits and the stresses of being a caregiver. It also offers practical pointers on avoiding burnout.

Hiring People With Intellectual Disabilities

HR Magazine, July 2005
It's estimated that as many as 8 million Americans have intellectual disabilities, and a large majority of those individuals have a mild level of functional impairment. They make up a large—and largely untapped—labor pool. As employers start to recognize this fact, workers with intellectual disabilities are increasingly being hired for a surprising array of jobs. Sure, some are bagging groceries, sweeping floors, and raking leaves, but others are maintaining medical equipment, examining insurance claims, and operating textile machinery. This six-page feature dispels many stereotypes about employing workers with intellectual disabilities. It makes the case that hiring such workers is not only positive social policy, but also good for a company's bottom line.
[full article]

When It's Time for Anger Management

HR Magazine, June 2005
Confronting an anger-prone employee is just apt to make that person—well, angry. It's little wonder that many companies in times past chose to look the other way. In this security-conscious age, however, such a nonsolution is a nonstarter. This widely reprinted article in the magazine of the Society for Human Resource Management outlines the who, what, when, where, and why of workplace anger management.
[full article]

Get-Slim Trick

Self, June 2005
10 + 10 + 10 = 30, right? Not always, when it comes to burning fat. This short news item about workout duration explains. It's based on recent research from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Control Stress Before It Controls You

Friendly Exchange, Summer 2005
A recent study reported that one in three Americans say they're chronically overworked. Chances are, the other two-thirds of us feel pressured at least occasionally, too. Whether we're caring for children, paying the bills, or just watching the evening news, everyday life is full of stressful demands. But when stress becomes frequent or constant, the wear and tear on your mind and body can contribute to a host of problems. This article shows how to take control of stress before it controls you.

Feel Good Again

Costco Pharmacy Guide to Healthy Living, Summer 2005
The experience of menopause is as unique as each woman going through it. For some, though, the "change of life" can bring distressing emotional changes, including depression and irritability. Fortunately, a healthy lifestyle can reduce such mood swings, and hormone therapy or natural remedies may also help some women. This article describes the latest research on coping with menopausal moods.

Relax! Three Stress-Busting Methods

Arthritis Self-Management, May/June 2005
Traffic jams, overdue bills, work deadlines. People with arthritis face the same daily hassles and pressures as everyone else—and on top of that, they also have to cope with illness, pain, and medical expenses. If you have arthritis, it's little wonder that you occasionally feel stressed out. This four-page article offers easy, step-by-step instructions for using three great stress-busting techniques: abdominal breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and body scans.

Coping With Divorce

HR Magazine, May 2005
On a classic rating scale of stressful life events, divorce consistently ranks number two—second only to the death of a spouse. Going through a divorce is a costly, time-consuming, emotionally draining experience. For divorcing employees, the stress sometimes translates into decreased productivity or increased conflict, but this six-page feature for HR pros explains how to head off many of the worst breakup shakeups at work.
[full article]

DocSpeak: How to Talk With Your Doctor

Arthritis Self-Management, March/April 2005
Ever notice that doctors tend to talk in a language all their own? This four-page feature tells how to translate DocSpeak into plain English. It includes tips on communicating your needs effectively, asking the right questions, and understanding the answers you get in return. It also includes a brief glossary of common arthritis-related terms.

When Men Get "Hormonal"

Friendly Exchange, Spring 2005
"Hormonal" behavior is an equal opportunity problem. Just as premenstrual or menopausal women may get cranky or blue, men may experience hormone-related mood swings, too. IMS—that's irritable male syndrome—may be linked to fluctuating levels of testosterone as well as stress and identity issues, according to psychotherapist Jed Diamond. It turns out that midlife men can even have hot flashes. This short article explains.

Eat This, Treat That

Self, February 2005
For many medical conditions, you may want to drop by the supermarket on your way to the pharmacy. While we've known for some time that a healthy diet is one key to preventing disease, new research shows that certain compounds in foods can help treat illnesses, too. This chart highlights three promising areas of research: folate for infertility, omega-3 fatty acids for rheumatoid arthritis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus for irritable bowel syndrome.

Clinical Trials: Should You Volunteer?

Arthritis Self-Management, January/February 2005
Wanted: Volunteers with arthritis to participate in a research study. If you have arthritis, you've probably been noticing more ads such as this one lately. Research studies using human volunteers, known as clinical trials, allow scientists and doctors to find answers to critical health questions. For patients, participation in a trial may provide access to cutting-edge treatments along with the chance to help others. But there may be risks and inconveniences as well. This award-winning article helps you weigh the pros and cons before signing up.

Substance-Impaired Physicians: Treating Doctors and Protecting Patients

Journal of Medical Licensure and Discipline, 91(4): 2005
Tremendous strides have been made in the identification, treatment, and monitoring of physicians who abuse alcohol or other drugs. Nevertheless, balancing the desire to help such physicians against the need to protect patients remains a challenge for state medical boards. This article, which appears in the Federation of State Medical Boards' journal, discusses strategies for mastering the balancing act. It also reviews current trends in the treatment and monitoring of substance-impaired physicians.

Betwixt and Between

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