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A Recap Of This Year’s Nobel Lectures

 

6The future of medical research is looking bright. Nobel week in Stockholm proved to showcase this year’s discoveries with a positive outlook on what’s to come from passionate scientists like Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Miachel Young. They took the stage in Aula Medica to share their inspiring lectures with the crowd after winning this year’s Nobel prize in Physiology and Medicine.

The speeches rose excitement with a focus on molecular mechanisms defining the way biological rhythms from living beings (animals,plants,us) are adapted to the Earth’s revolutions. In fact as Rosbash explained, more than 50% of our 20,000 genes are revealed in a rhythmic way. What’s really noteworthy is the realization that all living cells couple their mechanics to our solar system.

In attendance were plenty of different faces from students to researchers and notable international guests, all coming together in one place to celebrate, encourage and consider these exciting new discoveries. A collaborative and open mindedness sparked the lecture halls, proving that with ambition, persistence and acceptance can achieve anything.

 

 

 

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Couple’s Touching Christmas Letter Shines Light on Alzheimer’s

Christmas is a time for reflecting on our thoughts under the glimmering lights of the tree. Showing gratitude to memories, accomplishments, all while spending it with the ones closest to you. It’s a time to remember and perhaps reconnect with people you may not see as often, whole giving thanks to those who are present in your everyday.

But within this reflection of thankfulness, some stories that surface during this time truly melt our hearts with their emotional weight and even, heartbreaking story telling. Such is the case of couple Barb and Harold Arnold, who shared their experience with Alzheimer’s through an open letter.

“Last Christmas we shared Barb’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. This year we would like to share what’s happening in our lives.”

barbandharold_1512264844421_11862530_ver1.0_1512428071152_11871457_ver1.0Arnold goes on by describing how she feels on a day to day, “If you ask Barb how she’s feeling, she will answer, I feel fine. I just tire easily. I have tremors in both hands and forget things and have to jot down a quick reminder.”

The letter goes on by reminding us to truly be grateful for the things we have, especially our health, which can quickly escape us with time and quickly fleet away in the case of Alzheimer’s.

“Words like understanding, giving and receiving, sadness, happiness, dignity, appreciation now have a much clearer meaning to us. Enjoy every moment you have. This Alzheimer’s disease has taught us the true meaning of love, which to us is sharing. Barb and I are now closer than in years and enjoying life as it is,” Harold continues, finding light in this dark time. “She loves to take walks, read, warm at the fireplace, listen to music and talk radio shows, visit with friends and family.”

Sharing stories like these can help bring awareness to this terrible disease that affects millions every year across the globe. Harold’s letter has been picked up by local news and shared on social media sparking emotionally charged conversations.

 

 

 

 

 

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Woman’s Final Alzheimer’s Memories Seen Through Crochets Goes Viral

We’re often used to seeing the progression of  Alzheimer’s through medical imagery, statistics and various case studies. But nearly a day ago, a heartbreaking photo of crochet creations posted by Reddit user Rene Wuillermin has surfaced and changed this view by shifting it into viral visual story telling.

Since then, the photo has been shared hundreds of times, resonating as a tragic tapestry through and through, a representation of the brain’s deterioration in colourful stages, eventually leading to a dark, loose threaded scribble.

“I wanted people to really understand what’s happening for her sake and even just for my family to better understand what the process is,” Sara, now 34, told People this week.

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The photo following Rene’s mum’s unraveling, has stirred quite the interest through online communities and news sources alike, with touching comments and supportive words pouring through.

“I thought about not clicking on your post cause it aches,” wrote a Facebook user, “but it’s almost comforting to know others could understand my family’s situation so well.”

“We lost our mom in September to Alzheimer’s but she had already disappeared, heartbreaking” said another.

Alzheimers to this day affects millions of people, across the globe with no cure available. This photo has brought the disease into the eyes of public in a familiar fashion, reminding everyone that Alzheimer’s is closer than you think.

“I hope sharing this story will help educate and advocate for more research for a cure.”

 

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On World Mental Health Day We’re Busting 3 Myths On Common Disorders

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Today we’ve seen the emotionally charged hashtags around #WorldMentalHealthDay shared by affected friends, families, coworkers as they’ve filled up our news feeds with staggering statistics and moving stories. In unison, this online awareness has shed light on mental health issues and sparkled significant conversations. All of them pointing towards the need for resources, answers, clarifications, branching together and fighting against the stigma that surrounds mental health illnesses.

Celebrities too, have come forth to express their ties to mental health with their personal stories to their fans while tweets with powerful imagery have weighed on the online world to champion today’s movement. In an effort to join into the global conversation surrounding today, we’re exploring the top 3 myths surrounding mental illnesses and the truths behind each one.

Anxiety

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Myth: Anxiety can be resolved by just avoiding stressful situations all together or bringing rubber bands or paper bags along your day to day’s to get over those panic attacks. 

Reality:  Though anxiety is treatable, it remains as the most familiar mental illness affecting 40 million adults every year. In a perfect world, avoiding stressful situations would be an easy fix but we all know that this simply isn’t how our day to day lives work. Situations happen, at times quite sporadically and even the smallest things can affect an individual suffering from anxiety. Additionally, suppressing situations will actually work against someone with anxiety, as the anticipation will snowball every time a situation is avoided or ignored, becoming stronger and louder. The more you resist, the likely anxiety persists. As for the hyperventilation techniques used with paper bags, they create a dependancy on that chosen object, which in turn, makes you anxious about being anxious.

Depression

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Myth: Depression is all in your head, and there are no physical repercussions that come from it. It can easily be cured by the right antidepressant. 

Reality:  There are many types of depression that can be diagnosed, and though they predominantly affect the emotional, mental state they can also be noticed through physical signs that are often overlooked. Indications like insomnia, fatigue, lack of appetite, muscle aches or chest pains are all noticeable ways that depression can affect our bodies.  Since depression comes in many shapes and forms, finding the right antidepressant can become quite the challenge for many folks. One pill simply does not work for everyone and it the process when starting the treatment can take up to six weeks. Though medication is one of the common ways to fight depression, others find treatments in therapy.

Schizophrenia

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Myth: Schizophrenia means you have multiple personalities talking to you in real time. It makes you dangerous and untrustworthy.

Reality:  Schizophrenia can be spotted through a wide array of different symptoms, but not one of those allude to having multiple personalities.  Though there are 5 different types, schizophrenia as a whole, affects the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions or perceives reality. Since this often comes with psychotic symptoms like delusions and hallucinations, main stream society has time and time again portrayed schizophrenic patients as dangerous, criminals that violently act out. This couldn’t be further from the truth: reports show that the majority of patients suffering are non violent, and if the crimes were incidentally tied to an individual with the schizophrenia, that it was not correlated to their symptoms.

There are many other mental health illnesses that surround us everyday, often living through people we know or begin to know. Today, we urge you to do your part in joining to fight the stigma against these diseases that affect so many of us. For #MentalHealthAwarenessDay take a moment to research, read or simply reach out and speak to someone suffering.

 

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