The scientific world is getting a bit wiser about the effect emotions can have on your health for better and for worse. How you handle your emotions may also affect the way your body manages the healing process too.

Scientists monitored the progression of healing of 93 patients with diabetic foot ulcers (neuropathic or neuroischaemic) four times during a 24-week span, taking into account their coping skills, cortisol levels and the psychological stress they felt.

Patients with a controlling personality -- My-way-or-the-highway, who-cares-if-you're-right folks -- were the least likely to heal from their foot ulcers. Because this disease requires long-term patience and treatment to recover, researchers believe those who seek to control and speed up the process also experience additional frustration and distress that work against healing.

Depression also contributes to the problem, as patients fighting their emotions demonstrated less healing and overall improvement by the end of the study, one more reason to seek out safer, gentler ways, like meditation, to calm your mind and body.

Diabetologia, Vol. 53, No. 8, pp. 1590-1598, August 2010

Bloomberg Businessweek August 6, 2010

For all the important news we've shared in this space at the intersection of Emotions Ave. and Cancer Blvd. -- from the importance of laughing at cancer to the toll caregiving can have on a loved one -- it's a bit embarrassing to admit that we haven't touched on one very important subject, until today. Namely, how to share the news that you're fighting cancer with your young children.

No question, the American Cancer Society provides many sources to guide parents who want and need to talk about their illness with their kids gently. But, for this daunting task, a parent needs age-specific guidance.

That's why one of the best ways to get the conversation going with your child also happens to be the easiest: Sharing a book written just for them. A recent book tackling this subject -- Let My Colors Out, lovingly written by Courtney Filigenzi and beautifully illustrated by Shennen Bersani -- has been on the receiving end of many kudos, all of them well-deserved.

Courtney shares her perspectives about cancer as a writer and Mom, along with what parents can do to prepare their children for this difficult journey.

Q: The hardest part of dealing with cancer -- separate from the toll it takes on a person's mind and body -- is how to share that information with loved ones, particularly their children, then observing how they deal with this knowledge. How did you develop the idea for Colors?

More...

With Father's Day coming fast, you may need more ammunition just to remind your kids that your brain works just as well as theirs do, and, even better in some cases. When that time comes -- and you know it will either tomorrow or down the road -- don't forget this study or to send a few kind thoughts my way for telling you about it.

Duke University researchers worked with two groups of adults (ages 18-35 and 66-76) to measure the differences and commonalities in the way both process new information and make risky decisions based on losing or gaining real money. You may or may not be surprised to learn that the assumption made about most older folks -- they make bad decisions because they're too gun-shy and risk-adverse -- is generally wrong.

Using path analysis to measure whether age had anything to do making good decisions, scientists determined "the numbers game" did have an effect on the processing speed and memory. Just not on the quality of the decisions patients made…

And, some older patients made better decisions than younger ones who had lower scores on cognitive tests. "If I took 20 younger adults and 20 older adults, all of whom were above average on these measures, then on average, you could not tell them apart based on decisions. On the whole, it is true, more older people process slowly and have poorer memory. But there are also older people who do as well as younger people," says lead researcher Dr. David Huettel.

You can bet, the next time I have an argument with one of my kids or extended family about making the right decision about anything, I'll send them a link to this blog post in nothing flat!

DukeHealth.org June 1, 2010

We've discussed the many ways stress affects your health almost always for the negative in this space. The stress that comes from working overtime, according to a European study, can be just as damaging to your heart.

Based on medical data collected on some 6,000 patients over 11 years, civil service employees who worked more than three hours (on top of their typical seven-hour day) elevated their risk for non-fatal heart attacks, angina and death due to heart disease by 60 percent, compared to those who avoided OT.

Unfortunately, the study pinpointed many possibilities for the spike in heart disease -- type A behaviors, sleep deprivation, stress, a lack of work-related freedom and high blood pressure -- but no firm culprits. And, it didn't track blue-collar workers either, which makes me wonder if those downbeat numbers would've risen even higher.

Unfortunately, stress isn't the only thing that can harm your heart. Check out our Facebook page for an interesting study we posted recently about the deadly mix of bottled-up anger and cardiac problems and many more links to studies than we have room to post here.

European Heart Journal May 11, 2010

ScienceDaily May 11, 2010

Caregiving can be very tough, especially when you go it alone. And, because our focus is the well-being of our friend or family member, often, we forget to take care of ourselves, to the extent we don't even realize when we really do need to ask for help. Unfortunately, there's a deadly price to pay for ignoring our basic human needs, according to a recent study of spouses who cared for their partners stricken with dementia.

After studying the health of more than 1,200 married couples (age 65 and older) living in Utah over 12 years, scientists discovered spouses of patients who had been previously diagnosed with dementia were six times more likely to succumb to this mind-robbing condition than those without an affected partner.

Even worse, the risk of declining memory was comparable to that of the well-known APOE gene variant, already associated with Alzheimer's disease. (This tracks with earlier, smaller studies that found spouses who served as caregivers demonstrated greater memory issues than those who weren't caregivers.)

Although scientists aren't sure why this link with dementia exists, they believe stress levels have an impact on the brain health of caregivers nonetheless. But you CAN do something about better managing your stress, and my checklist, culled from an number of outstanding sources, can help you.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 58, No. 5, pp. 495-500, May 6, 2010

ScienceDaily May 5, 2010

healthfinder.gov May 5, 2010

Nutrient-rich, dark chocolate may be good for boosting your heart health and protecting your DNA. Unfortunately, people tend to reach for chocolate -- either the milky, fat-laden kind commonly found in most candy bars or the healthier dark stuff -- as their moods darken too, according to an examination of some 1,000 healthy patients who were asked about the amount of chocolate they consumed during an average week and screened for their emotional health. Prior to the study, all patients reported no problems with diabetes or their hearts and didn't take an antidepressant.

Patients who had no measurable problems with depression ate the least amount of chocolate per month (five servings), while those fighting some moodiness consumed a bit more (eight servings). Those with the highest depression scores (based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) ate almost 12 chocolaty servings.

Interestingly, there was no difference in the amount of antioxidant-rich foods (coffee, fruits, veggies and fish) consumed by patients with or without depressive moods. And, the desire for chocolate couldn't be attributed to an overall increase in the amount of fats, caffeine or carbohydrates patients consumed either.

Only time and more research will determine the connections between chocolate and depressive moods. In the meantime, however, if you like chocolate, be sure to eat it in moderation and always go for the darker stuff that contains more cocoa and less sugar.

Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 170, No. 8, pp. 699-703, April 26, 2010

ScienceDaily April 26, 2010

When I started writing online full-time six years ago, understanding that most of my communication with co-workers and work contacts would come via e-mail -- a pothole-pocked sector of the social networking universe where the laws of civility often don’t apply and the context in which someone conveys a sincere opinion or emotion can be easily misconstrued -- I followed two very simple rules that have served me well ever since.

1. Don’t say something in an e-mail or on a message board you wouldn’t say to someone’s face. (I learned this lesson a long time ago during the dawn of the Internets almost 20 years ago.)

2. No matter how heated the conversation gets, always say thank you, acknowledging that you respect the honest exchange of ideas, at the very least, especially when people disagree (as they always will).

The first one keeps me out of trouble even when conversations get very testy, while the second is a conscious and sincere decision of mine to express gratitude for keeping the lines of communication open at all times. If this sounds a bit too touchy-feely or new-agey for your tastes, speaking from experience, a consistent, sincere "thank you" keeps the conversation pleasant, respectful and open even in the presence of 180-degree disagreements. It’s just the better, higher road to go, in my opinion.

So, imagine my surprise when I discovered this series of studies from a Florida State University researcher about the benefits associated with expressing gratitude not only to friends and loved ones, but the personal ones related to communal strength, the amount of responsibility one person feels for another.

You can read more about the study specifics in the links below, but here’s an important quote from lead researcher Nate Lambert, who works in the psychology department at Florida State University, that sums up his thoughts and mine quite nicely. "The person doing the thanking comes to perceive the relationship as more communal, to see the person more worthwhile to sacrifice for, to go the extra mile to help out. [And] those who are being thanked will often feel the urge to reciprocate. … It can become kind of an upward spiral."

Indeed, it can…

Psychological Science March 5, 2010 Free Full Text Study

healthfinder.gov April 11, 2010

If you haven't been fortunate enough to visit or live in Chicago for any length of time, you may not be aware of this. Contrary to what you may have assumed, Roger Ebert may be off your TV going on four years and not in the best health -- multiple cancer surgeries removed much of his jaw bone and robbed him and us of his voice -- but is very much alive, cancer-free and still writing movie reviews and columns at a machine gun-like pace for the Chicago Sun-Times.

You may not also be aware about a long and pretty wonderful interview with Roger by Canadian writer Chris Jones recently for Esquire (hit the free link below) that goes into far more detail about his surgeries before and after he lost his jaw and voice in 2006 along with the futile attempts so far to restore both, and all the subsequent physical limitations that have resulted from fighting cancer to the ground.

At age 67, Roger isn't getting any younger, and his film criticism is noticeably less biting than it was before he and we lost his voice. As you pour through his columns, however, we haven't lost the man behind the voice who is still teaching us about a great many things, not the least of which is living a fulfilling life after cancer, a good thing.

As I write this blog entry about this non-stop movie critic/storyteller, I'm reminded of my father, William T. Beamer, who, by his own recollection, had sailed around the world at least seven times during his thirtysomething years as a merchant marine before throat cancer took his voice and all of his stories from us in the summer of 1977.

Some 19 months after his larynx and lymph nodes were removed, Bill died, all the while deeply frustrated and darkly depressed that he could never master the electrolarynx nor esophageal speech that would allow him to be heard, even faintly, briefly. Fact is, reading Roger's words makes me happy, very hopeful and a bit sad, in retrospect, that a relatively inexpensive laptop computer (by today's standards) might've helped my Dad live a little longer, if not a more comfortable and happier existence.

Take a couple of minutes to reminisce about the days of TV film criticism at its finest with this clip from the Siskel & Ebert program as Roger and Gene Siskel, his late, great colleague at the Chicago Tribune, skewer Frozen Assets, the worst movie of 1992, and, quite possibly, one of the worst comedies ever made.

Image source: Esquire, Ethan Hill

Esquire February 16, 2010

Chicago Sun-Tines February 18, 2010

One of the hardest feelings anyone fighting cancer faces is the monumental loneliness that comes from feeling you're fighting this battle all alone. Despite the good drug therapy that may be keeping you alive to fight another day. Despite doing all the "right things," like getting some exercise and eating the right foods. Despite all the hugs and kindness shown by people who love you unconditionally.

That's where ImermanAngels.org comes in, a non-profit organization founded by Jonny Imerman seven years ago under the premise that there's no greater means for supporting people fighting cancer than to help them make a connection with "angels" of the same age and gender who have beaten that very same kind of cancer. A survivor of testicular cancer for more than six years, the 34-year-old Chicagoan started the group because he yearned for a mentor -- a cancer survivor his own age to talk him through all the problems he'd face with living life -- he never found.

Although Imerman Angels is based in the Windy City, its network of mentors extends all over the world, not only to folks fighting cancer but to the caregivers who support them through it. Because voices speak louder than words on a Web page, watch the following video testimonial that does a far better job of describing how Imerman Angels helps to build special one-on-one relationship between cancer fighters and survivors that last a lifetime than I ever could.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, are you the kind of person who uses "we" or "our" a lot when referring to your life partner/boyfriend or girlfriend/spouse? Or, when talking about your significant other, are your descriptions sprinkled with lots of "I's," "you's" and "me's"?

While studying the behaviors of 154 couples in their Baby Boomer years and beyond, University of California, Berkeley researchers discovered the difference between "we" and "me" may go a long way, not only toward defining the quality of the relationship you have with your special someone, but resolving conflicts more amicably.

Previous studies have shown how using "we" or "us" to define closer relationships with loved ones rather than separateness words like "I" or "me" are indicative of stronger satisfaction among young married couples.

Generally, the same results apply here, even more strongly, for older folks in longtime relationships. Folks who used separatist pronouns like "me" and "you" were generally less satisfied with their relationships and their use of these specific descriptors was linked to unhappy marriages.

Conversely, the sprinkling of "our" and "us" in conversations was a indicator of greater caring among couples and reduced physiological stress. This was especially true among older couples faced a great many roadblocks in their long lives together, yet possessed the emotional resilience and, perhaps, a greater sense of shared identity, according to the study.

As my wife and I head toward our 20th wedding anniversary this July, without question, these findings speak loudly and clearly to a great many folks we know. Including "us."

PubMed.gov

University of California, Berkeley News January 27, 2010

Ever wonder why programs like WeightWatchers, that encourage people to weigh in every week and attend regular meetings, are so popular and successful for so many? It may have a great deal to do with the "contagious" nature of self-control and following the good examples of others. Researchers came to those elegantly simple conclusions after completing a series of five studies with the help of nearly 400 volunteers at Duke University.

In fact, just watching or thinking about someone you know who exercises good self-control is enough to influence your own self-control for the better. Moreover, this behavioral benefit cuts across all kinds of basic decisions people make, meaning the self-discipline you exercise at your local Baskin-Robbins may be just as apparent in the choices you'll make about your personal finances and career.

Unfortunately, however, the reverse is also true. Watching poor self-control in action -- your brother-in-law devouring a 1-pound bag of potato chips in one sitting, for example -- can be equally contagious and potentially harmful to your health. So much so, that merely viewing the name of someone you know possessing good or bad self-control flashing on a screen for a tiny fraction of a second may influence your behavior positively or poorly.

Researchers are quick to point out that the benefits of this self-control may be enough to make you skip that extra cookie you don't need before dinner or go to the gym even when you're not in the mood, and that's potentially a very good thing. On the other hand, the effect on the negative side of the ledger -- you accept your co-worker's request to take home an extra piece of cake -- isn't strong enough to absolve you from making poor decisions either.

Which means, the Twinkie defense is still completely wrong and you're not getting away with it, no matter what...

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Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin December 15, 2009

healthfinder.gov January 18, 2010

EurekAlert January 13, 2010

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer experienced by American men, other than skin cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. And, even though some 16 percent of all men (close to one out of every six) will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetimes and it is the second leading cancer-related deaths, only one of every 35 will die from it.

Sounds like reasonably good odds and not particularly deadly ones either, especially if you take care of your health and get the right amount of exercise. So why does the stress of receiving such a diagnosis put male patients at greater risk of cardiovascular problems and suicide?

A study of nearly 169,000 Swedish men culled from the Swedish Cancer Registry from 1961-2004 discovered patients prior to 1987 were 11 times more likely to experience a fatal cardiovascular event during the initial week after being told about their prostate cancer diagnosis. Over a year's time, prostate cancer patients were twice as likely to have a heart attack. Thankfully, those numbers dropped significantly after 1987 to just triple the risk of a cardiovascular event during the first week after a diagnosis, compared to healthy men, and a constant, but slightly elevated risk during the first year after a diagnosis.

And, although the risk of suicide was very tiny (136 patients took their lives during the study), the greatest danger for men came during the first week after a diagnosis.

Just another reason the proper care and handling of emotions is an important part of any cancer survivor's tool kit.

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PLOS Medicine December 15, 2009 Free Full Text Study

Natural News.com December 29, 2009

Yahoo News December 15, 2009

Unfortunately, my concerns about the flagging health of older Americans as well as the folks who care for them was well-founded, according to a sobering report issued recently by the National Alliance for Caregiving. Almost a third of all adults -- roughly 65 million Americans -- currently serve as part-time caregivers, most of whom have jobs and their own families.

No surprise, the typical caregiver, based on interviews with 1,500 people, is a woman in her Baby Boomer years (late 40s) caring for a parent (often a mother) at least 30 years older than she is. The health issues that often necessitate the need for a caregiver:

* Alzheimer's

* Old age

* Cancer

* Stroke

* Heart disease

* Mental illness

According to the Family Care Alliance (FCA), people who tend to sick family members often don't see themselves as caregivers, and never even consider resources that could support them. In fact, the majority of programs focus on skills to improve the quality of patient care, not to support the caregiver, says FCA Program Director Donna Schempp.

All the more reason to check out my recent caregiving feature that includes some a number of valuable resources and suggestions for taking care of family members who care for us.

National Alliance for Caregiving: Caregiving in the U.S. 2009 Free PDF Reports

CBS News December 16, 2009

Just as negative emotions can affect your chances of surviving cancer, all the positives you allow yourself to feel every day can be just as powerful for your continued good health. That, and a few good jokes...

Nothing illustrates this point better than the ongoing story of Linda Hill, a single mother of seven, who has fought cancer virtually her entire adult life. Linda may be missing a few body parts -- both breasts, her thyroid and colon are gone, along with 70 polyps, thanks to cancer -- but she's never lost her wicked smart sense of humor, fueling an unparalleled tenacity for life and hysterical line of cancer-themed T-shirts and related products.

Rather than choosing to hunker down for the fight of her life -- Linda's grudge match with cancer has lasted nearly three decades -- this Bountiful, Utah, native laughs in the face of cancer with pithy sayings like Of course, they're fake... The real ones tried to kill me, Stupid Ideas 101: 1. Run with scissors 2. Play with matches 3. Skip the Colonoscopy and I lost my colon, But I'm still full of CRAP! on t-shirts and an assortment of ancillary products she sells in local stores and on her Web site.

If you still doubt what strong emotions can do for your health, a recent University of Kansas study demonstrated how positive feelings are linked to better health, even in situations where basic needs weren't adequately met.

NPR December 15, 2009

Salt Lake Tribune November 4, 2009

With all the juggling people have to do just to fit in all the holiday parties -- not to mention birthday celebrations -- you'd assume scheduling a cancer screening would be at the bottom of most everyone's list. And, you'd be dead wrong too, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal late last year.

Nearly 13,000 out of some 21,000 Norwegian Baby Boomers (about 65 percent) attended randomly assigned appointments for colorectal cancer screenings, with researchers paying close attention to the timing of these appointments in relation to the week and month of a patient's birthday.

By far, December proved to be the month more people attended their cancer screenings than any other time, with a 72 percent compliance rate versus 64 percent for the remaining 11 months. What's more, patients followed through more than two-thirds of the time on their screening appointments when receiving invitations during the week of their birthdays or when they were assigned to screenings up to two weeks after their birthday.

Just another reminder to take care of your health and sidestep needless stress during the holiday season.

British Medical Journal, Vol. 337, No. 7684, December 20, 2008 Free Full Text Study

ScienceDaily December 17, 2008