What’s on Our Mind

By Debbie Musser for Next AvenueAdhering to a well-balanced diet and incorporating exercise into your routine are two well-known ways to improve health. What about religious involvement? Can that also have a positive effect on health and well-being?There’s a growing field of study that seeks to link the physiological effects of religious and spiritual practices on the body: neurotheology.Dr.   Read More...

By Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell for Next AvenueI handled all the household finances and bills throughout my 32-year-marriage to my husband, Dale. But when he suddenly died of a massive heart attack at 57 last year, I was so traumatized by the loss, I couldn’t think clearly about managing his life insurance proceeds. In an instant, I had more cash rolling in from it than either of our incomes had ever produced.Luckily, I have a family member who’s a finance expert.   Read More...

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall for Next AvenueAnne Whitley lives 800 miles from her grandchildren’s home in Florida, but she still sees them daily. On her iPhone’s FaceTime app, Whitley catches up with her five-year old granddaughter, Cairo, who might show off a new toy, and her year-old grandson, Garvey, who enjoys practicing his latest words.All it takes is just a few minutes each day to bridge those miles between them.“I don’t want them to forget me in between visits,”...  Read More...

By Frieda Wiley, PharmD for Next AvenueCarla* (name changed) is a 92-year-old woman with congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and a pacemaker. Like many people who have atrial fibrillation, she takes the blood thinner warfarin (her medication’s brand name: Coumadin) to help reduce her stroke risk.Taking warfarin correctly can be tricky. A doctor must prescribe a dose tailored to each person’s unique chemistry, and the number of warfarin pills someon...  Read More...

By Julie Pfitzinger for Next AvenueMother. Grandmother. Realtor.   Read More...