Valley Health Magazine

By Hani Raoul Khouzam, MD, MPH, FAPA

What is Schizophrenia?

The word “schizophrenia” comes from the Greek roots schizo (split) and phrene (mind) to describe a fragmented thinking pattern. The term does not mean split or multiple personality, a common media misunderstanding about the illness.

The Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler (1857–1939), introduced the term schizophrenia to identify this mental illness, which has been described in documents that have been traced to the old Pharaonic Egypt, as far back as the second millennium before Christ.

By Kathryn Wage, M.A., CCC-SLP

Keeping your brain healthy should be a high priority, no matter what your age. Just as maintaining your physical health contributes to a high standard of quality  of life, good brain health supports your potential for success and wellbeing. When you are young, obtaining enough nutrients and fostering a rich, nurturing environment leads to good cognitive skills for learning. When you are middle-aged, you rely on your brain to excel at work and in your personal life, so that you can meet  daily demands without faultering. In the later years, you may be concerned about your brain health and wonder what consequences brain health might have on your independence and overall function. However, no matter what your age, the goal should be to have your “brain span” match your “lifespan.” That’s the ultimate benchmark for a life of optimal  and total health.

By Lori Granger, L.M.F.T.

Did you shower this morning? It may seem like a silly question, but really, did you?

Chances are while you were in the shower you didn’t savor the delicious warm water massage or the aroma of your favorite shampoo. Chances are you’re never actually in the shower, when you shower; your mind is in your first morning meeting, gnawing on that nasty email from yesterday or rehearsing what you’ll say to a client two hours away. Chances are your showers are like a drive-thru instead of a pleasant opportunity for you to spend some quality time with you, and there is an even greater likelihood that your mind is not where your hands and feet are most of the time.