November 2023

October 2, 2023 There has been increasing attention on ultra-processed food (UPF) as the cause various of diseases, particularly in countries such as the United States and United Kingdom, where the majority of calories consumed today come from UPF. While much of the focus has been on obesity, diabetes, and more recently, heart disease, the mind too is not exempt from its effects. Studies showing a link between UPF consumption and depression are growing. This includes a recent study that...

https://aghope.org/en/blog/kinship-corner-nurturing-bonds-with-your-teens-during-the-holidays-2023-10

https://aghope.org/en/blog/when-you-love-someone-who-hurts-you-what-is-domestic-violence-2023-10

This is a follow-up to--but not the same focus as—the recent virtual Congressional Briefings we held on T he Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act Join us to learn why and how " Community is Medicine " for today's accelerating climate change-generated mental health and psychosocial problems. To register go to here Rising global temperatures are increasingly stressing everyone due to cascading disruptions to the ecological, economic, and social systems people rely on for food, water,...

Why Do Change Agents Need a Community? Many people in our country experience unfair outcomes as a result of systemic setbacks and discrimination. Race, ethnicity, immigration status, disabilities, gender identity, sexual orientation, and poverty all contribute to shaping the environment we live in and people’s preconceived notions of us. Because of this, many of us who have faced or survived these disparities seek to change them – by giving back to our community. Change Agents actively work...

By Laura Gallant, 11/13/23, https://positiveexperience.org/blog/ Earlier this fall, we had the pleasure of meeting with Lynn Kemp, PhD , as she stopped at the HOPE National Resource Center at Tufts Medical School. She began her career as a maternal-child nurse, and is now the Distinguished Professor in Nursing at Western Sydney University (WSU), and has successfully developed the Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting (MECSH) program at the Transforming early Education And Child...

Tina Chen, who is taking computer science courses taught in Mandarin at East Los Angeles College, speaks at a recent press conference for Assembly Bill 1096. Courtesy of Ludwig Rodriguez By Michael Burke, EdSource, November 13, 2023 Hoping to entice more non-English speakers to enroll in community college, California is making it easier for those students to take courses in their native language. Currently, students in California can take community college classes taught in languages other...

Enrollment in WIC, which provides food assistance to pregnant women, new moms and young children, is rising. (Allison Dinner/AP) By Tami Luhby, CNN Politics, November 12, 2023 Without a little aid from the federal government, Whitley Hasty would have a tougher time buying the fresh broccoli her toddler son loves to eat with ranch dressing. Hasty receives WIC, the food assistance program for low-income women, infants and young children. It has helped her purchase milk, cheese, juice, eggs,...

ReflexAI found that 92% of veterans are open to supporting or being supported by another veteran when they're in crisis — yet only 25% are prepared to do so. (iStock) By Angelica Stabile, Fox News, November 13, 2023 This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Artificial intelligence is working to save the lives of America's heroes. A new product by ReflexAI called...

By Francesca Paris, Image: from article, The New York Times, November 13, 2023 There are more Americans who say they have serious cognitive problems — with remembering, concentrating or making decisions — than at any time in the last 15 years, data from the Census Bureau shows. The increase started with the pandemic: The number of working-age adults reporting “serious difficulty” thinking has climbed by an estimated one million people. About as many adults ages 18 to 64 now report severe...

From left, Mallory Grossman, Nigel Shelby and Gabriel Taye. (Family photo; Nigel Shelby; Courtesy of Cornelia Reynolds) By Donna St. George, The Washington Post, November 10, 2023 Gabriel Taye was a slight boy who wore button-down shirts and neckties to his Cincinnati elementary school. Just 8 years old, he loved learning and made the honor roll. But other students often bullied him — punching, shoving and kicking him during incidents that dated back to first grade, according to court...

“Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” ~Steve Jobs I was a sensitive child growing up, and I felt everything deeply. Unfortunately, my childhood home was dominated by chronic tension, fear, and anger—not an ideal environment for anyone, let alone a perceptive and empathic child. My father was rather authoritative and controlling, and he disciplined us harshly. I was raised to obey without questioning and punished for...