coverartist healthbriefs
Can Money Buy
Happiness?
Y
es, so long as you spend it on others, suggests a
recent study by the University of British Columbia and
the Harvard Business School. The researchers found that
people who spent money on others reported greater happi-
ness than those who did not, or than those who spent it on themselves—regardless
of income. Surprisingly, the amount of money spent on others did not matter; as
little as five dollars a day did the trick.
The researchers wanted to test their theory that how males and females spend
their money is at least as important as how much money they earn. Individuals
participating rated their general happiness, reported their annual income, and
provided a detailed breakdown of their monthly spending, including bills, gifts for
Beat of Life
themselves and others, and donations to charities.
e. Francisca Dekker
Yoga Helps Prevent Falls
Vibrant and bold, the colors in Francisca
Dekker’s acrylic paintings are often
I
t seems that women 65 and older who enroll in an Iyengar yoga program are
getting far more from their practice than a limber and relaxed body. According to
symbolic, meant to deepen a sense of
a new study by Temple University’s Gait Study Center, certain Iyengar yoga poses
also improve balance and stability and help prevent falls, a leading cause of non-
motion in body, heart and soul. The
fatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma in the elderly.
self-taught artist’s imagery springs from
With one-third of adults suffering some type of fall each year,
her willingness to leave the familiar;
Iyengar yoga practice may provide multiple preventative benefits;
after a 15-year counseling career in The it has been shown to improve stride, increase flexibility and
Netherlands, she left her native land and
muscle strength in the lower extremities, improve single
moved to the United States, determined
leg stance, and increase confidence in walking. While
learning proper ways to stand, pose
to explore a different culture.
and breathe, use of yoga props allows
Dekker’s expressive style of flu-
students to gradually master positions
ent movements and contrasting lines is
and build confidence in their physical
inspired by her experiences of the Dutch prowess—an important factor for all ages.
light, and the hues of the Wilmington,
North Carolina coast, where she now
resides.
Blueberries
“When I paint, I am at home in
my body,” observes Dekker. “There are
Jumpstart Memory
no boundaries or judgments. Just the
freedom to express the compassion I see C
oncerned about becoming forgetful? A research team
from the University of Reading and the Peninsula
and feel within myself and others, to feel
Medical School in Southwest England reports that blue-
the healing power of movement and art;
berries may hold the key to enhanced brain function.
The flavonoids in blueberries, particularly anthocyanins
expressing my connection with nature
and flavanols, have been shown to cross the blood-brain
and the Divine in the circles of life.”
barrier and directly affect learning and memory, by en-
Dekker’s work exhibits throughout
hancing neuron connections in the brain.
North Carolina. See it now at The Red Impaired or failing memory is one of life’s major
Tulip Gallery and Blue Moon Showcase,
challenges as we age, and scientists are now showing
Wilmington, and at ARTSHAK Gallery,
the potential health benefits of longtime diets rich in fresh fruits. Although previous
research had suggested that eating blueberries may benefit memory, this latest study
Southport.
shows the mechanism by which this favorite food keeps our brains sharp.
View the artist’s portfolio at
R
16
edTulipGallery.com.
Fairfield County
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