Lifestyle - Issue 129 - Bet On Yourself by topdoctormagazine

LIFESTYLE EDITION - ISS. 129

HOW DANCE CAN EASE THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE PG

THE EFFECTS OF COFFEE ON YOUR SENSES OF TASTE AND SMELL PG

DOES CBD HELP YOU RECOVER FROM PHYSICAL EXERCISE?

36 PG

BET ON YOURSELF WHEN TO TURN YOUR PASSION PROJECT INTO YOUR FULL-TIME JOB PG

EDITOR IN CHIEF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Brianna Connors

Aviana Roth

LEAD JOURNALIST

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Riley George

Hannah Townes

PROJECT COORDINATOR

SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Lillian Myers

Lauren Rider

PODCAST COORDINATOR

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Justin Miller

Derek Archer

CONTRIBUTORS

Millie Wright, Yuko Tabasa, Ionuț Raicea, Gaye Newton, Louisa Emhof, Nathan Pipkin

A WORD FROM THE EDITORS Leading a healthy, well-balanced life is a challenging undertaking for many of us. New advancements in lifestyle or nutrition come to life daily, and the busy rhythm of our lives often prevents us from keeping up with what's fun and fresh. Here at Top Doctor Magazine, we are on a mission to bring these advancements to your attention and become a source of inspiration for those who want to live their lives to the fullest. Our contributors will constantly keep you up to speed with fresh, entertaining, and reliable content, from nutrition and travel to lifestyle choices! We hope that our handpicked ideas will guide you towards self-realization, selfimprovement, and willingness to help those around you better themselves. - Brianna & Derek

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Is The Mediterranean Diet For You?

How To Begin Exercising According to Health Professionals

Bet On Yourself: When To Turn Your Passion Project Into Your Full-Time Job

What A Healthy Lifestyle Looks Like on The Other Side of The Globe

Dance Away the Pain

Are you Torturing Yourself?

Does CBD Help you Recover From Physical Exercise?

The Effects of Coffee on Your Senses of Taste and Smell

it is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

G A N D H I

Is The Mediterranean Diet Right for You? By Brianna Connors All the health-conscious people have surely heard of the Mediterranean diet by now. Most doctors, nutritionists, and dietitians have been actively recommending this diet for optimal health for a long time. But should you really take on the diet? Let’s find out below.

Hence, besides avoiding several chronic diseases through this diet, you also get to maintain a healthy weight.

All about the Mediterranean Diet

A typical style of the Mediterranean diet will include a host of the following food items:

The people living in the surrounding areas of the Mediterranean Sea live a very active life and rarely ever fall sick with cardiovascular and cancerous ailments. Do you know the reason? Because of the diet -- they consume low saturated fat, sugar, and red meat that keeps them healthy for long.

Typical Ingredients of a Mediterranean Diet

· Moderate or low amounts of poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products · The primary fat source in this diet would be olive oil · You will always find lots of nuts, seeds,

Moreover, the Mediterranean diet consists of rich nuts, organic produce, and other healthful food sources. Because of this highly nutritious composition of meals, the Mediterranean diet eaters enjoy multiple health benefits, including: · Diabetes control and prevention · Cancer prevention · Brain health · Heart health · Weight loss

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beans, potatoes, bread, vegetables, fruits, and other grains present in this diet. The other features of this diet include fruits instead of sweets as dessert and moderate or low consumption of wine. A Mediterranean diet style does not include too much red meat intake and instead focuses more on poultry and fish. This diet also features more plantbased foods and significantly fewer processed items.

Is the Diet Good for You? If you look at some stats, you will discover that the Mediterranean diet ranks at the top in the World Report and U.S News every year. This is because it has consistently maintained its reputation as the best diet, and you have a panel of the most professional judges vouching for that. Every year health experts come together as a team to judge multiple eating plans and diets that have been trending. They judge the health level of the diet, how they work, convenience in following, and nutrition level they provide. What does the AHA say? According to the AHA (American Heart Association), the Mediterranean diet provides a healthy dietary routine. A healthy dietary routine according to the AHA should include:

The AHA proclaims that such a diet pattern will be instrumental in preventing strokes and cardiovascular diseases for people. It will also reduce the threats of diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. According to some research, the use of rich virgin olive oil in the diet also plays an active part in eliminating the excess of harmful cholesterol from the body, with this function. As a result, the blood vessels and the arteries remain open and regulate a healthy blood flow. Multiple dietitians and health organizations from around the world proclaim the Mediterranean diet as one of the healthiest. With so much evidence to support it, there is no doubt that the Mediterranean diet is a good approach for health maintenance for everyone.

· Poultry, fish, fat-free, and low-fat dairy products · Nuts and non-tropical vegetable oil · The AHA’s recommended diet pattern must emphasize more legumes, beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetable consumption · Should limit processed and fatty meat, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, highly processed food, sodium, sugary beverages, and added sugars. PAGE

How To Begin Exercising According to Health Professionals By Esther Oladapo

Let's face it, exercising can get boring and monotonous, and unless you have some intrinsic motivation or determination, you may fall off your fitness goal even before you hit the gym. Nevertheless, medical doctors highlight the benefits of adopting a gympatterned lifestyle, which is undoubtedly for your good.

The Center for Disease Control reports that every 40 seconds, a person in the U.S. will suffer a heart attack. One of the leading causes of death in the US is strokes, which killed 147,000 Americans in 2018. Diabetes killed 83,000 Americans in 2018 making it the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Statistics show that 12% of people who suffer a heart attack will most likely die from it. Metabolic syndrome, obesity, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure are other serious aftermaths of living a sedentary and unhealthy life for a long period of time.

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How to Live an Exercise-Patterned Life and Remain Committed Besides just building some impressive biceps, going to the gym can boost your immunity and protect you from aging-related diseases such as sarcopenia (muscle loss) and osteoporosis. Unfortunately, the odds that you will stay consistent in the gym once you begin the gym lifestyle are against you. But all hope isn't lost. Let's take a look at factors that will enhance the gym lifestyle and make it more enjoyable for you.

Find the Intrinsic Motivation You must have a natural affinity or tendency towards getting fit and in good shape, and this affinity can only be enhanced by intrinsic motivation (for the long term). For example, if you go to the gym because of a wedding reception you want to attend in a few months, what happens after the wedding? What do you do when you no longer have a reason to go to the gym? Extrinsic motivation is an external stimulus that pushes you to do the things you would not naturally entertain; however, the extrinsic is often momentarily, and once it's gone, you may not foster the strength to go back to the gym. Intrinsic motivation includes a determined understanding of the benefits of physical exercise to your body.

Find a Sport Going to the gym or even doing 200 pushups in your sitting room every night can become a chore. Find a sport you like and join a local team. With sports, you get to meet people, have fun, compete, and move your body rather than just lifting weights and doing exercises you hate.

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Stay Around People Who Motivate the Gym Lifestyle The best motivation comes from having people who have a disciplined attitude towards going to the gym. Instead of working out alone, surround yourself with people who will go with you to the gym. Exercising with friends and family members, especially when sports form part of the routine, can be a lot of fun.

Work with a Personal Trainer A personal trainer keeps you motivated and pushes you to keep going after fatigue accumulates. If your gym has a professional instructor or trainer, reach out to see if that would be a good fit for you. Your instructor can look into your health history, help you reach your goals, and observe how your body reacts to different techniques in order to select the best workout for you. don't attempt to lose all your excess fat at once. Pushing your body beyond the limit, especially when you are just starting will discourage you and could cause moderate to life-threatening diseases. If you have a history of heart attack, diabetes, or stroke, or you suffer a nagging pain in any part of your body after a gym session, see a doctor immediately.

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An Exclusive Interview with

Najifa Choudhury By Ionuț Raicea

Bet On Yourself WHEN TO TURN YOUR PASSION PROJECT INTO YOUR FULL-TIME JOB

How many times have you met people ready to embrace change in a heartbeat without second-guessing their decision? Not too often, for sure. As a species, we are hardwired to interpret change as a threat and, therefore, question it; we often either resist change or avoid it altogether.

Such is the example of Dr. Najifa Choudhury, a Wayne State University magna cum laude graduate with a Doctorate of Pharmacy and founder of Dr. Peace Lily, who was blessed with a sharp mind, love for people, and a knack for business.

However, an inevitable question is bound to arise – how could the human race have ever survived and grown without change? Frequently, resisting change is nothing more than a reflex born out of our faulty understanding of the world. That is when brilliant, educated, hard-working pioneers make their entrance; with determination, wit, and infinite patience, they can guide us towards a healthier, safer, and brighter tomorrow. Here at Top Doctor Magazine, we are truly blessed to meet such examples in the medical field every day, people going allin on their passion for seeing their patients happily smiling. Their drive towards progress and sacrifices ensures that there is an answer to every question when you have the right seeker.

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Combining her three superpowers, she immersed herself in an industry that, albeit tenebrous and misconceived, has brought substantial help to pain management – the CBD industry! Today, we will allow Najifa to guide us through her story, explain to us why CBD equals sustainable pain relief, and teach us what it takes to turn a passion project into a full-time job!

Breaking into the CBD World Najifa saw a clear path towards a career in pharmacy right from the onset. Pursuing both her passion and her family's choice, she discovered how working in her pharmacy brings out her social skills. "Working in a pharmacy, I realized I was able to make all of these connections with my patients." Albeit an exemplary student, however, Najifa was not spared of our society's everyday trials. "I was dealing with a lot of stress, a lot of anxiety in my personal life. And I wanted something natural that could help me. And so I just started doing research like, 'Hey, what's out there that might help with my stress level.'" Her drive and research led towards the mysterious world of CBD; needless to say, the connection was instantaneous. "I tried CBD, and I just fell in love with it. Honestly, it worked so well for me. It helped me out with my mood, how I was feeling, how productive I was." The discovery impressed Najifa so much that she immediately became an outspoken ambassador of CBD-based products. "I started telling my family and friends about it, like, ‘Hey, you guys, have you ever tried CBD? Do you know about CBD?’"

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The Obstacles of the CBD Industry

From Young to Old

Although a promising pain relief lead, CBD is not everyone's cup of tea, as Najifa learned first-handedly. "A lot of the responses I got were like, ‘oh, wait, are you talking about marijuana?’" These words perfectly describe the ongoing confusion between CBD and marijuana, not just from ordinary people but also from physicians. "I have definitely noticed a gap in knowledge when it comes to other doctors or pharmacists when it comes to CBD. Again, they just automatically assume it is marijuana or THC." Quite the contrary, CBD-based products work their magic on patients in a safe, THC-free environment.

However, the leading promoter of CBD products lies in the younger generation, more favorable towards change and, consequently, ready to act as its ambassadors. "CBD is not only helping millennials or the younger generation; it is making its way through all of the generations […] I use it myself, and I'm giving it to my mom. I am giving it to my inlaws and my grandmother." Both young and old are thriving on the CBD-brought benefits – less stress-associated tooth grinding, superior energy and concentration levels, and a general sense of calm make up just a few ways CBD enhances our life quality. So well-founded are the CBD benefits that customers feel the need to contact CBD distributors and drive them towards improvement with their words of praise, as Najifa shares with Top Doctor Magazine. "That's what I hear from a lot of my other customers too, like, ‘my gosh, when I need to study, when I need to work, I take your vegan gummies, or I take your tincture.’ It has really made a difference in my life."

CBD promoters attempt to prove and market its valuable benefits through various strategies to combat these misunderstandings. Educational materials, conferences, scientific research, teaching, and social media constitute the main ways of spreading CBD awareness, as Najifa herself confesses. Through both teaching and research, she believes that CBD will make a good name for itself. "We need more research papers; we need more guidelines to talk about it, more knowledge to be shared in the industry for others to find out about it. That's where I'm trying to really make the difference."

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Sometimes, a Knack for Business and a Kind Heart are the Game Changer Starting and developing a successful business in the CBD industry is no walk in the park; there is no question about burning the candle at both ends quite often. First, however, one must ask themselves how prepared they are to turn passion into a full-time job. That is when seemingly tricky questions arise: "Should I expand my knowledge on business administration?" "How about getting an MBA?" Truth be told, no single method or curriculum will make one successful in the CBD industry unless they possess a knack for business and a kind heart towards people. Turning towards Najifa's example, she relates to us how most of her business training came not from an MBA but her unquenchable curiosity; books, podcasts, networking, and conferences all fed her natural propensity towards business. "I think it's just my natural curiosity, my passion for always learning, my willingness to go out there and teach myself, even though I don't have that background, that really helped me." As we are dealing with a product that frequently proves a life changer, no business skill would suffice without a heart inclined towards the well-being of people. Only through obvious and genuine care towards people can one build a community of loyal customers. For that reason, Najifa goes out of her way when she brings a personal touch to every order she sends out by writing thank-you notes and by sending the packages herself.

"Be Very Honest with Yourself" As a parting thought, we are reminded that turning passion into a full-time job calls for faith and patience. However, such virtues are not enough to strike gold in the CBD industry. "You also have to be very honest with yourself. Are you a hard worker? Are you willing to put in all these hours? Are you willing to do what it takes to have a successful business? Or are you just fantasizing about the idea of having a business, but you don't want to put in the work?" Najifa's example teaches us that helping others calls for hard work without complaints and sacrifices without regrets. We believe that all of us picked something today from Najifa's wisdom and made it our own, with hopes that her tremendous knowledge on CBD dispelled our misunderstandings on this wonder treatment. If you would like to learn more about Najifa's mission, don't hesitate to check out her website and her personal and business Instagram accounts!

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What A Healthy Lifestyle Looks Like on The Other Side of The Globe By Ionuț Raicea An apple a day keeps the doctor away, a proverb that finds its way more and more often in our shopping lists. People are more attentive and more considerate about their diets, something that we have successfully noticed in the U.S. Does this news come as a surprise to you? Not to worry, statistics are here to surprise you; although 36% of Americans do indulge in fast food daily, 43% of us spend extra time in the "Healthy Foods" aisle, while 52% strive towards healthy foods from time to time.

Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, are fond of healthier and more sustainable food sources, and for a daunting reason - in 2014, one in eight of the world's adults were classified as obese.

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Such numbers give goosebumps even to the least interested of us, especially when the situation could continually worsen. Preserving unhealthy nutritional trends will likely result in an 18% global obesity prevalence in men and surpass 21% in women, while severe obesity will surpass 6% in men and 9% in women. With such formidable prospects ahead, a healthy nutrition plan becomes even more of a responsibility, not just for us but also for future generations. And no, the answer does not lie far away; each culture is rich with healthy recipes that will satisfy one's hunger without being a burden to the body. However, knowing how to choose the right foods is not enough; being healthy is about adapting yourself wholeheartedly, in diet, behavior, and mindset, to achieve this long-term goal. To crayon the path that leads to a healthier lifestyle, it might pay to take a sneak peek in different cultures and learn how they keep the doctor away! Let's find out!

Tradition, Balance, and Cultural Shifts – Food Habits around the World There is an immense amount of material on nutrition stacked on the Internet. As you are sifting through it, you might righteously raise some questions, such as, "Why do the Finnish consume fish by-weekly?" or "Why do the French recommend five portions of fruit and vegetables daily?" Numerous pieces of advice, not enough explanations, we believe. To understand a well-rounded diet, one must journey through its culture, trace, and immerse oneself in its origins. Step one, tradition. As we travel to the exotic land of India, we learn how "eating traditional, ancestral recipes" is the key to a well-rounded meal. Following in their ancestors' teaching, Indian folk can put together a simple yet scrumptious plate without obsessing over a specific nutrient; millet flatbread, cottage cheese, veggies, and Indian curry make the perfect list for a mouthwatering meal. Step two, balance. The body knows what it wants and how to ask for it. So whenever you feel a craving, your body signals towards an unattended aspect of an otherwise well-rounded diet. Consequently, the people from Ghana have become masters of balanced meals – carbohydrates (rice, yam, plantain, or cassava), protein (fish, beef, or chicken), and a salad scream "rich, tasty meal." Step three, improvement. Nothing ruins an appetite more than the culture of guilt, a true obsession over what we should or should not eat. Instead of planning every meal to the letter, we believe that healthier food choices will liberate us from this unwarranted feeling and allow people to enjoy a gorgeous table without remorse. The perfect example comes from Canada, whose society currently experiences a cultural shift towards vegetarianism and veganism. Healthy ingredients, such as quinoa, rice, veggies, tofu, and eggs, are enough for a well-rounded meal that will ensure your peace of mind.

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Not just Eating Healthier, but Being Healthier As we mentioned earlier, eating healthy is only half the journey; a healthy diet must convene with a healthier state of mind to become a reality. This equation opens up a new world of cultural quirks that deserve a safe spot in our lives. One of the chief obesity causes resides in a chronic lack of exercise; many of us would rather be couch potatoes than dedicate our afternoons to a sport. However, that is not Iceland's case, the country that "doesn't take swimming for a joke." Aside from the obvious cardiovascular and fullbody benefits, pools promote a strong sense of solidarity, unthinkably essential for a well-working society. On the same topic, us Americans are accustomed to knocking out shopping lists with one go. On the other hand, Germany proposes a different approach – different shops for different items within walking distance. Therefore, the country's setup calls for constant walking, a helpful indirect way to keep one's weight in check. Not only do we eat more than necessary, but we also wolf down meal after meal. Although the Information Age's keyword is speed, not the same applies to eating habits, where fast eaters are not the heroes. The French thoroughly understood the necessity of "eating mindfully" while savoring each bite without the rush. Excluding the abundant inherent feeling of satisfaction, slow eating prevents type 2 diabetes, helps with weight management in overweight pre-teens, decreases excessive snacking and overeating at restaurants, and helps people stay lean. In short, slow meals are less stressful meals. More healthy bits of advice await across the ocean, this time, from the United Kingdom, where people embedded home cooking into their culture. Various studies show that almost 80% of the U.K. citizens cook anywhere from every day to once or twice per week, with the majority busying themselves in the kitchen daily. Furthermore, not only do they cook more often, but they also travel more often to the grocery store in search of fresh, unprocessed foods. Talk about a way to cut down on overeating takeout food or at restaurants!

Conclusion Health, diet, and peace of mind are all intertwined, which is why we hope that today's read will encourage you to experience a healthy lifestyle holistically, starting from what and heading towards how and why we eat. We wish you a scrumptious, well-rounded, healthy meal!

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Dance Away the Pain HOW DANCE CAN EASE THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

By Gaye Newton One morning you wake up, and your left index finger is trembling. Another day you feel unusually stiff, and your body movements aren't as fluid as they've always been. Then you start having trouble getting your words out properly, and your body takes longer to move about. You lose your balance more than you used to, and your coordination is…off. As time goes by, you experience increasingly intense symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. You find yourself withdrawing from your social life and sinking into despair, anxiety, and depression. Fortunately, there are ways to treat Parkinson's, gain relief from the symptoms, and slow their progress. There are medical treatments, medications, and… Dance! Several studies have shown that dance can improve multiple Parkinson's Disease symptoms and improve your emotional and psychological well-being.

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About Parkinson's Disease Parkinson's Disease attacks the areas of the brain that control the body's ability to move. Typically beginning between 50 and 79 years, the disease is degenerative, and its progression is slow. Nevertheless, it can produce tremors, poor coordination and balance, slowed movement, stiff muscles, impaired speech, and more. In addition to the physical impact on the body, Parkinson's can have profound psychological effects. When your body does not function properly, when you can no longer do things you used to take for granted, when you feel like you're losing your independence, your mental health can suffer. In addition, your "motor symptoms lead to further psychological issues, depression, [and] social isolation."

Exercise: Get Moving! How do you combat a degenerative condition that targets motion? You move! The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research states, "Exercise is one of the most powerful treatments for Parkinson's Disease." Evidence suggests that it is instrumental in preventing or slowing progression, managing symptoms, and avoiding isolation. The Cleveland Clinic observes, "Exercise can help people with Parkinson's slow the disease and control symptoms. It also has psychological benefits, protecting brain cells and often providing social interaction." Exercise can help improve flexibility, muscle strength, and balance. Any type of exercise is helpful, as long as you can handle the activity. Discuss it with your doctor, physical therapist, or other professionals on your team of caregivers to find something you can benefit from and enjoy. How about dancing?

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Dance: On Your Toes or in a Chair, Raise Your Hands in the Air! Dance can be an ideal form of exercise for people with Parkinson's Disease. Compared to many other types of exercise, dance is exceptionally versatile. There are various genres from which to choose, so it can easily accommodate a wide range of interests, skills, and comfort levels. For example, if standing is difficult, you can sit in a chair and still move your arms and legs, lean to the side, and bend forward. Psychologically, you can benefit from the social environment of your dance class. You share a common experience and can, over time, develop friendships. You have opportunities for creative expression and even just a reason to smile.

Research Dance has been the subject of a great deal of research on its effect on Parkinson's Disease. Some research suggests that dancing may improve your ability to walk, balance, and generally move. Exploring the long-term effects of dance on Parkinson's patients, a study conducted at York University in Canada revealed that dancing to music can impede the disease's progression and improve everyday life. Another study suggests that dance stimulates areas of the brain previously damaged by Parkinson's. In a study where 16 people with mild Parkinson's took weekly dance classes for three years, participants experienced marked, sustained improvement in both physical and psychological symptoms. PAGE

Music Another factor that makes dancing stand out is its partner—music. On its own, music offers benefits for people with Parkinson's. "Music may serve as an external cue to facilitate movement." It has a rhythm, a beat, a pattern to follow, and expresses emotion in its volume, tempo, voice, and instrumentation. Studies show that listening to music may influence brain activity related to emotion, communication, and movement. In addition, rhythm can improve coordination, walking, and balance. For people with Parkinson's, rhythm can play "a crucial role in rehabilitation, enhancing connections between the motor and auditory systems." Putting music and dancing together creates a powerhouse of creativity, movement, and resources to help repair what has been damaged.

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Dance for PD® One program providing dance classes for people with Parkinson's Disease is Dance for PD®, a nonprofit organization in the United States and 25 other countries. Professional dancers and movement experts teach specialized classes that incorporate modern theater, ballet, folk dance, tap, improvisation, choreographic repertory, and social dancing. Participants, some of whom have described the program as "liberating," can "experience the joys and benefits of dance while creatively addressing symptom-specific concerns related to balance, cognition, motor skill, depression, and physical confidence."

Improving Mental Health Like other forms of exercise, dancing can alleviate feelings of isolation, hopelessness, the loss of control over your own body, and other mental health issues brought on by Parkinson's. Classes provide a social setting where you can interact with people whose situation is similar to yours, people who understand. Instead of gradually withdrawing from the life you once had, you have an opportunity to add to it or even start anew. "Studies show participants feel their mood lighten and their anxiety decline. In a 2015 study published in the Journal of Neural Transmission by Westheimer and colleagues from four universities, participants reported feeling less helpless, grateful for the companionship and a general sense of improved health."

Conclusion Dance is more than a form of exercise. While it is essentially a series of physical movements, it is also an outlet for emotional expression. Dance and the music that accompanies it gives participants abundant cues and actions that strengthen the body and mind. For people with Parkinson's Disease, it can be a tremendous source of progress and empowerment. Multiple studies have shown the positive influence dance can have on mobility, balance, coordination, mental health, and overall well-being. So one morning, you wake up, and you find you have more control over how your body moves. And you smile because later that day, you'll have a dance class.

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Bibliography “Dance for PD.” Dance for PD RSS, danceforparkinsons.org/. Earhart, Gammon M. “Dance as Therapy for Individuals with Parkinson Disease.” European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780534/. “Exercise.” The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research | Parkinson's Disease, www.michaeljfox.org/news/exercise?smcid=aga1b1R0000086fKy&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI87jzr4aV8gIVko3ICh135QaYEAAYAyAAEgK1Y_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds. “Exercise for People with Parkinson's Disease, Examples, Symptoms.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9200-exercise-for-people-with-parkinsons-disease. Gonzalez-Usigli, Hector A. “Parkinson Disease (Pd) - Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders.” Merck Manuals Consumer Version, Merck Manuals, www.merckmanuals.com/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/movementdisorders/parkinson-disease-pd#v742388. Lennon, Annie. “Parkinson's Disease: Dancing to Music May Halt Progression.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 2021, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dancing-to-music-may-halt-progression-of-parkinsons-disease. “Parkinson's Disease.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 8 Dec. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055. Raglio, Alfredo. “Music Therapy Interventions in Parkinson's Disease: The State-of-the-Art.” Frontiers in Neurology, Frontiers Media S.A., 31 Aug. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553388/. Richter, Ruthann. “Dance for Parkinson's Disease at the Stanford Neuroscience Health Center.” Stanford Medicine, stanmed.stanford.edu/2017winter/dance-for-parkinsons-disease-at-the-stanford-neuroscience-health-center.html.

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Are You Torturing Yourself? By Ionuț Raicea Sleep is a rare commodity in today's society. Burning the midnight oil or simply the inability to get some shut-eye frequently puts a damper on our already-packed daily schedules. I mean, who has not experienced days of grogginess and irritability at work after burning the candle at both ends? True, skipping a few hours of sleep every now and then is not the end of the world. But, unfortunately, that happens more often than one might think; 35% of U.S. adults cannot hit the 7-hours-of-sleep mark, while the percentage alarmingly grows to 51% worldwide. Therefore, although some of us laugh at the "you can sleep when you're dead" motto, its connotations should raise a red flag – without enough rest, only a grim future could ever lie on the horizon.

Sleep Deprivation? More Like Torture It is surprising how many of us take sleep for granted. After all, sleep is not an activity that quickly takes us from evenings to mornings; on the contrary, the immune system uses sleep time to perform a host of regenerative functions vital for a healthy mind and body. Without sleep, the immune system loses the ability to regenerate, leading towards a shutdown of deep biological functions. Repeat the process for a few days, and widespread psychological failure will probably lead to death. As a reference, the longest span of sleep deprivation lasted 264 hours, but that is an extreme case.

On average, even one sleepless night can throw us off balance. It’s no wonder why sleep deprivation had the reputation of an insidious form of torture.

Sleep Deprivation and Lifestyle Choices Therefore, we are aware of sleep's momentousness; yet, we sacrifice precious sleep hours without hesitation. Moreover, we find it harder and harder to rest appropriately, with our lifestyle choices as the main culprit. Disorganized diets, rich with saturated fats and sugar, together with latenight alcohol consumption, make us fall asleep twelve minutes late on average, unnecessary sabotage for those of us who already have a hard time falling asleep. Add a glass of wine into the equation, and you get worsened breathing problems and more bathroom trips when least needed. Finally, yet importantly, Twitter wars or Facebook comment exchanges get us all fired up and promote a feeling of wakefulness instead of drowsiness. Needless to say, we know how to complicate our relationship with sleep.

How Much Sleep Do We Actually Need? Proper sleep patterns are an individual matter since we do not share the exact sleep needs. After all, we all have that one friend who is just nonstop and the one who can easily sleep until noon.

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Of course, genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors have a saying in this equation as well. Nevertheless, a minimum of seven hours of sleep per day definitely is "a step in the right direction." Through consistent research, scientists came up with a sleep timetable, tabulating proper sleeping patterns for all age groups: Newborns, 0 to 3 months: 14 to 17 hours. Infants, 4 to 11 months: 12 to 15 hours. Toddlers, 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours. Preschool children, 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours. School-age children, 6 to 13 years: 9 to 11 hours. Teenagers, 14 to 17 years: 8 to 10 hours. Young adults, 18 to 25 years: 7 to 9 hours. Adults, 26 to 64 years: 7 to 9 hours. Older adults, 65+ years: 7 to 8 hours.

What Happens When We Do Not Sleep Appropriately? Tabulating all the side effects of sleep deprivation is a mountainous task. After all, the whole body suffers in unison, both mentally and physically. In the short run, lack of alertness, excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired memory, and a greater likelihood of car accidents make up the side effect shortlist. We start to feel disengaged, antsy, and unwilling to connect with others; even the most meaningless actions can set us off and strain our relationships with our loved ones. Furthermore, through lack of focus and less attention to detail, our productivity levels will suffer consequently. A good night's sleep will dispel these side effects and restore peace to the mind and the body. But what happens when you lose count of your sleepless nights?

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Shorting ourselves on shut-eye for weeks or months, together with the long-term medical issues it causes, is no joke. Study after study has linked chronic sleep deprivation with: increase in cortisol (stress hormone) premature wrinkling dark circles under the eyes high blood pressure diabetes heart failure stroke obesity depression immunity impairment lower sex drive We only need to glance at this list, and we already get goosebumps. It is hard to believe such a seemingly unimportant aspect of our lives can affect us manifold. Therefore, since "a pill for every ill" has no chance to cover such a variety of medical issues, how do we escape the snares of sleep deprivation?

Recovering from a Long Sleepless Span With so many short and long-term side effects of sleep deprivation, searching for a remedy is only logical. After all, recovering from chronic sleep deprivation restores the immune system, balances weight, boosts mental wellbeing, increases fertility and sex drive, and wards off unwanted diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, however, the road to recovery presents no instant gratification; the more in debt you are to your sleep, the more you have to rest. Therefore, do not be surprised if you beat the ten-hour sleep mark for the first few days; that is just your immune system getting back on its feet. However, once you get your sleeping patterns in order, the body will allow you to wake up earlier and earlier, and you will feel refreshed, energetic, and full of life!

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Does CBD Help You Recover From Physical Exercise?

By Ionuț Raicea

The CBD industry has been preparing for liftoff for the past few years. In 2017 alone, it grew by 40% and reported $367 million in sales, and is expected to hit $2 billion in worth in 2022. More and more people turn towards CBDbased products for pain relief and recreational purposes while new uses for CBD continue to emerge. Let's face it – CBD is here to stay, so why not reap its benefits and use them in our daily lives?

Its holistic effect (both physical and mental) has left consumers with an improved pre-workout mood and less post-workout pain. It might sound like switching to CBD is a no-brainer! Therefore, we are turning our attention towards the relationship between CBD and physical workout and the benefits of including CBD-based products into your workout routine.

Especially nowadays, after a full-blown pandemic and repeated lockdown measures, people schedule fitness and workout activities into their daily schedule more rigorously, both for their physical and mental health. However, after long months of inactivity, the body might respond differently to high-intensity workouts and respond with joint or muscle pain. Be it short or long-term, pain discourages people from hitting the gyms again and sabotages workout schedules. Unfortunately, from pain to calling it quits is just a step.

CBD or Cannabidiol is one of the numerous and most prevalent ingredients found in cannabis (together with THC) and the hemp plant. By itself, contrary to speculations, CBD does not cause the much-feared intoxication or “high,” nor does it show any dependence potential. Since it does not affect short-term judgment nor cause a feeling of inertness, CBD quickly gained popularity and was legalized in most U.S. states.

Many doctors are accustomed to proposing pain relief remedies such as sauna sessions or therapeutic massages to prevent people from abandoning their workout schedules. But what about alternative, less-established pain relief approaches? Recently, more and more people chose to rely on CBD for their joint and muscle pain.

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CBD Comes with Numerous Benefits

Since the 1990s, scientists have studied how our endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates some of the human body’s fundamental functions, such as mood and sleep. CBD intake influences the ECS by eliminating free radicals and restoring its balance, therefore providing anti-inflammatory benefits to the body. With reduced inflammation levels come reduced pain and muscular aches, as well as fewer instances of sore muscles, joint pain, and post-workout discomfort. As an athlete, you will experience superior pre-workout mood and post-workout muscle repair. Consequently, your workouts will become more peaceful and more productive, as your mind will be at peace, and your body will be at 100% workout capacity.

CBD Comes in Different Shapes and Sizes The one thing that CBD producers thoroughly understand is the need for versatility; while you might fancy CBD oil or topical products, others enjoy their breaks with a CBD drink or an easily ingestible gummy bear. CBD comes in different shapes and sizes, but some CBD products relieve muscle and joint pain more efficiently. Let us explore our three leading picks: #1: CBD Oil and Tinctures Multiple approaches allow you to relieve muscle and joint pain with CBD oil and tinctures. First, you can apply the product and massage the painful area until the oil soaks into the skin. Such an approach provides almost instantaneous results; the key lies in treating the painful area with patience.

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Second, oils and tinctures allow for sublingual consumption. Not only does this method communicates the CBD with the painful area faster than traditional oral administration, but it also avoids drug destruction by avoiding gastric acid and juices. Compared with direct application to the painful area, sublingual consumption produces slower therapeutic effects (20 to 40 minutes); however, the CBD will benefit all muscles, not to mention stress reduction and improved mood. #2: CBD Topical Products Akin to oils and tinctures, you can rub CBD topical products directly on the painful area. Although CBD topical products boast a broader application (e.g., for acne, itching, and scarring treatment), numerous athletes choose this approach for immediate localized pain relief. As a result, you will find a consistent CBD topical product representation on the market through either lotions, creams, or balms. #3: CBD Drinks If you are constantly on the run, you need an option that goes hand in hand with your busy lifestyle. Not to worry – CBD also comes in to-go options, such as drinks. Therefore, you can enjoy a perfect dose of CBD before, during, and after your workout without any issue. Sparkling, water, tea, and flavorful beverages are athletes’ favorite CBD drink choices.

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How Much CBD Should I Take? Not only sizes and shapes but also dosage preferences differ from person to person. Since there is no telling how CBD will react in individual cases, no clear CBD intake guidelines exist. However, researchers propose 1-6 mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight as a rule of thumb for tolerable CBD quantities. In the end, it is your job to determine how much CBD works best for you. We recommend that you start with a small dosage – 5-10mg per day – and constantly increase until you reach your appropriate limit. This way, you will discover the benefits of CBD and the perfect dosage for you simultaneously.

A Parting Reminder Here at Top Doctor Magazine, our mission is to promote healthier alternatives to traditional pain relief methods, such as medication and opioids. Therefore, we are glad to spread the word on CBD-based products and their safer take on short or long-term pain. If you decided to include CBD-based products into your workout routine, make sure that you consult yourself with your doctor, especially if you are on other medications. Then, once you receive your doctor’s confirmations, raid the nearest CBD store and try your favorite products right away!

The Effects of Coffee on Your Senses of Taste and Smell By Ionuț Raicea

All of us have a secret pick-me-up to see us through a long day of work. For some, a quick workout session or a power nap get the job done. For others, however, life is not so simple; and by “others,” we mean hundreds of millions of people around the globe who rely on the Holy Grail of potions to get them across the finish line — coffee!

No sight is more common than someone enjoying this irresistible dark potion. After all, we gulp down more than 400 million coffee cups a day in the U.S. alone. And these numbers are merely a fraction of the 1.4 billion cups of Joe drunk every day on this planet! Still behind water and tea, but in the top 3 most consumed beverages worldwide. So, either during sluggish mornings or unending evenings, coffee is our problem-solving friend. However enamored with this potion, we, the die-hard coffee drinkers, need to take a step backward and inquire more into this routine dynamic. After all, how often do you think about coffee’s effect on your health? And how does the daily cup of coffee influence your primary senses? Rest assured, we are not here to take your precious beverage away from you. Instead, we would like to help you expand your knowledge and learn how coffee works its wonders on two of our primary senses — smell and taste! So, therefore, curl up on your couch with a fresh pot (as Dave Grohl would call it) and join us in today’s adventure!

How Coffee Works on Our Brains

Not many of us think about how coffee “works” in our bodies; instead, we prefer to focus on the journey, the feeling, the nostalgia behind each sip. However, explaining the inexplicable behind the coffee experience requires a bit of knowledge on the science of this beloved beverage. Right off the bat, the equation is simple - our bodies contain adenosine receptors. These neurotransmitters put you in the right physical state for sleep (e.g., they dilate the blood vessels for better oxygenation during sleep). That’s where caffeine comes into play; its job description is to bind to these adenosine receptors and impede them from ever sending the call to bed to the brain. The latter makes up for the lack of adenosine with added glutamate and dopamine, chemicals that make your brain happier. So what accompanies a happy brain? A better mood for you! Although positive on paper, the binding process does not go unnoticed. Extensive research focused on regular coffee consumption points towards a twofold effect — on our senses of smell and taste. So what is the nature of this relationship? Is it productive, or should I say goodbye to my morning delight? Keep reading the following paragraphs to find out!

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How Coffee Works on Our Sense of Smell The human olfactory system is a fine-tuned machine. For example, although the general belief put the number of different scents around 10,000, more recent research concluded that the human nose could distinguish between over 1 trillion odors (talk about having a nose for something!). And think about how stronger our sense of smell becomes when we are sniffing a fresh pot of coffee brewing in the kitchen from our bedrooms! One could levitate and follow the irresistible smell, just like in old cartoons. But what if we told you that coffee could grant you cognitive superpowers? Believe it or not, that is what researchers from the Stevens School of Business, Temple University, and Baruch College discovered. Their research tested the ability of over 100 students to answer math questions from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). The results were more than intriguing — the students who answered the questions in the coffee-smelling room performed significantly better than the rest of the students. Therefore, researchers concluded that the coffee fragrance alone is enough to enhance continuity of attention, quality and speed of memory, mood, and alertness. Furthermore, the study analyzed the students’ performance when exposed to a caffeine-free coffee fragrance.

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The results were, once again, unexpected - the coffee fragrance, albeit devoid of caffeine, is enough to trigger the cognitive boost due to the coffee drinker’s preconceived expectation. Ergo, if you aim to become a cognitive superhero, always keep a fresh cup of Joe on sight; not only will your cognitive abilities improve, but your confidence will become unshakeable as well!

How Coffee Works on Our Sense of Taste Although coffee is potent enough to endow math enthusiasts with superpowers, we can’t say the same about others, especially about those with a really sweet tooth. Quite a few of us indulge in regular guilty pleasures, frequently more often than necessary. And this trend shows in statistics — the average American consumes around 17 teaspoons of sugar per day, far exceeding the recommended limit. Clearly, sugar is the last thing that we need to add to our daily diets. But what does this have to do with coffee? The last time we checked, coffee was quite bitter. It turns out that regular coffee consumption is correlated with increased sugar intake. Research shows that caffeine weakens the tongue’s taste buds, therefore messing up our perception of food tastes. For sweetness enthusiasts, weakened taste buds could cause an increase in sugary products to rediscover the much-craved sweet taste.

For sweetness enthusiasts, weakened taste buds could cause an increase in sugary products to rediscover the much-craved sweet taste. Medical issues are only a step away from increased sugar intake, so we advise you to keep your sweet tooth in check after each cup of Joe.

Respect Coffee, and Coffee Will Respect You Our Top Doctor Magazine team hopes that you will continue to enjoy this irresistible potion in a peaceful, responsible manner. We invite you to check out the following website on different coffee beans and flavors as a parting gift. May your coffee cups stay full, warm, and flavorful!

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