Wellbeing

Spiritual Wellness in the New Year

What is it and how does one achieve it?

As we begin a new year, many are focused on their spiritual health and well-being. In fact, the National Wellness Institute names spiritual wellness as one of the seven dimensions of overall wellness. It’s essential in life, say experts.

Cures for Cabin Fever

Creative ideas for housebound parents and children.

Winter brings frigid temperatures, icy roads, snow and often school closures. While sledding and building snowmen are fun, hazardous weather conditions mean much of the time is spent indoors, and soon the novelty of time off can become cabin fever. Local child education experts offer activity suggestions for filling those long winter days. Susan Friedman, executive editor for digital content at the National Association for the Education of Young Children and a Bethesda resident, suggests parents encourage a child’s natural curiosity. "In the same way that school classrooms have activity centers, parents can create boxes that focus on different activities like playing dress up with clothes, hats and neckties," she said. "You can create a box with art supplies and a box with games or puzzles."

Backwards Thinking

Considering that I’ve been cancer-centric now for nearly five years, one would have thought I might have learned and totally embraced an alternative concept: forward living – and less thinking about past causes and their possible current effects. Certainly cancer causes physical manifestations and symptoms that are diagnosable and indicative of trouble. But it’s the unseen effects that in some cases cause as many difficulties. What I am referring to is the mental and emotional toll a terminal diagnosis and short term prognosis can have on the patient’s perspective on life and living, and what’s presumptively thought to be left of it.

Alexandria Schools See Rising Poverty In the Classroom

City has the highest rates of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in region.

In the last decade, the percentage of Alexandria students who live in poverty has grown from 50 percent to 56 percent. That's the largest percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in the region, according to a recent analysis by the Washington Area Boards of Education.

New Approach to Mental Health

Reforms in wake of tragedy involving state senator's son.

Advocates for mental health services have been calling for improved services and increased funding for years, although the issue has been pushed aside year after year.

A "Scancer" Update

Since you asked, or rather indulged me the past few weeks by wading through my two "Scanticipation" columns anticipating a result, I am happy to finally share that result with you: "Stable and better." These are the exact words e-mailed to me by my oncologist in response to my post-Thanksgiving inquiry about my CT Scan completed on the 27th.

MinuteClinic Opens Walk-in Medical Clinic Inside CVS/pharmacy Store in Fairfax

MinuteClinic, the largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has opened a new walk-in clinic inside the CVS/pharmacy store in Fairfax at 3921 Prosperity Ave. It is the twenty-third location in the Northern Virginia.

Local Non-profit Faces Decrease in Donations

Our Daily Bread is in need of sponsors for their holiday program, which helps local families struggling to make ends meet.

Our Daily Bread, a non-profit that provides assistance to low-income members of the community, has seen a decrease in donations since last year, making it difficult for them to meet the needs of their holiday program.

Staying Fit During the Holidays

Staving off extra pounds during the season of sweets.

Patty McAndrews works out with a trainer twice a week at of TRUE Health and Wholeness in Arlington. She found that restarting her fitness regimen about two months ago has strengthened her abdominal muscles and toned her body.

"Scanticipation" Not So Much

As much as last week’s column, "Scanticipation" was about my looking forward – in a non-foreboding way, to my scheduled CT Scan on the 27th and the presumptive positive (not negative) results, having to write a column for this week before having received those results makes this writing effort particularly challenging.

Actively Caring Comes to CVHS

Part of Bullying Awareness Week, AC4P recognizes acts of kindness.

Not bullying means more than just not taunting or hitting someone; it also means being kind and considerate. So it was fitting that members of Virginia Tech’s program, Actively Caring for People (AC4P), shared their message Monday, Nov. 18, during the first day of Cluster VII’s Bullying Awareness Week.

Board of Supervisors Recognizes Greenspring for 15th Anniversary

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Greenspring was recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for 15 successful years in Fairfax County. Greenspring celebrated the community’s 15th anniversary on Nov. 17 and is now home to nearly 2000 residents and the workplace of nearly 1000 staff members.

Finding Childcare Providers

Fairfax-based Infant Toddler Family Day Care turns 30.

The Infant Toddler Family Day Care Program of Fairfax helps parents find the best possible childcare provider in the area. It currently serves 360 children, and celebrated its 30th Anniversary on Oct. 13, with a dinner at the Fairfax Marriott.

Giving Presents to Homeless Animals

The holidays will be a little brighter for shelter pets, thanks to the efforts of Felicia Norman, owner of Walking The Dogs (www.walkingdogsva.com), a local dog walking and pet sitting company. Norman's daughter, Maggie, is pictured above with Delilah, who is looking for her forever home, at the Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) in Aldie, Va. Walking The Dogs joined forces with the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters for the third annual "Presents 4 Pets" campaign. Norman raised more than $4,000 in donations and products for the benefit of FOHA during National Animal Shelter Appreciation week, Nov. 3-9.

Column: "Scanticipation"

When I get CT-Scanned on Wednesday, November 27th, it will be nearly four months since my last diagnostic scan. That occurred during my hospital "staycation" during the first week of August, when I was admitted due to the extremely abnormal fluid buildup in my left lung.

The Connection