ALT MEDICINE  With electrodes dangling from each earlobe and one atop my shiny, bald scalp, I stare at a computer monitor trying to make my blue rocket ship fly through space. No joystick, no keyboard — I’m like Luke Skywalker, using the Force. Actually, I’m not doing much of anything — not consciously. But as I focus on the steady beeping and the raspy hum of the spacecraft’s engine, my brain is learning to produce more of a certain frequency brainwave activity. Ten beeps and my ship picks up a jewel in space! But if my mind wanders or I talk to the psychologist, the yellow and purple rockets want to fly, too. I don’t want that because they are fueled by different brain frequencies — bands of activity that are often associated with daydreaming or anxiety. Gotta keep the blue ship out front. Beep, beep, beep. I simply focus. Pay attention. It roars forward again. Read More>>

55 PLUS  Nothing escapes the scrutiny of science — not even love. In the quest to sift through millennia of anecdotal wisdom about what restores the spark to long-term relationships, researchers are closing in on some answers. It’s not simply time together that does the trick — even pleasant, quality time. It’s when seasoned couples attempt the novel and challenging, together, that they feel the best about their relationships. Read More>>

NEWS  Turns out that Mom really did know what’s good for you and what’s not. All those dictums of childhood — go outside to play, get enough sleep, clean your room and indulge in the occasional treat — are now coming full circle. Sleep, laughter, sunshine, clean spaces and tasty treats can deliver health benefits. Common sense and moderation are good guides, but there is plenty of room for joy in a healthy lifestyle. Read More>>

NEWS  You may forgive yourself for not getting enough sleep, but your body doesn’t forget. The missing Zs that you’ve cheated yourself out of actually accumulate over time to form what researchers call “sleep debt” — a deficit that continues to affect alertness and performance even when you do get a good night’s sleep. The good news is that sleep debt can be paid off with some extra down time and the development of good sleep habits. Read More>>

NEWS  Think of it as a great big orange vitamin pill in the sky. One that everyone can share, free of charge. It’s the sun, and if you’re like most Americans, you could use more of the vitamin D that your skin makes when you’re exposed to it. Apart from the long-known benefit of aiding the development of healthy bones, a proper level of vitamin D in the body is also correlated with reduced risk of cancer, according to more recent research. Read More>>

ALT MEDICINE  Pragmatists, it seems, are content with a little mystery in their method. So long as it works. “The first time I practiced on somebody, they told me their pain was better. I thought: That’s crazy. This is a placebo,” says Kari Joys, a Spokane-based psychotherapist with 25 years of experience, recounting her foray into the perplexing world of Chinese energetics. “It seemed too outrageous, to me, to believe it,” she says. But that was five years ago, and her skepticism has been… well, cured. Read More>>