Lindsey Vonn Embraces Her Scars: 'My Scars Remind Me That I Am Strong and Beautiful'

This article originally appeared on People.com. 

Lindsey Vonn doesn’t feel the need to cover up her scars.

The Olympic skier, 32, proudly shows a long scar on the back of her right arm in a photo she shared on Twitter on on Monday in which she wears the form-fitting black sleeveless dress she wore to attend Giorgio Armani’s fashion show during Milan Fashion Week.

“My scars remind me that I am strong and beautiful,” she tweeted along with the photo. “Thank you #GiorgioArmani.”

Vonn’s scar is the result of a serious arm injury she sustained when she was involved in a crash while training at Copper Mountain in Colorado last November.

“I severely fractured the humerus in my right arm,” Vonn shared on social media at the time.

She was able to return to competitive skiing in January following arm surgery and 300 hours of physical therapy.

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Vonn has previously spoken about accepting and loving her body.

“I’ve just gotten to the point that I love where I am … I’m comfortable with what I got,” Vonn told ABC Newslast June. “I think it shows in my attitude and the way I present myself. Now when I walk the red carpet, I don’t care with what everyone else thinks.”

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This Simple Thing May Indicate You’re at Risk for Dementia

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com. 

Older adults who begin sleeping more than nine hours a night might want to talk to their doctors about their increased need for shuteye: A new study suggests that it may be an early sign of dementia.

But that’s not to say that every parent or grandparent who starts snoozing extra will definitely develop memory problems. There are a lot of other conditions that can affect sleepiness and time spent in bed, says study co-author Matthew Pase, PhD, a neurology fellow at the Boston University School of Medicine, some of which are treatable once diagnosed.

Pase’s new study looked at 2,457 people, average age 72, who had health assessments and responded to health questionnaires every few years. Of those participants, the researchers identified 75 people who reported sleeping more than nine hours a night on average when they used to sleep less.

Those long sleepers were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia over the next 10 years than other study participants. (Adults who had always reported sleeping nine hours or more did not have an increased risk of dementia—only those whose sleeping habits had changed as they got older.)

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A doubling of risk may sound like a big increase, but Pase points out that the absolute risk is not as alarming: Only 21 percent of the extended-sleep participants, and 9 percent of other participants, actually got dementia. “By no means is this a certain fate for these people,” he says.

The study included all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type. The researchers don’t believe that sleeping longer hours actually has any effect on the progression of memory loss and cognitive decline; rather, they think it’s a subtle sign that early brain changes have started to occur. “In other words, restricting sleep is not likely to be effective,” Pase says.

More research is needed to know exactly why the body might react this way, but one theory is that the brain tries to compensate for early dementia-related changes by spending more time in sleep, Pase says, where it can try to repair itself.

The study made another interesting finding, as well: The chances of dementia were highest—about six times greater than those who slept less than nine hours a night—for people without a high-school degree who had recently started sleeping more. This supports the idea that having more education may be protective against dementia later in life, the authors wrote.

If you notice an elderly friend or relative begins sleeping more, that in itself is probably not cause for alarm, says Pase, since this can be a normal part of aging or may be influenced by lots of other things. But whatever its root cause, it’s probably worth mentioning to a doctor—especially if your loved one is also having memory or thinking problems on top of longer sleep.

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I Got Run Over by a Truck—Literally. Here’s What I Learned From Almost Dying

When I was a little girl, my parents told me it wasn’t a good idea to brag about something unless I was really exceptional at it. The advice kept me humble and grounded, and it’s been the way I’ve lived my life ever since. So when I say I this, I hope you'll believe me: I am an expert at coming back from the dead—because when I was 24 years old, I got run over by 8 wheels of an 18-wheel truck.  

It happened early on a fall morning. I had hopped on my bike for a 10-mile ride, to burn off some calories from an overindulgent weekend. It was a lovely morning, bright and crisp. The leaves on my Brooklyn block were just starting to turn yellow. I was closing out my ride when I saw the sun starting to rise over the low, brick industrial buildings on a busier street near my apartment. I thought that catching that sunrise would make the morning so incredibly perfect.

I was staring straight at it when I stopped at a red light, and didn’t pay too much attention to the truck beside me. The driver hadn’t put his turn signal on, and I had signaled that I was turning. I was sure he was aware of me, and I was safe to chase that morning-maker of a sunrise.

I took my turn wide and easy, and then I noticed that the truck wasn’t going straight. He was also taking the turn, and our paths were going to collide. Before I could register what was happening, I felt like I was tumbling, and found myself pinned beneath the truck’s first four wheels. I heard my bones cracking, and watched as the tires rolled over my body. I kept my eyes open as the next set of wheels came for my already crushed middle. I was too terrified to blink.

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The mind is a miraculous organ. Mine went into full psychological triage mode. I thought that I couldn’t close my eyes, because if I did, then I would somehow fall into a deep darkness where I had no control. So I kept them wide open. I also amazingly remembered my mom’s cell phone number and my home number, so the bystanders who had witnessed the accident could call my parents.

But the most incredible thing that my mind did was remember something my best friend, who’s a nurse, had told me: that if I ever needed an ambulance and the closest hospital wasn’t very good, I had patient rights and could ask to be taken elsewhere.

When the EMTs arrived, they found themselves talking to a woman with tire tracks on her stomach requesting to not go to the hospital nearby, but instead to the best hospital. I watched as they looked at each other dumbfounded, sure that I would die before I made it to any hospital. But I was insistent. My brain wanted my body to live, and it was willing to be pushy to make it happen.

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Beating the expectations of the EMTs, I remained conscious during the ambulance ride to the “best” hospital. As I was being wheeled into the ER, I asked the closest doctor if I was going to die. She looked at me sadly and said it didn’t look good, but she was going to try.

I am not sure why my body didn’t just give in at that moment. Or in all the moments that followed during the 10-hour surgery I went through. Amazingly, it didn’t. Although it came incredibly close.

Four hours into the surgery, I had been given about 8 pints of blood, but my blood wouldn’t clot so I kept bleeding out. The doctors told my family that if I didn’t start clotting within the next hour, they were going to have to let me die. Amazingly with 15 minutes left until my literal “deadline,” I began to clot.

When I woke up from surgery, my life was unrecognizable to me. I had broken all of my ribs, fractured my pelvis in five places, punctured my lungs, and torn a hole in my bladder. I couldn’t feel my body from my ribcage down, and my bike’s gearshift had dug itself into my right oblique muscle, creating a hole where the side of my stomach used to be.

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I spent the next two months in the hospital, working to heal my broken body. When I was released from the hospital into my parents’ care, I lived in the family room of the house I grew up in, sleeping on a rented hospital bed for another four months. I did intensive physical therapy every day. After an unbelievable amount of practice, and thanks to endless patience from my friends and family, I finally walked by myself eight months after the accident.

In the early stages of my recovery, I spent the majority of my time grasping at the person that I had been before the crash, trying so hard to become her again. But at some point, I realized she didn’t exist anymore. I wasn’t that carefree 24-year-old with no understanding of how challenging and precious my life was.

That’s when I stopped focusing on the parts of my life that I had lost, and started to focus on what I had gained: a deep gratitude for a life that I almost didn’t get the chance to live. I began to feel moments of overwhelming joy, like when my mom wheeled me out to the backyard so I could feel the first snowflakes of winter fall on my tongue; or the day my feet touched the floor for the first time in weeks; and whenever I decided to have champagne just because. The beauty of these little moments would have been lost on me only a few months before.

I don’t call myself an expert on surviving just because my body found a way to keep itself alive—but also because I fought to bring my life from a place of brokenness to a place of joy. For me, surviving isn’t just not dying. It's also giving yourself the gift of truly living.

You can read more of Katie McKenna’s story in her inspiring memoir, How to Get Run Over By a Truck ($16; amazon.com).

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If You Want to Avoid Dementia, Here’s What To Know

This article originally appeared on Time.com. 

You’ve heard the saying before: “use it or lose it.” Studies show that people who utilize their brains more—by furthering their education, learning a new language or musical instrument or keeping a rich network of relationships with family and friends—tend to have lower rates of dementia and problems with their thinking later in life. Nothing can completely prevent a certain amount of decline in cognitive functions that comes with age (that’s normal) but keeping the brain in good working order can lessen the consequences.

Here’s what the latest science suggests about what can—and can’t—prevent cognitive decline.

Education

In a new study published in Neuroepidemiology that analyzed results from the memory tests of more than 11,000 older Europeans, researchers found that education can combat cognitive decline—to a point.

People took recall tests at the start of the study and every two years for nearly a decade, and when the scientists compared those results with the diagnoses of dementia or cognitive impairment, they found that people with higher education seemed to have lower rates of dementia.

But when the researchers then looked at what happened to the people who were diagnosed with dementia, they found that education didn’t seem to affect the rate at which the people’s cognitive functions declined. In other words, it didn’t matter how much education the people had once the dementia began.

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That doesn’t mean that education isn’t an important part of preventing dementia. Dorina Cadar, a research associate in the department of behavioral health science at the University College of London and the study’s lead author, says that education gave people a larger cognitive reserve, so once cognitive decline began, it took them longer to experience the effects of the age-related slowing in their thinking abilities. Like a well-padded bank account, having more cognitive reserve gives people greater room to compensate for areas of the brain that might be failing over time. She notes that even an extra year of education can help people recall one additional word in recall tests years later. Even if learning more can’t prevent cognitive decline, it can make the effects of compromised thinking less obvious, and potentially less intrusive on a person’s daily life.

Crossword puzzles, having friends and learning new languages

Studies continue to support the fact that people who play cards, read or have strong friendships tend to develop dementia later than those who don’t engage in these activities. But some research is starting to suggest that the benefit may stop there. One study of nearly 1,200 older people found that while those who stay mentally active may experience dementia later, once dementia begins, they decline more quickly than those who aren’t so intellectually active.

That may reflect the fact that people with more active brains, or a higher level of education, may indeed have greater reserves on which they can draw as their brains start to decline. But once these reserves are dry, like a tapped-out bank account, there’s nothing left to keep the brain going.

More research is needed to fully understand how such backup systems affect aging-related decline, but experts still say that it’s best to start off with as large a reserve as possible. Keeping the brain active and engaged by seeing friends, visiting museums or learning new skills is one way to do that.

Exercise

Many other factors affect how the brain ages, including physical activity, heart health, mental illness, sleep and diet. But the role of exercise may be especially important. A recent study of more than 1,600 people over age 65 found that those who spent more time sitting had the same risk of developing dementia as people who carry a genetic mutation that puts them at higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

Being physically active may help the brain by keeping the heart fit. Studies show that some of the same risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and diabetes, may also put people at greater risk of developing dementia. Poor heart health also means less blood flow to the brain, which is essential for nourishing brain nerves and maintaining healthy nerve connections.

“We should really look at not just a single individual factor but a combination of factors: exercise, a healthy diet, having contact with friends and relatives,” says Cadar. “Together, they seem to help people in older age.”

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Smartphones Are Really Stressing Out Americans

This article originally appeared on Time.com. 

It’s easier than ever to stay in touch on multiple platforms throughout the day, but that 24/7 availability is stressing Americans out. Four out of five adults say they constantly check their email, texts and social media, according to a new report by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The APA polled about 3,500 adults in an online questionnaire during August 2016 and found that people who are always looking at their digital devices—called “constant checkers”—reported higher levels of stress compared to people who spend less time interacting with their gadgets.

The amount of time people spend on social media also appears to be stressing people out. 42% of constant checkers report that social media conversations about politics and culture cause them stress, compared to 33% of people who check less often. Constant checkers also worry about how social media is affecting their wellbeing; 42% say they worry about how social media can impact their mental and physical health, yet only 27% of people who check less often say the same.

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This digital obsession also appears to take a toll on families. Almost half of parents say they feel less connected to their family when technology is present, even when they are spending time together. Close to 60% say they worry about the impact of social media on their children’s mental and physical health.

Yet people are finding ways to cut back on the stressful effects of technology. The vast majority of parents, 94%, say they do something to limit their children’s use, like not allowing cell phones at the dinner table or limiting phone use before bed. That’s not always easy, though. Close to 60% of parents say they feel like their child is attached to their phone.

Overall, Americans want to unplug more often. Nearly two-thirds of people surveyed say they agree that taking an occasional digital detox is good for their mental health. However, less than 30% say they actually do so.

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Your Weekly Cry-Fest Over 'This Is Us' Has Surprising Health Benefits

Your Personality Changes More Than You Think Throughout Your Life

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com. 

If you think you’re exactly the same as your teenage self, new research may challenge that assumption. In a 63-year study, the longest ever conducted on human personality, scientists found that personalities can transform almost entirely over the course of a lifetime.

For the study, which began in 1950, psychologists at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom analyzed data from more than 1,200 personality assessments given to 14-year-old students by their teachers. The educators rated their pupils on the following six personality traits: self-confidence, conscientiousness, perseverance, desire to excel, originality, and stability of moods.

Approximately 63 years later, researchers tracked down 174 of the original students, now an average of 77 years old, who agreed to take another personality test. The participants took an assessment measuring the same six characteristics that they were judged on at 14 years old. They were also asked to bring along another loved one, who then weighed in on the same traits.

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The results, though published in the journal Psychology and Aging in December, are just gaining traction. And they're quite different from what researchers expected to find: There wasn’t a whole lot of overlap between now and then—aside from a small correlation between stability of moods and conscientiousness. “The longer the interval between two assessments of personality, the weaker the relationship between the two tends to be. Our results suggest that, when the interval is increased to as much as 63 years, there is hardly any relationship at all,” the researchers wrote in the study’s conclusion. “Personality changes only gradually throughout life, but by older age it may be quite different from personality in childhood.”

It’s important to realize that the data isn’t 100 percent conclusive. The sample size of the latter study was pretty small compared to the original sample, and a teacher’s personality assessment isn’t exactly the same thing as self-assessment. Nonetheless, it is an important look into how we can change over the years—in more ways than just our appearance.

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