Fibrous dysplasia

Fibrous dysplasia is a bone disorder in which scar-like (fibrous) tissue develops in place of normal bone. As the bone grows, the softer, fibrous tissue expands, weakening the bone. Fibrous dysplasia can cause the affected bone to deform and become susceptible to fracture.

Most people with fibrous dysplasia are diagnosed during adolescence or early adulthood. Mild cases usually cause no signs or symptoms. More-serious cases of fibrous dysplasia may result in bone pain and deformity.

The basic cause of fibrous dysplasia is unknown. There's no cure for fibrous dysplasia. Treatment focuses on relieving signs and symptoms.

Symptoms:

Fibrous dysplasia can affect any bone in your body. Most people with the disorder have only one affected bone — a form called monostotic fibrous dysplasia — and develop no signs or symptoms. When the condition affects more than one bone, it's known as polyostotic fibrous dysplasia. Bones most commonly affected are:

• Thighbone (femur)
• Shinbone (tibia)
• Pelvic bones
• Ribs
• Skull
• Facial bones
• Upper arm bone (humerus)

Fibrous dysplasia may cause few or no signs and symptoms, particularly if the condition is mild. Signs and symptoms typically develop during the teens or 20s. If you have the polyostotic form, you're more likely to develop signs and symptoms, usually by age 10. More severe fibrous dysplasia may cause:

• Bone pain
• Difficulty walking
• Bone deformities
• Fractures

Causes:

You develop fibrous dysplasia before birth, and its development has been linked with a gene mutation that affects the cells that produce bone. No one knows what causes the mutation, but it isn't inherited from your parents, and you can't pass it on to your children.

Bones are living tissue, so even after you stop growing, your bones are in a continuous process of renewal known as remodeling. In the process, certain bone cells (osteoclasts) tear down (resorb) bone, while other cells (osteoblasts) rebuild bone. Fibrous dysplasia disrupts the process, causing old bone to break down faster and replacing normal bone tissue with softer, fibrous tissue.

Complications:

Besides bone fractures, severe fibrous dysplasia can lead to:

Bone deformity. The weakened area of an affected bone can cause the bone to bend (bow). If your spine is affected, you can develop scoliosis, an abnormal curving of the spine.
Vision and hearing loss. The nerves to your eyes and ears may be surrounded by affected bone. Severe deformity of facial bones can lead to loss of vision and hearing, but it's a rare complication.
Arthritis. If leg and pelvic bones are deformed, arthritis may form in the joints of those bones.
Cancer. Rarely, an affected area of bone can become cancerous. This rare complication usually only affects people who have had prior radiation therapy.

Tests and diagnosis:

If you have monostotic fibrous dysplasia, you may not know it until it's discovered incidentally on an X-ray for another condition. If you have signs and symptoms, your doctor will perform a physical examination and order X-rays of the affected bones. On X-ray, fibrous dysplasia appears as an abnormal section of bone (lesion) that has the hazy appearance of ground glass.

In some cases, your doctor may order more tests to confirm the diagnosis or to determine the extent of the disorder. They include:

Imaging tests. Computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans may be used to determine how extensively your bones are affected.
Bone scan. This test uses radioactive tracers, which are injected into your body. Your bones take up the tracers and emit radiation that's captured by a special camera, which produces a picture of your skeleton. Your doctor may order a bone scan to determine whether your fibrous dysplasia is monostotic or polyostotic.
Bone biopsy. This test uses a hollow needle to remove a small piece of the affected bone for laboratory analysis. You'll receive local anesthetics to numb the area where the needle is inserted. In rare instances, an open biopsy — requiring general anesthesia and a surgical incision — may be necessary.

Treatments and drugs:

f you have mild fibrous dysplasia that's discovered incidentally and you have no signs or symptoms, your risk of developing deformity or fracturing your bone is low. Your doctor can monitor your condition with follow-up X-rays every six months. If there's no progression, you don't need treatment.

If you develop signs and symptoms, treatment may include medications or surgery.

Medications
Medications called bisphosphonates, including pamidronate (Aredia) and alendronate (Fosamax), are used to inhibit bone breakdown, preserve bone mass and even increase bone density in your spine and hip, reducing the risk of fractures. Doctors use these medications primarily for adults to treat osteoporosis and increase bone density, but bisphosphonates may also reduce bone pain associated with fibrous dysplasia and, in some cases, improve bone formation.

Little is known about the use of bisphosphonates for children and adolescents, but some studies indicate they may help relieve pain in children and adolescents with severe fibrous dysplasia.

Oral bisphosphonates are generally well tolerated, but may irritate your gastrointestinal tract. If you can't tolerate oral bisphosphonates or if your doctor recommends a drug that's not available in oral form, you may receive bisphosphonates through a vein (intravenously). You can't take bisphosphonates if you have serious kidney disease or low blood-calcium levels.

Surgery
Your doctor may recommend surgery in order to:

• Correct a deformity
• Correct a difference in limb lengths
• Fix a fracture
• Remove an affected area of bone (lesion) that's causing you difficulty
• Relieve pressure on a nerve, particularly if the lesion is in your skull or face

Surgery may involve removing the bone lesion and replacing it with bone grafted from another part of your body or from bone tissue donated from a deceased donor. Your surgeon may insert metal plates, rods or screws to stabilize the bone and the graft. Risks include infection, blood clots and bleeding. In addition, a bone graft may not last.

HIV Infection and AIDS

ACQUIRED IMMUNITY DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)

AIDS was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. By killing or damaging cells of the body�s immune system, HIV progressively destroys the body�s ability to fight infections and certain cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may get life-threatening diseases called opportunistic infections. These infections are caused by microbes such as viruses or bacteria that usually do not make healthy people sick.

Since 1981, more than 980,000 cases of AIDS have been reported in the United States to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to CDC, more than 1,000,000 Americans may be infected with HIV, one-quarter of whom are unaware of their infection. The epidemic is growing most rapidly among minority populations and is a leading killer of African-American males ages 25 to 44. According to CDC, AIDS affects nearly seven times more African Americans and three times more Hispanics than whites. In recent years, an increasing number of African-American women and children are being affected by HIV AIDS

Risky behavior

HIV can infect anyone who practices risky behaviors such as:

•     Sharing drug needles or syringes
•     Having sexual contact, including oral sexual contact, with an infected person without using a condom
•     Having sexual contact with someone whose HIV status is unknown

Infected blood

HIV also is spread through contact with infected blood. Before donated blood was screened for evidence of HIV infection and before heat-treating techniques to destroy HIV in blood products were introduced, HIV was transmitted through transfusions of contaminated blood or blood components. Today, because of blood screening and heat treatment, the risk of getting HIV from blood transfusions is extremely small.

Contaminated needles

HIV is often spread among injection drug users when they share needles or syringes contaminated with very small quantities of blood from someone infected with the virus.

It is rare for a patient to be the source of HIV transmitted to a healthcare provider or vice versa by accidental sticks with contaminated needles or other medical instruments.

Mother to child

Women can transmit HIV to their babies during pregnancy or birth. Approximately one-quarter to one-third of all untreated pregnant women infected with HIV will pass the infection to their babies. HIV also can be spread to babies through the breast milk of mothers infected with the virus.

If the mother takes certain drugs during pregnancy, she can significantly reduce the chances that her baby will get infected with HIV.

If healthcare providers treat HIV-infected pregnant women and deliver their babies by cesarean section, the chances of the baby being infected can be reduced to a rate of 1 percent.

HIV infection of newborns has been almost eradicated in the United States because of appropriate treatment.

A study sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Uganda found a highly effective and safe drug for preventing transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her newborn. Independent studies have also confirmed this finding. This regimen is more affordable and practical than any other examined to date. Results from the study show that a single oral dose of the antiretroviral drug nevirapine (NVP) given to an HIV-infected woman in labor and another to her baby within 3 days of birth reduces the transmission rate of HIV by half compared with a similar short course of AZT (azidothymidine).

Saliva

Although researchers have found HIV in the saliva of infected people, there is no evidence that the virus is spread by contact with saliva. Laboratory studies reveal that saliva has natural properties that limit the power of HIV to infect, and the amount of virus in saliva appears to be very low. Research studies of people infected with HIV have found no evidence that the virus is spread to others through saliva by kissing.

The lining of the mouth, however, can be infected by HIV, and instances of HIV transmission through oral intercourse have been reported.

Scientists have found no evidence that HIV is spread through sweat, tears, urine, or feces.

Casual contact

Studies of families of HIV-infected people have shown clearly that HIV is not spread through casual contact such as the sharing of food utensils, towels and bedding, swimming pools, telephones, or toilet seats.

HIV is not spread by biting insects such as mosquitoes or bedbugs.

Sexually transmitted infections

People with a sexually transmitted infection, such as syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis, may be more susceptible to getting HIV infection during sex with infected partners.

How To Prevent and Control Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors

You can prevent and control many coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors with lifestyle changes and medicines. Examples of these controllable risk factors include high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and overweight and obesity. Only a few risk factors—such as age, gender, and family history—can't be controlled.

To reduce your risk of CHD and heart attack, try to control each risk factor you can. The good news is that many lifestyle changes help control several CHD risk factors at the same time. For example, physical activity may lower your blood pressure, help control diabetes and prediabetes, reduce stress, and help control your weight.

A Lifelong Approach
Many lifestyle habits begin during childhood. Thus, parents and families should encourage their children to make heart healthy choices, such as following a healthy diet and being physically active. Make following a healthy lifestyle a family goal.

To achieve this goal, you should learn about key health measures, such as weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and your child's BMI-for-age percentile. For more information about BMI in adults and children, go to "Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors."

Be aware of your and your family members' blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Once you know these numbers, you can work to bring them into, or keep them within, a healthy range.

Making lifestyle changes can be hard. But if you make these changes as a family, it may be easier for everyone to prevent or control their CHD risk factors.

Lifestyle Changes
A healthy lifestyle can lower the risk of CHD. If you already have CHD, a healthy lifestyle may prevent it from getting worse. A healthy lifestyle includes:

• Following a healthy diet
• Being physically active
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Quitting smoking
• Managing stress
• Following a Healthy Diet
• A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. To lower your risk of CHD and heart attack, you and your family should follow a diet that is:

Low in saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are found in some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods. Trans fats are found in some fried and processed foods. Both types of fat raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol level.
High in the types of fat found in fish and olive oil. These fats are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids lower your risk of heart attack, in part by helping prevent blood clots.
High in fiber. Fiber is found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. A fiber-rich diet not only helps lower your LDL cholesterol level, but also provides nutrients that may help protect against CHD.
Low in salt and sugar. A low-salt diet can help you manage your blood pressure. A low-sugar diet can help you prevent weight gain and control diabetes and prediabetes.
Research suggests that drinking small to moderate amounts of alcohol regularly also can lower your risk of CHD. One drink a day can lower your risk by raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol level. One drink is a glass of wine, beer, or a small amount of hard liquor.

If you don't drink, this isn't a recommendation to start using alcohol. If you're pregnant, if you're planning to become pregnant, or if you have another health condition that could make alcohol use harmful, you shouldn't drink.

Also, too much alcohol can cause you to gain weight and raise your blood pressure and triglyceride level. In women, even one drink a day may raise the risk of certain types of cancer.

Teach your children how to make healthy food choices. For example, have them help you shop for and make healthy foods. Set a good example by following the same heart healthy diet that you ask your children to follow.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Following a healthy diet and being physically active can help you maintain a healthy weight. Controlling your weight helps you control CHD risk factors.

If you're overweight or obese, try to lose weight. A loss of just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight can lower your risk of CHD.

To lose weight, cut back your calorie intake and do more physical activity. Eat smaller portions and choose lower calorie foods. Don't feel that you have to finish the entrees served at restaurants. Many restaurant portions are oversized and have too many calories for the average person.

For overweight children and teens, slowing the rate of weight gain is important. However, reduced-calorie diets aren't advised, unless approved by a doctor.

Quitting Smoking
If you smoke, quit. Smoking can raise your risk of CHD and heart attack and worsen other CHD risk factors. Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke.

If you have trouble quitting smoking on your own, consider joining a support group. Many hospitals, workplaces, and community groups offer classes to help people quit smoking.

You can help your children avoid smoking or quit smoking. Talk with them about the health effects of smoking. Teach them how to handle peer pressure to smoke.

Teens who have parents who smoke are more likely to smoke themselves. Set a good example by not smoking or quitting smoking. Set firm rules about no tobacco use in your home.

If you have a child who smokes, help him or her create a plan to quit. Offer your child information and resources on how to quit. Stress the natural rewards that come with quitting, such as freedom from addiction, better fitness and sports performance, and improved appearance. Reinforce the decision to quit with praise.

Managing Stress
Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health. Having supportive people in your life with whom you can share your feelings or concerns can help relieve stress.

Physical activity, medicine, and relaxation therapy also can help relieve stress. You may want to consider taking part in a stress management program.

Other Lifestyle Concerns
If making lifestyle changes is hard for you, try taking things one step at a time. Learn about the benefits of lifestyle changes. Talk with your doctor, and read some of the resources in "Links to Other Information About Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors."

Figure out what's stopping you from making or sticking to your lifestyle changes. Try to find ways to overcome these issues. For example, if you're too tired to exercise after work, you may want to try working out before you go to work.

Make a plan to carry out your lifestyle changes that includes specific, realistic goals. Act on your plan and work toward your goals. You may want to do so with the help of a support group or supportive friends and family.

Reward yourself for the gains you've made. Think about what you need to do to maintain your lifestyle changes and avoid unhealthy habits.

Don't give up if you go off your diet or exercise plan or start smoking again. Instead, find out what you need to do to get back on track so you can meet your goals. Many people find that it takes more than one try to make long-term lifestyle changes.

Changing the eating and activity habits of children takes time. Start with small, easy steps. For example, cut out after-dinner snacks or go for an after-dinner walk instead of watching TV.

Set a good example, and try to get your children involved in choosing a new healthy step to take each day. If you make lifestyle changes a group effort, it will make them easier.

Medicines
Sometimes lifestyle changes aren't enough to control your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, or other CHD risk factors. Your doctor also may prescribe medicines. For example, you may need medicines to:

• Lower your LDL cholesterol
• Lower your blood pressure
• Lower your blood sugar level
• Prevent blood clots and/or inflammation
• Take your medicines as prescribed. Don't cut back on the dosage unless your doctor tells you to. If you have side effects or other problems related to your medicines, talk with your doctor. He or she may be able to provide other options.

You should still follow a heart healthy lifestyle, even if you take medicines to control your CHD risk factors.

Heads Up: Preventing Brain Injuries

Brain injuries are caused by a bump or blow to the head. These injuries sometimes are called "concussions" or "traumatic brain injuries" (TBIs) and can range from mild to severe.

Most mild brain injuries cause no harm. But sometimes even mild brain injuries can cause serious, long-lasting problems. The best way to protect yourself and your family from brain injuries is to prevent them from happening in the first place.

How to Prevent a Brain Injury
Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Brain Injury Association of America to reduce the chances that you or your family members will have a brain injury.

• Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
• Always buckle your child into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt (according to the child's height, weight, and age) in the car.  
• Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Wear a helmet and make sure your children wear helmets when: 
• Riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, or all-terrain vehicle;
• Playing a contact sport, such as football, ice hockey, or boxing;
• Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
• Batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
• Riding a horse; or
• Skiing or snowboarding.

Avoid falls in the home by:
Using a step stool with a grab bar to reach objects on high shelves;
Installing handrails on stairways;
Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows;
Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around;
Removing tripping hazards such as small area rugs and loose electrical cords;
Using non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors;
Putting grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower;
Maintaining a regular exercise program to improve strength, balance, and coordination; and
Seeing an eye doctor regularly for a vision check to help lower the risk of falling.

Make sure the surface on your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing material, such as hardwood, mulch, and sand.

Keep firearms stored unloaded in a locked cabinet or safe. Store bullets in a separate secured location.

When to Call the Doctor: Signs and Symptoms of Brain Injury

When you visit the doctor, here are some important questions to ask:

How long should I expect these symptoms to last?
What should I do for this condition?
Is it safe to get back to my normal daily routine, such as school, work, or playing sports and doing other physical activities?
What can I do to keep from injuring myself again?
Here is a list of common symptoms of a brain injury (concussion). If you or a family member has a head injury and you notice any of the symptoms on the list, call your doctor right away. Describe the injury and symptoms, and ask if you should make an appointment to see your own doctor or another specialist.

Symptoms of a Concussion

In Adults

• Headaches or neck pain that won’t go away
• Trouble with such mental tasks as remembering, concentrating, or decision-making
• Slow thinking, speaking, acting, or reading
• Getting lost or easily confused
• Feeling tired all the time, having no energy or motivation
• Mood changes (feeling sad or angry for no reason)
• Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping a lot more or having a hard time sleeping)
• Feeling light-headed or dizzy, or losing balance
• An urge to vomit (nausea)
• Increased sensitivity to lights, sounds, or distractions
• Blurred vision or eyes that tire easily
• Loss of sense of smell or taste
• Ringing in the ears

In Children

• Feeling tired or listless
• Being irritable or cranky (will not stop crying or cannot be consoled)
• Changes in eating (will not eat or nurse)
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in the way the child plays
• Changes in performance at school
• Lack of interest in favorite toys or activities
• Loss of new skills, such as toilet training
• Loss of balance, unsteady walking
• Vomiting

Life Is a Journey, Let Us Enjoy It

I often heard that someone said that the life is a journey and people should never mind the destination, and what they should keep in mind is the journey itself. I love to show you the excitement of one’s human life, and i also want to lead you to more entertainment in life. In fact, some young women and men are really being absorbed in traveling around the world to know the different attractions of the world. So this time I will lead you to some impressive tours in your life.

As we all know that China is a great country full of ancient culture, and it is known ad one of the four cultural ancient countries. There are many old things which are full of cultural deposits. Now and now more and foreigners are coming to China to explore the spectacular scenes. This time I will change to be the best tour guide for you all. Almost everybody knows the economic hub of China since the Expo was exhibited in Shanghai, and when we talk about Shanghai, we will mention the splendid architecture, the Oriental Pearl Tower. Now this is a city which combines the modernization and the traditional culture together. I am sure that a leisure and exciting Shanghai tour for you is a perfect entertainment.

If you come to Shanghai, you shouldn’t miss Nanjing Road which is the most lively and prosperous street in Shanghai. It is known as the “the first street of Chinese business”. I have no time to tell you more about this road which contains some delicious food and some expensive brands. Some young women love to go shopping in this road. And foreigner can also touch the best things in Shanghai. You can get clear to the daily life of the Chinese people. Maybe next time I will tell you more about this legendary business road. The meaning of the journey is to make yourself adsorbed in the local lifestyle and culture. In the morning of Shanghai, you can go out of your house and hang out in the street, have a kind of snacks like small steamer bun which is very delicious and full of local color.

Lastly, I have to introduce myself, in order to make you guys all remember me. My name is Lily Lee and I born in China. This country gives me yellow skin and black hair. I love my motherland so much, so I introduce her to all you guyes and I also want all of you guys come to China to have a look at this great country. Welcome to China, I will give you a warm hug! Besides Shanghai, there are other some great cities for you visit in, such ad Beijing, Xi’an and Suzhou. Explore them by yourself.

YOGA FOR GOOD HEALTH

THIS SECTION PROVIDES YOU WITH VARIOUS ARTICLES RELATED YOGA AND OTHER TECHNICS TO MANAGE YOUR DAILY LIFE.

THIS SECTION PROVIDES YOU WITH INFORMATIVE ARTICLES ON YOGA. SIMPLE TECHNICS AND TIPS TO MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH. BEFORE STARTING TO WORK ON YOGA, ONE HAS TO UNDERSTAND YOGA BETTER. FOR ATTAINING A HEALTHY LIFE, PHYSICAL EXCERCISES, YOGA TECHNICS NEED TO BE PRACTICED WITH UTMOST CARE. THESE SHOULD HOWEVER BE PRACTICED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A TRAINED PERSON.

YOU CAN FIND HELPFUL ARTICLES ON YOGA, EASY TO FOLLOW YOGA TIPS AND TECHNICS. INTRODUCTION TO YOGA AND ITS BENEFITS TO ATTAIN HEALTHY LIFE. SIMPLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW PHYSICAL EXCERCISES HELP YOU IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.

ARTICLES FOR STRESS RELIEF AND EYE STRAIN BELOW GIVES YOU EASY TO FOLLOW TIPS AND TECHNICS TO OVERCOME STRESS AND ALSO TREAT YOUR EYES. THESE TECHNICS RESULT IN STRESS RELIEF AND TREATMENT TO YOUR EYES.

Ways to Refresh Your Mind

Music. I know that the Mozart Effect has been debated and by some experts claiming faulty research procedures, debunked. Still, how do you feel after listening to Mozart? Or Brahms? Or how about James Taylor? If you need more stimulation, one guy recommended marches. If you need less, find a mellow musician and let those sounds soothe your mental resources. Combine music with exercise (see #3) and you may experience even more enhanced cognitive benefits. They say that making music is extremely beneficial to the mind, as well. Pull out that old piano primer or dust off your guitar. Do-re-mi and all that.

Recreation. This article from the National Park and Recreation website talks about how recreation can offer mental restoration. I’m partial to combining recreation with being outdoors, which makes me a perfect blogger to promote the National Park and Recreation website, as I just did. Try hiking, if you’re physically capable. Go biking or canoeing. Take the kids to the park and walk a trail. Toss pebbles in the stream. Compare tree bark and identify a leaf or two.  Yes, I’m a nature lover.

Physical exercise. Hey, this is a good segue from #2. Lots of articles in everything from Prevention magazine to Modern Maturity explain how physical exercise benefits not only our bodies, but also our minds. This one offers a nice overview. I know that when I go jogging, my mind clears. When a few days pass with no aerobic exercise, I get a little fuzzy. Sometimes the fuzz thickens to a fog. Or would a fog thicken to fuzz? See? I can’t even think. Anyway, they say that physical exertion seems to stimulate and refresh my mind in addition to all its other benefits. Cool. As you may have read in an old essay of mine, my mom-mind can use all the help it can get.

Mental exercise. With increased interest in health and wellness for an aging population, research into slowing dementia and Alzheimer’s has resulted in tons of tips for mental stimulation. This article in The Washington Post reviews websites with games purporting increased mental stimulation. (This other article from The Washington Post talks about both physical and mental exercise.) Happy Neuron seems to have consolidated some interesting games. Look around. You’re sure to find some fascinating activities–even the search itself might count for a bit of mental exercise.
Reading deserves special treatment as a mental exercise. Stay tuned for another blog entry focusing on reading as a means to refresh the mind.

Find a friend. Or two, or three. Human interaction seems to keep our minds refreshed. I’m a writer–a rather solitary pursuit. I find that my night out with friends keeps me mentally alert–those are the evenings I often generate new ideas for books and articles. They ask good questions and get me thinking. There’s a lot of research out there about people…needing people. I sense a song coming on, so let’s move on to the single most important aspect to refreshing the mind.

Prayer and Bible study. This is not an obligatory entry included simply because I’m a believer in Jesus Christ. I am convinced that regular Bible reading and study refreshes my mind in a way that no other reading or resource can. Prayer that is grounded in scriptural truth and directed to the Most High God through Jesus Christ offers me a deep, lasting, soul-level refreshment that fills the mind with rich treasures of God’s reality and truth. ”Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” Paul wrote to the Colossians (3:2).
In fact, any other attempt to find peace and refreshment for the mind must begin here, in Christ Himself and in the written Word, to combat the messages that the rest of the world bombards us with. Check out this verse from Romans: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (12:2).

I’m on the lookout to discover God’s good, pleasing and perfect will. That sounds like true refreshment, filled with meaning.

That may or may not be what those folks were looking for when they were Googling “refresh your mind.” But it’s a start.