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Barbra Williams Cosentino

barbra consentino, writer

Barbra Williams Cosentino RN, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in Queens, N.Y., and a freelance writer whose essays and articles on health, parenting and mental health have appeared in the New York Times, Medscape, BabyCenter and many other national and online publications.

A black and white photo of a woman holding her baby. Next Avenue, mom, mother's day

I Remember Mama

There are many times I miss her. And some of her idiosyncrasies still make me laugh.
May 13, 2024
A woman undergoing a scan for cancer. Next Avenue, anxiety about cancer scan, screening

Understanding Scanxiety

Scanxiety is the apprehension felt before a scan or medical test, usually to determine if there has been cancer return, growth or, hopefully, regression
April 10, 2024
A woman using a pill box to organize and safely manage her medication. Next Avenue

Managing Your Medications Safely

Medication reconciliation, which means going over all your current medications, should regularly be done with your health care provider and your pharmacist
April 1, 2024
An older adult participating in the Read Harder Challenge. Next Avenue

Take the 'Read Harder Challenge' and Fall in Love With New Books

The website Book Riot wants you to 'read harder' by exploring books outside of your typical reading choices
March 7, 2024
A person holding a cup of coffee with the ocean in the background. Next Avenue, caffeine, pros and cons

Caffeine Pros and Cons

When is your daily cup of coffee helping you, and when isn't it? And what about energy drinks?
March 1, 2024
A room with an entire wall made up of Himalayan salt bricks. Next Avenue, salt therapy

Welcome to the World of Salt Therapy

Salt therapies are holistic wellness treatments aimed at promoting relaxation as well as enhancing respiratory health, including improvement in allergic and respiratory conditions 
February 27, 2024
A woman smiling while working on assemblage art. Next Avenue

The Art of Assemblage

Assemblage, a three-dimensional art form which is like both collage and sculpture, puts together incongruent, non-art materials in a variety of ways
February 5, 2024
A person getting a gel manicure. Next Avenue, nail health

What Your Nails Reveal About Your Health

Plus a few tips for keeping your nails in optimal and long-lasting condition
January 19, 2024
A person cooking up a high fiber meal. Next Avenue, end of life care, nutrition

End-Of-Life Nutritional Support

Improving the remaining quality of life is at the heart of proper nutrition in order to support energy and stamina levels
January 5, 2024
Blueberries ripening on a bush

Take Ten Blueberries and Call Me in the Morning

What is nutritional psychiatry and how can food improve your mood?
December 22, 2023
A person suffering from lymphedema putting on compression socks. Next Avenue

Living With Lymphedema

Lymphedema can be caused by surgery or radiation — the cost of compression garments to treat the condition will soon be covered by Medicare
December 19, 2023
A man with chronic cough, coughing into a tissue. Next Avenue

Conquering a Chronic Cough

From suppression to speech therapy, numerous strategies can be used to overcome chronic cough
December 14, 2023
A person making a healthy meal and wearing a continuous glucose monitor. Next Avenue, metabolic syndrome, diabetes,

Managing and Treating Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a complex risk factor for cardiovascular heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Who is most affected and what are treatment options?
December 12, 2023
Eating well can help you manage a psoriasis flare-up. The National Psoriasis Foundation suggests eating more anti-inflammatory foods to help slow the rash's progression

Nutritional Approaches to Psoriasis

A systemic disease, psoriasis entails inflammation throughout the body but is only visible on the skin
November 28, 2023
The DICE approach to dementia care was originally used in nursing homes and memory care centers. It has since been modified and can now be effectively used at home

DICE Is for Dementia

The DICE (Describe, Investigate, Create, Evaluate) approach gives us the tools to assess and respond to the needs of a person with dementia
November 28, 2023
Two people being greeted on an airport tarmac. Next Avenue, Sixty Years jfk Assassination

Remembering President Kennedy: Sixty Years Later

In the same way that almost everyone remembers where they were when they heard about 9/11, most people remember exactly the moment they heard about JFK's death
November 22, 2023
A team playing cricket on a baseball pitch. Next Avenue

Welcome to Queens, New York: The World's Borough

The most diverse large county in the U.S., Queens is a paradise for foodies and for those curious about other cultures
October 16, 2023
An older adult doing physical therapy after Ankle replacement surgery. Next Avenue

Advances in Ankle Replacement Surgery

Total ankle replacements seem to be an increasingly popular procedure
September 28, 2023
A patient talking to her oncologist. Next Avenue, cancer survivorship plan

Creating Cancer Survivorship Plans

Learn more about how cancer survivorship care plans serve as a vital roadmap for important steps such as future therapies, prevention and surveillance
September 18, 2023
A woman shopping online at home. Next Avenue, compulsive shopping

Are You a Compulsive Shopper?

Binge buying is a serious problem that can affect sufferers’ moods, relationships, quality of life and financial security, but it can be treated
September 6, 2023
Runners wearing costumes during a race through a cemetery.Next Avenue, gravestone tourism

The Odd Joys of Tombstone Tourism

You can hear music, watch films, join a book club and even hear from cemetery beekeepers
September 4, 2023
Two friends laughing together while sitting outside. Next Avenue

Conversations With Friends of a Certain Age

Once, we talked about boys and go-go boots. Now, we talk about dental implants and date nights in long marriages.
August 29, 2023
A person with long covid at home. Next Avenue

Neuropsychiatric Aftereffects of Long COVID

Long COVID is still a relatively new phenomenon, and researchers and clinicians are working to fully understand the contributing factors to neuropsychiatric outcomes
August 11, 2023
A man with limb loss at the gym. Next Avenue

Surviving and Thriving With Limb Loss

Amputees can lead satisfying and productive lives with good rehabilitative care, patience and fortitude
August 10, 2023
A man standing on a stage with a large crowd in front of him. Next Avenue, woodstock

Woodstock's Blast from the Past

The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts celebrates the spirit of the iconic August 1969 event — without all the mud
August 3, 2023
A European alley with bookshops and people walking. Next Avenue, book towns

Welcome to the Book Towns

Whether in the United States or Europe, small towns devoted to bookstores are like heaven on earth
June 8, 2023
A pile of small blue viagra pills. Next Avenue, viagra, history, 25 anniversary

Viagra Turns 25!

Here's a little bit of the history behind the blue pill, along with other ways to enhance sexual functioning
March 31, 2023
A fridge with family photos. Next Avenue, child free, no grandkids

I Will Never Be a Grandparent

A reflection on not being a grandparent and the gifts that come from both grief and gratitude
March 21, 2023
A woman during a Gyrotonic Method class. Next Avenue

The Gyrotonic Method: A Mind-Body Practice to Try

Benefits include a balanced nervous system and improved posture along with better flexibility and mobility
March 14, 2023
An older adult putting on their seat belt in the driver's seat.

Driving Happily Ever After

Before you take the car keys from your aging parents, consider finding ways to make them safer behind the wheel
March 1, 2023
A colorful abstract artwork. Next Avenue, mental health, creativity, artists

Creativity is Healing for Artist Living with Schizoaffective Disorder

A New York artist finds healing in designing greeting cards, writing, music and connecting with others
February 1, 2023
An older adult getting a dental exam. Next Avenue, oral health, diabetes

How To Promote Oral Health For People With Diabetes

Caring for your teeth, gums, and mouth is a vital part of your health toolbox if you have diabetes
January 10, 2023
An illustration of a cross section of a human brain. Next Avenue, difference between pain and suffering

Must Pain Always Lead to Suffering?

Pain and infirmity are inherent in life; here are some strategies for coping
November 17, 2022
A 60s-style lounge with all red upholstery and carpeting. Next Avenue, JFK Airport, TWA Hotel

The TWA Hotel: A Trip Back in Time

This quirky hotel at New York's JFK International Airport transports guests back to the heyday of air travel
September 2, 2022
A woman experiencing pain from long COVID looking out the window. Next Avenue, Long COVID and chronic pain

The Problem of Long COVID Pain

Pain is the number one symptom in people with long COVID
August 29, 2022
A close-up of an older man's closed eyes. Next Avenue, hypnotherapy benefits

Hypnotherapy for Health and Happiness

Hypnotherapy is an evidence-based mind-body approach to overall health
August 25, 2022
A close-up photo of a model of a human heart. Next Avenue, long COVID heart issues

Long COVID, Your Heart and Cardiovascular Complications

Long COVID sequelae can have abiding effects on your heart
August 18, 2022
A woman looking over her prescription medications with her doctor. Next Avenue, how to be a good patient

How and Why to Be a Good Patient

It's not a popularity contest. Being a good patient can help your doctor help YOU
July 27, 2022
A person during a wide awake hand surgery appointment. Next Avenue, wide-awake hand surgery

Is Wide-Awake Hand Surgery Right for You?

Surgery on hands, wrists and more, done without anesthesia, is growing in popularity with doctors and patients alike
July 13, 2022
An older adult holding prescription medication bottles. Next Avenue, online pharmacy

Online Pharmacies: The Good, The Bad and The Very Bad

Online pharmacies can save you time and money, even if you have insurance drug coverage, but there are pitfalls to watch for
June 20, 2022
A pharmacist talking with a patient. Next Avenue, pharmacist, pharmacy

Get to Know Your Local Pharmacist

Pharmacists provide valuable information and should be considered important members of your health care team
June 2, 2022
A woman holding a framed photo and grieving. Next Avenue, Prolonged grief/complicated grief disorder

When Grief Doesn't Go Away

Known as prolonged grief disorder, a new diagnosis recognizes that long-lasting grief can lead to depression, but treatment is available
May 23, 2022
A diabetes patient checking their insulin levels. Next Avenue, American Diabetes Association guidelines

A New Emphasis on Individualized Treatment for Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association 2022 Standards of Care include new screening protocols, individualized care and the increasing use of technologies
April 13, 2022
A person holding up a mug of coffee as the sun rises in the background. Next Avenue, coffee good for you, health

Pour a Cup of Coffee and Drink to Your Health

Coffee's benefits are abundant — including lowered risk of cardiovascular diseases — but there are some negative effects
March 29, 2022
A woman sitting down googling symptoms on her phone. Next Avenue, google, diagnosis

Paging Dr. Google: Should I Use the Internet to Diagnose Myself?

Lots of people rely on Google to look up symptoms. But can it cause more harm than good?
March 4, 2022
Fresh heart healthy vegetables at a farmer's market stand. Next Avenue, Cardiovascular Health

New Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health

The American Heart Association has issued guidelines to help Americans stay heart healthy
December 15, 2021
A 3D rendering of a human liver with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease or NAFLD, now known as Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease MAFLD. Next Avenue

The Most Common Liver Disease You've Never Heard of

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, the most prevalent liver disease in the world, affects almost two billion people
November 5, 2021
Several small white Bayer baby aspirin pills. Next Avenue, heart attack, stroke, prevention, taking aspirin safe

Is Taking Baby Aspirin Still Safe?

New draft recommendations offer guidance on who should (and shouldn't) be taking a low-dose aspirin to prevent a heart attack
October 26, 2021
A person in a hyperbaric chamber. Next Avenue, wound won't heal, chronic wound

When Wounds Won't Heal

What works for wounds that haven't closed within 30 days
October 6, 2021
A close up of a hanging pendant lamp. Next Avenue, home lighting, vision, lighting for older people

Illuminating the Subject of Better Home Lighting

Good lighting can make all the difference for your eyes when it comes to comfort, performance and safety
September 21, 2021
A vintage illustration of a toilet. Next Avenue, constipation, fiber, diet

Conquering Constipation When It's Go Time

Who gets constipation, how to treat it and the role the pandemic has played
August 4, 2021
Close up of scrabble letters on top of a scrabble board, Next Avenue

Scrabble is a 14-Point Word for Love

Fond memories of a family's devotion to the popular board game
April 7, 2021
Older man in bed with hand on his stomach, Next Avenue

The Brain in Your Belly

Is “pandemic" gut pain making you miserable? How to get your digestive distress under control.
March 25, 2021
An older man napping in a chaise lounge outside, naps, sleep science, Next Avenue

How Naps Can Keep You Happy and Healthy

Strategic naps can restore and refresh us, lower our stress and even spark creativity
February 25, 2021
COVID-19 survivors, Next Avenue, Woman sitting at table looking tired and sick

For Many COVID-19 Survivors, Another Devastating Syndrome May Follow

Myalgic encephalomyelitis, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is on the rise
January 8, 2021
Mark Smith, 67, of Jersey City

In For the Long Haul: When COVID-19 Symptoms Won’t Go Away

Many 'long haulers' struggle with exhaustion, aches and trouble breathing
October 13, 2020
Eczema

What You Need to Know About Adult Eczema

How to treat the skin condition that's increasing in adults 60+
September 14, 2020
Sandie Butler and her grandson Mason

When Trauma Leads to Growth

Posttraumatic Growth, or PTG, can lead to rich and unanticipated rewards
August 20, 2020
abstract image of human brain

Feeling Foggy After Cancer Treatment? It Could Be Chemo Brain

Why this side effect happens and what to do about it
June 4, 2020
Mother cradling her infant

How to Help a Mom Through Postpartum Depression

Know the difference between the 'baby blues' and a serious problem
March 9, 2020
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