Holiday health strategies, from the December 2015 Harvard Health Letter

Boston, MA — The winter holidays are known for celebration, but they're also loaded with hidden health risks, reports the December 2015 Harvard Health Letter. Fortunately, there are plenty of strategies for staying healthy and getting through the holidays. Sometimes the holidays trigger loneliness and a general feeling of the blues. "People may be missing family members and friends who live far away, or those who've passed on. Or they may feel sad if they're unable to take part in holiday festivities the way they once did," says Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Ways to combat the blues include exercising, which releases the body's feel-good chemicals and is well-known for improving mood; distraction, such as seeing a movie; socializing; and volunteering for a worthwhile cause. Another holiday health risk is overeating at parties. Strategies to avoid that include using a salad plate instead of a dinner plate to keep portions smaller and cut down on calories; staying away from red meats and other foods rich in unhealthy saturated fat; and avoiding or limiting foods that make blood sugar spike, such as potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, and sugary cocktails and desserts. Some experiences during the holidays land people in the hospital. One example is slipping and falling in icy conditions. If people go out in icy weather, they shouldn't carry heavy shopping bags full of presents on slippery walkways or stairs. Another cause of hospital visits during the holidays: foodborne illness. Avoid getting sick by making sure any dishes with raw eggs, which may contain bacteria called Salmonella, are cooked to 160° F — even eggnog. Read the full-length article: "3 health strategies to get you through the holidays" Also in the December 2015 issue of the Harvard Health Letter: Health apps to help the heart Stop avoiding dietary fats Tools to make everyday life easier The Harvard Health Letter is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $20 per year. Subscribe at www.health.harvard.edu/health or by calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).

When Depression Kills--STORY on Why 'Judgment' Keeps Therapy from Mainstream

 You See a Shrink?

The Judgment that Comes From Admitting You Need Help

It is often the assumption that if you go to therapy that you have serious problems you cannot manage on your own and there is something fundamentally wrong with you.  In reality, if someone is attending therapy, they tend to be on the healthier side of self-love and self-awareness.  Because seeing a therapist is stigmatized many people who want to seek help, either often don't, or they keep their therapy private so they do not invoke judgment.
1.  Everyone Can Benefit from Therapy:  We are not here to do life on our own and nor are we equipped to be 100% objective in our own lives. Therapy is the perfect way to get that objective view, get to know yourself more deeply, analyze your habits of behavior and to find solutions and resolutions to life's everyday issues.
2. Healthy People Seek Therapy:  Healthy people are on the search from continual improvement, self-awareness and better solutions to life's problems.  Healthy people are 'ok' being wrong in life and in taking direction.  They have enough self-awareness to know when they need help and when they do not.  In this way, therapy becomes a modicum for continual expansion and improvement in the quality of one's emotional life.
3, Crazy-Makers DON'T Attend Therapy:  The unhealthiest people, the people who need treatment the most, are the ones who never consider therapy. In their mind's they are never wrong, it is always someone else's problem, and they should not have to change.  Rather, the world is 'who' needs to change.  The people who end up in therapy are those trying to deal with the relationships they have with these crazy-makers—the spouses, the children, the partners, the parents.  These people, cannot benefit from therapy because they have little to no insight into themselves.
4. Own Your Personal Journey: If you have chosen to attend therapy be proud of it.  Most people who are seeing the benefits of therapy, tend to brag about how much the therapy is changing their lives. We all want to be happy and when you communicate about your therapy as a major benefit to your life you will be surprised how many people either ask for your therapists information or confess back to you they have also sought therapy.  When you own and take pride in your growth, much to your surprise many others will take your lead.
5. Reaching Higher Levels:  Therapy is that space developed and created to facilitate your growth into the higher levels of life and understanding what you wish to achieve in life. Most of our most successful people regularly attend some type of therapy, weather that be coaching, mentoring, therapy, motivational seminars, reading self-help books, etc. It is really all the same stuff being delivered through a different channel, a different medium.  Why be ashamed of something that is improving the quality of your life.
If someone is judging you for your choice to seek therapy of some sort, it says more about that person and their ignorance and insecurity than it says about your desire to improve your life, and become a happier more satisfied person.  Take hold of what you are willing to do to make this life more understandable to you and live it with confidence. Emotions are contagious, so those around you will take on the attitude that you hold about your choice to go to therapy.  If you communicate that you love it and it is transforming your life make sure to carry your Shrink's business card because you will be surprised at how many people all want the same thing…a happier and more satisfying life.

Sherrie Campbell, PhD is a veteran, licensed Psychologist with two decades of clinical training and experience providing counseling and psychotherapy services to residents of Yorba Linda, Irvine, Anaheim, Fullerton and Brea, California.  In her private practice, she currently specializes in psychotherapy with adults and teenagers, including marriage and family therapy, grief counselling, childhood trauma, sexual issues, personality disorders, illness and more. She has helped individuals manage their highest high and survive their lowest low—from winning the lottery to the death of a child.  Her interactive sessions are as unique and impactful as her new book, Loving Yourself : The Mastery of Being Your Own Person.
She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2003 and has regularly contributes to numerous publications, including Intent.com, Beliefnet.com, DrLaura.com and Hitched.com.  She is also an inspirational speaker, avid writer and proud mother.  She can be reached at Sherriecampbellphd.com.
Loving Yourself: The Mastery of Being Your Own Person is available on Amazon.com and other fine booksellers. 

Melatonin proves effective as anti-depressent among women with breast cancer

A study of the use of melatonin as an anti-depressent for patients with breast cancer has proved positive, according to an article in the  June 2014 Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Journal.

The study showed that "melatonin significantly reduced the risk of depressive symptoms in women with breast cancer during a three-month period after surgery."

Researchers undertook the study because depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances are known problems in patients with breast cancer and since the effect of melatonin as an antidepressant in humans with cancer had not been investigated.

"We investigated whether melatonin could lower the risk of depressive symptoms in women with breast cancer in a three-month period after surgery and assessed the effect of melatonin on subjective parameters: anxiety, sleep, general well-being, fatigue, pain and sleepiness," said Melissa V. Hansen, the lead investigator.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial undertaken from July 2011 to December 2012 at a department of breast surgery in Copenhagen, Denmark. Women, 30-75 years, undergoing surgery for breast cancer and without signs of depression on Major Depression Inventory (MDI) were included 1 week before surgery and received 6 mg oral melatonin or placebo for 3 months.

The primary outcome was the incidence of depressive symptoms measured by MDI. The secondary outcomes were area under the curve (AUC) for the subjective parameters. 54 patients were randomized to melatonin (n = 28) or placebo (n = 26) and 11 withdrew from the study (10 placebo group and 1 melatonin group, P = 0.002).

The risk of developing depressive symptoms was significantly lower with melatonin than with placebo (3 [11 %] of 27 vs. 9 [45 %] of 20; relative risk 0.25 [95 % CI 0.077-0.80]), giving a NNT of 3.0 [95 % CI 1.7-11.0]. No significant differences were found between AUC for the subjective parameters. No differences in side effects were found (P = 0.78).

Reference:

Melissa V Hansen, Lærke T Andersen, Michael T Madsen, Ida Hageman, Lars S Rasmussen, Susanne Bokmand, Jacob Rosenberg, & Ismail Gögenur. (2014, June).  Effect of melatonin on depressive symptoms and anxiety in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Journal. 145(3):683-95. Epub 2014 Apr 23. PMID: 24756186

'One Girl Wellness' Founder Offers Tips for Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Self-Love

Susan Bodiker

Susan Bodiker is a former 'fat girl' – and she will be the first one to tell you that. Like so many women, her body image issues started at a young age, and it didn't matter if she was at a weight of 120, 130, or 140 – she still saw a 'fat girl' staring back at her in the mirror. It was only when she learned to nourish her mind and heart first that she lost the weight and gained the confidence to create a meaningful, happy life – and she wants that to be every girl's story.

Bodiker founded One Girl Wellness, a health-coaching consultancy dedicated to "raising stronger women one girl at a time." She shares her journey and guidance for others to find that strength in her new book, Fat Girl: How to Let Go of Your Weight and Get on With Your Life, a roadmap to greater self-knowledge, self-awareness and self-esteem.

One Girl Wellness deals with topics including:

• What's Your Go-To Mantra? Rid yourself of negative, self-defeating mindsets and replace them with words to live by on a daily basis
• Mind Over Platter. Learn to become a more mindful, less distracted eater by living fully in the moment
• Stretching Hurts. And That's a Good Thing. Stretching pushes you through temporary discomfort to get to a better place - in other words, a way to become transformative
• How Does This Make You Feel? Women excel in dieting usually at the same rate they do self-loathing. The key to reversing that: Learning "body self-compassion"

About Susan Bodiker: 
With 30 years' experience as a copywriter, broadcast producer and account planner, Susan Bodiker has developed branding, image and fund-raising campaigns for advocacy, association, health care, nonprofit, professional practice and retail clients. She has also created print, broadcast and digital advertising, training materials and web content for a range of local and national marketers—from AARP to the YMCA. She is the founder of One Girl Wellness, a health-coaching consultancy dedicated to "raising stronger women one girl at a time".

Website: www.onegirlwellness.com; www.susan-bodiker.com
Fat Girl: How to Let Go of Your Weight and Get on With Your Life can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and through all major booksellers.
Connect with Susan Bodiker on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and GoodReads.

How to Beat Post-Vacation Blues

by Rita Anya Nara

Coming home after a vacation can be a let down

Here's a quick quiz. Which of the following do you do when you get back home from a spectacular trip?

a)  Go to bed, even after you've recovered from jet lag
b)  Have a beer (or two or three) and ignore your pile of bills for a week
c)  Turn on the Travel Channel and leave it on (after you've gone to bed)
d)  Look around your home with subtle disgust and distaste
e)  Two or more of the above


If you have a slight grimace on your face, keep reading.

Let's be honest: bringing your vacation to a close can be a rewarding, emotional, and draining experience. After you've seen, done, and been a part of many incredible things away from home, it can be hard to move on – and even more challenging not to slip into a major funk as you compare your vacation lifestyle with the realities waiting at home. Here are some ideas for preventing post-trip doldrums from turning into a real bout of depression. While they're not going to make you feel as great as you did while dining in London or Rome, you might find yourself feeling as good or even better than you did before you left for your trip — and with some energy left over to dream about your next getaway.

Manage your Restlessness. Traveling comes with a certain intensity and compression that can be difficult to unwind from. It also has the effect of "slowing" time, since you often do more different and eye-opening things in a single day than you might in a week at home. When you return, the restlessness you get from not doing something "new and different" can be downright unnerving. This restlessness usually goes away within three to six weeks of settling back into your everyday life. If you have the time, try taking smaller day trips in the weeks after your return to wear it off.

Become More Active. When you travel, you might realize that you're not in the shape you thought you were, and as you gradually increase your fitness level during your trip, you may notice how much better you feel. This can inspire you to join a gym or take up a sport (including one you tried on your vacation) when you return. Becoming more active will not only make it easier to be in shape for the next trip; it can give any mounting depression a cheerful kick in the face. You may also conveniently lose some of the weight you gained at that last round of restaurants in Venice.

Clean Your House. Sound like an odd suggestion? Besides being obviously practical, cleaning your house can help you clear your head and reconnect with your usual surroundings. Your own home can feel unfamiliar and even strange after you've been through four or five hotel rooms in a row. Doing some cleaning will also help you find physical (and emotional) space for everything you brought home so you're not tripping over your half-unpacked suitcase every time you meander to the coffee table for your copy of Conde Nast Traveler. Finally, you may start to redecorate with small things you bought on your trip, such as placemats, pottery, and wall hangings, so that you're spreading the joy of your vacation around you, literally.

Clean OUT Your House. Living out of a suitcase can make you realize just how little you need to lead a full life. A lot of people are inspired to unload a number of little-used items from their home after they return from vacation, and find it convenient to host a garage sale or sell items on eBay in order to make money for the next trip. Having fewer possessions can also focus you more on your present life, and give you a far greater sense of freedom. And making a nice chunk of money to put towards Tokyo or Hong Kong is going to do wonders for your mood.

Start a New Hobby. During a trip you're exposed to a myriad of new and different things – or the same things that you are used to, but in a different context. A common hobby you may take up after returning home is learning how to cook a certain ethnic food, or studying the language of a place you plan to revisit. Such things often need only a modest investment in time or money, and give you that exhilarating feel you get while on a trip — of doing something for the first time.

Make New Acquaintances and Friends. To relive positive memories, you may be unable to resist telling others a lot about your trip – even if you've never shared much of anything with anyone. Since people are generally curious to hear firsthand experiences of other places and cultures, your chances of being rebuffed are pretty minimal. To coworkers and people who don't know you well, you become known as "the traveler," which makes a great icebreaker every time you see someone that you didn't feel comfortable talking to before.

And last but not least…

Keep Sharing! A lot of travel bloggers post almost every day while they are abroad, and then wind down their posts or even come to a dead stop when they return home. Don't do this! Save some experiences and photos to share after you've started unpacking; not only will it "extend" your trip, but it can also take some of the pressure off your hectic touring schedule (let's face it, blogging after a 10-hour day in Paris might not be something you can stay awake for). And let's not forget what travel and blogging have in common: connecting you with the world. The more you connect, the less likely you are to get depressed.

 While it's tempting to keep your bags packed for the next trip, sometimes we have to realize that we live in the real world. And the real world isn't bad--it's what you make of it!



Rita Anya Nara suffered from panic disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and social anxiety disorder when she started traveling and wrote her book, The Anxious Traveler, from her own experiences. She hopes to inspire those too afraid to travel to manage their fear while having an incredible life experience. Nara is an avid photographer, loves to hike, and is studying to be a professional travel companion. She resides in northern California when she's not traveling.

For further information on the book and the author, please visit www.thebravetraveler.com.

The Anxious Traveler is available for purchase on www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

Depression may cause loss of memory details, according to BYU study

Depression may cause an inability to see differences

Depression has been linked to memory impairment, but it doesn't affect all types of memory the same way. A new study suggests that people with depression can remember the big picture, but have difficulty recalling fine details.

Brigham Young University professor Brock Kirwan and one of his former grad students, D.J. Shelton, set up a memory test where participants were asked to look at various objects that popped up on a computer screen, and mark them as a new object (something they hadn't seen in the test already) or an old object (that they had seen). Out of 83 participants, those who were more depressed (assessed by pre-study surveys) could usually tell the difference between objects they had or hadn't seen before, but were significantly more likely to categorize objects that looked similar, but not exactly the same, as "old."

“They don’t have amnesia,” according to Kirwan. “They are just missing the details.”

Difficulty distinguishing between details could be because depressed people have smaller hippocampi--the hippocampus being a vital brain region for memory processing. Some of Kirwan's previous work has connected the hippocampus to pattern separation abilities. During depression, the researchers hypothesize that the brain seems to stop producing new neurons in the hippocampus, in turn affecting pattern separation abilities.

Because the study didn't use people with a clinical diagnosis of depression, and the average level of depression in their participant pool was fairly mild, it's hard to establish direct causation between depression, neurogenesis and pattern separation abilities.  (The researchers ruled out 15 participants from their dataset for antidepressant use, since it has been suggested to increase neurogenesis, the creation of neurons.) Future studies will be needed.

The study is in the November 1 issue of Behavioral Brain Research

Natural tips for getting rid of your pharmacist

Author teaches how to become you again with happiness and self-love

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Sadness, loss of interest, low appetite, fatigue, insomnia; these are the common symptoms associated with depression, but what if they were pointing to a bigger problem?

Depicting how depression can be misdiagnosed, The Birth of Wonderment depicts one woman's spiritual journey of rebuilding her life after it fell apart. After losing her husband and eventually sinking into a deep personal crisis in 2008, author Cindy Monten shares her methods of "getting real" and owning up to imperfections. From discovering unknown talents to finding happiness in new places, Monten aids and encourages readers to ask for help in overcome their problems.

Representing the countless women who have faced challenges with depression-like symptoms, Monten illustrates how she found a way to move beyond them. Depicting her successful and natural ways of healing, The Birth of Wonderment highlights ways the readers can find and tap into the highest and best version of their self.
"I am taking control of my health by finally peeling back the layers of my life," says Monten. "Working in part with an alternative healing method called Lomi-Lomi, I soon discover wonderment in the world again"

In addition to personal life adjustments, The Birth of Wonderment comments on the country's contagious symptoms of stressed out, over committed and sleep deprived people. Monten encourages readers to get in touch with who they truly are at the level of spirit and to explore alternatives to healing emotional wounds which may appear as depression.

The Birth of Wonderment
By Cindy Monten 
ISBN: 978-1-4525-6106-6
Pages: 70
Available at www.balboapress.com, www.amazon.com, and www.barnesandnoble.com
Website: www.cindymonten.com

About the author
Cindy Monten is a self taught artist, author and alchemist. She refers to herself as an alchemist because her life has become a magical process of transformation. She is available as inspirational speaker and facilitator of empowerment workshops based on her writing.

Not so blue? Study suggests many Americans less depressed

Depression down among adults over 50, including elderly age 80-84; signs of increased depression in slice of late middle age population 

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Fewer Americans may be feeling the blues, with rates of depression in people over 50 on the decline, according to a new University of Michigan Health System study.

Between 1998 and 2008, rates of severe depression fell among the majority of older adults, especially the elderly, who have historically been a higher risk group for depression, new findings show. Meanwhile, late middle agers between ages 55-59 appeared to experience increased depression over the 10 year period. 

The nationally representative study appears in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.  

Over that decade, we saw a significant decrease in depression among older adults, and we need further studies to explore whether this is the result of improved treatment," says lead author Kara Zivin, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry in the U-M Medical School and research investigator at the VA Center for Clinical Management Research. 

Even with signs of progress, however, a significant percent of our population is still experiencing severe symptoms of depression, and we need to do more to ensure all of these groups have proper access to treatment."   

Late-life depression has been a major area of concern among health providers, with studies showing increased depression at a time when many face death of loved ones, isolation, medical problems or changes in economic status. The new study, however, suggests improvements in this trend, with the most pronounced drop in depressive symptoms in people in the 80-84 age group.

Increases in depression rates were concentrated among people in late middle age between ages 55-59 – a group that hasn't traditionally been focused on as an at-risk group. 

It's unclear whether this shift is an indication of a sicker population not being treated adequately, a burden on people of that age at that particular time or something else, which is why we need to do more research to better understand these patterns," Zivin says.

Researchers used data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally-representative sample of older Americans that is conducted by the U-M Institute for Social Research on behalf of the National Institute of Aging.

"We were pleased to see that there appears to be an overall improvement in depressive symptoms in the US, which is most likely related to better recognition and treatment. We are hopeful that our findings highlight the importance of depression diagnosis and treatment, and that we continue to make progress in developing better ways to systematically improve the outcomes of patients with depression," says senior author Sandeep Vijan, M.D., M.S., associate professor of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School and a research scientist at the Ann Arbor VA Health System.

Additional authors:   Paul A. Pirraglia, M.D.; Ryan J. McCammon, A.B.; Kenneth M. Langa, M.D., Ph.D.

Funding:  National Institute on Aging (P01 AG031098 and U01 AG09740) and the Department of Veteran Affairs, Health Services and Development (CD2 07-206-1 and VA IIR 10-176-3). 

Disclosures: None.

Reference:  "Trends in Depressive Symptom Burden Among Older Adults in the United States from 1998 to 2008," Journal of General Internal Medicine, July, 2013, DOI:10.1007/s11606-013-2533-y. 

Take the 3-Minute Mental Health Screen Free for May, Mental Health Month

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND – (May 3, 2013) – According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in any given year approximately 25 percent of the adult population in the country are diagnosable for one or more mental health disorders. What’s more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that antidepressants rank as the third-most-common prescription drugs taken by Americans of all ages. May is known as Mental Health Month, making it a great time to raise awareness about the need for evaluation.

“Many people suffer from mental health issues but are unaware of it, of how serious it is, or what to do about it,” explains Dr. Gerald Hurowitz, an assistant clinical professor of psychology at Columbia University, as well as president of M3 Information, a company that makes tools to assist in mental health assessment and management. “That’s why so many people are taking three minutes out of their busy day in order to see what their number is.”

M3 has developed WhatsMyM3 mental health screen, the only assessment tool that has been medically proven to screen for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and PTSD.  The tool can provide helpful information to the person taking it, as well as to clinicians.

The three minute test online at WhatsMyM3.com has always been free.  For the month of May the developers have made the iTunes and Google Play WhatsMyM3 app, which gives people the ability to track their scores, as a free download.  By answering a series of questions about how one is feeling and sleeping, and a variety of other lifestyle factors, the person is given a score. A score of 33 and up may indicate that the individual’s life is being impacted by a mood disorder.

In the efforts to end the stigma surrounding mental health, people are sharing their WhatsMyM3 mental health scores on line and using the hashtag #WhatsYourNumber to encourage others to do the same..

“Having an underlying mental health issue can be devastating,” adds Dr. Gerald Hurowitz. “It impacts your life, it puts you at a higher risk for chronic diseases, and it can take years off of your life. Our three-minute test can be life-changing for those who may need mental health assistance.”

To learn more the mental health screen, or to take  the test, visit the site at www.whatsmym3.com.   To learn more about the social media campaign and the partnership with Mental Health America please visit: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/llw/depression_screen.cfm

About M3 Information

M3 Information, based in Rockville, Maryland, creates innovative tools that help people with mental health assessment and management. The goal of the Mental Health Number tool is to help people assess their state of mental health within three minutes. It was created based on the M3 Checklist validation study that was published in the Annals of Family Medicine. The information provided by the test helps reduce the incidence of missed mental health cases and mistreatment. For more information about M3 Information, visit the site at www.whatsmym3.com. 

Sources:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Antidepressant Use in Persons Aged 12 and Over. <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db76.pdf>

National Institutes of Mental Health. Any Disorder Among Adults. <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1ANYDIS_ADULT.shtml>

Spring flowers - Photo by Annelise Woodward

Crab apple blossom - Photo by Annelise Woodward

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

 

PROBIOTICS OFFER A PROMISING SOLUTION FOR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME

Beltsville, MD, MARCH 2013 – April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month.  IBS is a chronic condition affecting between 15 and 20 percent of all adults in the Western world. However, IBS is difficult to identify due to the numerous symptoms associated with it. Almost 40 percent of IBS sufferers report symptoms severe and frequent enough to disrupt their daily lives, making it is a serious issue.

IBS is not technically a disease but, rather, a series of symptoms, which can often be controlled with a various lifestyle changes, such as diet, stress reduction, hydration, an increase in dietary fiber and a healthy balance of intestinal microflora, which can be achieved by taking probiotic supplements.

IBS symptoms range from annoying to debilitating, causing severe constipation in some, to chronic diarrhea, bloating, gas, fatigue, heartburn and depression in others. Often IBS is diagnosed by exclusion—more often described by what it is not rather than what it is—which can lead to overuse of the term.  While the direct cause of IBS is unknown, most medical professionals agree it stems from dysfunction within the intestines1. For the estimated 54 million Americans that it affects—75 percent of them female—the solution often compounds the problem.

Many medical professionals believe that IBS symptoms can be mollified by a course of antibiotics aimed at eliminating bacterial overgrowth. However, antibiotics not only eliminate harmful bacteria, they attack essential and beneficial bacteria as well. While antibiotics may offer some quick relief, it's not a long-term solution. Reversing the effects of IBS can be a slow process, but with an integrated approach that includes an appropriate probiotic supplement, results can be encouraging and long lasting.
 
One such approach is taking probiotic supplements to restore the proper microbial environment in the GI tract. Once achieved, this will help minimize the number and severity of IBS symptoms. The type of probiotic strains used and the amount of viable CFUs (colony forming units) a probiotic supplement contains is critical in providing the most effective results.

About Vidazorb®

Vidazorb® represents a group of superior shelf-stable, chewable probiotic formulations that provide essential support for core health needs. Research and development, together with a commitment to quality and efficacy, defines Vidazorb® as a brand of integrity and excellence. For more information, visit www.Vidazorb.com. For engaging, kid-friendly probiotic information, visit www.Zorbee.com. To learn more about the importance of, and science supporting, probiotics, visit www.YouAreWhatYouAbsorb.com. 

Vidazorb® uses clinically substantiated strains from Chr. Hansen. In studies on Chr. Hansen L. acidophilus, LA-5® and Bifidobacterium, BB-12®, these strains have been shown to be effective in counteracting antibiotic side effects, treating diarrhea and constipation, and reducing stool frequency in those with collagenous colitis (CC), among other benefits2.

 

Diet drinks tied to depression

Jan. 8, 2013 — New research suggests that drinking sweetened beverages, especially diet drinks, is associated with an increased risk of depression in adults while drinking coffee was tied to a slightly lower risk. The study was released January 8 and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.
"Sweetened beverages, coffee and tea are commonly consumed worldwide and have important physical -- and may have important mental -- health consequences," said study author Honglei Chen, MD, PhD, with the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study involved 263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71 at enrollment. From 1995 to 1996, consumption of drinks such as soda, tea, fruit punch and coffee was evaluated. About 10 years later, researchers asked the participants whether they had been diagnosed with depression since the year 2000. A total of 11,311 depression diagnoses were made.
People who drank more than four cans or cups per day of soda were 30 percent more likely to develop depression than those who drank no soda. Those who drank four cans of fruit punch per day were about 38 percent more likely to develop depression than those who did not drink sweetened drinks. People who drank four cups of coffee per day were about 10 percent less likely to develop depression than those who drank no coffee. The risk appeared to be greater for people who drank diet than regular soda, diet than regular fruit punches and for diet than regular iced tea.
"Our research suggests that cutting out or down on sweetened diet drinks or replacing them with unsweetened coffee may naturally help lower your depression risk," said Chen. "More research is needed to confirm these findings, and people with depression should continue to take depression medications prescribed by their doctors."
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Cancer Institute.

Stigma of Depression

By Carol Kivler

What state of mind would allow a Mother to put her children in the car with her and drive off a pier?  A state of mind consumed by a debilitating illness that does not see economic status, educational background, culture, or race—the illness is depression.

The shocking story of LaShanda Armstrong drowning her children in the Hudson River is yet another grim reminder of what can happen when depression is left untreated.
The overwhelming perception of Mrs. Armstrong’s actions is construed as selfishness, attention getting, or punishing.  I know differently.  Why?  Because I, too, had the exact plan to put my family in the car and drive off a bridge. Two Mothers who came from a place of loving concerns.  Our concerns were, who would take care of our children, and who could ever love them as much as we do?   We had no choice other than to take our children with us.  But in the end there were two extremely different outcomes--one ending in the death of three innocent children with their mother; one ending in hospitalization, treatment, and survival for the other Mother and her three children.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four women will experience severe depression at some point in life.  Only about one-fifth of all women who suffer from depression seek treatment.  Yet, 80 percent of those seeking treatment recover.

If 80 percent recover, why then are women still struggling in silence and not seeking treatment?  Stigma.  Stigma is still the major obstacle to awareness and understanding of depression.  What causes stigma?  Ignorance and lack of acceptance, preconceived notions, fear, and folklore as well as other people’s skewed opinions and use of labels. Often these elements can shut one down and leave one less likely to seek treatment.

The general population still views depression as a character flaw, laziness, a call for attention.  Depression is an illness that affects the body, mood, and thoughts.  An illness of desperation and hopelessness, an illness that impacts every waking moment, an illness that robs your ability to engage in life, and an illness that cannot be ignored.

With this tragic event still fresh in our minds, there is no better time to educate, support, and advocate for an open dialogue around depression than now.  Today, we each have the responsibility to lift the clouds of shame and guilt while crushing the stigma surrounding depression.  We have the opportunity to encourage our loved ones, friends, and colleagues to seek treatment while replacing judgment with understanding.  Together we can save future families from the devastating outcome the Armstrong family is now experiencing.

Carol Kivler, MS, CSP, speaker, author of Will I Ever Be the Same Again? and the founder of Courageous Recovery, works to raise awareness, instill hope, and combat stigma surrounding mental health diagnoses and treatments. 

Tool to measure depression

 

Primary care doctors have long been on the front lines of depression treatment. Depression is listed as a diagnosis for 1 in 10 office visits and primary care doctors prescribe more than half of all antidepressants.

Now doctors at the University of Michigan Health System have developed a new tool that may help family physicians better evaluate the extent to which a patient's depression has improved.

The issue, the researchers explain, is that the official definition of when a patient's symptoms are in remission doesn't always match up with what doctors see in a real-world practice, especially for patients with mild to moderate symptoms. The study will be published in the upcoming May/June issue of General Hospital Psychiatry.

“Rather than simply going down a list and checking off a patient’s lack of individual symptoms, we believe there are also positive signs that are important – a patient’s feeling that they are returning to ‘normal,’ their sense of well-being, their satisfaction with life and their ability to cope with life’s ups and downs,” says lead author Donald E. Nease Jr., M.D., who was an associate professor of family medicine at the U-M Medical School and member of the U-M Depression Center at the time of the research.

Nease and his colleagues developed a series of five questions – such as, “Over the last two weeks, did you feel in control of your emotions?” – that they hope will help doctors better understand a patient’s inner landscape.

Read the full release at:
http://www.uofmhealth.org/News/remit-familymedicine-0500