FitSugar

Drink to Remember

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:00:50 -0800

Those couple of drinks you had over the weekend might actually be doing some good for your brain. Findings from a new study indicate that mild to moderate alcohol consumption may protect against cognitive disorders that come with growing older, like dementia.

Researchers in Brazil tested a group of 1,200 elderly adults for a variety of age-related mental disorders, comparing the findings against the alcohol use of the participants. In comparison to non-drinkers, heavy drinkers had the highest rates of mental decline and dementia. What might be surprising to many is that mild and moderate drinkers fared the best amongst the group.

This is not the first time moderate drinkers have come out on top in a clinical study. Last year, researchers found that heavy drinkers and non-drinkers are more likely to become depressed than moderate drinkers. Red wine has a multitude of health benefits associated with keeping the heart healthy. And light to moderate drinking may also help prevent physical disabilities amongst elderly adults.

Researchers say that these findings should not make non-drinkers feel as if they need to start knocking a few back to be healthy. All of these findings are relatively new and it's still not understood if it's the alcohol that brings on the health benefits, or if it's things that are commonly associated with moderate drinkers that lead to better health. In most of these studies, moderate drinkers were in a higher socioeconomic class, had a larger social network, and tended to be more educated. What do you think?

Another Reason to Love the Med Diet: It Fights Depression

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:30:18 -0700

We've been touting the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for a while now - it reduces allergy symptoms, helps with weight control, supports longevity, and is good for vision and heart health. A new study gives us yet another reason to go the way of Mediterranean: it may protect against depression.

Researchers studied a pool of 11,000 Spanish adults over a four-and-a-half-year period and found that those who stuck closely to a Mediterranean diet were 30 percent less likely to develop depression than those that didn't.

It's unclear exactly why the diet acts as a mood lifter, but researches noted that the diet may improve blood vessel function, reduce the risk of heart disease, fight inflammation, and repair oxygen-related cell damage, elements which may be key in warding off depression.

To learn how to eat like a Mediterranean, check out our tips.

Yoga Proven to Ease Back Pain

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:35 -0700

If you suffer from chronic back pain, grab a mat and head to the nearest yoga studio. New research funded by the National Institute of Health found taking regular yoga classes helps reduce pack pain and improves your mood and your ability to move. After 12 weeks, those in the study who took 90-minute yoga classes twice a week experienced a 42 percent reduction in pain and also reduced their intake of pain medication. Researchers also found that practicing yoga regularly decreased symptoms of depression by 45.7 percent.

About three quarters of the US population has issues with back pain, and more than $34 billion is spent on medical costs aimed at getting relief. If you suffer from back pain and have tried chiropractors or medication with no luck, it's time to give yoga a try. It increases flexibility and mobility, improves posture, and strengthens the core muscles. Aside from the physical benefits, yoga also reduces stress, improves your self confidence, and lifts your spirit. It's recommended you stick with a regular practice for at least 24 weeks in order to start seeing major improvements.

Tell me, have you tried yoga for its health benefits?

Healthy To-Do: Volunteer For a Cause You Love

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:00:45 -0700

Doing community service is good for the world, but did you know it can also be good for your health? Giving your time to a worthy cause can increase your overall happiness.

Fittingly, I learned this while reading a story in Woman's Day entitled "What Doctors Wish You'd Do" - while waiting for a doctor's appointment. According to the article, volunteers who donated just 40 hours of their time per year lived longer than the average person. Plus, it gets you out and socializing with other people, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of depression and Alzheimer's.

Take a tip from Mia Hamm, shown here teaching kids about flu vaccines and soccer, and pick a cause that gets you moving. Plant a community garden, work at a local food bank, or coach a youth sports team. What healthy causes do you devote your time to?

Fights the Blues With Fish

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0700

When thinking of food as medicine, we have gotten a little reductive. By trying to find the one active ingredient that makes a food healthy, we have forgotten about the food itself. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish have been found to fight inflammation and reduce depression. But popping a fish oil supplement, rather than eating the fish, means you are missing out on the minerals and lean protein fish provide.

Here's another reason to add one to two servings of fish to your weekly menu. In an international breakdown of nutrition and mental health by country, researchers found that as fish consumption went up, depression rates went down. In countries where people eat the most fish - Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong - the rates of depression were low. Conversely, countries with low fish consumption had higher rates of depression, including the US, New Zealand, and parts of Europe.The secret ingredient is the omega-3s. Rather than taking a supplement, try eating the fish for all the nutrition this lean protein can provide.

Not sure where to start when it comes to cooking with fish? For some tasty, healthy recipes featuring fish and shellfish with high amounts of omega-3s, read more.

DrSugar Answers: What Is DHEA?

DrSugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0700

DrSugar is in the house and he's answering your health questions.

Dear DrSugar,
My mom was very fatigued most days, having to take naps between basic activities like shopping and putting away the groceries, until she started taking a DHEA supplement. Now she has more energy and makes it through multiple activities with no naps. I've started taking it the last few days and I feel much more alert and active. I also think you should know we have both suffered from depression and are being treated by a medical doctor for it. What exactly is it and why does it have this effect? Thanks in advance.
- DHEA User

To learn what DHEA is and how it is used medically, read more.

Secreted by adrenal gland, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) serves as a precursor to hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, and around age 30 the body produces less of it. Using DHEA as medication first became popular in the 1990s with hopes that it would be cure-all and antiaging drug. The drug did not live up to these high expectations; however, there are studies supporting DHEA for use in a variety of illnesses. Scientific evidence supports the use of DHEA in adrenal insufficiency as well as lupus and depression. It sounds like this medication has benefited your mother in terms of increasing her energy levels. The decrease could be related to depression, therefore it would make sense that she would benefit from DHEA. It's likely increasing the levels of certain hormones in her body, leading to higher energy levels.

Although DHEA shows promise in the treatment depression and other diseases, it also comes with potential side effects. Some that have been observed in higher doses include heart arrythimias, acne, and male-pattern hair growth. Because DHEA can elevate levels of testosterone and estrogen, this can also theoretically increase the risk of breast cancer or prostate enlargement. There is debate as to whether DHEA should be a prescription-only medication, and I recommend using it only in the setting of physician supervision.

Have a question for DrSugar? Send it by private messaging me here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Smoking Pot Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke Risk

FitSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:30:00 -0700

We all know that smoking pot regularly just isn't good for our health. It can impair learning, affect memory retention and retrieval, and cause perceptual abnormalities (where you think you hear or see something that isn't there). The smoke from marijuana is also linked to lung cancer, and now research shows that chronic pot smoking can raise a person's risk of a heart attack or stroke. When blood protein levels were measured in heavy pot smokers, they were especially elevated - by 30 percent as compared to non pot smokers. These high levels of blood proteins increase the level of triglycerides. This is a type of fat found in the blood, that can contribute to hardening of the arteries and thickening of the artery walls, all of which raise a person's risk for stroke, heart attack, and heart disease.

As if that's not bad enough, smoking pot regularly could cause or worsen psychiatric problems such as anxiety and depression in teens. Now that I am a mom, I'm certainly cataloging all the reasons to just say "No."

Source

Spring Cleaning, Good for Your Health?

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:30:00 -0700

If you're dreading Spring cleaning, here's something to lift your spirits.

Not only does Spring cleaning boost how many calories you burn, as little as 20 minutes of any kind of physical activity (including cleaning and gardening) a week helped mental health significantly, say researchers. So no, this is not to suggest that you should replace your endorphin boosting exercise routine with scrubbing toilets and floors, but to remind you that every little bit of physical activity counts - cleaning or otherwise.

If 20 minutes of housework can lift your spirits, imagine what a 30 minute jog on a beautiful Spring day will do for you.

Source

Singulair Linked to Suicide?

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:00:00 -0700

If you take the allergy and asthma medication Singulair (which I do, by the way), you'll want to know that the FDA is investigating its link to depression and suicidal tendencies. Used by both children and adults, possible side effects can also include tremors and anxiety. It's been reported that at least three people who were taking Singulair have committed suicide.

Neither the FDA nor Merck (the makers of this drug) recommend that you stop taking it, unless you have noticed severe mood changes or other symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

If you want to see a video with more information then read more

Substance Abuse State by State

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:45:00 -0800

I am always fascinated by the national surveys that rank cities and states, like the recent rankings of healthy and unhealthy cities for women done recently by Self Magazine and the safest place to raise a child by Safe Kids USA. Well, now it looks like Uncle Sam has released the new report ranking states by the sordid issue of drug use, and its occasional counterpart mental health. The Department of Health and Human Services issued a report of substance abuse and mental health based on a survey of 136,110 people completed in 2005 and 2006. North Dakota was the cleanest state in a couple of instances, but depression and drug use superlatives can be found all across the map of these United States.

Want to see if your state ranks the highest in marijuana abuse or lowest in depression rates? Then read more.

When asked if they had used illicit drugs during the previous month, the highest number of positive responses came from Rhode Island, with 11.2% of respondents answering yes. North Dakota had the lowest percentage of people reporting use of the illicit drug.

The citizens of Vermont reported the highest percentage of marijuana use and Utah reported the lowest, in the month prior to answering the survey. Seems like Vermont* might be earning its nickname of the Green Mountain State for more than one reason since 9.7 percent of its citizen participating in the survey reported smoking the green bud compared with Utah's citizenry with only 4.3 percent answering positive to the question of using marijuana.

Cocaine use was reported by 2.4 percent of all participants with rates being highest in Washington, D.C. with 4.9 percent and lowest in North Dakota with only 1.6 percent.

On the mental health front, Nevada had the highest rate of reported depression with 9.4 percent and Hawaii had the lowest adult depression rate of 5 percent.

If you are interested in further reading, the full report is available on the Health and Human Services website.

*Vermont was also ranked number one in the Summer Safety Report. Go figure!

Source