FitSugar

New Guidelines Address Exercise and Shock Therapy For Depression

Leta Shy — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:30:10 PDT

We all know that unhealthy living or having an illness can make you feel down, but a new report from the Centers for Disease Control says these issues lead to clinical depression in a large number of Americans. The organization underscored chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes as well as unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking, physical inactivity, or binge drinking as causes of depressive disorder, which it says currently affects almost 10 percent of Americans. In addition, the CDC reported that about three percent of Americans experience major depression, meaning that for more than half the time they met eight criteria for depression, including "feeling down, depressed, or hopeless" or having "little interest or pleasure in doing things." With the incidence of depression increasing, it is not surprising that the American Psychiatric Association on Friday released the first update to its physician guidelines on treating major depression in a decade. Some of its recommendations are pretty unexpected. To see some highlights on how to treat depression, including the organization's beliefs on exercise and shock therapy,

Shock therapy by passing electric current through the brain can be very effective for extreme cases of depression. The organization also offered magnetic therapy on nerves in the brain as a potential option for those with recurring major episodes.
Maintenance treatment by staying on antidepressants "indefinitely" can benefit those who have recurring episodes of depression.
Exercise such as aerobics or resistance training can provide modest improvements in mood.
Talking therapy works best for those with mild or moderate depression, but in serious cases may not be as effective as medication.
Depression during pregnancy can lead to preterm delivery, so pregnant patients should discuss whether or not to remain on medication or whether to use talking therapy with their doctors.

The APA said the report was based on published research and reviewed by an independent panel for any industry bias.

You Asked: Mood Swings and Exercise, What Gives?

FitSugar — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PDT

Dear Fit,
I am usually pretty good at working out but recently I've been skipping a few days because work's been super busy. I find that on those days I get super moody... What's up with that? Is it all in my head?
- Moody Mandy

Actually it is all in your head, but not the way in which you're thinking. Here's the deal, according to Peak Performance Online: Your pituitary gland (a gland located at the base of your brain) releases substantial quantities of 'endorphins' - chemicals which can block sensations of pain and produce overall feelings of euphoria - when you preform strenuous activities like running or biking. In other words, exercise makes you feel and look good, it's scientifically proven. This is why some people can get 'addicted' to exercise or feel a 'runners high'. Just like any addiction, withdrawal symptoms are normal, so don't worry. Get back on the ~~horse~~ treadmill as soon as you can and you're sure to be feeling great all over again.

This Is 40 Trailer: Getting Old Sucks For Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:35:45 PDT

Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd stole the show as Katherine Heigl's older sister and brother-in-law, Debbie and Pete, in 2007's Knocked Up, and now the characters are back in Judd Apatow's This Is 40. In the trailer, we catch up with the married couple a few years later, and instead of sniping at each other about their family, they're dealing with getting older. As they try to exercise more and be more involved in the lives of their kids (once again played by the real-life daughters of Apatow and Mann), they get some help from other Apatow regulars like Jason Segel and Melissa McCarthy.

Pete and Debbie are my favorite part of Knocked Up, so I've been dying to see footage for This Is 40, and while I laughed at the trailer a few times, I'm a little bit underwhelmed. The plight of aging kind of comes off as depressing, and I also wanted to see more of Pete. Still, my hopes are high for this one, which comes out Dec. 21, so let me know what you think when you watch the trailer.

Lawless Trailer: Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy Are Brother Bootleggers

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:45:47 PDT

Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy are two of my favorite rough-around-the-edges actors, and in the trailer for Lawless, we get to see them exercise that quality, but in Depression-era garb. LaBeouf and Hardy play the Bondurant brothers, a pair of siblings who make their money during Prohibition by bootlegging alcohol. The illegal activity doesn't just make them profitable, but it also makes them feel untouchable, until two other men threaten their operation - and lives. One of them is Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman), a gangster who wants control of the Bondurants' supply (anyone else getting a major Nucky Thompson vibe from him?), and the other is an authority played by Guy Pearce, who wants to take down the brothers by any means necessary.

The preview for the movie, which is based on the novel The Wettest County in the World, has a lot going on, and looks like it's going to be a bit more violent than I was expecting (I had chills when the machine gun gets brought out). Still, the acting looks like it may be phenomenal from LaBeouf and his costars, who also include Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska. The movie comes out Aug. 31, so watch the preview after the jump.

From the Community: Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Activity

Fit Community — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:39:22 PDT

Not sure what the difference between aerobic and anaerobic activity is? In our Get Fit For 2012 group, FitSugar reader meetcasey explains what each term means and why we should be doing both.

Aerobic exercise requires the body to utilize oxygen to create energy. With anaerobic exercise, the body creates energy without extra oxygen - your body relies on its natural chemicals to create energy.

Learn the benefits of each, after the break!

3 Scientifically Tested Tips to Help You Concentrate at Work

Emily Co — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:05:28 PST

Many people work eight-hour days, and it's easy to get distracted and lose focus at some point. But if you find yourself unable to pay attention and losing out on prime working time, maybe you need to make a few changes. Here are a couple of tips:

Drink water. Researchers at the University of Connecticut did a study on 25 healthy women and found that mild dehydration affects cognition. It affected the mood of the slightly dehydrated women, and they did worse than the control group on tasks that tested for things like concentration, learning, memory, and reasoning. Not drinking enough water can affect your energy level, mood, and concentration, so remember to drink up while you're at work.

Exercise daily. Perhaps your lack of concentration can be due to feeling burned out by your job. Getting your daily dose of exercise is vital for your mental health and can help prevent burnout. A study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that job burnout rate and depression were the greatest in those who did not exercise. In fact, the more the participants exercised, the lower the risk of facing work burnout.

Sniff the scent of rosemary. You may want to change your perfume to one that's rosemary-infused. A study by the Northumbria University in the UK, published in the Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology journal, exposed participants to the scent of rosemary while they were performing tasks. Those with higher levels of a rosemary component in their blood performed faster and with more accuracy. Have a rosemary potpourri at your desk to sniff on occasion when you need to clear your mind.

Dr. Ornish on the Power of Love, Chocolate, and Snacking

Lauren Turner — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:59:25 PST

We had a chance to chat with Dr. Dean Ornish, founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival. He's a featured health expert in the new documentary, Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, which examines the current state of our health care system and provides hopeful solutions based on lifestyle and dietary changes. A big proponent of chronic disease prevention through healthy habits, Dr. Ornish offered up some sound advice and simple changes we can all make to improve our health - chocolate included!

FitSugar: What do you think is the most simple, overlooked thing people can do for their health?
Dr. Ornish: Love more. What you eat, how you respond to stress, how much you exercise, whether or not you smoke, how much love and support you have. But of all those, probably the love and support. Study after study has shown that people who are lonely and depressed are 10 times for likely to die or get sick. You're more likely to smoke and abuse yourself if you're lonely and depressed. It's not enough to just work at a behavioral level and give people information; you have to work at a deeper level.

FS: Everyone has days where they don't want to exercise, how do you motivate yourself on those days?
DO: If I really don't want to, I don't, and then I'll do more the next day. What matters is your overall way of eating and living. So if you don't do something one day, do a little more the next. If I don't have time to meditate for an hour, I'll do it for a minute. It's not all or nothing at any age, and it's really up to you.

FS: People like to stick with their daily habits; how do you get individuals to change their behavior towards healthier choices?
DO: It's about helping people connect the dots between what they do and how they feel, and giving them the tools. Fear is not a sustainable motivator. You can scare people into changing for a few weeks, but not for very long. When you make changes, most people find that they feel so much better so quickly, it reframes the reason for changing from fear of dying to joy of living, and that's what makes it sustainable. Also, to realize that it's not all or nothing. Instead of saying this is good food and this is bad food, and don't ever eat meat, be a vegetarian - I never tell people that. I used to a long time ago and then I realized I was actually not only not helping people, but making it worse. It turns people off because even more than being healthy, people want to be free, so when you tell people what to do they stop listening. If you eat meat five times a day, eat it three times a day or have a meatless Monday and see how you feel. If you don't exercise one day, do a little more the next. Then you start to feel better and then it comes out of your own experience, not because some doctor or some book told you.

To find out Dr. Ornish's surprising favorite indulgence and his take on snacking just read more.

Dislike: How Facebook Can Hurt Your Credit

LearnVest — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:15:04 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Forget “you are what you eat.” When it comes to your trustworthiness as as borrower, you are who you know . . . online.

Social networks are now being used by some lenders to evaluate whether you’re likely to pay them back.

The New York Observer reports that, while this methodology is still a few years away from common use by major banks, smaller institutions such as microlender Lenddo already use an algorithm based on input from a person’s various social networks to determine her creditworthiness. And more are likely to adopt the practice in the future.

Here’s the kicker: the information used by the algorithm isn’t just what you’ve made public - the banks are requiring your log-in information. Everything you can see, they can see. And they could even potentially send messages to your contacts.

Read on to find out about how Facebook can hurt your credit.

How to Combat Winter Blahs and Blues

Heather Dale — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:23:08 PST

When January rolls around, the festive fun has come to an end, and we resume our regular day-to-day routines . . . good times, right? This month can be especially difficult for some because the party is over, the temperatures are dropping, and the days are awfully short. If you're experiencing any symptoms that feel like major depression, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that is cyclical and seasonal, meaning that it comes and goes at the same time every year. If you suffer from SAD, symptoms may include irritability, a drop in energy level, and possible weight gain. Various studies have shown that four to six percent of the population has been diagnosed with SAD at some point in their lives, while 10 to 12 percent have shown symptoms related to SAD. Fortunately, there are some easy remedies you can try at home to help get you through the next few months.

Keep reading to see what they are!

Top Way to Improve Your Health: 30 Minutes of Cardio Daily

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:50:33 PST

Eating enough fiber, saying no to cigarettes, limiting your alcohol intake, and seeing your doctor for annual cancer screenings are all ways to encourage a long, healthy life. But according to Dr. Mike Evans, associate professor of family medicine and public health at the University of Toronto, the single best thing you can do to take care of yourself is move your body 30 minutes every day.

We're not talking high intensity marathon training by any means. While it's great to get your heart rate up with intense cardio, just 30 minutes of simple walking does the trick when it comes to your health. Do it all at once, or break it up throughout your day, but fitting in 30 minutes of cardio every single day is proven to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, knee arthritis, depression, and once you get older, hip fractures, dementia, Alzheimer's, and early death. Convinced yet?

It can be tough to squeeze in a daily workout, but with all those amazing health benefits, exercise should be a priority no matter what. Tell me, are you getting in your daily half-hour workouts?