Tag Archive for 'depression'
March 23rd, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
The Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on consumption of olive oil, legumes, fish, vegetables, fruits and whole grains may help protect against major depression, according to Spanish researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
In this 2009 study, participants were scored on their dietary practices and categorized according to their adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. Those in [...]
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November 11th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Weight loss alone has been well known to improve mood and sense of well being, but whether one particular diet is better than another has not been well established.
In a recent study, people who followed a low-fat diet had lasting improvements in hostility, confusion, depression, and overall bad mood scores during one year of dieting compared with those on [...]
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June 23rd, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Many studies have shown that not only does exercise improve depression, but it also significantly boosts the mood of those who are not depressed.
In one study, researchers found that adults who participated in a three-month rigorous exercise program experienced improvement in depressive symptoms about as great as they would have experienced had they received antidepressant [...]
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April 14th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Frequently patients who survive critical illnesses later become clinically depressed, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University. In their recent study of intensive care (ICU) patients who suffered either multiple organ failure, underwent surgery, or received high doses of benzodiazepine (Xanax, Valium) while in the ICU, 26% of the participants were suffering symptoms of depression at six months after ICU [...]
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March 3rd, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Alcohol dependence or abuse was associated with nearly double the risk of major depression in a recent study of 18 to 25 year olds.
There appears to be little doubt that heavy drinking adversely affects the brain. Numerous studies have not only linked alcohol problems with depression, but several other recent trials have found that heavy drinking in teens and young adults can cause brain shrinkage [...]
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February 17th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Relax with your pet and lower your blood pressure. Many studies have found scientific evidence of the therapeutic benefits of pet ownership.
Contact with farm animals appeared to be therapeutic for patients with mental illness according to Norwegian researchers. These findings were similar to previous studies which have shown that animal-assisted therapy involving cats and dogs was [...]
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February 10th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Smoking marijuana increases the risk of testicular cancer, according to researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. In their recent study, men diagnosed with testicular cancer were 70% more likely to be current marijuana users, although the risk was especially elevated in men who had started using the drug before they were 18 or who [...]
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December 4th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Depression increases the risk of death in patients with heart failure, but the risk apparently disappears with antidepressant use, according to a recent study from Duke University Medical Center.
Depression is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw. It is a true medical condition like diabetes or hypertension, and it is often an overwhelming [...]
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August 3rd, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
In a review of published clinical trials, researchers again found a significant correlation between increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids with a lower prevalence of depression. Fish and fish oil, as well as flax seed oil, are rich sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
Omega-3 fatty acids are also thought to reduce cardiovascular disease risk by lowering triglyceride [...]
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May 6th, 2008 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
In a small Canadian study of depressed patients who failed traditional methods of treatment, deep brain stimulation provided significant relief to 56% of the patients.
In this study, volunteers had to have documented resistance to at least four types of treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy. They also had to be in a depressive episode at least [...]
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