According to a new study, only low-fat diets will help with long-term mood improvement.

“This study looked at one factor, and prior studies haven’t focused on psychological factors,” says Dr. Ewald Horvath, interim chairman of psychiatry at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “This is a great study focusing on something very important.”

The key difference between low-fat diets and low-carb diets is the long-term effect on mood. Studies have previously found short-term improvements in the mood of people who chose a wide variety of different diets. This new study reaffirmed the evidence of improvements over the first eight weeks of dieting on various plans. But it’s after the initial two months that low-carb dieters tended to return to their depressed moods.

“The exact mechanism for the observed effects on mood still remains largely unknown,” says study author Grant D. Brinkworth, a research scientist with the food and nutritional sciences division of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Adelaide, Australia.

But, it is known that carbs can increase serotonin concentrations in the brain, whereas added fat and protein can reduce it. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved with controlling mood, anger, and aggression.

(via: Yahoo News)

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Low-Fat Diets Improve Your Mood

The link between what we eat and mental health: The participants in the “processed food” group were 58 percent more likely to develop depression, while those with a “whole foods” diet were 26 percent less likely to develop depression. Interestingly, the researchers were cautious to draw any specific conclusions based on these correlations.

Researchers proposed several explanations for their results. It was suggested that antioxidants in fruits and vegetables could have a protective effective against depression for those with a “whole foods” diet. It was also suggested that the polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish could have a protective effect from depression. Researchers also proposed that the combined effect of different nutrients from a variety of foods was important in preventing depression. Although the researchers recognized that a healthier diet can help create a healthier mood, the possibility that a diet heavy in “processed food” may actually harm mental health was not mentioned. I think there are many reasons why this should also be considered.

The average age of participants was 55; the title of the orignal research article “Dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in middle age” (published in the British Journal of Psychiatry); however, this does not mean this research is not applicable to those who are not yet “middle age.” The habits you create now, and the habits you are creating for your children, will create your dietary patterns for the rest of your life, and may have a major impact on mental health as well.

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Eat Whole Foods to Avoid Depression

According to a new study at Harvard School of Public Health, there were about 12 suicides per 100,000 adults in 2004 and 2005. However, with every three percent increase in obesity in any given state, there were three fewer suicides per 100,000 adults. This even took into account the fact that states with higher rates of obesity also had higher rates of gun ownership, adults who smoke, and lower rates of household income.

The study did not prove a cause and effect, but the author did emphasize an obvious point:

“The risks of obesity far outweigh any potential benefit on suicide prevention,” says study author Dr. Kenneth J. Mukamal.

The key word is “successfully.” It doesn’t mean heavy people are happier.

The study’s authors think that poisonings may be less likely to be lethal in an obese person, since they would need a higher dose. They went on to morbidly speculate that in the case of an attempted hanging, suffocation may be less common because “the steps involved in hanging may be burdensome (and) uncomfortable” in an obese person.

One last downer of a statistic and I’ll let you get on with your day: More people in the United States die from suicide than homicide.

(via: Yahoo)

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Obese Less Likely to Commit Suicide

Dr. Carolyn A. McCarty of Seattle Children’s Research Institute and her colleagues conducted the first study to look at how theses three problems relate to each other over years in the life of young adults.

They also found that almost half of the women and the men suffered from at least one of the problems between the ages of 21 and 30. The study was very extensive, as it has been following its subjects since 1985 (they were in the fifth grade at the time).

Looking at men compared to women, at 21-years old, eight percent of women and 12 percent of men had at least two of the three problems. As they got older, having multiple problems became more common, but less so for the men.

Here’s a look at how the unhealthy descent worked for the women in the study:

• Women who were depressed at 27-years old were more than three times as likely to abuse alcohol at age 30
• Women who had alcohol abuse problems at 24-years old were nearly four times as likely to be obese at age 27
• Being obese at 27-years old more than doubled the risk of depression at age 30
• Being in a lower-income bracket was an equal opportunity criteria, as both men and women were at greater risk of depression and obesity

Yale psychologist Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksma referred to the three problems as a “toxic triangle” of “eating, drinking and over thinking.”

(via: Yahoo)

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Obesity, Alcohol, Depression: Toxic Combo for Women

The study was conducted on a group of 26 other studies that included 9,417 patients. After examining the results, researchers found that death rates were as much as 25 percent higher with patients who showed symptoms of depression. But the rates were higher (39 percent) in patients who were officially diagnosed with depression.

While it’s always a good idea to keep a positive outlook on life to maintain optimal health, the researchers don’t want people to think it’s life or death to be chipper.

But they do think that the findings emphasize the need to screen cancer patients carefully for signs of psychological distress, since it is a small, but a real, risk of affecting the medical outcome of patients.

“Cancer patients need not panic if they are experiencing depressive symptoms, but it is certainly reasonable to talk to their physicians about their mental health,” says lead researcher Jillian Satin.

So, what’s the actual physical reason for the risk? Previous research has linked stress with the growth of tumors or spreading of cancer. The reason could be that stress may have an impact on hormones or the immune system. Or maybe a depressed person can tend to engage in behavior that affects the outcome, such as not complying with scheduled treatments.

“There are still many unanswered questions as the effects observed in this study are quite small and may be due to other factors,” says Dr. Julie Sharp, of the charity Cancer Research UK.

“More research will be needed to explain whether these observations are true and if so why.”

(via: BBC)

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Depression May Cut Cancer Survival

There is benefit to trying something new, shaking things up, or re-focusing. Doing so will re-energize you and put things in perspective. When you need encouragement may be the best time for you to encourage someone else.

Some people have difficulty believing positive messages directed to them even those given to them by themselves. Sometimes it is easier to encourage someone else and share positives messages for them. You may even believe the positive things that you say and find they can be applied to you when you first direct them to someone else.

When you are feeling stuck or you have hit a plateau, use that time to focus on someone else; you will likely emerge energized and refocused. Join someone else’s workout. Send them encouragement. Be a positive voice. You may be the best support for someone else because you understand what will be most helpful and what you would appreciate. You may even be inspired by the progress you see in your friend. In return, your workout buddy will be more likely to be there for you when you need extra encouragement.

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Be the Workout Buddy You Would Like to Have

The researchers say that the connection is due to the socioeconomic status of the person who is both obese and in debt. The people on average are young, less educated and more likely to be depressed, overweight, or obese.

The researchers compared the group to the general population. About 11 percent of the general German population is obese, while 25 percent of the indebted group are obese. The indebted people are also more likely to be regular smokers.

Psychology is a major factor as well. Indebted people may eat to cope with stress and depression, which leads to an even greater risk of being overweight or obese.

“Energy-dense food such as sweets or fatty snacks are often less expensive compared to food with lower energy density such as fruit or vegetables,” the researchers add.

Eva Muenster of the University of Mainz and her colleagues surveyed 949 people who were receiving counseling for debt and insolvency at centers in two German states. They then compared their circumstances to 8,318 people who participated in a 2003 health survey by phone.

It is estimated that three million German households (7.6 percent) are in debt.

(via: Yahoo)

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Obese People More Likely to be in Debt

You may still be right about the Big Gulp, though.

The report by Dr. James B. Weaver III of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine  say they found a “measurable” associations between playing video games and health risks.

According to the survey, the typical adult video game player is overweight, introverted and probably somewhat depressed. The researchers hypothesize that the video gaming for adults is a sort of “digital self-medication.”

“In short, they literally ‘take their minds off’ their worries while playing a video game,” the investigators note in their report.

The Internet-based survey included people from 19- to 90-years-old from the Seattle-Tacoma, Washington area (is there a 90-year-old playing Grand Theft Auto?). They were questioned about their health and media habits.

Of the 552 respondents, more than 45 percent identified themselves as video game players. Fifty-six percent of those were men, which indicates a surprisingly high percentage of female gamers.

The researchers report that a higher body weight and greater number of “poor mental health days” was found with adult video gamers as opposed to the non-gamers.

Dr. Brian A. Primack of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine sees a difficult tight rope that needs to be walked:

“How do we simultaneously help the public steer away from imitation play-like activities, harness the potentially positive aspects of video games and keep in perspective the overall place of video games in our society?”

It’s probably an unanswerable question. Only the individual can determine that they will allocate a healthy amount of time to video games while still trying to be social and active.

(via: Yahoo)

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Video Gamers Not So Young, or Fit

“We don’t know exactly why, but attitude does appear to matter when it comes to heart disease and health,” says University of Pittsburgh Medical Center internist Hilary A. Tindle, MD, MPH.

The study included 97,000 postmenopausal women, and none of them had heart disease prior to participation.

Participants filled out surveys to determine their level of optimism or pessimism. And after eight years of follow-up, the researchers found that those women who scored highest for optimism had a nine percent lower risk of developing heart disease and a 14 percent lower risk of dying from any cause than those women who scored lowest for optimism.

Conversely, the women who scored a high degree of hostility and cynicism were 16 percent more likely to die than women who scored lowest.

The numbers were much more dramatic among African-American women. The optimistic women had a 33 percent lower risk for death than the pessimists. And African-American women who scored highest for hostility and cynicism were a whopping 62 percent more likely to die than those who scored the lowest.

Pessimists were more likely to have diabetes, be overweight, smoke, have high cholesterol, and avoid exercise.

“Someone who believes that life is not worth living probably isn’t the type of person who goes to the gym three times a week,” says Psychologist and American Heart Association spokesman Barry J. Jacobs, PsyD.

So, cheer up. Your life may depend on it.

(via WebMD)

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Be Optimistic – It’s Healthy!

Yesterday, I shared some interesting research that suggests that Omega-3 fatty acids may be your best defense against Postpartum Depression (PPD). As someone who does not eat seafood, I am guessing there are others like me who would like more options for preventing and overcoming PPD.

Exercise – Physical activity can play a big role in mental health and self-esteem. After pregnancy and childbirth, you may have difficulty recognizing your own body and may not like what you see. Most people suggest waiting six weeks after childbirth before starting exercise, and eight weeks if you had a cesarean section. If you are breastfeeding, you will likely feel more comfortable if you feed your baby before exercising. Exercise will help you lose the baby weight and feel more connected and in charge of your body. If you do not have someone to watch the baby while you are working out, find a gym with child care, workout at home during nap time, or take walks or runs with a stroller.

Rest – You have heard it before, but I will say it again: sleep when your baby is sleeping. Fatigue can increase depression and a myriad of other ailments. Even a newborn can require a lot of attention and energy. Make sure your physical energy supplies are full by getting as much rest as possible.

Eat well – Another way of building up physical energy reserves is to make sure that you are eating a healthy, balanced diet. If you are breastfeeding you will need extra calories to produce the milk needed for your baby’s nutrition. Eat small meals throughout the day to keep your energy up at all times. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can both increase feelings of depression and effect your child if breastfeeding.

Seek the Sun – Sunlight can have a positive effect on your mood. Get outside as much as possible. If it is not warm enough to be outside, keep the curtains open and soak up that vitamin D.

Seek support – Many moms can feel isolated; although they are with a baby almost constantly, newborns are not very interactive. Visit friends and family or have them visit you. Join a mommy group in your community like MOPS or online. You will find understanding, answers, and advice in such communities. If you need help, ask for it. Many family and friends will be happy to be involved and included, even if you’re just asking them to make a meal for you.

If these are not enough and you are still feeling not yourself, seek the support of a mental health professional who can help you through this transition.

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5 Ways to Overcome Postpartum Depression