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

Recovery is an important component of both growth and maintenance. If you run a marathon without proper training, you will probably find it difficult to impossible to walk the next day. If you push yourself too hard, eventually your body will refuse to work. The same thing happens mentally. Have you ever had a tough day at work or had to think too much and found you could not bring yourself to do anything but stare at the TV that evening? Creating a new habit and sticking to a food plan are mental stressors.

You need a break, even to maintain the status-quo of your ability to function. Allow yourself to recover physically and mentally. You also need to take a break if you want to empower yourself to higher achievement, greater endurance, or weight loss. Recovery is an important part of growth. Although we want to push ourselves toward higher achievements, if we do not allow ourselves time to recover between, there will be nothing left to push.

It is not weakness to take a break; it is responsibility. If you push too far, you will not have any thing left to give. If you live at a high level of stress, you may not be able to handle any extra thing and there is always something extra.

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Take a Break to Achieve More

Goal Setting/Evaluating/Tracking
Expressing Gratitude Directly
Keeping a Gratitude Journal
Replaying Happy Days
Keeping a Savoring Album
Envisioning Your Best Possible Self
Nurturing Relationships
and Remembering Acts of Kindness

Some activities require some intention, attention, or time set aside, so it may not be an app that you can use just when you are waiting. Several of the activities require some typing; however, there was not a landscape mode option which can ease typing. The only other issue I had was that once I was typing about a picture I had loaded, I could not easily scroll up to see the picture again or re-read the instructions. It might be nice for there to be an option for push reminders so that you stick with it on a regular basis. These are small details, I would not be surprised if would be altered in the next update.

Live Happy recognizes the importance of health and fitness to happiness and includes it as a part of several activities if one so chooses; Live Happy is a customizable app, so you get to decide what is or is not included for you. There is plenty of instruction to read and videos to watch if you so choose; however, it is not necessary to utilize Live Happy. Quotes and facts on happiness can be seen each time you start the app. The smiley face is a shortcut button that also makes suggestions on what to try next.

The instructions for each activity are worded in a way to break down any barriers or resistance one might have to giving it a try, encouraging more use of the app. The activities were helpful and enjoyable. Even in an overly busy day, I found myself having fun while exploring each area. It is helpful to put these things into words even when you think you have a general idea already. I also like the option to post items to Twitter of Facebook; sharing things with others can make them more real.

The usability and simple, pleasant design make this a good iPhone app. The research base, integration of iPhone features, and various options make this a great app. At $9.99 Live Happy is certainly less expensive than any single session with a therapist.

Try the Live Happy iPhone app for yourself!

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Live Happy iPhone App Keeps You Happy and Healthy

Putting your best foot forward to others can be a positive thing. It can make someone else feel special and make you feel good about yourself and how you treat others. However, I want to challenge you to treat yourself like an honored guest. Keep your environment tidy and your mind will feel more ordered. Think about using the best ingredients and healthiest foods as providing premium fuel for your body. Exercise to improve your health, energy, outlook, and confidence, not just because you want to impress someone else.

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Pamper Yourself to Good Health

Unless your flight anxiety is high, my guess is that you tune out the spiel after your first flight or two (even Emily didn’t seem to be paying much attention); I know I don’t consciously pay attention and didn’t realize how the flight attendants turn their heads. Yet, almost everyone mimicked the flight attendant automatically.

What are you learning subconsciously? What messages are being integrated into your understanding subliminally? This is just one of the many reasons that I encourage people to turn off the TV for better sleep. Did you realize your brain is still attentive even when you are not consciously paying attention? How can you be aware of this ability and utilize it for your health?

Surround yourself with positive, healthy people. It is said that you are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time. Are you spending time with those you wish to emulate? Do you have a workout buddy? Don’t forget to find a few health experts to follow on Twitter.

If you must fall asleep to something, find a positive, motivational, health-related podcast or turn on a yoga dvd.

Place yourself in healthy environments. Even if you only spend a small amount of time in the gym, you will receive a more powerful mental message at the gym then you will running the streets.

Take every opportunity to watch sporting events. Parents, go to your children’s games and practices. Rather than tailgating, go to the football game early to watch how the players stretch and warm-up. (It’s also a great opportunity to get some nice photographs.)

How else can you casually expose yourself to health-focused messages?

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Send Yourself Healthy Subliminal Messages

“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!

Don’t laugh – it happens more often than you might think. How can you handle such an uncomfortable situation at a time when you really want to feel supported and encouraged?

Remember, you are losing weight for you. Or you should be. Losing weight for someone else rarely works and can often backfire. Your successful weight loss can uncover feelings of insecurity that your spouse might not even know existed. Take the time to listen to what your significant other has to say. Maybe there is an infidelity in their past. Maybe your weight loss brings a need for their own weight loss into focus. There might be history with a parent or other loved one that is weight related.

Ask your spouse to go to counseling with you. Do it for your relationship, but know that you can’t change his or her feelings. The insecurity is not your fault – you don’t own any part of it. Your spouse loved you heavy, and you aren’t any less lovable at a healthy weight. Know that deep inside, and don’t allow anyone to sabotage you and undo your incredible hard work.

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Does Weight Loss Equal Love Lost?

The study illustrates a few key points about the mindfulness that a yoga and meditation practice can cultivate and the benefits of physical activity.

While no one can escape the stress of project deadlines and the fear of job security, mindfulness practices like meditation teach employees how key their reaction to workday stress can affect how they perceive their lives and the workplace challenges they confront.

Additionally, most employees who work desk jobs lead sedentary lives which is not only a factor in obesity and diabetes but also in mood disorders like depression. Numerous studies have shown the positive mental health benefits and physical benefits such as improved sleep quality that come from engaging in exercise. And while yoga may not be the first form of exercise that comes to mind when one thinks of physical activity, certain kinds of yoga have a strong cardiovascular component to them and most all improve strength and muscle tone.

For the millions of  Americans who work, the stress of their everyday office lives takes its toll on their health. But studies like this point to the importance of having workplace policies that encourage employees to take part in mind-body practices like yoga and meditation. Hopefully, as more research is done on the benefits of stress-reducing programs in the office, more and more companies will begin to incorporate such practices as part of their regular employee wellness programs.

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Workplace Yoga Reduces Stress and Improves Sleep

Not all of us have the flexibility or capability to move to Japan to help change a habit, but David does have the right idea. It takes between 21-45 days to change a habit, whether you are trying something new, replacing a habit, or eliminating a habit. Habits are something that are integrated into our routine and can be to the point that they can be done with little or no thought, which is exactly why it may require drastic measures or an entirely new routine to help those old habits die hard! Do something differently; try something new. Here are a few suggestions that you may feel helpful; please comment with other ideas for your fellow readers.

1. Find a new route – Avoid temptations of fast food or other distractions by not having them in your line of site. Drive a new way home; it may take a little bit longer, but it may also extend your life or its quality.

2. Get new input – It is no surprise that I think my client had the right idea in seeking counseling. You can also follow new people on Twitter or add new blogs to your RSS feeds. If you have a friend or associate that you admire, set some time to sit down and pick his or her brain.

3. Do something silly – Instead of heading to the kitchen on the commercial break, stand up and spin around three times or sing the chorus to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious at the top of your lungs. You will be filling in the time and distracting yourself from temptation.

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Shake Things up to Make Drastic, Healthy Changes

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