5 ways to fight depression

If you feel depressed, it’s best to do something about it – depression doesn’t just go away on its own. In addition to getting help from a doctor or therapist, here are 5 things you can do to feel better.

1. Exercise. Take a 15- to 30-minute brisk walk every day – or dance, jog or bike if you prefer. People who are depressed may not feel much like being active. But make yourself do it anyway (ask a friend to exercise with you if you need to be motivated). Once you get in the exercise habit, it won’t take long to notice a difference in your mood.

In addition to getting aerobic exercise, some yoga poses can help relieve feelings of depression. Try downward-facing dog or legs-up-the-wall pose (you can find these poses on yoga websites). Two other aspects of yoga – breathing exercises and meditation – can also help people with depression feel better.

2. Nurture yourself with good nutrition. Depression can affect appetite. One person may not feel like eating at all, but another might overeat. If depression has affected your eating, you’ll need to be extra mindful of getting the right nourishment. Proper nutrition can influence a person’s mood and energy. So eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get regular meals (even if you don’t feel hungry, try to eat something light, like a piece of fruit, to keep you going).

3. Identify troubles, but don’t dwell on them. Try to identify any situations that have contributed to your depression. When you know what’s got you feeling blue and why, talk about it with a caring friend. Talking is a way to release the feelings and to receive some understanding. If there’s no one to tell, pouring your heart out to a journal works just as well.

Once you air out these thoughts and feelings, turn your attention to something positive. Take action to solve problems. Ask for help if you need it. Feeling connected to friends and family can help relieve depression. (It may also help them feel there’s something they can do instead of just watching you hurt.)

4. Express yourself. With depression, a person’s creativity and sense of fun may seem blocked. By exercising your imagination (painting, drawing, doodling, sewing, writing, dancing, composing music, etc.) you not only get those creative juices flowing, you also loosen up some positive emotions. Take time to play with a friend or a pet, or does something fun for you. Find something to laugh about – a funny movie, perhaps. Laughter helps lighten your mood.

5. Look on the bright side. Depression affects a person’s thoughts, making everything seem dismal, negative, and hopeless. If depression has you noticing only the negative, make an effort to notice the good things in life. Try to notice one thing, then try to think of one more. Consider your strengths, gifts, or blessings. Most of all, don’t forget to be patient with you. Depression takes time to heal.

Source: Daily express, Wednesday, 24^th September, 2008, Section: Youth & Parenting

Men less knowledgeable

On how diabetes impacts on physical, emotional ‘n’ sexual issues

Men with type 2 diabetes know the basics about the disease and its main complications – heart disease, blindness, kidney failure – but they seem to know very little about the issues that affect their quality of life, like depression and sexual dysfunction, according to results of a survey released today by the American Diabetes Association.

The survey also shows that men are “really uncomfortable talking about these issues with their physician” – yet are hungry for more information, Dr. Richard M. Bergenstal, Vice President, Medicine & Science at the American Diabetes Association noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health.

To bridge the information gap, the American Diabetes Association today announced the launch of a multifaceted nationwide campaign to spotlight the often overlooked physical, emotional and sexual health issues affecting the roughly 12 million American men with diabetes.

“Depression is twice as common in diabetes – 1 in 3 people will have it; erectile dysfunction – two to five times as common; sleep apnea – twice as common; low testosterone – twice as common,” Bergenstal noted. “All of these issues people don’t always put together with diabetes and they are so much more common in diabetes.”

The online survey involved 1,000 men with type 2 diabetes, age 40 to 60 years old, and 1,000 female spouses of men with the disease.

Many men indicated that type 2 diabetes puts a damper on their life, in general, and their sex life. More than one third admitted to having four or more symptoms associated with low testosterone such as depressed mood, erectile dysfunction and fatigue, but two thirds admitted to knowing little, if anything, about the condition. These men also reported a recent decline in their on-the-job performance.

Overall, only 30 per cent of men surveyed claimed to know “a lot” about their disease and only 25 per cent reported eating balanced and nutritious meals.

Key components of the American Diabetes Association men’s health campaign include a handbook called The Modern Man’s Guide to Living with Diabetes, an enhanced men’s health section on the association’s website (www.diabetes.org/menshealth) and public service announcements.

“Men can take small steps that can have a big impact on their ability to better manage their diabetes,” Bergenstal said. “Doing what they know, like staying active, sticking to a healthful diet, learning about increased risks for related conditions, and talking with a doctor if they are suffering from bothersome symptoms, is the key to managing diabetes today.” – Reuters

Source: Daily express, Sunday, 14^th September, 2008, Section: Health

Working towards success

Once you have decided on your purpose in life, it will be time to think about setting some goals in order to achieve it.

How many times have we heard about someone becoming successful ‘overnight’? But people like athletes, actors, novelists, musicians, inventors, scientists, or even politicians and business tycoons don’t become successful overnight.

They have each had to learn and work and train their bodies or minds. They may have had to endure hardships, work day and night, give up a social life and make all sorts of sacrifices because they were passionate about achieving the goals they had set for themselves.

Think about the different areas of your life.

· Write them down in a book or on computer.

Take time to go through, and then take one or two areas that you feel are most important to you.

1. Write down what you want to achieve as if it is really happening.

2. Write all the positive things you can think of about achieving this goal.

3. Make a timeline with an end date for reaching your goal. Be realistic. [Remember those athletes who have to train for years. They would have made lots of goals to reach before the big one.]

4. List every step you will have to take to reach your goal.

5. Write down the problems you will have to overcome.

6. Keep positive, tune out to negative influences around you.

7. Day dream about when you reach the goal. Hold on to the dream in your mind.

8. List the people who can help you.

9. List all the things that you will need to learn.

10. Discipline yourself. Remind yourself of what you are aiming for and keep at it.

11. Read your goals every day to keep focussed.

12. Add other goals as you get a clearer picture of where you want to be and how to get there.

13. DO IT NOW.

Remember that you can only make goals for yourself. You cannot make goals for other people.

· Maybe you would like someone to be your friend.

· Well, you can’t make someone like you, but you could work towards making yourself into a more likeable, friendly and interesting person.

· Even if that person still doesn’t like you, there will be lots of others who do like you, and you will like yourself better too.

Make small goals at first so that you can see progress quickly. Be realistic. You can’t aim to be a singer if you are tone deaf, but you could aim to build on your natural assets to achieve something else in your life.

What next?

Now that you’ve made a start, you are on your way to making positive changes in your life. This will take constant effort.

· Read your goals every day.

· Check if you are on track.

· If you encounter obstacles, work through until you can solve them.

· Make each goal a series of little goals so that you can tick them off as you go and see how far you have come.

· Make affirmations out of each small step. Be sure that you write these down too. This will help you maintain the positive attitude and enthusiasm you need to work towards your goals.

· What’s an affirmation? Here is an example: “I am learning to listen to people, I am becoming a good listener.” Even if you are not really a good listener yet, saying that you are going to become one, over and over, will get that idea firmly into your mind and help you to become one – it affirms what you want to do.

So, go for it! What have you got to lose? Have a successful, busy, happy life.

Source: Daily express, Wednesday, 10^th September, 2008, Section: Youth & Parenting

Cell phone danger needs study

A few studies have indicated a possible link between mobile telephone use and brain tumours, although far more show no connection. But because wireless devices have become almost ubiquitous, researchers wants to ensure their safety.

The US Food and Drug Administration asked the National Research Council to recommend some future lines of study. The council, which advises Congress and the federal government on scientific matters, held a meeting of experts including engineers and biologists and has now released the full report.

According to the report, most studies have looked only at short-term effects on healthy adults. More study needs to be done on multiple, long-term, low-intensity radiofrequency (RF) exposure, the report said.

“Measuring the amount of RF energy received by juveniles, children, pregnant women, and foetuses from wireless devices and RF base station antennas could help define exposure ranges for various populations,” the council said.

“Although it is unknown whether children are more susceptible to RF exposure, they may be at increased risk because of their developing organ and tissue systems,” it added.

“Additionally, Specific Absorption Rates for children are likely to be higher than for adults, because exposure wavelength is closer to the whole-body resonance frequency for shorter individuals.”

The report also notes that children today will experience a longer period of RF field exposure from mobile phones than adults, because they will most likely start using them at an early age.

Researchers should also analyse the different types of antennas for the amount of RF energy they deliver to different parts of the body.

Source: Daily express, Wednesday, 3^rd September, 2008, Section: Youth & Parenting