Beat Depression and Boost Mood With Food

While many doctors routinely prescribe antidepressants as first-line treatment depression, there are more effective natural food alternatives.
Eating the right foods could have the same effect as taking traditional antidepressant medications, researchers at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital found.

In a paper published in the Feb. 15 issue of Biological Psychiatry, a team of researchers report that omega-3 fatty acids and uridine, two naturally occurring substances in many foods, prevented the development of signs of depression in rats as effectively as antidepressant drugs.

In the study, researchers examined how omega-3 fatty acids and uridine affected the behavior of rats exposed to stress. Normally, rats quickly develop learned helplessness behavior -- believed to reflect despair in animal models -- when tested repeatedly under stressful conditions. Rats given injections of uridine or fed a diet enriched with high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids showed fewer signs of despair than untreated rats.
Scientists placed rats in a tank of water where they had no choice but to swim. As time passed, the rats realized swimming was useless and began to float -- a sign of surrender to depression. Yet when given an antidepressant drug, the rats resumed swimming.

When the rats were given combined doses of omega-3 fatty acids and uridine instead of antidepressants, similar behavior occurred -- lending evidence these natural components are equally effective as drugs.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, and most abundantly in oily species like salmon and tuna. Walnuts, molasses and sugar beets are also foods high in these elements.

Biological Psychiatry February 15, 2005;57(4):343-350

Cracking knuckles related to arthritis of the hand?

Despite this popular myth, it simply ain't so. Study after study continues to show that people with osteoarthritis in their hands were no more likely to have cracked their knuckles earlier in life than those without the disease.

Watch Comedy, Erase Bias

This article is from a February 1, 2005 Univeristy of Michigan News Service article. I found it interesting and thought you might too.

Positive emotions slash bias, help people see big picture detailsPositive emotions like joy and humor help people "get the big picture," according to new University of Michigan research.

Researchers asked a group of 89 students to watch a video either of a comic to induce joy and laughter, a horror video to induce anxiety, or a "neutral" video that would not effect emotions.

To simulate getting a quick glance of a stranger, scientists flashed photos of individuals for about a half second, finding subjects recognized members of their own race 75 percent of the time but only recognized members of another race 65 percent of the time, Johnson said. However, researchers found positive emotions boosted that recognition of cross-race faces about 10 to 20 percent, eliminating the gap.

Subjects who watched the comedy tested for having much higher positive emotions, while those who saw the horror video had far more "negative" emotions. Those in a positive mood had a far greater ability to recognize members of another race, while their ability to recognize members of their own race stayed the same.

The researchers conclude that positive emotions bring with them a "broadening effect" that helps people see a bigger, broader picture of the world around them.

"Negative emotions create a tunnel vision," said U-M psychology researcher Kareem Johnson. "Negative emotions like fear or anger are useful for short-term survival when there's an immediate danger like being chased by a dangerous animal. Positive emotions like joy and happiness are for long-term survival and promote big picture thinking, make you more inclusive and notice more details, make you think in terms of 'us' instead of 'them.'"

The findings will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science.

Stay Healthy - Wash Your Hands

In infections and diseases such as Hepatitis A, Flu, Impetigo, Conjunctivitis, Periodontitis, Trench Mouth, Salmonella, Urinary Tract Infections, Parasitic Infections and more, the number one suggestion for prevention is to practice good hygiene and to wash your hands throughout the day. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching contaminants, before eating, after using the restroom, changing a diaper, before preparing food, after handling raw meat, after blowing your nose or coughing into your hands, before inserting or removing contact lenses, after taking out the garbage, etc.

The United States is now, according to the World Health Organization, the 37th healthiest (or unhealthiest, how ever you look at it) country in the world. Because of this fact, we need to begin to understand that we don't have to accept ALL the degenerative diseases that we live with in our society.

Sure, heredity and genetics play a role, if an immediate family member has arthritis, diabetes, heart disease or cancer, but now is the time to implement the healthy advice we talked about as part of your New Year's resolution. So, "play the hand you're dealt" and get started with your life style changes today.

Here are some proactive steps to get you on the path to wellness:
_ Increase your water intake.
_ Regular exercise (5 times per week, 30-45 minutes).
_ Get plenty of good quality sleep Maintain a balanced diet of good carbohydrates (fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes), good fats, and protein Eliminate saturated fats and fast foods.
_ Take nutritional supplementation targeted to your specific needs.
_ De-stress your mind and body with yoga, meditation or spiritual practices.
_ Have fun everyday.
_ Laugh every day. Humor is good medicine Develop positive personal and professional relationships

Celebrex and Bextra's Risk Up

Due to the dangerous side effects associated with COX-2 inhibitors -- which are part of a larger class of drugs known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) -- many of the nation's top drug makers, including No. 1 drug maker Pfizer, are expected to take a hard blow in quarterly revenue in 2005. In addition, investor enthusiasm for Pfizer has certainly been softened due to both generic drug competition, as well as the questionable safety of two of the maker's painkillers, Celebrex and Bextra.

For a while there, Pfizer was the "top dog" of painkiller providers, as negative evidence continued to mount up against Merck's Vioxx. And, when Vioxx was finally pulled from the market due to heart attack and stroke concerns, quarterly revenue for Celebrex and Bextra soared:_ Celebrex increased 24 percent to $1 billion _ Bextra increased 57 percent to $417 million

It seemed Pfizer's biggest concern at the time was how to come up with new drugs to drive growth.

However, the victory was short-lived: Both Celebrex and Bextra began receiving the same negative feedback Vioxx did due to links to similar risks of heart attacks and strokes. As it sits, the fate of Pfizer lies in the hands of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) advisory panel, which is scheduled to hold a meeting to assess the "safety" of older painkillers and the COX-2 inhibitors that replaced them.

Pfizer is keeping both Celebrex and Bextra on the market, despite the FDA's recommendations to doctors to consider restricting their use.

USA Today January 20, 2005

FDA Admits That ALL Anti-Inflammatories May Kill You

It has been discovered that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, such as Cox-2 inhibitors Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex, lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. However, it turns out that these prescription drugs are not the only painkillers that should be avoided: The FDA has urged the public to limit the use of over-the-counter pain medications and to use them in strict accordance with the label directions.

Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers to be Wary Of
_ Aleve
_ Aspirin
_ Ibuprofen

Aleve (made by Bayer) is the first non-prescription NSAID to be added to the list of painkillers associated with heart attacks and strokes. In fact, Aleve is so detrimental to one's health that those who have been taking the drug for nearly three years have been advised to stop using it, while those who opt to continue taking it should take no more than two pills a day for no longer than 10 days (unless otherwise advised by a doctor).
People taking the prescription version of Aleve, Naprosyn, are also being directed to take the drug with extreme caution.

Further, a study administered to discover whether Aleve or Celebrex could prevent Alzheimer's disease showed that those taking Aleve had an estimated 50 percent higher risk of heart attacks and strokes than those taking a placebo.

USA Today December 23, 2004
USA Today December 20, 2004

*** Although over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like Aleve, Aspirin and Ibuprofen offer pain relief, they all have potentially harmful side effects. There are other arthritis pain relief products, like Arthritin, that work completely side effect free.

Drug Giant Admits Another Arthritis Painkiller Increases Heart Risks

Pfizer announced that patients who took a high dosage of Celebrex, its top moneymaking painkiller, were in the higher risk bracket for heart attacks. This announcement was made right on the heels of the withdrawal of its one-time big competitor, Vioxx, which was stripped from store shelves in September.

Pfizer admitted that one of two cancer trials revealed an increased cardiovascular risk over placebo, while the other trial revealed no greater cardiovascular risk.

The results of this study prompted one cardiologist to discontinue prescribing Celebrex and all other COX-2 inhibitors.
Celebrex and Vioxx fall into the category of painkillers known as cox-2-inhibitors. These drugs have gained extensive popularity among arthritis sufferers due to their effectiveness in alleviating arthritis pain without side effects such as upset stomach and bleeding.

A spokesperson from Pfizer stated the company had no plans to remove Celebrex from the market. Celebrex also just so happens to be one of the biggest moneymakers for the drug company pulling in $1.9 billion in sales in 2003. Bextra trailed close behind with total sales of $687 million.

When problems with Bextra arose, the FDA took action by placing warning labels on the bottles warning patients of potential heart problems linked to taking the drug in people who had recently undergone heart bypass surgery. In regard to the announcement on Celebrex, the FDA responded by saying they would be studying the new data on Celebrex before taking any necessary actions. Until these actions are determined, they encouraged doctors to offer alternative treatments.
Pfizer, on the other hand, has plans in the works to conduct an extensive trial next year to verify the heart-safety of Celebrex in arthritis patients who recently experienced a heart attack.

USA Today December 17, 2004
Yahoo News December 17, 2004

*** There are other arthritis pain relief products, like Arthritin, that work completely side effect free.

Aspirin The Most Trusted Painkiller?

After learning about the adverse side effects linked to prescription painkillers Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra, patients have begun turning to over-the-counter drugs in hopes of finding a safer option. One alternative many seem to be opting for aspirin.

The interest in aspirin has been so high that the nation's No. 1 online pharmacy, Drugstore.com, has seen close to a 15 percent increase in aspirin sales -- more than would typically have been expected in recent months (though it is too early to draw conclusions as to exactly why that's happening).

Aspirin is regarded as one of the oldest, most trusted painkillers of all. In fact, it has been around for so long -- more than 100 years -- that it never went through the stringent tests today's drugs must go through in order to become non-prescription.

With more than 100 billion tablets of aspirin consumed worldwide each year, aspirin is used to treat inflammation and pain associated with:
Headaches
Toothaches
Minor arthritis
Muscle or soft tissue injuries

However, reliance on this over-the-counter drug may result in serious health problems including gastrointestinal bleeding and stomach irritation. And while aspirin may be fine for the occasional headache or minor pain, doctors do not recommend it for chronic pain sufferers, as it may potentially increase health risks.

One pharmacist (and senior editor for Harvard Health Publications) offered a word of caution pertaining to the safety of aspirin and other over-the-counter pain relievers: "My guess is that if aspirin was launched in 2004, it would not be an over-the-counter drug. People have the misunderstanding that if you can simply buy without a prescription, that it is completely safe to use. But every drug has side effects." Indeed they do.

USA Today, January 14, 2005

****Although aspirin offers pain relief with less side effects than the Cox-2 inhibitors, there are other arthritis pain relief products, like Arthritin, that work completely side effect free. Find out what others are saying about Arthritis.

Add 9 Years to Your Life with Simple Lifestyle Changes

Here are four simple, health-happy lifestyle changes that pay big on living longer, and living better longer. Researchers at Loma Linda University in California studied the lifestyles of more than 34,000 Seventh-Day Adventists - a religious group known for their longevity and healthy lifestyle. You don't need to convert religions to reap the longevity benefits of this study; simply take on the lifestyle habits of this group. Below is a synopsis of lifestyle changes and the associated years gained because of the lifestyle.
_ Exercise vigorously three times per week; gain 2.1 years.
_ Eat nuts fiver times a week; gain 2.9 years.
_ Maintain a healthy weight; gain 1.5 years.
_ Eat a vegetarian-style diet; gain 2.4 years.

Quote of the Day: "It is a lesson which all history teaches wise men, to put trust in ideas, and not in circumstances." - Ralph Waldo Emerson