When artiste Leslie Cheung committed suicide, he left behind a trail of speculations amidst sighs of regret. News of his "depression" arose. The realisation that even a superstar could be plagued by such problems abruptly heightened the "suffering index" of ordinary folks. Incessant natural disasters, bleak economic outlook, fear of unemployment, adolescent worries about schoolwork?these pressures from life make "depression" one of the most serious civilised diseases of this century.
"Insomnia" is also a common problem faced by people living in modern society. According to a survey conducted by the American National Sleep Foundation, three in every four women aged between 30 to 60 years are suffering from "insomnia". "Insomnia" has already become an epidemic disease for females. The Shanghai Chinese Medical Hospital has been conducting surveys on epidemic diseases since 1996 and results indicate that 15% of Shanghai residents have serious insomnia symptoms.
These figures are concrete proof that there is a huge market demand for products that relieve stress and insomnia. The beneficial effects of aromatherapy in soothing emotions and enhancing sleep quality have long been deep-rooted in the minds of ordinary folks and have been proven in numerous clinical literatures. These constitute an important reason for the active development of "psycho aromatherapy" products, as undertaken by Yangsen Biotechnology Institute in close collaboration with Bel'Air.
Depression: Disease of the Century, Alongside Cancer and Aids Unless patients commit suicide, depression is usually not life threatening. However, one's quality of life will suffer a drastic decline and loved ones will also be deeply affected. According to a survey report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), 3% of the world population are suffering from depression at present. The report also predicted that Depression, Aids and Cancer will become the three main diseases of the 21st century. By 2020, depression will only be secondary to cancer in causing the inability to function normally and even death.
To most people, perhaps the degree of nervousness and anxiety has not reached the stage where they must receive medical treatment and advice. However, it is an undeniable fact that long-term nervousness and anxiety will affect the balance between one's body and mind. Taipei Lian-An Clinic conducted a survey of 1164 white-collar workers who went there for health examinations. Results showed that two thirds of the patients felt worn out by life and close to 40% of the patients needed to receive professional psychiatric treatments due to depression and anxiety. Symptoms of nervousness and anxiety derived from work-related stress have reached the scale of an epidemic in America. 43% of adults feel threatened by it. Absenteeism, falling productivity and increase of medical bills, which can come about as a result of occupational nervousness, are predicted to cost the American economy several hundred billion US dollars.
Understanding the Importance of Sleep
"When I am sleeping, my mind is resting!" Many people have this misconception. However, the likely truth is that when you sleeping, only the rest of your body is resting. Your brain continues to be active as it labours on making preparations for the next day. Sleep is as essential to a healthy body and mind as food. If you have insufficient hours of sleep or lack quality sleep, your body will continuously accumulate "sleep debts" and you will have to pay for it one day. Do also note that rest is not a substitute for sleep!
Another misconception is that most sleep disorders can heal without medication. Many people who are plagued by sleep disorders do not realise that this is actually a disease, much less understand that it can be healed. Methods of healing include medication, operation, psychiatric treatment and combined therapy. Sleep disorders will not disappear naturally. If allowed to develop at its own pace, it would only worsen one's quality of life, damage interpersonal relationships, affect one's conduct and result in huge negative impacts, to the extent of causing accidents or deaths.
Psycho Aromatherapy
To examine the mental effects of "aromatic essential oils", results can be basically categorised into the psychological effects deriving from aromatic scents and the physiological effects deriving from the impact of essential oil molecules on the central nervous system. Both psychological and physiological effects can cause changes in the central nervous system, internal secretion system and immunity system, hence giving rise to complex biological consequences.
Modern "psycho aromatherapy" utilises analytical tools like Micro Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Electroencephalogram (EEG), Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) to research on the direct impact of aroma on the central nervous system. It can be used to examine the effects of aromatherapy on health problems such as insomnia, depression, nervousness, mental fragility, headaches, fatigue, dizziness and memory deterioration.
According to popular understanding, aromatherapy can indeed achieve the effect of soothing emotions. People's interest in aromatherapy is aroused when certain essential oils can genuinely alleviate the conditions of some illnesses which are hard to cure even in hospitals, such as mental fragility, depression and insomnia. According to clinical studies, besides using medication and supportive psychiatric therapy to cure depression, many doctors also encourage patients to adopt the method of aromatherapy. Both consumers and professional medical practitioners recognise the positive effects of essential oils for stress relief.
Research and Development of Nepenthe Bio-tech Pure Essential Oil It was 5pm in the afternoon. In a resting house in Taipei suburb, about 40 old folks were leisurely enjoying the uplifting scents of Bel'Air's Nepenthe essential oil. They seemed at ease with themselves, immersed in a state of peace and tranquility away from the hassles of the world. This is the result of a test on Nepenthe essential oil, conducted over a week by a research team from Yangsen Biotechnology Institute to examine the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy in soothing the depressive emotions of old folks.
The research team members applied a depression scale to evaluate the subject's level of depression. During the research process, the subject inhaled the aroma for 4 hours daily. Seven days later, the depression scale was again used to evaluate the subject's level of depression. At the same time, the heart rate variability (HRV) was also measured to evaluate the subject's sympathetic nerve activity and parasympathetic nerve activity. Earlier research has already shown that the higher the marks on the depression scale, the higher the level of sympathetic activity and the lower the level of parasympathetic activity. From the table below, we can see that after seven days of aromatherapy with "Nepenthe Bio-tech Pure Essential Oil", the depression score has evidently decreased and sympathetic activity, which stands for anxiety, has declined dramatically. On the other hand, parasympathetic activity, which stands for calmness, has increased greatly.
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Fight Depression with Omega 3 Fatty Acids
A new research study has again shown that a diet rich in omega3 fatty acids can effectively treat and prevent depression and other mental disorders.
The research, published in the February issue of the journal, Biological Psychiatry, has actually shown that omega3 fatty acids and foods that are high in uridine were as good as (and often better than) anti-depressant drugs in reducing the symptoms of depression. The unpredictability of anti-depressant drugs has caused much concern for many years, with a large number of doctors and patients questioning their use, and raising concerns about the negative (rather than positive) effects they can cause.
Recently, both Merck and GlaxoSmithKlein (manufacturers of Paxil and Vioxx respectively) have been taken to court over withheld research results which show that antidepressant drugs cause children to behave violently and can increase the likelihood of suicide by up to 400%.
This has resulted in the FDA in the US announcing that it will ensure that all anti-depressant drugs manufacturers must include a 'black box' warning label on all antidepressant medications. The European Union has also warned its member states about the risks associated to antidepressant drugs, particularly since the Journal of the American Medical Association published a review of the 102 clinical trials on anti-depressants which showed that results are frequently misreported or hidden.
Based upon this, and other related studies, there now seems to be a large amount of solid, trustworthy evidence to suggest that there is no longer a need to rely upon drugs to treat and prevent depression.
Omega3 Fatty Acids Can Help Prevent and Treat Depression
A high-profile article in 1999, published by the Harvard University, put omega3 in the mental health limelight by offering solid proof that fish oil could significantly reduce the effects of bipolar disorders.
Individuals who had been condemned to years of high-strength, high-risk pharmaceuticals began to switch to courses of omega3 supplementation. This article built upon the findings of a study published in The Lancet which correlated the results of an earlier cross-cultural study into the incidence of depression across ten nations with the consumption of omega3 fatty acids derived from fish. This study showed a strong correlation between the nations where depression was far less frequent and the average intake of omega3 fatty acids.
These findings were then further strengthened by a 2003 research study which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. These results, which compared similar cross-national epidemiological data, offered further proof to strengthen the link between omega3 fatty acids and their role in treating and preventing depression and other mental disorders.
Omega3 is an essential fatty acid which is prevalent in flaxseed, pumpkin seed, almonds, many green leafy vegetables and walnuts (more on omega3 fatty acids).
They are known as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) as the body is not able to synthesise them by itself and relies upon food sources and their health benefits include increased energy, protection against degenerative diseases, a strengthened immune system, and increased brain function.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid -- a component of omega-3 fatty acids) is essential for developing and protecting the gray matter of the human brain and the retina of the eye, and is used in every cell in the body. Research has shown it to be vital at every stage of human life, beginning in utero.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Depression
Many researchers have correlated the decrease in our daily diets of omega3's and the increase in degenerative diseases (such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases) and mental illness.
Researchers such as Udo Erasmus cite the huge increase in the intake of highly refined saturated fats and a huge decrease in the consumption of essential fatty acids as the defining factor in the corresponding rise in the number of people diagnosed with degenerative diseases and mental illness over the past century.
Similarly, Dr Joseph Hibbeln of the National Institute for Health in the US, states that: "In the last century, [Western] diets have radically changed and we eat grossly fewer omega-3 fatty acids now. We also know that rates of depression have radically increased by perhaps a hundred-fold." As noted above, the correlation between omega3 fatty acids (more specifically, DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) and depression and other mental disorders has been discovered has in dozens of well respected research studies.
Further evidence can be seen in a Finnish study published in the Journal Psyciatric Services during 2001. This large scale study revealed that there was a significantly reduced chance of developing depressive symptoms if individuals consume fish rich in omega3 fatty acids on a regular basis.
A further study in 2003 which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that in elderly patients suffering with depression, there were significantly lower levels of omega3 fatty acids.
Omega Oil is a free, non-commercial resource for those looking to learn about the outstanding health benefits of the omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids
The research, published in the February issue of the journal, Biological Psychiatry, has actually shown that omega3 fatty acids and foods that are high in uridine were as good as (and often better than) anti-depressant drugs in reducing the symptoms of depression. The unpredictability of anti-depressant drugs has caused much concern for many years, with a large number of doctors and patients questioning their use, and raising concerns about the negative (rather than positive) effects they can cause.
Recently, both Merck and GlaxoSmithKlein (manufacturers of Paxil and Vioxx respectively) have been taken to court over withheld research results which show that antidepressant drugs cause children to behave violently and can increase the likelihood of suicide by up to 400%.
This has resulted in the FDA in the US announcing that it will ensure that all anti-depressant drugs manufacturers must include a 'black box' warning label on all antidepressant medications. The European Union has also warned its member states about the risks associated to antidepressant drugs, particularly since the Journal of the American Medical Association published a review of the 102 clinical trials on anti-depressants which showed that results are frequently misreported or hidden.
Based upon this, and other related studies, there now seems to be a large amount of solid, trustworthy evidence to suggest that there is no longer a need to rely upon drugs to treat and prevent depression.
Omega3 Fatty Acids Can Help Prevent and Treat Depression
A high-profile article in 1999, published by the Harvard University, put omega3 in the mental health limelight by offering solid proof that fish oil could significantly reduce the effects of bipolar disorders.
Individuals who had been condemned to years of high-strength, high-risk pharmaceuticals began to switch to courses of omega3 supplementation. This article built upon the findings of a study published in The Lancet which correlated the results of an earlier cross-cultural study into the incidence of depression across ten nations with the consumption of omega3 fatty acids derived from fish. This study showed a strong correlation between the nations where depression was far less frequent and the average intake of omega3 fatty acids.
These findings were then further strengthened by a 2003 research study which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. These results, which compared similar cross-national epidemiological data, offered further proof to strengthen the link between omega3 fatty acids and their role in treating and preventing depression and other mental disorders.
Omega3 is an essential fatty acid which is prevalent in flaxseed, pumpkin seed, almonds, many green leafy vegetables and walnuts (more on omega3 fatty acids).
They are known as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) as the body is not able to synthesise them by itself and relies upon food sources and their health benefits include increased energy, protection against degenerative diseases, a strengthened immune system, and increased brain function.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid -- a component of omega-3 fatty acids) is essential for developing and protecting the gray matter of the human brain and the retina of the eye, and is used in every cell in the body. Research has shown it to be vital at every stage of human life, beginning in utero.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Depression
Many researchers have correlated the decrease in our daily diets of omega3's and the increase in degenerative diseases (such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases) and mental illness.
Researchers such as Udo Erasmus cite the huge increase in the intake of highly refined saturated fats and a huge decrease in the consumption of essential fatty acids as the defining factor in the corresponding rise in the number of people diagnosed with degenerative diseases and mental illness over the past century.
Similarly, Dr Joseph Hibbeln of the National Institute for Health in the US, states that: "In the last century, [Western] diets have radically changed and we eat grossly fewer omega-3 fatty acids now. We also know that rates of depression have radically increased by perhaps a hundred-fold." As noted above, the correlation between omega3 fatty acids (more specifically, DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) and depression and other mental disorders has been discovered has in dozens of well respected research studies.
Further evidence can be seen in a Finnish study published in the Journal Psyciatric Services during 2001. This large scale study revealed that there was a significantly reduced chance of developing depressive symptoms if individuals consume fish rich in omega3 fatty acids on a regular basis.
A further study in 2003 which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that in elderly patients suffering with depression, there were significantly lower levels of omega3 fatty acids.
Omega Oil is a free, non-commercial resource for those looking to learn about the outstanding health benefits of the omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids
Saturday, March 22, 2008
How to fight against Depression...
Depression can have many, many faces. If you are not aware of your feelings and emotions on a daily basis then it can creep up on you and cause misery in your life when you least expect it.
We get sad when we fail in our exams, when we're rejected by the person we love, or when someone very close to us passes away. Depression, however, could be more fatal than just plain sadness. It could cause life-long consequences that could ruin your self-esteem, your health, and your well-being.
Here are some excellent tips for conquering depression and to help you get the most enjoyment out of your daily activities.
1. Be Certain of Your Future Goals
If you have no goals then the future will seem uncertain. This will create anxiety and just add to the problem. Having goals gives you something to look forward to in life. They drive us on and create a desire for life. Keep your focus on your goals.
2. Keep a Journal.
Every day, write down your deepest feelings. Say what you want to say. Get it out of your head and onto paper. Don't hold back. This is a very therapeutic way to pull yourself back up. Keep writing down whatever comes into your mind and very soon you will feel your mood start to improve. Done properly, this method can create dramatic changes in emotion.
3. Get Enough Light and Sunshine.
Lack of exposure to sunlight is responsible for the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which could trigger a dispirited mood and a lethargic condition.
Melatonin is only produced in the dark. It lowers the body temperature and makes you feel sluggish. If you are always cooped up in your room (with the curtains closed), it would be difficult to restrain yourself from staying in bed.
This is the reason why many people are suffering from depression much more often in winter than in the other seasons. It's because the nights are longer.
If you can't go outdoors to get some sunshine, you can always lighten up your room with brighter lights. Have lunch outside the office. Take frequent walks instead of driving your car over short distances.
4. Keep Busy. Get Inspired About Something.
It's a fact that people are happiest when they are producing something. Do some activity that you have always wanted to do. Live a life full of inspired activities.
What is it that you really love to do? What are you passionate about?. Taking a nice walk in the park, playing sports, reading books, or listening to some soothing music.
5. Make Some Time For Yourself.
Yes its True.
Listen to soothing music. Soak in a nice warm bath. Ask one of your close friends to massage you. Take a break from your stressful workload and spend the day just goofing around. In other words, have fun.
6. Eat Healthy and Exercise Regularly.
Avoid foods with lots of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol. Sugar and caffeine may give you a brief moment of energy; but they would later bring about anxiety , tension, and internal problems. Alcohol is a depressant. Many people drink alcohol to "forget their problems." It never works. The ONLY way to handle problems is to confront them. Describe your problems in your journal fully. If you really face them the right solution might appear.
Exercising regularly is a vital depression buster.
7. Increase Your Social Life.
Your friends are there to give you moral support. Spending time and engaging in worthwhile activities with your friends could give you a very satisfying feeling. Nothing feels better than having group support.
Get intimate. Establish close ties with your family and friends. The love you get from others is very satisfying. In times of depression having stable influences around you is comforting.
We get sad when we fail in our exams, when we're rejected by the person we love, or when someone very close to us passes away. Depression, however, could be more fatal than just plain sadness. It could cause life-long consequences that could ruin your self-esteem, your health, and your well-being.
Here are some excellent tips for conquering depression and to help you get the most enjoyment out of your daily activities.
1. Be Certain of Your Future Goals
If you have no goals then the future will seem uncertain. This will create anxiety and just add to the problem. Having goals gives you something to look forward to in life. They drive us on and create a desire for life. Keep your focus on your goals.
2. Keep a Journal.
Every day, write down your deepest feelings. Say what you want to say. Get it out of your head and onto paper. Don't hold back. This is a very therapeutic way to pull yourself back up. Keep writing down whatever comes into your mind and very soon you will feel your mood start to improve. Done properly, this method can create dramatic changes in emotion.
3. Get Enough Light and Sunshine.
Lack of exposure to sunlight is responsible for the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which could trigger a dispirited mood and a lethargic condition.
Melatonin is only produced in the dark. It lowers the body temperature and makes you feel sluggish. If you are always cooped up in your room (with the curtains closed), it would be difficult to restrain yourself from staying in bed.
This is the reason why many people are suffering from depression much more often in winter than in the other seasons. It's because the nights are longer.
If you can't go outdoors to get some sunshine, you can always lighten up your room with brighter lights. Have lunch outside the office. Take frequent walks instead of driving your car over short distances.
4. Keep Busy. Get Inspired About Something.
It's a fact that people are happiest when they are producing something. Do some activity that you have always wanted to do. Live a life full of inspired activities.
What is it that you really love to do? What are you passionate about?. Taking a nice walk in the park, playing sports, reading books, or listening to some soothing music.
5. Make Some Time For Yourself.
Yes its True.
Listen to soothing music. Soak in a nice warm bath. Ask one of your close friends to massage you. Take a break from your stressful workload and spend the day just goofing around. In other words, have fun.
6. Eat Healthy and Exercise Regularly.
Avoid foods with lots of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol. Sugar and caffeine may give you a brief moment of energy; but they would later bring about anxiety , tension, and internal problems. Alcohol is a depressant. Many people drink alcohol to "forget their problems." It never works. The ONLY way to handle problems is to confront them. Describe your problems in your journal fully. If you really face them the right solution might appear.
Exercising regularly is a vital depression buster.
7. Increase Your Social Life.
Your friends are there to give you moral support. Spending time and engaging in worthwhile activities with your friends could give you a very satisfying feeling. Nothing feels better than having group support.
Get intimate. Establish close ties with your family and friends. The love you get from others is very satisfying. In times of depression having stable influences around you is comforting.
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