The Forgotten Five-Minute Mindful Mood Booster
It happened again today. I forgot to go outside.
I don’t mean I completely forgot to go outside, but I forgot to do my Five-Minute Mindful Mood Booster.
Green Exercise
Ever since I discovered the research that showed that the first five minutes of light exercise in nature delivers the biggest mood booster of time spent outside, I realized what a realistic mindfulness practice it is for even the busiest person.
It’s true. The green exercise research program at the University of Essex (UK) has started to quantify some of these health benefits.
“The research has involved a range of different types of natur...
Source: World of Psychology - February 11, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Kellie Edwards Tags: Exercise & Fitness Habits Happiness Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Mindfulness Personal Research Self-Help Habit Formation Light therapy Mood Disorder Mood Swings Relaxation Self Care Source Type: blogs
The Forgotten Five Minute Mindful Mood Booster
It happened again today. I forgot to go outside.
I don’t mean I completely forgot to go outside, but I forgot to do my Five Minute Mindful Mood Booster.
Green Exercise
Ever since I discovered the research that showed that the first five minutes of light exercise in nature delivered the biggest mood booster of time spent outside, I realized what a realistic mindfulness practice it was for even the busiest person.
It’s true. The green exercise research program at the University of Essex (UK) has started to quantify some of these health benefits.
“The research has involved a range of different types of natu...
Source: World of Psychology - February 11, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Kellie Edwards Tags: Exercise & Fitness Habits Happiness Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Mindfulness Personal Research Self-Help Habit Formation Light therapy Mood Disorder Mood Swings Relaxation Self Care Source Type: blogs
Let the sun shine: Mind your mental health this winter
Although the winter season begins with a bit of holiday cheer, many people feel a little “off” as the cold weather drags on. I’ve already seen a few patients who are puzzled by how easily they become irritated. “Is there something wrong with me?” “Why am I so unhappy?” Often, their bodies are just responding to the darker and colder days.
We are governed by circadian rhythms, our body’s natural clock that helps regulate important functions including sleep/wake cycles and mood. These rhythms can be thrown off by the winter season.1 The sky gets bright later in the morning, and dark earlier in the evening; ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - January 23, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Dominic Wu, MD Tags: Anxiety and Depression Brain and cognitive health Mental Health SAD seasonal depression Source Type: blogs
Changing Cancer Care at Stanford Medicine X
The past weekend we spent at Stanford Medicine X, listening to interesting and inspiring talks, and interacting with a diverse group of people and the ideas they brought with them. The event is designed to bring people from all aspects of medical care, including doctors and nurses, patients and caretakers, insurance reps, hospital administrators, policy makers, product designers, and many others. It was somewhat overwhelming, but because different rooms were used to host presentations in parallel we were able to choose which discussions to attend.
Being a medical technology site, we were particularly interested in hearing ...
Source: Medgadget - September 19, 2016 Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Editors Tags: Exclusive Oncology Psychiatry Source Type: blogs
10 Ways to Prevent Mania and Hypomania
Bipolar disorder is one of the most difficult illnesses to treat because by addressing the depression part of the illness, you can inadvertently trigger mania or hypomania. Even in Bipolar II, where the hypomania is less destabilizing than the often-psychotic manic episodes of Bipolar I, persons often experience from a debilitating depression that can’t be lifted by mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. Antidepressants, though, can cause a person with bipolar to cycle between hypomania and depression.
I have worked with psychiatrists who were too afraid of cycling to risk using antidepressants for bipolar patients. They p...
Source: World of Psychology - July 29, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Bipolar Mania Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Sleep Antidepressant Antipsychotic Bipolar Disorder Depression Hypomania Mood Disorder Mood Stabilizers Rapid Cycling Sleep Deprivation Sleep Hygiene Source Type: blogs
Poor Quality Sleep: A Silent Source of Disability in Breast Cancer
The post below ran on Huffington Post Healthy Living on May 13. It is authored by Hrayr Attarian, MD, FACCP, FAASM, Member of the Society for Women’s Health Rearch Network on Sleep and Associate Professor of Neurology, Northwestern University, Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Research Lab for the Society for Women’s Health Interdisciplinary Network on Sleep.
Poor quality sleep is a major contributor to reduced quality of life and can have a negative impact on mood and energy, cognition, metabolic and immunological function, as well as lead to weight gain [3].
Sleep-related complaints are quite common in women with b...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - July 14, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Cancer Source Type: blogs
Pain Medicine News - Massive Research Project Targets Chronic Pain in the Military
Spanning five years, costing almost $22 million and spread across 13 separate research trials nationwide, several federal agencies are tackling head-on the mounting problem of how to treat chronic pain in the U.S. military without exacerbating the country's opioid abuse problem.
The new research program, spearheaded by the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development Division, will look at non-drug approaches for treating chroni...
Source: Psychology of Pain - October 10, 2014 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs
9 Habits of Highly Effective Psychiatrists
Having seen a half dozen psychiatrists in town, I can appreciate the differences in bedside manners, communication styles, and psychiatric strategies.
I also know what makes a person a good psychiatrist, a mediocre one, and one that should have been held back in medical school, without a license to dole out antipsychotics and other powerful drugs to vulnerable patients.
Here are a few things I look for in a doctor, qualities that set them apart from your average psychiatrist.
1. Possesses some humility.
Nothing is more dangerous than a doctor who thinks he holds the secret to your mental health, who is convinced he is ...
Source: World of Psychology - March 3, 2014 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Caregivers General Psychiatry Treatment Clinical Psychology Doctor Patient Relationship Hypothyroidism Hypovitaminosis D Mental Health Professional Physical Therapy Physician Psychiatrist Source Type: blogs
Telltale Signs It’s Time to Treat Your Depression
Depression is a serious illness with varying degrees. When it’s mild, it makes some areas of a person’s life challenging, according to Deborah Serani, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating mood disorders.
Mild depression typically doesn’t require professional help. It usually abates with holistic methods, such as exercise, meditation and light therapy, she said.
When it’s moderate, it significantly hampers daily life. When it’s severe, it becomes life threatening and requires immediate intervention, she said.
“Without oversimplifying things too much, I generally look at how much your sympto...
Source: World of Psychology - March 1, 2014 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: Depression Disorders General Mental Health and Wellness Self-Esteem Self-Help Stress Deborah Serani Depression (mood) Depressive Symptoms Fatigue Illness Lee H. Coleman Major Depressive Disorder Mild Depression Mood Disorder Source Type: blogs
Trying to Overcome
My husband gave me an iPad for Valentine's Day and I'm trying to get used to the keyboard so I am begging for patience!I traded in my car for a Range Rover Sport. It's absolutely ridiculous when you get stuck in snow half a block from your house because the roads haven't been plowed yet!My therapist is doing phone sessions with me now. I had my first one last week and today will be my second. It helps tremendously talking to someone who understands and gives suggestions. One suggestion was light therapy so I bought one of those things that reminds me of a very bright lite-brite but have only used it once.I asked my husband...
Source: bipolar.and.me - February 15, 2014 Category: Mental Illness Source Type: blogs
Best of Our Blogs: December 31, 2013
“If you are depressed, you are living in the Past. If you are anxious, living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the moment.” – Lao Tzu
Happy New Year’s Eve! Or should I say a not so happy 2014?
When we’re remorseful about the past, we’re depressed. When we’re worried about the future, we’re anxious. Anxiety and depression are two sides of the same time coin. And since the end of the year also brings reflection and contemplation, it’s makes us vulnerable to both.
For those of us who are extra sensitive to mental illness, it’s important to make a ...
Source: World of Psychology - December 31, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Brandi-Ann Uyemura, M.A. Tags: Best of Our Blogs anxiety Bipolar Disorder Depression Guilt Improving your relationship Major Depressive Disorder Mental Disorder New Year New Year's Day New Year's Eve Psychology The Psychology of Success Source Type: blogs
Are You Struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — sometimes known as the “winter blues” — is an “equal-opportunity oppressor,” according to Norman Rosenthal, M.D., in his comprehensive book Winter Blues Survival Guide: A Workbook for Overcoming SAD. This form of clinical depression affects people of all ages — even kids — races and ethnic groups.
Fortunately, SAD is highly treatable. One of the keys to managing the disorder is knowing your personal pattern of symptoms. This plays a big role in how you’ll treat your disorder.
For instance, if your symptoms last during several months of winter, t...
Source: World of Psychology - October 29, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: Antidepressant Books Depression Disorders General Medications Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Treatment Bupropion Major Depressive Disorder Sad Seasonal Affective Disorder Solstice Sunlight Winter Blues Winter Depressi Source Type: blogs
6 Ways to Manage Autumn Anxiety
The leaves are beautiful with their foliage, the air is fresh after an oppressing heat. Football games begin, as do new school years. But you are filled with anxiety.
Autumn can provoke anxiety for many people. It’s a season of transition, which is anxiety-provoking in itself, and a transition toward winter, the season with the shortest days.
Try to collect a handful of tools like these that you can use as the leaves fall and the anxiety rises.
1. Breathe.
You’re already doing it, yes. But are you doing it in a way that reduces anxiety? Your body releases 70 percent of its toxins through breathing. When you breathe...
Source: World of Psychology - September 22, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Anxiety and Panic Brain and Behavior Disorders General Mental Health and Wellness Psychology Self-Help 60 Minutes Amygdala autumn Autumn Leaves Bloodstream Brain Wave Activity Breaths Circadian Rhythm Deep Breathing Flat Sc Source Type: blogs
iGrow Hair Growth System from Apira Science Gets FDA Green Light
Apira Science of Boca Raton, Florida received FDA 510(k) approval for its iGrow hair growth system for men with androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness. The system purports to reverse hair loss by projecting red light onto the scalp using a laser and LEDs built into the helmet-like device, what the company calls Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT).
The therapy takes four to six months of wearing the cap in the privacy of your home, something you’ll appreciate since others might think you’re wearing a high-tech tin-foil hat. It has a standard 3.5 mm connector to plug in your phone or music player, so you can ...
Source: Medgadget - August 1, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Editors Tags: in the news... Source Type: blogs
DermDoctor Busted for Misleading Light Lotion Claims
A while back we wrote about DermDoctor’s PhotoDynamic Therapy Lotion that supposedly mimics red light therapy. We were highly skeptical at the time and now it seems we’re not the only ones. A recent ruling by the NAD (National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau) has asked DermDoctor to revise their claims for this product.
Specifically, the NAD has a problem with claims that suggest the product offers the same benefits as professional light treatments. (Promoting the product as a “moisturizer” and broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen is fine.)
Here’s just one of the claims that DermDoctor ...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - February 23, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: thebeautybrains Tags: Questions Source Type: blogs
