Category Archives: Health

Depression Treatment: Antidepressants Not Enough, Male Suicide Rising

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Greg Asseff

The death of legendary comedian Robin Williams last week has once again shone a light on difficult and complicated topics: depression and suicide. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 14.8 million Americans over the age of 18 are affected by major depressive disorder. This comes out to about 6.7 percent of the adult population. The number of people in the U.S. that suffer from any anxiety disorder totals a whopping 40 million adults. Depression is also a major risk factor for suicide, which claimed 39,518 lives in 2011. This makes it the 10th most common cause of death in the U.S. Also, it’s estimated that Americans spend $42 billion per year on anxiety and depression treatment. But is it working? New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that antidepressants alone may not be effective enough.

Posted in Health, Medical, Men, Mental Health, News, Studies | 137 Comments

Study Finds Link Between Exercise and Brainpower in Kids

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Greg Asseff

The importance of exercise for children cannot be overstated. Physical activity helps kids raise HDL (“good” cholesterol), reduce blood pressure, reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, and lower the risk of diabetes. Exercise can also improve a child’s psychological well-being by potentially helping them gain self-confidence and self-esteem. Perhaps most importantly, though, exercise can help control body weight and help protect a child against obesity – an epidemic that affected 18 percent of children aged 6 to 11 in 2012 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The health problems for which obesity increases risk are numerous and well known: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea and poor self esteem, just to name a few. Also, it seems as though things could be getting even more dire for the most obese children.

Posted in Exercise, Health, News, Parenting, Studies, Weight Loss | 4,174 Comments

Researchers Deeply Divided Over Salt Consumption

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Greg Asseff

The most recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine contains three separate studies regarding salt, and the findings range from predictable to downright controversial. The first study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, concluded that 1.65 million deaths across 66 countries in 2010 could be attributed to cardiovascular problems stemming from salt consumption of over 2.0 g per day. The second study examined sodium excretions in over 100,000 people from 18 countries. It concluded that the association between sodium consumption and high blood pressure was most pronounced in the elderly, people with hypertension, and those who consume more than 6.0 grams of salt per day. The third study, on the other hand, concluded that consuming too little salt could also lead to cardiovascular events. It is this study that’s causing an uproar.

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Medical, News, Nutrition, Studies | 9 Comments

Women, African Americans Hit Hardest By Heart Disease Risk Factors

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Physicians often split heart disease risk factors into two categories: modifiable and non-modifiable. Non-modifiable risk factors include things that cannot be changed such as age, family history, ethnic origin and gender. On the other hand, modifiable factors represent things that a person generally has some control over. These factors can include hypertension, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, tobacco use, diabetes, poor diet, alcohol consumption, stress, ingesting certain medicines, and being poor (although some would argue that financial status is non-modifiable in certain parts of the world). According to a new report from the American Heart Association, it’s now thought that women and African Americans are more highly affected by the non-modifiable heart disease risk factors. Also, while the gender gap seems to be narrowing, the gap between races may be increasing.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Studies, Women | 267 Comments

Diabetes Sufferers Could Benefit From Interval Training

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Physical activity is a very common part of diabetes treatment. Type 2 sufferers are often advised to maintain a regular exercise program in order to lose weight and control blood sugar. In addition, exercise can strengthen muscles, lower blood pressure, improve circulation, reduce stress, lower LDL levels and boost energy, all of which are important for diabetes sufferers. Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, as well as for heart disease and stroke. So, getting exercise for the treatment of diabetes may also help prevent these other deadly conditions.

The best types of exercises for diabetics are still being determined, however. The American Diabetes Association recommends focusing on strength training in addition to aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, bicycling, dancing, swimming, hiking, tennis and so on.