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New wellness center lets guests cuddle with cows
Cow cuddling is getting ever more popular, but what's the science behind using animals for relaxation?
27 February, 2021
- An Indian non-profit hopes to help people relax by giving them cuddle sessions with cows.
- This is not the first such center where you can chill out with cattle.
- Like other emotional support animals, the proven health benefits are limited.
<p> Comfort and emotional support animals are increasingly popular all over the world. While most people turn to their dog or cat for comfort, some more outlandish choices have also been made, including <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/emotional-support-peacock-barred-from-united-flight/#x" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">peacocks</a>, <a href="https://bestlifeonline.com/emotional-support-animals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">monkeys</a>, and <a href="https://www.bphope.com/pets/7-unusual-emotional-support-animals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">snakes</a>. While the merits of using an animal for emotional support are debated, some people claim to gain a great deal of comfort from their animal and turn to them for relaxation and support that they cannot find elsewhere. </p><p>Taking advantage of the trend, a non-profit in India is offering people the chance to cuddle with cattle at a new therapy center dedicated to improving human health. </p>
Who needs a therapy dog when you can hug a cow?
<p> Located outside of the Indian city of Gurugram, the new Cow Cuddling Centre will be run by a non-profit <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/ngo-launches-cow-cuddling-therapy-center-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">headed</a> by the former Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India, SP Gupta.</p><p>Pitched as a way to escape the stresses of modern life and "forget all your problems," the founders of the establishment have high hopes for it, suggesting that spending time with the cows can cure "respiratory diseases, blood pressure, spinal pain, heart problem, depression but also sadness, anxiety and all kinds of tensions" in a <a href="https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/cow-science-exam-may-be-postponed-but-an-ngo-is-launching-a-cow-cuddling-centre-in-haryana-535024.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">press statement</a>.</p><p>While you might be thinking that cow cuddling only exists in India because of the cultural importance placed on the animal there, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20201008-is-cow-hugging-the-worlds-new-wellness-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Dutch beat them to it.</a> Cow cuddling farms exist in the United States as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/style/self-care/cow-cuddling-therapy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">well</a>.</p>Is there any science behind the idea of cuddling with a cow over a more traditional, travel-sized pet?
<iframe width="730" height="430" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QG3fOOT7xWQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe><p> Like many claims about emotional support animals of any kind, there is a limited amount of data on this.</p><p>What studies do exist on emotional support animals are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08927936.2015.11435396" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">small</a>, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15228932.2013.765734" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">limited</a>, and should be considered to be the beginnings of more extensive <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1479-8301.2009.00268.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">studies</a> which will settle the question of how much help these animals can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5127627/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">provide</a>. This is different from work on well-trained service animals, which are <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/neurorehabilitation/nre1345" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">proven</a> to be very <a href="http://www.cf4aass.org/uploads/1/8/3/2/18329873/psd_and_veterans_living_with_ptsd_-_gillett_march_23_2014_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">helpful</a> when doing the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229913002148" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tasks</a> they are specially trained for. <br></p><p>Regarding cows, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20201008-is-cow-hugging-the-worlds-new-wellness-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BBC</a> suggests that chilling with cows can cause relaxation by boosting oxytocin levels in humans, though they do not cite a specific study supporting that stance. One often-referenced study from several years back suggests the cows might like and get relaxation out of cuddling <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159107000445" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">too</a>.<br></p><p>However, Dr. <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/michael-ungar-phd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael Ungar</a> suggests in this <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/nurturing-resilience/202001/cuddle-cow-the-new-psychotherapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Psychology Today</a> article that cow cuddling might be comparable to equine therapy, which, while also lacking in rigorous scientific support, does seem to provide some people certain benefits.</p><p>The news magazine <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/cuddling-a-cow-the-latest-wellness-trend-1764558-2021-01-31" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">India Today </a>featured a brief interview with professor Ritu Dangwal, who also suggests that cow cuddling might have some benefits:</p><p> "As a psychologist and someone who herself experienced it, being with cows is extremely therapeutic. We are stuck in a rat race and our anxiety is at an all-time high. Being with an emotive animal, one that has no judgement and loves unconditionally, does wonders."</p><p>What relaxes some people might be somewhat surprising to others or difficult to generalize in a scientific study. While you might not get prescribed a day in the pasture anytime soon, cow cuddling is an increasingly popular way to relax that gets people back into nature and interacting with animals in a way that many of us rarely get the chance to. While the science isn't quite all there, some people might find it worth the time.</p><p>Just be sure to wear closed-toed shoes if you go.</p>
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How tiny bioelectronic implants may someday replace pharmaceutical drugs
Scientists are using bioelectronic medicine to treat inflammatory diseases, an approach that capitalizes on the ancient "hardwiring" of the nervous system.
24 February, 2021
Credit: Adobe Stock / SetPoint Medical
Left: The vagus nerve, the body's longest cranial nerve. Right: Vagus nerve stimulation implant by SetPoint Medical.
- Bioelectronic medicine is an emerging field that focuses on manipulating the nervous system to treat diseases.
- Clinical studies show that using electronic devices to stimulate the vagus nerve is effective at treating inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
- Although it's not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, vagus nerve stimulation may also prove effective at treating other diseases like cancer, diabetes and depression.
<p>Could a tiny electronic device treat some diseases more safely and effectively than pharmaceutical medicines?</p><p>For Kelly Owens, the answer was clear. She spent more than a decade suffering from Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that left her with severe arthritis in her joints. The pain forced her to use a cane, sometimes a wheelchair. She tried more than 20 medications and racked up more than $1 million in medical bills, but her condition didn't improve.</p><p>A physician told Owens and her husband that they shouldn't have children, and that she'd have to take steroids for life.</p><p>Then Owens turned to bioelectronic medicine. She reached out to Dr. Kevin Tracey, a pioneer in the field and president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in New York. Soon after, Owens and her husband moved to Amsterdam to participate in a clinical trial involving a relatively new bioelectronic approach to treat inflammation.</p><p>Doctors implanted a small electronic device in her chest that stimulated her vagus nerve, the body's longest cranial nerve. After two weeks, Owens didn't need the cane or wheelchair. Soon she was jogging on a treadmill.</p><p>A growing body of research within bioelectronic medicine shows it's possible to treat diseases by manipulating the nervous system. The field is essentially a fusion of neuroscience, molecular biology and neurotechnology. Dr. Tracey and his colleagues think the field may someday replace or supplement many pharmaceutical drugs used to treat major diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's.</p><p>But how? The answer centers on how the nervous system controls molecular processes in the body.</p>
<blockquote>...the most revolutionary aspect of bioelectronic medicine, according to Dr. Tracey, is that approaches like vagus nerve stimulation wouldn't come with harmful and potentially deadly side effects, as many pharmaceutical drugs currently do.</blockquote>
The nervous system’s ancient reflexes
<p>You accidentally place your hand on a hot stove. Almost instantaneously, your hand withdraws.</p><p>What triggered your hand to move? The answer is <em>not</em> that you consciously decided the stove was hot and you should move your hand. Rather, it was a reflex: Skin receptors on your hand sent nerve impulses to the spinal cord, which ultimately sent back motor neurons that caused your hand to move away. This all occurred before your "conscious brain" realized what happened.</p><p>Similarly, the nervous system has reflexes that protect individual cells in the body.</p><p>"The nervous system evolved because we need to respond to stimuli in the environment," said Dr. Tracey. "Neural signals don't come from the brain down first. Instead, when something happens in the environment, our peripheral nervous system senses it and sends a signal to the central nervous system, which comprises the brain and spinal cord. And then the nervous system responds to correct the problem."</p><p>So, what if scientists could "hack" into the nervous system, manipulating the electrical activity in the nervous system to control molecular processes and produce desirable outcomes? That's the chief goal of bioelectronic medicine.</p><p>"There are billions of neurons in the body that interact with almost every cell in the body, and at each of those nerve endings, molecular signals control molecular mechanisms that can be defined and mapped, and potentially put under control," Dr. Tracey said in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJH9KsMKi5M" target="_blank">TED Talk</a>.</p><p>"Many of these mechanisms are also involved in important diseases, like cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, hypertension and shock. It's very plausible that finding neural signals to control those mechanisms will hold promises for devices replacing some of today's medication for those diseases."</p><p>How can scientists hack the nervous system? For years, researchers in the field of bioelectronic medicine have zeroed in on the longest cranial nerve in the body: the vagus nerve.</p><blockquote>What's more, clinical trials show that vagus nerve stimulation not only "shuts off" inflammation, but also triggers the production of cells that promote healing.</blockquote>
The vagus nerve
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTYyOTM5OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NTIwNzk0NX0.UCy-3UNpomb3DQZMhyOw_SQG4ThwACXW_rMnc9mLAe8/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&height=700" id="09add" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f38dbfbbfe470ad85a3b023dd5083557" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1245" data-height="700" />Electrical signals, seen here in a synapse, travel along the vagus nerve to trigger an inflammatory response.
Credit: Adobe Stock via solvod
<p>The vagus nerve ("vagus" meaning "wandering" in Latin) comprises two nerve branches that stretch from the brainstem down to the chest and abdomen, where nerve fibers connect to organs. Electrical signals constantly travel up and down the vagus nerve, facilitating communication between the brain and other parts of the body.</p><p>One aspect of this back-and-forth communication is inflammation. When the immune system detects injury or attack, it automatically triggers an inflammatory response, which helps heal injuries and fend off invaders. But when not deployed properly, inflammation can become excessive, exacerbating the original problem and potentially contributing to diseases.</p><p>In 2002, Dr. Tracey and his colleagues discovered that the nervous system plays a key role in monitoring and modifying inflammation. This occurs through a process called the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature01321" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inflammatory reflex</a>. In simple terms, it works like this: When the nervous system detects inflammatory stimuli, it reflexively (and subconsciously) deploys electrical signals through the vagus nerve that trigger anti-inflammatory molecular processes.</p><p>In rodent experiments, Dr. Tracey and his colleagues observed that electrical signals traveling through the vagus nerve control TNF, a protein that, in excess, causes inflammation. These electrical signals travel through the vagus nerve to the spleen. There, electrical signals are converted to chemical signals, triggering a molecular process that ultimately makes TNF, which exacerbates conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.</p><p>The incredible chain reaction of the inflammatory reflex was observed by Dr. Tracey and his colleagues in greater detail through rodent experiments. When inflammatory stimuli are detected, the nervous system sends electrical signals that travel through the vagus nerve to the spleen. There, the electrical signals are converted to chemical signals, which trigger the spleen to create a white blood cell called a T cell, which then creates a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. The acetylcholine interacts with macrophages, which are a specific type of white blood cell that creates TNF, a protein that, in excess, causes inflammation. At that point, the acetylcholine triggers the macrophages to stop overproducing TNF – or inflammation.</p><p>Experiments showed that when a specific part of the body is inflamed, specific fibers within the vagus nerve start firing. Dr. Tracey and his colleagues were able to map these relationships. More importantly, they were able to stimulate specific parts of the vagus nerve to "shut off" inflammation.</p><p>What's more, clinical trials show that vagus nerve stimulation not only "shuts off" inflammation, but also triggers the production of cells that promote healing.</p><p>"In animal experiments, we understand how this works," Dr. Tracey said. "And now we have clinical trials showing that the human response is what's predicted by the lab experiments. Many scientific thresholds have been crossed in the clinic and the lab. We're literally at the point of regulatory steps and stages, and then marketing and distribution before this idea takes off."<br></p>The future of bioelectronic medicine
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTYxMDYxMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNjQwOTExNH0.uBY1TnEs_kv9Dal7zmA_i9L7T0wnIuf9gGtdRXcNNxo/img.jpg?width=980" id="8b5b2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c005e615e5f23c2817483862354d2cc4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="2000" data-height="1125" />Vagus nerve stimulation can already treat Crohn's disease and other inflammatory diseases. In the future, it may also be used to treat cancer, diabetes, and depression.
Credit: Adobe Stock via Maridav
<p>Vagus nerve stimulation is currently awaiting approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, but so far, it's proven safe and effective in clinical trials on humans. Dr. Tracey said vagus nerve stimulation could become a common treatment for a wide range of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, hypertension, shock, depression and diabetes.</p><p>"To the extent that inflammation is the problem in the disease, then stopping inflammation or suppressing the inflammation with vagus nerve stimulation or bioelectronic approaches will be beneficial and therapeutic," he said.</p><p>Receiving vagus nerve stimulation would require having an electronic device, about the size of lima bean, surgically implanted in your neck during a 30-minute procedure. A couple of weeks later, you'd visit, say, your rheumatologist, who would activate the device and determine the right dosage. The stimulation would take a few minutes each day, and it'd likely be unnoticeable.</p><p>But the most revolutionary aspect of bioelectronic medicine, according to Dr. Tracey, is that approaches like vagus nerve stimulation wouldn't come with harmful and potentially deadly side effects, as many pharmaceutical drugs currently do.</p><p>"A device on a nerve is not going to have systemic side effects on the body like taking a steroid does," Dr. Tracey said. "It's a powerful concept that, frankly, scientists are quite accepting of—it's actually quite amazing. But the idea of adopting this into practice is going to take another 10 or 20 years, because it's hard for physicians, who've spent their lives writing prescriptions for pills or injections, that a computer chip can replace the drug."</p><p>But patients could also play a role in advancing bioelectronic medicine.</p><p>"There's a huge demand in this patient cohort for something better than they're taking now," Dr. Tracey said. "Patients don't want to take a drug with a black-box warning, costs $100,000 a year and works half the time."</p><p>Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, elaborated:</p><p>"Why would patients pursue a drug regimen when they could opt for a few electronic pulses? Is it possible that treatments like this, pulses through electronic devices, could replace some drugs in the coming years as preferred treatments? Tracey believes it is, and that is perhaps why the pharmaceutical industry closely follows his work."</p><p>Over the long term, bioelectronic approaches are unlikely to completely replace pharmaceutical drugs, but they could replace many, or at least be used as supplemental treatments.</p><p>Dr. Tracey is optimistic about the future of the field.</p><p>"It's going to spawn a huge new industry that will rival the pharmaceutical industry in the next 50 years," he said. "This is no longer just a startup industry. [...] It's going to be very interesting to see the explosive growth that's going to occur."</p>
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Could playing video games be linked to lower depression rates in kids?
Can playing video games really curb the risk of depression? Experts weigh in.
23 February, 2021
Previous studies have concluded there are some mental health benefits to playing video games.
Credit: TheVisualsYouNeed on Adobe Stock
- A new study published by a UCL researcher has demonstrated how different types of screen time can positively (or negatively) influence young people's mental health.
- Young boys who played video games daily had lower depression scores at age 14 compared to those who played less than once per month or never.
- The study also noted that more frequent video game use was consistently associated with fewer depressive symptoms in boys with lower physical activity, but not in those with high physical activity levels.
<p><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/abs/prospective-relationships-of-adolescents-screenbased-sedentary-behaviour-with-depressive-symptoms-the-millennium-cohort-study/1DE7A90DFF566E36742B141724673B47" target="_blank">A new study</a> published by a UCL researcher has demonstrated how different types of screen time can positively (or negatively) influence young people's mental health. The study suggests that boys who play video games frequently in early adolescence (around age 11) are less likely to develop depressive symptoms throughout the following years. Additional findings in this study suggest that girls who spend more time on social media appear to develop more depressive symptoms.</p><ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
How do video games and social media impact young kids?
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3NDY2Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjM5OTQwMn0.FUGlBVN0uGa9jYXpbSjHssFpcdJGcpM-hsA8vJb1mJc/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C488%2C0%2C111&height=700" id="d4200" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6a1be92721c981f409d8c9efb574fe45" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="two kids sitting on the couch playing video games together" data-width="1245" data-height="700" />The study gained interesting insight into the link between depression rates at age 14 and video game usage a few years earlier.
Credit: Pixel-Shot on Adobe Stock
<p>The study's lead author, Ph.D. student Aaron Kandola, explains to <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/ucl-bwp021721.php" target="_blank">Eurekalert</a>: "Screens allow us to engage in a wide range of activities. Guidelines and recommendations about screen time should be based on our understanding of how these different activities might influence mental health and whether that influence is meaningful."</p><p><strong>How this study was conducted: </strong></p><ul><li>These findings come as part of the Millennium Cohort Study, where over 11,000 (n = 11,341) adolescents were surveyed. </li><li>Depressive symptoms were measured with a Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (age 14). </li><li>"Exposures" were listed as the frequency of video games, social media, and internet usage (age 11). </li><li>Physical activity was also accounted for on a self-reporting basis. </li></ul><p><strong>When comparing young boys (age 11) who played video games to those who don't, the study showed interesting results: </strong></p><ul><li>Boys who played video games <strong>daily</strong> had 24.3 percent lower depression scores at age 14 (compared to those who played less than once per month or never). </li><li>Boys who played video games <strong>at least once per week</strong> had 25.1 percent lower depression scores at age 14 (compared to those who played less than once per month or never). </li><li>BOoys who played video games <strong>at least once per month</strong> had 31.2 percent lower depression scored at age 14 (compared to those who played less than once per month or never). </li></ul><p><strong>When comparing how depression impacted young girls based on their social media usage, the researchers found that:</strong></p><ul><li>Compared with less than once per month/never social media usage, using social media most days at age 11 was associated with a 13% higher depression score at age 14. </li></ul>Can playing video games actually be beneficial?
<p>There has been a lot of speculation in the past two decades about screen-time, social media, and video games. Whether it's <a href="https://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2003/10/anderson" target="_blank">linking video games to violence</a> and obesity or <a href="https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/#:~:text=In%20several%20recent%20studies%2C%20teenage,who%20spent%20the%20least%20time." target="_blank">linking social media to depression and anxiety</a> — this seems to be a controversial question. According to the research, the answer to this question is yes, video games can be beneficial in moderation when paired with physical activity and real-life application.</p><p><strong>Adding in some physical activity could be the difference between beneficial and harmful.</strong></p><p>The above-mentioned study also noted that more frequent video game use was consistently associated with fewer depressive symptoms in boys with lower physical activity, but not in those with high physical activity levels. </p><p><strong>Previous studies have concluded there are some mental health benefits to playing video games. </strong></p><p><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/16/health/video-games-mental-health-study-wellness-scli-intl/index.html#:~:text=It%20found%20that%20time%20spent,reporting%20that%20they%20felt%20happier.&text=%22In%20fact%2C%20play%20can%20be,withhold%20those%20benefits%20from%20players.%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A 2020 study</a> by the University of Oxford analyzed the impacts of playing two extremely popular games at the time: Nintendo's "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" and Electronic Arts' "Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville." The study used data and survey responses from over 3000 players in total — the games' developers shared anonymous data about people's playing habits, and the researchers surveyed those gamers separately about their well-being. </p><p><strong>Results of this study found that time spent playing these games was associated with players reporting that they felt happier. </strong></p><p>Additionally, previous studies (such as <a href="https://it.arizona.edu/blog/can-playing-video-games-make-you-smarter" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this University of Arizona study</a>) have linked video game usage with new learning opportunities: <em>"</em></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">Games like Minecraft are being used in more and more classrooms around the country. MinecraftEdu (recently purchased by Microsoft), allows teachers to structure a sandbox-style play environment around any curriculum. Students can work together to learn the scientific method, build farms, or take advantage of turtle robots to learn basic programming. Not only do these activities improve team-building skills, but they give students the chance to develop and practice technological literacy."</p><p><strong>"Everything in moderation" is an important factor in determining whether video game use is beneficial or harmful. </strong></p><p>While there can be some positive impacts from playing video games, research (such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6676913/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this study conducted in 2013</a>) has also shown that people who spend a predominant part of their day gaming are at risk of showing lower educational and career attainment in addition to problems with peers and lower social skills. </p>
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They don’t come as pills, but try these 6 underprescribed lifestyle medicines for a better, longer life
22 February, 2021
JULIO CESAR AGUILAR/AFP via Getty Images
The majority of Americans are stressed, sleep-deprived and overweight and suffer from largely preventable lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.
<p> Being overweight or obese contributes to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm" target="_blank">50% of adults who suffer high blood pressure</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/diabetes-prediabetes.htm" target="_blank">10% with diabetes and additional 35% with pre-diabetes</a>. And the costs are unaffordable and growing. About 90% of the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm" target="_blank">nearly $4 trillion</a> Americans spend annually for health care in the U.S. is for chronic diseases and mental health conditions. But there are new lifestyle “medicines" that are free that doctors could be prescribing for all their patients.</p><p><a href="https://www.lifestylemedicine.org/" target="_blank">Lifestyle medicine</a> is the clinical application of healthy behaviors to prevent, treat and reverse disease. More than ever, <a href="https://adventisthealthstudy.org/?rsource=publichealth.llu.edu/adventist-health-studies" target="_blank">research</a> <a href="https://www.nurseshealthstudy.org" target="_blank">underscores</a> <a href="https://sites.sph.harvard.edu/hpfs/">that</a> <a href="http://www.commissiononhealth.org/Home.aspx">the “pills"</a> today's physician should be prescribing for patients are the six domains of lifestyle medicine: whole food plant-based eating, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, addiction reduction or elimination, and positive psychology and social connection. </p><p>We are a primary care <a href="https://www.workpartnersblog.com/workpartners-thought-leaders-to-present-at-2019-health-benefits-conference-expo/" target="_blank">preventive medicine physician</a>
and a <a href="https://mirm-pitt.net/our-people/faculty-staff-bios/yoram-vodovotz-phd/" target="_blank">computational immunologist</a>, both committed to applying state-of-the-art research to <a href="https://www.ardmoreinstituteofhealth.org/lmrsummit" target="_blank">inform the clinical practice of lifestyle medicine</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.585744" target="_blank">Our findings and recommendations</a> were just published. We highlight the key take-home points for each of the areas below. </p><p> <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=595&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=595&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379039/original/file-20210115-15-17ils1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=595&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w"></a></p><p> Use the Healthy Eating Plate as an evidence-based guide for creating healthy, balanced meals.</p><p> <a class="source" href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/">©2011, Harvard University</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></p>
<h2>Whole-food, plant-based eating</h2><p>Diets high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and lower in animal products and highly processed foods have <a href="https://eatforum.org/content/uploads/2019/01/EAT-Lancet_Commission_Summary_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">been associated</a> <a href="http://doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.20.2569" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">with prevention</a> of many diseases. These diets have also <a href="http://doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.20.2569" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">improved health</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/17-025" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">and even reversed</a> common <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cardiovascular, metabolic, brain, hormonal, kidney and autoimmune diseases as well as 35% of all cancers</a>.</p><p>We believe that future research should include larger trials or new research methods with <a href="http://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2790" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">emphasis on quality of diet</a>. This would include more data on the micronutrient composition and protein sources of plant versus animal-based foods – not just proportion of fat, carbohydrates and protein. Such trials should include children, as many adult disorders are seeded as early as infancy or in utero.</p><h2>Regular physical activity</h2><p><a href="https://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/m0042984/m0042984.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">For decades, surgeon generals' guidelines</a> have emphasized that daily moderate-to-vigorous aerobic physical activity has both immediate and long-term health benefits. For example, why we age and the rate at which we age – chronological age versus biological age – is determined by multiple molecular processes that are directly influenced by physical activity. And now scientists are gaining a better understanding of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.011" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cellular and molecular changes that exercise</a> induces to reduce disease risk.</p><p>Research priorities for scientists and physicians include obtaining a deeper understanding of the type, intensity and frequency of activity, and better insights into the molecular and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.07.005" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cellular alterations</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.irn.2019.06.002" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">that occur with exercise</a>.</p>
<h2>Restorative sleep</h2><p>Sleep helps the cells, organs and entire body to function better. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Regular uninterrupted sleep</a> of seven hours per night for adults, eight to 10 hours for teenagers and 10 or more for children is necessary for <a href="https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.3298" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">good health</a>.</p><p>Though understudied, there is evidence that high-quality sleep can reduce <a href="https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.3298" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inflammation, immune dysfunction, oxidative stress, and epigenetic modification</a> of DNA, all of which are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1389-9457(08)70013-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">associated with or cause chronic disease</a>.</p><p>Therefore, research into the biological mechanisms that underlie the restorative properties of sleep could lead to environmental or population-based and policy approaches to better align our natural sleep patterns with the demands of daily life.</p>
<h2>Stress management</h2><p>Though some stress is beneficial, prolonged or extreme stress can overwhelm the brain and body. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2006.00450.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chronic stress increases the risk of cardiovascular disease</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cns.12490" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">irritable bowel disease</a>, <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2016.04.007" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">obesity</a>, depression, asthma, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders and obesity.</p><p>One of the most powerful mechanisms to reduce stress and enhance resilience is by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1917461" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">eliciting a relaxation response</a> using mind-body therapies and cognitive behavioral therapy.</p><p>More research is need to gain a better understanding of how these therapies work.</p><h2>Addiction reduction and elimination</h2><p>Many social, economic and environmental factors have fueled the national rise in substance abuse generally and, most tragically, the opioid epidemic.</p><p>Physicians and researchers are beginning to understand the underlying physiology and psychology of addiction.</p><p>Yet the <a href="https://doi.org/10.17226/25310" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">continued stigma and disjointed or absent access</a> to services remains a challenge. Clinicians and scientists need to explore how to predict who is more vulnerable to addiction and find ways of preventing it. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2018.1546862" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Treatment that incorporates integrated care</a> focused on all the patient's needs should be prioritized.</p>
<h2>Positive psychology and social connection</h2><p>Maintaining a positive mindset through the practice of gratitude and forgiveness has a significant impact on psychological and subjective well-being, which are, in turn, associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00082-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">physical health benefits</a>.</p><p>Social connectivity, namely the quantity and quality of our relationships, has perhaps <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674503816" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the most powerful health benefits</a>.</p><p>Conversely, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.119.3.488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">social isolation</a> – such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303431" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">living alone, having a small social network</a>, participating in few social activities, and feeling lonely – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1212/01.WNL.0000147473.04043.B3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">is associated with greater mortality</a>, increased morbidity, lower immune system function, depression and cognitive decline.</p><p>Further study is needed to uncover how an individual's biology and chemistry change for the better through more social interactions.</p>
<h2>Inflammation's role in lifestyle-related diseases</h2><p>Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors produce a vicious cycle of inflammation. While inflammation is a healthy, natural way the body fights infections, injury, and stress, too much inflammation actually promotes or exacerbates the diseases described above.</p><p>The inflammatory response is complex. We have been using machine learning and computer modeling to <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030565091" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">understand, predict, treat and reprogram inflammation</a> – to retain the healing elements while minimizing the detrimental more chronic ones. Scientists are unraveling new mechanisms that explain how chronic stress can turn genes on and off.</p>
<h2>Overcoming challenges and barriers</h2><p>We and others who study lifestyle medicine are now discussing how we can leverage all of these approaches to improve <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/585744/fmed-07-585744-HTML/image_m/fmed-07-585744-g001.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">clinical studies on the impacts</a> of lifestyle interventions.</p><p>At the same time we and our colleagues realize that there are environmental challenges and barriers that prevent many people from embracing these lifestyle fixes.</p><p>There are food deserts where healthier foods are not available or affordable. Unsafe neighborhoods, harmful chemicals and substances create constant stress. Poor education, poverty, cultural beliefs and racial and ethnic disparities and discrimination must be addressed for all people and patients to appreciate and embrace the six "pills."</p><p>The application of lifestyle medicines is particularly important now because unhealthy lifestyles have caused a pandemic of preventable chronic diseases that is now exacerbating the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827620950276" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">afflicts those with these conditions</a>.</p><p>Ask your doctor to <a href="https://www.guidetogoodhealth.com/Articles/LifestyleMedicine.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"prescribe" these six "pills"</a> for a longer and better life. After all, they're free, work better than or as well as medications and have no side effects!</p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yoram-vodovotz-1193610" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Yoram Vodovotz</a>, Professor of Surgery, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-pittsburgh-854" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Pittsburgh</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-parkinson-1193974" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael Parkinson</a>, Senior Medical Director of Health and Productivity, UPMC Health Plan & Workpartners, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-pittsburgh-854" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Pittsburgh</a></em></p><p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/they-dont-come-as-pills-but-try-these-6-underprescribed-lifestyle-medicines-for-a-better-longer-life-152791" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">original article</a>.</p>
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4 tips for college students to avoid procrastinating with their online work
More than 70% of college students procrastinate
18 February, 2021
Photo by Callum T on Unsplash
Personal Growth
If you take classes online, chances are you probably procrastinate from time to time.
<p>Research shows that <a href="https://doi.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-0663.99.1.12" target="_blank">more than 70%</a> of college students procrastinate, with about 20% consistently doing it all the time.</p><p>Procrastination is putting off starting or finishing a task despite knowing that it will seriously compromise the quality of your work – for instance, putting off a major class project until the last minute.</p><p>In fact, research has shown that procrastination can be a harmful behavior that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.02.038" target="_blank">lowers a student's grades</a>.</p><p>Now that so many colleges and universities are <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/11/17/colleges-end-person-instruction-early-due-covid-19-spread" target="_blank">operating remotely because of the COVID-19</a> pandemic, we worry that students are more prone to procrastinate because they have less access to campus facilities and structured support from instructors. We raise these concerns as researchers who study students' <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cBsh7i4AAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">motivation and engagement</a> and their <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=A_y6nEsAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">procrastination in online learning</a>.</p><p>As professors, we've also heard our fair share of explanations and excuses for why students missed deadlines. Everything from “my computer doesn't work" to “my Wi-Fi went dead." We even had one student claim that “Grandma died" in one course and that “Grandpa died" in another course. We also have had students claim that their roommate deleted their homework.</p><p>Whether you see those reasons as valid or not, none of them really gets at why students procrastinate and end up in those kinds of situations in the first place. With that in mind, here are four tips that can help students deal better with the root causes of procrastination when it comes to online coursework.</p>
<h2>1. Manage motivation</h2><p>One of the main reasons students procrastinate is that they do not see their coursework as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.10.012" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">relevant</a> to what they're doing now or expect to do later on. When students find that their academic tasks are interesting, important and useful, they are more likely to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2190/7BAK-EGAH-3MH1-K7C6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">try harder to get them done</a> and less likely to <a href="http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1565872460207536" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">put them off</a>.</p><p>Remote learning can make students feel <a href="https://doi.org/10.46627/silet.v1i2.38" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">bored and frustrated</a>. Therefore, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608016300905" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">finding ways to stay motivated</a> can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608017302248?casa_token=jRn5aLqwA_EAAAAA:Pl3xnbkG7llxOvII1vRTkr6OhZwdjB4KbxKyujIsL8BiPLHsSWLoDbOGK4uMWFogD4zgzJRhpw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">prevent procrastination</a>.</p><p>Remind yourself of the practical value of your academic tasks. Figure out the reasons you're studying something in the first place.</p><p>For instance, instead of viewing the completion of an assignment as a way to fulfill course requirements, you can think about how to turn your coursework into something related to your life or career goals. For a computer science student, a programming assignment could be made a part of your portfolio to help secure an internship or even a job – as some of our own students have done. A research report could be turned into an academic journal article to enhance your profile when applying for graduate school in the future.</p>
<h2>2. Manage goals, tasks and time</h2><p>College life can get hectic. Many college students must juggle coursework, social events and work commitments at the same time. <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0033-2909.133.1.65" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Getting more organized</a> helps stave off procrastination. This means breaking long-term goals into smaller short-term, challenging and clear goals and tasks.</p><p>The reason this technique works is that procrastination is directly related to an individual's <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/full/10.5465/AMR.2006.22527462?casa_token=z3rky_w4kkUAAAAA%3ASvKRFFdr7H-CACuzH0q7hnOibo2_J71L4t-iUJegIVyP1vxXLApXV_dqKFQHsaxCLOrbPpg2Flyw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">preference and desire</a> for working on a task. When a goal is too large, it becomes not immediately achievable; therefore, you will see this task as less desirable and be more likely to put it off.</p><p>By breaking a large long-term goal into a series of smaller and more concrete subgoals, you will see the project as <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1990-97846-000?cid=SEM_DIR0016&con=13833&pkw=morningstar25252525252525252520direct&elqCampaignId=6282&prd=cloud&cap=research252525252525252520portal&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9KfZioi33AIVyLTtCh07gw7KEAAYASAAEgLGF_D_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">easier to complete</a> and, more importantly, your perceived distance to the finishing line will shorten. This way, you are more likely to perceive the project as <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/full/10.5465/AMR.2006.22527462?casa_token=z3rky_w4kkUAAAAA%3ASvKRFFdr7H-CACuzH0q7hnOibo2_J71L4t-iUJegIVyP1vxXLApXV_dqKFQHsaxCLOrbPpg2Flyw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">desirable</a>, and you will be less likely to procrastinate.</p><p>Second, you need to plan your time daily by listing tasks based on their importance and urgency, estimating how much time you need to complete each task, and identifying concrete steps to reach daily goals. That is, tell yourself that in the context of X, I will need to do Y to accomplish Z.</p><p>It is also important to plan your time according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980309600625" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">how and when you prefer to study</a>. For example, you may concentrate the most late at night, your memory may work the best in the early mornings, or you may collaborate better during the day.</p><p>In addition, you should use tech tools, such as calendar and task-management apps, to plan your time and monitor how much you're getting done.</p>
<h2>3. Create a good learning space</h2><p>Another important way to avoid procrastination is to make sure that your <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-31043-001" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">learning environment</a> is supportive for learning.</p><p>During the coronavirus pandemic, students are usually learning from home, but sometimes they study wherever they happen to be, even at picnic tables in public parks. These places may not be best suited for academic activities.</p><p>These environments have many characteristics that may be more interesting and less emotionally draining than academic tasks. Therefore, students could <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0033-2909.133.1.65" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">drift away</a> from academic tasks and wind up instead chatting with friends or watching sports. This is why <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101872" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">choosing or creating a good place to study</a> can help people stop procrastinating.</p><p>Try to set up your surroundings in a way that suits your learning habits, including where you put tables and chairs and how you use lighting and block out noises. For example, some students may enjoy learning in a quiet and dark space with a spotlight. Others may learn best when they use a standing desk next to a bright window and constantly play soft background music.</p>
<h2>4. Get a little help from friends</h2><p>Friends and classmates can <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1220909" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">help one another stop procrastinating</a>. <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-45259-006" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Colleagues and other contacts</a> can hold one another accountable and help one another meet deadlines. This is particularly important for anyone who struggles <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0033-2909.133.1.65" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">with self-control</a>. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-008-9367-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Research</a> also has shown that having supportive friends and other peers can boost self-confidence and make tasks seem more valuable and interesting.</p><p>Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students are physically isolated from most of their friends and classmates. The social support that students normally receive in face-to-face settings, such as after-class chats and study groups, has also been moved to virtual spaces. That is, it's still available, but mainly through virtual means, such as instant-messaging apps, online collaboration tools or video conferencing software. Used wisely, these tools can help students work with friends to overcome procrastination and make the classwork more enjoyable.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148154/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation"></p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kui-xie-379796" target="_blank">Kui Xie</a>, Cyphert Distinguished Professor; Professor of Learning Technologies; Director of The Research Laboratory for Digital Learning, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-ohio-state-university-759" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Ohio State University</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sheng-lun-cheng-1167288" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sheng-Lun Cheng</a>, Assistant Professor of Instructional Systems Design and Technology, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/sam-houston-state-university-1671" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sam Houston State University</a></em></p><p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-tips-for-college-students-to-avoid-procrastinating-with-their-online-work-148154" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">original article</a>.</p>
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How leaders influence people to believe
Being a leader is about more than the job title. You have to earn respect.
15 February, 2021
Sponsored by Northwell Health
- What does it take to be a leader? For Northwell Health president and CEO Michael Dowling, having an Ivy League degree and a large office is not what makes a leader. Leadership requires something much less tangible: influence.
- True leaders inspire people to follow and believe in them and the organization's mission by being passionate, having humility, and being a real part of the team. This is especially important in a field like health care, where guidance and teamwork save lives.
- Authenticity is also key. "Don't pretend, be real," says Dowling. "Accept your vulnerabilities, accept your weaknesses, know where your strengths are, and get people to belong."
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7 dimensions of depression, explained
From baboon hierarchies to the mind-gut connection, the path to defeating depression starts with understanding its causes.
14 February, 2021
Videos
- According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people suffer from depression. It is the leading cause of disability and, at its worst, can lead to suicide. Unfortunately, depression is often misunderstood or ignored until it is too late.
- Psychologist Daniel Goleman, comedian Pete Holmes, neuroscientist Emeran Mayer, psychiatrist Drew Ramsey, and more outline several of the social, chemical, and neurological factors that may contribute to the complex disorder and explain why there is not a singular solution or universal "cure" that can alleviate the symptoms.
- From gaining insight into how the brain-gut connection works and adopting a more Mediterranean diet, to seeking help from medical or spiritual practitioners, depression is a personal battle that requires a personalized strategy to keep it at bay, as well as more research and understanding.
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<div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety: Nourish Your Way to Better Mental Health in Six Weeks</div>
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