In our quest for a life as healthy as possible we often overlook that moods and attitudes play a very important role in our health. A happy and relaxed person is always healthier than one who goes through a period of depression or who has to put up with a lot of stress. There’s only so much that the body can compensate for before the overall health starts to suffer. These negative moods can destroy you from the inside just as sure as any illness. They leave your body open to various diseases and make you less able to deal with them.

Depression is one such thing. Doctors have noticed that people who succumb to depression during illnesses take a longer time to recover and may even develop complications. Instead of letting the body heal itself, these people make everything worse by letting depression take over and turning the will to live against itself. Studies have shown that people who are depressed after a heart attack are more likely to die in the 6 months following the event. Depressed people need more medication and more healthcare. They develop the more severe forms of diseases and are more at risk.

Loneliness is another big problem. People who have no friends, no sympathetic ears to hear their problems and no shoulders to cry on are forced to cope with stress and hardships all alone. Support from friends and relatives makes thing seem easier than they actually are and helps one go through tough times. Whether we’re talking about boring house chores or annoying co-workers, we all need someone willing to listen while we unload all the

Unfortunately, we’re also living in a stressful world. Whether we realize it or not, the daily life in cities is filled with loud noises, bright lights, crowded subways or buses, rush hours and a million other things that annoy us. Bills and expenses add to the stress, while going to a high-powered job that requires at least ten hours of work per day means that we don’t get much time to relax. Living in a constant state of stress is bound to damage our health sooner or later, although many times we fail to recognize the danger until it’s too late.

The best thing is to exercise some moderation and a change of lifestyle. Drink less coffee and alcohol. Smoke less or kick the habit altogether. Take 30-minute walks in the park instead of slumping on the sofa and watching TV. Buy some relaxing music and make a habit of your daily relaxation. Read a book once in a while or go to an art gallery if that’s the thing that can get your mind off work and worries. Remember that there are beautiful things in life and that you’re not a robot moving from one task to another.

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Franklin Banker

Author Bio

I love affiliate marketing, and have been in the business for 10 years while working full time for a major US corporation. Now I am retired and work full time in the business. I use my domain siteBBL Internet Media LLC as well as various blogs and interactive member sites across the web. My speciality is niche affiliate marketing, but I do also publish in the entrepreneurial sector as well. I believe affiliate marketing is a great home business opportunity for anyone who is willing to learn the basics.

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Two new polls show that a majority of the American public?and too many health professionals?incorrectly think that depression is a normal part of aging. This misunderstanding keeps many older adults from treatment that would help them be as healthy, happy and productive as they could be.

About 60 percent of Americans and almost one third of primary care physicians mistakenly think that depression is a normal part of aging, according to a new poll by Mental Health America.

A companion poll by the Older Women’s League (OWL) found that three groups of health professionals who come into regular contact with older adults?physician assistants, nurse aides and physical therapists?have similar biases. In response, OWL is developing tools to help professionals and older adults learn more about aging and mental health, including what people can do to promote mental health as they age.

One in five Americans of all ages?young and old?experiences a diagnosable mental health problem in any given year. However, adults over age 75 have the highest suicide rate of any age group. This is not because they attempt suicide more often, but their attempts are more lethal. Front line health professionals can be key to assessing the mental health of older adults with whom they come in contact, making referrals for further assessment and treatment, if necessary. Increased understanding can lead to interventions that save lives.

Physician assistants are the front line clinicians in many doctors? offices, group practices and other medical settings. Nurs

Poll highlights include:

Ø Americans? understanding of aging and mental health may be slipping backwards. Last winter, 59 percent of Americans said depression is a normal part of aging. Ten years ago, 51 percent of Americans incorrectly believed this to be true, according to Mental Health America.

Ø While 69 percent of primary care physicians know depression is not a normal part of aging, 31 percent do not, according to Mental Health America?s poll.

(Continued)

Mental Health Poll (Cont.)

Ø Two-thirds of physician assistants and physical therapists, and one-third of nurse aides know it is not normal for people to get depressed as they get older, OWL found.

Ø 79 percent of the health professionals OWL polled do not know that adults older than age 75 have the highest suicide rate of any age group.

Ø The vast majority of all respondents know that clinical depression is a health problem. But one third of nurse aides think that a suicide attempt is a sign of weakness, as do 17 percent of physical therapists and 7 percent of physician assistants.

The results showed a direct correlation between education and understanding of mental illness. Physician assistants and physical therapists have graduate levels of education. Nurse aides typically do not have college degrees.

Eight in 10 physical therapists and physician assistants recognize that mental and physical health is closely related, but only half of nurse aides do. Physician?s assistants are more likely (83 percent) to know that physical complaints may be symptoms of a mental health problem (compared to 65 percent of physical therapists and 46 percent of nurse aides).

The majority of all physician assistants, nurse aides and physical therapists, 86 percent, ?strongly agree? that mental health is important to overall health and say people should have the same access to treatment for mental health problems as for physical health problems. Primary care physicians share these views, the Mental Health America poll found.

OWL is working with the membership associations that represent physician assistants, physical therapists and nurse aides to develop tools to help these professionals identify possible mental health problems and talk with patients about referrals for assessment and treatment, if needed.

Treatment works the same whether you are 18 or 80. Even better news is that we now know more about prevention. Research shows that eating right, getting exercise and enough sleep, exercising the mind, and staying close to friends and family all go a long way to maintaining and enhancing mental health.

OWL is dedicated to making the lives of midlife and older women as productive and healthy as possible, and this includes promoting their mental health and the mental health of their loved ones. In this spirit, OWL created Older Americans? Mental Health Week, the last week of May. Its purpose is: to raise awareness that mental illness is not a normal part of aging, to help develop better ways of helping older adults with mental health problems, and to further educate and train those in close daily contact with older adults.

Laurie Young

Author Bio

Older Americans? Mental Health Week is May 21-27, 2007. For more information, see www.owl-national.org. For a complete copy of OWL?s poll results, e-mail owlinfo@owl-national.org.

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Nola has been affected by depression since she was nine.  She was tormented with thoughts of suicide and would often mutilate herself.  By the time Nola first sought help from a local community mental health organization she had developed addiction disorders as well: “a day didn’t go by that I wasn’t suicidal and popping pills,” she said.

She was constantly depressed and had very low self esteem.  Nola felt worthless and wallowed in self pity.  She finally hit bottom before life she was able to turn her life around.

It was through her own efforts and the commitment of the staff at a community mental health organization that she finally was able to change her life for the better.  Nola wanted a fulfilling life and to be a better person.  She made the commitment to change and started feeling happy.  She was able to develop meaningful and rewarding relationships with other people.  She felt on top of the world.

However, these feelings did not last as Nola fell back into her old habits when life got rough.  She learned that neither the highs nor the lows last forever.  Eventually, with the help of her community’s mental health organization, she was able to overcome these struggles and continue to press on.  She was able to deal with her life’s high and lows and become a stronger person.

Now, when Nola does not have the courage to do something, she says to herself, “I give myself permission.”  These words give her a stepping stone to move forward.  She has learned how to ov

Nola has learned to believe in herself and realizes that she is “somebody.”  A few years ago she wrote a poem called, “You Said.”  She wrote it during a moment of self-examination and to realize how far she has come and how strong she is.

YOU SAID:

You said you would love me always-

You didn’t

You said you believed in me-

You don’t

You said you trusted me-

You didn’t

You said you would be here for me-

You weren’t

You said you wouldn’t forsake me-

You did

You promised to keep your promises-

You didn’t

You said I wouldn’t be forgotten-

I was

You said I was somebody to you-

I wasn’t

You said I was the only one that could help-

I wasn’t

Nola received a lot of help from a community mental health organization and now works part time there as a Peer Support Specialist.  She uses her experiences to help others overcome similar obstacles.  Working at the community mental health organization has also aided her recovery and will no doubt aid the recovery of those she helps.

Linda Rosenberg

Author Bio

Linda Rosenberg leads the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare in treating mental illnesses and addiction disorders across the country. Depression is a serious mental illness but can be overcome and treated. Lean how at http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/.

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Your body knows when you are depressed. Depression has a way of shouting that it is taking charge. Your job is to stop it in its tracks and to get all the help you need to make sure that depression stays out of the picture.

Especially during these tough economic times it is not unusual to experience anger, stress, frustration and anxiety. On the other had, long-term feels of hopelessness and sadness are not normal. Those are signs of clinical depression and you need medical help.

Your mind and your body are connected much more than most of us realize. Researchers report that untreated depression that lasts more than two weeks can increase a person’s risk of becoming ill. Untreated depression can also make worse a current illness. It appears that people who are depressed are more likely to be ill, and people who are ill are more likely to be depressed. Another good reason to repair your depression.

We know that when someone is severely depressed there are emotional symptoms which can interfere with daily function. For instance, if you stay hidden under the covers in bed all day you are not going to be very productive. You are also more likely to become obese. The numbers show that depressed people were twice as likely to have more fat around their middles and have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol which is linked to abdominal obesity and higher risk for heart disease and diabetes. Repairing your depression may lower those elevated cortisol levels and get you towards a healthy direction.

Another example of the mind and body conn

Stress is another factor that connects mind and body. The flight or fight response results in higher levels of cortisol which negatively affects many body systems.

And then there are your medications. Many commonly used medications may have side effects that include depression. For instance, more than two-thirds of people who use the drug interferon develop depression. Check with your doctor and your pharmacist.

If you experience any of these symptoms for more than two weeks it is time to talk to your doctor:

Persistent feelings of sadness, guilt, hopelessness

Unusual fatigue, lack of energy

Restlessness

Sleep and appetite disturbances

Unable to concentrate

Dwelling on thoughts of dying.

Your doctor will be able to point you in the right direction for effective treatment. The sooner you get help the better, for you and your family.

Author Bio

Visit Upside of Aging.com. Learn about the symptoms of stress and daily living and how they can impact your health.

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If you struggle with depression, you might be wondering what is the best treatment or medicine to help cope with the day-to-day symptoms. Should you stay with only the medications the doctor prescribes? Or should you try to find an alternative health product designed to help with depression? This really depends on the severity and/or type of depression as well as the type of medications that work well with your body and that fit in with your daily schedule and budget.

Either way, you should consult with your doctor before stopping or switching medications. If switching to a natural medication, your doctor can help you make the transition smoothly and safely.

Alternative depression medications are marketed heavily in today’s world of natural medicines and herbs. There are hundreds of herbs and natural remedies claiming to be “the one” to beat all bouts of depression. But which one should you trust? Which natural depression medicine really works? You must be careful not to jump on the bandwagon and buy alternative health products just because of marketing hype. Look for recommendations by experts, particularly doctors, who can help you one on one to decide what’s right for you. Even online, you can find reputable websites operated by doctors who offer advice by e-mail. They can not only recommend reliable natural depression medications, but also help you find one to meet your specific needs.

When considering any alternative health product for depression, read all the information you can about the product, includin

Crucial Questions to Ask

Before deciding on an alternative health product for depression, ask these important questions:

* Is the alternative medicine of high quality?

* Does it contain ingredients that have already been proven to relieve depression?

* Does it contain the proper dosages of these ingredients for effectiveness?

* Is the medication affordable to continue using on an ongoing basis?

* Does the manufacturer enforce high quality control standards?

Types of Alternative Health Products for Depression

Of the many natural products on the market for depression, some of the most popular include B vitamins, kelp, seaweed, Siberian ginseng, and an amino acid called L-tyrosine. These help to enhance thyroid activity and fight depression simultaneously. In women, a lack of potassium is sometimes the culprit when it comes to depression. Also, L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps increase the levels of serotonin, which is needed to secrete pituitary hormones, regulate sleep and perceive pain.

If you’re not sure where or how to look for alternative health products, shop online to benefit from a larger variety of herbal remedies. You’ll find numerous nutritional supplements to fight depression, including amino acid supplements, at affordable prices. Most herbal supplement sites provide detailed information about their products, along with potential side effects of medicines, dosage facts, and a thorough list of ingredients. Use search features to find specific herbs and supplements, or ask the site owner for advice on finding the right alternative depression medication for you.

Using alternative health products for depression can help bring balance back to your body and combat the severe fatigue that’s often associated with depression. Take back control of your life and health today the natural way!

Chris Robertson

Author Bio

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies.
For tips/information, click here: alternative health products
Visit Majon’s Health and Beauty directory.

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