Signs of Depression

 Is your life out of control? Find yourself covering up certain aspects of your life? For some people who are depressed, it is not uncommon for compulsive buying, drinking, and internet etc. One may believe it serves as a distraction or self-esteem booster. But all excessive activities are a short-lived high because it doesn't address underlying depression. Also be aware that certain activities could also be a sign of mania, in bipolar disorder.

Drinking Heavily

Nearly a third of people with major depression abuse alcohol.  If you feel that you need to drink to cope with anxiety and depression, you may be one of them.  Although a drink may seem like it provides a lift when you're down, alcohol is a depressant, so overdoing it can make depression episodes worse and more frequent.

Forgetfulness

Depression may be one reason for feeling foggy or forgetful. Studies show that prolonged depression or stress can raise the body's levels of cortisol. This can shrink or weaken the part of the brain associated with memory and learning. Depression-linked memory loss seems to be worse for older people. The good news: Treating depression may also improve depression-related memory problems.

Excessive Internet Use

Prefer virtual social interactions to real-life ones? Spending excessive amounts of time on the Internet? It may be a sign of depression. Studies have shown a link between high levels of depression and excessive Internet use. People who overuse the Internet tend to spend their time on pornography, online community, and game sites.

Binge Eating and Obesity

A 2010 study from the University of Alabama found that young adults who report being depressed tended to gain weight more around their waist -- a risk for heart disease. Other studies have linked depression with binge eating, particularly in middle-age people. Treating depression can help treat these problems.

Shoplifting

About a third of shoplifters suffer from depression. For some people who feel powerless and insignificant from depression, shoplifting provides feelings of power and importance.  It can also provide a rush to counter depression "numbness." For people who shoplift because they are depressed, these feelings are more important than the item they are stealing.

Back Pain

Got a backache that won't quit? Studies show that depression may be a risk factor for chronic lower back pain. One study showed that up to 42% of people with chronic lower back pain experienced depression before their back pain started. Yet depression can often go ignored or undiagnosed because people don't associate it with aches and pains. By the same token, having chronic pain puts you at risk for depression.

Risky Sexual Behavior

Depression is more commonly associated with lost libido than with an increased interest in sex. But some people use sex to cope with depression or stress. Increased promiscuity, infidelity, sexual obsession, and high-risk behavior such as unsafe sex can all be signs of depression. It can also reflect problems with impulse control or be a sign of mania in bipolar disorder. And they can have serious, negative effects on health and in your personal life.

Exaggerated Emotions

Often people who are depressed show little emotional expression. Other times, they show too much. They can be suddenly irritable or explosive. They may express exaggerated feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worry, or fear. The key is a sudden change in behavior. If a person who is usually flat with their feelings becomes hyperemotional, depression may be the cause.

Problem Gambling

Gambling can make you feel excited and revved up. But if you gamble more than recreationally, you may be depressed or you may suffer from a gambling addiction disorder. Problem gamblers are much more likely than others to be depressed and abuse alcohol. Many say they were anxious and depressed before they started gambling. No matter how much of a quick rush gambling causes, it won't provide the big payoff -- relief from depression.

Smoking

Having trouble quitting smoking? Being depressed doubles your risk of smoking. Heavy smoking – more than a pack a day – and having a cigarette within 5 minutes of waking are common habits among smokers who are depressed, according to the CDC. While depressed smokers are less likely to quit, they can. Quitting programs that use techniques similar to those used to treat depression, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or antidepressant medications, seem to help.

Not Taking Care of Yourself

What does fastening your seatbelt have to do with depression? Suddenly neglecting basic self-care can be a sign of depression and low self-esteem. The signs may be as small as not buckling up or brushing your teeth or as big as skipping physical exams or not tending to chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. Get help for your depression and you'll likely begin to take care of yourself again.

Eating Turkey Will NOT Make You Sleepy

Contrary to popular belief, eating turkey isn't the main reason you feel sleepy after a Thanksgiving feast.

The oft-repeated turkey myth stems from the fact that turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan, which forms the basis of brain chemicals that make people tired. But turkey isn't any more sleep-inducing than other foods. In fact, consuming large amounts of carbohydrates and alcohol may be the real cause of a post-Thanksgiving-meal snooze,experts say.

Tryptophan is a component of the brain chemical serotonin, which gets converted into the well-known sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Poultry and many other foods also contain tryptophan, in similar amounts to that found in turkey. Gram for gram, cheddar cheese actually contains more tryptophan than turkey does.

But tryptophan competes with all of the body's other amino acids to enter the brain, through a strict gatekeeper known as the blood-brain barrier. It's the heaps of carbohydrates, the stuffing, potatoes and yams smothered in marshmallows, that are the true problem, according to medical experts. Consuming carbs triggers the release of insulin, which removes most amino acids from the blood, but not tryptophan, that dearth of competitors allows tryptophan to enter the brain and form serotonin and, ultimately, melatonin. (Melatonin can also be produced in the intestine, and a small amount of that may ultimately leak out into the bloodstream and end up in the brain, too.)

Basically, any big meal containing tryptophan and lots of carbohydrates can trigger sleepiness — not just turkey. And on Thanksgiving, many other factors contribute to feelings of tiredness, such as drinking alcohol. The holidays are also a time when people often take a break from their hard work.

When consumed on an empty stomach, tryptophan can lead to serotonin production and more vivid dreams. Tryptophan supplements were a popular sleep aid in the 1980's, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned them in 1991.

5 Ways to Feel Better in the Morning

If your typical morning starts with your alarm clock’s harsh ringing startling you out of a sound sleep, two or three slaps on the snooze button, and an exhausted drag out of bed, it’s time for something better. Starting your day feeling miserable sets the tone for your entire morning, and often, your entire day. While the key to waking up feeling good is getting enough sleep to begin with – if you routinely go to bed later than you should, your mornings are bound to be tough – there are several easy ways to improve your mood and energy level right after waking up in the morning. In fact, you can feel better before you even get out of bed.

Start the Night Before
If you want to feel your best in the morning, start getting ready the night before. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready for your day if you:

Follow a relaxing nighttime routine before bed.

• Eat a small snack within an hour of sleep time – a piece of fruit with yogurt, cereal with milk or crackers with peanut butter are all good choices that are just enough to keep your stomach satisfied overnight without keeping you awake.

• Drink a small cup of water before retiring for the night.

• Set out your clothes for the next day. You’ll wake up with one less thing to worry about.

Wake Up to Pleasing Sound and Natural Light
You might need an alarm clock to wake up on time for work, but that doesn’t mean you have to start your day with a harsh buzzing, ringing or blaring sound. Instead, use an alarm clock that awakens to you to your favorite music, nature sounds or the gentle chime of bells.

The first sound you hear in the morning should be a pleasant one.

For the best sleep, your bedroom should be as dark as possible during the night, but waking up with natural light helps your body maintain the circadian rhythms that regulate your body’s functions. If possible, leave your blinds open enough to admit morning sunshine.

If that isn’t an option, try a dawn simulator alarm clock or lamp attachment. Instead of a noisy alarm, these devices wake you up with light that simulates the rising sun by gently intensifying over a period of 30 or so minutes. As the light hits your closed eyelids, it stimulates your brain to awaken you naturally. It’s a lot more pleasant waking up to a lovely spring sunrise than the electronic blare of a traditional alarm.

Don’t Touch That Snooze Button!
Though it may be tempting to hit the snooze button for a few precious minutes longer in bed, resist the temptation. The snooze button is not your friend. In fact, hitting that snooze is likely to leave you feeling even more tired and irritable once you finally get up. Those few extra minutes allow you to drift into a doze, only to be abruptly awakened right as your brain is restarting the sleep cycle. The result is even worse fatigue and difficulty in getting out of bed. If it seems impossible to resist the lure of the snooze button, try setting your alarm clock across the room so you’re forced to get up just to shut it off. If you still struggle to get up, take an honest look at how much sleep you’re getting each night, and get to bed earlier if necessary.

Stretches You Can Do In Bed
Taking a few minutes for a gentle stretch before getting out of bed is a great way to start your day. You’ll wake up your muscles, give your circulation a boost, and ease any sleep-related stiffness or soreness. Here are five easy stretches you can try:

Long stretch: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and your legs straight. Now reach your arms up past your head and point your toes towards the foot of the bed, lengthening your spine until you feel a nice stretch.

Back rock: Still on your back, bring your knees up against your chest, and hug your legs against your body. Now gently rock from side to side.

Side stretch: Sit up with your legs crossed. Reach both arms over your head, and interlink your fingers so your palms are facing upwards. Now slowly and gently rock from side to side, just enough to feel a pleasant stretch along your sides and arms.

Seated crawl: Still sitting cross-legged, “crawl” your fingers out in front of you, until you are stretched forward as far as you can comfortably reach without your rear leaving the bed. Slowly and gently sway from side to side, keeping your arms stretched out long. Let your hands roll back and forth with your movements.

Lift off: From your cross-legged seated position, reach both hands onto the bed behind you. Lean your head back, and lift your chest and hips upwards until your rear leaves the bed. Balance your weight on your palms for several seconds before releasing the stretch.

Get In a Good Mood
Finally, take two or three minutes to prepare your mind for the day ahead; not by thinking about all you need to accomplish or the problems of the day, but with a prayer, list of three things you are grateful for or short yoga session. Opening your day with a brief interlude of positive, reflective thought puts you in a good mood as you get out of bed and start your morning preparations.

Skin Cancer - Facts and Statistics

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.

Over the past 31 years, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined. Nearly 800,000 Americans are living with a history of melanoma and 13 million are living with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer, typically diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

Actinic keratosis is the most common pre-cancer; it affects more than 58 million Americans. Approximately 65 percent of all squamous cell carcinomas arise in lesions that previously were diagnosed as actinic keratoses. In patients with a history of two or more skin cancers, 36 percent of basal cell carcinomas arise in lesions previously diagnosed as actinic keratoses.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer; an estimated 2.8 million are diagnosed annually in the US. BCCs are rarely fatal, but can be highly disfiguring if allowed to grow. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 700,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the US, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths.

Between 40 and 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have either skin cancer at least once. About 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

Treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006. One person dies of melanoma every hour (every 62 minutes). One in 55 people will be diagnosed with melanoma during their lifetime. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old.

The survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early, before the tumor has penetrated the skin, is about 99 percent. The survival rate falls to 15 percent for those with advanced disease. The vast majority of mutations found in melanoma are caused by ultraviolet radiation
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The incidence of many common cancers is falling, but the incidence of melanoma continues to rise at a rate faster than that of any of the seven most common cancers. Between 1992 and 2004, melanoma incidence increased 45 percent, or 3.1 percent annually.

An estimated 123,590 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the US in 2011 - 53,360 noninvasive (in situ) and 70,230 invasive, with nearly 8,790 resulting in death. Melanoma accounts for less than five percent of skin cancer cases, but it causes more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths.

Survival with melanoma increased from 49 percent (1950 – 1954) to 92 percent (1996 – 2003). Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer for males and sixth most common for females. Women aged 39 and under have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer except breast cancer.

About 65 percent of melanoma cases can be attributed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. One or more blistering sunburns in childhood or adolescence more than double a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life.

A person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns at any age. Survivors of melanoma are about nine times as likely as the general population to develop a new melanoma.

“The reality is that melanoma is the third most common cancer in those 15 to 39 years old, and these numbers have been steadily increasing. This is a national problem that needs to be addressed, and it begins with awareness and effective prevention strategies,”