Psychiatric

Long-term opioid use associated with increased risk of depression

Date: January 12, 2016 Source: Saint Louis University Summary: Opioids may cause short-term improvement in mood, but long-term use imposes risk of new-onset depression, a new study shows. The link was independent of the known contribution of pain to depression, and the study calls on clinicians to consider the contribution of opioid use when depressed […]

Meditation: how could it benefit your health?

Written by Honor Whiteman Published: Sunday 27 December 2015 For many people, the word “meditation” is likely to evoke images of a cross-legged individual, eyes closed, humming to themselves, but there is so much more to the practice than meets the eye. Meditation is an ancient mind and body practice that is estimated to date […]

Light Treatment Effective for Nonseasonal Major Depressive Disorder

November 30, 2015 JAMA Psychiatry TAKE-HOME MESSAGE Adults with moderate to severe non-seasonal major depressive disorder (MDD) were randomized to receive light monotherapy, antidepressant monotherapy (fluoxetine hydrochloride), combination light and antidepressant, or placebo for 8 weeks. Light monotherapy and combination therapy were both significantly better than placebo for response and remission, but fluoxetine was not […]

Depression: Functional Medicine Approach

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S. Depression is considered the most dreaded condition of mankind. What makes depression so awful is the sad fact that it is the one disease devoid of hope in the minds of many who suffer with this global epidemic. Unlike debilitating diseases like arthritis, which shows it’s ugly face by […]

Diet and Bipolar Disorder: A Review of Its Relationship and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms of Action

Lopresti Adrian L. and Jacka Felice N.. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. December 2015, 21(12): 733-739. doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0125. Published in Volume: 21 Issue 12: December 1, 2015 Online Ahead of Print: September 8, 2015 ABSTRACT Objectives: It is well accepted that diet quality has an important role in the prevention and treatment of several […]

Nine Risk Factors May Explain Two Thirds of AD Cases

Megan Brooks September 01, 2015 Nine potentially modifiable risk factors may explain two thirds of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cases globally, according to a comprehensive meta-analysis of published studies. Risk factors include obesity, carotid artery narrowing, low educational achievement, hyperhomocysteine, depression, hypertension, frailty, current smoking, and type 2 diabetes (diabetes only in Asian populations). According to […]

The OTHER 99%: It’s Not Just About Celiac Disease

8/19/2015 William Davis, MD I want to take this issue head on, since popular “wisdom” is that problems with consumption of wheat and related grains begin and end with celiac disease. The Wheat Lobby, for instance, frequently argues that, if you do not have celiac disease, you have no business avoiding wheat and related grains.Defenders […]

Vegetarian diet and mental disorders

Vegetarian diet and mental disorders: results from a representative community survey Johannes Michalak International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Volume 9 Abstract Background The present study investigated associations between vegetarian diet and mental disorders. Methods Participants were drawn from the representative sample of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey and its Mental […]

Consuming highly refined carbohydrates increases risk of depression

Date: August 5, 2015 Source: Columbia University Medical Center Summary: A diet high in refined carbohydrates may lead to an increased risk for new-onset depression in postmenopausal women, according to a study. The study looked at the dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, types of carbohydrates consumed, and depression in data from more than 70,000 postmenopausal […]

Nutrient Supplements Ease Anxiety, Stress Due to Disasters

Megan Brooks July 15, 2015 Taking micronutrient supplements can help minimize psychological stress following a natural disaster, a new study confirms. “In my opinion, the combined literature now of three studies showing that people benefit mentally/emotionally from nutrient supplementation after earthquakes and floods has really important population health implications,” Bonnie J. Kaplan, PhD, of Alberta […]

ADHD Meds Linked to Priapism, Prompts FDA Warning, Label Change

Caroline Cassels December 17, 2013 Methylphenidate has been linked to a rare risk for priapism in males taking the stimulant for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns. In a release, the agency reports that the stimulant may in rare instances cause prolonged and sometimes painful erections, and […]

The Strange Link Between Junk Food and Depression

June 29, 2015 Mandy Oaklander Of our many modern diseases, one of the biggest burdens on society is an unexpected one: depression, according to the World Health Organization. And what we eat may be contributing, finds a new study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition. James E. Gangwisch, PhD, assistant professor at Columbia University […]

Family Practice Experts Recommendations for Chronic Pain Includes Manipulation, Endurance Exercise, Acupuncture, etc

Family Practice Essentials. 2015 May;432:21-6. Chronic pain management: nonpharmacological therapies for chronic pain. Chang KL, Fillingim R2, Hurley RW3, Schmidt S4. Abstract Nonpharmacologic therapies have become a vital part of managing chronic pain (CP). Although these can be used as stand-alone therapies, nonpharmacologic treatments often are used to augment and complement pharmacologic treatments (ie, multimodal […]

Complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of refugees and survivors of torture

Torture. 2012;22(1):38-57. Complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of refugees and survivors of torture: a review and proposal for action. Longacre M, Silver-Highfield E, Lama P, Grodin M. Abstract Survivors of torture and refugee trauma often have increased needs for mental and physical healthcare. This is due in part to the complex sequelae of […]

Fermented Food Intake May Help Protect Against Social Anxiety

Consumption of fermented foods interacts with neuroticism to predict social anxiety THURSDAY, June 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Fermented foods that contain probiotics seem to have a protective effect against social anxiety, especially among those with neuroticism, according to a study published in the Aug. 15 issue of Psychiatry Research. Matthew R. Hilimire, Ph.D., from […]

Depression May Increase Risk of Low Back Pain

05.27.2015 Patients with symptoms of depression are at increased risk of developing a new episode of low back pain compared with those who are not depressed, a meta-analysis has found. Analysis also showed that the more severe the depression, the greater the risk of low back pain. In a pooled analysis of 19 studies, 11 […]

Cognitive-behavioural treatment for subacute and chronic neck pain

Marco Monticone Editorial Group: Cochrane Back Group Published Online: 26 MAY 2015 Assessed as up-to-date: 20 NOV 2014 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010664.pub2 Copyright © 2015 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Abstract Background Although research on non-surgical treatments for neck pain (NP) is progressing, there remains uncertainty about the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) […]

Light Therapy Proves Effective in Nonseasonal Major Depression

May 22, 2015 May 19, 2015—Toronto, Ontario, Canada— Light therapy, both as monotherapy and in combination with fluoxetine, has been found to be efficacious in the treatment of patients with nonseasonal major depressive disorder. This result of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was presented at the 168th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association from […]

How relaxation response may help treat two gastrointestinal disorders

A pilot study has found that participating in a nine-week training program including elicitation of the relaxation response had a significant impact on clinical symptoms of the gastrointestinal disorders irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease and on the expression of genes related to inflammation and the body’s response to stress. The report from investigators […]

Are You A Food Addict?

by Mark Hyman, MD The science of food addiction is clearer now than ever before. A powerful study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition proves that higher-sugar, higher-glycemic foods are addictive in the same way as cocaine and heroin. In this groundbreaking study, Dr. David Ludwig and his colleagues at Harvard proved that […]