Health-related Tid-bits

A Natural Approach to Beating Depression

By Jessica Kurrle

Clinical depression is something that runs in my family. I have taken various anti-depressant medications, with varying degrees of success. At the beginning of this year, however, I decided to take a more natural approach and see how well I could do without medicine. I made a vow to diligently take the following steps:

Eat a Low-Carb Diet: Blood sugar levels can have a powerful effect on mood, especially when they are constantly rising and falling. So I changed my diet to include more protein and healthy fats, and I have done my best to eliminate sweets and high-glycemic carbohydrates.

Exercise Consistently and With Intensity: There are lots of studies which have shown that consistent exercise, particularly intense exercise, can be very effective at lifting the symptoms of depression. I'm proud to say that I have been working out regularly all year.

Get More Sunlight: We all know that a sunny day can lift our mood—and there's a physiological reason for it. Because the vitamin D produced when sunlight strikes our skin can also be a powerful anti-depressant. I make sure to get a few hours of sunlight every week by walking my dog or relaxing by the pool.

Supplement With Fish Oil: Doctors have discussed the importance of omega-3 fatty acids for brain health and as a powerful preventive measure for depression. To be sure I am getting enough omega-3s, I supplement my diet every day with fish oil.

I figured that if each of these measures could help with my symptoms of depression, the combination of all four should prove even more beneficial. I have certainly found this to be the case.

(Note: Articles on health, diet, fitness, nutrition, and similar subjects are provided for your benefit, but are not intended to supersede the Word on the subject. Please ask the Lord before implementing any of this information.)

Walking

By Jay Blahnik, Special to The Los Angeles Times

Running is great for your heart and lungs, and burns more calories per minute than almost any other activity. But running also creates a lot of impact stress on your back and joints. Many people find running too uncomfortable. If that's you, walking is a great alternative.

• Walking is the single most popular exercise activity in the world, by far.

• It burns approximately 100 calories per mile.

• At 3 mph (strolling pace), you can walk a mile in just 20 minutes. At 4 mph (power walking pace), you can walk a mile in just 15 minutes.

• Walking produces little stress on the back and joints, while improving circulation, balance and cardiovascular health. And it can help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.

• It's the activity our bodies were best designed to do, with one of the lowest risks of injury of any fitness activity.

There are many ways to fit walking into your schedule, boost its effectiveness and make it more fun. Consider a few of these options:

• Alternate fast walking with slower walking by changing speeds every block (or, on a treadmill, every two-tenths of a mile). This will not only burn more calories than slow walking, but also will make workouts more interesting.

• Try walking 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night. These short bursts are easier to fit into your schedule, and you can burn almost 200 calories a day with them. That can equate to almost 2 pounds of weight loss per month.

• Head to the beach or trails with mixed terrain. Walking on soft sand and rolling hills burns more calories than walking on flat surfaces.

• If you have kids who play soccer, football or softball, take a walk around the field or school grounds while they're at practice, during the longer breaks or before or after a game.

• Turn walks into a boot camp by adding lunges, running stairs or side shuffling across an open area every few minutes.

• Purchase an inexpensive pedometer and keep track of how many steps you take daily. Take short walks throughout the day and try to accumulate more steps each week than you did the week before.

• Instead of meeting a friend for coffee and hanging out for a chat, meet a friend for coffee and go for a walk. In just 30 minutes, you can cover 2 miles, burn 200 calories and still get your catch-up time.

You may be surprised to find that the more often and more briskly you walk, the more comfortable running might become. If so, you can mix up your walking and running, and get the best of both worlds.

(Note: Articles on health, diet, fitness, nutrition, and similar subjects are provided for your benefit, but are not intended to supersede the Word on the subject. Please ask the Lord before implementing any of this information.)