Exercise can boost mood of depressed patients

Just 30 minutes of brisk walking can immediately boost the mood of depressed patients, giving them the same quick pick-me-up they may be seeking from cigarettes, caffeine or binge eating, a small study found.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that people suffering from depression who walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes reported feeling more vigorous and had a greater sense of psychological well-being for up to an hour after completing the workout.
Those patients and another group that sat quietly for 30 minutes both reported reductions in negative feelings such as tension, depression, anger and fatigue.
But only the group that exercised said they felt good after the session, according to the study, published in the December issue of the journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
Lead researcher John Bartholomew said the study reinforces past research that has found consistent exercise, along with medication and counseling, can help people overcome depression.
However, Bartholomew is among the first to show that exercise can have a positive effect right away.
It's not something you have to do for 10 weeks and it's not something you have to do at a high intensity,said Bartholomew, an associate professor of kinesiology and health education. You should derive a benefit very early on in the process, and hopefully that is the kind of thing that will motivate them to continue to engage in the behavior.
The study, funded by Future Search Trials, an Austin medical research company, involved 40 people between the ages of 18 and 55. All were recently diagnosed with major depressive disorder, were not taking antidepressants and did not regularly exercise.

Healthy Resolutions for Women

Thirty-year-old Pierangeli has spent most of her adult life trying to do what thousands, if not millions, of women have resolved to do at the beginning of each year: Live a healthier life. This year, however, she is more optimistic about success as she's already started efforts at regular exercise and a well-balanced diet.
This new year, I will continue and work on my eating habits, go to the gym, and practice balance in all areas of my life, says the Louisville, Ky. resident.
Health-related goals are, indeed, popular among people with New Year's resolutions. In the last 25 years, resolutions concerning weight, exercise, better relationships, and smoking cessation have been at the top of turn-of-the-calendar objectives for both sexes, says John C. Norcross, PhD, co-author of Changing for Good.
For many women, the path to good health is not an easy one, with plenty of roadblocks along the way. Procrastination, family obligations, work demands, and lack of time and energy are only a few culprits that can stop the best of health resolutions in their tracks.
To help women in their quest for better living, WebMD came up with five resolutions to improve physical and mental well-being, and asked the experts to provide tips for success. Their advice is by no means exhaustive, as different strategies work for different people. But, if you've made attempts at sounder mind and body before, here's another chance to make it happen. Good luck!
New Year's Resolution No. 1: Eat, but Don't Pig Out
When women resolve to lose weight, they are often black and white about it, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. She says women tend to want to cut out major food groups, telling themselves they cannot have any candy, dessert, or carbohydrates.
It's a setup for failure, because by the time mid-January comes around, those resolutions are already in line for the next new year, says Taub-Dix. It would be a much wiser decision to say, for example, 'I'm going to cut back on desserts.' Maybe pick a Saturday to have dessert. Instead of deprivation, practice moderation during the holidays.
The reduction approach is much more realistic than the all-or-nothing technique, which labels foods as good or bad. When people see certain edibles as bad, they can end up obsessing about it. Or they may see dieting as punishment for a year of unhealthy eating. Concentrate on getting adequate servings of whole grains, calcium, fiber, fruits and vegetables. This can be as easy as having a high-fiber cereal with milk and a banana.
Slashing entire food groups from the diet often backfires, because food is good and is one of the pleasures in life, says Taub-Dix. There's no reason why we shouldn't enjoy food just because we're over the weight that we should be.
Don't wait until the new year to have better eating habits, says Taub-Dix. It should be a whole year's resolution, not a New Year's resolution.

Steep Cornea

Some people have an eye condition commonly called steep cornea and scientifically known as keratoconus, in which the middle of the cornea thins and starts to bulge outward, forming a rounded cone shape.
According to the National Eye Institute, it's mostly seen in teenagers and young adults. And although it's rare, steep cornea, if left untreated, can cause scarring of the cornea and lead to vision impairment.
At first, eyesight can be corrected with glasses. As time goes on, special contact lens will be needed. In most cases, the cornea stabilizes and nothing further is needed.
But in some cases, the cornea becomes so scarred that a corneal transplant may be necessary.
Regularly scheduled eye exams should help identify steep cornea at an early stage.

When Your Biological Clock Says Time's Up

When Your Biological Clock Says Time's Up
More women are waiting longer to have children as they pursue college degrees and careers or simply enjoy young adulthood without kids in tow.
That trend could have sharp repercussions for women and couples eventually hoping to start a family. Those who wait too long could have trouble getting pregnant. Wouldn't it be nice for a woman to know in advance how many fertile years she has left?
Researchers in the United Kingdom say they've found a revolutionary way to read the tea leaves. By measuring a woman's ovarian volume using ultrasound and plugging that information into a computer model, it should be possible to predict when a woman will enter menopause and how much time is left on her biological clock, they said.
At least that's the theory.
We are now looking for funding for a clinical study to prove our hypothesis that there is a very strong relationship between ovarian volume and ovarian reserve/age at menopause, said Dr. W. Hamish Wallace, a consultant pediatric oncologist at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, Scotland.
He and colleague Thomas W. Kelsey, a senior research fellow at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, first unveiled their methodology last June in the journal Human Reproduction.
The occasional headline-grabbing tale of a 50-something woman becoming a new mother does not erase the fact that age remains a critical factor in determining female fertility. As a woman grows older, her ovaries produce fewer eggs. Fertility problems affect about a third of couples in which the woman is over 35, according to the National Women's Health Information Center.
A woman who delays pregnancy into her late 30s or 40s could miss the boat entirely if menopause precedes motherhood. When her monthly periods stop for good, she can no longer produce eggs or become pregnant.
Women who've had their ovaries surgically removed may experience menopause at any age. For most women, menopause occurs naturally around age 51, when the ovaries stop producing estrogen, according to the American Menopause Foundation.
But determining the precise onset of menopause is tricky. Some women enter menopause prematurely at very young ages -- even less than 30, said Dr. Robert Schenken, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Having an accurate model for predicting when a 39-year-old will become menopausal could influence her decision about when to become pregnant, Schenken observed. I think it's certainly worthy of further study, he said.
Physicians already use a variety of tests to evaluate female infertility, including a blood test that detects levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
That can tell us how hard the brain has to work to stimulate the ovaries, explained Dr. Alan Copperman, director of reproductive medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
FSH and other hormone tests are generally administered as part of the workup of candidates for assisted reproductive techniques, including in vitro fertilization. But no current test is sufficiently accurate in predicting the precise age of menopause, fertility experts said; existing tests provide only pieces of the puzzle.
And there is a larger question: How many women really want to know when their baby-making days are over? I think a lot of people don't want to know or, certainly, don't want to know bad news, Copperman said.
On the other hand, now that modern medicine has made it possible to freeze eggs for future use, a predictive test could be quite useful to a young woman who learns that she's less likely to be fertile in her mid- to late-30s, he conceded. She might consider putting away some of her eggs almost as an insurance policy, he suggested.
Even if further studies validate Wallace's method for predicting menopause, it could be quite some time before it is recognized as a standard diagnostic tool. As far as he knows, no physicians or clinics in the United States or the United Kingdom are currently using it.
If you're trying to conceive, don't despair.
I do not believe this paper gives any more information to women presently planning therapy than already exists, said Dr. William D. Schlaff, immediate past president of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and chief of endocrinology and infertility at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.

More Slimming Style Secrets

Looking your best along your weight loss journey is a great self esteem boost! So, let's talk fashion ...
If a thick middle is your problem area, remember that jackets or shirts with hems at your midsection can make a boxy shape look chunkier. Choose jackets that are hip length (or longer). Just say no to bulky shoulder pads and yes to dropped shoulders. A smart choice for fabric is figure-skimming slinky knit. As for tops, a wrap-around style blouse nips in the waist where it meets, resulting in an hourglass look. Look for a sash to tie at the middle -- it will also cinch your waist area. A monotone suit with a nipped waist is ideal for your shape.
Quick Tip: When jacket shopping, you can create the illusion of a waist with a curved shape or a belted back.
Swimsuit season strikes fear in the heart of many women, but it can be particularly daunting for those of us with generous hips and thighs. A plunging neckline such as a halter-style, one-piece suit will detract attention up and away from problem areas. A two-tone suit with the lighter color up top will have a similar effect. Quick Tip: Brave enough to bare more? A high-cut bottom will give the illusion of longer (and therefore slimmer) legs.
If you have wide hips, choose a wide collared coat as it will draw the eye up from the hip area. A coat that flares slightly will skim past the hips and thighs, concealing bumps and bulges.If you're skirt shopping, check out styles with ruffled hems or that flare slightly at the bottom (A-line skirts are a do). Dresses with shirring at the bodice can also slenderize hips.
Quick Tip: A boat neck creates a horizontal line and broadens your shoulders, making yours hips look more narrow.
You can minimize your bust area with cross-over style tees and tanks and wrap-style tops. Ponchos and poncho-style tops are all the rage this fall and they're perfect for detracting attention away from fuller breasts.An unzipped hoodie or open cardigan creates a vertical line, lengthening the neckline and torso.
Quick Tip: Scoop neck tees with their deep, wide neckline work to break up an ample chest area.
An empire-style top will bring focus to the bust and away from a noticeable belly. Shift dresses slim your waistline. Skirts and dresses cut on the bias are great for taming the tummy area. Wearing a slender belt around your waist over a tunic or shift will visually cinch it in. Blouson style dresses may seem like the perfect cover-up, but actually they can have the opposite effect on some shapes, so try before you buy!
Quick Tip: Remember, extra-long necklaces create a leaner line on your entire top half, resulting in a slimmer look.