Say Cheeeeese! Smiling Makes People Feel Happier
Razi Berry A recent article supports the notion that simply smiling can actually make people feel happier.1 The conclusion comes from a team of research psychologists who combined data from 138 studies of over 11,000 people and found that the facial expressions we use do have a small impact on the feelings we experience. Research […]
Your Thoughts Can Make You Sick; Your Thoughts Can Heal You
Razi Berry Your little child stumbles and scrapes her knee. She looks up at you expectantly, and because you see blood, the look on your face is one of alarm. Seeing your expression startles her and then she starts to cry. You move toward her and kiss her on the wound. The crying stops. This […]
Sleep, Stress and Mood May Modulate How ‘In Control’ Older Adults Feel
Razi Berry From North Carolina State University Psychology researchers have found another reason that sleep, mood and stress are important: they affect the extent to which older adults feel they have control over their lives. The findings can inform efforts to improve an individual’s sense of control, which has ramifications for physical, mental and emotional […]
MDMA Found to Increase Cooperation With Others
Razi Berry A new study from England suggests that MDMA may increase people’s willingness to cooperate with each other.1 A lot of interest has been given to MDMA, a commonly used street drug called ecstasy or molly. Pure MDMA is currently being heavily researched for its potential in treating mental health conditions such as PTSD and […]
Disagreeable People Have Most to Gain by Learning Compassion
Razi Berry Those individuals who are the least likely to be kind, the most disagreeable sort, could benefit the most from learning to be more compassionate, says a recent York University study.1 Over 640 mildly depressed individuals – average ages were in mid-30’s – were included in the study. One of the things the study […]
A Nutrient-Rich Diet May Be More Important for Women to Support Emotional Well-being
Razi Berry A recent study suggests that women may need a more nutrient-rich diet to support a positive emotional mood, and sense of well-being. The research comes from Binghamton University, State University at New York.1 Anonymous survey of 563 individuals (48 percent men and 52 percent women) via social media was utilized There is evidence […]
Medicating Stress and Depression Away- The Search for the “Dr. Feel Good” Pill (Part II)
Dr Sarah LoBisco, ND In Part I, I discussed the prevalence of major depression in America and that the current approach to “fix” mood imbalances with a pill is not effectively addressing the root cause. I reviewed a recent study that discovered that a receptor for stress was elevated in those with major depression. The […]
Is Your Gut Impacting Your Mood, Skin, and Weight?
Dr. Amalia Treadwell, ND, LAc What does Digestion have to do with my Skin? If you’ve ever been to see a Naturopathic physician, you’ve heard that the health of your gastrointestinal tract influences many aspects of your health. Perhaps your main concern was eczema, but your treatment plan included a dietary change or other digestive […]
Cycling to Work Can Improve Performance
A recent study showed that when cycling is utilized as a transportation method for commuting to work it lowers stress and increases work performance.1 The study compared the effects of cycling, driving, or using public transportation to work on stress, mood and work performance. It is generally accepted that physical exercise lowers stress, while improving […]
The Glitter and Glitz of High Dose Vitamin D – Is a One Pill Solution the Panacea Promised? Part 1
Dr. Sarah LoBisco, ND Part 1 Per Oxford Dictionaries online, the definition of panacea in English is as follows: panacea A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases. ‘the panacea for all corporate ills’ ‘the time-honoured panacea, cod liver oil’ Why do I make this connection of a perceived panacea to Vitamin D? Well, first […]