Music: a simple intervention to improve mental and physical health Music is an integral part of our society. It is a multi-billion-dollar industry and according to a report released by Nielsen Music, on average, Americans spend around 32 hours a week listening to music. Music has been used for centuries as a form of celebration […]
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Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and its Effect on the Gut Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) involves applying a small electrical current through the brain. ECT is often used as a last-resort treatment for adults with treatment-resistant depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Despite ECT continuing to be a controversial treatment, for people who have not experienced improvement from psychological […]
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Poor sleep quality can reduce magnesium levels Sleep problems including insomnia are frequently experienced by people of all ages. In fact, it is estimated that up to one-third of people experience sleep problems. This is a significant concern as poor sleep affects work and academic performance and is associated with an increased risk of most […]
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Integrative Treatments for Depression: A Review of the Evidence The most popular treatments for depression include psychological and pharmacological treatments. In terms of psychological therapies, the most commonly-used form is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) while the most popular antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac® (fluoxetine), Zoloft® (sertraline) and Lexapro® (escitalopram). While […]
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4 Nutrients Depleted During Times of High Stress Stress is our body’s response to a threat or demand. Stress can be physical and/or emotional and can last from seconds to sometimes years. When stress occurs for a short period it is referred to as ‘acute stress’ and when it occurs for a longer period it […]
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10 Ways to Naturally Boost Serotonin Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that is associated with mood. In fact, most pharmaceutical antidepressants are designed to increase the availability of serotonin in the brain. It is believed that by increasing serotonin, mood will improve and therefore depression will be treated. Antidepressant drugs are not the only […]
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5 Reasons Why Depression and Other Mental Health Problems are Increasing! Research has confirmed that mental health problems like depression and anxiety-related disorders are on the increase. In fact, by 2020 it is predicted that depression will cause more disability than any other physical or mental disease. This prediction is alarming as mental health problems […]
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Stomach acid-reducing drugs linked to depression Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a group of drugs designed to reduce stomach acid production. They are commonly prescribed for the prevention and treatment of acid-related conditions such as oesophageal duodenal and stomach ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-associated ulcers. In Australia, there were over 19 million prescriptions […]
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Should the gut microbiota be a target for treatment in people with anorexia? The gut microbiota consists of a community of microorganisms that live in our digestive tracts. Interest in gut microbiota has increased dramatically over the last decade as these microorganisms have many physiological roles in our body. Microbiota are important for digestion, have […]
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How Food Affects Mood Research confirms that what we eat can have a dramatic effect on how we feel. There are dozens of studies that show eating a healthy diet is associated with a lower risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. A healthy diet includes eating lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, […]
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