Woman

health
Inadequate Vitamin D May Contribute to the
Depression Associated with SAD (Seasonal
Affective Disorder)
A recent international research study found a link between SAD
and a lack of sunlight.
“Rather than being one of many factors, vitamin D could have
a regulative role in the development of SAD,” says Alan Stewart
of the University of Georgia College of Education. “People
with SAD have the same symptoms every year, starting in fall
and continuing through the winter months. … We believe there
are several reasons for this, including that vitamin D levels
fluctuate in the body seasonally, in direct relation to seasonally
available sunlight.”
People with darker skin usually have lower vitamin D levels
than fairer skinned individuals, putting them at an even greater
risk for depression. The good news is there is a way people can
help themselves: sunlight. Most people only need a few minutes
of exposure to sunlight each day to remedy a vitamin D deficiency,
but if you’re concerned that you are suffering from SAD,
you should discuss the best ways to get more vitamin D, as well
as other aspects of treating SAD, with your physician.
Gaining Weight When You Quit Smoking is
Still Healthier Than Continuing to Smoke
Maybe you are one of those people who has hesitated to
quit smoking because you’re afraid you’ll gain weight. Maybe
you’ve even made the argument that gaining weight would
be just as bad for you as smoking. Research presented at the
American Heart Association’s Scientific Session 2014 shows
people who gained weight after they quit smoking cigarettes
still had a lower risk of death.
“Quitters had a significantly lower risk of death compared
to smokers, regardless of their weight change after they
stopped smoking,” Dr. Hisako Tsuji, the lead author of the
study, said in an American Heart Association news release.
Researchers in Kyoto, Japan, found that, on average, women
only gain about 8 pounds when they quit smoking, so it
isn’t as much weight as many people fear when quitting. The
American Cancer Society suggests people walk or do other
exercise to help reduce cravings and the stress that may come
with giving up smoking.
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Austin, TX 78759
M. Caroline Jones, DMD