07.05.2010 Lifestyle Coaching: Changing Your Path, Pain Management: Controlling Your Life No Comments

San Diego Psychologist: Obesity, Exercise, and Fibromyalgia Risk

A new study indicates that (1) obesity alone can increase the risk of having fibromyalgia and (2) also having a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle can make this risk even greater.  The study followed 15,990 women after 11 years who initially did not have fibromyagia or physical problems.

Concerning weight, the article stated, “Being overweight — with a BMI [Body Mass Index] of 25 or higher — was a strong independent risk factor, with the heavier women having a 60 percent to 70 percent higher risk of developing the condition compared to the healthy weight women.”

Regarding exercise, the article emphasized its importance.  According to the article, principle researcher Paul Mork, of Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway noted, “Women who reported exercising four times per week [or more] had a 29 percent lower risk of fibromyalgia compared with inactive women.  Those who exercised two to three times a week were about 11 percent less likely to get fibromyalgia.”

Article available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_98189.html

An abstract/summary from the original study is also available at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123268508/abstract

Dr. Schwartz

San Diego Psychologist

www.integrative-health.net

01.03.2010 The Darkness of Depression, The Heaviness of Weight Management No Comments

San Diego Psychologist: Chicken or the Egg?: Obesity and Depression

In a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) multi-study, researchers found a significant link between obesity and depression.  “We found bidirectional associations between depression and obesity: obese persons had a 55 percent increased risk of developing depression over time, whereas depressed persons had a 58 percent increased risk of becoming obese.” Available at: http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=636477

Dr. Schwartz

San Diego Psychologist

www.integrative-health.net

09.02.2010 Lifestyle Coaching: Changing Your Path No Comments

San Diego Psychologist: Keeping Yourself Smart with Diet

A Columbia University study shows that the Mediterranean Diet may help keep your brain healthy.  It’s not just weight loss and reduced cholesterol anymore.  In their results they showed that people who followed the diet modestly were 21 percent less likely to have brain damage than people who followed it poorly.   And those who followed it most closely had a 36 percent reduced risk compared with those who followed it the least.  Check it out at http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=635737.  Comments are always welcome!

Dr.  Schwartz

San Diego Psychologist

www.integrative-health.net

13.01.2010 Services Posts No Comments

The Darkness of Depression

Depression is a mental health condition which involves negative, lethargic, and self-loathing thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that may significantly interfere with everyday functioning.  Approximately 20 million people in the U.S. have symptoms of depression.

Read more