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• Seasonal affective disorder
• Diagnosing seasonal affective disorder
• Seasonal affective disorder symptoms

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is described as a form of depression that affects people typically in the winter months. Many people who are affected by SAD begin seeing symptoms of their depression in autumn, as the seasons change and the amount of daylight decreases.

Other symptoms of SAD include: loss of appetite, irritability, lack of energy, overeating (especially carbohydrates), lack of socializing, and increased sleep, particularly in the day time. For many people the correlation between the changing of the seasons and their symptoms of depression could simply be the stress of the holidays and the ending of a year, and not be seasonal affective disorder.  Psychologists say that there is a pretty thin line between SAD and event-related stress.

Doctors also believe that the release of melatonin in the brain can also be a factor in SAD.  Melatonin is released due to exposure to the sun, and doctors say that melatonin can influence some bodily rhythms because there is a decrease in daylight during the fall and winter months.

Luckily for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder there are treatment options.

Depending upon the severity of the disorder, doctors may recommend antidepressant medications, psychological therapy and/or light therapy.

Light therapy seems to be the most effective form of treatment and many people can see results within a few days.  Light therapy involves having the person who suffers from SAD be exposed to a very strong light source, via a light box or a strong lamp.  The sufferer spends a couple hours in the light's rays per day as part of the treatment.

The light required in light therapy must be of enough brightness, typically 25 times brighter than a normal living room light.

And contrary to what many theories state, the light does not need to be actual daylight from the sun. In this case, it is quantity, not necessarily quality of light that matters in light therapy of seasonal affective disorder.

• Benefits of yoga
• Yoga health benefits
• Yoga for beginners
• Yoga fitness

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

If your New Year's Resolution included getting healthy and trying new forms of exercise, then you may be considering trying out one of the most popular forms of exercise and relaxation : yoga.

Yoga can be intimidating if you choose to head straight to the gym and taking a class, so we offer these four beginners poses that you can practice with before you move onto some of the more challenging poses in public.

Mountain Pose :

To do it, stand up straight and plant your feet firmly on the floor. Bring your shoulders back as if you were trying to stand up super straight, but keep your arms relaxed. In one variation of this pose, you leave your arms at your side and feel the energy shoot through your back and legs (in a good way). In another variation, you take a deep breath as you lift your arms above your head with the palms of your hands facing each other. Reach for the stars with your fingertips and feel the stretch in your back.

Cobra Pose :

The cobra pose stretches your lower back, improves flexibility and works your arms. Start by lying face down on the floor with the tops of your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands near your shoulders, as if you were going to do a pushup. Use your arms to push your torso, abdomen and even hips off the floor. Keep your legs flat on the ground. Hold the pose for 30 seconds, return to the starting position and repeat the sequence.

Warrior Pose :

Stand in a normal position and then turn your right foot out at a 90-degree angle. While keeping your shoulders relaxed, place your hands on your hips. Extend your arms out to your sides and the palms of your hands face down. Your arms should be parallel to the floor. Bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle and slide your left foot back 3 or 4 feet, depending on your flexibility. Your right thigh should be parallel with the floor and your knee over your ankle. Line your chin up with your right shoulder so you look past your fingertips. Hold this pose for a minute before switching sides.

• Carrot health benefits
• carrot facts
• eating carrots
• benefits of carrots

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

The beta-carotene in carrots is an antioxidant combating the free radicals that contribute to conditions like cancer, heart disease, and a few other conditions.

Cooking carrots raises the nutritional benefits of this great vegetable. By cooking them you free the beta-carotene from the fiber, thereby allowing your body to better absorb the beta-carotene.

If you eat just a half cup of carrots each day you will get more than the recommended dosage of beta-carotene in your diet.

Recipe: Banana Zucchini Carrot Bread 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 extra large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 medium bananas
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• ½ cup grated carrots
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 dash salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter and pour into large bowl.  Add bananas and mash.  Add grated zucchini and shredded carrots.  Mix well.  Add sugar, vanilla and beaten egg.  Sprinkle in baking soda and salt, and mix.  Add flour and mix well.  Pour in 4x8 loaf pan to two large muffin pans.  (Yields one loaf or 12 large muffins.) Bake loaf for 60 to 75 minutes.  Bake muffins for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Let cool and serve.

Recipe: Creamy Carrot with Curry Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds peeled carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Garnish: Chopped pistachios

Heat oil in sauté pan until shimmering.  Add carrots, then onion, sauté until golden brown (about 7 minutes).  Reduce heat and add butter, sugar, and garlic; continue cooking about 10 minutes longer. Add curry and sauté a minute longer. Add broth and simmer.  Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes.  Using a blender, puree in a blender for about a minute.  Return to pot and add enough half and half so the mixture is soup-like, yet thick enough to float the pistachio garnish.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

• flu prevention
• Cold prevention
• Fight flu naturally
• Fight cold naturally

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

We are well into the cold and flu season and unfortunately everyone knows someone that has been down and out with cold and flu symptoms this year. Fortunately there are some simple ways to help you stay healthy throughout the winter.

Here are five simple ways to stay cold and flu-free:

1. Load up on garlic.  It contains allicin, which has antiviral properties.
2. Sweat it out in the sauna.  Sweating helps to release toxins in the body.
3. Get the proper amount of sleep.  Sleeping helps you to be more energized and helps your immune system fight off germs.
4. Eat your chicken noodle soup.  It contains anti-inflammatory deliciousness that strengthens disease-fighting cells.
5. Have your yogurt.  The probiotics help strengthen your immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells in your body.

• High fructose corn syrup
• High fructose facts
• Corn syrup facts

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

It seems that one of the most asked questions these days is high fructose corn syrup worse for you than regular sugar.  Well, according to studies, last year alone Americans consumed 27 pounds of high fructose corn syrup, after all it can be found nearly everywhere including the fruit on the bottom of your yogurt and in many whole wheat breads.

While that number is down from the 37.5 pounds consumed per person back in 1999, it seems that most Americans are filling in those remaining calories and pounds by adding in good old-fashioned sugar.

Normal table sugar is made up of 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose.  But since fructose is sweeter than glucose many manufacturers increased the ratio, to inexpensively hook their consumers.  High fructose corn syrup contains 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose.

Because it is sweeter, people who eat foods high in high fructose corn syrup it may cause overeating and weight gain.  Studies have also shown that high fructose corn syrup may also contain varying amounts of mercury.

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy stated that “mercury was present in nearly a third of 55 popular brand name food and beverages in which high fructose corn syrup was the first or second ingredient on the label.”

It is important to be a good label reader and avoid foods that list high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient on the label. Even if an item is marked “natural” or in the health food aisle, it still can contain high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient.

Even though table sugar isn't as bad for you as high fructose corn syrup, it can still wreak havoc on your diet and weight loss goals.  Indulge in sugary items as a treat or only on special occasions, instead of at every meal.