THE LEADING EDGE: VATiVE & FRESH SOLUTIONS TO HELP YOU LIVE BETTER

-step approach to,^ ^ happiness

F a m e d p o e t Emily Dickinson oncewrote, "The soul should always standajar, ready to welcome the ecstaticexperience."When Dickinson pennedthis profound directive, sbe wascertainly not entrenched in the chaos ofmodern life, with its congested traffic,incessant e-mails, and ubiquitousadvertising that screams for ourattention and jangles our nerves.

'foo many bills, worries aboutbealtb—not to mention a crumblingeconomy—can overwbelm even themost emotionally stalwart. It cansometimes be hard to feel. However,three natural steps can help enhanceyour everyday happiness (see sidebar).

What Makes People Happy?Wbat makes people bappy and bealtby?Otber people. Croundbreaking researchreleased late last year from the UC IA

a, Scbool of Medicine demonstrated tbat-I being lonely is bad for our bealtb. ["heZ researchers found that isolated individu-= als bad an overactive inflammatory^ response and an underaaive immune^ system, tbe double wbammy of poorX healtb and disease.- In addition to avoiding isolation,2 researcb also demonstrates tbe impor-

These practical lifestyle andsupplement tips can ease depression

By Karolyn A. Gazella

I ance ofqualityrather tbanquantity.In 2008,researcb ersfromDenmarkfound that

study participants believed goodrelations and life philosophy were themost important indicators of quality oflife. Tbe researcbers concluded, "Whatone possesses in objective terms—money, status, work—does not seem tobe important to global quality of lifeand is of little importance to self-assessed health."

Recently, researcbers from theliniversity of Nebraska released tbeirdata analyzing nearly 10,000 peopleover the age of 18 to find out ifhappiness really does positively impactbealtb. I'bey discovered that bappy,satisfied people were healibier even attbe tv fo-year follow-up.

Of course, we all want to be bappybut bappiness can be extremely elusive.Some days, especially during stressfultimes, it takes a concerted effort to behappy. During spurts of stress andanxiety, we need to give our bodiesextra support. A great place to start iswith physical activity.

Scientific literature features manystudies confirming tbat exercise canease symptoms of depression andanxiety. A recent literature review byCerman researcbers concluded tbaiexercise is clinically effective even in

cases of major depression and panicdisorder. Strive for at least 30 minutessix days per week.

Fish Oils: As Good as ProzacOver the past couple of years, tbe botdietary supplements for mood enbance-ment bave been omega-3 fatty acids.Recently, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),an important essential fatty acid, wascompared to the antidepressant drugfluoxeiine (e.g., Prozac). The study,wbicb was featured in the AusiraHanNew ZeiiUinti journal of Psychiatry,

demonstrated ibat BPA was just aseffective as the drug. The researcbersalso found tbat EPA actually enhancedthe effectiveness of fluoxetine. Ibis year,the National Cenler for Complementaryand Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)announced it will be sponsoring a studyto determine if EPA and docosahexae-noic acid (DHA), anotber importantomega 3 essential fatty acid, can helpprevent depression in pregnancy andpostpartum. For mood enhancement,the goal is to lake 1,000 mg of EPA orDHA from fish oils a day.

New researcb continues to confirmtbe effectiveness of B vitamins to helpstabilize mood and prevent depression.Last year, tbe British ¡oumal of Psychiatryfound that low levels of folate andvitamin lil2 were linked to late-lifedepression.

Numerous studies exist showing thestandardized berb St. John's wort canbelp alleviate symptoms of depression.A literature review featured in theSeptember 2008 issue of the journal of

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,THE LEADING EDGE: VATIVE & FRESH SOLUTIONS TO HELP YOU LIVE BETTER

Holistic Nursing confirmed that St.lohn's wort is "more effective thanplacebo and, in several studies, moreeffective than common antide-pressant medications in treatingminor depression." Keep in mind,St. lohn's wort is not indicated formajor depression or bipolardisorder. The dosage for St. lohn'swort {standardized to 0.3 percenthypericin) is 300 to 600 mgtwo to three times daily.

SAM-e, Theanine, &Chromium

Many positive studies have beendone on the natural substanceS-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e). Aliterature review featured in the lune2005 issue of Clinical and ImmfigaliveMedicine concluded that SAM-e iseffective for minor depression and"there appears to be a role for SAM-e inthe treatment of major depression in

adults." The dosage is 400 to 1,200 mgper day of enteric-coated SAM-e.

Several studies have shown that

surround yourselfwith loving, supportive people—happiness does not leave uswhen we share it.

get moving—avoidthe temptation to skip exerciseduring times of stress.

try some supple-mental insurance—exciting newresearch confirms how somedietary supplements can helpus to be happy.

5-HTP, an important amino acid,increases serotonin, endorphins, andother neurotransmitters that can helpenhance mood. According to authorand naturopathic physician MichaelMurray, ND, "Numerous double-blind

studies have shown that 5-HTP hasequal effectiveness compared to dmgs,such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft and

tricyclic antidepressants likeimipramineand desipramine."Murray recommends 50 to 100mg three times a day. Considertaking at night, as 5-HTP causesdrowsiness in some people, l-orthis reason, 5-HrP is alsorecommended for treatinginsomnia.

Never discontinue takingprescription medicationswithout first consulting withyour doctor. This is especiallytrue for antidepressant drugs.

If you are having troublefocusing because of stress, you maywant to try a product that containsL-theanine. "In addition to helpingalleviate stress," explains author andholistic pharmacist Sherry Ibrkos,"L-theanine has been shown recently in

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THE LEADING EDGE

clinical studies to significantlyimprove the ability to concentrateand think clearly." Torkos recom-mends supplements that containthe ingredient Suntheanine at adaily dosage of 100 to 200 mgof L-theanine, one to three timesper day.

Balancing blood sugar levelsmay also make you happier."Chromium is highly effectivein relieving atypical depressioncharacterized by sugar cravings,gained weight, and feeling tiredall of the time," explains PatrickHolford, author of New OpiimuinNutrition for the ^dind. "In fact,

taking proper levels of chromiumcan make a big difference tocertain depressed people." TTiedaily dose of chromium picolinateis 200 to 500 meg. •

Product Examples

NATROL 5-HTP TR

TIME RELEASE

features 100 mg

of the nutrient per

i?iblet.

GAIA HERBS LIQUID

PHYTO-CAPS ST.

JOHN'S WORT is a

concentrate of fresh St.

John's wort flower buds.

CARLSON

MELLOW MOOD

contains B vita-

mins. GABA. and

L-theanine for better

moods.

JARROW FORMU-

LAS SAM-e (in 60

or 20 count) regu-

lates mood with

iOO mg SAM-e per

vegetarian, enteric-

coated capsule.