18 internet-addicted people were compared with 18 people who weren’t addicted to the internet. The non-addicted people were not depressed while the addicted people were classified as moderately to severely depressed. Researchers found these people were using the internet to replace real-life socializing.

The winter creates the perfect storm for this. Short days and cold whether keep us indoors and online. So make an effort to get outside, stay active and ban yourself from the internet for a day. See if you can.

How much time do you spend online?

Labels: depression, mental health, online addiction

You know you don’t want to be the office grump, but how do you get out of that slump? Make your own Happy Cocktail. (And no – it shouldn’t contain vodka or rum. That’s a different sort of cocktail – one which I’m sure your employers wouldn’t be too keen on you imbibing at the office.)

Make a strawberry raspberry tofu smoothie. All these ingredients are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which researchers say make people less prone to depression. Salmon, cod and walnuts are also high in omega-3s, but I figured you wouldn’t be keen on a cod smoothie. But that’s just me.
Chances are you don’t get enough omega-3s anyway. And symptoms of a deficiency are tricky. You might experience fatigue, dry skin, brittle hair, constipation, frequent colds, depression, poor concentration, lack of physical endurance and/or joint pain. Sounds like me on a Monday.

Besides improving your mood, omega-3s have a bunch of other health perks. They may help prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease, asthma, ADHD, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, multiple sclerosis and obesity.

So feel free to sneak some strawberries (or salmon!) into your diet. You'll feel better and have stronger hair – like on those Garnier Fructis commercials.

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Labels: depression, Omega-3, smoothie