January | 2007 | Renewal Christian Care

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January 26, 200712:37 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Cynical People Pay Inflammatory Price

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

The scriptures are full of reflections on how attitude can effect one’s spirit and body. The idea that a positive outlook can have a healthy effect on an individual is not new but has been recently supported by clinical studies. According to a recent study published in the January 22nd Archives of Internal Medicine, people that are cynical and distrustful have higher levels of inflammatory markers, which are related to atherosclerosis. This study, performed by Nalini Ranjit, Ph.D. and colleagues, offers more support for the idea that a positive outlook is a contributing factor, not only to good mental health, but physical as well. The following is an excerpt of an article that discusses the study:

Pollyanna is more likely to be in good cardiovascular health than Doubting Thomas, researchers here suggested.

People who are cynically distrustful tend to have higher levels of inflammatory markers associated with atherosclerosis than those with everlastingly sunny dispositions, reported epidemiologist Nalini Ranjit, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan, and colleagues.

Other psychosocial factors associated with inflammation included chronic stress and depression, the investigators reported in the Jan. 22 Archives of Internal Medicine.
“We found that cynical distrust, depression, and chronic stress are associated with higher concentrations of inflammatory markers in a population-based healthy sample,” they wrote. “Our cross-sectional results are compatible with a mediating role of behaviors, body mass index, and diabetes mellitus, although definite conclusions regarding mediation can only be drawn from longitudinal design.”

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12:31 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

The benefits of walking: positive mental health and the human spirit

Exercise is something that many people do for the obvious health benefits, but few realize the mental and spiritual rewards of exercise. Physically, you experience the rewards of exercise by the outward appearance of a more tone physique, while mentally you are unconsciously improving your mood by releasing endorphins. By walking on a regular basis, you are increasing your heart rate, which increases the release of endorphins, “happy chemicals,” and fights off depression. Additionally, walking allows time for quieting of the mind, reflections on faith, or even encouraging conversations between friends. The following is an excerpt of an article which discusses the mental and physical benefits of walking:

Walking and other exercise leads to the release of the body’s natural happy drugs - endorphins. Walkers who walk at a higher heart rate will notice this effect more than those who walk at a slower heart rate pace. But even at a slower pace, most people notice an improvement in mood.
Many physicians recommend adding regular walking and exercise as a natural treatment to relieve a bout of depression. The cause of depression is related to brain chemistry. By getting your brain to release more of the happy chemicals - the endorphins - you achieve naturally what many prescription drugs and herbs try to do artificially.
Depression can be a serious and life-threatening disease, consult your health care provider if your mood is leading to problems in your life or if you have suicidal thoughts.

Click here to read “Walking for your mind and spirit”

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January 19, 20072:51 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Counseling can reduce postpartum depression

Postpartum depression is a serious issue for first time mothers. The affects of postpartum depression can be severe and lasting. Postpartum depression can turn into long-term depression for mothers. Infants whose mothers experience postpartum depression can suffer slowed development and decreased IQ. A recent study, however, by Brown University found that counseling decreased the risk of severe postpartum depression from 20 percent to four percent within the first three months after delivery. The following is a article by the Cincinnati Enquirer that discusses the study:

When Melinda walks into the prenatal clinic for her first visit. She’s seven months’ pregnant, 19 and alone. Melinda tells the nurse her lower back is aching and she can’t sleep more than three hours a night. Melinda’s troubles, already overwhelming, are about to multiply in ways she can’t bear to imagine. But the prenatal clinic staff has seen variations on Melinda’s story every day this week, every week of the year. Young, poor, first-time mothers with few resources and a family history of depression have a one in five chance of developing major depression in the first few months after the baby is born. The toll of postpartum depression is both immediate and lasting. Infants of depressed mothers develop more slowly, including measurably lower IQ in boys at later ages, according to one study. Can postpartum depression be prevented? Yes, even in high-risk mothers such as the “Melindas.”

Click here to read “Counseling can prevent postpartum depression”

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2:42 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Advice for Treating Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression, while in some instances can be more severe than in others, is common. There are several things that one can do in order to find help. Counseling is a very effective treatment for postpartum depression. Support groups for women that are experiencing postpartum depression help one to realize that they are not alone and offer much encouragement. Often times doctors will prescribe antidepressants to help suffers of postpartum depression during the months immediately following delivery. The key to dealing with postpartum depression or any type of depression for that matter is to not give up on yourself, stay informed and most of all stay connected with others that can help. The following article discusses the dynamics of postpartum depression and offers some insight into various treatment options. Here is an excerpt:

If you’ve ever dealt with a postpartum mood disorder, you know what a frightening and sometimes shameful experience it can be. One moment, you are happy, the next crying. Some days are great. Other days are met with confusion and hopelessness. You may have thoughts about hurting your baby or have panic attacks that feel like you are dying. You may have bizarre fantasies like throwing your baby out the window or toasting her in the oven. Maybe you feel obsessed and check your baby’s crib every 15 minutes.

Click here to read the entire artilce, “Treating Postpartum Mood Disorders”

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January 12, 20075:16 pm
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR

Yet Another Worry for Those Who Believe the Glass Is Half-Empty

Proverbs 17:22 ¶A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (KJV)

A pessimistic nature can lead to a short as well as unhappy life. A research study led by Dr. Erik J. Giltay of the Psychiatric Center GGZ Delfland and published in The Archives of General Psychiatry revealed that people who are pessimistic experience death at an earlier age due to other health problems as compared to people with a more positive mental outlook. Studies of this type are important in understanding the mind, body and spirit connection, which is significant to our overall wellness. Here is an excerpt of an article by the Washington Post that discusses the study:

Now, it seems, pessimists may really have something to worry about: their health.

A study by researchers in the Netherlands has found that people who are temperamentally pessimistic are more likely to die of heart disease and other causes than those who are by nature optimistic.

The study, led by Dr. Erik J. Giltay of the Psychiatric Center GGZ Delfland and published in The Archives of General Psychiatry, followed 941 Dutch subjects, ages 65 to 85, from 1991 to 2001. Subjects were ranked in quartiles as pessimistic or optimistic on the basis of their reactions to statements like, “I still have positive expectations concerning my future” and, “I often feel that life is full of promises.”

Click here to read “Yet Another Worry for Those Who Believe the Glass Is Half-Empty”

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