Mindfully Healing

The longer people follow this diet, the more depressed they are. Vegetarians are twice as likely to experience depression as those eating a regular balanced diet, a new study finds. The longer people followed a vegetarian diet, the higher their depression scores, the researchers found. It is possible that the link is down to poor nutrition. Vegetarians typically have low levels of vitamin B12 in their diet. Indeed, around 50% of vegans have a vitamin B12 deficiency, while 7% of vegetarians have the deficiency. Vitamin B12 is found in red

Both creativity and intelligence could be linked to this relaxing activity. Being a daydreamer is a sign that you are intelligent and creative, new research concludes. The result comes from a study in which over 100 people had their brains scanned while they stared at a fixed point for five minutes. The researchers wanted to see how their brains worked in unison when they were given nothing in particular to do. People whose brains worked more efficiently had greater intellectual abilities and also reported more daydreaming in their everyday lives.

Study tests if western diet contributes to the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Poor diet and inactivity probably account for around one-quarter of cases of Alzheimer’s disease, recent research finds. Now, a new study suggests that a ‘western diet’ may well be a contributing factor to Alzheimer’s. The study’s authors describe the typical western diet: “A western diet tends to include highly processed, less expensive fast food, that has a high fat content and simple carbohydrates while lacking essential nutrients from complex grains, fruits and vegetables.” Scientists at Tufts University

The parental behaviour that lowers children’s IQ. Children who were spanked in childhood have lower IQs, a study finds. The more children were spanked, the lower their IQ, the research also found. The probable reason is that spanking is highly stressful for children. It can leave them with post-traumatic stress disorder. An ongoing fear of terrible things happening — being easily startled — is linked to a lower IQ. Parents who continue to use corporal punishment into the teenage years may hamper their children’s brain development even more. Professor Murray

For 50 years scientists and the public alike have been completely wrong about the biological basis of depression. The scientific basis behind commonly used antidepressants is completely backwards, according to a new review of the research. For almost 50 years it has been believed by scientists and the public alike that depression is related to low levels of serotonin in the brain. The most commonly prescribed antidepressant medications — like Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft — are thought to work by keeping serotonin levels higher. So-called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or

3,961 people from 29 different studies were included in the analysis. Depression is more than a mental disorder, it affects the body’s ability to detoxify itself. It should be seen as a systematic disease that affects the whole body, argues a new study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Accepting that depression affects the whole body could help explain why people experiencing depression are more likely to suffer from cancer, cardiovascular disease and to die younger. All of these problems can be combated, however, by the usual treatments for depression:

Survey of 1,000 coffee drinkers reveals which type are “people-pleasers” and which are the most laid-back. Black coffee drinkers are old-school purists who are patient and efficient but can be a little quiet and moody, finds a survey. While latte drinkers were generous with their time but didn’t always take the best care of their health. These are amongst the findings from a recent survey of 1,000 coffee drinkers conducted by clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula. The survey looked at different facets of personality along with the types of coffee

Small study sees improvements in those with ‘untreatable’ depression with no side-effects. Learning to control your own brain waves could be an effective treatment for severe depression, new research finds. The small pilot study found that a technique called neurofeedback helped severely depressed people whose depression had proved very hard to treat. Neurofeedback involves patients concentrating on a readout of their own brain waves. Over time, people can learn to control and change them. Professor Eun-Jin Cheon, the study’s first author, said: “Neurofeedback has been trialed with psychological conditions in

The risk of mental illness is up to 4 times higher in those with a high IQ. Why? Highly intelligent people are at increased risk of mental illness, according to new research. This is because the brains of intelligent people are hyperexcitable, the researchers think. A higher IQ leads to a greater awareness of their surroundings and what is going on. This causes the central nervous system to be more reactive, making intelligent people more ‘jumpy’. Dr Nicole Tetreault, study co-author, said: “A minor insult such as a clothing tag

64% of depression and anxiety patients saw reductions in their symptoms. Probiotics relieve the symptoms of depression, as well as helping with digestion problems, a new study finds. The research was carried out on people with irritable bowel syndrome who were also depressed. Twice as many reported improvements in depression symptoms if they took a specific probiotic. Dr Premysl Bercik, senior study author, said: “This study shows that consumption of a specific probiotic can improve both gut symptoms and psychological issues in IBS. This opens new avenues not only for