Mindfully Healing

Spice extract has fewer side effects than pharmaceutical antidepressants (includes suggested supplements and dosage). Extract of saffron, the exotic spice, is a safer alternative to pharmaceutical antidepressants in mild to moderate depression, recent studies find. Saffron has fewer side effects and is just as effective in some cases. The conclusions come from a review of six separate studies that included 230 clinically depressed patients. Using saffron as an antidepressant was compared with both Prozac and Tofranil (generically known as fluoxetine and imipramine). All the studies were high-quality randomised controlled trials

Not all depression symptoms are easy to spot. When depressed, people have a distorted view of the past, new research finds. When they look back, people experiencing depression feel that the bad things that happened to them were inevitable. Worse, they feel there was nothing they could do about them. Dr Hartmut Blank, one of the study’s authors, said: “Depression is not only associated with a negative view of the world, the self and the future, but we now know with a negative view of the past.” What people feeling

…and the 12 linked to the least satisfaction with life. The clergy are the happiest and most satisfied workers in America, a large US survey finds. 87% of them reported being very satisfied with their work. They are closely followed by physical therapists, 80% of whom were very satisfied with their work and firefighters, 78% of whom were very satisfied. Dr Tom W. Smith, the study’s author, explained the common thread in these different jobs: “The most satisfying jobs are mostly professions, especially those involving caring for, teaching, and protecting

Psychopaths do not particularly like classical music — no matter what film portrayals of psychopaths like Hannibal Lecter might suggest. Psychopaths prefer rap music, a new study finds. Songs like “No Diggity” by Blackstreet and “Lose Yourself” by Eminem were both linked to higher psychopathy scores. In contrast, pop songs like “My Sharona” by The Knack and “Titanium” by Sia were linked to the lowest levels of psychopathy. The conclusions come from research in which 200 people were played 260 songs, along with taking tests of psychopathy. Psychopaths are actually