Health - Health Care Chief

vaccine shots

FDA recommends shifting to annual coronavirus vaccine shots

Editorial Team

January 26, 2023
3 min read

Amid Omicron

Amid Omicron XBB.1.5 Concerns Covid Public Health Emergency Extended in the U.S.

Editorial Team

January 18, 2023
3 min read

Childhood Vaccination

Childhood Vaccination Rates Fall Across the U.S., Raising Alarm

Editorial Team

January 18, 2023
3 min read

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, can be defined as periods of seasonal depression where people feel unlike themselves when the seasons start to change. Typical symptoms start to manifest in late fall and early winter, during this time people start to feel down and this phenomenon is also known as winter blues. In contrast, as summer or spring approaches, these symptoms go away and people start to feel better. However, it is also possible that some people may also suffer from depressive episodes in the summer. Approximately 10% of the people who suffer from seasonal depression experience it in the summer too. The Mayo Clinic has pointed out oversleeping, isolation, cravings for carbohydrate-intensive foods, and tiredness or low energy as the symptoms of fall and winter seasonal depression. Patients who suffer from seasonal depression during spring and summer are usually plagued with insomnia, weight loss, irritability, and anxiety. If these symptoms prevail for long, get severe, and start to impact the daily activities of an individual, it can be said that the person is developing a clinical level of depression. The condition is not as widespread as other psychological disorders and only around 5% of the population of Americans suffers from seasonal depression. While the exact causes of seasonal depression are unknown, licensed clinical psychologist, Christopher Hagan has said that reduced daylight might be a contributing factor. "If we're doing less of the things that we enjoy, seeing people less often, spending less time outside, getting less exercise or less activity, all of those things are going to contribute to depression for some people," Hagan said. Kristie Norwood, director of Hampton University's Student Counseling Center, has said that daylight savings time only aggravates the issue for people who live on the east coast in the U.S. and usually have ample daylight particularly struggle as the darkness indicates to them that they should be resting and asleep, even though it is still time to be active. Transitioning to and from daylight savings time leads to sleep disturbance which in turn can cause mood swings, especially in people who already struggle with anxiety or depression. A 2017 study from Denmark also discovered how the transition from summer to standard time affected depressive episodes. The transition has been associated with an over 10% increase in depressive episodes that last for over 10 weeks. Light therapy is one of the most common treatments for seasonal depression and has been practiced for over 40 years. Under this therapy, patients are exposed to a bright light box emitting light of 10,000 lux every day in the morning for 30-45 minutes during winter months. The light that these devices emit is 20 times brighter than typical indoor light and is helpful in improving cognitive function and mood. Apart from light therapy, people who suffer from seasonal depression can also use medication such as Bupropion to deal with the symptoms. In addition to this, behavioral therapy may also be a possible treatment plan. Staying active and making a proactive effort to stay out during daylight hours can also be beneficial for patients.

Seasonal affective disorder: causes, consequences, and cure

Editorial Team

November 30, 2022
3 min read

“Protein Hunger” leads to overeating and obesity, scientists find a recent study suggests that the intake of a lot of processed food could deny a person of protein and could possibly lead to increased weight. The researchers from Sydney University in Australia studied data on the eating behaviors of 9,341 locals. The data was collected between 2011 and 2012. The research was part of a national nutrition survey and was funded partly by a red meat marketing and research organization. They discovered that people who consume more processed meals like chips, pizza, and another fast food end up consuming an excess of calories during the day. They also found that people who had a protein-heavy first meal of the day went on to eat a lower amount over the day. This could mean that a higher protein intake in the first meal of the day could possibly reduce appetite. The researchers claimed that our bodies could possibly try to stimulate appetite resulting from a lack of protein. This hunger could lead to people eating processed foods excessively, instead of eating vegetables and other high-protein foods. The research suggests that the amount of protein we eat affects the total intake of calories and whether or not we gain weight. The recommended intake of protein is measured in grams per day per pound of body weight and it is between 0.36 and 0.9 grams. According to the researchers, our bodies have a target range of protein, so we will have to eat a lot more of it if it is a considerably small part of our usual diet, to balance it out. Someone who weighs 150 pounds would require between 54 and 135 grams of protein daily. Each gram of protein is about four calories, which means 216 to 540 calories per day eating fish, beans, meat, soy, or chicken, which are high in protein. If a regular diet of a person consists of 15% protein, they would need about 3,600 calories to reach the required amount of protein, and this could lead to increased weight. If that number increases to a 25% protein diet, they would only need a mere 2,160 calories per day from protein, which is in the recommended range if the aim is to maintain weight. Obesity expert Giles Yeo said, “The hypothesis is that we need a certain amount of protein to function, and we will keep eating till we get to [the right number]. The data supporting it is quite solid. Most of the work was first worked out in flies and mice, but increasing evidence from human studies indicate it occurs, at least under certain conditions, in humans as well." Yeo further said that giving up processed food can be a challenge as it is convenient, flavorsome, and inexpensive. However, if we eat processed foods that are high in fiber and protein, they could prove to be a viable option in terms of calorie intake. Even so, having a lot of processed food can overshadow other mineral and vitamin-rich foods in your diet like whole grains, fruits, legumes, and vegetables. In conclusion, Yeo highlights the importance of considering food as a whole and not only certain nutrients. He said that we don’t eat calories, we eat food.

“Protein Hunger” leads to overeating and obesity, scientists find

Editorial Team

November 28, 2022
3 min read