Couch potatoes aren’t just being pushed away from the TV set. Now psychotherapists and psychologists are getting into the act, literally taking patients off the couch and out the door for therapeutic hikes and runs as they dish out mental health help.
Why? Because exercise kicks up brain circulation, improving alertness and concentration and making therapy sessions more effective, said California psychotherapist Terri Hengesh in the January issue of Elle magazine.
Hengesh has found that patients grappling with anxiety and depression can improve more quickly this way than through traditional therapy.
Physical movement, she said, “enables people to go beyond their intellectual blocks and tap into their feelings.”
Inspiration for her walk-and-talk therapy came from clinical psychologist Keith Johnsgard, who has hiked or run with patients for 30 years.
A book about his experiences, called “Conquering Depression and Anxiety Through Exercise,” will be published by Prometheus in the spring.
Research on the mental benefits of exercise back up their claims. One study at Duke University found that aerobic exercise is as effective as Zoloft in treating major depressive disorder.
Even better, moderate-intensity exercise works as well as workouts at high-intensity for managing depression, a University of Wisconsin study has shown.
Healthy skepticism
Be careful regarding the Web sites from which you draw your health information. Some are much more reliable than others. To help filter out misleading or unreliable sites, head to the Web site of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, www.nccam.nih.gov, click on “More Resources,” then click on “10 Things to Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web.” It gives information, for example, on how to determine health-site quality by looking at who runs the site and who pays for it. Also, what is the site’s purpose? What are the sources of their information and how are they selected? Is the information current?
You also want to find out what information the site is collecting about you as you peruse its contents.
Homocysteine link
Elevated homocysteine levels, which have a well-established link to heart disease and stroke, now are being connected to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
High homocysteine levels result when there is a low intake of the B vitamins (B-6, B-12 and folic acid), says Dr. Kilmer S. McCully, chief of pathology and laboratory medicine in the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, in the January issue of Bottom Line Health.
A study published in the July 2003 issue of Lancet Neurology found that the incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia can be reduced by 75 percent through adequate intake of B vitamins.
High homocysteine levels also are an important risk factor for leukemia and advanced breast cancer.
Besides adding B vitamins to your diet, it is important to avoid processed foods such as sugar, canned vegetables, white flour and packaged cakes and cookies.
Instead, add 6 to 10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables to your daily diet, as well as whole-grain foods, fish, meat, eggs and dairy products.
Exercising and quitting smoking will also help to lower homocysteine levels.
A blood test measuring homocysteine costs $130 to $200 and may be covered by insurance.
Levels higher than 15 point to a greatly increased risk of illness.
Gums and menopause
Women experiencing menopause should visit the dentist, notes a comprehensive feature on oral health care in the January issue of the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource. Hormone changes can contribute to dry mouth and a burning sensation in the gum tissue of some women, signaling burning mouth syndrome. Other women’s gums become inflamed and bleed easily.
In addition, aging women with osteoporosis may experience periodontal disease. Daily oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist can help stem problems.
