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Scientists Find Sniffing Rosemary Can Increase Memory By 75%


Reblogged from http://www.herbs-info.com/blog/scientists-find-sniffing-rosemary-can-increase-memory-by-75/Scientists Find Sniffing Rosemary Can Increase Memory By 75 Percent

Photo – wikipedia.org – licensed under CC 2.0

Rosemary is a wonderful herb with a tradition of use spanning millennia. It has innumerable uses in both the kitchen and in herbal medicine.

Did you know that rosemary has been associated with memory enhancement since ancient times? It is true – and it has even been referred to from the latter part of the Elizabethan Era to the Early Romantic period as the herb of remembrance. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, iv. 5.) It has also long been used as a symbol for remembrance during weddings, war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia. [1] Mourners in old times would wear it as a buttonhole, burn it as incense or throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead.

It seems that this tradition of Rosemary may actually far more ancient and have its origins in the Arabic world of medieval times, which was greatly advanced in science: In Henry Lyte’s 1578 “Niewe Herball“, an English version of Rembert Dodoens’ French treatise, it is written “The Arrabians and their successors Physitions, do say that Rosemarie comforteth the brayne, the memory and the inward senses, and that it restoreth speech, especially the conserve made of the flowers, thereof with Sugar, to be received daily.” [2]

Because of this seemingly esoteric association, rosemary has at times been made into a sort of herbal-amulet, where it was placed beneath pillowcases, or simply smelt as a bouquet, and it was believed that using rosemary in these ways could protect the sleeper from nightmares, as well as increase their memory.

What’s fascinating is that several scientific studies have now found remarkable results for rosemary’s effects on memory:

Rosemary essential oil’s role in aromatherapy as an agent that promotes mental clarity was validated by the study of Moss, Cook, Wesnes, and Duckett (2003) in which the inhalation of rosemary essential oil significantly enhanced the performance for overall quality of memory and secondary memory factors of study participants. [3]

More recently, in 2012 a study on 28 older people (average 75 years old) found statistically significant dose-dependent improvements in cognitive performance with doses of dried rosemary leaf powder. [4]

Another study by Mark Moss and Lorraine Oliver at Northumbria University, Newcastle has identified 1,8-cineole (a compound in rosemary) as an agent potentially responsible for cognitive and mood performance.[5]

Further studies by Mark Moss and team have found memory enhancements of up to an amazing 75% from diffusion of rosemary essential oil. [6]

Now if you are asking “How is it even possible that an aroma can enhance memory?” – well, that’s a great question. Here’s a fascinating quote from one of the scientific papers referenced: “Volatile compounds (e.g. terpenes) may enter the blood stream by way of the nasal or lung mucosa. Terpenes are small organic molecules which can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore may have direct effects in the brain by acting on receptor sites or enzyme systems.” [5]

Terpenes are primary components of essential oils and are often strong smelling, responsible for a diverse array of natural aromas. It’s also been found that 1,8-cineole enters the bloodstream of mammals after inhalation or ingestion. [7]

I’m interested to know if anyone uses rosemary as a memory enhancer. Maybe you could take some with you next time you have an examination and see if it helps with recall? One last tidbit to inspire you further:Lavender. In a 1998 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, rosemary was found to increase alertness but lavender was found not only to increase alertness but also to increase accuracy in math tests! [8] The way this is going, I can sense the possibility of a magical custom oil blend for total recall! ;)

Rosemary is very easy to grow in many gardens and will provide an abundant supply – almost too abundant! Just the other day when paying a Christmas visit to my family, I cut a few sprigs from my Dad’s organic rosemary bush (rosemary is an evergreen!), left them on a radiator to dry for a few days and then put the needle-like leaves in a jar, ready for use in the kitchen whenever required. So aromatic… and much better than the store-bought stuff I had before!

Another thought that springs to mind from this – here we have yet another example of an ancient herbal lore that has been validated by modern experiments. This happens again and again – and yet still the remarkable herbals, lost treasures of the ancient world are considered spurious by modern medicine. If an herb has been in use for a thousand years for a condition, it should be considered probable that there is something to it. When are we going to catch up with ancient knowledge? Let’s hope soon – while there is still some untarnished, un-GMO-ed nature left…

This scientific discovery was brought to our attention by the remarkable Robert Tisserand, whose work on essential oils is considered by many to be among the very finest. Check out his original pages reporting on the memory effects of Rosemary here http://roberttisserand.com/2013/04/new-rosemary-memory-research/ – and here http://roberttisserand.com/2012/03/rosemary-boosts-brain-power/

References:

[1] Henry Lyte “Niewe Herball”, 1578, p.264 http://books.google.com/books?id=ifxNAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA264

[2] http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/customs/rosemary.asp

[3] Moss M., Cook J., Wesnes K., & Duckett P. (2003). Aromas of rosemary and lavender essential oils differentially affect cognition and mood in healthy adults. International Journal of Neuroscience, 113(1): 15-38. Retrieved 24 March 2013 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12690999

[4] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21877951

[5] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736918/

[6] http://roberttisserand.com/2013/04/new-rosemary-memory-research

[7] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3671550

[8] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10069621/

The Dragon Loyalty Award and Blog 2013 Award


I want to thank one of the bravest young woman, I know, for nominating me for two awards – The Dragon’s Loyalty Award and the Blog of 2013 Award. These are wonderful awards to receive. The Dragon’s Loyalty Award is an award for the loyal fan/commenter, whether the recipient is a fellow blogger or just someone who follows and comments regularly” and the Blog of 2013 Award is exactly what the award name says…The most deserving blog of the year….

 dragons-loyalty-award

There are some rules that one must follow to fully accept The Dragon’s Loyalty Award and they are as follows:

1. Firstly, display the Awards on your site. You earned it and you deserve it!
2. Link back to the person who gave you the award in your acceptance post
3. Nominate 15 well deserving bloggers for the Award and let them know the wonderful news by sending them a message on their site
4. List 7 interesting facts about yourself

 Seven facts about me:

  1. I live in South Africa and am proudly South African
    2. I always forget to wear lipstick…
    3. For the first time in my life I am working with a lot of women. I have always worked in male dominated industries.  I love my new Magnolia friends.
    4. I hate my birthday – for no particular reason.

    5. My 2014 resolution is to write Vic’s Memoirs                                                              6. I have a very inquisitive mind.                                                                                        7. I love taking close-up portrait photographs

 My 15 nominees for both awards are:


Many thanks to my brave and amazingly talented blogger friend Katie Mitchell for nominating me for this award too! Katie Mitchell suffers debilitating pain yet this brave young woman has made it her mission in life to educate the world on Connective Tissue disorders. She is a very talented artist. Katie is truly amazing and I highly recommend stopping by her blog at http://tissuetales.com/2012/10/01/treading-water/.

 Instructions for this Award are:

1. Select the blogs you think deserve the ‘Blog of The Year 2013 Award’. *See my 15 nominees above*
2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you’ve chosen (There are no minimum or maximum number of blogs required), and present the blogs with their Award.
3. Let the blog(s) that you’ve chosen know that you’ve given them this Award and share the instructions with them. (Please, don’t alter the instructions or the badges!).
4. Come over and say hello to the originator of the ‘Blog of The Year 2013 Award’ via this link:http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/blog-awards-2-/blog-of-the-year-2013-award/
5. You can now also join the Blog Of The Year Award Facebook Page Click the link here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear
6. And as a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with this award – and proudly display the award on your blog – and start collecting stars!

About my nominees:

I have had tremendous support over the past 19 months. These bloggers that I’ve chosen to nominate are the ones who are ever-present in my life online. They are the ones who read my posts, offer words of support and friendship, and help make blogging the amazing thing that it is for me. They have helped me survive the most difficult year of my life. And in turn, their posts, pictures and stories enrich my life on a daily basis. They teach me, make me smile, make me think, and consistently remind me how truly wonderful our community of bloggers is. I have received other awards and will award the rest of my loyal cyber friends. Many of my nominees suffer either debilitating illness, pain or grief. Some of them don’t accept awards. Regardless of this I am still making the award. Thank you for your love and support; all your words of advice and kindness.

 You’re all wonderful and deserving of this recognition! 

  17. An extra nomination – My beautiful, brave child who radiated goodness and kindness, these awards are for you!  You made the world a better place.  I am proud to be your Mommy.  I love you Angel Child.


sticks and stones and hurtful words


I reblogged this.  So often we use words without stopping to think that years later the words will still ring through the ears of the recipient…

When I first got married, and my ex-husband asked me for a divorce, he cited a couple of reasons for the request.

1.  I was a great mother, career person, entertainer, friend etc but I was a lousy wife

2.  He thought I was ugly

Now I know there was a certain amount of truth in the statement.  I knew that I was not focused on his needs quite as much as his mistress was.  But, I also knew, in my heart that, although I am not an oil painting, I was reasonably attractive in my own way.  Some people have even said I am pretty.

The fact remains – when I look at myself in the mirror I see what he saw.  When Danie and I have a disagreement he agrees with his predecessor.  Other days he will tell me I am beautiful.  Then I agree with his predecessor…

It is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

It is also true that harsh words will never leave one’s head.  I still hear his words 34 years later!

Let us remember that words destruct and destroy.  Words can never be taken back.  Hurt lingers on….  Let’s be gentle!

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Racism and Equality


This is such an amazing post – I feel compelled to reblog it.  Thank you Rebel!

idealisticrebel

There must come a day when we see each other as brothers and sisters. We are all created the same way. If you take away the differences in culture, gender, and possibly religion, we are all, each and every one of us, the same. The color of our skin is the difference. I think perhaps it could be said that we make a beautiful bouquet of human beings. As I look at people I can see how beautiful we are.  If you take a rose garden and wait till all the blooms are flowers, It is so beautiful that it hurts the heart. People are like that. We are beautiful as individuals and in a wonderful group. The beauty comes from being different colors. The reaction comes from fear of what is different.

The differences between White people, Asian people, Brown people, Black people and Native peoples is so minute…

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The Two Frogs


Vic reminds me of the 2nd little frog…

My Good Time Stories

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them…

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Watch your tongue – Cherylfoston


This is so brilliant – often words are spoken without a second thought of how our words will affect the recipient…  Please read this and let’s all try to be kinder and more considerate. Reblogged from http://whatcherylsaid.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/the-big-reveal/ Watch Your Tongue

 ♦ AUGUST 27, 2013 ♦ LEAVE A COMMENT

Trust-timeline-lies-copyOuch! That hurts! Are you aware that some people are very good at using a razor blade with a smile? The words that come out of their mouth is so smooth, so sweet and so soft spoken, that it may take you a moment to realize you’ve been cut! While you are standing there bleeding, or maybe hemorrhaging, they are putting the razor blade away while asking you “What’s the matter, sweetie?” Most times the person is speaking the truth, but speaking the truth is not what this is about! How the truth gets told is what this is about. Because a sweet, gentle, smiling razor blade is still a razor blade!

The majority of people are open to hearing the truth when it is said in a way they can hear it. Yet, no one wants to hear you when you make them out to be wrong, or when you attack their weaknesses. People don’t hear what you are saying if you are saying it to make yourself look better than they are. Don’t in anyway make the mistake of thinking that the people you speak to do not know what you really mean. They do! If there is an ounce of judgment, criticism, or degrading in what you say, they are not going to hear you. Matter-of-fact they are going to totally tune you out!

If you want to make sure that people hear you talk about difficult or uncomfortable situations, you must speak to them from your heart. Yes, you must be real and honest, but you must speak to them with compassion and concern. Maybe you feel the need to finally confront that friend you feel only comes around when they want something. Maybe you have a young adult child that has been walling out lately and you need to have a good heart to heart to get them back on track. Pretend you are their teacher, their healer or the person that will lead them to the next level of spiritual and emotional growth. I know it can be a little challenging sometimes, especially when you are talking with teens or young adults. Yet, you want to be sure they really hear what you are trying to convey to them and are not just listening.

In order to make that work, maybe you can test your approach out on yourself, by telling yourself some truth about yourself that is difficult for you to hear. Then once you have figured out how to speak more lovingly toward yourself, you will be able to throw out the razor blade and begin speaking in a more loving tone to others.

Aging….


I am so grateful that I am no longer young. I received this in an email and thought I should share it!!As I’ve aged, I’ve become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself.

I’ve become my own friend.


I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.


Whose business is it, if I choose to read, or play, on the computer, until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50, 60 &70 ‘s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.


I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.


I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, I eventually remember the important things.


Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody’s beloved pet gets hit by a car? But, broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

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I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning grey, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don’t question myself anymore. I’ve even earned the right to be wrong. So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it). 

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Angryman! Why You Always Talkin’ About Racism?


REBLOGGED: 

You know? I was just sitting here today; thinking about everything and I mean everything that I have written and do write about.

Rodin_TheThinker

It occurred to me that when I began writing, I had a goal; a mission.

It was to expose the lies that our government tells us and to encourage the rich to pay more taxes. A pretty modest goal; I think.

 

As much as I have tried to fulfill that goal; it has become clear to me that what I once thought a modest goal; was in fact; a huge over reach.

It didn’t take very long or very much energy to find out that the ways our government lies to us are so many that it would take the rest of my life and many more to even attempt to detail them.

As far as the rich paying more taxes? Well that truly did turn out to be a modest goal. Turns out that while it is true that the wealthy pay little to no taxes on much of their money; and the poor and middle class pay the bulk of the taxes because they are the ones affected by the various fees and sales taxes and payroll taxes etc.; this is a small problem and one that would be solved automatically if the rest of our problems solved. Even if the biggest few of our problems could be solved.

Number one; biggest problem we have today? Racism. No doubt.

Some people have asked me why I like Black people so much?

I say it’s cause they got good weed; good attitude; Reggae; the long-suffering of a saint; and have been shafted from the get-go; and need all the support they can get from those of us Caucasians; Whites;  who are able to see their situation as it really is.

The truth is that I don’t love Black people so much and I don’t like people because they are black. I like people because they are people; black; white or whatever. Just because you are black; doesn’t make me feel obligated to like you. Neither does being white or any other color. I can dislike you with the best of them if I think you’re an asshole. So I guess I do discriminate;…against Assholes.

You know; you can’t take something like skin-tone with any seriousness. The very acknowledgement that you can detect it is an insult to us all. Because knowing it is of no; repeat that; NO value.

Unless you are trying to describe the guy who lifted your cow. Then it’s ok to tell  what shade he is.                                                                                              rodin alien and cow

But what isn’t ok is for anyone to assume what color he is; based on his actions.

One is racism; the other a good report.

Being anti-racist or non-racist is a much maligned and oft misunderstood stance to take.

I have been accused of everything from ass-kissing to hidden sexual tastes based on skin-tone. My responses have often been less than polite but in my better; less angry moments I have managed to explain that I fail to understand what these folks believe to be my motive for the ass-kissing; unless it has to do with my supposed sexual proclivity which; I have explained is non-existent. Not that I have anything against Black women or Yellow women; or Red women. I dig the rainbow but I am a married man; married to a white woman who I am very much in Love with and who is also a non-racist sort of chick and I take my vowels very seriously for reasons which are partly biblical in origin but primarily about human dignity, respect, self-respect, love, and a sincere desire to avoid doing more damage than I absolutely must as I travel through this life. My failures to date are enough for my ability to carry their guilt and I try to be very careful about what I put out into the universe.

Let’s face the facts. Let’s not pretend to be blind or deaf or stupid.

Let us admit that we are at least semi-intelligent people who are able to say what we see; who will not ignore the nose on our face or say “What’s the Buzz?” when we hear the cries of our brothers.

Think of what your country would be like if there was no racism. Think of all the problems, violence, hatred and grief could be saved. Think of all we could do if instead of battling each other; we could work together free of those destructive forces that hold us back now.

Hard isn’t it? It is hard. It is hard because we as a nation have been programmed to hate each other. It’s everywhere. Giving in to it is so much easier than fighting it. If we are to escape racism; we must seek knowledge ourselves because the schools; the courts; the military; and the rest of the institutions of our society are woefully unenthusiastic and the government way less than zealous at seeking the truth and peace between us and us.

So when I see a crime; a person being beaten; when I hear the cries of children; not abstract children of a proverbial nature but the cries of real children who live around the corner from me or go to school with my kids or appear in TV videos of brutal attacks around the world; I have discovered that I feel that I must speak out. I must tell the truth.

The truth is usually not as hard to identify as you have been led to believe.

You are not as inept and stupid as you have been led to believe.

If we are standing before a great hole in the ground and I tell you not to jump and someone else says it’s ok to jump; you know the truth; you have the prior knowledge to sort it out and figure which one is telling the truth.

Well you can do the same thing when you are confronted with other issues and problems; if; you don’t allow your ego; your vanity; to get in your eyes and ears. If you can decide to stand up; a person of Integrity. Sadly, not all can.

What I discovered when I took a long look into the abyss is that I can’t live with myself if I don’t speak out and I can’t stand to see the suffering of people especially but not exclusively children; of any color you care to name.

It hurts me. I am no longer ashamed to say that many of the atrocities I see and hear of bring me to tears of sadness and frustration. I don’t understand how they don’t have the same effect on everyone.

One thing that Clinical Depression does for you instead of to you is to give you the ability for introspection. What the end of that will be is determined by the severity of your depression, the treatment you receive and what you decide to do with it when you can do something. Confusing? You should live through it and figure this shit out for yourself.

I figured out a whole bunch of shit. Much of it; enough to send you back into the fucking abyss by itself.

But after my last sojourn there, I became convinced that I was wasting what time I have left on this Earth in redundancy.

My next post will not be disconnected from this subject. It will deal with racism also.

And there’s a movie for those who prefer a more passive learning experience.

Sadly, we are not alone among nations when it comes to being racist. We should be the first to actually address the problem in a way that will work. This though, can only happen when we want it. We can have anything if we really want it enough; or rather if enough of us really want it.

Reblogged from:  Angryman! Why You Always Talkin’ About Racism?.

Mandela Day 18 July – what are you going to do?


South Africans from all walks of life are gearing up to celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day on Thursday, the 18th of July. This is in honour of Nelson Mandela‘s legacy, whose life and commitment to democracy has shown that everyone is useful and has potential to bring change for the good of all.

The idea of Mandela Day was inspired by Nelson Mandela at his 90th birthday celebrations in London’s Hyde Park in 2008 when he said: “It is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now.”

The United Nations officially declared 18 July as Nelson Mandela International Day in November 2009, recognising Mandela’s “values and his dedication to the service of humanity” and acknowledging his contribution “to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world”.


People around the world are challenged to spend at least 67 minutes doing good work in their communities in honour of the 67 years that Mandela gave in service and sacrifice. Please help us make the world a better place!

The overarching objective of Mandela Day is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better, and in doing so build a global movement for good. Ultimately it seeks to empower communities everywhere. “Take Action; Inspire Change; Make Every Day a Mandela Day.”

‘It is in your hands to make of our world a better one for all’ – Nelson Mandela (Photo: Mandela Day)


South Africa‘s focus this year would be “on community development and a call to everyone to use their energies, wisdom and skills to contribute towards eradicating poverty, addressing food security and reducing hunger”

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/mandela/day-160713.htm#.UeVkjI3RiSo#ixzz2ZDq5Mxuz

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/mandela/day-160713.htm#.UeVkjI3RiSo#ixzz2ZDqGtRGT

Read more: http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/The-Broom-Nelson-Mandela-Day-20130716


Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/mandela/67minutes.htm#.UeVn-o3RiSo#ixzz2ZDtnlFoy

Physical Symptoms of Depression….


Since Vic’s blotched back surgery in 2002 I have been on anti-depressants. The anti-depressants allowed me to continue functioning; fighting – living. It made life bearable. I was able to survive and support my child through 11 years of hell. The tablets certainly dulled my senses, my emotions. I have also gained 15 kgs in weight.

I have decided that I can no longer rely on medication. I have to take back control of my life. I have to heal. I have to let go of all my crutches.

I know I have to wean myself off the medication… Now that I no longer have symptoms and treatments to research to keep Vic alive, I decided to research depression. It has been absolutely amazing! I will be doing a series on depression and the treatment thereof.


Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety are obvious signs of depression. A less known fact is that depression can also cause unexplained physical symptoms. Physical pain and depression often go hand in hand….

Depression has no respect for colour, creed, sex or nationality. Depression does not discriminate.

The exact cause of depression is not known. Depression seems to be related to an imbalance of certain chemicals in your brain. Some of these same chemicals play an important role in how you feel pain. So many experts think that depression can make you feel pain differently than other people. An episode of depression may also be triggered by a life event such as a relationship problem, bereavement, redundancy, illness; or it can develop without any reason; there may be some genetic factor involved that makes some people more prone to depression than others. Women are more predisposed to depression than men i.e. postnatal and menopausal depression….

Depression is quite a common cause of physical symptoms. But, the opposite is also true. That is, people with serious physical conditions are more likely than average to develop depression.

A high percentage of patients with depression who seek treatment, in a primary care setting, report only physical symptoms, which can make depression very difficult to diagnose. Many people suffering from depression never get help because they don’t realize that pain may be a symptom of depression. The importance of understanding the physical symptoms of depression is that treating depression can help with the pain–and treating pain can help with depression.

Physical pain and depression have a deeper biological connection than simple cause and effect; the neurotransmitters that influence both pain and mood are serotonin and norepinephrine. Dysregulation of these transmitters is linked to both depression and pain.

I have noted a common denominator in the lives and blogs of chronic pain sufferers – depression. Pain in its own right is depressing. Depression causes and intensifies pain. Some research shows that pain and depression share common pathways in the limbic (emotional) region of the brain. In fact, the same chemical messengers control pain and mood. According to an article published by the Harvard Medical School, people with chronic pain have three times the average risk of developing psychiatric symptoms–usually mood or anxiety disorders–and depressed patients have three times the average risk of developing chronic pain.

The link between pain and depression appears to be a shared neurologic pathway. Some antidepressants, such as Cymbalta and Effexor, is used to treat chronic pain.

Most of us know about the emotional symptoms of depression. But you may not know that depression can be associated with many physical symptoms, too

In fact, many people with depression suffer from chronic pain or other physical symptoms. These include:

  • Headaches. Headaches is a common symptom of depression. Research found that over a two-year period, a person with a history of major depression was three times more likely than average to have a first migraine attack, and a person with a history of migraine was five times more likely than average to have a first episode of depression.
  • Back pain. Back ache is aggravated by depression. A study from the University of Alberta followed a random sample of nearly 800 adults without neck and low back pain and found that people who suffer from depression are four times more likely to develop intense or disabling neck and low back pain than those who are not depressed.
  • Muscle aches and joint pain. Depression can make any kind of chronic pain worse. According to research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, arthritis-like physical symptoms may improve if the depression is treated with medication.
  • Chest pain. Chest pain must be checked out by a doctor immediately. It can be a sign of serious heart problems. But depression can contribute to the discomfort associated with chest pain. A study from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, indicates several common factors among those affected by chest pain not linked to biomedical factors such as heart disease or some other illness–depression was one of the significant common factors.
  • Digestive problems.  Queasiness, nausea, diarrhoea and chronic constipation can all stem from depression. Studies show that up to 60 percent of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) also have a psychological disorder, most commonly depression or anxiety. According to one study published in General Hospital Psychiatry, those who reported symptoms of nausea were more than three times as likely to also have an anxiety disorder, and nearly one-and-a-half times more likely to suffer from depression. Depression is a possible cause for digestive disorders
  • Exhaustion and fatigue. No matter how much one sleeps, they still feel tired. Getting out of the bed in the morning is very hard, sometimes even impossible. Fatigue and depression are not a surprising pair. Depression and fatigue feed off each other in a vicious cycle that makes it hard to know where one begins and the other ends. Researchers have found people who are depressed are more than four times as likely to develop unexplained fatigue, and those who suffer from fatigue are nearly three times as likely to become depressed.
  • Sleeping problems. People with depression often have difficulty falling asleep, or awaken in the early hours of the morning and find themselves unable to get back to sleep. It is reported that 15 percent of people suffering from depression sleep too much. Lack of sleep alone doesn’t cause depression, but it can contribute–and lack of sleep caused by other illness or anxiety can make depression worse.
  • Change in appetite or weight.  Several studies have found excess weight to be linked with depression symptoms, a history of depression, and other measures of psychological distress (e.g. anxiety). Others suffering from depression experience a reduction in appetite i.e. weight loss.
  • Dizziness or light-headedness.

Because these symptoms occur with many conditions, many depressed people never get help, because they don’t know that their physical symptoms might be caused by depression. These physical symptoms aren’t “all in your head.” Depression causes real changes in your body.

http://www.examiner.com/article/adult-de 1

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/depression

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-physical-symptoms-of-depression.html#ixzz2YHErmwr7

http://www.what-is-depression.org/physical-symptoms-of-depression/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC486942/

http://www.depression.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25&Itemid=30

Always Here When Needed Award



This is a lovely award. Vic loved butterflies.

The transformation that the butterfly goes through shows a powerful symbolism and likeness to human beings. The different stages, the difficulties, and finally emerging into a beautiful and colorful butterfly which once was an unattractive crawling creature, also shows the power of human beings to surpass challenges, learn, and then eventually soar to greater heights. Just as the butterfly has to go through some not so attractive stages, a person’s life can through similar situations as well, but ultimately, in the end, reach one’s full potential and become majestic and beautiful.The butterflies that we see in our gardens do not only keep the balance of nature, but for some people, they have a higher purpose. They are souls of departed ones who have come to give blessing, or spending time with you as they wait for their turn to pass through purgatory.

Leaving that aside, to comply with the rules of the nomination, I would like to thank Lucinda Elliot for the award. Lucinda, a published author, writes and lives in mid Wales. She likes gothic, dystopias, historical and steampunk. She has a superb sense of humour and has the ability to make her words “dance”. Lucinda’s blog is beautifully written and can be found on http://sophieandemile.wordpress.com

Five things that make me happy.

  1. My grandchildren and husband
  2. Drinking tea
  3. Walking on the beach
  4. Working
  5. Stepping Stone Hospice

This is so difficult as I have so many wonderful friends who are always there for me. I have taken the five people who comment most on my blog.

  1. http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com
  2. http://buckwheatsrisk.com/
  3. http://talktodiana.wordpress.com/
  4. http://thedrsays.wordpress.com/
  5. http://jmgoyder.wordpress.com/

Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for your kind words of support. Thank you for caring. Thank you for always being here when I need you.