Chocolate and Depression

May 3, 2010

Institute For Medical Wellness Healthy Living Report

First things first.

Did everyone enjoy their peek at summer weather?

I hope it put a smile on everyone's face, especially after our brutal winter.

If it did not, maybe you need a mood enhancer?

How bout some chocolate ?

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Chocolate and Depression

Yep!

I am back to chocolate yet again.

I wrote a previous post about chocolate that can be found here.

The definition of a chocoholic is: a person who loves/is addicted to chocolate.

I really have a taste for chocolate, but I am not convinced that I meet enough criteria to be labeled a "chocoholic".

You see, there are many days that I turn down a Hershey's kiss.

But today is not looking good! And tomorrow is not looking much better ; )

Oh well!!

Now let's look at the study.

First they screened 1018 individuals for depression. Of these, 694 were men, and 314 were women.

First question: How did they get twice as many men as women for a chocolate study???

The study allowed 931 of the 1018 into the study, as these individuals were not presently on any antidepressant medication. These 931 subjects tracked their chocolate consumption as well as being tested for mood using a depression screening scale.

The study results were as follows.

There were three patterns which were grouped according to the depression scales.

The individuals who scored high on the depression scales consumed 55% more chocolate than those not positive for depression.

Even more interesting was that the individuals who scored the highest on the depression scales consumed over twice the amount of chocolate as those who scored not positive for depression.

There was no statistical difference between men and women.

These results can be viewed a few different ways.

1) Since depressed individuals eat more chocolate, maybe the chocolate is causing the depression.

I sure hope this is not the case, as I do not want to give up my chocolate ; )

2) Depressed individuals self medicate by eating chocolate, as chocolate is high in polyphenols which can raise serotonin levels in the brain. The prescription drug Prozac also works by raising brain serotonin levels. Here is a link to more information on why chocolate may help with mood.

I can see the slogan now.

"Feeling down or depressed? Eat a Hershey's Kiss. It's natures Prozac !"

I guess that could be good or bad for Hershey's chocolate sales???

And the third reason,

Drum roll please ...................

3) Some people just enjoy the taste of chocolate!!!

Being in the medical field, my personal theory agrees with both #2 and #3. I am a firm believer that you are what you eat. I also believe that we have subconscious cravings for different foods dependent upon their nutritional value. This is very evident in the diets of pregnant women, but occurs in everyone, just to different degrees. In that vein, here is a link to the top ten scientific reasons why chocolate is the world's perfect food, and why you may also crave chocolate.

P.S.

Don't tell Jessica, my medical assistant, that I ratted her out, but I think she is a chocoholic !!!!
So if you want to get on her good side, you know, to get that script called in quickly, or to get a copy of your recent test mailed to you, chocolate goes a long way ; )

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Institute For Medical Wellness New Offers:

I came across a very interesting blog article. The article discussed how our gut flora, the billions of bacteria that live in our digestive tract, get out of balance. This can occur with natural aging, as well as a result of our lifestyle choices which include diets, stress, and use of prescription medications, among others. I will not go further into this theory here, other than to say that to slow down aging, I agree with the blog author that we need to decrease inflammation in our body. As lifestyle accommodations can take years of trial and error to perfect, I like to focus on supplements that help our bodies immune system to properly control inflammation.

Soooooo........................

My supplement of the month offer for May 2010, includes two supplements that help with decreasing inflammation and maintaining proper gut flora.

For May 2010,

Vitamin D3- Liquid 2000iu per drop, 900 drops per bottle- regularly $20

plus

Probiotic Pearls- ProFlora Immune- 30 pearls, regularly $20.

Purchase these two supplements together for $30, a 25% savings.

This offer can be used with other Institute For Medical Wellness supplement discount offers!!

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Don't forget that a massage makes a wonderful Mother's Day Gift.

For more information on our massage services please click here.
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And now for an important announcement.

I have added an Announcement page to our website.

This page will include recent and new happenings concerning the Institute For Medical Wellness, including new programs and special offers, which sometimes may be good discounts. So please check out the Announcement page every so often.
Other Institute For Medical Wellness Programs and Events:

1) Healthy Heart Program
2) Healthy Weight Program- Lite Edition
3) Traditional Wellness Plan

4) I am pleased to announce that the Institute For Medical Wellness is a Silver Sponsor of Moorestown Day 2010.


Please look for our booth on Main Street in Moorestown on Saturday June 5, 2010, between 9AM-3PM.

I hope to see you there, and please wish for good weather, that is, no rain!

It is no fun being outside in the rain!!

To Good Health!
Steven Horvitz, D.O,
Board Certified Family Practice
Founder of The Institute For Medical Wellness
128 Borton Landing Road, Suite Two
Moorestown, NJ 08057
Phone 856-231-0590
Fax 856-294-0311

http://www.drhorvitz.com/

Hearts, Fish, Sugars and a back!

April 29, 2010

Hearts, Fish, Sugars and a back!

I just came across a study about coronary calcium scores.

Hmmm.

I heard something about that test before.

I think I heard about it here, and I think I included this test as part of the Institute For Medical Wellness Healthy Heart program.

The study indicated that using coronary calcium scores enables a better stratification of risk for heart disease.

I hope you agree with me that it is better to prevent your first heart attack, than to treat you after you have had one.

The coronary calcium score is also available separate from the Healthy Heart program. And if you are already enrolled in a Wellness Plan and have this test performed, we will give you a one year free membership in the Track Your Plaque program, to help you halt or even reverse your risk of heart disease.

If you have any questions about coronary calcium scores or would like to have the test performed, please call our office at 856-231-0590 or email me at drhorvitz@drhorvitz.com

We have all heard recommendations to take fish oils.

But what about other oils used as supplements, as well as in food preparation and cooking.

Well, I could write many, many newsletters on this subject, but I found a web article that beat me to the punch and it can be found here.

While the web article starts by discussing how omega-3 oils, found most commonly in fish oils, are good for the skin, it goes much further and discusses other types of oils and whether they are healthy for you, or just hype.

So I hope this article starts you in thinking that fish oils can be of benefit to your health.

But how much fish oil should I take is the next question?

That was always a tough question to answer, but no longer.

There is now a test, called the Omega-3 Index, that actually measures the amounts of Omega-3 oils in your bodies cells. It compares the healthier Omega 3 levels to the unhealthier Omega 6 levels to give us an Omega-3 index. The higher the index, the lower your risk of a heart event, such as sudden cardiac death. That is why the Omega-3 index is included in our Healthy Heart Program.

And just like the cornary calcium score, I have decided to make this test available outside of the Healthy Heart program. Unfortunately, at this time insurers do not cover this test. Then again, insurers do not like to cover many of the newer preventative tests that we offer. But I will try not to digress.

The Omega-3 index is performed by drawing a tube of blood and sending it out to a reference laboratory. We are able to offer this test for $149. The beauty of this test, and why I feel it is worth the expense, is that it will provide us with actionable lab values which we can use to both modify your dietary and supplement dosages of fish oils, which has been shown to lower your risk of sudden cardiac death.

Changing direction now.....

One of the common misconceptions about sugars, fat and cholesterols is that dietary fat raises your cholesterol and carbohydrates and sugars do not. Unfortunately this statement is a fallacy for the majority of individuals. A recently published article in JAMA, the Journal of The American Medical Association, finally suggested that added sugars in the diet increases TRIGLYCERIDES, raises LDL (BAD CHOLESTEROL), and lowers HDL (GOOD CHOLESTEROL). All of these markers are moving in a direction of increased risk for heart disease.

Wow!

Does JAMA finally get it, because they are usually pretty far behind the times?

Or could JAMA be helping the government set up a "food police", along the likes of a ban on trans fats, lowering of salt intake, and a California county outlawing give-away toys with McDonald's happy meals. ??

I have my own views on diet, which are probably at present in the minority.

Please focus on the words, "at present". In the not too distant future, these views will be a majority.

My views on diet are based on real life metabolism and human physiology as well as almost two decades of patient results.

What I give is advice.

I do not give ultimatums, nor pass laws.

So what you eat is still your choice. I just hope you let me help you to make the best choice for your health!

So do not forget about our Healthy Weight Program-Lite Edition.

Some of you already know that I have what I consider a "bad back". I never had a bad injury, but my many years of playing tennis during high school and college have worn me down and set me up for occasional bouts of aches and pains. A few weeks ago I "re-tweaked" my back, but in a different location than my norm.

I re-learned a few important lessons from my recent ordeal:

1) No matter how good you think you used to be at a sport when you were younger, do not dive back in at full force when you are older.

2) Hot showers work well for muscle spasms.

3) Therapeutic massage can work wonders. I had 2 therapeutic massages from Julie Fischer, our therapeutic massage guru. I truly believe that is what put me on the road to recovery.

So while pain meds, muscle relaxers, and muscle creams help to mask pain, I know that the addition of massage therapy truly put my body into heal and restore mode.

So my thanks to Julie !!!!

Don't forget that a massage makes a wonderful Mother's Day Gift.

For more information on Julie's services please click here.

And now for an important announcement.

I have added an Announcement page to our website.

This page will include recent and new happenings concerning the Institute For Medical Wellness, including new programs and special offers, which sometimes may be good discounts. So please check out the Announcement page every so often.

When you are not looking at our web page, why not look for our booth at Moorestown Day on Saturday June 5, 2010.

And please wish for good weather, that is, no rain! It is no fun being outside in the rain!!

To Good Health!
Steven Horvitz, D.O,
Board Certified Family Practice
Founder of The Institute For Medical Wellness
128 Borton Landing Road, Suite Two
Moorestown, NJ 08057
Phone 856-231-0590
Fax 856-294-0311
http://www.drhorvitz.com/