Depression can lead to much worse cases of alcohol and drug abuse, underachievement in school and in work, social withdrawal and poor physical health.

In Australia, almost half of its population experiences mental health problems at some point of their lives. And mostly, it’s the younger people who have the highest number of depression occurrence.

Depression though may mellow at the onset of old age. In America, 15.7 million adults are reported to have a major depressive disorder. In UK, anxiety and depression tops the most common mental disorder and affects 8-12% of the population every year.

But, how can you tell if the one you love or know is suffering from depression? Here are some tell tale signs:

1. Moodiness and irritability.
2. Loss of interest in life
3. Withdrawal from social relationships
4. Appetite loss
5. Disrupted sleep and irregular sleeping patterns
6. Unmotivated
7. Lack of energy
8. Difficulty in concentrating

Think Less of It

The first remedy is to self motivate. One can start identifying troubles and triggers but not dwell on them. Then try talking about it with a friend. Turning into something more positive will help also. Try newer hobbies.

Expression of one’s self is a fun way to block harsh thoughts and express it. Looking in the bright side of things is also advisable.

Depression and Diet

Depression can be remedied by choosing your diet and food well. Certain food choices that are natural and healthy can help alleviate the blues and keep you happy.

Here are the top foods that can beat depression.

1. Fish oils. Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids. It can restock your lack of EPA, fatty acids which can’t be produce by the body to alleviate depression. It can be taken from fishes such as salmon, tuna and sardines and from plant sources such as Chia seed, walnuts and flaxseeds.
2. Brown rice. Brown rice is a known low glycemic food and it releases glucose into the blood gradually thus preventing mood swings. It is high in fiber and helps in the health of digestive system. It contains vitamin B1, B2 and B3 too.
3. Cabbage. Cabbage is helpful in fighting stress, and infection. It helps in stabilize sugar and can cure stomach ulcers.
4. Banana. Banana has the natural anti-depressant components. It can make you happy and help reduce depressive moods.
5. Vegetables and fruits. So it isn’t just the cabbage and the bananas alone, eating lots of natural foods can help you become healthy mentally and physically.  Avoid all which has “instant” word in the packaging and as much as possible, avoid those that are artificially flavored and preserved.

Breathing Exercises

These 3 breathing exercise has been as advised by PsychCentral as outlined in Dr. Brown and Dr. Gerbarg’s  book Healing Power of the Breath. So here they are.

Coherent Breathing. Coherent breathing can be achieved by inhaling five times and exhaling five times. It is a five minute rate that maximizes the heart rate variability. These can lead to better stress-response capability of the body which helps in decrease of depression, stress and anxiety.

Resistance breathing. With this kind of breathing, one creates resistance to the air flow. It can be done by breathing through the nose and exhaling though the nose instead of the mouth.

Breath Moving. This one is a little journey in your body through your breath. One can imagine the breath move from top to the spine. When breathing in, move the breath in your head and when breathing out, move it at the base of the spine. Do this ten times.

Depression and Physical Exercise

Exercising outside and under the sunshine can be a way to cure your depressive moods. A regular exercise 3 times a week can lift minds. Exercise has been proven to alter brain chemistry in a positive way.

Any exercise would do. A couple of running, some lifts and a gym appointment would do. Yoga exercises such as the pose of balasana (the child pose), uttanasana (forward bend), viparita karani (legs up a wall), marjariasana (cat pose) and backbends are very helpful in chasing the blues away.

Image Credit: Lst1984 via Flickr.

Male and female have vast differences in terms of different determinants. These differences are often social, economic and biological. But the very first determinant that can be a major tell tale sign of a big difference among women and men is the physical factors.

Physical differences among men and women are often variably big. There are subtle differences as well as huge ones. This vast difference may interfere with other life factors but mostly, it can be making a huge impact over health.

Common Differences Among Sexes

The male and female brains work in different ways. The processes that take place in it can tell each sexes’ capability. A recent study suggested that the sexes differently wired brains can be the reason of why women is better at multitasking while men are better on complex tasks concentration.

So for the subtle and huge differences, read further below.

Bone Comparison

Men have bigger bones compared to women but women have pelvic bone that have wider opening. Men have thicker bone outer layer which makes them less susceptible to bone fractures if they fall.

Women also have a major disadvantage in bone talk when their estrogens start to decline making them more prone to osteoporoses after menopause.

Men and Bigger Noses

Men have bigger noses compared to women because they need more oxygen. They need more oxygen due to their leaner muscle mass which may require maintenance and growth. Men also have been structured to grow more muscle mass while women grow more fat mass.

Women and Thinner Skin

Women have biologically thinner skin. This makes them more prone to wrinkles. When collagen among women gets low due to aging, skin develops lines. Men though may have higher collagen which makes them look younger for longer.

Women and Immune System

Though men get a plus point in the aging process and in looking young, women are less susceptible to disease since they have more active immune system. These makes women suffer lesser infection and are wired to prepare better for damage. This can be due to estrogen. Estrogen increases the fighting activity among women while it lowers it down among men.

Women’s immune system though can age slower than men, making women live longer.

Women and Looser Ligaments

Women are made to adapt more to their biological duties hence their ability to give birth and the ability of the pelvis to expand. Women have looser ligament which offers them far greater range of movement. But this can be quite a disadvantage though since it can result to bad knees since tissues in the knees can become more elastic in a woman’s early years.

Men and Long Urethra

Men tend to have longer urethra than women when stretch. Women have 3 cm long while men can have as long as 20 cm. This can cause lesser infection among men and the opposite for women since bacteria has only a short way to travel to the urethra. And this explains why women are quick to dash for the comfort room after a couple of drinks.

Men and Fast Metabolic rate

Men develop beer bellies while women have fat hips. But men can have faster metabolic rate than women making them eat more than enough calories in a day but not gain a pound. But when men accumulate fats, it on their middles. And this can be a link to higher risk of heart disease, cholesterol and diabetes.

For women, the fat in the thighs and the hips won’t be causing much risk; it may even be a protection against heart disease.

Women and Lung Capacity

Women have lesser lung capacity as compared to men. These may work women’s lungs harder which can cause breathlessness often.

Women and Heart Size

Women have smaller hearts than men. And it tends to beat less frequently too. This puts women at greater stroke risk. And this risk is even heightened during women’s menopausal stage as research established.

How to Close the Gap

Though these vast differences can be quick cause for many complications, there can be ways to close the gaps and it’s through healthy living and it won’t matter how you’re built or if you’re man or a woman. See below.

1. Eat well. A good and healthy diet can definitely close the gap. It can strengthen what’s weak and can help in offering more protection. Lesser harmful foods mean lesser risk of acquiring complications from the physical differences.
2. Exercise well. It doesn’t matter if one has weak lungs, troubled heart or higher risk of wrinkles. An everyday exercise can remedy them all. Exercise can strengthen the heart and the lungs while making skin elastic and be less prone to liens and wrinkles.
3. Cut on smoking. Though not easy to do but one has to do it. Smoking can cause many things including ailments and chronic diseases.
4. Reduce stress. Avoid stress or learn to manage stress the right way.
5. Limit alcohol intake.
6. Reduce exposure to harmful toxins.
7. Include helpful supplements in your diet.
8. See your doctor regularly.
9. Smile and think positive.

But aside from these biological factors, there can be other mitigating aspects that can play with these conditions. But all in all, the best way to avoid, prevent or remedy certain conditions is up to you and up to your awareness, so go see a doctor.

Image Credit: louiscrusoe