Arthritis Cure - Dealing With Depression and Osteoarthritis

Depression is a most common side effect of osteoarthritis. This occurs when you start out healthy, being able to do things for yourself, but overtime you are less able to take care of yourself as the pains get worse. Research has shown that up to twenty percent of people with osteoarthritis are depressed at any given time, a percentage consistent with that found in other people with chronic diseases.

If osteoarthritis has left you depressed, there are a number of things you can do in addition to the arthritis treatment you get from your doctor.

1 Psychotherapy
This is often referred to as the 'talking cure', and it is used to treat mild episodes of depression.

2 Drug Therapy
This is the use of drugs to improve the symptoms of depression. The class of drugs used for this purpose is called antidepressants. It is advisable to consult your doctor before taking any antidepressant because medicines used in treating depression sometimes have different side effects.

Psychotherapy and drug therapy are mostly combined to treat arthritis patients with depression, and this combined approach has advantages.
It reestablishes normal body patterns more quickly
It helps to ensure compliance in taking medication
It recognizes the dual influence of biology and environment.

3 Learn to cope with your condition
Research has shown that those who cope best with any disease are less likely to develop depression, that is, those who deal with their osteoarthritis are less likely to sink into depression. Be proactive at solving your problem, and try to be as flexible with your daily activities as possible. Be ready to modify your lifestyle in a positive way, thereby winning the battle over depression.

4 Get Social Support
It is advisable for you to join a support group where you can find sympathetic ears and get some advice on coping with your condition.

5 Learn to Relax
Always find a way to cool off and reduce your stress. The best defense against stress is a positive attitude.

Stress itself may not cause depression but can make it worse. It signals certain glands to release high-voltage chemicals that can 'shock' the body and weaken the immune system, making your osteoarthritis symptoms seem worse while increasing your risk of getting some other disease.

Do anything you can to relax and shake off the stress- listening to music, meditating, or taking up a hobby. Getting enough sleep is also essential to reducing stress.

6 Touch Therapy
Research has shown that touch can reduce psychological stress associated with arthritis. And only a very soft touch is required as bear hugs may be too much for many osteoarthritis sufferers. A gentle, loving touch can be very beneficial in fighting arthritis.

Stained Glass Windows - A Light Unto the Soul

Light is truly the inspiration for stained glass in both the physical and literal feelings. During the Gothic Era from about 1150 - 1500 A.D. there was no electricity so alternate ways of lighting Cathedrals was necessary. Immense and elegant stained glass windows were created and intended to provide physical light by allowing in much needed sunlight, but they were also meant to provide spiritual light. The King James Version of the Bible in John 8:12 says "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light around the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the night, but shall have the light of life." Jesus was the inspiration for and his life, gruesome death and subsequent resurrection were the subject of nearly all of stained glass windows made during that period in history.

Grand and magnificent cathedrals carved up gigantic stones and supported by immense pillars and flying buttresses reaching up towards the Heavens in worship of God and His son were crowned with pleasurable jewels known as stained glass. In a few Cathedrals, stained glass planks covered entire walls and the nourishing pillars go almost entirely unnoticed. The pillars alone couldn't have supported the weight of the structure, which is the aim of the flying buttresses (they braced the structure from the outside).

The skill of making stained glass has been poetically brought up as "painting with light" taking the analogy even further. This term was coined owing to the belief that as opposed to reflecting light off of it, a stained glass window pane allows light to be transmitted through it. It is a unique partnership, as neither the light nor the window is as magnificent without the other.

Abbot Suger of the Cathedral at St. Denis in France was among the first one to employ the Gothic type of architecture in a shot to glorify God and Jesus Christ. The next quote is learned a writing of Suger, included as a piece of a transcription on the thresholds to the Cathedral. That gives insight into his motivations for using large amounts of stained glass and the relationship of the physical light to the spiritual, "...The noble work is bright, but, being nobly bright, the effort should brighten the minds, allowing them to travel through the lights to the true light, where Christ is the true threshold."

He later gave a detailed explanation as to what the aim of the exemplary works of stained glass window art were in the church; "Thus occasionally when, as a consequence of my relish the beauty of the home of God, the multicolor loveliness of the gems has called me faraway from outside cares, and worthy meditation, transporting me from material to immaterial things, has persuaded me to look at the number of holy virtues, then I seem to observe myself existing on some level, as it were, beyond our earthly one, neither completely in the slime of earth nor completely in the purity of heaven.

By the gift of God I am in a position to be transported in an anagogical manner from this inferior level to that superior one." Walking into a mighty cathedral like St. Denis, even today, one can feel the influence this passion for light had on the growth of the art of stained glass making and the worship of God during the Gothic Era.

Depression in Men: Myths Vs Truth

Depression in men occurs less often than depression in women, but it still affects a great portion of the country. Once thought to be a "women's disease," depression actually affects around 6 million men every year in the United States alone. Many experts also feel that those numbers are still too low thanks in part to the large population of men with depression that go undiagnosed every day. Whether they deny their symptoms or don't fully understand them, depression is a very serious illness that can be quite devastating to one's life without treatment. Since May is National Depression Month, we saw it fit to debunk some well-known myths and misconceptions about depression in men.

Myth # 1: Depression in Men Looks the Same as Depression in Women
If you have depression, then regardless of gender you're just really sad for extended periods of time, right? This is a big misconception about depression. While it absolutely affects both sexes and can cause serious disruption in their daily lives, the way men and women express their symptoms of depression is actually very different. While it's fairly well-known that depression in women can cause feelings of sadness and worthlessness, depression in men is actually more likely to cause sufferers to be irritable, aggressive or hostile.

Myth # 2: He Seems So Happy, He's Not Depressed!
If only if were that simple. Someone can seem to be as jovial and happy on the outside as a kid on their birthday, but that in no way means that they're not suffering from severe clinical depression on the inside. We have to remember that on average, depression affects one out of every 10 people in America and the majority of them continue on with their daily activities all the while suffering silently. Depression in men, especially when left untreated, can get so bad that they become unable to function, but most are much harder to identify from the outside.

Myth # 3: People with Depression Can Just Snap Out of It
This is a myth that is due to the extreme lack of understanding the general population has about the mental illness of depression as a whole. If a loved one suffers from clinical depression, as bad as they might want to, they can't just snap out of it or suck it up. Depression in men is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and there is no snapping out of that without treatment. Would you expect someone with diabetes to just snap out of it? No, you probably wouldn't and shouldn't for someone with depression either.

Myth # 4: Wealthy People Can't Get Depression
If you were fortunate enough to be born into money or have a high paying job, then you must not be able to suffer from depression as you have everything you need, right? Again, a giant misconception. Depression is a mental disorder that crosses all socio-economic bridges and boundaries. There is no gender, nationality, educational background or amount of wealth to shield you from the possibility of depression.

Depression in men is a serious, but treatable condition that should not be taken lightly. Untreated depression in men has been known to cause reckless and dangerous behavior like substance abuse.

Adrenal Fatigue - Top 5 Facts

Adrenal fatigue is a medical expression related to a compilation of imprecise symptoms including fatigue, inability to sleep, anxiety or nervousness, body aches, feeling run down, depression and digestive problems. Adrenal glands are endocrine glands that are located directly above the kidneys were specific hormones are secreted to help the body deal with daily life events and activities. When these adrenal glands do not function the way they are supposed to, a series of symptoms can occur giving way to a syndrome known as Adrenal Fatigue. Signals can include depression, weight loss, low blood pressure, body aches, fatigue, anxiety, and loss of body hair, nervousness and insomnia. Blood tests can be performed by a doctor to determine the exact function of the adrenal glands.?

There are a series of medical belief systems that claim adrenal insufficiency is caused by high levels of chronic stress. The theory, while unproven at this point, is that adrenal fatigue is caused by stress and the inability for the adrenal glands to keep up with the demands of continues high levels of stress and tension. While blood tests cannot conclusively detect the total adrenal activity because they are not sensitive enough to detect adrenal function; however, the body is and that is where the plethora of symptoms come from. The body's reaction to the lowered adrenal function spurs the body to respond with body aches, headaches, nervousness, fatigue, insomnia and other unspecified symptoms.

While there is still much to learn and understand about Adrenal Fatigue, there are certain facts that can be displayed and discussed in order to better understand the toll and stress this challenge can cause to the human body. The top 5 facts relating to Adrenal Fatigue are as follows:

• Anyone can experience symptoms. Because we all experience stress and strained situations during one point in life or another, anyone is susceptible to adrenal dysfunction. A high crisis situation, a death in the family, stressful deadlines at work or at school, problems within a relationship or between children and parents; all of these situations have the ability to create stress and tension, resulting in the inability for the adrenal glands to produce their hormones needed to deal with the elevated stress levels within the body. No one is exempt from adrenal dysfunction; therefore, anyone can suffer from this issue.

• Adrenal Fatigue has a list of common symptoms associated with the adrenal gland inability to properly produce enough hormones. These symptoms include: Loss of Stamina, extreme fatigue, insomnia, prolonger exhaustion, weight gain or weight loss, dizziness or feeling light-headed, lower blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, decrease sex drive, inability to heal properly from common infections such as a head cold, the flu, bronchial infections, and other respiratory illnesses; increased anxiety, depression, the desire to eat foods higher in sugar, or caffeine, the inability to concentrate, cloudy short term memory, and depression. While this list of symptoms is not all-inclusive, these are the most notable and common indications of Adrenal Fatigue. One should make an appointment with their physician if they suffer from three or more of these symptoms and discuss the prospect of this issue.

• Adrenal Fatigue is treatable. Visit with your doctor about treatment options and what is available and suitable for you and your specific condition.

• Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome was coined in 1998 by Dr. James L Wilson. He coined the term for individuals who suffered from decreased adrenal gland function who suffered from the before mentioned symptoms. The concept of Adrenal Fatigue is relatively new, but there are a plethora of treatment options available.

• There are a variety of supplements available over-the-counter. There adrenal supplements can help increase the body's ability to produce Cortisol which can help overcome this syndrome. Visit with your doctor before taking these supplements to see which one is right for you.

The Winter Baby Syndrome

Social studies have shown that often children born in winter months test more poorly, often don't excel in School, and often earn less when they become adults. This mysterious social syndrome has for generation's mystified researchers, and parents alike.

Could it be children born in the worse months in a colder climate have a natural social disadvantage, or is their more to this phenomenon then we think?

Often researchers tend to discover things by accident,. or by trial or error. Recent studies have shown that perhaps modern "Winter babies" are actually born in more disadvantaged families. More single Mothers tend to give birth in the winter months, then the summer months.

The School year may also make a difference, children born during the winter tend to be at school with younger siblings- older children who mix with younger children tend to be more immature, sociologists claim.

Another reason may be that that as "winter" children grow up, they spend their initial years in an inactive environment. Cold winters mean more time at home, were "summer" children tend to be spend their early years outdoors.

In Nordic countries were winters can be long and harsh, there is no evidence that the Countries themselves fail to achieve. Many Nordic Countries have a more modern social network, and a higher standard of living then other more developed Countries.

However, researchers do show the lack of light can create depression, and light therapy is becoming a common practice to offset the effects of depression in winter. Could Babies at an early age could have more chance to become depressed?.

Other theories include one theory that "winter" babies tend to lack vitamin D, because children born in the winter, tend to have sunshine then their summer counterparts.

Still there is no one theory that has answered the question, "Why so many Winter Babies, are less successful then summer babies," but awareness of this may bring solutions that can help create more successful babies, who are born in the coldest months of the year.

Curing Low Self Esteem

You ever wake up in the morning and feel you just don't want to deal with the world? Don't want to be around people? You are not alone. Thousands of people suffer from some of the same symptoms. Depression, hopelessness, despair, stress, no motivation, but most of all no self esteem or low self esteem. So many people are afraid to live fulfilling and rewarding lives because of what others think of them, or say to them. Maybe all of your life you've been put down by others, made to think of yourself as inferior. Maybe a parent or sibling, bullies at school, a boss, co-workers, so much so that you start believing it yourself. Unfortunately for some people it can lead to low self esteem which in turn can sometimes become a lifetime nightmare.

They shut themselves away from the world, becoming virtual prisoners in their own lives. In doing so they forfeit normalcy. A lot of times never having the pleasures of real loving relationships or even friendships because having low self esteem they don't think they fit in or equal. Often they end up abusing drugs or alcohol or even worse become abusive to other people because of their situations. In some cases with younger people they end up in trouble, because they do outrageous things just to try and prove they can fit in. Most often with the wrong crowd.

It doesn't have to be that way. A lot of times they are afraid or ashamed to seek help for their problems, thinking they're the blame or somehow that's the way they are suppose to be. Afraid to let others [Dr.s, Counselors, Clergy or family and friends] help them find the beautiful person within. There is hope and help for those who want to improve or even cure their self esteem problems. Self help programs obtained online where you can learn to undo and fix some of the damages. Yes and in the privacy of your on home and at your own discretion.

As someone who has dealt with low self esteem before believe me when I say it's a burden lifted off your shoulders when you can finally look at yourself in the mirror and say welcome back to the world, and start being more assertive and sure about yourself. As mentioned above you are not alone, there are thousands of people who suffer just like you from the crippling effects of low self esteem. Let's hope they're reading this article also.

Upon restoring your self esteem you can fight off depression, stress and the hopeless feelings you may sometimes have, just by gaining a more positive outlook on life itself, becoming more confident in doing things that you were afraid of doing because of a lack of self esteem. Be able to go out and get that job you wanted or have the confidence to ask that person you've been reluctant to ask out on a date. Yes there is a world out there waiting for you, and you can live in it without being timid or oppressed. You'll be motivated to stand up and say {I'm Just as important as anyone else in this world} and my life will get better.

Cars From the 30s

When you think of cars from the 30s you would be forgiven for thinking 'slow and ugly'. However, in many cases you would be wrong. In fact, many cars during the 1930s were equipped with heaters and radios - not as old, or as technologically challenged as you may have thought! This article has been created to share the joy and magnificence of cars from the 30s.

The Need for Speed

Despite the fact the decade of the 1930s was almost a century ago, there were cars capable of reaching incredible speeds of up to 270 mph [1]! With a horsepower of 736, this incredible car was a Mercedes-Benz race car driven by (now legend) Rudolf Caracciola. Who could have imagined a car would be able to hit 270 mph in the 1930s?

Got the Power

In the modern world cars have developed to such a degree where people love them for completely different reasons; whether it's the way they look, who they are made by, their top speed or the overall power of the car.

In the 1930s Ford set the standards for performance and efficiency with the introduction of the flathead V8 engine into mainstream vehicles. However, the big step was taken by Cadillac with their V-16 that was launched in January 1930 - the industry's first production car to offer an amazing sixteen-cylinder engine that was in high demand from people who could afford it! Imagine the car insurance quotes people were getting back then!

Technology

You don't usually associate 1930s cars with the word 'technology', but it's true that by the end of this incredible decade for cars the majority of what you see in your shiny new car today was around in some form back then. Below are just a few of the things you could expect (or ask for) in your 1930s car:

• Independent front suspension - The Lancia Lambda 9th series was built in 1931, and only 500 were available. [2]
• Tempered Glass (or toughened glass) - the late 30s saw the introduction of tempered glass, a huge leap forward for the industry.
• Radio - Developed in 1929, the radio quickly became a hit in the 30s and was in almost every car.

Style

The majority of cars in the 20's and early 30s were based upon the Austin Seven - a simple box saloon. However, as the Great Depression began, integrated fenders and fully-closed bodies were the best sellers, with some cars even having a boot at the rear for extra storage.

The Great Depression resulted in many auto manufacturers going out of business quite quickly, but the ones who were left grew and began to really change the design of automobiles post-war.
From the incredibly quick Mercedes-Benz and the staple-car of the early 20th Century - the Austin 7 - to the Ferrari's and Lamborghini's we have today, cars will continue to fascinate humans from all over the world because of their design, power and speed.

[1] Rudolf Caracciola Speed Record (2010). http://www.monaco-grandsprix.org

[2] Lancia Lambda (2010). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_Lambda