Wonder Wednesday: Pasta and Depression in Women?

Wonder Wednesday: Pasta and Depression in Women??

 

     Pasta and depression?  WHAT?  In a new study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, that is exactly what medical professionals have discovered. Over the course of 12 years, the Harvard school of Public Health followed the diets of 43,000 women and discovered a link to a diet high in refined grains, such as pasta, and fatty, red meats and a 29-41% likelihood that those women would be treated for depression. Blood tests revealed that women who consumed this type of diet tested significantly higher for three biomarkers of inflammation.This new study isn’t the first to link certain diet choices to inflammation and depression, but it is one of the most complete to date. 

 

 

Dr. Michel Lucas, co-author of the study, says that the link between inflammation and depression is not clear, but evidence is accumulating that relates certain foods to an increased risk of inflammation and depression, while others seem to have the opposite effect.

 

Dr. Lucas' research shows that foods such as coffee, olive oil, wine, and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens - if consumed daiy - can actually reduce inflammation and depression. A Mediterranean style diet is recommended, heavy in olive oil and fish,  has been linked to lower rates of mood disorder.

 

 

What are YOUR thoughts on this new study and do you agree with what has been found throughout the conducted study? 

 





Worship Wednesday: Children's Questions

Worship Wednesday: Children's Questions

 

Do you have children?

 

If you aren't blessed with children (yet), let me fill you in on a little secret...they ask questions about anything and EVERYTHING. Literally everything.

 

"Why is the sky blue?" Because God made the sky blue. "But, WHY did He make the sky blue?" ...well, because, honey, He just did. "Why is grass green?" "Why are clouds white?" "Why do we pray?"  Because we want to thank God for his many blessings that he bestows on our family and to ask Him to be with those that need Him. "BUT, I thought God knows EVERYTHING, so why do we need to pray?"

 

 

This particular question caught me off guard because I had never considered this before. It is true, God does know every desire of our hearts, our minds, every problem that we are struggling with, the concerns we have for others...so why DO we need to pray? I gave the best answer that I could come up with, because our personal relationship with the heavenly Father is strengthened when we personally bring the cares of our hearts to Him.

 

The verse that kept coming to mind was Phillipians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God."

 

I guess I've always kept that verse in my mind because that's exactly the way that I was taught to pray -- by first thanking the Lord for his blessings, then sharing the cares and concerns of my heart.

 

Why do YOU need to pray?  Share in the comments below! 

Transformation Tuesday: John R.

Transformation Tuesday: John R.

 

"I have always been morbidly obese. Deep down, I knew that. But to me, being fat was more about not being able to find clothes I liked because I could only wear 4X-large, having zero self-esteem, hating the way I looked, being always chronically tired, and yeah, being totally ashamed of the way I looked.

But the fact that I was morbidly—as in death—obese didn’t sink in until my mother died from a heart attack and my sister fell into a coma because of her type 2 diabetes. That’s when I knew I had bigger problems than just finding clothes that fit.

So I promised myself that one day I’d do P90X. Seriously—that was my goal. But I was afraid. A friend of mine who was a Beachbody Coach said that Power 90 would be a great place to start. At 467 lbs., it was tough. But I stayed with it. I modified. I struggled. I did push-ups on my knees. And I kept at it because I was seeing results, reaching goals, and crushing the “I can’t do it” beliefs that had held me back for so long.

And finally, I was ready for P90X. It was hardcore, intense, extreme, and it worked.

So far, I’ve lost over 200 lbs. I’ve gone from a size 56 pants to a size 38, thanks to Power 90 and P90X. I’m healthier, happier, and I’m finally proud of the man I see in the mirror.

Best of all, I’m not stopping. At 264 lbs., I know I still have a way to go. But I’m determined to make it. " - John

You can change your life, too. Take The Beachbody Challenge™, for the ultimate motivation to get fit! Select any Beachbody® program and once you complete it, share your results for your chance to win cash and prizes. I'll be here for you, every step of the way!