Researchers in Australia sent questionnaires to  60,556 workers that asked about anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. These results were matched with job performance. The researchers were looking for a relationship between the two.

Guess what they found? If you said “those who had symptoms of mental illness didn’t do as well at work as those who didn’t,” go to the head of the class. The more productive workers were those who scored best on the questionnaires, having fewer or no symptoms of depression, anxiety or other mental illness. Put into numbers, this came out to a 20% difference. If a worker had a mental illness and received treatment, there was a 17% increase in productivity.

The conclusion? The authors said that if employers help employees work on mental health issues, they’ll have more productive employees.

Really.

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Image: PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Healthbolt

Do you read while you exercise ?

Cause if you do, what you read while you’re walking the treadmill or riding the bike can have an impact on how you feel at the end of the exercise session.

According to new research, reading fitness magazines is not the best choice. Better to stick to National Geographic or House and Garden. Images of superfit people with sculpted arms and six-pack abs will only leave you feeling depressed, anxious, and in a lower mood after exercise that you were before starting.

Course, if you’re uncoordinated like me, this isn’t even an issue cause reading while exercising will only end up in disaster. The post-exercise mood won’t be the issue. Sprains and broken bones would be the more likely outcome…

(source)

Post from: Healthbolt

Image details: Portrait of an aging man looking proudly at a pumpkin served by picapp.com

If you want a little more out of “pumpkin” than to use it as a sappy nickname, start by eating the seeds.

Why? Because pumpkins pack even more amounts of tryptophan than a whole turkey dinner. And we all know the magic of tryptophan from Turkey Day 101, right? Feelings of relaxation and peacefulness. Ahhhh…

Well, tryptophan works by morphing into seratonin, (which is known for fighting depression, reducing anxiety, and minimizing anger), making tryptophan pretty much the Wonder Amino Acid. In fact, in a recent study, folks who were asked to give a speech after eating a pumpkin seed bar had much lower heart rates and anxiety an hour later than those who didn’t have the seeds.

So now you have a reason to love the pumpkin.

You don’t have to wait for Halloween to stock up either. Most grocery and health food stores sell both the seeds (which make for a great, crunchy snack), and the afore-mentioned pumpkin seed bars as well.

Bon Apetit, Pumpkin.

Pssst! If pumpkin’s not your thing, check tryptophan’s Wiki page for more food sources

Post from: Healthbolt

Image details: Eggs served by picapp.com

In a lot of homes, eggs are those things you buy because you feel like you’re supposed to, but then after weeks of neglect, find themselves in the bottom of your trash barrel. You may have meant well, but meaning well doesn’t cook those puppies into omelets, now does it?

Well today, we’re here to encourage you to buy that carton of eggs, crack those babies open and scramble, fry, poach or boil away. And why? Eggs are packed with a B vitamin called folic acid. Many people recognize folic acid as the pre-conception wonder supplement which helps prevent neural tube abnormalities in a developing fetus. But folic acid is also a mood-elevating nutrient. In fact, adding folic acid to your diet can diminish bad moods, depression, anger, anxiety and fatigue. All in a day’s work for an egg.

Not a big fan of the oval wonders? You can get the same benefits from folic acid-friendly foods such as peas, lentils, papaya, chickpeas, and dark leafy greens. Enjoy!

10 More Health Benefits of Eggs
Delicious Egg Recipes

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Image details: Mixed nuts served by picapp.com

Want an easy way to reduce stress naturally? Go nuts!

Assuming you’re not allergic to nuts, eating as little as one once of these little wonders can pump a ton of calming nutrients into your harried body. And after a l-o-n-g week, that’s probably exactly what you need right now, right? Thought so.

Nuts contain blood-pressure lowering B vitamins (which tend to get depleted when your muscles are tense), anxiety-kicking zinc, and vitamin E, a super antioxidant which helps protect cells from the damages caused by chronic nervousness.

What’s more? The simple act of cracking open a nut (so buy them shelled) can be a stress reliever in and of itself!

So there you have it. Go nuts this weekend and feel all the better for it!

Post from: Healthbolt

Image details: Creatas Images Single Image Set served by picapp.com

Spring is in the air for many of us, and usually that means allergies, yard work and the weeds that cause a lot of allergies and yard work.

But the next time you see a stray dandelion pop up in your yard, don’t be so quick to dig it up. Instead, admire it for it’s stress-busting abilities.

Here’s the scoop: The leaves of a dandelion are packed with calming B vitamins and lethicin, which lessen stress and anxiety by balancing chemicals in your brain. Dandelions also boost levels of the happy chemical, seratonin.

Now, we’re not recommending that you run out and pluck these from your yard to make a meal out of. But the next time you head to the grocer, look for premixed salad kits that include dandelions or maybe try a dandelion-enhanced tea blend. And, of course, be sure to spend some time outdoors where these little wonders can be found in all their natural glory. Because there is hardly a better mood-booster than a beautiful, sunny day.

More Dandelion Health Benefits

More Info on Dandelions as a Supplement

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