Science Says Doing This One Thing Can Lead to Holiday Depression

msn ^ | 12/14/2019 | Diana Bruk

[BenLurkin]

"Alcohol is basically pure calories, pure energy, non-nutritive and super toxic at high doses," study co-author Stephen Ilardi, PhD, an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Kansas, said in a statement. "Sugars are very similar. We're learning when it comes to depression, people who optimize their diet should provide all the nutrients the brain needs and mostly avoid these potential toxins."

This is especially true for those who are prone to seasonal depression, which affects approximately half a million Americans. As with drinking several glasses of wine, eating a box of cookies might provide a temporary feeling of comfort and joy, but can make you feel worse overall if regularly consumed in large quantities.

"When we consume sweets, they act like a drug," Ilardi said. "They have an immediate mood-elevating effect, but in high doses they can also have a paradoxical, pernicious longer-term consequence of making mood worse, reducing well-being, elevating inflammation and causing weight gain."

Ilardi also said that a "large subset of people with depression have high levels of systemic inflammation," and since eating an excessive amount of sugar has been linked to low-grade inflammation, these "inflammatory hormones can directly push the brain into a state of severe depression."

[Steely Tom]

“Science says.”

[BenLurkin]

It’s like “Simon says”, only not nearly as much fun.

[occamrzr06]

It’s always “that one thing”.

It’s never a cumulative effect.

[Steely Tom]

It’s like “Simon says”, only not nearly as much fun.

She Blinded Me With Science.

[blackdog]

Public money being spent at public universities to explain your behaviour around your in-laws.

Sheesh.

[immadashell]

All the computer models agree. Has anyone answered the question why we need to have more than one computer model to get a consensus?

[RoosterRedux]

I gave up drinking a while back and have been shocked at how much better life is without alcohol.

It took a while to get to the point at which I forgot all about it, but being sober all the time and not hungover EVAH is downright wonderful.

Note of Warning to All Who Plan to Quit Drinking:

TV and movies are not as good as you thought they were when you were drinking. In fact, they are downright awful. The only TV and movies I find worth watching are British mysteries.;-)

[BipolarBob]

Public money being spent at public universities to explain your behaviour around your in-laws.
My computer model showed there is a definite correlation of alcohol intake and the number of in-laws/relatives at the house at one time.

[Billthedrill]

You can have my holiday chocolate when you pry it from my cold, dead, sticky fingers.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

BS!

[DannyTN]

[higgmeister]

"Alcohol is basically pure calories, pure energy, non-nutritive and super toxic at high doses,"

And my first thought is what does that have to do with the price of beans in China? Indigenous tribes have made alcohol products since the dawn of man. What does this educated fool think he is going to do that change humanity?

[BenLurkin]

Nice.

Dig this mellow cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4-0yXpydcY

[Larry Lucido]

So one weird trick can lead to depression?

[BenLurkin]

“Try not to gasp...”

[Larry Lucido]

Stay away!

[Carriage Hill]

I quit all alcohol on 1/9/11, and life is much better without it.

[blackdog]

I installed an old rebuilt Coke machine to dispense beer bottles. The coin unit is set at $2 per pull. It evens out the aggravation when I profit from my misery.

[blackdog]

What????? Are you beer blocking me for good? That requires eye bleach.