Season Changes...Take Good Care

We in the northern hemisphere have welcomed autumn. We find our days marked by less and less sunlight.

This week, I am launching a five week yoga course on "winterproofing" ourselves against the pitfalls of cold weather life.

Beyond the physical challenges of frostbite, head colds and falling on the ice...we Yankees face great challenges to our mental health with this seasonal change. Depression leaks in through the drafty windows. Seasonal Affective Depression Disorder (perfectly nicknamed SADD) can claim whole families.

While preparing for this special yoga series, I received the information on a Harvard study (below) from a friend. I thought the results were worth posting, as we all need to see the value of Self Care and the importance of working hard to Prevent Depression from gaining any ground in our lives.

Self Care is not selfish! Practicing yoga or other healthy pastimes benefits everyone in our lives. My wish for all this fall and winter is that we remember to love ourselves daily. As Swami Sivananda taught, "Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness and yoga shows the way."

Study: Depression associated with increased risk of stroke
September 26 2011

People who suffer from depression have a 45% increased risk of stroke and a 55% higher risk of having a fatal stroke, according to a new study.

In an analysis of almost 318,000 people and 8,478 stroke cases, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health also found that depression is associated with a 25% higher risk for the less deadly ischemic strokes.

The relationship between depression and stroke is important to public health, researchers note, because stroke is the leading cause of disability. Lifestyle factors that might explain the link between depression and stroke include having poor health habits, such as drinking, smoking and not exercising. Depression also is correlated to conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other inflammatory diseases.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.