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Like many yoga practitioners, I read with great interest the recent New York Times article, How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body by William Broad — See New York Times article.

The article seemed to me like an important caveat, especially considering the large number of people in the US currently practicing yoga (20 million and counting, according to some estimates).

Most people have heard about Seasonal Affective Disorder and its milder version, the Winter Blues. But at this time of year, when many people are feeling slowed down and disinclined to read a lot of text, we thought it would be a perfect time to present visually some of the key points that most people would like to know about these conditions

“Mehr Licht!” cried out Goethe, the great German writer, as he was dying, “More light!” In these two words he encapsulated (albeit inadvertently) the essential principle underlying the major treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). But one question that has dogged researchers since we first described SAD and developed light therapy is: “How much light is enough?”

For many of us, the holidays are a joyful time. But for some people, the expected happiness does not arrive. Lonely people – without family or friends – and those who grew up in dysfunctional families and have unpleasant memories of the holidays, simply can’t achieve the ideal that many commercial images of the holidays portray. Obviously,

As the days get short and dark, many of us crave carbohydrate-rich foods. Breads, potatoes and pasta become irresistible, not to mention winter weight gain foods i.e. cookies, cake and donuts. And carbohydrates beget more carbohydrates. One potato chip invites another. And who was ever able to eat just one cookie?

The shift from Daylight Savings Time (DST) happens every year, and in 2011 it’s scheduled for Sunday November 6. You put the hands of your clock back an hour as you remind yourself to “spring forward and fall back,” and then ask yourself all over again, “Does that mean it becomes earlier or later and do I gain or lose an hour of sleep?”

I had taken all my own advice to stave off my own winter blues – everything, that is, short of taking medications (which I would not hesitate to take if I needed them, though I gravitate to “natural” cures whenever possible). I had faithfully used my dawn simulator and light box – lots of light boxes really. I had exercised, meditated and done yoga regularly. Don’t get me wrong – all these things helped; they helped a lot. But I had disobeyed a cardinal rule in my own guidebook for keeping Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) at bay.

Autumn leaves evoke different things for different people – such as a trip to look at the foliage, a romance that started (or ended) in autumn, or a jigsaw puzzle with a thousand pieces. But for some, the association is to . . . . falling – or panic at the idea of falling. These include people with the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder. (SAD).

Detecting emotions in yourself and others is an important element of Emotional Intelligence.  In my recent post, “10 Ways to Enhance Your Emotional Intelligence,” I offered a list of suggestions to help you tune in to your emotional landscape. In this post, I want to discuss two methods used to uncover basic emotions

People often confuse clinical depression with sadness.  That’s a mistake.  You can be sad without being depressed and vice versa.  Sadness is a normal reaction to many life circumstances, such as bereavement, loss of a job, or a financial setback.  When these things happen, sadness is to be expected.

Every time your heart beats, it sends blood filled with oxygen and nutrition through the arteries to reach your entire body. By the time you reach age 80, your heart will have done this more than three billion times. Your entire cardiovascular system, which includes the heart and blood vessels, works in harmony to send blood to every part of your body.

Everyone’s always talking about Emotional Intelligence (EI) but what exactly is it? One important aspect of emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions – in oneself and others – and to use that information appropriately.

As a psychiatrist, I have given a lot of thought to how to lead a healthier life by managing your emotions. Here are some of my thoughts, which I expressed in my book, “The Emotional Revolution.”
Emotions can have an important influence on physical health, and it is critical to deal effectively with the feelings that accompany the everyday ups and downs of life.