The Mid-Autumn Festival extended vacation is a time when many people gorge themselves on food and drink. However, new medical research indicates that excessive consumption of sugar can increase the chances of the onset of depression. Returning to work at the end of the holiday coincides with the arrival of seasonal northeasterly winds, which bring overcast and rainy weather that can also affect people’s mood.
Research published in the University of Kansas journal Medical Hypotheses indicates that excessive consumption of sugar can trigger a metabolic and inflammatory biological response, which has been linked to the onset of depression. According to the study, reduced exposure to sunlight during the winter months disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm and sleep patterns, which typically tips between 5 to 10 percent of the US population into a depressive state. The study found that a common characteristic of “winter-onset depression” is a craving for sugar.
While sugar will provide an initial mood lift for people suffering from depression, researchers found that excessive consumption of sugary foods can cause mood swings, exacerbate inflammation and lead to weight gain. The study also found that inflammation is the most important physiological effect of sugar consumption, and it is linked to mental health and depressive disorders.
Photo: Peter Lo, Liberty Times 照片:自由時報記者羅沛德
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital psychiatrist Liu Chia-yih says that when serotonin levels in the brain become imbalanced, intake of sugar will provide a temporary boost of serotonin and alleviate the symptoms of depression in the short term, but over the long term excessive consumption of sugar will lead to inflammation of the brain and affect one’s mood.
Liu says that winter-onset depression has been linked to reduced sunlight exposure and frequently occurs within high latitude areas of the globe where the hours of daylight are short and the nights are long. Although Taiwan undergoes distinct atmospheric changes at this time of year, Liu says that Taiwan is a subtropical climate, so only a relatively small number of people suffer from winter-onset depression. In addition to increasing exercise, altering one’s diet can also help to prevent depression, Liu, who advises avoiding foods that contain the “three highs” — high levels of sugar, fat or salt, says. Liu recommends increasing intake of omega-3 oilcontaining fish, vegetables and foods high in fiber. Maintaining a balanced diet will have a definite beneficial effect, Liu adds
(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times)
Photo: CNA 照片:中央社
中秋節四天連續假期,許多人大吃大喝,但根據醫學研究,攝取過量的糖分更容易引發憂鬱症,連假結束恢復上班東北季風陰雨天氣的到來,更易情緒不穩。
根據美國堪薩斯大學刊登於《醫學假說期刊》的研究指出,攝取過量的糖分會引發與憂鬱症有關的代謝、發炎的身體反應。研究者表示,冬季因為減少陽光照射而打亂晝夜節律、影響睡眠,全美有百分之五到百分之十的人口可能產生憂鬱症,而引發冬季憂鬱症的共同特徵是想攝取更多的糖分。
糖分一開始會讓人振奮情緒,讓患者更想尋求,但大量攝取會造成情緒不穩、炎症加劇,也會讓體重增加;其中的「炎症」正是飲食中的糖與心理健康與憂鬱症相關的重要生理作用。
台北長庚醫院精神科醫師劉嘉逸說明,憂鬱症患者如腦內血清素功能失調,短暫攝取糖類的確可促使血清素上升,對於初期是可改善的,但長期高量攝取,將會導致腦類發炎的現象,而影響情緒。
冬季憂鬱症與日照長短有關聯,通常在高緯度、晝短夜長的地區較常發生。近期雖有明顯氣溫改變,但台灣為亞熱帶國家,罹患冬季憂鬱症的個案較少,他表示預防憂鬱除了多運動外,吃對食物也能改善情緒,建議不食用會造成三高的飲食如高糖、高脂或高鹽等,以含有omega-3的魚類、高纖維、植物性食物等為主,在生活中均衡飲食也能發揮一定的作用。
(自由時報記者吳亮儀)
The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years killed at least 16 people and damaged dozens of buildings, but the destruction was largely contained thanks to decades of preparedness work. Taiwan sits on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity along the Pacific Rim, and — much like neighboring Japan — has a long history of catastrophic quakes. How does April 3 compare with other recent quakes? The April 3 earthquake, which measured 7.4 on the moment magnitude scale, was felt across Taiwan. It was the most severe since a 7.6 magnitude quake in 1999 killed
A: Artificial intelligence technology has been causing controversy lately: a student was caught cheating with AI to win the grand prize in an art contest. B: That’s so absurd. Does this mean that AI paints better than humans? A: Maybe. Luckily, the student was later disqualified. B: And more absurdly, it’s becoming more and more popular to use AI technology to “resurrect” people. A: Yeah, some netizens even posted videos featuring the late singer CoCo Lee, who was “resurrected” by them with AI software. A: 人工智慧的爭議不斷,有學生違規使用AI參加美術展,甚至贏得首獎。 B: 真誇張,這是不是代表AI比人類還強大? A: 或許吧,幸好得獎資格被取消。 B: 還有更誇張的︰讓死者重現的「AI復活」技術越來越熱門。 A: 對啊,還有網友製作已故歌后李玟「復活」的影片呢! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival in June, the streets of Taiwan are filled with the delightful aroma of zongzi, a traditional snack made of sticky rice wrapped in leaves. The leaves are folded into a cone and then filled with sticky rice and other ingredients such as braised pork belly, peanuts and salted duck egg yolks. The filled leaves are then tightly tied with kitchen twine and ready for cooking. 每到六月端午時節,街頭巷尾就會飄出粽子的香氣。粽子是將糯米包進粽葉的傳統美食,先將粽葉折成圓錐狀塞入糯米,以及紅燒肉、花生、鹹鴨蛋黃等配料,用棉線綁緊後即可烹煮。 Dragon Boat Festival (n. phr.) 端午節 aroma
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