Blog Posts by Blisstree Editors

Everyone goes through a time (or two or more) when they're "down," but a growing percentage of the world's population is actually depressed and seeking help for it, often in the form of medication. But new research says that antidepressants could make you sad; apparently, popular meds are often no better than placebos, and could even be worse for patients' overall happiness in the long-term.

Dr. Giovanni Fava, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Bologna in Italy, has examined the effects of antidepressants for over 20 years. His newest study, to be published in the next issue of Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, argues that antidepressants used over long periods of time can actually increase a patient's chances of relapse - even more than if they were to take a placebo. Based on existing depression literature, Fava's study examines patterns in patient trials and research, and he feels strongly that they can do more harm than good

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By adding vegetable puree (like this baby food) to regular meals, researchers got subjects to eat fewer calories and increase their vegetable intake.

Americans have an obesity problem, in large part because we tend to feast on processed food and meat instead of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Jamie Oliver is trying to change that by fixing school lunches, Michelle Obama focuses her efforts on Walmart, and apparently, scientists are using "stealth vegetables" to make people eat their greens. Pennsylvania State University researchers found that, for adults who otherwise wouldn't change their diets, adding hidden fruits and vegetables can help cut calories and promote weight loss, without much further change in diet or lifestyle. But outside the lab, we doubt the study will do us much good.

One More Reason to Steer Clear of Processed Food: It's More Expensive Than You Think

Researchers invited 20 men and 21 women to eat all three meals of the day in a

Pre-barbeque, we usually spend so much time prepping potato salad and summer cobbler that we forget to pick out a dress, let alone shoes and sunglasses that well make us cool and comfortable in the sun. That's why we're grateful for Your Daily Thread's smart (and sustainable) summer wardrobe picks:

Memorial Day weekend may have come and gone, but barbeque season is just heating up. Whether you're attending a swanky poolside soiree, a backyard bash, or barbeque by the beach, make sure to have these summer essentials on hand.

Shady Lady

A pair of oversized shades are perfect for blocking the sun's bright rays and great for scoping out that group of scantily clad eye candy without them catching you staring. You'll look like the cat's meow in these Juicy Couture pointed frames made from 55% bio-based renewable plant material. For those looking for a pair that aren't as big, but just as eye-catching, opt for these made from reclaimed materials by ICU. For a slightly

Sometimes you don't want to go on a leisurely, relaxed vacation on the beach where you just sip big tall cocktails with little straw hats. Sometimes you want to cheat death, feel an adrenaline rush, and push your body to the max on your traveling adventure. That, of course, requires major muscle, and there's a gaggle of wacky festivals around the world that provide the perfect excuse to yank your free weights out from under your bed and buy a new pair of running shoes. If you're thinking about partaking in any of the most physically challenging festivals the world has to offer, as RuPaul would say: "You bettah work!"

These are some of the best festivals that require toned arms, lung capacity, and legs built for endurance.

Click here to see all 10 fit vacations!

Related posts:

• Let's Talk About Sex: Travel Trysts (Or, Going Abroad To Get Your Groove Back)
• The Traveling Vegetarian: How To Eat Well On The Road, Without Meat
• Women On The Road: In

I'm an escape artist. It's what I do best. Every time something in my life falls apart, I run. It's the only therapy that truly works for me - although my therapist tends to disagree.

I once read that the best way to get over a broken heart is relocation. I may have taken it a bit too literally. The first time things ended with the love of my life, I quit my job and ran to Boulder for three months, then San Francisco for a month. When I returned to New York City, my insides still in pieces, I swiftly got on Craigslist and found an apartment swap opportunity with a woman in Paris. I left the day after New Year's and spent the next six weeks in a foreign city, where I'd never been, alone. And as I awoke every morning in the mostly empty, several hundred-year-old apartment that lacked a television and even a box spring for the mattress, I felt healed. The neighbor across the way was a composer, and when I fell asleep to the sounds of his piano and the chatter of the French artists

Next to the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, many patients come to me because they can't seem to shake that 'down and depressed' feeling or obsessive food cravings. But what many people don't know is that cravings and mental-emotional imbalances can sometimes be caused by a specific vitamin or nutrient deficiency.

The first step to identifying the cause in any case, and ultimate best course of treatment, is to take a close look at the symptoms. The most common form of depression, known as atypical depression, appears with mood swings, weight gain, carbohydrate cravings, fatigue, lethargy, and increased sensitivity to rejection.

Weight Loss Success: 8 Blood Tests To Keep Your Hormones In Check For Bikini Season

The symptoms, however, may vary and be experienced repeatedly over a few days, weeks, or months at a time, including:

• changing sleep patterns: oversleeping or insomnia
• early morning waking or an inability to sleep in regardless of bedtime
• weight gain or

ThinkstockSugar rushes and caffeine highs followed by a depressing energy crash are what happens to your body if you drink a soda right now, but plenty of Blisstree readers actually seem to be okay with that. Some of you think it's alarmist to compare a caffeine and sugar rush to doing drugs, and some just don't really care about the slump they'll find themselves in after drinking 39 grams of sugar, but what makes us really worried about a soda-slurping habit is what happens over the long term.

Here's a quick snapshot of you, in a few years, after drinking soda on a regular basis:

You'll Be Fatter: According to research in the Nurse's Health Study, which monitored the health of 90,000 women for eight years, drinking a single soda every day of the week added 10 pounds over a four-year period.

The 50 Best Cookie Recipes on the Internet

You'll Probably Have Diabetes: In the Nurses' Health Study, women who said they drank one or more servings a day of a sugar-sweetened soft drink or

Vacation is synonymous with Mai Tais, Pina Coladas, and Frozen Daiquiris, but even Hawaii think you should lay off the punch: The Hawaiian health department just launched a campaign against sugary soft drinks (which includes a lot of those drink mixers that practically keep its own tourism industry afloat). The campaign, called "Don't Drink Yourself Fat" has a $3.4 million federal grant to get its message out in Kauai and Maui; their public messaging is targeted at getting residents to live a healthy life style, but their tourists could probably take a tip, as well: Whether in a hotel or at home, those sugary beverages add up.

DOH Kauai district health officer Dr. Dileep Bal said that they're targeting sugary drinks because he believes they're responsible for serious health problems that can be positively affected by better public awareness: