The holidays aren’t always a happy time for everyone. People often remember loved ones who’ve passed away or left their lives, which can trigger feelings of sadness, nostalgia, and even emptiness. This is what’s typically referred to as the “holiday blues.” Sometimes, however, it can be a little more serious than that. Some people are actually affected by S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder), a real psychological disorder. These symptoms usually appear in the winter months and closely mimic the holiday blues. In this post, we’ll shed some light on S.A.D.’s key features and how to treat it. What is S.A.D.? S.A.D. […]

A report published on December 9, 2013 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explains how vitamin D, long suspected to play a role in the prevention of multiple sclerosis (MS), works to protect against the disease. Acting on the finding of previous research of a preventive benefit for vitamin D in a mouse model of MS, Anne R. Gocke, PhD, and her associates at Johns Hopkins University tested the effects of the bioactive form of vitamin D known as 1,25-dihyroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and found that administration of the vitamin prevented the animals from showing symptoms. They observed that immune system cells […]

The November 2013 issue

An article published