Obsessed TV Show on A&E Explores OCD and Other Anxiety Disorders

If you are plagued with an anxiety disorder such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), phobias or panic attacks - or if you know someone that is - you may want to watch a brand new reality show called “Obsessed“. Similar to their hit TV show “Intervention,” Obsessed portrays a very realistic, documentary-style show, but instead of addiction and intervention - this show shares a glimpse into the lives of people who suffer from various anxiety disorders and documents how it affects their quality of life and relationships. Then the show offers some insight into the cognitive behavioral therapy that helps sufferers regain control.

Obsessed premiered last night and airs Mondays at 10 Pacific, 9 Central on A&E.

Here is snippet about the show and a link to the show web site where you can watch segments from the premier show.

About Obsessed

Intense and highly personal, A&E’s true-life docuseries “Obsessed” examines the lives of everyday people imprisoned by unmanageable, repetitive behaviors and sometimes debilitating fear. Whether it is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, Hoarding or a variety of phobias, the unscripted series gives viewers a chance to see first-hand how an obsession can radically affect a person’s life.

By using cognitive behavioral therapy, each subject is taught how to understand the thought process which contributes to his or her symptoms and is coached on how to change these thought patterns, manage their anxiety and avoid the resulting debilitating compulsions. The show explores the stories of sufferers as well as the adverse effects their disorders have on their friends and family.

High Blood Sugar Linked to Poor Brain Health and Cognitive Function

Maintaining healthy blood sugar (glucose) levels may be important and not just for people with diabetes. New research links good glucose levels with good brain health as we get older. Lapses in memory, brain fog and senior moments sometimes increase in people as they age. The study below suggests that as blood sugar levels rise when we age, it could lead to more memory lapses, compared to people who maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

The study also suggests that “exercising to improve blood sugar levels could be a way for some people to stave off the normal cognitive decline that comes with age.”

Blood Sugar Linked to Good Brain Health

“By improving glucose metabolism, physical exercise also reduces blood glucose. It is therefore possible that the cognitive enhancing effects of physical exercise are mediated, at least in part, by the beneficial effect of lower glucose on the dentate gyrus.”

Lipitor, Lyrica, Celebrex and Viagra Free for the Unemployed

Drug giant Pfizer said people who are unemployed and have been taking its products could in some cases receive them free for up to a year in a new program called MAINTAIN. The patient assistance program will provide free access to more than 70 Pfizer drugs including Lipitor, Lyrica, Celebrex and Viagra.

It’s a smart marketing move that keeps people taking the branded versions instead of stopping or going generic.

To be eligible, a person must have lost their job sometime this year and started taking the branded Pfizer medication at least three months before losing their job. They must also be without prescription drug benefits and must be able to attest to financial hardship.

News coverage and more information:

Drug Makers Try to Ease Recession’s Pain
Recession Giveaway! Pfizer Offers Free Drugs to the Jobless
FT.com / UK - Pfizer offers free drugs to jobless

The Link between Belly Fat and Depression

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have shown that depression is somehow linked to the accumulation of visceral fat, the belly fat that is packed around your internal organs at the waistline.

The study concluded that “Increased visceral fat may be one pathway by which depression contributes to excess risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Further research is needed to examine whether depressive symptoms influence accumulation of VAT over time.”

Douglas Robb over at the HealtHabits blog has some great additional insights.

The Link between Belly Fat, Depression, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

In a previous article, I wrote about the link between belly fat (visceral fat) and depression…

Today’s post is based on the findings of this study, which suggest that belly fat (visceral fat) “is an important pathway by which depression adds to the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”

Hydroxycut Recall

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y

Hydroxycut, one of the most popular diet pills on the market is being recalled due to reports of liver damage and other health problems. Hydroxycut accounts for about 90 percent of the market for weight loss supplements, with about 1 million bottles a year being sold.

The FDA announced today that the manufacturer of Hydroxycut just launched a nationwide recall of the dietary supplement. Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients, but dietary supplements are not tightly regulated by the government like medications are, so manufacturers don’t need FDA approval before marketing their products.

FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Products

“The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.”

Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia products are not affected by the recall. Consumers who have any of the products involved in the recall are advised to stop using them and to return them to the place of purchase.