Design – Right now my web design is not bad, I guess. But, the next change will have to last for some time so I want to make sure that everything is optimized. I have three basic design concepts in mind and I’d like for you to give me your opinion about which one you would prefer and why.

1. Simple: Like all designs the “simple” look has its good and bad points. Take a look at an example of a simple site here.

2. Semi-Simple: This is a balance between simple and busy. How about this layout here?

3. Busy: This style is closer to a news site, but has the feel of a larger resource too. You can see an example here.

Alright, so there are the three basic layouts. Your favorite?

Content – The most important element to all this is, of course, content. Here are a few things I’m thinking of adding.

1. Article submission: I’d like to add a feature that would allow readers to easily submit articles to the site. So, would you be interested in what other readers have to say?

2. More content: As of right now I don’t write or podcast as much as I would like, but I’m also unsure about how often you would like to see new content – once per week? 2-3 per week? Let me know.

3. Style: And what about the direction of the site. Right now it’s geared more toward teaching versus being about me, this will stay the same  but, having said that, would you like to know more about me?

4. Video: Are you interested in video content? Or is a podcast plenty?

5. Podcast: Do you enjoy the current format of the Anxiety Guru Show? Or would you like to see more interviews? Different topics perhaps?

OK, so I don’t want you to fall asleep on me. I just need some insight from the people that matter the most when it comes to this site. Anxiety Guru has always been about you and I value your opinion.

A few of you came out of your shell a couple weeks ago to tell me your views on the value of this site, and I’d like to thank each and everyone that commented or voted. Now, I need you all to come out of your shell. I consider what I do here to be serious biz, and I want to get this re-launch right. Your feedback is vital. Please help me make Anxiety Guru Dot Net all it can be. Comment below!

Side-note:

On a very important side note I’d also like to invite 1-2 people to help me edit this site. I’ve had a few readers help out every now and then in the past but then kind of fade away, so I’m asking for 1-2 serious people to inquire.

What does an editor do? An editor at Anxiety Guru will research and create content using text, sound, pictures, video or other mediums.

At first this would be a volunteer position, as the main focus is and shall always be to help people first. However, this could turn into a paid position down the line.

If you’re interested, send me an email at info@anxietyguru.net with a little history about you and a writing sample about an anxiety related issue – your pick!

What am I looking for in an editor? A few things:

1. You must be able to write. I know that I”m no Hemingway, but you have to have a handle on the English language and know how to convey it effectively.

2. You need to care. You must have an altruistic drive for it’s own sake. This sight is not about making money, it’s about helping people cope with anxiety and depression. That is the mission.

3. Spare time. The time commitment would be approximately 2-5 hours per week. Not much, but you’d be surprised how easily people get distracted.

If you’re interested – and serious – I will give you more details via email. Can’t wait to hear from you.

Today’s post is brought to us by Betty Doyle of Depressionpills.net.

College of Montpellier analysts indicate us how depressive disorder is related to cholesterol levels and gender.

Do you know the Institute of Medical and Health Research (INSERM) and University of Montpellier financed professionals indicated that regulating ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol levels may help avoid mood problems among aging seniors?

In a recently available issue of the publication Biological Psychiatry  published in July 2010, leading researcher Dr. Marie-Laure Ancelin of INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale http://www.inserm.fr) said that gender specific regulation of levels of cholesterol may help stop depressive disorders in the elderly.

French analysts followed a significant group of women and men aged sixty-five and older for 7 years.

They noticed that depression in women was connected with lower levels of “good” high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), which puts them at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart stroke.

On the other hand, depressive disorder in men was related to low levels of “bad” low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). This association was strongest in men with a genetic vulnerability to depression related to a serotonin transporter gene.

Therefore, proper regulation of HDL-C and LDL-C levels can help stop depressive disorder in the aging adults, the study concluded.

The study got published in the July 15 issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry (Reference: http://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(10)00393-8/abstract).

Major nutritional sources of cholesterol include dairy products, egg yolks, beef, pork, chicken, and shrimp. Plant products such as flax seeds and peanuts have cholesterol-like compounds known as phytosterols.

Total cholesterol is defined as the sum of HDL (High-density lipoprotein), LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), and VLDL (Very-low-density lipoprotein). Usually, only the total, HDL, and triglycerides are tested.

It is strongly recommended to have cholesterol tested more often than five years if someone has total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or higher, or if a man over age 45 or a woman over age 50 has HDL (good) cholesterol under 40 mg/dL, or exist other risk components for heart problems and stroke.

So…exactly what can you do to rise your HDL (good) and decrease your LDL (bad) levels?
1. Exercising can substantially increase HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL cholesterol.
2. Smoking has been shown to lower HDL while raising LDL cholesterol.
3. Highly processed, trans fats at the same time raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol.
4. Monounsaturated fats such as those found in essential olive oil and avocados raise HDL and reduce LDL.
5. Fatty fish like salmon and sardines contain omega-3 fats that raise HDL and lower LDL.
6. Whole, intact cereals contain dietary fiber and niacin, both of which raise HDL and may lower LDL.

Now it’s all to you…

About me – Betty Doyle contributes articles for http://www.depressionpills.net an anti – depression pills blog. It’s a nonprofit site dedicated to her personal depression journey. The blog is targeted on offering energy and hope to any person who is suffering from depressive disorder and supports those people to find the energy to fight against the effects of depression. This way she wants to help alleviate some of the stigma mental illness depression can cause and help the public perception of mood difficulties.

Today marks the second anniversary of Anxietyguru.net. Since May 2008 I have been writing, podcasting, emailing readers, and doing all I can to spread my message.

My message has always been simple. Anxiety is hard to live with but, it is manageable and does not have to stop you from living how you want to live.

I’ve always preached that the path toward a less anxious life may or may not require meds, therapy, fish oil or whatever other means you can imagine. My motto is “whatever it takes, as long as it is safe and effective.”

Last year after the sites first anniversary, I had mentioned that I had about 90 regular readers. Now, I have over 200. And although that is a minuscule number of people, I’m so happy that I could help even this small fraction of humanity.

Also, since starting Anxietyguru.net, I’ve written an ebook, talked to hundreds of people from around the world, and have also been educated and enriched by your experiences.

This website is a complete labor of love and passion. If I could have it my way, this would be my full time job. But, despite the dream, I’m still happy to help the few that find me somehow on the vast landscape called the internet.

I’ve never had a plan per se for this site. The goal was only to spread my message and nothing more.

In terms of the future, I think that in the coming year I will be focusing more on producing podcast and other multimedia, possibly even videos, although I’m not sure about the latter yet.

I’d like to thank all of my readers for your comments, emails, advice, generosity, and support. I couldn’t see myself doing this for over two years if I wasn’t sure that it was helping people, and I know that it does. So, at least for the foreseeable future, I will continue to offer you the very  best I can in information and resources aimed at making you a better version of yourself.

From the bottom of heart, thank you.

According to a new study in the Journal Depression and Anxiety the answer is no. Massage is not better than deep breathing or other commonly used techniques to reduce anxiety. But my question is: Is that really a surprise?

When feeling anxious the last thing I want is a rub down. Massages usually require close contact with a stranger and stillness – and I have both in very short supply when I’m jazzed on anxiety.

Theoretically, I could see why getting a massage would seem soothing – and it could be – but I think that it’s more likely to make me uncomfortable and suspicious of arousing even more anxiety.

The other issue is cost. Even on the cheap massages are not really cheap. When you think about it, cheap massage is an oxymoron, like oil water. At a local mall for example, we have these guys that post up at a kiosk and offer 30 minute massages for $15. Now, that doesn’t sound like a ton of money, but what if you get anxious several times a week and the massage is really doing it for you? Expensive indeed.

The point is you don’t need to spend loads of money to reduce anxiety. Mediation, exercise, sleeping and so on, are all free. And nowadays free sounds just right.

It seems that video is killing the waiting room. In an effort to shorten wait times, child psychologist are turning to videoconferencing to expand services and reach more patients via “telemental health services.”

But is this a good idea for the rest of us? Can anxiety disorders and other mental health issues be addressed effectively by videoconferencing?

For anyone familiar with psychotherapy, you know the experience is fraught with undesirable details. For example, after making the difficult phone call to seek help, you then have to walk into an office and wait to be seen.

These little rooms are usually nicely furnished and have jittery people in them – all wondering why the person next to them is in there too. Are they suicidal? Are they depressed?

Then, there is the magazines, like the Readers Digest and National Geographic laying all over the place. Then, finally, someone comes to fetch you and calls out your name, usually very loudly. Kind of stressful.

Introducing videoconferencing. For those of you stuck in the stone age, videoconferencing involves you looking into a computer screen where you can see and hear another person in real time.

I like the idea. Not just because it allows you to bypass the waiting room, but also because it allows you to seek help from the comfort of your own home. And when it comes to anxiety disorders feeling safe matters.

Plus, when you go and see a therapist, it’s not like the doc is there to hug you and so on. They are there to diagnose, inform, and hopefully heal. All of these things can be done effectively through a computer screen.

It’s also much better than a phone call because it is still a face to face conversation.

It also might make a patient more willing to engage in therapy, because the distance that the videoconferencing provides could inject you with a bit of courage.

This is also good from a practical perspective. This would allow for less travel, fewer scheduling conflicts, and overall convenience that can’t be obtained from a trek to some far off office building.

And what of anonymity? Of course the doctor can see you, but you can skip the people near the office, the office staff, and everybody else that is not directly involved in your care.

I think this is a good trend that may even encourage people to seek help when they may have otherwise avoided it.

What do you think about videoconference therapy? Comment below.