Five Ways to Fight Depression

If you feel depressed, it’s best to do something about it. In addition to getting help from a doctor, here are five things you can do to feel better.

Exercise.        【小题1】Or you can dance, jog, or bike if you prefer. People who are depressed may not feel much like being active. But make yourself do it anyway. Once you get in the exercise habit, it won’t take long to notice a difference in your mood.

Nurture yourself with good nutrition（营养）.   One person may not feel like eating at all, but another might overeat. If depression has affected your eating, you’ll need to be extra mindful of getting the right nutrition. Proper nutrition can influence a person’s mood and energy.【小题2】

Identify troubles. Try to identify any situations that have contributed to your depression.

【小题3】Talking is a way to release the feelings and to receive some understanding.

Express yourself. With depression, a person’s creativity and sense of fun may seem blocked. Exercise your imagination and you not only get those creative juices flowing, you also loosen up some positive emotions. Take time to play with a friend or a pet, or   do something   fun   for yourself. Find something to laugh about — a funny movie, perhaps.            【小题4】

【小题5】Depression affects a person’s thoughts, making everything seem negative, and hopeless. If depression has you notice only the negative, make an effort to notice the good things in life. Try to notice one thing, then try to think of one more. Consider your strengths, gifts, or blessings. Most of all, don’t forget to be patient with yourself. Depression takes time to heal（治愈）.

Best Ways to Quit Smoking

Not sure how to quit smoking cigarettes? Try the following ways to stop smoking and start your path towards a healthier, smoke-free life.

Post this list in a visible location in your house.

Whenever you’re tempted to light up, take a look at all the ways smoking can damage your health:

● Increases risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure.

● Reduces levels of folate, low levels of which can increase the risk of heart disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.

● Affects mental capacity and memory.

● Contributes to thin bones.

● Affects ability to smell and taste.

● Increases risk of depression in adolescents.

To minimize cravings (欲望), change your routine.

Sit in a different chair at breakfast or take a different route to work. If you usually have a drink and cigarette after work, change that to a walk. If you’re used to a smoke with your morning coffee, switch to tea, or stop at Starbucks for a cup of java—the chain is smoke-free. You might even work better in coffee shops！

Tell your friends, coworkers, boss, partner, and kids how you feel.

Don’t bottle up your emotions. If something makes you angry, express it instead of hiding it with cigarette smoke. If you’re bored, admit to yourself that you’re bored and find something energetic to do instead of lighting up.

Make an appointment with an acupuncturist (针灸师).

There’s some evidence that auricular acupuncture (i. e., needles in the ears) controls cigarette cravings quite successfully. You can even do it yourself by taping “seeds” (small beads) onto the acupuncture points and squeezing them whenever cravings arise. Acupuncture can treat these other conditions, too.

Most people will agree that it is good to read, but not all reading is equal. Here are some tips for productive reading.

1.Take notes.

Even if you never refer to your notes again, the process of taking notes helps you sort out something important and will help you remember it. You can choose between computers or paper for your notes. 【小题1】. On the other hand, many people feel they recall information better when they write it by hand.

2.【小题2】.

If you are like me, once you commit to reading a book, it is very hard to give up until you’ve finished it. Given the number of books that are available and our limited life, it just doesn’t make sense to read a book that you aren’t getting anything from.

3.Variety is good.

While you don’t want to give up on a book that you are benefiting from, it is important to give yourself variety. You can pick up a book at random or intentionally looking for something different from what you normally read. 【小题3】.

4.Review what you’ve read.

If you want to remember what you read, take the time to review. 【小题4】. When you finish a book, spend 15 minutes examining your notes in 2 to 4 days. Then 2 to 4 weeks after that and then 2 to 4 months after that. This will strengthen the knowledge in your mind.

5.Discuss what you read with others.

【小题5】. If you can talk with people in person, that is ideal, but don t overlook the power of the Internet in connecting people with similar interests but different geography.