5-HTP

Optimistic and enthusiastic people are less likely to develop heart disease than those who are negative, scientists from Columbia University Medical Center announced today.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) hits 20% of Americans a year. Shorter days and longer nights lead to lower levels of energy and depression rates soar as people get the winter blues. Here are some clues to see if you're suffering from a case of the winter blues.

5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) is a naturally-occurring amino acid and is obtained from the seeds of an African plant called Griffonia simplicifolia. It is the metabolic precursor to serotonin, which helps regulate our mood and can help with anxiety.

Everyone has anxiety-it may be about your job, finances, family situation, or even just about life itself. Minor anxiety is normal as is moderate anxiety when faced with a tough situation. Unfortunately, there are many people who suffer from severe anxiety on a daily basis and there are a variety of different anxiety disorders.

We all feel the weight of the world on our shoulders from time to time. For some reason, there are days when we feel good and there are days when we don't, even when there are no major indicators either way. And yes, there are certain triggers that will obviously cause some negative emotion or anxiety such as work overload, unexpected events that take up time or an argument with someone close. Sometimes it's just the day of the week, for example many people get depressed Sunday night, just before the work week, others get down around a time of year, such as winter or even holidays (seeing family or spending money may play a big role here).

You get up early, get dressed, eat breakfast, and start your day. You work, drink coffee, talk with friends, work more, get stressed, eat lunch, make plans and get your mind racing. You finish work, go home, think about work, make dinner, go for a glass of wine, see a show, talk with friends, think about work, get changed, go to bed, stop everything and fall asleep.