HEALTH TIPS

  What Is Depression?     Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text  988 , or chat  988lifeline.org Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include: Feeling sad or having a depressed mood Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much Loss of energy or increased fatigue Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable

If you want to gain weight healthily, skip the sweets. Opt for nutrient-dense foods and beverages, like nuts, dried fruit, high fat dairy products, meat, and shakes. Which food is best for weight gain? If you’re underweight and looking to gain weight, it’s very important to do it right. Consuming  soda , donuts, and other junk foods may help you gain weight initially, but it can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer ( 1 Trusted Source ,  2 Trusted Source ,  3 Trusted Source ). A healthier approach to gaining weight involves gaining a balanced amount of  muscle mass  and subcutaneous fat rather than a lot of unhealthy belly fat ( 4 Trusted Source ). A recent animal study suggests that belly fat specifically may be correlated with increased cancer risk ( 5 Trusted Source ). A high percentage of body fat also increases your chances of developing type 2 diabetes and other health problems, even if you are not overweight ( 6 Trusted Source ,  7 Trusted Source ). To gain w