#540 Open: Light for Depression

Phototherapy has been touted as a non-drug approach to treating depression. But how good is the evidence? We talk with an expert who has reviewed it. There’s also a report based on animal research that the yellow spice turmeric, used in curry powder and mustard, may fight the formation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease. It’s too early to extrapolate from mice to humans, but adding some curry to your diet might be a pleasant way to get a bit more turmeric. Recent research published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that some marathon runners can load up on too much water. This reduces sodium levels in the body to the danger zone. We’ll hear from a woman who experienced the frightening effects of hyponatremia. (Her story is in the LA Times.) Guest: Dr. Robert Golden, professor and chair of Psychiatry, and vice-dean of the School of Medicine, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Dr. Gregory Cole, Associate Director of UCLA Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and professor of Medicine and Neurology, UCLA. Carol Krucoff, science and fitness writer