Q: You may suspect that your friend is depressed by the way he or she is acting. If you are unsure, there are several common signs of depression that may help you to determine if something is wrong. Some of the common symptoms of depression include:  Persistent sad feelings or lack of motivation Loss of interest in hobbies, friends and/or sex Excessive fatigue or feeling slowed down in thinking, speaking, or movement Increased or decreased appetite Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much Trouble concentrating and making decisions Irritability Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism Weight loss or gain Thoughts of suicide Aches pains or digestive problems Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness As soon as you suspect that your friend is suffering from depression, you should encourage him or her to see a doctor. Your friend may be denying that there is a problem or maybe even embarrassed to admit that there is a problem. Because some depression symptoms are atypical, many nonclinical people do not associate them with being depressed; apathy and numbness are often overlooked as depression symptoms. The extra encouragement of a friend may be all that your friend needs to seek help.  Say something like, “I'm worried about you and I think that you should talk to a doctor about how you have been feeling lately.” Encourage your friend to follow up with a psychologist as well. While your friend may agree to seek help, he or she may be too depressed to follow through with making and keeping an appointment. By offering your ongoing help, you can ensure that your friend will actually get the help he or she needs.  Offer to make the appointment for your friend and even go with him or her to the doctor to offer your support. Offer to help your friend make a list of questions to ask the doctor before the appointment.
A: Watch for symptoms of depression in your friend. Encourage your friend to talk to a doctor. Let your friend know that you are willing to help.

Q: To make a falafel plate, serve the warm falafel with hummus, tzatziki, and olives. If you'd like to make a falafel sandwich, stuff a pita with falafel and sliced vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Then drizzle the falafel with tahini or tzatziki. Store leftover falafel in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. Keep in mind that the falafel will become soft as it's stored.
A: Serve the warm falafel.

Q: Being tired or sleep-deprived will make you more distracted and less productive. Don't hit the snooze button over and over and end up oversleeping. Oversleeping even a few minutes can throw off your schedule and leave you out of sorts all day. . You may not notice it at first, but if you don't keep yourself nourished you will soon find yourself more distracted, stressed and scatterbrained. You will make mistakes and have to redo your work. Make sure you set aside time in your day to have full, healthy meals. Avoid heavy meals that are going to make you sluggish and want to nap. Digestion takes energy, and processing a large, greasy meal will sap your strength and focus. . Don't exhaust yourself or force yourself to stare at the screen until you are a zombie. Every 15 minutes or so take 30 seconds to stretch and rest your eyes a bit. Every couple hours take five or ten minutes to do some exercise, have a snack and replenish your resolve.
A: Go to bed early and get enough sleep. Set your alarm, and get up as soon as it goes off. Eat healthy meals Take breaks

Q: To lose weight and get the most effective workout, it's important to include cardio or aerobic exercises.  These types of exercises use large muscle groups to increase your heart rate and breathing pace.  It should be sustained for at least 10 minutes at a time at a minimum.  Most fitness DVDs will incorporate some aerobic activity since this is one of the best ways to induce weight loss with exercise.  Common forms of aerobic exercise found in fitness DVDs include:  dancing, interval training, running or walking in place, and calisthenics. They also might incorporate isometric exercise, which strengthens specific muscles or shape the figure by pitting one muscle or part of the body against another or against an immovable object in a strong but motionless action, as by pressing the fist of one hand against the palm of the other or against a desk. Make sure to do about 150 minutes or 2 1/2 hours of cardio each week.  To help induce weight loss, you may need to increase the intensity or the amount of cardio exercises you're doing each week. Resistance training is a type of exercise that helps build and maintain lean muscle mass.  Incorporating regular strength training is another important component of weight loss and physical activity.  Exercise DVDs use a variety of equipment for strength training exercises, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands or tubes. You might also do body weight exercises (as used often in Pilates) and isometrics (as used in yoga). Weight training has shown to help increase muscle mass and metabolism which can aid in weight loss.  It's recommended to include resistance training on at least 2 days per week.  Note that many DVDs offer a combination of aerobic and strength training exercises in one program that could help cut down on overall exercise time.  This may be a smart option for those with little time or very busy schedules. Stretching and flexibility is an important part of your fitness routine.  Studies have shown that stretching may help prevent injury.  Try to include stretching after each workout session.  Many DVD programs automatically include this at the end of each workout or routine. Yoga is a great practice to help stretch, relax and restore your body after a week of exercise.  Some DVDs may have a stretching routine included.  However, you may want to consider purchasing a separate DVD for stretching and recovery routines. In addition to incorporating the recommended amounts of activity each week, it's equally important to include adequate rest and recovery days.  Studies have shown that allowing your body to rest and recover may help prevent injury.  Rest days can also be active.  Light walking is something that's appropriate to include on active rest days.
A:
Include cardio-based DVDs. Incorporate a few days of strength training DVDs. Include flexibility or stretching DVDs. Plan for 1-2 rest days.