(HealthDay News) -- In a group of Medicare beneficiaries who have diabetes, being depressed was associated with a higher death rate, according to a new study.

Publishing in the October issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Washington tracked 10,704 Medicare beneficiaries (average age of 75.6 years) who had diabetes and were enrolled in a disease management program in Florida. The participants' depression status was assessed by physician diagnosis, patient reports of antidepressant use, and answers to a brief screening test.

I'm thrilled to announce a new book, "Pregnant on Prozac" by Dr. Shoshana Bennett, nationally renowned Postpartum Depression expert and past president of Postpartum Support International. This new ground-breaking book will be released in January, 2009, and I personally can't wait to see it on book store shelves around the country.

Cracking the problem of what holds the universe together seems relatively easy compared to the challenge of keeping sex good. Personally, I’ve had so many sex problems over the years that I thought that’s just the nature of sex. If only I’d had this book years ago: When Sex Isn’t Good, Stories and Solutions of Women with Sexual Dysfunction, by Lillian Arleque, Ed.D.; Sue W. Goldstein, A.B.; and Irwin Goldstein, M.D., Director of Sexual Medicine, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, CA, Medical Consultant.

A drug that turned around the sex lives of some older men has apparently proven in a small trial to also help women on antidepressants who experience sexual dysfunction, and EmpowHer.com’s sexual health expert Dr. Irwin Goldstein, director of sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, is front and center discussing the issue.

Tina's post about depression being exacerbated by certain medications got me wondering about the so-called natural anti-depressants like Sam-e and St. John's Wart.

Many doctors advice depressed patients to take them alongside prescription medications for depression, particularly when the prescriptions are not working well.

Research into these herbal anti-depressives is usually positive, particularly St. John's Wart.

Has anyone tried these herbal supplements? What was the outcome? Did you have a positive or negative experience or did you notice any difference at all?