A Mother's Health

Good Morning,
This will be a short post today as I got in late last night and am off again today... tomorrow... and Friday.  I must find some time to write in between all my meetings!! 

I usually don't watch TV, so the only way I get my news is via MSN or Google - I don't like listening to all the negativity in the world... prefer to hear the blessings, changes, and positive things in the world.  yes, sometimes that means I am an ostrich that needs to pull my head out of the sand... and I do!  :)

So, I happened across an article prepping for the ones I have written this week and I came across one that has stayed with me.  it is funny - the article was about animal rights - but the part that struck me was what they were doing with the animals and why.  Now, don't get up in arms with me because I didn't focus on the animal rights issue - I think I have shown you that I am 100% for all things natural - saving the earth - including its animals.  But they were using these monkeys to test a theory about a mother's health during pregnancy.  I guess this strikes me specifically right now because my daughter is pregnant.  And I have told her over and over that it is no longer her - how she wants that child to think, eat, behave all is being formed right now by her actions.  How she eats, how she thinks, how she behaves... if she wants a healthy child, she needs to be healthy... she is teaching our little Sophie right now. 

What they found in these tests, were that the monkeys that had a high carb / high fat content diet during their pregnancy bore weak offspring that were prone to medical problems, and obesity.  DUH!!  The monkeys with a good healthy diet bore strong offspring that were active, interactive, happy, low (if any) medical problems THROUGHOUT their life, and normal weight.  But I want to take this a step further...

Not only does our food affect our offspring, so does our mental attitude, our exercise plan, and all the things we come into contact with during that pregnancy.  You are not thinking, eating, or exercising for one... there are two of you connected.... you are the one thing that can affect that child more than anything else.

I will look for the article and attach if I can find.  Blessings.. E

Which Glass Are You Holding?

I have talked a lot about "mental well being" but we haven't really talked specifically in a post about how important this is.  To put it bluntly - YOU have the ability to think yourself SICK or WELL.  Which do you choose?

Is your glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty?  It isn't important that you admit this to anyone but yourself.  Believe it or not - this is the exact same question I asked above... so take heed and be honest with yourself.  This is your first step to becoming mentally healthy.

If your first thought was 1/2 full .... DUH!  Then congratulations, you are done and can move on ;)  Seriously, this means your base personality is a positive one and you are focused on the right things.  If, however, your first thought was 1/2 empty, we need to talk. 

A change in your base personality can only happen with work.  It won't change over night.  It won't happen on it's own.  You will have to make a concerted effort every moment of every day until you have forced a change.  But... we can help you along the way.  In your office, on your fridge, by your bed, as your bookmark in the book you are reading - make a note to yourself with "my glass is 1/2 full" and put a smiley face next to it.  I am serious.  Every time you have a negative thought, a selfish thought, or an angry thought look at that sign and think of how you can change your thought process. 

There are always multiple ways to look at a situation.  Take this for example.  I know a couple that have been together for a couple years.  She calls me one day in a panic, "He is thinking about an ex-girlfriend.  He is distant.  He hates me.  He is cheating on me." On and on she goes.  All she sees is the negative.  What she didn't see was that he and I had talked the night before about old times.  Our conversation had triggered a memory of this ex-girlfriend, not in a sexual way - but in a caring way.  He wondered how she was doing and hoped she was happy.  Obviously, my friends have some kinks to work out in their relationship and trust is a huge one.  But we all carry baggage - and we need to deal with that baggage so it doesn't misinterpret things in current relationships and causes bombs to destroy something good.  If you are my female friend in this situation, work on communicating better, working out your issues from past relationships, and facing facts - don't assume anything (we all know what assuming does right?) ask the questions - even the tough ones.  It really is better to know, and to deal with the bad stuff than to imagine the worst.

So, along with your little pick-me-up signs, there are some changes you can make in your life style.  Music - what are you listening to?  Do you listen to music?  Music really can calm the savage beast - use it in a positive way.  Find some instrumental music that calms you, there are all kinds out there, and play it low during the day and evening hours.  You will be amazed.

Recommended reading: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/using-music-to-lift-depressions-veil/

Scents too can make a difference.  Scents tend to lock in a memory.  Find a happy memory from your relationship, your childhood, your family - and release that scent into your daily life.  Candles, incense burners, potpourri jars.. there are lots of ways to get that back into your life.

Recommended reading: http://www.healingtherapies.info/Aromatherapy.htm

Color - we really haven't talked much about color yet, but this too plays a big part.  Here is a good color wheel: http://realcolorwheel.com/tubecolors.htm.  Get a piece of paper and a pen/pencil.  We are going to do two different things - first living space.  Take a look at the color wheel - which colors calm you - relax you - make you smile.  Write them down in order from most to least (I would say choose five).  These colors should be your accent colors in your home.  Second you - Again take a look at the color wheel - which colors animate you - energize you - make you happy.  Again write them down as before.  These should be the accent colors you wear.  Most of the time there will be some similarities between the two lists. 

Recommended reading: http://depression.healthytreatment.com/depressives-try-color-therapy/
http://www.energymed.org/hbank/handouts/healing_properties_colors.htm

Friends and family are very important to a positive mental well being.  Get out.  Don't sit at home in front of the brain musher - get out and see your friends and family.  The more active you are - and the more interactive you are, the happier you will be.  Getting out with friends and family will activate your brain - laughter and happiness releases positive endorphins in your body that help keep you young and help your body heal.  Now, I am not saying to go out and be a party animal - but getting out with friends for a barbecue or Sunday dinner with the family is good!

Do things that make you happy.  When was the last time you laughed?  Smiled?  Enjoyed what you were doing so much that you didn't want to stop?  Find those things and do them REGULARLY!  Make a list of all the things you want to do - put it in front of your face so you think about it all the time - and MAKE IT HAPPEN!  Simply smiling will increase your serotonin levels and move you in a more positive direction.

We want to activate your brain in a positive way - and a negative attitude / outlook and depression have a lot of the same markers.  So, the same herbs will benefit both.  Omega 3/6/9, ginkgo biloba, SAMe, St John's Wort, Ginseng, Basil, Rosemary, Ginger, Clove, Sage, and a host of other herbs are great for fighting depression.  They work to release the positive chemicals in your brain - dopamine and serotonin among others.  As always - READ thoroughly about each herb and its side effects and interactions with foods / chemicals before taking any of them.

Recommended reading: http://holisticonline.com/Remedies/Depression/dep_herbs_1.htm

Get plenty of leafy dark green vegetables, fresh herbs, and dark fruits.  Stay away from our standard bad foods - sodas, caffeine, fried foods, packaged foods, junk foods, sugary drinks / foods.  The bad foods will cancel out all the good work you do to try and be positive. 

Recommended reading: http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=2805 http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/foods-that-fight-depression.aspx

Add exercise to your daily regiment.  If you build to where you can sustain 30 - 45 minutes of cardio, you will find an amazing thing happens - your body goes into a natural high state - almost euphoric.  It is a wonderful sensation.  And beyond that it also raises your metabolism for 24 hours. 

Recommended reading: http://www.fitnessusa.com/fitness-info/exercise/the-natural-high/

And lastly, but far from being last on the list of todos is sunshine.  Being outside in the sun will activate the pineal gland and release tryptomines which are happy chemicals into the body. 

Recommended reading - this guy gets it: http://www.infobarrel.com/Surround_Yourself_with_Beauty_and_Life_to_Fight_Depression
Recommended reading - Webmd - total picture too:
http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/foods-that-fight-winter-depression

Come back in 30 days and tell me... is your glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty?  Blessings... E

Diets - Marketing Ploy

When we start wanting to feel better - lose weight - get healthy, we automatically start thinking DIETs.  This has been reinforced by advertising companies all over the world.  We hear constantly about the stars that are on Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers... know that these are only money making schemes.  All these people look great - it isn't just from the change in their "dieting" menu but they also work out very hard to fit into those outfits! You need to break that marketing and very unhealthy thought process.  DIETs are BAD!

Instead of the idea - "I need to go on a diet," you need to be thinking "I need to change my life."  You need to change the way you look at food, you need to change the way you use food, you need to change the way you eat your food, you need to change the way you schedule your meals.  While there are many of us (yes, I am a guilty one too) that use food when we are depressed, or bored, or needy... while there are many of us that LOVE food - we need to take a healthy approach to our eating.

But before we look at each of those, I want to address these seemingly healthy diet fads and begin to change the way you view them.  We need a very well rounded color palate in our menu.  You need to eat foods of all colors - each and every type of fruit / vegetable / grain / seed has a benefit. The word "diet" in our times reflects restricting your food intake for a short amount of time.  Basically taking away what you WANT to eat for a short amount of time until your goal has been met.  And then what?  You go right back to that bad way of eating and looking at food and gain all the weight back - sometimes more.  Why?  Because you have not changed the way you look at food.

There are several diets out there that appear to be good for you - but they are not.  Again, it is a fad and there are issues with any system that is called a diet.  The RAW food diet is one of the worst perpetrators.  It sounds great, but what it doesn't share is the fact that our bodies have a hard time processing ONLY raw vegetables.  Lightly steamed or stir fried vegetables break them down just enough to make them easier to digest.  Fully cooked vegetables tend to strip all the nutrients from our foods - only steam / stirfry your vegetables until "bright" - meaning until they turn bright green. 

How do I look at food?  Do I use it as a crutch when I am sad, depressed, lonely, bored?  Do I eat until I can't stop?  Do I crave only bad food and give in to those cravings?  Figure out your unhealthy attitude and work on changing it. 

How do I use food?  Food should be viewed as a great tasting energy source.  The less energy you burn, the less food you should take in.  If you are fighting these things you need to make a change in your life.  When you are bored or depressed, force yourself to go out and go for a walk BEFORE you grab that chocolate bar.  Drink a full glass of water, or a cup of tea BEFORE you grab those chips.  And why do you have those things in your house anyway?  If you have an addictive personality - GET THEM OUT!  Don't let them be a temptation at midnight - I can hear that ice cream calling my name!!

How do I eat my food?  You didn't think this was going to be so complicated did you. :)  Pay attention to how you eat.  Do you drink liquids with your meals?  Do you eat fast?  Do you interact with others (if you live with others) when you eat?  Do you sit at a table together or do you sit in front of the TV?  Meal times should be a HAPPY time.  A time to catch up with family members.  This does several things.  You should have a positive feeling when you eat.  This helps your digestive tract work better - more in harmony with your body.  It also slows down how much you ingest and you will get to a comfortably full sensation and stop eating long before someone that eats very fast and then feels over stuffed.  Do not drink during meals.  Either drink before or after.  The beverage will fill you up faster and you will be hungry sooner than if you wait until after your meals to drink your beverages.  Eating in front of the TV is VERY unhealthy.  You continue to eat long beyond the time you are full.  You should eat slowly, and get to a comfortably full sensation.

How much do I eat and how often?  For anyone that has been told from birth that you MUST finish everything on your plate, I HIGHLY recommend that you get some smaller plates.  No joke.  You should eat a well rounded meal containing protein (doesn't always mean meat / eggs), fruits, vegetables.  One meal should contain grains / seeds / nuts.  I eat only one primary meal at mid-day and I eat my fruit in the morning, and my vegetables / nuts in the evening.  I only eat meat once a week and typically it is fish.  I eat my protein in my nuts / grains / seeds / dark green leafy vegetables.  I consume no dairy products; instead I use almond milk and goat cheese - if I want / crave any dairy type product (which is very rare).  Every person is different - some people feel that they MUST have lots of meat.  These people should be VERY active and eat only very lean meat products.  Some people love eggs and dairy.  These people too should be very active and watch how much they consume daily. 

Food can be the enemy... but when broken down, it is we that are the enemy and we need to change our views on food... use it to your benefit.  Blessings!

Create a More Beautiful You!

What are our three pillars?  Exercise, Diet, Mental Well Being.  Right... so, let's create a plan using these three to make a more beautiful you... it is easier than you may think...

Sleep - your body needs 6 - 8 hours of sleep each night.  This allows your mind to rest, body to heal - when your body is at rest it can focus its attentions to healing the body and creating new cells.  Even if you have trained your body to do with less sleep, it doesn't mean that you need less sleep.  Sleep deprivation causes you to age more quickly, and be more susceptible to illness.

Exercise - in a recent post we discussed your need for exercise.  Exercise is good for both the mind and body.  Without proper exercise you are prone to depression, organ weaknesses, and weakened immune system.  Get up!  Get out!  You are to strive for the exercise high after a 30 - 45 minute sustained cardio workout.

Water - I can't tell you enough how important water is for your body.  Most humans are chronically dehydrated which promotes many health problems - heart disease, Alzheimer's, strokes, arthritis, etc... Water removes the toxins and excessive minerals / vitamins from your body without the proper amount these things must be deposited somewhere.  Toxins get deposited in muscle tissue, minerals between bones, nerves.    Water also helps promote healthy skin tone and texture.

Diet - You are what you eat.  But more importantly, you are only as healthy as what you eat.  You can't eat whatever you want and expect your body to reward you.  Eating the proper foods to feed your body is imperative.  They will also help improve your mood, equalize your weight, and lower your medical bills.  Eat only when you are hungry.  Eat every color of food, but more of the dark green leafy vegetables and dark fruits than the others.  Eat plenty of grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds.  Eat your complex carbohydrates in the morning. 

Friends / Family - Develop a core circle of friends and family that you can depend / rely upon.  You need to have good personal relationships for a good mental well being.  Interacting with those you love - caring for and being cared for is essential to be happy. 

Volunteer - Find a way to give back to your community.  Be a part of something bigger - create a group to help others.  Volunteering gives us a feeling of self worth that is important to be well rounded.

Do what you love - What do you want to be when you grow up?  So many don't have any idea until they are in their mid to late 30s.  Discover your passion and find a way to do it!  Set a goal - move forward - and do it!  Don't let anyone stop you from fulfilling your passion - you may have to take one class a year for 20 years - but eventually you will succeed!

Dance - Dance, sing, smile, hug, laugh... these things are ESSENTIAL.  When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?  These positive things release chemicals in the brain that fight cancer, and give your immune system a boost.  They fight depression and weight gain.  Put a little joy in your life!

Get sunshine - Spend at least 30 minutes a day in the sunshine.  When the sun hits our skin a chemical reaction takes place and Vitamin D is created.  Sunlight also activates the pineal gland which activates tryptamines (happy chemicals) in the brain.  Sunshine also converts the Chlorophyll from your green leafy vegetables into energy. 

All of these things will help keep your body, your skin, your mind, and YOU young... and hopefully happier!  Like everything else... baby steps!  

Minerals / Vitamins

Depending on your diet you will more than likely need more vitamins / minerals.  We have all heard of yin and yang.  This is the delicate balance that exists in every facet of our existence.  Our health also maintains a yin / yang balance  Eating only fruits and vegetables tips the balance heavily in the yin direction.  Eating only animal protein tips the balance heavily in the yang direction.  Both are unhealthy. 

Here is a general overview from one extreme to the other from Michael Tierra's book "the way of herbs":
Extreme Yin
  - watery fruits (orange), small fruits (hawthorn, juniper, lycii)
  - small fruits (cherry, blueberries), flowers (chamomile, honeysuckle, elder)
  - leaves (spinach, comfrey, alfalfa, skullcap)
  - roots (carrot, parsnip, turnip)
Balanced between Yin & Yang
   - seeds (rice, sunflower, oats), neutral roots / bark (echinachea, slippery elm, sassafras)
   - dairy (cheese), bitter roots / bark (rhubarb, genatian, cinnamon)
   - fish (tuna, salmon), long roots (dandelion, burdock, ginseng)
   - poultry (chicken, turkey)
Extreme Yang
   - red meat (beef, pork, venison), processed roots (rehmannia, red ginseng)

How do we get from here to the discussion of minerals and vitamins?  If we are eating a properly balanced diet rich in a full spectrum of colors and textures, you should have no need for supplements.  However, we not always have the ability to obtain enough of the proper nutrients in our foods.  If you eat a primarily Yang diet (meat & potatoes) you are more likely to have a deficiency in vitamins.  If you eat a primarily Yin diet (fruits & vegetables) you are more prone to mineral deficiencies. 

Below is a SHORT list of important Vitamins and Minerals - please remember that ALL vitamins and minerals are important... if you feel you are lacking in any you should strive to change your diet to better accommodate your body's need than to take supplements.... if you can help it.

Iodine - we have discussed in depth iodine deficiency.  This is one mineral that can be very difficult to obtain naturally.  Tuna, Salmon, Iodized Salt, and root vegetables that have been grown in iodine rich soils are all good sources of iodine.  Iodine works primarily with your metabolism and thyroid, which is the reason that many people are misdiagnosed with Hypothyroidism instead of iodine deficiency. 

Recommended reading: http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/health-benefits-of-iodine.html

Calcium - we all know about calcium and its benefits to bones, but there are more health benefits of calcium in our diet - heart health, proper weight management, fights cancer, and helps maintain a healthy alkaline level (cancer can't live in an alkaline environment).  Foods rich in calcium include salmon, tuna, spinach, broccoli, oranges, almonds, soybeans, and peas.  It is important to note that for proper absorption the proper compliment of magnesium must be taken, if it isn't taken naturally.

Recommended reading: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NAH/is_1_32/ai_81391090/

Zinc - Zinc's best known benefit is that it strengthens the immune system (healing, rebuilding cells, and skin), it also aids in the absorption of minerals and vitamins, also aids in healthy vision,  helps balance blood sugar, aids in proper weight management, and is anti-inflammatory.  Foods rich in zinc are oysters, wheat germ, veal liver, sesame flour / tahini, beef, pumpkin / squash / watermelon seeds, chocolate, lamb, and peanuts.

Recommended reading: http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/zinc.html

Recommended reading - Mineral Chart: http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/minerals-nutrition-chart.html

Vitamin B Complex - The entire group of B vitamins is very necessary for good mental health, strong immune system, healthy skin and muscles, promotes cell growth, and a wide variety of other benefits, much too long of a list to provide here.  Foods rich in vitamin B include liver, beef, turkey, brazil nuts, tuna, oats, avocados, legumes, and bananas.

Recommended reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_vitamins

Vitamin C - we all know that vitamin C helps fight colds and boosts our immune system, it also helps promote healthy skin and collagen, helps lower cholesterol, helps fight Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and it helps keep us young! All of your fruits are a good source of vitamin C the best however, are

broccoli, bell peppers, kale, cauliflower, strawberries, lemons, mustard and turnip greens, brussels sprouts, papaya, chard, cabbage, spinach, kiwifruit, snow peas, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, limes, tomatoes, zucchini, raspberries, asparagus, celery, pineapples, lettuce, watermelon, fennel, peppermint and parsley.

Recommended reading: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=109

Recommended reading - Vitamin Chart: http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vitamins-nutrition-chart.html

Time to Make a Change!

We have discussed a variety of "warning signs" that our bodies flash at us to get us to make changes.  I hope you have begun to see how different foods really affect your body.  Eating the right foods makes a HUGE difference in your day to day life. 

It isn't all about eating food to manage your symptoms... it is about changing your attitude about food... about your life.. about exercise... In the United States we have been conditioned to allopatic medicine - you get sick, you go to the doctor.  Naturopathic medicine is a completely different mindset... it is feeding your body good things so that it (your body) can heal itself... and listening to the "warning signs" your body gives you ... and get better at reading the little ones before they get to be blaring ones!

That old adage, "you are what you eat," is so very true.  How you feed your body directly relates back to how healthy your life will be.  Feed your body good healthy fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts... and it will reward you by being stronger.  Your mind will reward you with being more positive, remembering more things, being faster, and learning new things.  Your organs will be less susceptible to disease.  In short, you will have a longer, more productive, healthier life. 

So, I challenge you - this week when you go get groceries, spend a little more time in the produce department.  Find something new - different than you have ever tried - or something you have always wanted to try, but have never taken that step.  Ask the grocer how to know when it is ripe and how to serve.  Go on line and find a recipe.  And experiment. 

Next - GET OUTSIDE!  Go for a walk.  Listen to the trees, birds, rivers, kids.... sit on a hill and just be!  Your body needs sunshine... we will start for just one day a week... eventually you will need to try to get 30 minutes every day.

And lastly - I know I am asking a lot.  We will start again with once a week.. and build to every morning... go out and find a quote that is motivational, work to change one negative into a positive, say hi and smile at a stranger... do something to make one person's day better.

Here's to a new healthier, happier you! 

Stressing over Anxiety...

I got a question about anxiety from my cousin last week.  I know several people - adults, teens, and adolescents that suffer from anxiety.  To a certain extent we all do - new situations, having to confess something we are guilty of doing, leaving behind an old life, etc.  And like a lot of things, different people call the same thing different names - anxiety, stress, depression, worry, fear... we are going to talk about real anxiety - the type that can cause phobias, panic attacks, and potentially some life threatening issues.

About 4m people suffer from the most common type of Anxiety - GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) in any given year and more women are typically affected than men.  There isn't any one thing that causes anxiety most agree that genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences all play a part.  While we can't change anything with genetics - we can make the most of our life experiences (mental attitude) and brain chemistry (diet/exercise).

You will find several things repeated in my blog over and over again.  The three premises of natural medicine are mental well being, diet, and exercise.  As you see, this is a prefect example of this.  Every facet of our lives contain all three of these aspects.  If one is out of whack, you are not well.  Make sense? 

Mental attitude.  Did you know that a positive attitude releases dopamine, tryptophan, and serotonin in the brain - these are "happy" chemicals.  A negative attitude breaks down cells and changes the body chemistry into a more acidic rather than alkaline - which is what you need it to be.  We have all heard that positive people live longer than negative ones.  Music can help with attitude too - too often we don't realize how much music affects us.  Next time you have some quiet, private time (I know - I am dreaming) listen to different types of music and pay attention to your reaction to it... how does it make you feel, what thoughts does it provoke, what colors do you think of, what do you smell... Scent also plays a huge part in a positive attitude.  My favorite scent is cinnamon, it makes me happy.  When I need a quick pick me up - I light some cinnamon candles and relax... it never fails to bring a smile to my face.  My favorite saying to my kids is, "What will be, will be" or "it is what it is."  When a stressful situation arises that I can't change, I repeat that to remind myself that there are things in life that I can't change, and that I have to let go.  It works.  Most people with anxiety disorders allow their every day stresses to manifest into larger issues.  Learning to let go, is very important.  When we get to exercise, we will have some additional help with "letting go."

Diet.  Let's start with the things NOT to eat - Caffeine, chocolate, sodas, processed foods, fried foods, junk food, and dairy.  These are pretty standard for everyone, not just those affected by anxiety - but they WILL exacerbate the situation more radically than for other people.  Everything is building blocks - so don't feel that you must remove all of these things on day one.  So... what should you be eating.  Foods rich in Vitamin B - Tuna, Salmon, Snapper, Scallops, Mushrooms, Sunflower Seeds, Black Beans and other legumes, Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, Bananas, Edamame, and Nuts,  And then our herbs - fresh Basil, Passion Flower, St. John's Wort, Ginkgo Biloba, Meadow Sweet, and Kava Kava.  Now, with herbs - if you are unfamiliar with the herb and how much to take, I urge you STRONGLY to get a book about herbs and understand potential allergies, interactions, etc... like pharmaceutical drugs, some herbs can be dangerous in large doses or when mixed with other herbs and drugs.  In addition, you will need to try them out and see what works best for you.

Exercise.  I am addicted to exercise.  As a child, I hated gym class and exercise in general.  My whole world changed when we moved to Hawaii and I was able to exercise every day.  We hiked, biked, bladed, swam and walked every day.  And then when I started studying martial arts... I couldn't believe how addicted I was.  I never realized that exercise was a natural high for me.  The more I did, the happier and healthier I was.  For people suffering from anxiety, you may just need some quiet time and not the full intense workouts that I am used to doing.  Yoga techniques.  Deep breathing techniques. Tai Chi.  These are FABULOUS helps for both stress and anxiety.  You need to really start changing your mental attitude - replace the "I can't" with "Let's see what we can do" and "I think I can."

I KNOW you can make a change... think positively! 

Got a case of "The Blues?"

One of the reasons I got so involved in Natural Medicine was my youngest daughter. After her father died, we all went into a state of depression - she didn't bounce back like her sister did. When I found I couldn't reach her I took her to a psychologist who promptly said she needed drugs.... yes, on the first visit... and yes, within the first ten minutes. I had done my research and knew the statistics. "The FDA has determined that antidepressant medications increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children wand adolescent with depression and other psychiatric disorders..." http://www.medicinenet.com/teen_depression/page2.htm so why would I make this choice for my daughter?

I refused and the doctor was very adamant that my daughter would not get better without these drugs and that the side effects I was talking about were "rare." I told her to give me three weeks. If she didn't see an improvement between my efforts and hers in that time, I would give her way a shot. She agreed. I spent the next several days researching. I found several places where a change of diet, exercise, and addition of specific herbs helped. http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsatod/a/depression1.htm PLEASE NOTE - not all of these are a good solution for teens. You MUST read up on every one to determine the best solution for your family.

I took away all processed foods (frozen dinners / fast food / canned meals / packaged meals), all refined white sugar and white flour, and replaced with as many fresh fruits and vegetables of varying colors as I could. I already cooked meals from scratch, so she was used to that already. No sodas, no sweets, and no junk food. We started her on a multi-vitamin for teens (I am not usually an advocate of multi-vitamins), omega 3-6-9 capsule, and 60mg of ginkgo daily. And then some type of sustained exercise (even if it was just walking) for 30 minutes daily.

Understand that this change took several trials and errors - but once we had it set, there was a noticeable difference right away. Within three days you could tell she was on the right track - and if she missed days, it only took three for me to know it. The psychologist was AMAZED. She couldn't believe the difference and asked what we were doing.

Please remember, that this is what worked best for my daughter. Every person is different. Our experiments took about three weeks to perfect for her. This isn't a short term fix. I am happy to report that my daughter is now 21 and a happy vibrant girl. She still takes her omegas and ginkgo every day and is very careful with her diet.

I don't feel good....

Good Morning!
We all have days that we just don't feel ourselves. I have a headache, I feel run down, I ache... What is my body trying to tell me?

Let's not run too far ahead. Start by going to a quiet place and relaxing. Not so easy to do in today's world, but it will get easier with practice. At first you may need to physically lock yourself away... eventually you will be able to open your mind and find that quiet place. When you get there, listen.... what is your body telling you?

Are you craving certain types of food? Salty? Sweet? This may be your body's way of telling you that you need certain things in your diet - Salty may translate to root vegetables. These vegetables grown in the ground absorb more minerals and salt from the earth. Sweet may translate to fruits - these are our natural "desserts."

Do you tend to lean towards certain colored fruits / vegetables without thinking about it? What foods catch your eye in the produce section? Dark Green? Purple? Orange? Walk through one day and let your mind / body tell you what you need. Dark Green vegetables are the most needed greens in your diet. You should look to add them as much as you can. If you don't like the dark green cooked - try it raw in a salad. Your dark fruits are the best to eat on a regular basis. They have the most beneficial nutrients. Blueberries and blackberries should be eaten weekly, as should bananas (the real fruit to keep the doctor away).

Is your body tired? Run down? Stress and depression hit your body hard. Believe it or not, forcing yourself to get out and do something active - especially outside in the sun, does a LOT to relieve that tired run down feeling. You don't have to go out and run a marathon - start slow. Go for a 30 minute walk. Pick up things in the yard. Make sure you get 30 minutes of sunshine (when possible) every day. It is a huge boost to your attitude and energy.

Until tomorrow... enjoy a day in the sun!