Easing The Pains of Depression

Woman are far more likely to suffer from depression than men. This is often due to our far more complex endocrine and hormone systems. An endocrinologist once told me that he knew the male system well after eight years of study, but he wasn't sure he would ever fully understand the female system. Part of the depression women suffer from may be related to PMDD (pre-menstrual disphoric disorder). It is much more severe than PMS and and can last a lot longer. Symptoms often start about 10 days before your period, and last a couple days after your period starts. Often, women don't realize that they may have PMDD, but rather feel as thought they are just having a 'good week' every now and then, since the symptoms are only relieved for a small portion of the month.

As a natural health advocate I assure you that there are ways to manage depression AND PMDD without allopathic medications. However, it sometimes takes some medical intervention to keep you healthy until you are able to incorporate the necessary lifestyle changes you need. Luckily, there are many kinds of anti-depressants on the market that can help, as well as Yaz, a prescription birth control pill that is FDA approved to treat symptoms of PMDD. I have been on both of these and they were life savers. I have now been able to go off the Yaz and remain stable. My next goal is to eventually go off anti-depressants altogether.

I have included below a list of natural lifestyle changes that can help alleviate your depression, whether male for female. I encourage you to try these diligently for at least a month before trying medication, if your depression is not inhibiting your daily function of if you are free of suicidal thoughts. If you depression is getting in the way of your functioning or you have thoughts of suicide, contact your doctor immediately.

• Discontinue any use of caffeine - I know this is an unpopular thought, but for women especially caffeine causes imbalances in your brain and adrenal glands. This can increase anxiety and cause fatigue. It also unbalances your hormones. And, unfortunately, decaf coffee is not an alternative. The trace amounts of caffeine found in decaffeinated beverages still has an effect on our hormones. Avoiding chocolate is also suggested. See an earlier blog I have about caffeine.
• Exercise regularly - exercising four to seven times a week allows your body to release endorphins and helps with sleep. Women are supposed to get 45 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times a week. Don't you feel lucky that, as women, our bodies need so much extra care and attention. We are a complicated species. Also, you will feel better about our body and yourself if you exercise and stay in shape.
• Follow a regular sleep pattern - go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time everyday. This may take a while to get used to. And always try to get as much sleep as you need.
• Eat your fruits, veggies, and clean meats. - I will try not to get on my rant about a proper diet, but you need to eat foods that will build up and balance your body's systems. These include raw fruits, raw or lightly cooked veggies, and clean meats.
• Avoid white sugars and white flours - I know this is a hard one, but those simple carbs are absorbed into your body quickly and you can an immediate rush of endorphins that make you feel better, however, this wears off quickly and then you endorphins are depleted, causing a slump.
• Get plenty of EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) like Omega 3 - Unless you eat a lot of fresh fish, this can be difficult. I like to use Udo's Oil 3-6-9 Blend. I take 1 tablespoon a day. You can also get it in capsules. Vegetarian oils are available, as well as fish oils. Other sources of these oils are flax seeds and almonds.
• See a therapist or counselor - You may think that therapy can't help you or that your problems are not emotional, but I suggest you try it out for at least five sessions. Shop around and find a therapist that makes you feel good and doesn't just tell you what you already know. Studies have shown that the best treatment for depression is a combination of medication AND therapy.
• Meditate or pray daily - This truly can help your brain heal. Even just a ten minute meditation is helpful, if that is all you can manage at first. There are many guided meditations available in CD format, as well as books on the subject.
• Get some Vitamin D! - It's also GREAT for your immune system. Walk or sit out in the sun (even if you have to bundle up, it works). If it's the middle of winter, go the the tanning bed for a short session once or twice a week.

I know it is hard to find the motivation to make these changes when you are feeling very depressed. But I urge you to try, making only baby steps if that's all you can do, and eventually you will find some relief.

If you are not sure whether you have depression, here are some symptoms. If you have more than three or four of these, you should see your doctor. You may have depression.

• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• Change in appetite, eating too little or too much
• Feeling sad or down frequently
• Feeling discouraged or hopeless about the future
• Thinking of yourself at worthless or a failure
• Feeling inadequate or inferior to others
• Feeling guilty, self-critical, or taking the blame
• Difficulty making decisions
• Loss of interest in live, hobbies, friends, job, etc.
• Loss of motivation or feeling overwhelmed
• Poor self-image, thinking you are unattractive or unworthy
• Loss of sex drive
• Worrying a lot about your health or getting ill
• Having suicidal thoughts or impulses* - See your doctor right away if you have this symptom

My Twelve Steps

As a natural health advocate there are areas in my life where I know I need to apply some of my knowledge. I have a wide range of “medical” issues that are not serious, but only inconvenient and irritating. Most, if not all, of these could be greatly alleviated by several lifestyle changes. However, just thinking of all the steps I would need to take makes me feel greatly overwhelmed. So, since I’m a woman who likes to organize her thoughts in writing and using lists, I’m going to make a list of those changes. Then, I am going to TRY to embrace the concept of baby steps. This is very difficult because I want to do everything at once. Making a minor change is going to make me feel unproductive and impatient. However, doing nothing because I feel so overwhelmed is even less productive. So I will try to have an attitude of acceptance and patience with myself and add only one step at a time. And since it takes 21 days to make something routine, and for your body to adjust to dietary changes and free itself of addictions, I will try to be patient for 21 whole days before considering taking another step.

Steps, not in any particular order:

• Walk/run regularly (daily? Three times a week?)
• Do yoga daily
• Pray/Meditate daily
• Stop drinking caffeine
• Get on a regular sleep schedule
• Take Eletherococcus Solid extract daily for adrenal fatigue (temporary)
• Eat fruit for breakfast daily
• Eliminate soda and sweet tea
• Eat one cruciferous vegetable per day
• Take EFA (essential fatty acid) supplement daily
• Increase water intake
• Increase fiber intake.

My first step is to walk/run regularly. I will start with walking. Anyone who wants to give me a call and go walking with me, feel free! Motivation is key! I also love to hike!

My next blog will be about WHY each of these steps are important, and how they effect our overall health, and my health issues in particular, which some of you may share. I will also pin down the order in which I plan to undertake these steps. The entire process could take nearly a year. And who knows how many times I may fall off the wagon.

I could use your support. If anyone wants to undertake this process with me, you would be welcome. Perhaps we could have support meetings. Haha.

Stop And Smell The . . .

America. The greatest country in the world. Our freedoms extend beyond those of our allies, and our land is so vast that most foreigners need a passport to experience the same diversity. And yet, we are lacking.

Lauren, a colleague in the birth community recently blogged about how she vowed to not drive through fast food joints, or anywhere, for the rest of the year. She noticed that the sacrifices she was making for convenience outweighed the convenience itself. The food she shoveled down her throat as she drove was initially satisfying, but not enjoyable. Then, late one night, I found myself eating a double cheeseburger from the McDonalds dollar menu because I had skipped dinner and was ravenous. When the burger was gone, dwelling heavily in my stomach, I realized that not only did I sort of want to throw it all back up to clear my system, but that I hadn’t even enjoyed it all that much. Okay, so it was like a gulp of air to me when I first started eating it. But haven’t I enjoyed food before in a way that made me want to close my eyes and really savor it? I was eating out of instinct, and not with intention or thought.

There are parts of America that still grasp this idea. Louisiana is one. There, meals have to earn their worth. Even “poor people food” as Anthony Bourdain calls it, is something to be treasured by all. Like the Po Boy, red beans and rice, jambalaya . . . They may be inexpensive and made with the cast offs and leftovers, but they were prepared with care and intention. So why is it so hard for me to eat like this? I’m a fairly good cook and with a little time and creativity I bet I could prepare meals for myself and I can really savor and enjoy.

In yoga school we discussed the idea of eating with intention. We were given samples of food and asked to close our eyes and chew each 20 times on one side of our mouth, then 20 times on the other. We were supposed to think of the flavor, texture, the experience as a whole. In yoga everything is done with intention. To do something mindlessly would only leave you further from enlightenment and self-awareness. This, in relation to food, only just sunk in. Also, the book French Women Don’t Get Fat spoke about this idea. In France they sit and take time with their food, enjoying it. This goes for many parts of the world, especially the Mediterranean. Because of this they end up shoveling less crap in their mouth. Taking your time when you eat will usually make you eat less. And why not enjoy this aspect of life? A well prepared meal is like art.

So here is challenge #2 for myself and anyone else who would like to join me. I am going to eat at mealtimes or the first sign of hunger (real hunger, not boredom or craving). I am not going to wait until I’m ravenously hungry. And I will seek out food that I will enjoy immensely. With the same fervor that I enjoy a home cooked meal by my grandfather. I will have to be smart about this so that I don’t waste, but spend money on fresh ingredients and use them all. I will try this for one week and then re-evaluate.

Everything Causes Cancer

For the first time in, well, ever cancer is the most prevalent disease in our society. It has risen steadily since the early part of the century. It went from a disease rarely even mentioned in medical texts to a household word. Everything causes it. The sun, our cell phones, our food, our hair products. We can't escape it. Or can we?

Okay, I am NOT going to get on a soapbox about why we have cancer more now than 100 years ago. I could . . . but I wont. Instead I'm going to tell you how to NOT have it. The abridged and simple version. You're welcome.

It is true that we can't escape carcinogens in our life. They are all around us. Although they are fueled by technology and convenient lifestyles, even the most primitive humans would have come in contact with them just by cooking over a fire. We DO have more toxins than ever in our lives. But we also have ways to fight it off.

What is cancer?

Our bodies create and multiply cells constantly. But did you know that cells have a self-destruct setting? They are supposed to die and be absorbed as waste once they can no longer do their job. But some cells, free radicals, just refuse to die. The name "free radical" seems more meaningful in that context. Some cells become mutated before they multiply, such as in the case of skin cancer. Our bodies are supposed to recognize and attack these cells. So why don't they? Actually, they do to an extent. Free radicals are present in our bodies on a daily basis. Usually, they are attacked and killed before growing into something harmful.

In order for your body to function properly you need a few essential things. Nutrients, sleep, exercise, etc. But in order for our bodies to perform optimally you need perfect nutrition, perfect sleep, perfect exercise . . . And our body NEEDS to be performing optimally to fight off this most persistent disease.

You cannot always control what is around your body, but you CAN control what you put in and on your body. In an ideal world you could eliminate all the processed and unhealthy foods that put our bodies at risk. But I'm going to be more realistic. Instead of trying to eliminate every bad thing, just try to ADD the good stuff. I may have some real issues with the Government's Food Pyramid, but I'm going to ask you to strive to meet their fruit and vegetable standards. That's 2-4 servings of fruit per day, and 3-5 servings of vegetables. If you give your body what it needs, it will have a better chance of fixing the other damage done to it by the less than ideal stuff. Also, IGNORE THE GRAIN SECTION OF THE PYRAMID! It is driven by lobbiests and government subsidies.

Now I'm going to qualify this, and challenge you. When I say 2-4 servings of fruit, I mean fresh fruit. Not canned or dried. So lets shoot for AT LEAST two servings of fresh fruit per day (ideally in the morning when your stomach is empty).

For vegetable, they should be fresh and raw or very lightly cooked. Steamed is best. So lets try two or three servings of raw or lightly cooked. The other servings can be as you wish. You may find that if you incorporate these foods in your diet daily, your desire or room for other foods lessens.

So try it out for a week and let me know how it goes. I will be accepting the challenge also. Good grazing!

How to treat chronic UTIs.

Many women suffer from frequent UTIs. Sometimes, even the normal course of antibiotics will not keep a UTI at bay. If you have had a UTI in the last three months, and have taken antibiotics, you should not have a recurrence. If you do, you might want to consider lifestyle changes that will help prevent and treat a UTI.

1. Wear cotton underware, not synthetic fabrics.

2. Avoid sexual contact during a flare-up.

3. Drink AT LEAST eight glasses of water a day.

4. Take cranberry suppliments, preferably organic. These absorb better than cranberry juice and most cranberry juices are "cocktails" and are not potent enough.

5. Avoid caffein, alchohol, and refined sugar for as long as possible.

6. Take an acidopholis suppliment that is dairy/casein free, dosed at 4 - 10 billion per dose. (Make sure to use a suppliment that has to be refridgerated, so the cultures are live)

7. Take warm baths in a clean tub with no soap or bubble bath for about 20 minutes a day.

8. Wash the outside of the genital area with a mild, preferably all natural soap. Do not use soap on the inner labia or vagina, but only wanter.

9. Never Douche!!

10. For an infection that you just can't kick, go on a water/cranberry fast for half a day, then only eat fruit the rest of the day. Day two introduce veggies and whole grains, and avoid animal products for as long as possible. The exception to this would be yogurt, starting at the end of day two.

Caffeine

Last week I was watching a show called "The Doctors." It is a daytime show with a panel of four doctors that discuss relevant health issues. The Ob/Gyn on this show did a small segment about a woman's caffeine habit and its effects on her mood and her hormones. She advised her, and all women, to cut back on their caffeine intake. She mentioned how it can cause anxiety, mood swings, hormonal imbalance, and more. It also puts your brain in a constant state of fight or flight, and you will eventually get adrenal fatigue. However, she said that have one cup of coffee a day is not harmful.

This is inaccurate. But before you say "Why would you know better than a doctor?" let me say that doctors receive about 6 hours of nutrition education before becoming an MD. Also, the Medical Model of Care focuses primary on treating a patient with drugs and interventions, NOT on educating the patient to be proactive in their own health and preventative medicine.

Studies have shown that women with PMS and other mood or hormone disorders who cut back on caffeine but didn't eliminate it made NO improvement. However, women who eliminated caffeine altogether (this included coffee, tea, chocolate . .) made drastic improvements. Even decaf coffee and tea have trace amounts of caffeine that can disrupt hormonal balance. Read the information below for more about caffeine's effect on women's health.

--------------------------------------------------

Women share unique physiological processes and lifecycle transitions related to their hormonal systems and physical bodies. Women suffer from many of the same diseases as men, and some conditions, like cardiovascular disease, affect women at high rates with devastating consequences. But many health challenges are faced only by women. Some of these have to do with sexual organs and hormonal systems, others center on the processes of mothering, menstruation and menopause. In regards to caffeine and coffee drinking, caffeine affects women differently. Women not only have a greater sensitivity to caffeine than men, but they also may take much longer to detoxify caffeine and recover from its stimulating effects. It is suggested that caffeine’s influence on a variety of conditions in a women’s body may be due to its demonstrated effect on the body’s sex hormones. One of the actions of caffeine is that it causes increases in estrones, or female hormones, while it decreases available testosterone.

Go to http://www.teeccino.com/women.aspx to read an in-depth study on Caffeine and Women's Health.