-
Depression and Courage
Depression and Courage…Living with Depression Requires Courage Depression and courage – Living as a depressed person requires tremendous courage and tremendous energy. Functioning on a daily basis and keeping up with a world that is not depressed is a challenge that is not for the faint of heart. If you are depressed or think you may be struggling with depression, give yourself a break. Yours is not an easy road, but it is one that is shared by many; I used to be one of them. It’s not so long ago, that I don’t still remember how it felt. It’s not so long ago that I don’t still get…
-
Depression – Side Effects of Antidepressants
Depression – Side Effects of Antidepressants I remember when I finally decided to get medical help for my depression. It was after many years of denying that I was depressed. I remember exactly where I was…it was on the deck of our house. My husband was the one who finally said to me, “Aren’t you tired of being depressed?” I called my doctor and began the process. I had to talk to an LICSW (social worker) who then referred me to a psychiatrist who was the one with the prescription pad. At the time, I had no idea about the side effects of antidepressants. I was so psyched once I…
-
Depression; Thief of Life
The Thief Known as Depression Depression was many things to me. It was a thief of fun and energy. It was something to hide and be ashamed of; it was something that made me feel different and inferior… damaged goods in some way. It made me fearful that my defect would be discovered. It also made me jealous; jealous of others who could have fun and be silly while I was so serious and just tried to maintain. I lived with depression for decades. My first memory of it is when I was twelve years old. I began crying for silly reasons, and no one could figure out what was…
-
Exercise and Depression – Go for a hike!
Exercise and Depression – Go for a hike! After my first post on exercise and depression, I decided to take my own advice, get off the couch and move, but not right away… Today Rob said, “Do you want to go for a hike?” I tend to be a more sedentary person by nature and really wanted to spend some free time sitting and crocheting a blanket I’m making for one of my nieces, so I considered the merits of taking my own advice and said, “sure, let’s go for a hike”. We suited up and headed out. A short drive later we were at a nearby Audubon refuge that…
-
Exercise and Depression…it can help more than you think
Exercise and Depression When you’re depressed, sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed, nevermind even thinking about exercising! When you just want to pull the covers over your head and wait for tomorrow hoping it will be better, running around the block or heading for the gym are not top on your list of favorite things to do. Exercise and depression…I think not… Ironically, when you’re depressed, you tend to want to do things that are not necessarily going to make you feel better (at least I did). Things like being sedentary and eating sugar and carby foods that gave me a few moments of comfort and feel-good taste-wise…
-
Depression and Menopause- Can the right foods help?
Depression and Menopause Let’s begin our discussion of depression and menopause by acknowledging that the target market for antidepressants is women. The antidepressant industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Is it any wonder why doctors prescribe them so liberally rather than discuss diet, supplements, exercise, hormone balancing, etc.? Doctors who practice allopathic, or mainstream medicine are not schooled in nutrition. The definition of allopathic medicine is “mainstream medical use of pharmacologically active agents or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms or pathophysiologic processes of diseases or conditions”. Not a vegetable in sight… If these doctors are required to take one or two courses on the subject of food and nutrition while…
-
Sugar and Depression…how sugar can shrink your brain
Sugar and Depression… Are you struggling with depression? Do you know someone who is depressed or who takes anti-depressants? There’s actually a link between sugar and depression. How much sugar do you eat? Did you know that people who consume diets high in sugar and simple carbohydrates are more likely to become depressed? It’s true! Sugar is the enemy of your body and your mind. It’s so unfair that it tastes so good. I love it too; but I know it doesn’t love me back. It doesn’t serve my body or my mind to eat it. We have choices, and as difficult and as challenging as it may be, we…
-
Statins and Depression
Statins and depression… Statins and depression….Are the statins you’ve been told will lower your cholesterol making you depressed? If you struggle with depression, you want to do anything you can do to help control it. Believe me, I know. I lived with depression for decades. Statins are being called into question relative to the epidemic of depression we are experiencing in this country. Did you know that over 20% of women in the U.S. in their 40s and 50s are taking anti-depressants? When you read the studies about statins and depression, most of the negative press is about how they affect women’s moods, aggression, etc. I can tell you from…
-
All About Garlic – Learn from Lidia
Mmmm…Garlic! In the video below, Lidia Bastianich gives us the run down on garlic. It’s worth the minute or so to learn about this wonderful food from her. If you check out my recipes for main and side dishes, you’ll notice that most of them have garlic as an ingredient. That’s because it’s so good for you! Lidia Bastianich is my favorite chef. I’ve learned so much from watching her. No drama, just great common sense cooking all the time. I love that! Check out Lidia’s Common Sense Italian Cooking cookbook. I think you’ll enjoy her as much as I do. Helping you achieve Major Wellness in your life! Cheryl…
-
Flu Shot
Flu Shot? Skip it… “The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year.” This headline comes from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). The CDC has frankly never produced evidence to support this claim. Additionally, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) covered up the flu vaccine’s ineffectiveness for older adults. In a large study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers followed 7,000 people over eight consecutive flu seasons. New studies show that if you get your flu shot every year, you get no benefits from being a repeat customer. In fact, the only people who benefit at all from a flu shot are those…
