How to be Happier in 2010!

Hi all,

I read a short, but interesting little article today about eating foods that can help you be a happier person.  This has nothing to do with weight loss (although this type of diet does usually lead to weight/fat loss), but rather it has to do with the nutrients in this food which helps people be happier.  It is a Mediterranean type diet and it is supposed to help prevent depression.  It has b vitamins, which are great for the nervous system, and healthy fats, which are good for just about everything in your body.  And the best part is that Mediterranean food is not only good for you, it is delicious.

Depending on where you live, winter can be a time when you feel more “blue” than other times.  Since you can’t change the weather, why not try something else to lift your spirits?  Exercise is always a good way, but clearly your food choices can also help.

Check out the article here.

To your health,

Kimberly

Do you suffer from Hayfever?

So, here we are in springtime again!  What a beautiful time of the year.  New life starts coming up from the earth.  People get a little skip in their step and a twinkle in their eye as the weather warms up.  Thoughts of lovely afternoon barbeques fill the mind.

However, there are many people that associate spring with something far less pleasant than anything I just described.   For many people, spring can be a dreaded time of year, as Hayfever kicks in.

For anyone who  hasn’t experienced it, consider yourself lucky.  For anyone who has experienced it, you know it can be a terrible experience.  It can interrupt your work day, cause problems  your sleep, and just make life miserable.  I didn’t believe that until I started suffering from in a few years ago.  I felt like the symptoms went on forever!  And I’m sure I went through at least a tissue every five minutes.

There are many things out there that are supposed to help relieve your symptoms, but none of them worked very well for me. I tried nose sprays, anti-histamine pills, acupuncture, small diet changes, and other things.

I’m happy to say that my days of suffering are over now, though.  Do you want to know what worked for me eventually?  It was an unintentional discovery, but a great relief!

I did a food intolerance test.  That is it.  I did the test and cut certain foods out of my diet and Voila – no more hayfever.  I don’t know if this can also work for you, but if you have bad symptoms, I would recommend giving it a shot.   It certainly has been a godsend for me!

Here’s to your health.

Kimberly

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – how to beat it

I recently read a great little article about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and since winter is coming soon…or maybe already upon us…I thought it was a timely topic to write about.

While I have known that SAD exists, I have never known much else about it.  Who suffers?  Why do people suffer?  How do you avoid it?

The article I read in Healthy magazine claims that about 50% of the UK population is affected by it…wow.  That is a lot of people.  And anywhere between 3% and 10% of those people need medical treatment to help resolve the symptoms!

So what causes it?  Well, in simple terms it is a chemical imbalance in the brain caused by not getting enough light.  (Hence it is prevalent in the winter months.)

What symptoms does it cause?  The most common symptom is depression.  Now, this can range from mild episodes of depression to severe depression.  Some other symptoms are a desire to sleep more often, being irritable, and even weight gain.

What is used to treat SAD?  The first remedy is light therapy.  This can be daily sessions in a ‘light box’ or there are lights you can buy to put near you during the day (say, by your desk.)  For more serious or longer lasting cases you can use antidepressants or psychotherapy.  Whatever you decide to do, consult with your doctor about it.

Lastly, for the most important tip…how do you avoid SAD in the first place?  If you know you tend to feel down in the winter months, make a plan to change your habits this year.  Here are a few things you can do:

- Get outside during the day!  Even if the weather is miserable you can still get the necessary light your body needs.

- Try St. John’s Wort.  Some say that this has a positive effect on the brain (similar to antidepressants.)

- Stay active!  Keep up your exercise routine during the winter months.  If that means going to a gym instead of being outside, go for it.  You will feel great.

- Make sure you are getting Omega 3 fatty acids.  You can get these essential fatty acids from things like fish and pumpkin seeds, or you can take a supplement.

- And my personal favorite: Keep thinking about summer coming!  It is not really that far away!