Healthy FOR Life
By Julie Asbach
HTF Columnist
Hi There! I haven’t too much to say on the intro today as my body tends to be a tad on the tired side...no coffee today. I’m saving my Sunday’s energy to continue to write this column, to walk in the sunshine and to rest my being. Have a hearty week of healthy adventures and Happy Valentine’s Day too!
Sometimes you don’t realize how much you miss the sunshine until it shows its glowing face. And sometimes we don’t realize many of our actions and emotions stem from the lack of the sunshine our earth survives so eminently upon. Last week I wrote about my coffee consuming habit which has crept back into my life more frequently – the reason being the cold weather.
The other day I just happened to be looking up something else in my “Prescription for Natural Cures” book and, ironically, upon opening the book it came to the
section on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I am a conscientious believer that books or certain sources of information cross your path for a reason. I had read this section on SAD before but had forgotten some of the effects of this disorder.
SAD is treated as a medical condition with symptoms of depression, feeling tired, lack of sleep, weight gain, and lack of concentration. The theory behind SAD relates to a person’s melatonin secretion which is lowered from the lack of sunshine. I have tried taking supplements in melatonin form but they tend to keep me up all night. And of course all the foods you crave during the winter are the ones that can worsen the situation. Sugars, breads, simple carbohydrates, alcohol and, yes, coffee! We tend to crave those substances that give us that extra instantaneous boost we are looking for, then we eventually crash and become moody and tired. This most defi- nitely explains why I started feeling poopy yesterday. Let’s see... three enormous pancakes (gluten free) with blueberries, bananas and a half cup of pure maple syrup and a few cups of coffee. Tsk. Tsk. Oh, yeah, and a bag of GF black licorice. Did I mention cravings? At least for a late lunch I had a lovely organic spinach salad and a walk in one of our incredible sunny days - which should have begun my day. Some Solutions
-It is STILL all about the balanced meals and keeping blood-sugar levels stable by eating smaller frequent meals or snacks of clean vegetables and lean feel-good proteins to fill up those cravings. Choose better quality complex carbohydrates of the least-processed kind. Include the once in a while goodie with the complete meal.
-Light is crucial for SAD sufferers, so get in the light. There are natural light sources you can buy to obtain it. Get outside for a period of time every day and try to sit by windows. Even on a cloudy day, the light outside still can help.
-Sweat out the toxins. Do feel good exercises such as dancing, walking, stretching, and yoga or winter activities such as sledding or skiing. Take saunas, baths, or get massages and meditate. Rev the spirit up. Nourish the brain and nerves to be able to rock the body - steady as it goes.
-Get professional help if you cannot seem to overcome the depression or develop other disorders such as overeating, drug or alcohol issues.
Source: Prescription for Natural Cures, James Balch, M.D. & Mark Stengler, N.D.
REMEMBERING. How can one remember everything that they should or shouldn’t be doing especially when doing things you shouldn’t be doing is what usually makes you forget what you should be doing?
Can you remember the food, physical activities, allergies or unhealthy conditions that impacted you negatively in the past? And when you did notice them, did they just go away, come back later, or are they hereditary and
with you always? On your life journey, if you are aware of the causes or suspect culprits that may be deterring your road to health, consider keeping a log.
Honestly, I must begin to do this (and you should, too), because you may reach a point in your life when you start to experience memory loss (from lifestyle) or the Quad-O (Over Obstruction Of Obstacles). Get a notebook(s) and label them for specific things you need to remember. There are
electronic devices out there as well to assist in memory recovery. Find what works best for you and is easily accessible when you have a question. Delete the unnecessary, which can obstruct the clear picture, and make room for the healthy necessities to keep on trekkin’!
If you have any health topics, health success stories or a family recipe for a health cure, please email me at juls11@peoplepc.com or drop it off at HTF. Thanks!
