Beating the Blues for the Holidays

By Patty Butts, Ph.D., LPC, author of "Defeating Depression& Beating the Blues" (Pat Webb)

“You cannot keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in you hair.”
Like Jonah, we sometimes end up in the belly of the whale. At least that’s what it feels like. If it’s not the belly of the whale, maybe it’s the blues, melancholy or sadness. Some people feel temporarily blue because of loneliness, grief, death of a loved one, divorce, poor health, financial problems or other life stressors. These moods usually lift and the person will function normally again, but if it lasts for more than several months and interferes with daily activities, professional help may be needed.

Get moving
Depression knocks at every door, but you don’t have to invite it in as a permanent guest. Like my grandfather used to say, “Fresh fish and house guests shouldn’t stay more than three days.” If the blues stay more than a few weeks, someone needs to move, and exercise is a great beginning. Studies have shown that vigorous exercise stimulates circulation, produces an increase in endorphins and releases serotonins in the brain, the hormones that encourage contentment and cheerfulness. Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, jumping on a mini-tramp and biking can generate a significant antidepressant effect. Brisk walking is as effective as any other exercise.

Learn to laugh
Say “Cheese!” University studies confirm that when we use our smile muscles and humor, it increases the endorphins in our brain. Humor is the ability to look at the absurdity in our own lives and find something to laugh about. It may not eliminate the problem, but it will help overcome the effect. Life is at least as funny as it is sad. Humor can stop misunderstandings and ease tension when no other strategies will work. Consider creating a humor folder with clever cartoons and quips. These clips are good to pass on to friends and family when they are ill, recuperating or just need a chuckle to cheer them up.

Eat well
While there are many causes of depression or the blues, good nutrition plays a vital role. My No. 1 recommendation is to add essential fatty acids (EFAs) to your diet in the form of fish or flax seed oil or a blend that contains both omega 3s and omega 6s such as marine/borage lipid combination. Omega 3s, raise the serotonin level in our brain, improve moods and are found in fresh deepwater fish, flax seed or flax oil. A good quality fish oil or evening primrose oil are examples of good fats. "Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill" by Udo Erasmus is an excellent resource. Avoid saturated fat and transfatty acids. Bad fats (French fries, deep fried foods, etc.,) inhibit the synthesis of neurotransmitters by the brain because they cause the blood cells to become sticky and clump together, resulting in poor circulation, especially to the brain.
According to Dr. Norman Shealy, author of "Alternative Medicine," and Dr. James F. Balch, author of "Nutritional Healing," avoid sugar. That means honey, sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup and fruit juice. Avoid drinks or foods with aspartame because it can block the formation of serotonin and also cause headaches and insomnia. Your body reacts more quickly to sugar than it does to complex carbohydrates. The quick increase in energy by the intake of sugar is quickly followed by fatigue and depression. Stevia is an excellent sugar substitute.
Candida is a yeast-like fungus that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract, mouth, throat, genital tract and bowels and can contribute to depression and mental illness. According to Dr.William Crook, author of "The Yeast Connection," diet, antibiotics, and some birth control pills are factors that cause candida-related health problems. As yeast multiplies in the intestinal tract, villi in the intestines is unable to absorb vital nutrients needed by the brain and body. You feel hungry, your body craves sugar and bread, which contributes to more yeast overgrowth. Dr. Crook’s book is an excellent resource and has a candida questionnaire. The candisphere is a test your doctor can give to measure candida in the blood.
Remember when you are eating junk food, dead food without enzymes and empty calories, you are only feeding your mouth, not your body. Dead foods include food like coffee, sodas, candy, alcohol, pastries, peanuts, fried foods, processed foods, microwaved foods and margarine. Live foods include foods like broccoli, avocados, spinach, celery, cucumbers, limes, lemons, fish, almonds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, grape seed oil, flax seed oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, alfalfa, peppers and sprouted wheat wraps. In the next minute your body is going to give birth to 720 million new cells. What quality of materials have you stockpiled in your body for it to use to make these new cells? When your body wears out, where are you going to live?

Positive thinking
Our thoughts determine our feelings and actions. Wayne Dyer, a well known psychologist and author, has said, “When you realize that what you think about becomes your reality, you become very careful about what you think about.” When an African shaman prays for rain, he prays, “Thanks for the taste of the rain. Thanks for the smell of the rain. Thanks for the rain,” and somewhere out there it is raining.
We can change our thoughts and replace them with words from a positive song, positive affirmations or appropriate music.
Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives us something to do, but it doesn’t get us anywhere. Helen Keller said, “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.”
Depression can be caused by loss, feeling trapped, guilt, and anger turned in on yourself. Acknowledge your feelings; it’s painful to lose a loved one in death or divorce. It’s distressing to have health problems. Write about your feelings. Find a support group or someone you can talk to about your pain or loss, but don’t dwell on it continuously. Widowed twice, I have felt the agony of loss and loneliness, but ultimately I had to ask myself, “How can I turn my pain into service or positive action?”
It’s normal to have a pity party when you are hurting, but make it a short pity party. My mother-in-law, Marie, was one of the most positive people I’ve known. She was in her 60s when first widowed, but said, “I’m not going to feel sorry for myself. I’ll take myself to lunch or have friends over for dinner.”
Marie frequently went for walks or to a shopping mall and said hello to everyone. She took lemonade out to the garbage man and in turn, he delivered her garbage can in the driveway next to her house. When Marie was nearly 80 she said, “I’m going to go visit the old people on the street.” The old people on the street were in their 60s.
Keep a gratitude journal. Each day write down from five to ten things you are grateful for — laughter, the giggle of a baby, sunrises, sunset, trees, rivers, forests, mountains, blue sky, rain, flowers, the song of a bird, music, a healthy heart — the list could go on forever. Develop an attitude of gratitude.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Surveys indicate 4 to 6 percent of the general population experience winter depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a severe form of winter blues. Those with SAD may lose their energy, gain weight, sleep too much, suffer anxiety attacks, and crave the wrong foods.
In winter, the level of indoor light produces about a tenth of the illumination of a full day of natural light due to shorter and darker days. Doctors recommend you stay in brightly lit rooms on dark days. According to Dr. C. Norman Shealey, “Getting outdoors in bright daylight as much as possible and sitting near windows in light colored rooms can help.”
Thomas Jefferson Medical Research Facility did a 15 year study on light therapy and found that a specific band of light increased serotonin levels significantly.
Apollo Light Systems in Orem, Utah, has developed a goLite which is that specific band of light. It can be purchased at Costco for about $150. and might cost twice that amount if purchased at a retail outlet. This portable unit can be used at work, home, or even when you travel. If you are having difficulty sleeping you may want to check your circadian rhythm. For an assessment of your circadian rhythm go to www.apollohealth.com and pull up circadian rhythm, then assessment tools. Labels: beating the blues, Happy Holidays, overcoming depression

Twenty Tips for Beating the Blues

1.Say “Cheese,” or smile. It changes endorphins in your brain.
2.Try to be with or talk to positive people.
3.Practice a jolly belly laugh. Pretend you’re auditioning to play Santa Claus.
4.Exercise daily for twenty minutes or take a brisk walk.
5.Keep a gratitude journal. Write down ten things for which you are thankful.
6.Dance to lively music.
7.Try Tai Chi or qigong; it uses breath regulation and mediation to enhance the flow of vital energy in the body. It relaxes the nervous system, increases circulation, is an easy form of exercise, engages the mind and improves well-being.
8.Sing a positive song.
9.Read or write poetry. Try writing a limerick and send it off to a contest.
10.Play with a puppy.
11.Play your favorite music.
12.Watch a funny movie or read something humorous. Ask friends and family members to tell you the funniest thing that ever happened to them and write it down. Remember, laughter is a tranquilizer with no side affects.
13.Help someone else, even if it’s sending a card or a positive telephone call.
14.Focus on your successes in life and record or write them down.
15.Concentrate on positive affirmations such as, “I enjoy being happy.”
16.Pray.
17.Tap your brain’s success circuits using guided imagery or creative visualization. Play positive movies in your mind.
18.Meditate. Live in the present moment. Practice mindfulness.
19.Keep busy. When your mind is not occupied you tend to dwell on negative thoughts. Replace the negative tapes you play in your head with positive thoughts.
20.Practice deep breathing, or Kundalini Yoga.
From Defeating Depression& Beating the Blues, by Pat Webb(Butts)
Posted by Patty Butts at 10:05 AM
Labels: Tips for overcoming depression, Twenty tips to beat the Blues

Elderberry Extract for the Flu

Last September,on the Dr Oz show, he said that if you think you were exposed to the flu, then start taking 4 TB of elderberry extract immediately. You should take 4 TB for three days, and the Elderberry will actually help to reduce the duration of the flu as well as reduce your chances of getting the flu.

Flu Fighter #2: Rubbing Alcohol
Dr Oz said that viruses can live for up to 8 hours on inanimate objects, so look for a bottle of rubbing alcohol with a 50% concentration. You will often see the words Ethanol or Isopropyl on the bottles as well and Dr Oz said both are fine. You can clean surfaces or inanimate objects with the rubbing alcohol to kill the viruses and germs.

He also said that germs and viruses can travel up to ten feet when you cough or sneeze. Cover your mouth.
In addition, grapefruit seed extract pills and or olive leaf pills can fight virus, bacteria and yeast. Garlge with salt water.
Posted by Patty Butts at 8:32 AM
Labels: Elderberry Extract for the flu. Germs, viruses 12/2/10 by Patty Butts Delete

World Traveler Loves America

My husband, David, has traveled to over 100 countries and worked in forty one as a chemical engineer and expert consultant on evaporates, mainly salt production. He has traversed the peaks of Tibet at 14,000 feet to the depth of the Dead Sea, 1388 feet before sea level. He has come face-to face with death on at least nine occasions and survived a helicopter crash.

In his words, “I have been to every continent in the world. Some famous, some not… Paris, Istanbul, Moscow, Vienna, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Peking, Shanghai, Jerusalem, Geneva, Leningrad, and Tunis. I have traveled Europe, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and Far East. I have felt suffocated and short of breath in the thin air of Lhasa, Tibet and the Solar De Hombre Muerto, Argentina.

It was a thrill to see the ruins of Ephesus, Jerash, Petra, Rome and the palaces of Topkapi, the Forbidden City, Bavaria, and England. I have walked where Jesus walked, looked out over the Jordan Valley as Moses did from Mount Nebo, sat at the same table used by Lawrence of Arabia. I have been hosted by King Hussein of Jordan, and had servants kneel at my feet and call me “Master.” (In China he was awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree)

Still, even with the faults of the United States Government and the loss of patriotism I knew as a child, there is no place I would rather be than America. I treasure my citizenship.

Heart and Warm Water with Meals

Good information about preventing heart attacks. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about heart attacks. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating.
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.
A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this & Send to a friend. It could save a life. So, please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.

My comment

Congratulations Heather. You truly are a miraculous survivor. My first husband died of mesothelioma when we were expecting our fourth baby. May God bless you in all that you do. I am also a survivor of liver cancer.

Treatment for Pleural Mesotheliona

Alternative Approach to My Cancer Care
By: Heather Von St. James, This is a guest post

Every cancer patient and survivor I know, has their life divided into two distinct parts. The life before cancer, and the life after the diagnosis... My life forever changed on November 21st, 2005 when I was given a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis, just 3 1/2 months after the birth of my first and only child.

Just what IS pleural mesothelioma? It is a rare cancer of the lining of the lung that is particularly brutal with a typical mesothelioma life expectancy of only a few months after diagnosis. Mesothelioma is almost always associated with asbestos exposure.

I am one of the lucky ones, I have survived 5 1/2 years since I chose to do an extreme surgery called an extra pleural Pneumonectomy. What this surgery consists of is removing the tumor, the entire left lung and all surrounding tissue! Including the diaphragm, and lining of the heart, which was replaced with surgical gore-Tex and also the removal of my 6th rib. During the surgery I had a heated chemo wash, to further ensure the destruction of any cancer cells.

When one is given a cancer diagnosis, something strange happens, you will do what ever it takes to get rid of it, and also do anything to feel better. With all of the chemical warfare going on inside of my body, I felt compelled to seek out alternative therapies that would not interfere with the chemotherapy. I knew I had to do the chemo and radiation but also knew there were other things I could do to make the journey easier. I sought out various forms of healing work, Reiki, Energy work, good old fashioned prayer with my pastor, and also when I started feeling better, I started yoga. As luck would have it my sister, who was my caregiver directly after surgery, is also a Reiki master and would do daily sessions of Reiki on me which helped me relax, and helped me sleep, when I went home to MN and she home to OR, we made "Reiki Dates" where I would call her, and over the phone she would even perform Reiki. And it had the same result! I sought out prayer with my pastor, as much for mental and physical reasons as spiritual. My faith in God and his healing is a big part of my journey, many prayer sessions were had, and each one grounded me in my faith and my resolve to beat this disease. The energy work and yoga go hand in hand with the other therapies, all about calming the mind, strengthening the body and spirit.

I believe that these approaches along with the traditional medicine prescribed have really helped me, not only LIVE, but THRIVE.