Saturday, September 7, 2013

Do I Have Clinical Depression?


We all go through times when we feel sad or really upset about something. Life can be full of exhilarating, joyful moments but also bring us periods of time when we feel utterly distraught. These lower moments can cause us great pain, bring flowing torrents of tears and even cause us to lose our appetites. So how do you know if you are "clinically" depressed or reacting in an expected manner to an external life event? A person can receive a diagnosis for Major Depressive Disorder under very specific conditions that I'll discuss in this article. I'll also review a few coping skills to employ immediately should you suspect you might fall into this category.

I've heard people describe depression as a "black cloud" following them - or a "pit" in their stomach that doesn't go away. The intensity of this feeling is usually associated with Major Depressive Disorder - otherwise known as "clinical depression." People who struggle with this can have a range of symptoms - from mild to severe - but they must meet specific criteria to receive this diagnosis. The following is a condensed and summarized version from the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic Criteria from the American Psychiatric Association) of the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder.

You must have five of the nine criteria which are:

1) Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day.

2) Diminished interest in your usual activities.

3) Significant weight loss or gain; or increase or decrease in appetite.

4) Sleeping too much or too little every day.

5) Appearing to others to be restlessness or slowed down in your movement or speech.

6) Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.

7) Feelings of worthlessness or guilt nearly every day.

8) Decrease in concentration nearly every day.

9) Thoughts or plan of your own death.

In addition, you must have these symptoms for a minimum of two weeks.

If you feel as though you fit the criteria for clinical depression, you should seek out the help of a psychotherapist to assess the level of your depression. Some people prefer to try to get control of their depression with talk therapy alone. Others want to try the medication route and talk therapy. There are also people who take medication to combat their symptoms but choose not to proceed with talk therapy. I personally believe - and many studies have shown - that the best treatment for clinical depression is a combination of medication and talk therapy. A psychiatrist can be helpful to educate you about the chemistry around depression and the brain - as well as what medications are available, possible side effects, etc. However, if you're firmly attached to the idea of avoiding medication, a good therapist can work with you around the issues underlying your depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy - changing unhelpful and irrational thinking styles - has also been shown to be very helpful.

So what can you do right this minute to help to start to decrease some of your symptoms? The following are three initial steps you can take right away to feel better - and the great news is, you absolutely can!

1) Walk Around the Block: People who are truly depressed often struggle with the motivation they need to do their normal activities. Even if you have never been someone particularly interested in exercise, get outside and walk around the block. Even if it's only a five minute jaunt to the end of the block and back, the purpose is to get good oxygen into your blood and brain - which automatically impacts your physiology and has a feel-good effect.

2) Set Your Priorities: People who find themselves depressed often feel overwhelmed or out of control. Sit down with pen and paper in hand. Make a list of things that need to happen vs. things that can wait. The more order you feel - the more in control you'll feel.

3) Reach out to Someone: Depressed people sometimes feel so low they begin to isolate themselves. Reach out to someone you trust - friend or family member. Pick up the phone and be honest with how you're feeling. Keeping an active support network, whether it is one person or five, is very important.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults a year! Try to remember to be kind and gentle to yourself and make sure to get the help you need, whether it's a therapist, counselor, support group, psychiatrist or your general medical practitioner. You absolutely can feel better!

**If you are actively suicidal, please dial 911 to get help right away.

Does Bipolar Disorder Consume You? Big Pharma Says it Does


Anyone seen the latest Seroquel XR ads from AstraZeneca? They are pretty dramatic and the theme is that folks with bipolar disorder experience it as all consuming, particularly if they are suffering from bipolar depression. In fact the tagline of the Internet, print and TV ads is "Bipolar depression doesn't just affect you - it can consume you". According to AstraZeneca, this is a message based on an emotional consumer insight.

As many of us with bipolar disorder know, there are times when it does seem all-consuming. For most of us, we are likely to spend three times longer experiencing depression as opposed to mania, and some of our episodes of depression will be significant enough to interfere with our daily lives.

However, having bipolar disorder is not ALL of who we are. We are individuals with our own strengths and weaknesses. We each have our own values, opinions, likes, and dislikes. Sure it is possible to have a serious episode where we feel consumed and lose sight of this for a while. But is Big Pharma correct in emphasizing bipolar disorder as all consuming? We must never lose sight of the truth that there is way more to us as people than our bipolar disorder.

Please always use more constructive self-talk, such as saying to yourself "there is more to me". Spend time reflecting of all the elements of you are, apart from your bipolar disorder. Don't allow your illness to dent your self-esteem so badly that you forget about all of your positive qualities and strengths.

Don't let Big Pharma encourage you to focus on your illness to the point where you ignore al the positive things that go to making up YOU - a whole person.

If you don't want your bipolar disorder to consume you, try some of the following:

1. Keep up your interests instead of only focusing on the disease. I run and take photos. Other folks I know are into things like singing and music, or active in their church.

2. Strike a healthy balance. Please note: I am NOT saying to stop educating yourself about bipolar disorder. You need to learn about your illness and how to manage it, but do not let it be the only thing your life is about!

3. Keep a journal and write down every goal you would like to pursue in the future.

4. Also use your journal to make notes every day on the positive things about yourself and your life, no matter how minor these may seem at the time.

5. Go back and read and reflect on these things at times when you feel vulnerable.

Magnesium - A Mineral to Help Fight Stress and Depression


For people under stress and/or suffering from depression, increasing the amount of magnesium in their systems may be helpful. In numerous studies over the last few decades, it has been shown that many people suffering from depression exhibited lower levels of the mineral magnesium and that these same people experienced an improvement when these levels were raised.

During normal periods of a person's life; when the body is not under stress, magnesium levels are higher than calcium levels. (Note: Magnesium and calcium are two minerals that tend to go hand-in-hand.) When a person is under stress, calcium levels rise while magnesium levels decrease. Calcium causes the blood vessels to constrict, muscles to tighten, nerves to excite, and adrenalin to increase. (This physical symptoms are part of the "fight or flight" syndrome that manifests itself during times of stress.) Magnesium, on the other hand, relaxes the nerves and muscles plus causes a decrease in adrenalin, thus calming the person.

All of this means that during periods of high stress, the body is depleted of magnesium. (By the way, as if this were not enough, the body can also begin to feel stress when magnesium levels are low.) This results in even more feelings of stress. This vicious circle can manifest itself in feelings of depression, panic attacks, irritability, anxiety, and sensitivity to loud noises. For example, in a study published in the December 1977 Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, depressed individuals were shown to have lower magnesium levels. A 1974 study published in Lancet showed that individuals on lithium and who did not show any improvement had lower levels of magnesium, while those who did show improvement while on lithium exhibited an increase of magnesium levels.

Magnesium can be found in many foods; i.e., leafy green vegetables such as spinach, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. (Refined foods contain very little magnesium.) Because magnesium is absorbed through the intestines to be dispersed throughout the system, intestinal disorders can affect the levels of magnesium in the body, as well. For instance, people suffering from Crohn's disease can have markedly lower levels of magnesium. In addition, excessive vomiting and diarrhea can deplete magnesium. Furthermore, some medications, such as antibiotics and diuretics, can strip the body of magnesium. Age can also play a factor in lower levels of magnesium, since the mineral becomes depleted as one ages.

What does all of this mean for the individual who may be experiencing high levels of stress and/or symptoms of depression? It means that while increasing one's intake of magnesium may not be a cure, it can help in an overall strategy for an all-natural means of dealing with stress. Generally, a healthy diet can provide a person with the recommended daily requirements (RDA) of magnesium; however, environmental and lifestyle factors can counteract that healthy diet. (Alcohol consumption, for example, can deplete magnesium. A person should also remember that stress itself can deplete magnesium, as well.) To insure that an individual is receiving enough magnesium, it is helpful to take supplements that include magnesium. A good, high-quality vitamin supplement that includes minerals have been shown by research to be beneficial. Fighting stress and any resulting depression can be done through natural means. It is advised that individuals do consult and work closely with a qualified healthcare/mental care professional when developing such a strategy to deal with stress and depression.

Depression in Pregnancy


It is very complicated to face a treatment for clinical depression during pregnancy. This is because; there is a risk in having antidepressant medicines during pregnancy. But the combined attempts of doctors and psychiatrists can cure it.

Women are generally very emotional and sentimental in first few days of pregnancy. Near about 20% pregnant women need antidepressant treatment every year. Actual ratio is definitely bigger than that as women are taken very softly in the pregnancy period and this turns into neglecting psychological diseases. Safety measures in pregnancy and over cautious subjective view make them more emotional and depressed. It may cause serious psychiatric effects on a pregnant woman.

Antidepressants can harm the child of a pregnant woman. But even the depression can harm the baby. So, it depends on the severity of the disease and the decision of the caretakers of a patient.

Depression in a pregnant woman can cause some problems to a newborn. Those are irritability, less attentiveness and slowness in activities. Short gestation period is also one of these affects. The intake of antidepressants can cause some serious problems like pulmonary hypertension, weight reduction and cardiac defects in the newborn baby.

Identifying depression is very difficult in pregnancy. Generally, women become emotional, homesick and hyper in pregnancy. Over attention and some physical changes make them upset.
Sudden changes in mood, low energy are very usual symptoms in all pregnant women.

If a pregnant woman is upset most of the time, addicted to drugs or alcohol and stagnant low in energy, then these are few symptoms of depression in pregnancy. Poor prenatal care leads to unhealthy pregnancy in many cases.

If the disease is at a primary level, it can be treated with psychotherapy sessions. These can be taken in combination with medication too. In such cases doctors and therapists need the permission of the caretakers of the patient.

Those women, who have very minute clinical depression, can choose to be pregnant. But before planning so, you need to stop all the antidepressant medicines at least before 6 months. It should be done with the advice of your gynecologist and psychiatrist. In the case of severe clinical depression, there is no point in taking the risk for both, baby and the mother.

In some cases severe patients also can have babies, but it is too risky. Such patients should be treated with meditations, psycho therapies and anti -attacking consultation.

Generally, it is suggested that those women who are mildly depressed should stop medication, and even those who are in medium severity level also can choose to do the same. The sessions of psychiatrist and meditations are necessary for them. Those women who have severe depression are treated under observation and with the combined treatment of psychiatrists and gynecologist.

If a depression patient wants to get pregnant, she should consult a doctor before taking any decision. Case history, suicide attempts and such issues need to be discussed frankly with the doctor. It will help you to have a less critical pregnancy. Take the right decision and remember "risk bears profit" have a happy parenthood.

Using Essential Oil to Fight Depression


Depression is real. It is not something to be ignored, laughed at, scoffed at, nor is it something to be ashamed of. It can come from many different causes-hormonal imbalances, diet, exposure to chemicals, as a side effect from medication, and more. There are also different kinds of depression, seasonal depression, postpartum depression, panic disorders, anxiety, and others. I'm not going to go into the various kinds and causes here. Be aware that in order to fully rid yourself of depression you will need to explore diet, environment, and your health. That's a step you can take a little further down the road. It amazed me as I researched depression how depressing many of the articles and information were that I read! I didn't have a problem with depression and then I started researching it and started feeling low. That's not what we want to do here. I want to give you some good, solid ways to use essential oils to give you a lift, a hand up, a smile, a dose of hope so that you can get to feeling better. Once you've accomplished that then you'll be in a better frame of mind to begin exploring your options to restored health.

Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, can have an incredible effect on your emotional outlook. We all know that scents can affect us emotionally. We use perfumes and colognes to make us more attractive. We associate memories with various smells. A newborn baby learns to identify his mother by sense of smell before his eyes are developed enough to focus. Diffusing an essential oil (spreading the aroma throughout a room) can have a profound and almost immediate effect on mood. Scent is a vital part of our lives. The limbic system is considered to be the oldest system in the human body. The limbic system is made up of several organs that together process scents and determine how the body will respond. These responses often involve emotions, especially those that are related to survival such as fear and reproductive urges. The limbic system is also tied in closely to determining which memories will be stored and how they will be recalled. The hypothalamus is also a part of the limbic system. It has a major role in monitoring and regulating hormones.

Essential oils have an aroma that activates the limbic system through smell. Essential oils also have the ability to affect our hormones. They can help us eliminate unwanted toxins from the body. They can help ease pain. They can carry oxygen to the cells of our body. Essential oils applied to the skin can be detected in the blood in as little as twenty seconds! The essential oil molecules are smaller than our cells; they permeate our bodies and affect us on a cellular level. There are ten main systems in our body: integumentary (skin), skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine (hormones), digestive, respiratory, circulatory, urinary, and reproductive and essential oils can affect them all!

Here's a quick list of essential oils that are commonly used in relieving depression:


  • Basil (especially good for manic depression and anxiety)

  • Bergamot

  • Blossom blend

  • Brain Gem blend

  • Cedarwood

  • Chamomile, Roman

  • Clary Sage

  • Frankincense

  • Geranium

  • Grapefruit

  • Helichrysum

  • Juniper Berry

  • Lavender

  • Loving Care blend

  • Marjoram (especially helpful with grief based depression)

  • Orange

  • Palmarosa

  • Peppermint (especially helpful if you can't stay awake)

  • Quiet Scent blend (especially good for when you can't sleep)

  • Ravensara

  • Rose

  • Rosemary (especially helpful if you're anxious)

  • Sandalwood

*All blends mentioned are Be Young blends.

**A warm or hot essential oil that you will want to use diluted with carrier oil before applying to the skin. If you use without a carrier and it feels hot DO NOT rinse with water, it will get hotter, apply a carrier oil to the area and it will cool it.

As you can see, there are quite a few to choose from. The best way to choose is to smell each one. If you smell an essential oil and it's just nasty smelling to you, you're not going to want to use it, you'll hesitate because it's not a pleasant experience. When you find that oil that you just want to crawl in the bottle and live there, that's the one for you! I worked with a gentleman whose oil of choice for improving his mood was Birch. Now, that's not on the list above, but Birch oil smelled like root beer to him and started him reminiscing about his childhood days and homemade root beer and always lifted his mood and made him smile. It was the perfect pick-me-up for him. Here we see the perfect example of how powerful smell is in affecting the emotions.

Diffusing an essential oil is a powerful way to impact your mood. You can set a timer so that the oil is released into the air at certain intervals. I use a diffuser that is set to diffuse fifteen minutes out of every hour. You can also purchase a pendant diffuser. This is simply a necklace made of clay you add the oil to or a hollow necklace with a wick inside you put the oil on. Some people prefer a sniff stick-it looks kind of like a tube of chap stick, but inside is a cotton wick that you add the essential oil to. Whenever you need a whiff you open it up and the aroma comes out. Some people simply carry the bottle of essential oil with them and open it up when needed, just be careful the lid doesn't come undone in your pocket so the oil spills. Find what works best for you.

Frankincense is perhaps the most often used essential oil for depression. Many people have been able to discontinue use of antidepressants by using Frankincense. First, make sure you have a 100% pure essential oil of Frankincense. Frankincense is an expensive oil so it is often cut or synthesized. If you're not familiar with the various essential oil companies, you can get a good idea of the oil's purity by its price. I recommend the Be Young brand; they stand strong against diluting an essential oil in any way before you receive it. They also regularly test their essential oils to make sure that the grower didn't dilute it before they received it. Why do you care? If you'll recall, up in the first paragraph I listed some of the causes of depression, among them are exposure to chemicals. If an essential oil is synthesized (made with chemicals) or improperly extracted (with chemicals) those chemicals are now a part of that essential oil and can be carried into every cell in your body.

This will only compound the problems you are experiencing. It is absolutely vital that you get the best essential oil you can or you may be feeding the fires of depression instead of smothering them. To use Frankincense to replace your antidepressant, every morning put a drop of Frankincense under your tongue. Carry Frankincense essential oil with you throughout the day. Some days are one drop days, some are ten drop days. If you have difficulties getting just one drop or can't handle the taste, put it in a little bit of water. You can purchase droppers that can be used with essential oils so you can control how many drops you get. Always consult with your doctor when decreasing any medication! Use an essential oil two hours before or after taking a medication so that they do not interfere with each other.

Ways to use essential oils for depression:


  • Diffuse or use the essential oil as a room spray (To make a room spray add 10-12 drops of essential oil to 1-2 ounces of filtered water in a glass spray bottle. Shake and spray. Always shake before each use and use a glass bottle as the essential oils will eat through a plastic bottle.)

  • Internally (Frankincense especially and ONLY if you are sure the oil is pure, like the Be Young brand) Apply a drop or two under the tongue, or take in a capsule filled with carrier oil

  • Apply a drop to the back of the neck and the temples

  • Use in a massage (add 5-6 drops of essential oil to an ounce of carrier oil and massage with this blend)

  • In a bath (Add 5-6 drops of your chosen essential oil to 1/4-1/2 cup bath salts or Epsom(tm) salts, then add to your bath water. Soak for twenty minutes and rinse off. Always rinse off, the combination of salt and essential oils will pull toxins from your body to the surface of the skin. If you don't rinse off you will reabsorb those toxins and may develop a rash. Always add to the salts before the water or the essential oils will float on top of the water.)

  • Simply open the bottle and inhale

  • Use as a perfume, apply a drop or two to your pulse points

  • If you're feeling anxious, apply a drop to the tops of your ears

After you start feeling better you'll want to begin modifying diet. Often depression is caused because various chemical receptors within the body are blocked by toxins. Start with the Liver Cleanse (see my article on Liver Cleanse for more information) and begin eliminating prepared foods and other harmful activities from your diet and lifestyle. A lack of calcium can often contribute to depression. Carbonated beverages (especially those in the cola category) leach calcium from the body. The neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin control depression. Trace minerals allow our bodies to use these neurotransmitters. A good source of trace minerals is Masaji(tm) (a whole food supplement created by Be Young, it also contains Frankincense and Rose essential oils.)

Some fun recipe blends you may want to try:

Recipe #1

10 drops Bergamot

5 drops Clary Sage

2 drops Rose

(Note, Bergamot can cause photosensivity in some individuals, avoid direct exposure of skin with Bergamot oil applied to it to the sun or tanning beds for 24 hours. As long as the skin is covered by clothing you should be fine.)

Recipe #2 (guilt and depression)

15 drops Geranium

5 drops Lavender

10 drops Bergamot

This should give you some good ideas. Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed, pick one direction and give it a try, give it a week or so and then evaluate yourself-no change, try a different oil; some change, add something in addition to; great change, congratulations! Start making modifications (slowly, one step at a time) to your diet and environment and enjoy your journey to health and happiness!

EQ - Emotional Intelligence Quota And Success


We all want to be successful. Many of us set goals around becoming great, successful leaders.We are all looking for the steps, strategies and or formulas that fit us best. The industry is filled with authors, speakers, coaches and other professionals that speak of secrets to success. Not to mention the tapes audio and Internet resources available. Success in the business and the world globally looks to a new and different type of leadership. Leadership that blends knowledge (IQ) with Emotional Intelligence Quota (EQ)

Daniel Goleman is a leader in the field of EQ. I have studied and written research papers supporting Goldman's EQ concept. I believe in it. I use it in my classroom and coaching. My clients-student and adults alike especially my clients in the business world globally have made positive transforms and reached new levels of success by incorporating Emotional Intelligence Training into their Coaching.

Daniel Goleman brilliantly states the concept in his book Primal Leadership "Great leaders move us. They ignite our passion and inspire the best in us. When we try to explain why they are so effective, we speak of strategy, vision, or powerful ideas. But the reality is much more primal: Great leadership works through the emotions. No matter what leaders set out to do--whether it's creating strategy or mobilizing teams to action--their success depends on how they do it.

Even if they get everything else just right, if leaders fail in this primal task of driving emotions in the right direction, nothing they do will work as well as it could or should. That's a very powerful but true statement. Research supports Goleman's work and EQ philosophy.
What is Emotional Intelligence or EQ?

The term EQ encompasses the following five characteristics and abilities:

1.Self-awareness--knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them

2.Mood management--handling feelings so they are relevant to the current situation and you react appropriately

3.Self-motivation--"gathering up" your feelings and directing yourself towards a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness

4.Empathy--recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues

5.Managing relationships--handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations
Why do we need Emotional Intelligence?

Research in brain-based learning suggests that emotional health is fundamental to effective learning. According to a report from the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs, the most critical element for a student's success in school is an understanding of how to learn from "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman. The key ingredients for this understanding are:

Confidence

Curiosity

Intentionality

Self-control

Relatedness

Capacity to communicate

Ability to cooperate

These traits are all aspects of Emotional Intelligence. Traits that are key in personal and professional development and becoming successful. Basically, a student who learns to learn is much more apt to succeed. Emotional Intelligence has proven a better predictor of future success than traditional methods like the GPA, IQ, and standardized test scores.

In recent years, the great interest in Emotional Intelligence on the part of corporations, universities, and schools nationwide. The idea of Emotional Intelligence has inspired research and curriculum development throughout these facilities to improve educational curriculum and incorporate these principles into every day learning for students. I became very interested in Goleman's work back in 2000.along with the work of Howard Gardner and his Theory of "Multiple Intelligence" as a tool for providing success. Which I will discuss later in this article.

Building one's Emotional Intelligence has a lifelong impact. Many parents and educators, alarmed by increasing levels of conflict in young schoolchildren--from low self-esteem to early drug and alcohol use to depression, are rushing to teach students the skills necessary for Emotional Intelligence. And in corporations, the inclusion of Emotional Intelligence in training programs has helped employees cooperate better and motivate more, thereby increasing productivity and profits, Researchers have concluded that people who manage their own feelings well and deal effectively with others are more likely to live content lives. Plus, happy people are more apt to retain information and do so more effectively than dissatisfied people.

As you can see EQ is more than a smile and an encouraging word, its a set of abilities that distinguish star performers from average leaders, the absence of which derails careers. As stated by Daniel Goleman in his book Emotional Intelligence and Primal Leadership, and The Center for Creative Leadership. The good news is that unlike IQ, your emotional intelligence, or EQ, can be developed.

What's the payoff for EQ Training?

There are many leadership training programs where you can learn the strategies and tactics of leaders or "What to do" There are fewer where you can learn "How to be!

Will you be more effective as a leader if you develop excellent interpersonal skills by developing your EQ?

Of course, But the big payoff comes from your ability to use EQ to unlock, discover and liberate the most authentically powerful and creative leader within you! In today's world successful leaders know how to sense, understand and use emotions to improve decision making, performance and overall quality of life.

What are some of the organizations that use EQ?

Many organizations like Allstate Insurance, All-American Homes, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Eli Lilly, Northrop Aviation, Social Security Administration, US Dept of Labor, the US Postal Service are providing EQ training to their employees with great success. Individuals in these organizations have increased their personal effectiveness by creating and taking part in productive working relationships.

Goleman hits the nail on the head in these quotes:

"IQ and technical skills are important, but emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership. When I compared star performers with average ones in senior leadership positions, nearly 90% of the difference in their profiles was attributable to emotional intelligence factors rather than cognitive abilities." Daniel Goleman

"Emotional Intelligence is a master aptitude, a capacity that profoundly affects all other abilities"- ."Daniel Goleman

What is Multiple Intelligence and how does it affect my success?

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. These intelligences are

o Linguistic intelligence ("word smart")

o Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")Logical

o Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")

o Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart")

o Musical intelligence ("music smart")

o Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")

o Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")

o Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")

The basic theory states we all have 8 intelligences. That's amazing! Some are stronger than others in us. We learn best through activities geared towards our MI strengths. I use the work of Goleman and Gardner in my classroom and in my Coaching practice. The results are amazing and life transforming. The success I see in my clients and students is nothing but positive. Combining EQ and MI provides individuals with a sense of "wholeness" that adds balance to their life and puts them on a road to success personally and professionally.
The learning that takes place using EQ and MI is "learning that is meaningful, necessary and lasts"

What implications does MI have for adults and career success?

The theory of multiple intelligences also has strong implications for adult learning and development. Many adults find themselves in jobs that do not make optimal use of their most highly developed intelligences (for example, the highly bodily-kinesthetic individual who is stuck in a linguistic or logical desk-job when he or she would be much happier in a job where they could move around, such as a recreational leader, or physical therapist). The theory of multiple intelligences gives adults a whole new way to look at their lives, examining potentials that they left behind in their childhood (such as a love for art or drama) but now have the opportunity to develop through courses, hobbies, or other programs of self-development.

Here are 3 actions steps to help you put these ideas into action

1. Evaluate your management style. Determine if EQ training or Coaching can improve your performance and afford you greater opportunities for success. If the answer is yes, contact me carolgcoach@aol.coom for a complimentary session to discuss your options.

2. Use the Multiple Intelligence Theory to help you decide the following

o Are you in a career that you are suited for

o Does your career bring out the best

o Are you reaching your full potential

o Can you honestly say you love what you do?.

If the answer is no to one, some or all of these. contact me for a complimentary session to discuss the possibilities for having a career you love and can succeed at. We all can have a life we love and want if we act on it!

3. Contact me to learn more about how Coaching can help you set meaningful goals to achieve the success you are looking for. carolgcoach@aol.com Sign up for a free consultation.

Is Extreme Early Retirement The Right Choice For You?


Have you ever been so fed up with the grind of the daily rat race that you thought about tossing in the towel - wishing that you could just retire even though 65 is a long ways off? If you have, then you may be a candidate for extreme early retirement.

More and more people are considering retirement before 50 - some even retire in their 30s. Many people consider extreme early retirement because they are burned out on their current careers. Others just want to drop out to pursue their true life's calling. Whatever the reason though, the appeal of extreme retirement can be great - but it may not be for everyone.

One of the very first things that you should consider is the other people in your family and how extreme retirement would affect them. Though it isn't impossible to retire very early with children, it certainly does complicate the picture. You will have to give some careful thought to the sacrifices they may need to make because of your decision. Is your partner on board with the idea? How will your decision affect all your other family members? If your plan is to generate an income from some other source rather than a regular day job, it may take time to build your business up. Depending upon your choices and dedication to your new ventures you may make a significantly less amount of money for a very long time. You may never match your old income - or - you may wildly exceed your expectations and make a lot of money. This brings me to a second consideration - uncertainty.

If you can deal with uncertainty, then extreme retirement may be for you. However, many people do not like uncertainty and should avoid it if it generates too much emotional stress. Will you be able to deal with the uncertainty of an unstable income? Can you deal with the uncertainty of how you will spend each day or will the days just drift by you aimlessly? One of the biggest adjustments that an extreme retiree will need to make is the sudden lack of structure to each day. Although most people hold the fantasy that this will be a wonderful thing, many find it tough to deal with because they end up doing nothing day in, day out and then rapidly fall into a funk, leading to depression.

A third factor to consider is how to deal with family and friends when you retire early. Will you be ready for their criticisms and worries? Well-meaning family (especially moms and dads) can really wear you out about a decision that they cannot understand and think is financial suicide. If you can show them that you have thought things out, have a plan and understand their worry you will be better able to deflect a lot of their concerns. Friends may be overly critical because they are actually jealous of your bold decision to take an extreme early retirement. Think about ways to deal with all the naysayers that you will encounter before you reveal your plans.

Once you've given some careful thought to these issues you will have made the very first steps to deciding what is right for you and living the life that you want. Cutting back on expenses and learning to live frugally will be part of your plan too, so be sure to check out the links in my Bio box below.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Alternative Medicine For Test Anxiety


Who says you can not beat the exam nerves? Truth is you can and you can do this the natural or holistic way with a little help from proven alternative practices!

You might have heard of the Gingko Biloba and the number of times the herb has been recommended as supplement to help sharpen memory functions and encourage presence of mind, particularly when taking exams. If that is so, is there an equivalent herbal remedy that would help ease out related exam tension?

The practice of alternative medicine has brought to the fore a number of different herbs enriched with medicinal properties vital to nervous system health, along with homeopathic substances that are purported to induce calm and relaxed behaviors. Skim below for some of the more popular remedies administered to ease common tension which can likewise be used as an alternative medicine for test anxiety.

The herb Passion Flower promotes a naturally soothing and calming effect on the nerves that when combined with St. Johns Wort produces an herbal remedy for clinical depression. The medicinal extracts of the Centella Asiatica and Rosemary both provide therapeutic benefits helpful in the course of academic study and examination. While the Centella generally enhances brain and nervous system functions, the Rosemary contains compounds that inhibit the breakdown of brain chemicals involved in the upkeep of good memory.

Intake of homeopathic remedies such as the Anacardium (6C) and the Gelsemium (6C), on the other hand, naturally stimulates behaviors that are necessary in preventing the onset of nervous tension during exams. The Anacardium boosts self confidence while relieving irrational fears, including that of failure. Consequently, the Gelsemium eases related physical actuations that manifest as a consequence of extreme tension.

Modern day herbalists and clinical psychologists have now expanded the treatment options for common nervous tension and anxiety with the manufacture of herbal supplement products such as A+ Test Calmer which is specially formulated with natural medicinal compounds that work in synergy to ease the exam nerves in children and teenagers.

It is typical for healthy school aged children and teenagers to feel anxious and stressed following the weeklong pressure of studying (or perhaps cramming) for a periodic exam or when preparing for a presentation. But then again, there are those who routinely encounter overwhelming feelings of nervous tension as the big day draws near and even up to the time that the exam is ongoing. These deep-seated, nervous emotions often cause an individual to lose focus while the ability to concentrate properly is hindered as well. In this case, the worst thing that could happen - next to a mental blackout, is for one to succumb to panic attacks. If you think you or your child easily succumbs to nervous tension during the conduct of exams, consider the intake of an alternative medicine for test anxiety and see the difference!

Did You Know That Hypothyroidism Can Lead to Depression?


An underactive thyroid, also called hypothyroidism, can be caused by antidepressants. Although researchers don't understand how antidepressants suppress thyroid function, they've known for years that lithium can cause hypothyroidism and have recently implicated other antidepressants as well. Hypothyroidism can also occur on its own because of diet (for instance, inadequate minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, amino acids, or excess carbohydrates), an immune reaction, genetic susceptibility, or from radiation treatments for an overactive thyroid.

Regardless of the cause, hypothyroidism can lead to numerous problems, including but not limited to weight gain, excessive tiredness, decreased sexual function, and brain fog-all of which can mimic anti-depressant side effects. The condition can also cause depressed moods and render antidepressants ineffective. So you may think your medication isn't working when the problem is actually caused by an inadequate level of thyroid hormones.

Many people on antidepressants who have symptoms of hypothyroidism may not have the full-blown condition that can be diagnosed using a standard blood test, which measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Instead, they have a milder form of the condition, called subclinical hypothyroidism. In the late 1980s, I became frustrated after the test results of many of my patients with multiple symptoms of hypothyroidism kept coming back normal. This can't be right, I thought. I decided to perform a thyroid-releasing hormone.

To summarize, if you have hypothyroidism, it can have adverse effects on your mental conditions, which can lead you to sink further into depression. There are three types of thyroid-releasing hormones - the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (T4), and free triiodothyronine (TJ). The standard thyroid hormone test, which measures just TSH, is not always sufficient, since TSH levels can be normal even when the thyroid is underactive.

Bi-Polar Disorder


Bipolar disorder is a very complex disease to many people, including medical doctors, and rightly so. As with every other disease in allopathic medicine, there will never be a cure for bipolar disorder. You can't solely treat this disorder from the physical, and especially with harmful, man-made pharmaceutical drugs. Plus, Western medical doctors admit that they don't know the cause of this disorder.

All disease and disorder first occur on the energy level before manifesting physically. Therefore, healing of all diseases must occur first on the energy level, the root or causative level. This is why no cure or healing of bipolar disorder will ever occur in Western medicine because Western medicine does not deal with energy or vibration, and the human body has an energy or vibratory body. Western medicine does not even deal with the cellular level of healing, which follows the energy level of healing.

In order to address a problem (disease, sickness) we must first know what it is. You can only begin the healing process when you first "know" what a thing is. Every disease has an origin in which etiology teaches us can be studied.

Though an herbalist, my approach to healing and health is wholistic and encompasses all realms of human existential makeup, including the bio-magnetic sheath (human aura) or subtle bodies realm, i.e. ethereal body, mental body, astral body, etc.

The subtle bodies pertain to the layers of the bio-magnetic sheath (human aura) that relate to the physical, emotional, mental, astral, and spiritual levels of being. All living beings have an invisible but detectable energy field that surrounds them. This is true from man (human being) down to the animals and insects. This invisible energy field is known as the "bio-magnetic sheath" (aura). It can be detected and photographed with a certain kind of photography known as "Kirlian photography."

Okay, let's delve into the understanding of bipolar disorder so that we may properly understand it in order to properly address it and help those who are afflicted with it.

Bipolar disorder is medically defined as:

"A major mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania, depression, or mixed mood. One or the other phase may be predominant at any given time, one phase may appear alternately with the other, or elements of both phases may be present simultaneously. Characteristics of the manic phase are excessive emotional displays, such as excitement, elation, euphoria, or in some cases irritability accompanied by hyperactivity, boisterousness, impaired ability to concentrate, decreased need for sleep, and seemingly unbounded energy. In extreme mania, a sense of omnipotence and delusions or grandeur may occur. In the depressive state, marked apathy and under-activity are accompanied by feelings of profound sadness, loneliness, and lowered self-esteem. Causes of the disorder are multiple and complex, often involving biologic, psychological, interpersonal, and social and cultural factors. Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 5th edition (1998), pg. 196

Bipolar disorder is a depressive disorder. It is one of two major classifications of depressive disorders: (1) unipolar depression and (2) bipolar depression.

Bipolar disorder usually starts out as depression and slowly graduates to mania; and the depression and mania can involve alternating episodes, an up and down effect. Therefore, bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression.

In my traditional fashion, let's break matters down into pabulum so we can get a thorough and pellucid understanding of bipolar disorder.

The word or prefix "bi" means: "Two; twice: bipolar 2. Occurring twice during: biweekly [Latin: bis, bi - meaning "twice."] Hence, "bi" means two.

The word "polar" means: 1. Of, measured from. Or referred to a pole 2. Of or near the North or South Pole. 3. Occupying or characterized by opposite extremes.

The word "polar" derives from the word "pole" which means: "Either or two oppositely charged terminals, as in an electric cell or battery; either of two opposing forces. [Greek: polos, meaning "axis"]

The word "disorder" means: "A lack of order; confusion; an ailment."

From the above break down of the term "bipolar disorder", we come up with "a lack of order or an ailment of two poles of opposing forces or extremes (or mental states)."

Basically, bipolar disorder deals with a fluctuation of extremes on the emotional level - depression and mania. Depression deals with a saddened state whereas mania deals with an excited or enthused state.

Depression. noun. 1. The act of depressing or condition of being depressed. 2. A sunken area; hollow 3. The condition of feeling sad or despondent. 4. Pschol. A condition marked by an inability to concentrate, insomnia, and feelings of dejection and hopelessness. American Heritage Dictionary supra, pg. 235

Depression. [Latin: "deprimere" meaning "to press down]. 3. A mood disturbance characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, and discouragement resulting from and normally proportioned to some personal loss or tragedy. 4. An abnormal emotional state characterized by exaggerated feelings of sadness, melancholy, dejection, worthlessness, emptiness, and hoplessness that are inappropriate and out of proportion to reality. The condition is neurotic when the precipitating cause is an intra-psychic conflict or a traumatic situation or event that is identifiable, even though the person is unable to explain the overreaction to it. The condition is psychotic when there is severe there is severe physical and mental functional impairment because of some unidentifiable intra-pyschic conflict; it is often accommodated by hallucinations, delusions, and confusion concerning time, place, and identity. Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 4th edition, supra pg. 354

Mania. noun. An intensively intense enthusiasm or desire; craze. 2. A mental disorder characterized by excessive physical activity and emotional excitement. 3. Violent abnormal behavior.

From the word "mania" we get the word "maniac" which means: One with an excessive enthusiasm for something. [Greek: maniakos, meaning "mad", mania, meaning "madness.].

We also get the word" manic" which means: "Of, affected by, or marked by mania."

Are you starting to really understand the depth of the rock group, The Bangles, hit song "Manic Monday" now from all of the definitions supra? I am!

Monday is the day of the week that is named in honor of the moon; hence Monday is a corruption of Moon's Day. America may profess to be a Christian nation, but if you have eyes to see, you will and can see that paganism's mark has been left on Christianity and America, which purports to be a Christian nation. Not a Christ-like nation, but a Christian nation. There's a difference!

Monday has always been associated with emotional imbalance, lunacy, mania, and sorrow ("the blues") to be exact. In fact, the Latin word for "moon" is "luna" from whence we get the words "lunacy" and "lunatic." Originally, lunacy was attributed to the moon.

In chromatherapy, the color blue deals with soothing and calming and this color blue (especially light blue) helps us to relax and to calm down. This is very true! So if you have an irate and/or anxious or hyperactive child(ren), you might want to consider painting their bedroom light blue so as to positively impact them with this color's frequency or vibration.

The color blue is the antidote for the color red, which deals with passion, fever, and fieriness. If you are upset or angry, your aura becomes a tainted and unhealthy red color because on an energetic level you are on fire (burning up), and you begin to emit the frequency of this color, and in accordance pursuant to the law of attraction, as long as your frequency is the frequency of this color (tainted or dark red), you will attract other things into your orb or aura that matches this same frequency. You will attract people, circumstances, situations, and events that will keep you angry and upset and make you more angry and upset. This is true because all energy is cyclical and that which is cyclical is bound to come back around. Karma is cyclical energy coming back around to its source. So to help yourself calm down when you are angry or upset, have a room with blue (light or sky blue) walls that you can go into for a few minutes and just stare at the walls so as to "cool" down.

Actually, staring or looking at anything blue or light/sky blue will get the job done. And if nothing blue or light/sky blue is around, simply close your eyes and visualize this color for a few minutes. It really works! The technique is greatly intensified when deep breathing is added to it. Whatever the source or cause of the anger, simply get a picture of it in your mind, imagine it disintegrating or turning into dark gray smoke and continue to blow the smoke out via your lips (perform 10-20 deep breaths); then imagine the dark gray smoke all gone from your mind.

With each breath you release the cause or source of your anger. After the last breath, you simply say: "I have released" (this anger, situation, etc.). And because you don't want that negative energy to be lingering out in the Universe so as to be available to someone else, simply transmute it into positive energy with deliberate intent and you can do this by either imaging or vocalizing (via imaging see the dark gray smoke convert into a pure white or sparkling crystalline colored smoke or via vocalization say: "the negative energy I just released is hereby converted in positive energy and made available for positive use throughout the Universe - So be it!').

Okay, getting back to our subject at hand, because blue (light/sky blue) is the color frequency of the Fifth chakra (Vissudha), visualizing or looking at the color blue will help to balance (open) this chakra - the seat of communication, which pertains to higher creativity and self-expression, thus allowing you to express yourself (and truthfully and honestly).

We do express ourselves better when we are "cool" (cool-headed), calm, and relaxed. The color blue (and light/sky blue) has this profound and healing effect on us, all of us, whether we believe in chakras and/or chromatherapy or not.

Now while the color blue deals with being cool, calm, and relaxed, the color also has an opposite polarity effect - depression or melancholy, hence a feeling of "the blues" which I'm sure African-Americans can relate to, at least better than anybody else or any other so-called race (since today, the majority of Americans regardless of race are catching and singing "the blues" today due to the state of our union [government, society] and our personal unions with self (inner and outer) and other people).

From my personal research I have discovered that depression and melancholy affect the liver organ and vice versa. The psycho-emotional aspect of the liver corresponds to the negative emotion of anger; thus anger (and madness) stores in the liver (the tissues of the liver).

It is the consumption of alcohol (spirits) that releases the evil spirits of anger and madness that are stored in the liver in the person who consumes alcohol. It is very common for drunk or inebriated people to become very upset, angry, or mad shortly after reaching this imbalanced state. This is because the alcohol serves as an instigator for the release of these stored negative emotions that the drunkard or drunk person has been carrying for some time (perhaps dating back to childhood or the teenage years).

Because alcohol is an intoxicant (a toxic substance; a pollutant of the blood and thus the body), it not only pollutes on the physical level, but also pollutes on the subtle body level. The aura becomes a dirty dark red color, in addition, little portals (gateways) open up within the aura which allows negative or dark spirits (ethereal beings) to enter the person's energy body and thus take the person under their control, mainly on the mental, emotional, and spiritual level. This is why the Ruler's imps (government) say that you are "under the influence" of alcohol when you are drunk. It's not the alcohol that influences your mind, as alcohol taints the blood, as it is a poison. It is the dark spirits (ethereal beings) that influence the mind. Liquor stores appropriately sell alcohol in the section called "Spirits."

Popping the top of a bottle of alcohol allows certain spirits (genie) to come out, like in the story of Aladdin, except the spirit (genie) here in this situation is not benevolent.

In Islam, we discover that genies (called "Jinn") are either malevolent or benevolent. The Universe is filled with dark and light beings or entities and both or on the scene right now though you can't see them as they are invisible, but nevertheless they are there on a different frequency that if you tuned in to that particular frequency right now you would see them. The evil spirits are lingering around us waiting for us to get into a fight or confrontation, to become angry and vexed, to have lower chakra sex, to drink alcohol and become drunk; and to consume drugs and fade out of our minds. They love these types of activities as it feed their appetites. It also makes it easier for them to invade our energy field because these activities lower our vibration. Lower activity lowers your aura and drinking alcohol to the point of drunkenness is sure to do such!

Growing up in the hood of South Central Los Angeles, it was all too common to witness males and females getting bent (as we say in the hood, which means "drunk') and then minutes or hours later, being involved in some drama, usually a physical fist fight.

I witnessed this with my own parents almost every Thursday night. My father got paid every Thursday from his job and my parents had a ritual of first taking the whole family out to dinner (usually at Bob's Big Boy restaurant or Norm's restaurant near Century Boulevard and Vermont Avenue), then to my paternal grandmother's house, followed by the local V.I.P. record store (now defunct) to buy the latest musical albums (The Gap Band, Teena Marie, James Brown, Rick James, etc.), and lastly, to the corner liquor store for some spirits (alcohol) and cracklin' pork skins.

My parents would be getting along fine, just talking and laughing, eating fried pork skins (pork cracklins), and listening to music. I'd be in the bed and would feel like I'm in paradise due to the good music playing and sound of laughter from my parents. I was always happiest hearing, seeing, and knowing my parents were getting along and having a good time together. Nothing else surpassed this for me. Now of course, the worst times of my childhood was when they were at each other's throat like wild dogs.

Well, it wouldn't be too long after all that Thursday night partying, eating swine flesh, and drinking alcohol that my parents would be at each other's throat, and it would always be my mother who would start the madness. She was borderline alcoholic though she didn't drink every day. She drank often, mostly on weekends (which sort of began for us on Thursday), but not everyday.

My mother used to remind me of Sue Ellen Ewing from the hit television series, "Dallas", which just happens to be my all-time favorite television show (thanks to J.R. Ewing, played by actor Larry Hagman).

Sue Ellen would be just fine when she didn't drink, but once she started to drink, she was a mess, and that was my mother.

Alcohol always released anger in my mother. She would start up by cursing up a storm (usually in response to my father saying something about one of her family members or by just saying something that obviously pissed her off).

The next thing you know she'd be throwing things (ash trays, pots and pans, drinking glasses, the telephone, etc.) and knocking pictures down from the wall. The woman literally physically tore the house apart. Even as a little boy, I could always deduce that my mother only acted like that after she drank alcohol. This impressed upon me at a young age to never drink alcohol; and after sipping on a few of the wines and spirits in my parents' bar just to experience the taste of this stuff that negatively impacted my family, I never drank alcohol - NO wine, champagne, whiskey, rum, scotch, gin, etc. I stayed away from that junk because I saw how it made people react. I saw the harm that followed from drinking this crap.

It's funny how the government is always talking about regulating people for purposes of "public safety" (or public health and order) but will not ban alcohol, cigarettes, and pharmaceutical drugs which together kill two million people per year.

And now that I know why my mother used to become upset and angry after drinking alcohol, I am able to assist and help people heal on the energy level in general, the emotional level in particular.

Some people tell me: 'Oh Djehuty, one glass of wine won't hurt!" My retort is: "I'm sure one glass of dog piss wouldn't hurt either, but over time you'd have some serious health problems because the fact of the matter is, the stuff does not belong in your body."

Drinking alcohol taxes the liver while it tries to filter alcohol from the blood stream. Again, liquor adversely affects the liver.

Now let's look at the word "melancholy." Melancholy is defined as: "Sdaness; depression. 2. Pensive reflection. 1. Gloomy; sad [Greek "melancholia"]

But if we really want to find out the true meaning of the word "melancholy", we must deduce the word on our own.

"Melan" = black (as in melanin); and "choly" = bile (as in chologogue, a substance such as an herb that stimulates the flow of bile). Hence, melancholy refers to "black bile." But wait a minute! Bile is green in color! Yes it is, so what's going on here? Now we're getting somewhere in our understanding of things.

The word "melancholy" derives from the word "melancholia" which is defined as:

Melancholia. A mental disorder marked by severe depression and apathy
[Late Latin: MELANCHOLY.] American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition, 2001, pg. 529

Melancholia. 1. Extreme sadness; melancholy. 2. Obsolete, the major affective depressive disorder. [Greek "melas", meaning 'black', + "chole", meaning 'bile'] See also BIPOLAR DISORDER; DEPRESSION. Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 3rd edition, 1990, pg. 738

Clearly, bipolar disorder, from a medical standpoint or point of view is a form of mental retardation coupled with depression.

The Causation of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a Seventh chakra (Sahasrara) imbalance, usually excessive chakra energy.

"The Seventh (or Crown) chakra is the place of Nirvana - freedom from opposites - and is considered to be the realm where the individual soul and the Universal Soul are One. This is the realm of the total union of Shiva and Shakti, of all opposites and conflicting tendencies within oneself and between self and the cosmos." Ashoki Bedi, M.D.

From my experience with people with bipolar disorder, all of them had a deep spiritual side, but unfortunately, it was disconnected from reality. Take Larry for example. Though bi-polaric, he was very spiritual but was greatly disconnected from reality because he believed he was Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Larry is Jewish (Caucasian Jew) but considered himself a Messianic Jew (a Jew who believes in and accepts Jesus as the Messiah).

Larry was generally a happy guy, especially when things were going his way and he had hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank and could afford his limousines and pretty women. But whenever things didn't go his way or some type of stressful situation would arise, Larry would lose it. He would freak out! He would run to the bottle and get drunk and would be a complete mess.

"The condition is neurotic when the precipitating cause is an intra-psychic conflict or a traumatic situation or event that is identifiable." Mosby's supra.

Larry's bipolar disorder was neurotic and not psychotic at all, at least from my observations when working with him.

Larry had two stages that I noticed. First, everything would be okay and he would be taking his medication (pharmaceutical drugs). Secondly, after some traumatic situation would occur, he'd fall apart and run to the bottle.

While inebriated, he would be very angry and upset, usually at government. Though drunk, his discourses were always spiritual. It's strange because in his anger and inebriated state, he spoke a lot of spiritual truths, something a lot of "normal" drunk people don't do. They may speak truth while drunk (like my mother), but rarely is it spiritual truth.

Bipolar people that I have dealt with over the years have always acknowledged the spiritual. This is how I personally know bipolar disorder is partially a Seventh chakra imbalance because the Seventh Chakra is our spiritual center, our link to the Higher Self, our divine nature.

However, characteristics of the excessive Chakra energy individual include:

Constant sense of frustration

Unrealized power

Psychotic, depressed, or manic-depressive

Frequent migraine headaches

Destructive

Sexual expression

Sometimes passionate, sometimes distant

Joy Gardner-Gordon, in "Pocket Guide to the Chakras" gives us the following example of an excessive Seventh Chakra energy individual (which actually describes Larry to a T):

"This psychotic man imagines that he is Jesus Christ. He has delusions of grandeur as he attempts to enlist his twelve disciples. He actually does have the ability to see into the future and to read minds, but his skills are sporadic and undisciplined, and he cannot distinguish between his fantasies, or his paranoias, and reality." Pg. 100

Because the Seventh Chakra influences the brain, nervous system, pineal and pituitary glands, these glands and organs must be addressed when helping the bipolar disorder individual and you CANNOT help the bipolar patient or person with these glands and organs with man-made, chemical, pharmaceutical drugs.

Drugs only exacerbate the problem. The human body is not made of drugs so drugs don't do it any good. They only toxify and pollute the body. The body identifies everything that it cannot digest as a poison and seeks to expel it from the body. Therefore, only natural things and substances from the earth can be used to help assist the bipolar person or individual, e.g. herbs, essential oils, crystals, fruits and vegetables, etc.

Larry had nearly all of the characteristics of a person with excessive Seventh Chakra energy. Larry always had a constant sense of frustration, he had tremendous unrealized power, he was most certainly depressed and manic-depressive, he got frequent migraine headaches, and he was highly sexually expressive (he was a member of private sex club).

It is very true about bipolar disorder individuals that one day they'll be very happy, on top of the world, and the next day or a few days later, they'll be greatly depressed like the world is coming to an end.

We must also look at the karmic and past-life aspect of bipolar individuals.

Bipolar individuals are borderline genius and lunatic.

In addition to working on the brain, nervous system, and endocrine system (pituitary and pineal glands), the natural practitioner must work on the liver of the bipolar individual. The liver stores anger and bipolar individuals have a tendency to become very irate and out of nowhere and at a whim. For many people with mates who are bi-polar, this behavior can be quite frightening.

The natural healer or practitioner should also take into account the karmic aspect of bi-polar. Individuals in this present life dispensation who are experiencing bi-polar disorder chose their Earth vehicles replete with so-called anomalies and so-called defects so as to undergo certain experiences for attainment of certain life experiences for purposes of soul growth; in addition to the fact of paying past life (or lives) karmic debt.

People who experience brain disorders (such as bi-polar disorder) in this life are people who in past lives may have abused their brains, used their minds and/or knowledge for purposes of harm, manipulated the minds of other people, practiced mind control experiments; pulled the levers of guillotines (which cut people's heads off as a form of capital punishment), levied capital punishment against innocent persons, etc.

There are no victims in the Universe. We create our own realities and fates via past and present life thoughts, beliefs, and actions. This is why I do not feel sorry for anyone regardless of their condition, because I have spiritual understanding, over-standing, and inner-standing and I know that they played a role in creating and manifesting the condition, whatever it may be, whether it was in this lifetime or a previous lifetime. Justice (karma) permeates our Universe and no action goes unnoticed or unreturned. Again, there are no victims, just participants.

HEALING BI-POLAR DISORDER NATURALLY

HERBS. I recommend using nervine herbs for bi-polar disorder. These herbs include Kava Kava, Passionflower, Lavender flower, Jatamansi, Chamomile, St. Jon's Wort, Valerian Root, Blue Vervain, Hops, Scullcap, Catnip, and Cinnamon to name a few. These herbs can be taken in tea form, capsule form, or liquid extract form and can be taken throughout the day.

AROMATHERAPY. There are plenty of good essential oils that are effective in the treatment and healing of bi-polar disorder and they include Neroli, Bergamot, Lavender, Jasmine, Davana, May Chang, Blood Orange, Linden, Valerian, and Melissa (True). These oils can be inhaled, burned in a diffuser, and/or added to bath water.

CRYSTALS. There are plenty of crystals that can be used in the treatment and healing of bi-polar disorder, but by far, the best stone to use for bi-polar disorder is lepidolite. Lepidolite contains lithium.

Other good stones/crystals for bi-polar include Charoite, Larimar (Dolphin Stone), Sugilite, Amethyst, and Peridot.

The above crystals and stones are ideal for the depression aspect of bi-polar (and can be placed directly on the Ajna chakra located between the eyebrows).

However, for the grounding aspect of bi-polar, I recommend the following crystals and stones: Black Tourmaline, Onyx, Jet, Obsidian, Hematite, Smoky Quartz, and Magnetite. These stones can be placed anywhere from the bottom of the feet up to the genital region, or, around the body in a grid)

Crystals can be applied directly to the Sixth chakra (Brow Chakra) while lying down (for about 15-30 minutes) or can be made into an elixir (letting the crystal sit in water for a period of 24 hours, receiving both moon and sun light) and drank (a few dropper-fuls or 1-4 ounces).

Dherbs products that are helpful in cases of bi-polar disorder include: Full Body Detox, Brain Tuner (capsules, tea), CNS (Central Nervous System) formula, Anti-Depression elixir, Bi-polar-Aid elixir; Nerves formula, Anti-depressant inhaler; Anti-Anger elixir, and Nerves tea.

Dherbs services that can also help in cases of bi-polar disorder (for purposes of healing) include Chakra Alignment/Balancing and Hemisphere Synchronization Therapy.

This article is compliments of http://www.dherbs.com and Djehuty Ma'at-Ra

For additional articles by the author, visit http://www.dherbs.com/articles

Depression Suicide - Treat Depression Early


Depression suicide is very common, and thousands of people commit suicide each year. Unfortunately among teens this happens to be the 3rd top cause of death, and it ranks 2nd among those who are college age. The statistics are astounding, and it is extremely sad that so many people lose their lives when there are excellent treatments available for depression today. The key is to catch and treat depression early.

If you are going through depression and you are feeling suicidal and thinking about death a lot, it is important that you seek help. While you need treatment for the depression, you may also need immediate help from someone who specializes in suicide prevention. Don't keep these thoughts to yourself, but find someone you can talk to and get help. It's important that you get the help that you need to avoid depression suicide.

Many people who deal with depression suicide feelings feel alone, unhappy, and very isolated. Often they feel that they only way out of all the pain they are dealing with is to die. They main reason that they try suicide is to stop all the emotional pain that they are going through. In many cases those feeling suicidal are not capable of realizing that suicide will not improve their life in any way.

In most cases there are warning signs that occurred before depression suicide attempts. This is why it is so important that depression is caught early and treated. This way suicide can be avoided in many cases. For those who see people who show some of these warning signs, seek help for those you love and make sure they are treated for the problems that they are having.

Depression is the top risk factor for suicide. This is why depression suicide is so common today. Simply treating depression early can help to prevent this from occurring. If you or someone you know is depressed, realize how important it is to get treatment early on. There are a variety of treatments out there that can be used to treat depression.

One option to treat depression is prescription medications. The problem is that they have been used for years, and often they cause side effects and may not cure the problem with depression. Another option to consider instead of drugs is an all natural treatment. It is less likely to cause side effects and offers a way to permanently get rid of depression in your life. Before you end up contemplating depression suicide, make sure you get the depression treatment that you want.

How to Cure Self-Doubt


I was inspired to write about mine and others struggle with self-doubt. It occurred to me that there is a universal feeling of lack and imperfection that so many of us have dealt with. Teachers often teach what they most need to learn. Writers write what they have learned or are still learning. Perhaps in writing about self-doubt, I can help others to heal as well as myself. Through the insights of those who supported me on my journey to live my own triumphant life, I can help others. Haven't most of us asked ourselves at one time or another, "What's wrong with me? Why did I say or do that?"

This article came out of the fact that I have asked myself the above question many times over the years just as many of you have. I've studied and read so many books and even written one that you'd think I knew it all and that I'm perfectly fine and I am, but... There's always a "but."

There are as many aspects of low self-esteem as there are grains of sand on the beach. If not everyone, than almost everyone has suffered from it to one extent or another. Just at the moment you think you have beaten it in one area, self-doubt can crop up to knock you down once again.

This has been my nemesis. When people compliment me about something, I am always surprised. After reading my first book a very accomplished woman I admire said, "I didn't know you were such a good writer." I truthfully answered, "Me neither." She chuckled.

I've come a long way in acquiring self-esteem and self-confidence. Now I know who I am. But sometimes without warning, doubt still raises its ugly head. "How can I be so stupid?" Blah, Blah, Blah... I could go on and on. That's the nature of the beast.

As you read this and other articles I write, you may notice that I love quotes. I have quoted from the people I admire. I love Rumi. Therefore, many of my quotes are by Rumi. His poem, "The Rose," reminded me that no one can take away that Divine Essence within me. It is right here, "within my chest."

It's been said that we teach what we need to learn. Writers often write about what they have learned or are still learning. So, it's from the "school of hard knocks" that I offer these thoughts to you.

Self-Improvement and self-empowerment are necessary for us to gain the confidence we need to let go of those old fears and doubts. You deserve to be that which you long to be; calm, peaceful and completely centered. You deserve to do that which you've always longed to do. Accept yourself as you are and continue working on bettering yourself. That "better self" is already there within you. It is up to you to develop it to the point where you know you are okay. This is the truth about you. You already are okay.

Symptoms of Depression - And How to Get Rid of it - A Definitive Guide


Everyone, at one point in their lives, experience gloom because of unexpected turn of events such as deaths and accidents. When relaying these feelings to our friends, we often use the word 'depression' to quantify how sad we were feeling at the moment. The truth is, depression may be too strong a word because there is something called "clinical depression" which has a separate set of quantifiable signs and symptoms. The following paragraphs will discuss these symptoms.

The symptoms that most characterizes clinical depression is the presence of negative feelings that are experienced at a high intensity. Individuals who are diagnosed with depression experience worthlessness, guilt, and helplessness. An overall gloom that persists for a certain number of months are also included in the symptoms. Because the feeling of helplessness accompanies this sadness, individuals find it hard to come out of depression without outside help.

Individuals who have clinical depression are known to have difficulty in making decisions about their lives, and they also struggle to to concentrate on their work. Their difficulty is considerably more intense than mild indecisiveness that a number of people already have. These individuals find it hard to simply get up in the morning and face the real world.

They may also experience extreme tiredness and fatigue, and they cannot summon enough energy to get through the day no matter how long or hard they slept. Some patients that were diagnosed with clinical depression also complain of aches that cannot be treated by medication.

Sleeping habits are also adversely affected by the presence of depression. People may have difficulty falling asleep, or even if they could, they do not feel rested enough. In some cases, all the person does is sleep, all day and all night. They may also lose interest in activities that they actively sought in the past such as sports, hobbies, or even sexual intercourse. One other common symptom is the change in eating habits. Some might eat more than usual, others lose the appetite they once had.

Research has shown that approximately 50% of the cases of clinical depression are not treated or even diagnosed. It may be because the individuals are not aware that their symptoms are already severe enough to be classified as clinical depression. It may also be due to the inability to cope and the helplessness that people feel during their illness that discourages them to seek help. In truth, depression is treatable, and if it goes undiagnosed, it can even lead to suicide. It makes it all the more saddening that some choose to just end their lives over a condition that can be treated.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

10 Amazing Benefits of an Exercise Routine


Benefits Of An Exercise Routine Revealed!

Are you thinking about starting an exercise routine or program? If so, you may be asking yourself..."What are the benefits of routine exercise?" Or more specifically..."What can exercise do for me?"

If you've asked yourself these questions, don't worry...you're not alone. Many people are reluctant to start exercising because they're not sure what the benefits of an exercise routine are. Besides losing weight, which is critically important to your health, there are many other important benefits of routine exercise.

Here are the top 10 benefits of establishing an exercise routine:


  • You will have a longer lifespan. People that exercise live longer than non-exercisers.


  • You will lower your chances of getting high blood pressure, heart disease or having a stroke.


  • You will reduce your chance of getting colon cancer.


  • You will lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. In addition, if you have diabetes, exercise will lower your blood sugar levels.


  • You will improve your mobility while also reducing joint swelling and pain associated with arthritis.


  • You will reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis.


  • You will be able to perform necessary daily activities more effectively and efficiently.


  • You will be less likely to get depressed. If you currently suffer from depression, exercise will help you feel better.


  • You will visit the doctor less often because your overall health will improve.


  • You will have fun and enjoy yourself. Exercise helps increases your energy levels and puts you in happy state of mind.

After reading these 10 benefits of an exercise routine, it should become obvious that starting a regular exercise program is vital to your overall health and well-being. In addition to establishing an effective exercise program, following proper nutritional guidelines will help you get in shape, lose weight and be healthy.

New Treatments for Depression Under Research


Many physicians believe that depression can have an effect on a person's vitality as well as their mental health. In cases were the depression was a side effect of some form of illness, physicians found that using depression medications to treat the depression, also helped to treat the illness.

But if depression can complicate physical illness, it can also be the sole reason for a wide variety of symptoms that resemble those of physical ailments. In a four-year study, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, found fatigue the single most frequent depression symptom of patients diagnosed as depressed.

Sometimes the patients felt so exhausted they couldn't go through their daily routine. Yet at the same time they reported they couldn't sleep well. They would doze off, and then wake up early in the morning and toss for hours. In fact, any sudden tendency to wake up very early can be one of the cardinal signs of depression.

Headaches are another common symptom. In studying 421 patients with depression, physicians found that 84 per cent complained of headache. Depressive headaches are capricious, aren't limited to one area, tend to be worse in the morning than in the evening and often resist all ordinary remedies. But once recognized for what they are, they can be relieved with specific antidepressant medication treatments for depression [http://www.nomoredepression.org/treatmentsfordepression.html].

It was also found that 75 per cent of the depressed patients in the test lost weight - from five to 20 pounds. Other symptoms included breathing difficulty, dizziness, weakness, urinary disturbance, palpitation, nausea. In a recent seminar to alert family doctors to the guises emotional troubles can take, a Harvard psychiatrist, warned that "depression symptoms are frequently referred to the gastrointestinal tract," and urged a check for depression when patients complained of gas or abdominal pains that couldn't be explained otherwise. He also warned that depression sometimes caused reduced potency in men and menstrual disturbance in women.

Nobody knows how many elderly people considered hopelessly senile are really only depressed. The signs of depression [http://www.nomoredepression.org] of the geriatric patient often remain undiagnosed. There is the feeling that he is too senile to be depressed. Actually, depressions can contribute to or even cause senile confusion.

How Losing Weight Can Save You Big Bucks on Your Life Insurance Quotes


Taking care of yourself has so many benefits, but did you know that keeping yourself lean can also keep your wallet fat? Life insurance quotes can vary from a few tens of dollars to hundreds of dollars a month, and every insurer, no matter which company provides the quote, adjusts their premiums based on your lifestyle and current health.

Sure, you could go for the option that lets you skip that annual physical, but you're going to end up paying a small fortune for the privilege. Do yourself a favor and find out how losing weight can do great things for your life insurance.

The Classic A-Z That's Killing Your Insurance

Think you're the only one having trouble saving money on your insurance because of extra pounds and other health problems? Think again. The good news is, that means you already know what's going to drive up your life insurance quotes. Avoiding the classic vices-smoking, drinking, drug use, chocolate abuse-will do wonders to help keep down the cost of your coverage.

Is your doctor complaining about your weight? Chances are, your life insurance provider is too. Cheap food leads to the temptation to take cheap grocery shopping trips, but those microwave meals aren't as cheap as you think. They're loaded with nasty additives that are going to add pounds while (ironically) causing you to become malnourished in the process. That leads to heart disease, diabetes, hormonal imbalances and more, none of which is conducive to a long and happy life-or keeping your life insurance provider happy.

Food's Only Half the Battle

No one's diet is perfect all of the time. Those cookies calling out to you in the night? They're still there. The good news is, if food was the only thing that caused obesity all those one large a day pizza eating teenagers that clean out your fridge on a daily basis would be as big as a house. They're not, both because of their youthful metabolism and because they haven't yet taken on a desk job that's going to cut deep into their exercise time.

Even as little as 15 minutes of intense exercise a day helps treat and prevent a HUGE variety of health issues, from Parkinson's to heart disease to depression (especially when you're snowbound). People who exercise, even if they're just throwing on their shoes and going for a walk, live longer than the average couch potato.

That's good news for both you and your life insurance quotes.

The bottom line when it comes to the finances of weight and your life insurance is simple. Extra weight leads to health problems. Health problems lead to a shorter life with a lot less quality added in. Shorter life leads to more expensive life insurance.

You do the math.

Top 5 Psychological Anxiety Symptoms in Women


You can find anxiety symptoms in women commonly at late teenage because that's the time a lot of hormone alterations takes place within their body. There are millions of women who suffer from anxiety symptoms. Women experience physical, emotional, psychological, and social changes during anxiety. Among all these symptoms, psychological symptoms can cause more effects as it affects the individual mental status.

Anxiety symptoms in women are more common in women than in men. Women are prone to anxiety due to the various alternations in sex hormones. Here you can find the top 5 psychological anxiety symptoms in women.

Obsession

This is one of the common psychological symptoms faced by women who suffer from anxiety. They worry about anything and everything starting from futile things to big problems. This habit may seem to be a simple issue but it is very difficult to handle. One will worry even for unnecessary problems.

Depression

Most of the women experiencing anxiety will suffer from depression. Depression can make them feel dejected, hopeless and can make them detached from the surroundings. Though depression and anxiety are considered as two opposites, they often come together. Depression leaves the individual with deep sadness and helplessness and does not allow them to perform their day to day activities.

Restlessness

Feeling anxious can change you restless. Restlessness will not allow the individual to sit or relax. You will always be indulging in something without knowing what it is. People with this symptom will find difficult to complete any given task.

Concentration problem

This is one of the anxiety symptoms in women which prevent one from focusing on what they are doing. The person cannot do anything like reading, working or even watching television. For example, if you plan to do a household activity, you will be easily diverted from that and will fail to focus on work.

Isolation

Anxiety can also lead to isolation or agoraphobia. You will feel safe and secure at home and would not go out anywhere. The world may seem to be a dangerous place to live in and you will get isolated from your friends and the outside world.

Psychological anxiety symptoms in women need to be attended immediately else will lead to threatening anxiety disorders. Women can stick to many natural techniques to reduce and to get rid of anxiety. Deep breathing methods, regular exercising, yoga, meditation and proper food habits are helpful to overcome this medical condition.

Is it Alzheimer's Or is it CRS


CRS is, of course, an acronym for can't remember stuff. Memory is the second thing to go when we age; I used to know what the first one was, but I can't think of it right now. As a practitioner you have no doubt run across older patients who have problems with memory and concentration; and some who have actual dementia.

Mark Goodman Ph.D. believes that many patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease actually have dementia caused by a lack of vitamin B12. Dr. Goodman has an accredited Ph.D. in behavioral medicine (with a specialization in clinical neuropsychology) from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Dr. Goodman is quoted in an interview by Kirk Hamilton that appeared in Clinical Pearls. Dr. Goodman says, " I initially suspected vitamin B12 limits were too low, when I encountered on consultation, geriatric patients admitted with Alzheimer's diagnosis whose frontal lobe functioning was obviously intact. This is inconsistent with Alzheimer's diagnosis. They were exhibiting other global neuropsychological deficits with a systemic/metabolic profile. They were all following cardiac lipid- lowering diets."

He went on to say that he believed that there are many elderly individuals who are sub clinically B12 deficient. Many times these patients have normal blood levels of B12. He points out that people who are B12 deficient experience neurological changes before there is changes in their blood count (pernicious anemia) and that a good dietary history is an important part of the evaluation. According to Dr. Goodman, "In the convalescent facility diet there is little red meat due to expense and the desire to have residents on a lipid lowering regime. Also, there is a normal increase in gastric atrophy in the elderly which reduces vitamin B12 absorption. Thirdly, there is a down-regulation of the enzymes required for the formation and the manufacture of vitamin B12 when less vitamin B12 is consumed." Dr. Goodman points out that if there is no frontal lobe degeneration, the dementia is not Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Goodman says that high doses of vitamin B12 are without any serious adverse side-effects. Some reports of reversible symptoms of diarrhea, cutaneous rash, polycythemia and possibly peripheral vascular thrombosis, but these are minor and reversible.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is fairly common in older people. Even when the tests for B12 levels are normal, symptoms like forgetfulness, fatigue and depression respond to B12 supplementation. Dr. Goodman's point is that the symptoms of this deficiency can be so severe that the patient is often diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease-even when the blood tests are normal.

Very commonly, poor concentration, forgetfulness or even depression in an older individual is due to a need for vitamin B12. Dr. Goodman has recommended B12 injections for patients needing B12. If you do not have a license that lets you inject your patients with vitamins, this often presents a problem. When I was first in practice I frequently sent elderly patients to their doctor to get a B12 shot. More often than not, the doctor would test B12 levels and tell the patient that the shot was unnecessary. There has, however, been research that shows that high oral doses (more than 3 milligrams per day) can be used to effectively restore vitamin B12 levels. I use a lozenge that has 2 milligrams of B12 and 800 micrograms of folic acid. It is a good idea to give the folic acid with the B12, because they cover similar neurologic territory.

Dr. Goodman's information has been valuable; it gives some scientific validity to a nutritional approach to a common problem. But like so many things in natural health care, we take some science, add some common sense and some clinical experience and come up with something really amazing.

The best stuff I ever learned about B12, I learned from Dr. Harry Eidenier who is a chemist and a bit of a clinical genius. Since deficiencies of vitamin B12 and folic acid can lead to a macrocytic anemia. So why wait until the MCV is over 100 to realize that there is a problem. A person isn't normal one day and suddenly their cells just swell up. Sure enough, if someone comes in with CRS, fatigue, poor attention span or depression, a simple CBC might show you the reason for the problem. An MCV higher than 90 may mean a need for vitamin B12 and folic acid.

It is worth mentioning depression here; Americans spend about $3 billion each year on antidepressants. I remember one patient who was severely depressed and had tried four different antidepressants without any success. The next step was electro-shock therapy. It was the late 1980s and I was shocked that they were still doing this. He had some lab work with him and his RBC was below 4 and his MCV was 97(still "normal" according to his doctors). He responded to the B12 and never did receive the shock therapy.

Another thing that you might see with a B12 deficiency is a low neutraphil count. Sometimes the whole WBC count is low and the percentage of neutraphils is low. If you see the forgetfulness, fatigue or depression and a high MCV, you might be looking at a B12 deficiency and not an immune problem or a chronic infection.

The other thing that Dr. Eidenier pointed out to me is that if an individual needs B12, it is likely that he or she is not producing enough HCl in the stomach. If a person doesn't produce enough HCl, he or she is likely to be deficient in various amino acids (many of which are precursors to neurotransmitters) and most minerals. This is the patient who has gas and bloating after meals. Interestingly enough, the patient may have gastric reflux. Fingernails break easily and bad breath is common.

As we get older, we produce less stomach HCl. So while Dr. Goodman states that the problem many older people have is that they do not eat meat. The truth is that they may not get the nutrients out of the meat even if they do eat it. People tend to develop a sweet tooth as they get older because protein becomes hard to digest. Very often the high cholesterol that Dr. Goodman speaks of is from a metabolic syndrome type of situation caused by eating too much sugar and starch.

A trace mineral, rubidium, is valuable for treating memory and concentration problems. I also learned this from Dr. Eidenier, who cited research that found high levels of rubidium in people who remained youthful late in life. I have to mention a particular company here, because I don't know of anyone else who makes a rubidium supplement. The combination of HCl, B12, and rubidium is a powerful combination that helps people who have too many "senior moments".

There are a number of studies that show the importance of antioxidants (both those found naturally, and in supplementation), DHA and omega 3 fatty acids in general to help protect from dementia. To quote Edward Zamrini, MD "A large body of evidence implicates oxidative damage in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis." (March 21, 2006 issue of Geriatrics and Aging). In a study, published in the journal, Neurology (March 2000;54:1265-1272) showed that vitamin C and E supplementation could protect against vascular dementia. Also there is research that shows that pesticides create neurologic damage. Of course the presence of aluminum in the plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease has many looking at aluminum in cookware, antacids and antiperspirants. Aluminum is one of the most plentiful elements on the planet. If may be wise to look at other heavy metals, especially mercury. Mercury can actually interfere with the body's ability to detoxify and get rid of other metals-maybe this is at the root of the aluminum accumulation. To protect against Alzheimer's disease get plenty of antioxidants, consume DHA and omega 3 oils, and remove metals and toxins from the body. The oils are especially important, there are studies that show consumption of fish or fish oil seems to protect from dementia.

Curcumin is an antioxidant found in turmeric. Turmeric is a perennial plant, botanically related to ginger that is native to India, China and Indonesia. It is a component of curry powder and prepared mustard. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine and in Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. The lowest incidence of Alzheimer's disease in the world is in villages in India. Only about 1% of Indians over the age of 65 get the disease. So, perhaps the consumption of curry may be the reason that there are so few cases of Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin, found in turmeric, has been shown to fight the build up of the amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Sally Frautschy, of the University of California, Los Angeles, presented these findings at the 2005 annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, California. Her paper was entitled: Curcumin Reduces Oxidative Damage and Amyloid Pathology in an Alzheimer Transgenic Mouse.

So the things that work for keeping the mind sharp are the same things that work for everything else. You need fresh produce as a source of natural antioxidants, good essential fatty acids, avoid trans fats, exercise and eliminate toxins.

How to Spot the Signs and Symptoms of Depression


The symptoms of depression are often subtle at first. The two most significant symptoms of depression are Sadness or Hopelessness. However there are other symptoms of depression. Recognizing the symptoms of depression is usually the toughest part and is critical to the treatment of depression. Take a look at the following symptoms of depression below.

Signs, Signs Everywhere Signs and Symptoms of Depression.

It's critical to understand the early warning signs of depression so that you can recognize them and get the treatment you deserve. Everybody's symptoms of depression show up in different ways and in different degrees of those symptoms, but usually, they're severe enough to mess up your everyday life.

First realize that in order to be classified as depression, symptoms must persist for at least two weeks. So what are the symptoms?

Well here's a list:

-Persistent sadness or unhappiness
-Lethargy
-Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
-Irritability
-Sudden change in appetite
-Disruption of normal sleep pattern
-Physical discomfort
-Difficulty thinking or concentrating
-Thoughts of suicide or death
-Anxious, numb, or"empty" mood
-Feelings of worthlessness
-Helplessness
-Guilt
-Feelings of hopelessness
-Pessimism
-Insomnia
-Early-morning awakening
-Oversleeping
-Decreased energy
-Increased appetite with weight gain
-Decreased appetite with weight loss
-Thoughts of self-injury
-Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, backaches, etc.

Obviously with all of these symptoms it would seem like everyone is a candidate for depression. However, remember that these symptoms of depression should last at least 2 weeks before you should seek treatment. You should also consider what is triggering your symptoms. Is it something relatively minor that before wouldn't bother you but now causes you to feel down for days on end?

Look, I now it's hard to be objective when your dealing with depression but try to take a step back, look at the above symptoms and take an account of how long you've been dealing with them and what caused them.

So what about Treatments?

Treatments can include medication, psychological/psychiatric therapy and even lifestyle changes. If you've looked back over the list and discovered that you have had at least 5 of the symptoms for at least 2 weeks or longer, and one of the symptoms is either sadness or loss of interest, you might be diagnosed with major depression that deserves looking into treatment. However, even if you've got fewer than 5 symptoms, you may still be depressed and need some type of treatment. Remember, not getting treatment can be life threatening.

You may want to talk with a close friend or family member you can trust about how you're feeling. Chances are they've noticed anyway but didn't want to say anything. They can often verify some of the symptoms with you.

There are also numerous resources available in bookstores or online that can help you pinpoint depression and in some cases even help you end your depression.

Finally, talk to your doctor about your symptoms of depression the moment you notice them and get the help you deserve and before it gets worse. (Personal, non-professional warning: Do your homework before agreeing to any drugs---there may be other options with less harmful side effects.)

Whatever you do, seek help of some kind. If you don't seek help the condition and the symptoms of depression will more than likely get worse and worse over time. And they can be deadly.