Cheer Yourself Up: 25 Instant Mood Lifters

The blues overtake all of us from time to time. Here are 25 quick ways to pick up your spirits.

1. Keep a running list of inspiring quotes and uplifting jokes. Refer to them when you need to.

2. Call a friend and ask her to tell you her favorite joke.

3. Think about how things would look if your life were perfect. Now imagine your life is just that way, and live out the rest of the day with that awareness.

4. Drink two glasses of water. Many times, what I thought was sadness was really just dehydration. Sounds simple, but it's true.

5. Fake a smile for 5 or 10 minutes.

6. Read an uplifting devotional or meditation.

7. Close your eyes for a few minutes.

8. Call your mom.

9. Look through old scrapbooks or personal journals.

10. Go outside. A few minutes of fresh air can do wonders for your mood.

11. Go for a very quick jog.

12. Keep a gratitude journal, in which you write down things that you are thankful for. This is a great way to start and end each day. For a quick "pick-me-up," write as many gratitudes as you can in one minute. Don't think; just write.

13. Make something. Use your creative mind, and create something with your own two hands, whether it is a piece of jewelry, a scrapbook page, a pretty floral arrangement or a batch of cookies.

14. What is your biggest goal (or your biggest problem)? Do one thing that will contribute to its completion (or its solution.)

15. Keep a running list of things you enjoy doing. This sounds funny, but sometimes, when we're in a funk, we can't think of anything. Do something that you enjoy doing, just for the sake of doing it.

16. Think thoughts that make you feel just a little bit better. Find the best part of your situation and focus your thoughts on that. Repeat.

17. Eat something healthy and fresh. You could be feeling blue because your blood sugar has taken a dip. Eat a bowl of fresh fruits or vegetables.

18. Buy yourself a simple bouquet of fresh flowers.

19. Pour a cup of hot cocoa or a cup of coffee and read a favorite magazine for a few minutes.

20. Make lists. It makes us feel so capable when we can cross things off our to-do lists.

21. Turn on music. Your favorite tunes can really lift your spirits. Use classical and jazz to calm; rock and roll or hip hop to energize.

22. Write down what's bothering you, as quickly as you can without stopping to think about it too much as you write. You can achieve a huge amount of clarity from this simple exercise.

23. Mark Twain said, "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." He's right, and it doesn't have to mean a big time investment. Just do something thoughtful for someone, right now.

24. De-clutter a part of your home or office that needs it. These little jobs can be really uplifting as they give us a sense of accomplishment throughout the day.

25. Set a new goal. If I'm feeling down in the dumps, sometimes all I need is something new to accomplish.

If your mood doesn't brighten right away, go with the flow, and accept your mood just the way it is. It is okay to be feel blue every now and then. Let yourself rest, and give yourself time to restore your own happy mood in your own natural time.

Fight Depression - Memory Loss Naturally

Has it ever occurred to you that you are forgetful when you are in a sad mood? If yes, then you had probably experienced a short term memory loss triggered by depression. The root of the question is the connection between depression and memory loss. At its worst, depression can snatch away from you your ability to concentrate, your appetite, your sleep and the pleasures of life.

Memory loss can render anyone in a helpless situation and vulnerable to adversity. The condition can be caused by different factors such as an accident or a head injury, a stroke and diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson and chronic depression. Among them, depression is one of the most common mental illnesses affecting nearly 3-5% of the world's population. The feeling of sadness associated with depression may surface from time to time whereas in cases of clinical depression it may continue over a period of days or weeks at a stretch.

Besides memory loss, depression is also known to induce a feeling of worthlessness or bout of excessive guilt, loss of interest in food, sex, entertainment, recurrent suicidal tendency and fatigue. This mental disorder if left untreated may lead to serious psychological problems or even suicide in severe cases. A depressed person generally losses his or her concentration power, as a result of which the learning ability is highly impaired and the condition further deteriorates into a lack of mental alertness and focus.

Some researchers associate the increasing number of depression cases in the world to the high involvement of stressful activities in our lives. The administration of herbal supplements in the treatment procedure for depression can ensure higher chances of overcoming the illness without leaving harmful side-effects on the body. Most health experts recommend physical practice remedies like yoga, meditation and other exercises for the effective control of the mind and the body.

The science of Ayurveda has been passed over from ancient times, down to the generations and it is considered a vital tool in prolonging life. Its treatment methods are based on the composition of ingredients found in nature. Aswagandha is a plant widely used in Ayurvedic treatment as a mood-stabilizer because of its anti-depressant properties. Hence, this herb is highly effective in combating clinical conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Opting for Ayurvedic health supplements for depression or memory loss supplements can help lessen anxiety without causing unpleasant side effects and it also helps restore the emotional balance. DeprsnCare is naturally designed to help your mind relax and be at the comfort zone. A calm mind is capable of striking a balance between the acid and the alkaline which restores the natural autonomic nervous system.

How To Stop Being A Victim And Create The Life You Want More Easily

There are times when people get stuck in a negative rut. They begin to feel like victims that are caught in challenges and circumstances that they cannot change. As a person become more negative, feels more like a victim and gets more depressed, they will often begin to think that there is no escape and no way to stop being a victim. However, there are some techniques that you can use to change your attitude and begin creating a new, and more positive, reality relatively easily.

Attitude

An individual with the attitude of a victim attracts negativity. Victims are often the prey of unscrupulous individuals and often fall into dire circumstances because they just don't know what to do. One of the techniques that is taught in self defense classes for women is to "walk with confidence." A mugger will rarely strike a woman who is walking with confidence, head up, and shoulders straight. The class does not teach you how to "be" confident, but "acting" confident makes the difference. As a very famous entrepreneur once said, "The secret to success is to fake it til you make it". This woman was one of the first millionaires to start a company that no one thought would be successful.

When you have a positive attitude, you do not ignore challenges and hope they will go away, you do not deny problems or trials. But, you also do not allow negativity to take up residence in your heart and mind. Acknowledge the problem, look for solutions, move on. Make a mistake, acknowledge it, learn from it, move on. In order to change your reality, you must change your attitude or, "fake" a positive attitude until you "make" a positive attitude.

Re-Evaluate Your Goals

Goal oriented people often sink into deep depression when they have reached goals, until they create new goals. If you have never set goals, or if you are between goals, putting short-, mid- and long-term goals on paper will have a tremendous impact on your attitude and your direction. It is important to re-visit your goals and change them as you progress and to celebrate when you have reached goals.

Acknowledge Your Success

The brain cannot hold onto negative "victim" attitudes and positive attitudes at the same time. When people have a victim attitude, they often do not acknowledge their successes or think about their past successes. In order to successfully overcome a victim mentality and recreate your reality in a more positive way, you need to treat yourself like you would your best friend. People have a tendency to be very harsh and judgmental with themselves, this is not a way to build self-esteem in a friend and it is not a way to build self-esteem in yourself. Make a decision to treat yourself like your own best friend and, while acknowledging and learning from mistakes, don't hang onto them or beat yourself up with them. When you begin to feel like a victim, look in the mirror and give yourself positive affirmations. Talk to yourself as you would a friend, "I'm here for you and you are going to be OK. I am the best friend you will ever have and I'm gonna support you."

When you being to take steps to change your attitude, you will be able to take the positive steps to stop being a victim. It is all right to acknowledge mistakes, circumstances and problems, but it is very important to keep them in perspective and begin to think positively. When you begin to see things more positively you will find that positive things will start to happen. Once you become open to the positive that life has to offer, the law of attraction will begin to bring you a more positive life experience.

The Dangers of Clinical Depression and How Clinical Trials Are Being Used To Gain More Knowledge

In this day and age we know quite a bit about depression and have various methods currently available to combat it. However, it remains a serious mental condition that should not be neglected and while the methods available do help some there is still much work that needs to be done.

In fact, it affects millions of people around the globe. Researchers are continuing their quest to delve deeper into the causes and state of depression with hopes to find additional ways of fighting or eliminating it altogether.

Those diagnosed with clinical depression know first hand how serious of a mental condition it is...

Depression is simply feeling "down in the dumps". Clinical depression is a mood disorder. It lasts for weeks, months, years. Everyday life is interfered by this disorder with feelings of sadness and frustration.

You aren't simply sad; your whole life and point of view are distorted. Everything from the way you view yourself and others to the way you interact with people. These are the core functions of our existence.

Symptoms of depression can also include appetite and weight change, difficulty concentrating, feeling fatigues and lacking any energy, self-hate and other guilty feelings, extreme isolation from the outside world and interactions with other human beings, insomnia, and even thoughts of suicide.

Some researchers think it's caused by chemical changed in the brain possibly triggered by a stressful time in ones life, drug addiction, pharmaceutical side effects, or even ones genes. You may think it's strange that your genes seem to play a part in this, but it's a fact that some forms of clinical depression are very prevalent in families.

These researchers are employing the use of clinical research trials to gain more knowledge on the subject. All around the United States and around the world you can find research centers conducting clinical studies on this disorder.

Currently, there are two roads most often taken to treat a clinically depressed person: medication or talk therapy. There are also some additional treatments available. While these methods can be effective, they don't cure everyone and there are drawbacks and side effects. Clinical trials being conducted aim to not only improve current treatment methods but to create new ones if possible or necessary.

Many affected with depression need to take anti-depressants for four to nine months to feel better and also prevent it from coming back. Some people find that they feel much better after taking anti-depressants for a couple of weeks, however this is not the most common timeline.

Those with mild depression, who mistakenly think they are clinical depressed may be able to eliminate their depression with some positive life changed. For starters, eliminating all recreational drug and alcohol use. Getting more exercise and getting on a good and routine sleep schedule is also a good idea. If you consume caffeine you should stop. Caffeine has several negative effects on the body... it makes you tired and angry when you're withdrawing and it prevents you from being able to sleep.

Now that you know a little more about depression you can understand why it's important that we continue studying it and eliminate it as much as possible.

Washington DC Sightseeing - The FDR Memorial

When visiting Washington DC, one must-see destination is the FDR Memorial. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, is an icon of hope and optimism, and greatly impacted the course of this country in the 20th century. The memorial is located in the Tidal Basin area of Washington DC nestled amongst the famous cherry trees.

The FDR Memorial, dedicated in 1997, is a tribute not just to an incredible man but also his accomplishments and everything he has come to represent in the idea of perseverance. FDR is the only American president to spend twelve years in office so the design of the memorial consists of four separate rooms, one for each four year term. His inspiring words are etched upon the walls of each room, 21 quotes in all.

Statues contained within the rooms are representative of various things that have become, in essence, the signatures of FDR and all he dealt with as a public servant to the American people. Each sculpture was inspired by a photograph, and includes reference to the famous fireside chats, scenes from the Great Depression and also a bronze statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, an honor not given to a first lady until now.

The symbolic nature of many things contains in the memorial is noteworthy. Water is a widespread component in all the areas of the memorial, and in its many forms is representative of events ranging from World War II to Roosevelt's death.

Due to the fact that FDR suffered disability from polio, the design of the memorial takes into account the needs of those with disabilities, and even goes as far as having Braille etched on the walls. There was much controversy initially about precisely how to include reference to FDR's use of a wheelchair, as it was not something that was widely publicized in his life. The debate centered mostly on the portrayal of disability in general, and if it should be emphasized that he was a hero due to the fact that he achieved so much while living with a disability. There were arguments for either side, but in the end it was decided to depict him as the public would have seen him, his wheelchair somewhat obscured, and also to show him at the entrance of the memorial clearly seated in a wheelchair.

This memorial differs from other presidential memorials, in that it does not have one focal point statue, and also that it covers a more expansive area of ground. The memorial stands as a reminder of the difficulties that Americans survived with FDR leading the way in encouragement, hope and perseverance. If you're visiting Washington DC then absolutely make time to visit the FDR Memorial. It's worth remembering the man and all he represents.

Clinical Depression - Overwhelming Sadness

We all experience unhappiness and temporary feelings of worthlessness and self blame. Sometimes when we experience failure, we might also experience sadness and even emptiness. These feelings described above are signs of depression. However, such feelings are not the same as having clinical depression.

Clinical depression can take many forms. Some people, for example, have what is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which manifests itself during a particular time of year-usually winter. Others might experience major depressions, bipolar disorders, dysthymia and even postpartum depression.
Clinical depression is an illness. It is a severe experience of being sad, unhappy, worthless and feeling empty. Clinical depression, unlike temporary depression may last for weeks and interferes with one's work and social life.

What causes clinical depression? The answer is not clear. While in some cases there seems to be a genetic link, in most instances life experiences appear to play an important role. It has also been noted that it is diagnosed in twice as many women as men. But this does not mean that men are unaffected. On the contrary, it is estimated that between 5 and 12 percent of men will become clinically depressed at some point in life.

When this type of depression strikes, it is all-pervasive and affects virtually every aspect of one's life. It shakes you to the core, corroding your confidence, self-esteem, your ability to think straight and make decisions. Some of the signs to look out for when experiencing clinical depression are;

• Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness.
• Sleep problems
• Eating disorders
• Difficulties concentrating or making decisions
• Feelings of sadness and grief
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Decreased sex drive
• Social isolation
• Suicidal thoughts.

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If so, I suggest you check this out: depression help.

MRT Testing Is Helpful For Food Intolerance And Sensitivity That Is Not Caused By Food Allergies

Food intolerance and sensitivity reactions that are not due to an allergy:

Certain foods, additives and chemicals are capable of triggering immune reactions that are not due to allergies. Chemicals mediators released by the immune system are capable of producing a variety of body reactions and symptoms. Avoiding foods that produce such reactions is suppose to resolve or at least significantly improve symptoms resulting from eating those foods. Mediator release (MRT) testing measures the release of chemical mediators from white blood cells and platelets in response to specific foods, additives or chemicals. Such chemical reactions presumably indicate sensitivity to these foods or additives.

Principles of commercially available mediator release testing (MRT):

Commercially available mediator release testing (MRT, Signet Diagnostic Corporation, http://www.nowleap.com) is based on measuring in the blood the reaction of various immune mediator chemicals released into in response to a food or chemical to which you have become sensitive or intolerant. The result is that when exposed to such foods or chemicals your blood cells release various chemicals that cause an alteration of the ratio of solids (cells) to liquid (serum) in your blood that can be measured. The white blood cells and platelets shrink and the volume of the liquid increases. The degree of change can be measured and reported as mild or moderate to severe corresponding with the degree of sensitivity to that particular food, additive or chemical.

Test results of 150 foods and chemicals combined with elimination diet and counseling:

A panel of 150 food and chemicals (123 foods and 27 chemicals) is available. The foods or chemicals producing abnormal reactions are summarized in color tables provided along with a comprehensive report containing a result's based specific elimination diet plan supplemented with several hours of personalized counseling from a dietician.

Insurance coverage for MRT food sensitivity and intolerance testing:

Several insurance carriers pay for at least a portion of the cost of this testing however because it is considered "out of network" for most plans patients are usually responsible for payment of the service. Some carriers consider the testing "experimental" or not validated and therefore do not cover the testing.

Conditions benefited by MRT testing include migraines, IBS, fatigue and fibromyalgia:

Signet markets the testing for several conditions based on limited published research combined with their extensive clinical experience and patient testimonials. They claim success with reducing or eliminating a myriad of symptoms or conditions. These include migraines, headaches, autistic behavior, anxiety, depression, ADD, sinus and ear, nose and throat problems, irritable bowel syndrome, vomiting syndromes, Celiac, chronic stomachaches, bladder problems, fibromyalgia, arthritis, eczema, hives, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Skeptical doctor and frustrated patients look for answers:

Initially, I was skeptical about MRT. However, I began advocating it several months ago because many of my patients had ongoing symptoms or findings that suggested an ongoing food intolerance or sensitivity but the testing available to us could not tell us what food or foods may be a problem. After reviewing the available research data I concluded MRT testing had adequate scientific basis to recommend it as an option to those who were interested and would consider making dietary changes based on the results.

Expert food allergy doctor and patients find MRT testing helpful and worthwhile:

So far, my experience is that most of those who have undergone the testing and implemented dietary changes as a result have noted significant improvement in a variety of digestive and non-digestive symptoms. I have also noted some very interesting patterns in people with other allergies. There appears to be a strong correlation with food-pollen cross reactions, more commonly known as the oral allergy syndrome (OAS). I am following this systematically and hope to report my observations formally in the future.

Previously available testing and diet interventions fail to provide relief in some patients:

All of my patients who have decided to undergo MRT testing have already been tested for Celiac disease and most have had food allergy testing as well as both upper and lower endoscopy exams with biopsies. All also had already tried dietary interventions. Some have had tests that confirmed one or more food allergies, Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity or have presence of mast cell enterocolitis; eosinophilic esophagitis, gastroenteritis or colitis; or lymphocytic enteritis. Though most had some improvement with dietary interventions based on their previous tests, many had ongoing symptoms with or without inconclusive or negative food allergy testing.

Get MRT testing and try an elimination diet:

I believe MRT testing is a helpful addition to the evaluation and treatment of food intolerance. The testing does require a doctor's order. If your doctor is not familiar with the testing they can learn more at http://www.nowleap.com. If your doctor will not order the testing Signet can help you locate a doctor in your area or you can obtain the testing as part of an on-line consultation. An elimination diet based on specific foods to which you are intolerant but not necessarily allergic to may be the key to relief from a variety of symptoms and conditions. If you are suspecting a food intolerance, get tested today.