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Greetings!
Hello and welcome to November. While this time of
year has its beauty of the low angled sunlight
reflecting on the bare trees and harvest pumpkins still
aplenty, and entering the holiday season, for many
people this time of year with the shortening days
brings feelings of dread. For people without family or
who are divorced and the kids go elsewhere the
holidays can be a lonely sad depressing time. There
are many natural ways to boost your mood as we
await the return of the light. This issue is dedicated to
those who need this sort of support. Along with
various supplements (those on SSRI's and other
pharmaceutical antidepressants or psychiatric drugs
should consult with their doctor before taking any of
these supplements as some do not mix well together) I
will also touch on nutritional and lifestyle tips to keep a
healthy mood going. In the past I have focused in my
newsletters dealing with mood and depression on
various supplements that can be helpful (visit past
newsletters under "publications" on my website). This
month's newsletter will focus on lifestyle changes that
are helpful since how you live is the root of health.
A few weekends ago I participated in the annual
Nature Cure Conference for naturopathic doctors. It
was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the
roots of our medicine, i.e. the healing power of nature.
These days it seems a fair number people are
enamored with the
high tech naturopathy, the IV's, the chelations, the
injectable vitamins, and the prescription drugs that
many ND's can prescribe. Those things
definitely have their place in advanced illness and
malnutrition , but many chronic diseases can be
reversed by merely getting back in harmony with
nature. Nature and her power always has the last
word, as we found
out with the 22 inch snowfall we experienced
recently here in Boulder. Everything stopped. All
those things that we urgently had to do suddenly
weren't so urgent anymore as nature ruled. Never
underestimate the healing power of nature in finding
an answer and a cure for your health challenges and
concerns. I look forward to helping you and being of
service to aid in improving your health during this
coming holiday season. Be well
and live in harmony with nature.
| Seasonal Affective Disorder |
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Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as
winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder
in which people who have normal mental health
throughout most of the year experience depressive
symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the
summer,[1] spring or fall, repeatedly, year after year. In
the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM-IV), SAD is not a unique mood
disorder, but is "a specifier of major depression".[2]
The US National Library of Medicine notes that
"some people experience a serious mood change
when the seasons change. They may sleep too much,
have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy
foods. They may also feel depressed. Though
symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up."[3]
The condition in the summer is often referred to as
Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder, and can also
include heightened anxiety.[4] From Wikipedia
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| Diet for Depression |
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Trying to find a diet to ease depression?
Unfortunately, there's no specific diet that works for
depression. No studies have been done that indicate
a particular eating plan can ease symptoms of clinical
depression.
Still, while certain diets or foods may not ease
depression (or put you instantly in a better mood), they
may help as part of an overall treatment for
depression. There's more and more research
indicating that, in some ways, food and mood are
connected. From WebMD
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| Yoga for Relieving Depression |
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Practicing yoga can alter your brain chemistry. Some
yoga positions in particular are effective in stimulating
the pituitary gland to release endorphins and to
reduce the level of cortisol (the stress hormone).
Inverted yoga positions are the most important
positions in terms of yoga's health effects on the mind
and body. This would include the shoulder stand, plow
and headstand. Unfortunately, if you go to a yoga
class these positions are not usually part of the
sequence, as they are not usually considered
appropriate for beginners. The shoulderstand asana is
considered an intermediate-level position and the
headstand is usually only recommended for people
who have been practicing yoga for a while.
From Natural Cures for Depression
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| Pumpkin and Squash Recipes |
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This is the time of year that is perfect for experimenting
with squash and pumpkin recipes since they are so
abundant in our gardens, pumpkin patches and the
grocery stores. They add a bit of natural sweetness to
life while also boosting our Vitamin A and C and
caratenoid levels which also help to support the
immune system. Enjoy these wonderful recipes and
may you find a favorite in here! From Times
Online
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Estrogen Dominance and PMDD |
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This one is for the ladies and the men and children
who live with them. For many women their monthly
cycles are dreaded events with PMDD (Premenstrual
Dysphoric Disorder), which is like PMS "on steroids".
This syndrome can include severe mood swings,
irritability and depressive and suicidal thoughts that
reoccur monthly. In severe cases, 2 weeks out of the
month are OK and 2 weeks out of the month are pure
misery. In my clinical practice the cause of this is
often estrogen dominance. This is becoming even
more common as we have more xenoestrogens (
estrogen producing compounds from the
environment) that we are exposed to on a daily non
stop basis. Xenoestrogens can come from herbicides,
pesticides, plastics, pthalates in cosmetics, etc. They
are so pervasive that they are very difficult to avoid.
I find that once a woman with PMDD enters
treatment with me their symptoms resolve within a
month or two with tweaking needed here or there of
the protocol over time. One of the first things I look at
is correcting the hormonal imbalance, whatever that
may be. Along with correcting the hormonal
imbalance I like to detoxify since an improperly
functioning liver and bowel can also impede proper
hormone functioning. Correcting any diet habits
that may be compromising the body's ability to heal
itself and balance itself is also important as well as
introducing proper systems to support stress
management. Last but not least the proper
homeopathic remedy can also work wonders to
support the healing process. Homeopathic remedies
are medicines that are chosen that best match the
individual patient's constellation of symptoms. I can
have 2 different women with a diagnosis of PMDD or
PMS and I may very well prescribe 2 completely
different homeopathic medicines for them since their
symptom constellation, food cravings, and
personalities could be completely different , thus
needing different medicines. I treat the whole person
this way and not the "disease". Be well and feel free to
pass this information along to anyone who you think
could use this. Have a joyous holiday season!
Find out more....
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