Local Non Profit Addiction Treatment Directory
Addiction Center.com Find Rehab Clinics In Your Area
Recovery.Org Find Addiction Treatment Near You
Rehab Centers Nation Wide (Insurance Specific)
Help Guide.org – Addiction Information
Drug Abuse Resources for Parents
SMART Recovery.Org – Self Management and Recovery Training
To see the complete list of resources check out Organizations That Can Help.
Melinda
For a complete list of resources visit Organizations That Can Help.
Melinda
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series. I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week, we highlight Taking Each Day Free. Liz’s writing is inspiring, and will leave you wanting more.
My name is Liz and I have been blogging a good number of years, whether its using the WordPress or Blogger platform.
I decided to write this blog, to share some of my life journeys.
Taking each day as it comes is the only way I can tackle life and it has been this way for some time. Each day I am free to do as I please. I have no one to answer to, but myself. So hence the title of this blog, “Taking Each Day Free.”
Liz has had a long and difficult journey to getting a cochlear implant.
For my cochlear implant, everything is under the tag “My-Cochlear-Implant-Journey. At the moment, I don’t have my CT scan results. So until I have those, I don’t know if it will still be happening. It all depends on my CT scan results.
I have added the link below for my tag link:
https://takingeachdayfree.wordpress.com/tag/my-cochlear-implant-journey/
M. How has blogging changed your life?
L. I have been blogging for much longer than the years, writing my current blog. But it’s always served the same purpose:
• Being therapeutic
For keeping in touch with friends near and far.
M. What is your favorite post and why?
L. My favourite post is a hard one to pick. But I think my favourite post is one I wrote this year, “What makes you feel good?” This one is my favourite post because it serves as a reminder to me what things I need to keep doing that make me feel good both physically and mentally, along with my other physical exercises I do that I have mentioned in other posts.
https://takingeachdayfree.wordpress.com/2025/02/12/what-makes-you-feel-good/
Be sure to stop by Liz’s blog, say hello and enjoy reading her archives.
Melinda
llness invalidation by medical professionals—sometimes called “gaslighting”—is an underappreciated and understudied problem in Lyme disease.
Many Lyme disease patients complain not only of fighting to recover their health but also of fighting to be believed by health care practitioners.
Expecting to receive understanding and proficient care from medical professionals, many instead experience having their persistent debilitating symptoms dismissed, minimized, disbelieved and/or psychologized.
How common is the occurrence of medical gaslighting in Lyme disease? Is illness invalidation by medical professionals related to disease severity? Are there specific constituencies who are being affected more than others?
These are some of the questions that a team of researchers led by Alison Rebman, MPH, Assistant Professor in Medicine and Director for Clinical and Epidemiological Research at the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, set out to identify and quantify in a cohort of well-characterized Lyme disease patients.
The Johns Hopkins study, published in August 2024 in Scientific Reports, finds that invalidating encounters with medical professionals are common for post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD) patients, particularly women and younger patients, and also are linked to higher illness severity.
Lyme disease is the most common tick and vector-borne disease in the US with about 500,000 new cases per year. Lyme infections are expanding geographically, and acute and chronic cases are on the rise in the US and Eurasia. Lyme infection-associated chronic illness affects around 2 million Americans and can be difficult to properly diagnose and effectively treat.
A Lyme infection can affect multiple body systems including musculoskeletal, neurologic, and cardiovascular. Patients with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment usually get better. However, about 10-20% of patients even when treated promptly with standard of care antibiotics do not return to health and are functionally impaired by persistent musculoskeletal pain, crushing fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction, known in the research setting as post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD).
Patients frequently refer to this as “chronic Lyme.” Misdiagnosis and delayed treatments further increase the risk for PTLD as well as for more broadly defined community-based Lyme infection-associated chronic illness or “chronic Lyme.”
In the Johns Hopkins study, 49% of the PTLD patients reported a lack of understanding and 29% experienced discounting from medical professionals. Additionally, women and younger patients were at higher risk for experiencing more invalidation than men or older age patients.
The study found, “Before their initial diagnosis of Lyme disease, approximately half (51.3%) had first been told that their symptoms represented another illness or condition. This high rate is consistent with the hypothesis that diagnosis and treatment delays, and possibly exposure to inappropriate treatment, may be risk factors for PTLD.”
Women more often received alternative diagnoses (such as another contested illness like fibromyalgia or ME/CFS and/or a psychological illness) which in turn correlated with more discounting and lack of understanding. PTLD patients who reported the highest levels of illness invalidation were discovered to have greater symptom severity, lower quality of life, and less trust in physicians.
The pervasiveness of Lyme disease illness invalidation and the consequential negative effects on illness burden and health outcomes are not broadly known by medical professionals.
Improved physician education is needed to help engender more patient-centered paradigms that incorporate the patient illness experience and better recognize how that experience may impact the healing process.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) has helped validate infection- associated chronic illnesses as being significant public health problems that need greater national attention, a coordinated strategy, and considerably more federal resources.
NASEM held its first national workshop on infection-associated chronic illnesses (IACI) in June 2023 to explore overlapping symptoms and biologic pathways for IACIs including Lyme disease, long COVID, ME/CFS, MS, and others.
In July 2024, a follow-up NASEM meeting focused specifically on Lyme infection-associated chronic Illness. Both forums discussed the importance of listening to and incorporating patients’ illness experience perspectives into improving diagnostic and treatment approaches. For example, patient-driven data such as MyLymeData can be leveraged to improve research and clinical care. It is vital to listen to patients especially when diagnostics are problematic, treatments are inadequate, and the science is contested or evolving.
Building upon insights and collaborative momentum from the NASEM IACI meetings, a coalition of advocates (patient, scientific and medical) are now calling for the creation of a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) office to help strengthen and coordinate research across infection-associated chronic conditions and illnesses including Lyme infection-associated chronic illness, Long COVID, ME/CFS, PANS/PANDAS, POTS/dysautonomia and others.
Listening to patients will be key to advancing solutions, reducing invalidating patient-practitioner encounters, and improving health outcomes.
Nancy Dougherty is an education and communications consultant for the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center. Other research investigations at the Center include Pilot Treatment Trials and the SLICE Studies.
Melinda
Damon has exciting posts that always make me stop and think. Be sure to stop by and say hello.
Melinda
Excessive stress is associated with health complications. Are there ways to accurately measure stress levels?
Although stress is a natural and inevitable part of life, many people feel that they’re experiencing excessive stress levels.
However, there’s no objective way to define “excessive stress.” Many people find it hard to express or quantify their stress.
There are a few methods for measuring stress. These look at certain biomarkers — in other words, physiological responses — to assess how your body responds to stress.
There are two components of stress:
When we talk about measuring stress, we tend to be talking about measuring triggers or responses. Measuring stress triggers can include taking stock of the major life changes you’ve been under.
However, everybody responds to triggers differently. Events that might be very stressful for one person can be easily manageable for the other.
The following ways to measure stress look specifically at measuring your stress response. These methods of measuring stress look at your body’s physiological responses. They record stress biomarkers such as your heart rate and brainwaves to assess how stress affects your body.
Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a common way to measure stress. It involves recording the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. In other words, it doesn’t just look at how fast your heart is beating, but how the time period between heartbeats changes.
HRV is controlled by your autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS includes your sympathetic nervous system — responsible for fight-or-flight response — and your parasympathetic nervous system, which takes charge when you’re relaxed.
When you’re chronically in fight-or-flight mode, your ANS is unbalanced. This imbalance can show up in your HRV. HRV is lower when you’re in fight-or-flight mode and higher when you’re in a calm state. High HRV is associated with stress resilience and improved cardiovascular health.
A healthcare professional can check your HRV via an electrocardiogram. Personal wearables, such as chest strap monitors, can also measure HRV.
Electroencephalography (EEG) measures brainwaves. Research suggests that brainwaves can be an accurate way to measure stress response.
In particular, a 2020 study found that alpha asymmetry — an imbalance in alpha brainwave activity on different sides of the brain — could be a potential biomarker for stress.
Mental health practitioners who use neurofeedback can measure brainwaves and train the brain with positive feedback when the EEG finds that treatment goals are being met.
Two hormones associated with stress are adrenalin and cortisol.
When you’re stressed, your body will produce adrenalin to give you energy to handle your stressor. It’s a part of the fight-or-flight response, and it’s why you might feel restless when anxious.
In times of stress, your body also produces cortisol, which assists with the fight-or-flight response. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland.
Cortisol is also involved in regulating:
Your cortisol naturally ebbs and flows during the day. Neither cortisol nor adrenalin is “bad,” but when cortisol is chronically high, it can harm your health. For instance, it can lead to the following:
Lab tests can assess your cortisol levels via urine or blood samples. You can purchase home cortisol testing kits, which usually involve testing cortisol through urine.
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a questionnaire that was developed in 1983. It’s used to assess the amount of stress that you feel you’re under.
Unlike the above-mentioned methods of measuring stress, this tool relies on your own perception of your stress. The questions don’t focus on the events you’re currently experiencing, but your emotional and mental state.
It could be helpful to use the PSS to check in with yourself. It’s available in PDF format.
There are at-home devices that claim to track stress. Usually, these devices track stress by measuring your heart rate and heart rate variability. Many fitness trackers, including smartwatches and chest strap monitors, have stress analysis features.
Are wearable stress trackers accurate? It’s not easy to say. There’s a lack of research into whether these are accurate. However, because these trackers only use one variable — typically your heart — they don’t give a complete picture of your body’s stress response.
Stress is a part of life, and it’s natural to feel stressed from time to time. However, excess stress can be harmful to your health.
When is stress considered excessive? There’s no objective answer to this question. However, if you’re experiencing physical symptoms of stress, or if you feel unable to relax, it may be an indication that you should speak with a healthcare professional.
Similarly, if you feel like you can’t cope or feel overwhelmed most of the time, you might benefit from speaking with a doctor or a therapist.
Symptoms of unhealthy stress levels
The symptoms can include:
Although these issues can be caused by other factors, it’s worth speaking with a doctor or a therapist if you believe that stress is causing physical or emotional symptoms.
There are a number of ways to manage stress in a healthy way.
If you’re often stressed, you might find it helpful to speak with a therapist. Anybody can benefit from quality therapy — it can help you build resilience to stress and process stressful events in a supportive environment. If the cost therapy is a concern for you, consider other affordable therapy options.
Stress is a natural part of everyday life. Numerous methods of measuring stress, such as heart rate variability analysis and hormonal testing, could help you find out whether you’re excessively stressed.
However, you don’t need to measure your stress levels in order to justify reaching out for help. If you feel that you could benefit from handling stress better, consider speaking with a therapist or using stress management techniques to improve your well-being.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/stress-measurement?utm_term=roundup&utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=fibro&utm_content=2025-03-04&apid=36735751&rvid=7f053d6ecf820dccd09e4914833cbd49bdfe95bb517404ee9b41601767d1bace#ways-to-manage-stress
Although many narcotic drugs and medications have similar effects or characteristics, each substance is unique. Here are some common examples.
From codeine to heroin, there are many narcotic substances. Some have medical uses and are available by prescription, while others do not.
The term “narcotic” originally referred to any substance that relieved pain and dulled the senses. Some people use the term to refer to all drugs — particularly illegal drugs — but it technically refers to opioids only.
Today, “opioid” is the preferred term, in part due to the connotations the term narcotic has.
Opiates are naturally occurring compounds. Opioids include naturally occurring compounds as well as semi-synthetic and synthetic compounds. Opiates are a subcategory of opioids.
Clinicians often prescribe opioid and opiate medications:
Opioid and opiate medications can cause many side effects, including:
The higher the dose, the more potent the medication.
Some of the most common opioid and opiate medications include:
Your doctor or other healthcare professional may recommend a controlled substance to help treat an underlying health condition, like anxiety or insomnia.
They’ll work with you to determine the appropriate dose for your needs and advise you on any side effects or risks associated with use.
Different regions have different laws around prescription medication and other controlled substances. Familiarize yourself with the laws in your area to ensure you’re properly storing your medication.
Some opioid and opiate substances aren’t prescribed by clinicians. They’re typically used for their pleasurable effects and have a high potential for dependence and misuse.
Common examples include:
Opiates are naturally occurring compounds. Opioids include naturally occurring compounds as well as semi-synthetic and synthetic compounds. Opiates are a subcategory of opioids.
Clinicians often prescribe opioid and opiate medications:
Opioid and opiate medications can cause many side effects, including:
The higher the dose, the more potent the medication.
Some of the most common opioid and opiate medications include:
Your doctor or other healthcare professional may recommend a controlled substance to help treat an underlying health condition, like anxiety or insomnia.
They’ll work with you to determine the appropriate dose for your needs and advise you on any side effects or risks associated with use.
Different regions have different laws around prescription medication and other controlled substances. Familiarize yourself with the laws in your area to ensure you’re properly storing your medication.
Some opioid and opiate substances aren’t prescribed by clinicians. They’re typically used for their pleasurable effects and have a high potential for dependence and misuse.
Common examples include:
With substances like opioids, there’s always the potential for tolerance, dependence, and addiction. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they’re not the same.
When you develop a tolerance to a substance, it becomes less effective. In time, you’ll need a higher dose to get the same effects.
When you develop a dependence, your body begins to rely on the substance to function. It’s not related to the dosage needed to feel the substance’s effects.
Caffeine, for example, can cause physical dependence. Some people develop a headache, have difficulty concentrating, or experience fatigue if they go more than a day or so without coffee or other sources of caffeine.
Addiction, in contrast, is a chronic dysfunction of the brain system involving memory, motivation, and reward. When it’s related to drugs, it’s sometimes referred to as a substance use disorder. It can be managed with treatment.
You can develop an addiction to a wide range of things, from over-the-counter substances — including caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol — to controlled substances.
Different substances have different thresholds for tolerance, dependence, and addiction.
Heroin, for example, has a high potential for addiction. People who use the substance often develop a tolerance, requiring a higher dose or more frequent use to produce the same effect.
Harm reduction refers to various strategies implemented to reduce the negative consequences associated with drug use. Safer substance use refers to using substances in a way that minimizes harm.
This might include not using a substance while alone or having a trusted friend or loved one check in on you.
Understanding the effects of different substances, using only one substance at a time, and staying hydrated can also reduce your risk of harm.
If you’d like to learn more, many organizations can help. And likewise, if you’re looking for support for yourself or somebody else, there are places you can go.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers free resources and treatment referrals. You can call the 24/7 helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357) to learn more.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse provides information and research on substances and substance use, including opioids.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse for TeenagersTrusted Source provides information and research for teenagers and young adults about substance use disorders.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source offers information and support around opioid use.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) offers support and meetings for people who experience substance misuse.
Adam England lives in the United Kingdom, and his work has appeared in a number of national and international publications. When he’s not working, he’s probably listening to live music.
Melinda
Reference:
I became a host for Borrelia burgdorferi (the microbe at the root of Lyme disease), at a time when no one knew what it was. This was over 40 years ago, in 1982, only a few years after Lyme disease was discovered.
It would be decades before the telltale symptoms of unseasonal fevers, bull’s-eye rashes, faux-arthritis, and inexplicable neurological symptoms would become more known to people and doctors living in Lyme-endemic areas.
So, I was initially untreated, giving the Lyme bacteria decades to slowly and quietly populate my body, generating few symptoms or warnings along the way.
As we now know, Borrelia burgdorferi is a devious bug with unique abilities to evade the immune system and keep itself alive. I was healthy, athletic, and active in the world, apparently achieving a kind of multi-year balance, or truce, between the slowly and inexorably growing bacteria and my body’s natural ability to ward it off.
Meantime, Lyme silently and slowly took over, embedding itself—undetected—in my brain.
It was held at bay for most of the first two decades, but that couldn’t go on indefinitely. After a period of intense business stress, I was hit with overt and acute symptoms, as if a storm had blown into my body. Apparently, the microbes had selected my central nervous system as a cozy home, rather than the joint soft tissues that affect so many patients.
Over the next few years, I wrestled with peripheral neuropathy (sirens of pain in my feet), skin and scalp inflammation (what’s going on inside blooms on the surface), Bell’s palsy (complete with an eye patch to hide the purulent discharge), chills and buzzing throughout the body, brain fog, brain dysfunction, deep fatigue, “air hunger,” dizziness and an incipient loss of balance.
This finally crescendoed into a “cryptogenic” stroke [of unknown origin], complete with a week in hospital. It was apparently caused by a weakened small blood vessel that had been undermined by Lyme.
Ok, yes, that’s a typical litany of symptoms for post-treatment (or no-treatment) Lyme disease. As my case rolled out over a second 20 years following the first 20 years of near-dormancy, I became an inadvertent observer and participant in what one might think of as “Lymeworld.”
As a somewhat over-educated guy committed to the world of rationality and science, I began a quest for health in the allopathic or mainstream medicine side of Lymeworld.
But as anyone familiar with Lyme knows, the involvement of conventional medical science with Lyme is a heartbreaker. Even today, many doctors don’t “believe” in Lyme (as if it were a mystic religion rather than biological fauna). They wouldn’t know even a fresh case if it bit them on the butt and left a bull’s-eye!
My first internist in my Lyme-endemic geographical area literally fired me as a patient when I tried to convince him to consider Lyme as a possible cause of my painful burning feet.
I went from doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist. I even went to one of the drafters of the Infectious Disease Society of America’s guidelines for Lyme treatment. In a single visit, he dismissed my case as no longer active, though many symptoms were still to come.
I stuck with allopathic doctors, in my heart of hearts believing that after 50 years they would soon have a cure for this bacterial disease, as medicine had cured so many other bacterial conditions.
After getting a high positive count on the Western blot test for Borrelia in my cerebral spinal fluid—not a good thing—I got hooked up with a 30-day intravenous infusion of ceftriaxone. When that finally provided only the most minimal symptom relief, the infectious disease specialist told me: “There’s nothing more we can do for you.”
Those are hard words to hear when you think you’re dying.
But I refused to accept that there was nothing more to do. I became my own advocate and researcher, a path everyone with long-term Lyme must follow—because there is so little help from others.
I’d lost a lot of mental functioning but mercifully could still do online medical research. Being retired, I had the time to turn over every stone.
Eventually, with myself as test subject, I created a multi-pronged protocol based on in vitro studies that indeed began to work, one that grew from a foundation of credible laboratory science (if not quite yet proven in the clinic).
Many of the strange-sounding botanicals I used are in fact the basis of pharmaceuticals, and not toxic or dangerous. Their action is slower because they work to support the body’s own immunity, and they don’t have noticeable side effects. But their efficacy is clear.
I have put my experience into a book called Lyme with a Twist: A Path to Triumph Over Chronic Infection. It recounts my story and what I did to get better. (My healing is the “twist.”)
I hope it can help people afflicted with Lyme and their loved ones escape the loneliness that Lyme can induce. It takes persistence, discipline, time, and tenacity to recover from a Borrelia infection, and it’s worth the effort. My life has taken a dramatic turn for the better, finally the days are bright again. A message for Lyme sufferers: you can overcome this, you really can.
Lowell Miller is a writer, businessman, and artist living in the Hudson Valley, New York. Click here to learn more about Lyme with a Twist: A Path to Triumph Over Chronic Infection.
Melinda
Making changes to your diet can be challenging, but many people give up before they’ve given their new lifestyle choices enough time to become a habit.
You know that making better choices like eating better and moving more can help you feel better and live a longer life.
Maybe you even set a New Year’s resolution for yourself to improve your diet and get more exercise. But here you are, a few weeks into your new lifestyle, and your resolve is already wavering.
Change is hard; there’s no doubt about it.
However, experts tell us that there are things we can do to improve our chances of making real, lasting changes. One is being aware that it takes time for your new behaviors to become habits.
Marie Kanagie-McAleese, MD, from the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, explained: “Some perspectives suggest it takes 21 days to create a new habit. ResearchTrusted Source on behavior change shows an average of 66 days for a behavior change to become a habit, with a range of 2-8 months.”
Kanagie-McAleese went on to say that the specific amount of time is really dependent on the individual as well as the changes that they are trying to make.
Other factors to consider are whether the changes are new to the individual or are simply building on existing behaviors.
“For example,” she said, “drinking more water each day will likely become a habit faster than incorporating a regular exercise routine.”
Kanagie-McAleese also pointed out that it probably took years for you to create your current pattern of eating habits.
“It will take longer than a month to rewrite those old habit pathways in a person’s brain,” she said, “but it helps to break big change down into smaller, more manageable steps.”
Brittany Placencia, a Nutritionist and founder of Simple Plate Nutrition, advises that the best way to make changes in your eating habits is to tackle one change at a time.
“When you have success with one change, you get a boost of confidence in tackling the next change,” she said. “It is not realistic to change your entire diet all at once and think it will stick long-term.”
One way to do this is to adopt an “addition mindset” rather than a “restriction mindset.”
“You want to figure out what you can add to your current diet to start a healthier path rather than cutting out foods altogether,” she stated.
“For example, begin with aiming to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. That’s it. Don’t worry about other aspects of your eating yet. This is adding nutritious foods to your diet instead of a heavy focus on restricting foods,” she explained.
Placencia said that having an addition mindset can be helpful because you don’t feel like you are doing something wrong, which eliminates one of the common challenges that people face when trying to change their diet.
“Once your diet is balanced with more nutritious foods, it becomes easier and easier to enjoy less nutrient-dense foods like sweets occasionally,” she added, “as you have never felt restricted by them, and you can tell a difference in how your body feels after eating more nutritious versus less nutritious foods.”
Kanagie-McAleese further suggests setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Realistic, and Time-based).
“Instead of saying your goal is simply to snack on more fruit, a SMART goal would be ‘I will choose an apple for my 3 pm afternoon snack on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week instead of a bag of chips, starting next Monday,” she explained.
In addition to setting SMART goals, Kanagie-McAleese offered three other tips for successfully changing your eating habits.
“If you can connect your goals to deeper motivations, it becomes easier to stick with them,” she remarked. “For instance, eating healthier to prevent diabetes so you can live longer and enjoy your grandkids is more motivating than fitting into a pair of skinny jeans.”
“Linking new, healthy changes to your identity makes the change more intuitive,” said Kanagie-Aleese. “If you want to eat healthy and improve your family’s health, it becomes easier when you identify as someone who prioritizes health and is a good role model for your children.”
“It helps to have others that are interested in creating similar habits or who can support you and help to hold you accountable,” she said, adding that working with a certified health and wellness coach for a few weeks or months is one good way to do this.
Eating better can help us feel better and live longer.
However, making changes to our diet can be hard, leading many to quit after a few weeks.
Nutrition experts say it is important to give your new way of eating enough time to become a habit. On average, it takes about 66 days to form a new habit, but it can take up to 8 months, research suggests.
Breaking things into small, manageable goals makes it easier to create lasting changes.
Knowing your why, making your new eating habits part of your identity, and finding your community can also help.
Melinda
Reference:
I have been battling depression for several months. I have Treatment Resistant Biplor Disorder. What that means is many medications don’t work on me, or if they do, they stop working at some point. I have been dealing with this up and down since 1992.
One of the medications I started in the Spring, which was working wonders, stopped working. I’ve been working closely with my Psychiatrist to change doses, but nothing is working. He increased the dose today on one of my medications, and I’m always positive it will work. My fingers are crossed.
I’m sure you’ve noticed I have been posting less; I can’t wait to get back to myself.
If your medications stop working, don’t abandon your medications, call your doctor and get the attitude that the next drug will work. You can’t do it alone.
Melinda
March is not only the beginning of Spring but it is chocked full of awareness days, weeks and months. Due to the size of the list, I only included the monthly awareness days. At the bottom of the post there is a link where you can see the full list.
Women’s History Month
National Reading Month
Disability Awareness Month
Kidney Cancer Awareness Month
Red Cross Awareness Month
Self-Injury Awareness Month
Brain injury Awareness Month
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/march-awareness-days-months
Stress has been linked to cardiovascular disease, depression, and even the common cold.
Stress is all around us. And while some stressors certainly can feel overwhelming, it’s important to remember that not all stress we face is bad.
The National Institutes of Health says stress is “how the body and brain respond to an external cause that may be a one-time or short-term occurrence or happen repeatedly over a long time.”
Our body’s response to stressors can sometimes be helpful — giving us a burst of energy to get away from danger or perform well under pressure, explains Michelle Dossett, MD, PhD, MPH, an internist and an integrative medicine specialist at the University of California in Davis.
Anxiety about a doctor’s visit or a performance review at work, for example, or even something scary, like a car heading right at you, are all examples of short-term stressors.
Long-term stressors have a different effect. “Stress that lasts years or a long time is usually the worst kind of stress,” says Bert Uchino, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City who studies stress in aging populations.
If you’re in a job you hate or you’re a caregiver for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease, for instance, says Dr. Uchino, you may suffer from high levels of chronic (or long-term) stress. That’s where your body “never receives a clear signal to return to normal.”
It’s this type of chronic stress that causes changes in the body that can do damage and contribute to disease in some cases, says Uchino. Blood tests can reveal inflammation, changes in blood pressure, and elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can all be signs of chronic stress.
Chronic stress certainly doesn’t help or promote healing in any disease or health problem. Here are some common illnesses that can be caused and made worse by stress.
The exact reason why some people experience depression and anxiety as clinical mood disorders and others do not is still unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many factors are potentially in play, including genetic, environmental, and psychological conditions, as well as major stressful or traumatic experiences.
Research shows, however, that chronic stress left unmanaged is linked to serious mental disorders like anxiety and depression. Persistent or prolonged stress leads the body to produce certain hormones and chemicals that perpetuate an ongoing state of stress that can have adverse effects on key organs.
Around 20 to 25 percent of persons who experience major stressful events will go on to develop depression, according to a commentary and review of research published in JAMA.
An informal APA survey from 2013 on stress and sleep found links in both directions. Forty-three percent of the nearly 2,000 adults surveyed reported that stress had caused them to lie awake at night at least one time in the past month. When they didn’t sleep well, 21 percent reported feeling more stressed. Among adults with higher self-reported stress levels (8 or higher on a 10-point scale), 45 percent said they felt more stressed when they didn’t get enough sleep. Finally, adults with lower self-reported stress levels claimed they slept more hours per night on average than adults with higher self-reported stress levels, to the tune of almost an hour less sleep (6.2 versus 7.1 hours a night).
Chronic stress has long been connected to worsened heart health outcomes. While there’s limited conclusive evidence to say that stress alone can trigger heart disease, there are quite a few ways stress contributes to it, according to a JAMA review. Part of the stress response is a faster heart rate and blood vessel constriction (or vasodilation for some skeletal muscles to help the body move in a fight or flee response), thanks to the stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol, according to research. If the body remains in this state for a long time, as in chronic stress, the heart and cardiovascular system may be damaged, according to other research.
Another means by which stress can contribute to heart disease: You might cope with your stress by eating or drinking too much, which in turn can contribute to cardiovascular disease, also according to APA.“Negative emotions and stress can contribute to a heart attack,” Dr. Dossett says. One meta-analysis, for example, found a 50 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with high levels of work stress.
Stress can also weaken your immune function, which can make you more susceptible to infectious diseases like colds, Uchino explains. Researchers conducted an experiment in which they exposed a group of 420 volunteers to the common cold virus and then quarantined them to see if they got sick. The data revealed that participants who suffered from greater overall stress at the start of the study (measured via surveys on stressful life events, perceived stress, and mood) were more likely to become infected with a virus after exposure.
Stress does not cause HIV (the virus that causes AIDS, which is sexually transmitted or passed through blood, which can happen when needles are shared). But there is some evidence that stress can worsen severity of the disease. A study of 177 HIV-positive patients found that the stress hormone cortisol (associated with chronic stress) was linked to a higher HIV viral load over four years and accelerated disease progression in people living with HIV. For the study, cortisol levels were measured via urine samples every six months.
Another review, published in 2016, concluded that while the link between stress and clinical outcomes is unclear, higher stress was linked to lower disease-fighting white blood cell counts, higher viral load, and disease worsening. Studies also linked stress with worse treatment adherence, per the review.
“Stress can affect gastrointestinal motility,” says Dossett, which is how food moves through your digestive system, increasing your chances of irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel conditions, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, diarrhea, and discomfort. “All those things can be impacted by stress,” she says. Research supports this as well.
Some chronic pain conditions like migraine and lower back pain can be caused, triggered, or worsened when body muscles tense up. A lot of chronic low back pain is related to stress, says Dossett. “Very often it’s muscle tension and tightness that is pulling or creating strain, and then contributing to this sensation of pain.”
A study published in 2021 confirmed a strong relationship between the degree of stress and chronic lower back pain. The researchers concluded that clinicians who treated patients with chronic low back pain should also evaluate a patient’s stress levels.
“Pain is inherently stressful. When the pain does not appear to be remitting or getting better, the concern regarding the pain can turn into fear, anxiety, and hopelessness,” says Joel Frank, PsyD, a psychologist in private practice in Sherman Oaks, California.
A review published in 2017 examined the overlap between chronic stress and chronic pain, finding that both conditions triggered similar responses in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus and amygdala. The researchers also noted, however, that because of the wide variety of ways humans experience chronic pain and stress, these two conditions do not always overlap.
What causes cancer is a particularly challenging question to answer, says Uchino. Because most patients are diagnosed only after years of cancer cell growth, it’s difficult if not impossible to pinpoint a specific cause. And it’s likely that several factors (someone’s genes, plus an environmental trigger like smoking, air pollution, or stress, for example) contribute.
But there is some evidence in human studies that stress plays a role in the onset of cancer, Uchino says. (It’s also worth noting that some studies have found no link.)
One possible reason why stress might contribute to some cancers: Stress can activate your brain and body’s inflammatory response, as well as stimulating your adrenal glands to release stress hormones called glucocorticoids, among many other downstream effects. Some research suggests that too much of this type of inflammation from chronic stress is the connection with cancer (as well as some autoimmune diseases — see below), Dossett explains.
“Many inflammatory conditions are exacerbated by stress, and that includes autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis,” says Dossett. A Swedish population-wide study published in the June 2018 issue of JAMA found that patients with a stress disorder were more likely to develop an autoimmune disorder (9 per 1,000 patients per year compared with 6 per 1,000 among those without stress disorders). Another extensive review on the role of stress in autoimmunity emphasized that this is a relationship that medicine often overlooks.
The good news is there are many effective ways to manage stress, says Dossett, including yoga and mindfulness. These types of interventions don’t undo or change whatever situation is causing stress (financial woes, a family argument, or a busy schedule), but they can retrain the body’s central nervous system’s response and help dial that response down if it’s been triggered.
But some conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, develop years before they are diagnosed, so more research into interventions is desperately needed, says Uchino.
All things considered, if you want help with your chronic stress or other psychological issues, it’s best to ask your doctor or a trained mental health provider to evaluate and support you based on your needs.
Melinda
Reference:
Dec 15, 2017 / Bill Bernat
When I lived with severe depression and social anxiety, I found it extremely difficult to talk to strangers. Yet the one conversation that uplifted me more than any other occurred in the dining hall of the mental health wing of a mountain-town hospital. I met a woman who told me that a few days earlier, she’d driven her Jeep Wrangler to the edge of the Grand Canyon. She sat there, revving the engine and thinking about driving over.
She described what had been going on in her life in the days and months leading up, what her thoughts were at that exact moment, why she wanted to die, and why she didn’t do it. We nodded and half-smiled, and then it was my turn to talk about my journey to our table in that fine dining establishment. I had taken too many sleeping pills. After the doctors treated me, they were like, “Hey, we’d love it if you would be our guest in the psych ward!”
That day, she and I talked shop. She allowed me to be deeply depressed and simultaneously have a genuine connection to another person. For the first time, I identified as someone living with depression and I felt, oddly, good about it — or rather, like I wasn’t a bad person for having it.
Now, imagine one of the people at that table was a member of your family or a close friend who told you they were really depressed. Would you be comfortable talking to them?
Depression doesn’t diminish a person’s desire to connect with other people, just their ability.
The World Health Organization says that depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide, affecting more than 300 million people. In the United States, the National Institute of Mental Health reports 7 percent of Americans experience depression in a year. But while depression is super common, in my experience most folks don’t want to talk to depressed people unless we pretend to be happy. So we learn to put on a cheerful façade for casual interactions, like buying a pumpkin spice latte. The average barista doesn’t want to know that a customer is trapped in the infinite darkness of their soul.
Depression doesn’t diminish a person’s desire to connect with other people, just their ability. And despite what you might think, talking to friends and family living with depression can be easy and maybe fun. Not like Facebook-selfie-with-Lady-Gaga-at-an-underground-party fun — instead, I’m talking about the kind of fun where people enjoy each other’s company effortlessly, no one feels awkward, and no one accuses the sad person of ruining the holidays.
There’s a chasm that exists. On one side are people with depression, and on the other side is everyone else and they’re asking, “Why you gotta be so depressed?”
I’ve noticed there’s a chasm that exists. On the one side are those people living with depression, who may act in off-putting or confusing ways because they’re fighting a war in their head that nobody else can see. On the other side is everyone else, and they’re looking across the divide, shaking their heads, and asking, ‘Why you gotta be so depressed?’
I began battling depression when I was eight, and decades later, to my surprise, I started winning that battle. I shifted from being miserable much of the time to enjoying life. Today I live pretty well with bipolar disorder, and I’ve overcome some other mental health conditions, like overeating, addiction and social anxiety. As someone who lives on both sides of this chasm, I want to offer you some guidance based on my experiences to help you build a bridge across. I’ve also talked to a lot of people who’ve lived with depression to refine these suggestions.
Please don’t let our lack of bubbly happiness freak you out. Sadness doesn’t need to be treated with the urgency of a shark attack.
Before I get to the do’s, here are some some things you might want to avoid when talking to someone who’s depressed.
Don’t say “Just get over it.” That’s a great idea – we love it — but there’s just one problem: we already thought of that. The inability to “just get over it” is depression. Depression is an illness, so it’s no different from telling someone with a broken ankle or cancer to “just get over it.” Try not to fix us — your pressure to be “normal” can make us depressed people feel like we’re disappointing you.
Don’t insist that the things which make other people feel better will work for us. For example, you cannot cure clinical depression by eating ice cream, which is unfortunate because that would be living the dream.
Don’t take it personally if we respond negatively to your advice. I have a friend who, about a year ago, messaged me saying he was feeling really isolated and depressed. I suggested some things for him to do, and he was like, “No, no, and no.” I got mad, like, “How dare he not embrace my brilliant wisdom!” Then I remembered the times I’ve been depressed and how I thought I was doomed in all possible futures and everybody hated me. It didn’t matter how many people told me otherwise; I didn’t believe them. So I let my friend know I cared, and I didn’t take his response personally.
Don’t think that being sad and being OK are incompatible. Please don’t let our lack of bubbly happiness freak you out. Sadness does not need to be treated with the urgency of a shark attack. Yes, we can be sad and OK at the exact same time. TV, movies, popular songs and even people tell us if we’re not happy, there’s something wrong. We’re taught that sadness is unnatural, and we must resist it. In truth, it’s natural and it’s healthy to accept sadness and know it won’t last forever.
Talk to a depressed person as if their life is just as valuable, intense and beautiful as yours.
And here are some do’s.
Do talk to us in your natural voice. You don’t need to put on a sad voice because we’re depressed; do you sneeze when you’re talking to somebody with a cold? It’s not rude for you to be upbeat around us.
Do absolve yourself of responsibility for the depressed person. You might be afraid that if you talk to them, you’re responsible for their well-being, that you need to “fix” them and solve their problems. You’re not expected to be Dr. Phil — just be friendly, more like Ellen. You may worry that you won’t know what to say, but words are not the most important thing — your presence is.
Do be clear about what you can and cannot do for us. I’ve told people, “Hey, call or text me anytime, but I might not be able to get back to you that same day.” It’s totally cool for you to make a narrow offer with really clear boundaries. Give us a sense of control by getting our consent about what you’re planning to do. A while back when I was having a depressive episode, a friend reached out and said, “Hey, I want to check in with you. Can I call you every day? Or, maybe text you every day and call you later in the week? What works for you?” By asking for my permission, she earned my confidence and remains one of my best friends today.
Do interact with us about normal stuff or ask us for help. When people were worried about a friend of mine, they’d call him and ask if he wanted to go shopping or help them clean out their garage. This was a great way to reach out. They were engaging with him without calling attention to his depression. He knew they cared, but he didn’t feel embarrassed or like a burden. (Yes, your depressed friends could be a good source of free labor!) Invite them to contribute to your life in some way, even if it’s as small as asking you to go see a movie that you wanted to see in the theater.
This is, by no means, a definitive list. All of these suggestions are grounded in one guiding principle: speaking to someone like they belong and can contribute. That’s what allowed the woman in the Jeep Wrangler to start me on my path to recovery without even trying: She spoke to me like I was OK and had something to offer exactly as I was at that moment. Talk to a depressed person as if their life is just as valuable, intense and beautiful as yours. If you focus on that, it might just be the most uplifting conversation of their life.
This piece was adapted from a talk given at TEDxSnoIsleLibraries2017.
Bill Bernat is a technology marketer, Comedy Central comedian, and The Moth Radio Hour storyteller living in Seattle. He brings awareness and humor to mental health in his award-winning show, Becoming More Less Crazy. He also leads storytelling workshops and fundraisers for nonprofit organizations.
Melinda
Repost
When you’re a parent, the last thing that you want to worry about is whether or not your kids are receiving quality medical care. Unfortunately, there are many instances where people have gotten subpar care because they didn’t know their rights.
It’s essential to be proactive and ensure that your family has access to medical treatment while also ensuring it is safe and sound. In this blog post, you will get information on how to do just that!
Having regular checkups is something that everybody should do. Even if you feel well, it is always good to make sure your body is functioning the way it should be and take steps towards any issues before they become serious problems.
If, for example, your family has a history of certain conditions like cancer or diabetes, regular checkups are something that everyone in your family needs to do regardless of their age or health status. Checkups will allow doctors and nurses to catch things early on while still fixing them efficiently instead of waiting until more extensive damage is done.
Asking questions is essential. Your doctor will not think you are troublesome, and it is their job to answer your questions anyway! If they do not, ask another doctor until someone can provide satisfying answers that give you peace of mind. The same goes for nurses and other medical professionals: the more information all parties have available about your treatment plan, the better care everyone gets as a result.
If something goes wrong due to a breach on the doctor’s part, you can always seek legal advice from a medical malpractice attorney to help you acquire damages for violation. By doing so, you will not be negligent about your medical rights.
Your healthcare providers should understand that you are a vital part of the medical team. You should ask questions and communicate with them about any concerns you have without feeling judged. Staff members at hospitals and clinics should treat you with respect.
When doctors order tests for you as a patient, they need to explain what they are for you to make informed decisions. If there’s something wrong with how things work in this area, speak up! Like other rights citizens enjoy, your right to advocate for yourself will only strengthen if you exercise frequently.
Other medical rights include having access to quality healthcare providers and receiving advice on navigating the system. You also have the right to get satisfactory answers to your questions concerning insurance coverage and everything you need to be an active participant in making good choices about taking control of your well-being.
In conclusion, it is crucial to make sure that your medical care providers do everything they can to protect you from harm. Remember, this means not just getting treatment for a severe injury or illness — it also includes making sure you have all the information and resources available to take steps toward preventing health issues before they become emergencies.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
Repost
I’ve included a link below if you would like to see the complete list.
American Heart Month
Black History Month
National Cancer Prevention Month
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
World Cancer Day 4th
Safer Internet Day 8th
National Donor Day 14th
International Childhood Cancer Day 15th
Random Act of Kindness Day 17th
Day of Remembrance 19th
World Day of Social Justice 20th
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week-Last week of February or the first week of March
You can find the complete list HERE.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/february-awareness-days-months
What made me think having two hand surgeries in a month was a good idea? I knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park but it was much worse. The stitches are healed but the swelling next to them has not gone down. The wrist still hurts when moved in any direction and though the inside of my hands are no longer bruised they still hurt and are swollen. I have no idea what the healing time is so I’m taking it day by day. Opening up a bottle is painful so he has to jump in to help with those tasks. I even have a few number fingers.
One frustration is that David’s company sent a large basket of 6 plants, but I can’t plant them yet. I just knew I would be able to do something by now. Of course, this affects my writing because once they start hurting, I have to stop before it turns into a bad situation. I love the plants and can’t wait to plant them.
Why did I do it? It’s one you may understand. We had met our Medical Insurance deductable for the year, and if I pushed the second hand to 12/30/24, my surgery would be covered at 100%. If it were a worse surgery, I would have waited, but this made sense at the time. Sometimes, we have to make decisions for our families’ finances.
I hope you don’t find yourself in that situation if so think hard and decide which is best for your health and your family.
Take good care.
Melinda
When you were a child, what job did you think was perfect?
For me it was being a DJ or an Ice Dancer.
I can’t wait to hear your answers.
Melinda
By Leona Vaughn Medically Reviewed by Reyna Franco, RDN courtesy of American College of Lifestyle Medicine
A consistently healthy diet may ease symptoms of depression. Here are experts’ in-season picks for your plate.
Fall and winter can be brutal for people with depression. It gets dark early, resulting in far less exposure to mood-brightening sunlight, plus colder temperatures can make you just want to stay in bed.
In addition, it’s a time of year filled with the sugar-laden, high-fat holiday foods that are often least likely to benefit our mental health. “It’s a challenging time for eaters,” says Drew Ramsey, MD, a nutritional psychiatrist based in Jackson, Wyoming. “There’s lots of delicious stuff that oftentimes isn’t so great for our mood.”
Atlanta-based Jerlyn Jones, RDN, agrees, pointing out that the relationship between an unhealthy diet and depression is often a vicious cycle. “If you have a poor diet, then you’re going to feel more depressed. And when you feel more depressed, you’re probably going to eat more of those types of foods,” says Jones.
The good news: Diet is a modifiable risk factor for depression. In other words, simply loading up on whole foods like fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts, legumes, and the like can improve symptoms of this mood disorder in some people, according to research.
The problem is that when people feel stressed and depressed, they tend to crave comforting foods that are higher in sugar, salt, and fat, Jones says. Unfortunately, the instant relief you experience from those foods — especially the sugar-laden ones — dissolves quickly, which then can cause your mood to crash.
Not to mention that filling up on so-called “junk food” can make it hard to receive enough of the essential nutrients that the brain needs to function at its best, including B vitamins, folate, and magnesium.
“These vitamins and minerals have been inversely associated with depressive disorders,” Jones says. “Foods that are high in different nutrients can make you feel so much better.”
Wondering which healthy cold-weather foods can improve your mood? Experts advise increasing your intake of these five.
These cruciferous vegetables are rich in folate — a B vitamin that helps with mood regulation in the brain, Jones says. Studies have shown that B vitamins like folic acid — a form of folate — may benefit people with depression, according to a review article.
“This nutrient is linked to brain activity and increasing our moods,” says Jones. “Eating foods on a daily basis that are high in folate will help significantly improve the way you feel.”
Try adding raw, shredded Brussels sprouts to salads, or cut them in half, toss them with olive oil and spices, and roast them until brown.
Another great fall food to eat regularly is pomegranate, a fruit high in antioxidants, Jones says. And it’s especially easy to reap this benefit because drinking pomegranate juice can significantly increase the number of antioxidants you take in, Jones notes.
In addition to their antioxidant content, pomegranates contain polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory and antidepressant-like properties, according to a review article. “Inflammation is one of the root causes of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems,” Dr. Ramsey says.
These perennially popular fall fruits contain magnesium, which was linked to a lower risk of depressive symptoms and disorders in one systematic review.
Fitting this squash into your diet is easier than you may think — pumpkins are incredibly versatile. Try adding pureed pumpkin to soups, smoothies, and pasta sauces. Or simply snack on pumpkin seeds or toss them in a fall salad. “Pumpkin seeds are really one of our top [food] recommendations,” Ramsey says.
Usually harvested in September and October, sweet potatoes pack several essential nutrients — in particular, vitamin C. A meta-analysis concluded that higher levels of vitamin C are associated with reduced depressive symptoms, while lower levels of this vitamin are linked to increased symptoms, though more research is needed to confirm this association.
Winter squash comes in many forms — acorn squash, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash, to name a few. And each of them contain high amounts of vitamin B6, a nutrient shown to positively affect mood. One study found that a lower intake of vitamin B6 was associated with an increased risk of depression among more than 3,300 women.
Colder weather is a good time to consume more soup, especially clam chowders and seafood stews, says Ramsey. Dishes that contain mussels, clams, and oysters are dense with nutrients like magnesium, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, another nutrient that research suggests benefits people with depression.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet, Ramsey advises swapping sugary holiday desserts for dark chocolate, which is packed with antioxidants and fiber.
“There’s now some interesting data about how the nutrients in dark chocolate are stimulating but also good for the brain, in the sense that people who eat dark chocolatetend to have less depression,” Ramsey says.
Data from a survey of more than 13,000 U.S. adults showed that chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may be tied to a reduced risk of depressive symptoms.
Along with avoiding excess sugar, Ramsey advises being mindful of how much alcohol you consume around the holiday season.
“There’s a lot of drinking during the holidays, and alcohol can be awful if you have depression,” Ramsey says. “It tends to make people feel better in the short term, and then worse the next day.”
If you need help planning good-mood-friendly meals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s online tool MyPlate offers quizzes and hundreds of recipes to get you started.
Although diet isn’t a cure for depression, eating nutritious foods can help people with the condition feel better. This fall and winter, consider adding seasonal fruits and vegetables rich in mood-enhancing nutrients like folate, antioxidants, and magnesium to your plate (think Brussels sprouts, pomegranates, and sweet potatoes, for example).
“There’s a lot of drinking during the holidays, and alcohol can be awful if you have depression,” Ramsey says. “It tends to make people feel better in the short term, and then worse the next day.”
If you need help planning good-mood-friendly meals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s online tool MyPlate offers quizzes and hundreds of recipes to get you started.
I love all the food they mentioned it’s just a matter of cooking them.
Melinda
Repost
Medically reviewed by Susan W. Lee, DO — Written by Eleesha Lockett, MS on September 18, 2023
It can be overwhelming when a spouse receives an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but there are many networks in place to make sure that both of you have the support you need.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia ― an umbrella term for a handful of conditions that affect someone’s thinking, memory, behavior, personality, and more. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, and it affects more than 6 million people in the United States alone, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
An Alzheimer’s diagnosis can signify the beginning of a new chapter of life for the person with the diagnosis and those close to them. And for spouses of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, their role can often shift to caretaker, which can bring its own set of challenges.
This article discusses tips for taking care of your spouse after their Alzheimer’s diagnosis, including how to take care of yourself and when it might be time to reach out for professional support.
Alzheimer’s disease can eventually make it difficult for a person to perform certain tasks on their own, so it can be helpful to build a supportive medical team early on. Here are some of the medical professionals that commonly make up a medical care team for someone with Alzheimer’s:
Whether your spouse has only one or a few of these professionals on their care team, knowing that the care team is there to help is important.
As a spouse, it can be especially helpful to maintain an open line of communication with your loved one’s medical team. One of the ways that you can do this is by scheduling or sitting in on phone calls or meetings with the care team members.
Meetings and appointments are also a great time to bring up any concerns you might have ― or any goals that you and your spouse have discussed for care. And if you have any questions about anything related to your loved one’s medical care, be sure to mention those, too.
As Alzheimer’s disease progresses through the stages and the condition’s symptoms become more severe, your loved one may require more assistance with tasks of daily living. For many people, most of this care takes place at home.
Here are two helpful tips that can help as you care for your loved one.
Dementia can affect your spouse’s physical movements and their ability to think or use memory. If your home and lifestyle accommodate these needs, it can make day-to-day activities less stressful for both of you.
Those with dementia may benefit from:
Alzheimer’s disease can affect the lives of everyone involved, which is why support can be such an important part of care. And when you’re caring for a spouse with Alzheimer’s at home, support can come in many forms: financial, social, medical, and more.
Sometimes, this support looks like reaching out to a friend or family member for a little extra help with daily tasks like shopping and cooking. Or it might look like touching base with your spouse’s caseworker to sign up for financial assistance programs.
Either way, one of the great ways to care for yourself and your spouse is to reach out and ask for support in whatever area you might need.
Someone with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease may find everyday tasks like dressing themselves, going to the bathroom, or even eating by themselves to be difficult. At this stage in the disease, caregiving can be ongoing.
As a caregiver to a spouse with Alzheimer’s, it can be difficult to keep up with their needs and your own ― which is where professional support comes in. Some of the most common options for caregiving support include home care aides, home healthcare aides, and respite services, to name a few.
Whether you’re looking for support for just a few hours or a longer time, it may help to take advantage of the help that’s around you.
When you’re the caretaker or someone close to you, it can be difficult to imagine entrusting that care to anyone else ― especially if it takes place outside the comfort of your own home.
However, sometimes your loved one might need more care than you can feasibly offer them, especially in the late stages of their disease. And toward the end of their life, some professionals can help navigate you both through the final stages of their journey.
While people can experience dementia differently, in some cases, the condition can cause episodes of anger, verbal aggression, or sometimes physical violence. Professional healthcare workers can help to ensure everyone’s safety and dignity.
If you feel that it might be time to explore professional caregiver or end-of-life support for your loved one, consider reaching out to their doctor to discuss the options available to you.
Spouses and partners of people living with Alzheimer’s disease tend to experience increased stress, anxiety, and depression. In fact, one 2020 study found that people whose spouses had Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias had a 30% increase in depressive symptoms than those without spouses with these conditions.
Here are a few tips you can follow to take care of your health while caring for a spouse with Alzheimer’s:
It’s common for Alzheimer’s caregivers to feel many emotions about their loved one’s diagnosis ― sadness, grief, frustration, and even anger. Sometimes, you can work through these feelings alone, but other times, it can be difficult to work through them without the right support.
If you feel like you could use support navigating through this difficult time, whether physical, financial, emotional, or otherwise, consider reaching out to the professionals around you who can help.
My blogging friend Mary Doyle from Midwest Mary learned firsthand about the journey of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s when her husband was diagnosed. She has written three books about her experience with Alzheimer’s. Mary is generous and uplifting. Please stop by her blog and say hello.
Inspired Caregiving. Weekly Morale Boosters
Navigating Alzheimer’s.12 Truths about Caring for Your Loved One
Check out all of the books Mary has written, here.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.healthline.com/health/alzheimers/how-to-cope-with-alzheimers-spouse#takeaway
IDEAS.TED.COM
Dec 9, 2020 / Mary Halton
This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.
If the darkening evenings and turning leaves induce a mild sense of dread in you every year, you’re not alone.
With the arrival of winter, many of us experience Seasonal Affective Disorder — which bears the appropriate acronym of SAD — and can bring on a depressed mood, loss of interest in things that you normally enjoy, and changes in sleep and appetite. While there aren’t conclusive figures, it is thought to affect between one and nine percent of the population, depending on where you live.
Although we may think of it as being a distinct affliction of its own, SAD is actually classified as either bipolar or major depressive disorder, but with a seasonal pattern. This means that people who experience it feel much worse in the fall and winter and relatively balanced or potentially even manic in the summer months, explains Kathryn Roecklein PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh who studies the condition.
“Depression itself is pretty episodic,” says Roecklein. “You have a period of it, and then it goes away. The distinction [with SAD] is the seasonal recurrence.” It also appears that SAD is two to four times more common amongst women.
Even though we are making greater efforts as a society to recognize the importance of our mental health, it can be tempting to dismiss SAD as a touch of the “winter blues” and to try to get on with life as usual. But the best approach, Roecklein says, is to accept and recognize that it’s something that we may genuinely suffer from — and need treatment for. Just as we would for heart disease or diabetes.
The story of SAD starts with our circadian rhythm — our internal body clock that tells us when to eat, go to sleep, and wake up.
For the most part, we tend not to think too much about this system unless we have an unexpectedly late night or take a long-haul flight. But chronobiologist Emily Manoogian PhD says it plays a much more significant role.
“The circadian system is directly tied to how our brain functions, and this affects our cognitive ability, our behavior, our mood and our ability to remember things,” says Manoogian, who researches circadian rhythms at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California. “The circadian system is important for making sure that throughout your body and brain, regions are talking to each other the way that they should be and everything is balanced. We know that circadian disruption is heavily associated with every form of affective disorder — such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, etc.”
Increased darkness in the fall and winter months is something that humans on much of the planet have experienced for thousands of years, but our technological advancement — in particular, artificial light — is interfering with this natural occurrence. Light is one of the most powerful stimuli for our circadian systems, and since the advent of electricity we’ve been sending our bodies a lot of mixed messages.
“This environment that we’ve created is inherently disruptive — it’s not lights on and off at a constant time to allow for a proper rest for our body; it’s lights on when we need to be up for work on some days, and then off later on other days,” explains Manoogian. “That creates this kind of social jetlag. That’s also going to make it a lot harder to sleep, and it can compromise health over time.”
Manoogian is also not a fan of daylight savings time. She says, “It shifts our exposure to sunlight later in the day and thus shifts our biological clocks. In the summer, we are getting sunlight later than we should, and when days are shorter, we are waking up in darkness. But the problem is that we still have to start work or school at the same times. This means that our schedules and our body are on different times, and this disrupts the circadian system.”
Although there is no evidence connecting it directly to SAD, daylight savings time is known to be widely disruptive to society and potentially even associated with cardiac health risks. There’s a growing movement to do away with the twice-annual time switch in several Canadian provinces, where Saskatchewan and (as of 2020) the Yukon Territory stick to the same time year-round, and similar proposals are being considered in other jurisdictions around the world.
As with any disorder, your treatment depends in part on severity. If SAD is significantly disrupting your life or making you feel as though life is not worth living anymore, it’s deeply important for you to reach out immediately to a mental health professional who can support you. Roecklein says that effective treatment options include taking medication, receiving cognitive behavioral therapy tailored to treating SAD, or using a SAD lamp (which delivers a higher dose of light than regular indoor lighting), but they should be explored under professional guidance.
If you’re wondering what to do because you’ve already bought a SAD lamp to use on your own, Roecklein says that there could be side effects. The most likely one, which is mild, is that you will feel it isn’t effective. This doesn’t mean that it can’t be the right therapy for you in conjunction with professional guidance — for instance, you could be using it at the wrong times or for the wrong duration. At the other end of the scale, mania is a very rare but significant side effect of improper use.
However, there are some relatively easy things you can do to support your circadian rhythms in everyday life. And while these aren’t guaranteed treatments for SAD, they can help give your body a stabilizing sense of routine.
This doesn’t need to be a rigid, planned-down-to-10-minute increments affair; it’s more about keeping the stimuli that speak to your circadian system arriving roughly when it expects them, says Manoogian. Social interactions and food are two important circadian cues, so having regular mealtimes and breaks where you make a phone call, go for a walk or talk with other members of your household can really help.
It’s hard to get — and stay — motivated during a winter of pandemic-related restrictions, so any exercise is better than no exercise at all, emphasizes Manoogian. However, if you do choose to exercise outside, she says that the morning is a good time for your body to get some much needed natural light.
The only time for you to avoid exercising, if possible, is right before bed. When you do, it sends a confusing message to your body that night is a time to be active rather than to prepare for sleep.
How much light we experience at different times of the day is important. Increasing the amount of light you get in the morning is helpful, whereas increasing your light exposure in the evening can be counterproductive.
So if your morning commute has changed from an hour in the car or on transit to a quick switch from your bed to your desk, you’re losing out on a lot of daylight that you are used to receiving just when you need it most. Taking a morning walk before you start your day, or even sitting near a bright window for the first half of your day can really help.
At night, reducing your light exposure and making your sleeping environment as dark as possible is also of huge benefit, explains Roecklein. “Most circadian biologists and sleep researchers I know have blackout shades and no night lights in their rooms — we don’t even have clocks with illuminated screens.”
It’s difficult to separate the impacts of factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, the associated economic downturn and the psychological toll of the current political climate. But Roecklein has noted, at least anecdotally among the people in her SAD study, that there seems to be a higher instance of what psychologists refer to as “negative anticipatory cognitions” — where people consistently expect things to be worse in 2020 than in other years.
Roecklein also notes that experiencing negative life events — such as a bereavement, job loss or some other major change that requires large adjustment — as well as reduced opportunities for social and physical activity are additional risk factors for SAD. These areas of our lives have all been significantly impacted by COVID-19, so she and her colleagues anticipate a higher risk of people experiencing SAD this year.
However, there may be one small silver lining to the current situation, says Manoogian. While routine is very important for our bodies, a regular 9-5 work day can be very unnatural for those of us who aren’t morning people.
“The typical workday schedule is an artificial time that not everyone is able to stick to,” she explains. “If you work from home and you have a little bit of freedom about when you work, this could provide a very interesting opportunity for you to actually coordinate your schedule more with your internal clock.”
Lastly, Roecklein wants to stress that although a routine is important, we are living through monumental events that are unfolding right before our eyes. And if we occasionally want to stay up a few hours later to feel better informed or more connected to other people experiencing the same thing… that’s actually fine.
“We take a moment to care for ourselves by thinking about the pros and cons. So there may be some nights where staying up late and doomscrolling is a choice one might make for good reasons,” says Roecklein. “But then on other nights, when we think about what we want most for ourselves — like better energy in the morning, a more positive mood, better alertness for the endless Zoom meetings — we might be more motivated to turn off devices, turn off the TV, dim the lights, and do all of those things that can help you wind down. Give yourself the chance to make that decision, and make the decision that’s right for you.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Halton is Assistant Ideas Editor at TED, and a science journalist based in the Pacific Northwest.
Melinda
Repost
I want to thank Andrea Marchiano, Managing Editor at Trigger Publishing for sharing the book Between for review. The release date is February 4th, 2025. Between is a memoir of gender transition by a mother and her son. The book helps us learn the challenges they both faced and their mission is to break down the stigma and educate those who have questions about Transgender.
Gemma and Leo Thelford are brutally honest in sharing their story, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s important to remember that Leo comes from a loving family that supports him. His father has a difficult time during the transition due to a lack of knowledge and his own stigma. His younger sibling had a difficult time wrapping his head around it. The journey was difficult but the family worked through it together.
For the purpose of this book, it’s the story between Leo and his mother. Gemma and Leo write their own chapters and it really helped the dialogue sink in because you have both of their thoughts on a subject.
What do you say when your 11-year-old daughter says she’s a boy? Between is a complex story of a daughter explaining to her mother that she doesn’t feel like a girl. With honest conversations and research Gemma began to understand the road her daughter may be facing and took an active role in each step of the way.
Their story warms my heart because they had the love and trust to make this huge change in their life.
Between is one of the most interesting books I’ve read and it answered many of my questions.
I have worked with Andrea for years and have learned from every book I’ve read.
At Trigger Publishing, our mission is to empower individuals on their mental health journey through the power of lived experience. We are dedicated to publishing real stories by real people, showing our readers that they are not alone and that recovery is possible. Our books and digital solutions, available through our parent brand Trigger Hub, provide hope, support, and practical tools for mental wellness.
Melinda
by Kathy Reagan Young
Fact Checked by: Jennifer Chesak, MSJ
With careful planning and thoughtful strategies, you can find fulfilling employment opportunities that accommodate your unique needs.
Searching for a job is a job in itself. Add chronic illness to that mix, and the process becomes even more complex. The unpredictable nature of chronic conditions makes it important to have a plan for dealing with what can be unique hurdles during the job search.
I’ve been there, done that. That’s why I’m offering my practical tips and insights to help you navigate the job search successfully.
Before diving into the job search, it’s essential to assess your limitations, strengths, and preferences. Consider the impact of your condition on your daily life and energy levels.
Do you tend to “fade” as the day goes on? Setting hours to reflect and embrace this truth will be helpful. Are you unable to lift, walk long distances, or hold a phone? Do your hands get tired easily? Only you can know yourself.
Self-awareness will guide you to set realistic goals and find positions that align with your abilities. And it will set you up for success in the long run.
“Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you’re needed by someone.”
— Martina Navratilova
Identify industries and roles that accommodate flexible schedules, remote work options, and supportive work environments. Look for companies with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, as they may offer more accommodations for people living with chronic illness.
So, how do you find this information?
Research. I like to check out companies on LinkedIn. It’s a great place to learn about a company’s culture and the people who work there. You can also learn a lot from anonymous postings of current and former employees on Glass Door.
The decision to disclose your chronic illness is a personal one. It may depend on the nature of your condition and the specific job requirements. Legally, employers cannot discriminate against people living with disabilities.
But let’s be honest: Discrimination is real. Doing what we can to control the narrative is a smart decision.
I used to advocate for everyone to be forthcoming — loud and proud, so to speak. “Share the real you,” I’d say. “Having to keep a secret is exhausting and stressful. Be authentically who you are.”
Then, multiple people shared with me their stories of discrimination and ableism. So, I no longer suggest that.
Now, I recommend securing the job first and disclosing your condition strategically if you decide to do so. Share only the most job-relevant information and nothing more. Focus on your skills and qualifications first, then discuss any necessary accommodations that will allow you to perform at your highest level.
And document, document, document. If you feel you’re being discriminated against at any point in the hiring stage or beyond, you’ll need documentation to substantiate your claims.
Explore online job search platforms and networks that cater to individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Many websites feature job listings from companies actively seeking to hire people with diverse abilities, providing a supportive environment for job seekers with chronic illnesses.
Leverage your personal and professional networks. Tell friends, family, and colleagues about your job search and ask for recommendations or introductions.
Maybe you post on your favorite social network (Facebook, Instagram, etc) or email several friends and family members to inform them of your job search and ask for any advice. Networking opens doors to opportunities that may not be advertised through traditional channels.
Craft a compelling resume and cover letter that emphasize your transferable skills and accomplishments. Focus on experiences that showcase your ability to overcome challenges and achieve results.
Maybe a team member at a former job of yours resigned unexpectedly in the middle of a big project with a deadline looming. Instead of panicking, you assessed the skills of other team members to see how this deficit could be filled by existing talent, and you hired temporary outside help to fill in the remaining gaps to complete the project well and on time.
Sharing how you’ve overcome challenges in the past can help potential employers see the value you bring to the table, regardless of any limitations posed by your chronic illness.
Consider creating a skills-based resume that emphasizes your abilities and achievements rather than focusing on a chronological work history. This format allows you to showcase your skills prominently, capturing the attention of employers and demonstrating your suitability for the position.
Just search “skills-based resume” to see formatting examples.
Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, and sometimes we can face additional stressors. Take proactive steps to prepare for interviews by researching common interview questions and writing down your responses.
Consider practicing with a friend or family member to build confidence and refine your answers.
Develop a strategy for addressing potential gaps in your employment history due to health-related reasons, focusing on how you’ve maintained or improved your skills during such periods. For example:
During (specific timeframe), I was dealing with health challenges that taught me valuable lessons in resilience and adaptability. I remained active in professional networking groups, participated in online discussions, and did self-directed learning. This not only kept me informed about industry developments but also allowed me to exchange ideas with professionals in the field.
Navigating a job search with a chronic illness can be challenging, but with careful planning and thoughtful strategies, you can find fulfilling opportunities that accommodate your unique needs.
I have Bipolar Disorder and made the decision to not tell my employer exactly what health issue I had and I did not discuss it until my health forced me to take time off. If you have a physical limitation that creates a different situation and one where you will need to tell them upfront. Be leary, and keep documentation, the reality is not all employers are ethical and respect EEOC laws. That’s the cynic in me.
Melinda
Reference:
Medically Reviewed by Allison Young, MD
Last Updated: 5 Nov 2024
My co-worker carefully extricates her lunch from the toaster oven. The slice of leftover pizza, cheese dripping over its edges, smells divine. She observes me plopping frozen spinach, grilled chicken, and a splash of tomato sauce into a microwave-safe casserole dish and says, “You’re so good. I wish I could eat like that.”
“It’s easy to be good when you’re afraid of passing out over your keyboard from low blood sugar,” I reply to excuse my freakishly healthful lunch. I explained to her that maintaining a good diet keeps my moods in check and would go beyond the bounds of casual break-room small talk.
The steadier my blood sugar levels throughout the day, the steadier my energy, the more alert I feel, the less anxiety I experience, and the more productive I am. The more alert and productive I am, the better I keep bipolar depression at bay.
Work festivities can be a tad awkward, though. I’ve become adept at resisting temptation when someone brings in a plate of brownies, despite the bewildered urging when I refuse. “You gotta try this. It’s Aunt Bessie’s recipe.” Or, “C’mon, who doesn’t like chocolate?” I try to explain, “I love chocolate. It just doesn’t love me.”
I used to be a binge eater, regularly losing and gaining as much as 50 pounds. After getting home from work, I could easily inhale ice cream by the pint or a sleeve of chocolate chip cookies dipped in milk — or both. The sugar was like a tranquilizer for my anxious feelings.
Several months and several dress sizes later, I would restrict my eating to lose the excess weight. I cut and cut and cut calories until I was down to diet soda, French fries, and not much else. But crash dieting crashed me into hypomania. By the time I fit into my skinny jeans, my judgment would be even skimpier.
I finally gave up the hard stuff — chocolate, desserts, anything with white flour — when I was trying to get pregnant. (Who knew that wide swings in weight can throw the reproductive hormones off kilter?) Two kids and an education in nutrition later, my weight fluctuates by a more moderate 10 pounds or so. And as long as I don’t eat sugar, I don’t crave it.
If only it were just sugar. If I’m not careful, bagels and white bread can just as easily send me to Bingeland.
Stress and fatigue fuel our hunger for carbohydrate-heavy treats. There’s a connection between carbs and the brain’s production of serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone — although trying to piece together exactly how this works makes me remember why I flunked organic chemistry.
Here’s an easier tidbit from bio class: The body turns any carb into glucose, a.k.a. blood sugar, to use as energy. The more quickly carbs “dissolve,” the more quickly glucose gets dumped into the bloodstream. Blood sugar levels spike, and what goes up must come down — leading to lethargy and low mood.
In self-defense, I’ve become a student of the glycemic index. Originally developed to help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar in balance, the glycemic index tells you how quickly glucose levels rise after eating a particular food.
White bread, alas, ranks high on the glycemic index. As a compromise, I end my day with a slice of whole wheat bread slathered with crunchy peanut butter and a smidgeon of strawberry jam.
I live in a rush zone from 5:30 a.m. until I chase my daughter into bed at 9:30 p.m. I chow down a protein bar and travel mug of cold water while driving to the office. I write bits of stories and articles in my head while working out. The drive home doubles as a time to make business and social calls.
PB&J on whole wheat unwinds me. It quells my anxiety about everything I need to accomplish before bedtime, everything I am not going to accomplish before bedtime, and everyone I will let down by not getting to every “to do.”
Of course, it’s possible to find that relaxed, comforted feeling through journaling, writing a gratitude list, meditating, stretching, or walking around the block. When I’m tired, though, it’s much easier to use food to chase away my anxiety. And if I actually kept off that extra 10 pounds, what would I have to whine about?
Maybe that’s the real question I need to ask myself: What am I really hungry for? Understanding my needs and making small adjustments can help me balance eating habits and self-care, supporting a healthier, more stable mood over time.
UPDATED: Originally printed as “My Battle of the Binge”, Winter 2014
I had problems with binge eating when I was younger and always tied it to stress. Now I have a different perspective to mull about.
Melinda
This surgery is completely different than the one earlier this month. He is doing Carpel Tunnel surgery on my right hand which is a piece of cake. Technological advancements make the procedure less intrusive and allow for a shorter recovery time.
I hope to be out for a few days, we’ll see how it goes. I don’t like taking pain medication so that can delay blogging for a day or so.
Thank you for all the love shown to me during the last surgery, your words filled me with joy.
Take good care and I’ll see you next year.
Melinda
If you would like to see the complete list, click here.
Thank you for the positive feedback on this monthly post.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/january-awareness-days-months
2024 has been a difficult year for David and me health-wise. There are still unresolved health issues from my visit to The Mayo Clinic for which I have several specialists to see in 2025. The most difficult has been that David was diagnosed with three types of cancer this year. The first was CLL Leukemia, Skin Cancer, and most recently Small Cell Lymphocytic Lymphoma. It is common for Skin Cancer to follow Leukemia but the Lymphoma was quite a surprise. Leukemia and Lymphoma are two different cancers and very alarming to me. We’re still waiting to see if radiation treatment is the next step.
We don’t focus on it or the future, we rarely talk about it except after doctor appointments. We focus on the blessings we have and live life for tomorrow.
We know God has a plan for each of us and we are cool with his plan.
Melinda
Sadness is a temporary state that often has a clear cause, like a big disappointment, the loss of someone close to you, or bad news from someone you love.
This type of sadness can fluctuate throughout the day. In certain moments, the emotional burden might feel particularly heavy. You might cry often, feel numb or drained, and struggle to concentrate.
At other times — when you get lost in something you enjoy or when a loved one distracts you — your sorrow may seem light enough that you can barely feel its weight. While it might linger in some form for days or weeks, it generally begins to ease naturally.
Persistent sadness is something else entirely. It can wrap around you like a heavy blanket, muffling the sensations and joy of everyday life. This sadness can leave you feeling low, empty, and defeated. You don’t know what caused your unhappiness, so you have no idea how to start feeling better.
Feeling sad isn’t at all unusual. After all, sorrow is a normal human response to disappointment and loss. Sadness that doesn’t have a clear reason behind it and doesn’t seem to improve, however, may suggest something else is going on.
While not everyone with depression will feel sad, unexplainable sadness you can’t seem to shake is one of the primary signs of depression.
If your sadness does relate to depression, you’ll likely feel sad nearly all of the time — almost every day, for most of each day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer. Sadness, in other words, seems to become a constant companion.
With depression, you’ll experience other symptoms, too. If several of the signs below accompany your sad or tearful mood, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with depression:
Chronic sadness, especially when related to depression, might also prompt regular thoughts of death or suicide. Even if you don’t have a plan to act on these thoughts, it’s always best to talk to someone you trust and get support right away (more on how to do this later).
You might begin to notice your feelings of sadness, along with any other symptoms you experience, follow a specific pattern. Depression can take different forms, and various underlying factors can have an impact on the way your symptoms show up.
A few things to look for:
People living with bipolar disorder often experience episodes of depression as part of a cycle that also includes episodes of mania or hypomania.
You might notice you suddenly feel intensely happy, even euphoric. This abrupt change in mood might also involve:
This episode might last a week, or longer.
Somewhere around 40 percentTrusted Source of people with bipolar disorder have what’s known as mixed features. You could experience sadness and other symptoms of depression at the same time as mania.
This combination of symptoms can make it harder to understand what you’re experiencing, which could add to your distress.
Maybe your sadness seems to arrive or intensify around the same time of year the days begin to shorten. Once the longer, sunnier days of spring and summer arrive, you feel better, year after year.
It’s pretty common to feel a little low in autumn and winter. The nights get long and cold, and there are plenty of days when you may not even see the sun.
If this seasonal sadness persists and becomes serious enough to affect daily life, you could have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that occurs along with seasonal changes.
Along with other common depression symptoms, you might also notice:
To read the complete article here.
There are many reasons we feel sad, and luckily, there’s a wealth of knowledge to help you navigate. My first step would be to call your doctor.
Melinda
The media plays a role not only in misinformation about menopause but also in how it portrays women with menopause. Tune out the riff-raff and look for real answers. Menopause has been a woman’s curse long before I knew what it was and how it affected the lives of women. There are thousands of books on the market about menopause and I thought maybe it was time to look at the unconventional ways women deal with the debilitating symptoms.
Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to balance energy flow. Some women report reduced hot flashes, night sweats, and improved mood after regular sessions. While scientific evidence is mixed, it might be worth a try if you’re open to alternative therapies.
These practices can help manage stress, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being. Yoga, in particular, can increase flexibility and strength, which is beneficial during menopause.
Adopting a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help manage symptoms. The Mediterranean diet, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, can be particularly beneficial.
This technique involves learning to control certain physiological functions, such as heart rate and muscle tension, with the help of a biofeedback device. It can be effective in managing stress and related symptoms.
Some studies suggest hypnotherapy can reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes and improve sleep quality.
Remember, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatments, especially if you have underlying health conditions.
Understanding the Connection Between Menopause and Heart Rate Changes
Why Does Menopause Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease?
Natural Treatments for Menopause Symptoms
Maybe you can find something that works for you or at least reduces the symptoms.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.webmd.com/menopause/menopause-natural-treatments
The Most Important “Sexy” Model Video Ever
Warrior
Repost from 2014
Next week I’m having Carpal Tunnel surgery on my left and at the same time he is removing the brace in my wrist from when I broke it in 2018. This will be the worst of the surgeries. I go back at the end of the month for Carpal Tunnel surgery in my right hand but that is a much easier surgery with a quick recovery. What makes it more frustrating is I have Ostearithrois of the carpometacarpal joint in both thumbs. This means, the cartilage in those joints has disintegrated and is bone on bone, and it’s quite painful.
My left hand will be bandaged for two weeks, and for several weeks after I can’t do any heavy lifting. I’m already practicing how to dress with my fingers only, boy that’s hard. You use your thumbs for so many things.
Luckily I have my husband to help me but he will be back at work so I’ll have to learn to do things for myself. I expect the first week to involve many pain meds and sleeping. After that, I’ll try my hand at writing to see if I can do it without hurting my wrist and thumb.
I will still read your post although I might not be able to comment.
I will miss your friendship and our conversations.
Melinda
Looking for the Light 