Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Laughter really is the best medicine

20 October, 2012 by 6 Comments
 
With winter approaching, many people are affected by seasonal affective disorder and fight the wintertime blues. Since my busy life has made it difficult for me to post lately, I thought I’d repost my series of practical tips to get those happy hormones in your brain working to create a happier you this winter. Enjoy!
As a pharmacist, a patient, and a child of God who’s had to be “parented” quite a lot over the last eight years, I have learned many practical solutions to insomnia, depression, anxiety, and addiction. I’ve also learned that these four issues often go hand in hand, and are directly related to the chemicals in our brain. The pharmacist in me sought a medical solution–pills. And as most of you know, pills just made things worse.
Throughout this year, I’m going to share small, easy changes you can make in your life that will make for a happier you. All of these tidbits of information are based in both scientific fact and scripture. Medicine and faith really can walk hand in hand when God is your first and foremost physician. I’ll try to keep it simple as far as the “sciency” stuff goes, but a little knowledge about the brain really helps understand why these solutions work.
Most of you have probably heard about the hormone we have called serotonin, right? It’s that almighty chemical the media flooded us with information about when Prozac was first introduced. There is another hormone in your brain called cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone that really kicks in we we are under high stress, afraid, in a hurry, etc. It’s the one that helps us with our “fight or flight” mechanism. Remember that term from high school biology? Well, these two hormones do not coexist well. When Cortisol is high, like when you are worried or stressed, Serotonin is low. And vice versa. 
I’m here to tell you that you don’t need Prozac or one of it’s relatives to help. There are numerous small changes you can make in your lifestyle that have been clinically proven to increase the serotonin levels in your brain. 
Today I want to tell you about laughter aerobics. “What?” Yes, laughter aerobics. This has got to be one of the silliest things I’d ever heard of, but it really exists. Laughter aerobics is a class where people basically sit in a circle and one person is appointed to begin laughing. Fake, real, goofy…it doesn’t matter. They just have to laugh. In turn, everyone else starts laughing too. The great thing is, you don’t have to go to an aerobics class! In the evening, after your work day is complete, do some laughter aerobics with your family. Your kids will think you’re nuts, but that’s all part of the fun! I promise you will end your day with a happy note, your cortisol levels will decrease, your serotonin levels will increase, and as a bonus, you will sleep better.
To top it off, science is not the only confirmation that laughter will make you happier. Read the prescription verse for today. From this verse comes the quote we’ve all heard, “laughter is the best medicine.” 
So tonight, begin your new year by making this small change. Spend just five minutes with your family playing laugh aerobics. I promise you won’t regret it and what do you have to lose?
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, God's Pharmacy, Handling Stress, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Be careful little ears what you hear

21 July, 2012 by 1 Comment




Summer months are lazy months. Kids are home from school and all they want to do is sleep late and then when they finally do get out of bed, they plop down on the sofa to television. And I fall right into the trap with them! Especially if there’s housework to be done. Procrastination is often my adversary. 

When I start feeling like a sloth…
                                                                                                         …I get my iTunes going. 


At least it does these days. 

During my years of depression, you would never find me listening to music. Why? It made me think. I didn’t want to think, I didn’t want to hear anything that might make me feel something. I didn’t want to hear any of the voices inside my head (an upcoming blog post you don’t want to miss.) So television was my go-to. I could sit numbly on the sofa absorbed in someone else’s made up life. Actually kind of like the One Tree Hill marathon I watched with Miranda last week…but that’s a different story. 

I’ve been blogging about the five senses God gave us and today we will talk about hearing. 

What we hear has a direct route to our brains and has a direct effect on the way we think. In the elderly population, depression is often triggered by a loss of hearing. This sparked the idea that sound therapy could be a solution for depression in the hearing population…they just need to be listening to the right stuff. 

This is where my research got really technical…and actually really boring…reading about difference in frequency and sound waves. I’ll just depend on those providing sound therapy to handle that part. I’m much more interested in what it does to the brain. Here’s what a found (it’s bit technical too, but much more interesting—if the sciency stuff loses you, skip down til you see the ***):

Sound Therapy is a non-pharmacological option in the treatment of depression and a tool that could make counseling more effective by supporting it with a physiological impact on brain activation. Creative, focused work or meditation also stimulates the left hemisphere. Research showed that the stronger is the left orientation, the happier the person is likely to be. Sound Therapy directly stimulates the left-brain, so long term Sound Therapy listening is likely to increase levels of happiness. Someone who had had a tendency to depression may need a significant period of time to reshape the brain’s responses. Sound therapy has also side effects, but they are all good: better sleep, more energy, better audition, memory, concentration and learning abilities improved… Don’t you think it is better for you or your child than the drugs with all these terrible side effects?


Okay, so it works on the left hemisphere of the brain. Here’s a little more of my research: 



***
Remember that brain diagram I gave you the other day to illustrate the awe of God’s creation? It’s a diagram of the limbic system—right where our emotional responses come from and right where sound therapy works. The left pre-frontal cortex mentioned above is the first responder in our brains to any type of emotional event. If it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to, we don’t know how to recover from very sad events. That’s often when depression occurs. So anything that can keep these parts of our brain functioning like God planned, and in a manner pleasing to God, is a good thing. 

Do I think sound therapy is a cure all? No. But I do believe God gave us what we need. He made us in his image. He gave us a brain that is unbelievable and five senses that have a direct effect on that brain. We need to lean on him, not on our own understanding and the trends our world has conformed to. 

I hope I didn’t lose you with all the sciency stuff. All five senses can be used to fight depression. We just have to know how to use them correctly. 

 


Remember the song we sang in Sunday School? 

God tells us in today’s prescription verse above we should not conform to this world, and our society is all about the quick fix. I’ll be the first to tell you that antidepressants are very helpful for some people. But not this many: 

latimes.com




October 19, 2011

 

Antidepressants apparently keep a lot of people functional, according to new data from the federal government.

 

The most recent statistics about antidepressant use in the United States, released Wednesday, show 11% of Americans ages 12 and older take the medication. Antidepressants are the most common prescription drug used by people ages 18 to 44. Almost one-quarter of all women ages 40 to 59 take antidepressants. 

Click here to read the entire article. You will be stunned.

What if some disaster happened and drugs were suddenly unavailable? Where would that leave us? Our need for medication keeps us imprisoned. Sometimes this is unavoidable, and we deal with it.

But are 11% of all Americans over 12 years of age really clinically depressed?

I don’t think that’s part of God’s plan. Do you?

From my heart, 

Celeste


P.S. Click here to go to my delicious stack with more articles on sound therapy and depression. 

          P.S.S. In case you’re really interested in Sound Therapy specifically, Here are some links for    sound therapy providers, but I think the right music on iTunes can be pretty effective 😉


Antidepressants apparently keep a lot of people functional, according to new data from the federal government.The most recent statistics about antidepressant use in the United States, released Wednesday, show 11% of Americans ages 12 and older take the medication. Antidepressants are the most common prescription drug used by people ages 18 to 44. Almost one-quarter of all women ages 40 to 59 take antidepressants.


Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , ,

Tip to a Happier You in 2012~I’ve been kidnapped!

15 July, 2012 by Leave a Comment


Well, here it is Saturday evening, and I haven’t posted my {tip to a happier you} for today yet. But I have a good excuse:


I’ve been kidnapped and taken to Tree Hill, North Carolina! 

I’ve been shot in the chest, almost drowned, gotten arrested for beating up an abusive father, given birth early to twins that I wasn’t supposed to be able to get pregnant with only to have my husband forget and leave one of them in the car, been admitted to a mental health facility for blackout episodes because I forgot I had a son six years ago, and almost had a breakdown when my husband disappeared for a week and we didn’t know if he was dead or alive. Luckily, everything ended happily.
Miranda, my 18-year-old, had her wisdom teeth taken out this week. So I have played the roll of caregiver—which for Miranda means making her jello and spaghetti, escorting her plethora of friends in and out to see her, and sitting beside her to keep her company while watching the show of her choice—One Tree Hill.  

Miranda is one of those girls that loves for her friends to spend the night. I have always loved it that she wants them to come here, so we frequently allow them to.

This week, however, held one obstacle: our air conditioner upstairs is broken and must be replaced, so everyone is sleeping downstairs. Did this deter her friends from wanting to spend the night? Nope. So downstairs this week, I’ve had all three sofas made into beds, an extra twin mattress beside one of them, and a double air mattress beside another. Between kids coming and going, fixing meals for Miranda, for my family, and for any extras that may be here, and being kidnapped into the world of One Tree Hill I’m exhausted! I don’t think I’ve loaded and emptied the dishwasher this many times in years—all in the midst of giving birth early to the twins and escaping from the drug dealer kidnapper of course.


When I was depressed, I often found myself watching television and getting wrapped up in others lives so I didn’t have to think about my own. But I would DVR them and only get to watch them when they aired on television. Now we have Netflix. You can sit and literally watch 84 episodes back to back—pausing for potty breaks of course. I suppose it’s a good thing we didn’t have Netflix when I was going through depression. Sitting absorbed in someone else’s life for hours at a time would have been just fine with me, but I think my family would have thrown me to the curb. 


After the hours of One Tree Hill this week, I prefer my life any day of the week, thank you very much. But only because God has blessed me with the ability to be happy again, and in the process, has taught me much about what’s important in life. 

So where’s the tip this week? I’ll let you figure it out. This week has left me with a disaster of a house, too much washing to be done, and sleep deprived from the One Tree Hill marathon. I sat down to write a few times only to hear, “MOM! Can you__________?” But I got to spend the week beside my soon-to-be-grown-up-and-gone Miranda. We made a memory.

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Even if it is watch a One Tree Hill marathon 😉
From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: How to be Happy, Parenting Tips, Simplify Your Life, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Made to Crave

7 July, 2012 by 6 Comments



Here are a few things I know about taste and mood: 

  • It makes us happy to eat something sweet…a comfort food.
  • If we eat a healthy diet, we feel better and are therefore happier.
  • A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. 
  • We feel happier—more satisfied—when our stomachs are full. 
And last but not least…
  • Food is often about relationships. Relationships between us and God, us and friends, and us and our own soul.
There have been tons of studies done testing what we eat with how we feel. We all know that certain vitamins—like Omega-3 fatty acids for instance—feed our brains and increases our overall well-being. 

Food is obviously an important topic to God, as the Bible is full of references to food. Many major events in the Bible took place around food. 

But the food—and the choice of food— was used as a gateway to Christ. Whether it was sacrifice, celebration, or miracle, the food was all about Christ. His body is the bread.

I’ll be honest. This is a tough topic for me. In research, depending on the exact point you search for, there are arguments in every direction. For more information about the arguing voices in my head, check out my post Acceptance in Christ—which honestly is not the best title considering it deals mostly with food. But oh well. 

One of the books I’ve read this year is Made to Crave, which is honestly the most unusual—but also the most enlightening—book about diets. Mostly because it is and is not a diet book. I’m afraid you will just have to read to see what I mean. But there’s one thing I learned (well, confirmed my thought anyway):

We crave whatever is a part of our life—what we do, who we see, what we eat, what we drink, etc. 

    • If we watch pornography, we want to watch more.
    • If we drink alcohol—or Mountain Dew—we want to drink more.
    • If we use drugs, we want them more (And I’m a witness to that one!) 

The neat thing is, though, that the flip side of this is true as well.

    • If we read about God, we want to know more.
    • If we become a volunteer, we want to volunteer more.
    • If we begin tithing, we want to tithe more. 
I’ll share a secret here. I almost didn’t write a blog post today. Not because I didn’t want to, it’s just that time got away from me this week and I found myself beginning this post at midnight last night. Only to hear David say, “What the heck are you doing on your computer NOW?” He really gets tired of seeing me on my computer. 

Well, he hurt my feelings. And as all great women do, I pouted. Most of the day today. Didn’t get anything accomplished. You know the video that surface a few months ago about the father putting a bullet in his daughter’s laptop? I think that’s what David would like to do to mine sometimes. 

But I realized something really important about myself today. I was made to write. It is one of God’s purposes for me. You may get this post a day late, and it may mean only a little to a very few people. But God compels me to write, so it must be for something! I just have to find more time alone. Hmmm….

Okay, back to topic. 

Our taste buds can deceive us. What we think makes us happy, may be only temporary. Since I’ve cut back on sugar, I don’t crave it nearly like I used to. And since I’ve been blogging and writing for God, I crave it more and more. As Lysa Terkeurst says, “We were made to crave.” 



We just have to begin putting away the bad, and starting on the good. 

“Whether we’re on the path toward victory or defeat is determined by the very next choice we make. Not the choices from yesterday. Not the choices five minutes ago.” ~Lysa Terkeurst

We must retrain our taste buds—whether it’s the ones in our mouth or those on our heart—to crave good. 

Especially to crave God.
From my heart,
Celeste

P.S. If you want to know more about the foods and vitamins that can physically enhance your mood, click here for the link to my Delicious stack, Diet for Depression.
Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Living with Purpose, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~The Power of Touch

30 June, 2012 by 1 Comment

I’m back to my posts on how we can use the five senses God gave us to fight depression and made us happier. Today it’s the power of touch. 

The touch of Jesus is illustrated through story after story in the Bible. 

  • The story from the prescriptions verse above where he touched the leper and healed him.
  • The story of Peter when he stepped out of the boat to walk on water. When he took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. But when Jesus took his hand, they walked across together. 
  • The story illustrated in Matthew 28 where Jesus touches the eyes of the blind man and restores his sight.
  • The story in Mark chapter 7 where Jesus healed the man who was deaf and dumb through touching his ears and his tongue. 
  • The story in Luke chapter 8 where the woman touched the hem of Jesus’s garment and was healed. 
Jesus healed all of these people through his touch. But was it really his touch that did the healing? God sent Jesus to earth in human form. He was not an angel or a spirit or a deity when he was on earth. He was human. So how did his touch heal so many? 

I believe it was the faith behind his touch. Because Jesus was the Son of God, people had faith in his touch. It was really a no-brainer if you ask me. But now let me tell you another story…

I have a friend, Patty Mason, who suffered severe depression—nearly to the point of suicide, back in mid-1990. She has suffered a difficult childhood and put all of her happiness in her own husband and children. But something was always missing. She could never fully leave her past behind and depression overcame her. In the shower one morning—the morning that she told God she’d had it…she was going to end her life—God impressed upon her to go to her MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) group that day. So she went. 

After listening to a speaker who just happened to be speaking on depression, she stayed a little late to chat with the speaker. Before she knew it, she was pouring out her heart to this woman she didn’t even know, sobbing uncontrollably in front of other women, who were no doubt staring in disbelief. 

After intently listening, this woman reached out to console Patty, touching her left arm. In that exact instant, the depression disappeared. 

And never had the guts to return. 

Did this woman heal her? No. Did Jesus heal in the Bible? I don’t think so. God worked through them—through the power and faith of their touch—to heal. 

Now I realize the trinity puts a whole other spin on the situation, but Jesus was in human form when he lived here on earth. I don’t presently recall any stories in the Bible that Jesus’s touch did not heal, but I bet there were some people touched by Jesus who were not healed, because they did not believe. 

Researchers have spent much time, effort, and money learning how human touch affects human emotion. You can see some of the articles in my research in my delicious stack, but I can tell you all the literature show a direct proportion between hugs and happiness.

Have you ever seen someone on the street with a sign that says “Free Hugs?” In most cases it’s not some nutcase trying to get close to you. There is a movement going on to increase happiness and love through the power of hugs. 


Besides just observation, Dr. Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute (you know it must be important if it has it’s own institute) says the following: 

The benefits of touch seem to stem largely from its ability to reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone manufactured by the adrenal glands. This was measured in two dozen studies. She said that touching with moderate-pressure (a firm handshake) stimulates activity in the vagus nerve, one of the 12 cranial nerves in the brain, which in turn slows the heart and decreases the production of stress hormones including cortisol (remember, that’s the fight or flight hormone I’ve discussed in other {tips to a happier you} posts).  

Other studies published from the Touch Research Institute, published in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrate that touch contributes to…


  • Decreased pain. Children with mild to moderate juvenile rheumatoid arthritis who were given messages by their parents 15 minutes per day for one month experienced less anxiety and lower cortisol levels. Over a 30-day period, parents, kids, and their physicians reported less pain overall in the children.  
  • Enhanced immune function. In studies, women with breast cancer and HIV patients showed a measurable increase in natural killer cells—part of a line of defense in the immune system against virus-infected cells and cancer cells—after massage. They also experienced less anxiety and depression. 
  • Happier, healthier babies. Preemies who were touched more while in the NICU gained more weight.
  • Less labor pain. Women in labor who received a backrub the first 15 minutes of every hour of labor reported less pain and made fewer requests for pain medications. Their labor was also shorter, on average.
  • Enhanced alertness and performance. Following massage, adults completed math problems in significantly less time and with fewer errors.   


Okay, enough of the sciency stuff. I think you’re getting my point.  

When we were in Chicago last week meeting the head honchos of the home health franchise we are looking into, there was a very unique impression made on me by Shelley, the president/CEO of the company. After our initial dinner meeting—which consisted of ten couples and a few executives—she bid us good-bye with a hug…each and every one of us. I’m guessing that as a CEO of a successful company, she knows the value of a hug. 

If God worked through the touch of his son Jesus, he can work through our touch. After all, we are his children too! 

From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, How to be Happy, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, Miracles Do Happen, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Happiness by Choice

23 June, 2012 by Leave a Comment


David and I have been in Chicago this week at a training seminar for a home health care franchise we are purchasing in South Carolina. My brain is drained and we’ve had very little sleep. As I was in the seminar this morning, I was thinking, “When am I going to get my blog post done for tomorrow?” (You know the perfectionist in me can’t leave you without a {tips to a happier you} post for Saturday). 
As we were looking at their websites and blogs, I ran across this slideshow they posted and decided it would be perfect for your happy tip this week. 

If you read the prescription verse above and think, “What does that verse have to do with happiness?”, let me tell you: People who have suffered and overcome struggles in life have gained wisdom. Whether it’s addiction, depression, bankruptcy, loss, whatever…they have learned from the experience. 

When I was battling with depression and addiction, I wish I had been more willing to seek advice from others who had overcome. Instead, I stayed home in my pajamas and shut myself off from anyone and everyone. I didn’t want the difficulty of relationships and I certainly didn’t want to deal with the masks and pleasantries required for social     interaction. 

Maybe that’s why I had to suffer as long as I did. 

Maybe I’d have been ready for God to use me sooner if I’d been willing to learn from others. 

Maybe everything had to happen exactly as it did for me to learn how God wanted to use me to teach what I had to learn the hard way. 

Anyway, enjoy the slideshow below. Many of my Saturday tips I’ve shared thus far are included in the slideshow, so hopefully it will give you an overview of what happy looks like. 

I realize that depression is not a choice, but I believe happiness can be. Remember, it’s all about small steps—changing your thoughts a little at a time. 
Happiness by choice

View more presentations from hosanna



From my heart, 


Celeste
Filed Under: How to be Happy, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With:

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Choosing to See Truth

16 June, 2012 by 1 Comment



As a pharmacist who became the patient for seven years, I gained quite the understanding on depression. If you’ve never experienced it, I’m rejoicing with you! It’s not a place you want to go. If you have experienced it…well, I’m right there with you. 


In the gloomy pit of despair and hopelessness that is depression, desperation is born. The desire to be out of that pit is overwhelming. We will do anything to get out. 


Prozac, one of the most prescribed medications for depression, was approved by the FDA just as I began practicing. It was the first antidepressant in its class of serotonin reuptake inhibitors. That particular class has grown drastically over the last twenty-two years and has actually spun off into a new class—serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For a list of the serotonin reuptake inhibitors, click here. For a list of serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, click here.


During my first fourteen years as a pharmacist, I couldn’t begin to tell you how many Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil prescriptions I filled. I never understood the desperation behind those prescriptions. In the last few years, Cymbalta—one of the newer antidepressants—has gained popularity. Drug companies in the U.S. have invested millions in research, marketing, and advertising making antidepressants the most prescribed class of drugs in our country. 


A 2007 article at CNN Health, “CDC: Antidepressants most prescribed drugs in U.S.,” says the following: 

According to a government study, antidepressants have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. They’re prescribed more than drugs to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, or headaches. CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen discusses the CDC study on antidepressants.

In its study, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at 2.4 billion drugs prescribed in visits to doctors and hospitals in 2005. Of those, 118 million were for antidepressants.

A 2011 article at Harvard Health Solutions, “Astounding increase in antidepressant use by Americans,” gave the following statistics: 

  • According to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the rate of antidepressant use in this country among teens and adults (people ages 12 and older) increased by almost 400% between 1988–1994 and 2005–2008.
  • 23% of women in their 40s and 50s take antidepressants, a higher percentage than any other group (by age or sex)
  • Women are 2½ times more likely to be taking an antidepressant than men (click here to read a May 2011 article in the Harvard Mental Health Letter about women and depression)
  • 14% of non-Hispanic white people take antidepressants compared with just 4% of non-Hispanic blacks and 3% of Mexican Americans
  • Less than a third of Americans who are taking a single antidepressants (as opposed to two or more) have seen a mental health professional in the past year
  • Antidepressant use does not vary by income status
Are you getting the picture? 

During my seven years as a patient, I was desperately searching for a cure for my depression (among other things). I tried a few of the antidepressants, none of which helped my depression. Cymbalta, in particular, caused so many side effects and drug interactions, I think it made me more depressed. And when I decided to go off of it, I had to wean very slowly to avoid withdrawals (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) from this drug that we are told is not addictive. 

Okay. I’ve said all that to say this: 

We’ve got to stop trying to take the easy way out of everything. 

God created our brain—every little complex, intricate detail—to deal with sadness and depression. He also gave us our eyes—the sense of sight.  

In an article at Mood-Factory on the power of color, Susan Minamyer tells us this: 

Bright colors, such as yellow, reflect more light and stimulate the eyes. Yellow is the color that the eye processes first, and is the most luminous and visible color in the spectrum. 

And what color did God decide for the sun? 

I don’t believe that to be a coincidence. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder gives us further proof of this. It’s a kind of depression that occurs a certain time of the year, usually in the winter months. There is even a special type of light you can buy that mimics sunlight. And yes, I have one of those too. 

Now I’m not totally against antidepressants. I do believe in some cases they are necessary. 
But in the United States, we want immediate gratification. Consider this excerpt from the CNN Health article quoted above: 
Dr. Ronald Dworkin tells the story of a woman who didn’t like the way her husband was handling the family finances. She wanted to start keeping the books herself but didn’t want to insult her husband.
The doctor suggested she try an antidepressant to make herself feel better.
She got the antidepressant, and she did feel better, said Dr. Dworkin, a Maryland anesthesiologist and senior fellow at Washington’s Hudson Institute, who told the story in his book “Artificial Unhappiness: The Dark Side of the New Happy Class.” But in the meantime, Dworkin says, the woman’s husband led the family into financial ruin.

 

“Doctors are now medicating unhappiness,” said Dworkin. “Too many people take drugs when they really need to be making changes in their lives.”

We have a choice.  

We choose what we see. 

Your eye is a lamp that provides light for you body. 
When your eye is good, your body is filled with light.

We choose to see things that make us happy. We choose to see light or dark. We choose to see truth. 
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet 
and a light unto my path. 
(Psalm 119:105 KJV)

Doctors see only a sliver of our lives, yet we expect them to fix us. It’s not their fault, really.  With advertising and the Internet, we typically walk into their office knowing what we want. As patients, we need to look deeper. 

What are you choosing to see?

From my heart, 
Celeste
For more information, check out my delicious stacks: “Antidepressants” and “What you see is what you get.”

If this post was of particular interest to you, check out an older post, “America on Drugs.”
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, Chronic Illness, Managing Prescription Drugs, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happer You in 2012~When life gives you lemons, sniff them!

9 June, 2012 by 56 Comments


“Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles 
and all the years you have lived.” – Helen Keller





God gave us five senses—hearing, sight, taste, touch, and smell. All of these senses send direct messages to our brains. Consider the information given by the Social Issues Research Center on the subject of fragrance and emotion: 


The association of fragrance and emotion is not an invention of poets or perfume-makers. Our olfactory receptors are directly connected to the limbic system, the most ancient and primitive part of the brain, which is thought to be the seat of emotion. Smell sensations are relayed to the cortex, where ‘cognitive’ recognition occurs, only after the deepest parts of our brains have been stimulated. Thus, by the time we correctly name a particular scent as, for example, ‘vanilla’ , the scent has already activated the limbic system, triggering more deep-seated emotional responses.

There are many references to perfumes and essential oils in the Bible. Events of sacrifice and worship most always involved essential oils. Frankincense and myrrh were two of the three gifts brought to Baby Jesus when he was born. God uses our sense of smell to make connections in our brain. 

The nose knows. Scents take us back in time to our memories that were associated with that scent. We also associate scents with certain events. 

  • Coffee = Morning
  • Fir = Christmas
  • Coconut=The Beach
  • Lemon=Clean

Studies on the effect of scents on mood show the following examples:

  • Natural plant odors make people calmer, more alert, and in better moods than those in an odor-free environment. 
  • Orange, lavender, coffee, and licorice increase attention span.
  • The smell of cleaning supplies makes people more generous. 
Aromatherapy is the practice of using natural oils to enhance psychological and physical well-being. 

We have a very personal relationship with our sniffers. What smells good to me might smell terrible to someone else. Many people love the smell of vanilla. I hate it. I used to battle with migraine headaches pretty frequently and used a heating pad on the back of my neck sometimes for relief. This particular heating pad was one that you microwave and it was vanilla scented. The heating pad never did help with my headaches; now when I smell vanilla, it gives me a headache! 

Now I realize that sticking a great smelling candle in your kitchen won’t cure depression. But it’s a small step. We can use the senses that God gave us—our sense of smell in this case—to make our environment a happier one. The little things add up to big things. 

If you are a regular reader, you know I post regularly on Saturdays and Mondays little tips and ideas to make your life happier and maybe a little easier. No single tip or change you make will be a cure-all. It’s all about small steps. I can’t tell you how many times I have cleaned all of the junk food out of the pantry, determined that my family will eat healthy, only to end up replacing most of it within a few days because everyone is fussing. As humans, we resist change, but change is necessary to grow. We must take one step at a time and repeat, repeat, repeat. We are creatures of habit and must turn these small things into habits before we move on the next one. In a year’s time, these small changes will equal big results. 

So my little {tip to a happier you} today is to think about smells you associate with good things and try to incorporate them into your life. Then go back and check out the other {tips to a happier you} and {make-a-change} Mondays I have give you this year. Have you implemented any of these? Have they stuck? Have they made a difference? I hope so. 

Life certainly isn’t easy; you never know when your coming up to the next big hill. Any small thing we can incorporate into our lives can make a difference. 

So when life gives you lemons, sniff them! 




From my heart, 



Celeste

For more information on how scent affects your mood, check out my delicious stack of article here. 



Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~What are you afraid of?

2 June, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There really is an app for everything. My kids were playing with my phone the other day asking me things like, “Do you know what Astrophobia is? Or what about Didaskaleinophobia? Katasaridaphobia?” They found an app that listed all known phobias. A smorgasbord of all of the crazy—and not so crazy—things people are afraid of. Did you know there are over 500 identified and named phobias? Here’s a small sample:

  • Astrophobia– Fear of stars or celestial space.
  • Katsaridaphobia– Fear of cockroaches (Who isn’t?).
  • Didaskaleinophobia– Fear of going to school (I had this one in 6th grade).
  • Amnesiphobia—Fear of amnesia (Wouldn’t you just forget you were afraid of it?).
  • Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia—Fear of the number “666.”
  • Mageirocophobia—Fear of cooking (This is a current one for me!).
  • Alektorophobia—Fear of chickens.
  • Osmophobia or Osphresiophobia—Fear of body odors.
  • Consecotaleophobia—Fear of chopsticks.
  • Vestiphobia—Fear of clothing. 
  • Disposophobia—Fear of hoarding (Now I NEED this one).
  • Gymnophobia or Nudophobia—Fear of nudity (I’m thinking the Gymnophogiac wouldn’t get along too well with the Vestiphobiac)
  • Asymmetriphobia—Fear of assymetrical things (If you ever saw the show “Monk,” you know it was one of his top fears). In fact….
Enjoy this clip from “Monk,” one of my faves 😉

Now some phobias are a little easier to understand: 

  • Thanatophobia—Fear of dying or death.
  • Ochophobia—Fear of being in a moving Automobile.
  • Ichthyophobia—Fear of fish (Miranda has this one).
  • Hadephobia, Stygiophobia or Stigiophobia—Fear of Hell.
  • Dementophobia or Maniaphobia—Fear of insanity. (I experienced this once when I had a drug interaction. I thought I was going to end up in a straight jacket staring at four white walls!)
  • Aviophobia or Aviatophobia or Pteromerhanophobia—Fear of flying. (I recently overcame this one!)
If you are fascinated, amazed, or just want to find the name of your phobia, they are ALL listed on The Phobia Index for your convenience 😉
I’m thinking there are a LOT of people scared of a LOT of things for there to actually be crazy names for this many fears. 
Why? 
If we say we believe in an almighty God, the creator of the earth and everything in it, can we not take him at his word? One of my life verses is John 16:33:
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart, I have overcome the world.
And in today’s prescription verse from Philippians, Paul (who experience trouble and persecution around every corner) tells us not to be anxious or afraid of anything. Just let God handle it. He has it all under control, even though it’s beyond our understanding.
That’s where our faith comes in. 
I know I have quite a few blogs about fear, but I didn’t realize the prison of fear I lived in until God showed me that He has it under control. I had to learn the hard way, and I’m hoping I can take what I learned and make things a little easier for someone else. 
So today’s {tip to a happier you} is to let go of fear. I realize that’s easier said than done. Just think of the song we sang in Sunday school when we were little…
It’s a good video, I promise…these guys must have created it? 
He’s got this! All of it! 
We just have to let Him have it…
From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, The Power of Prayer, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Have a Happy Mother’s Day!

12 May, 2012 by 5 Comments

To all of you who are mothers, Happy Mother’s Day! To all of you who are not biological mothers, you have the opportunity to be a mother to someone. All it takes is love…unconditional love.

Every child has a love language, and all three of my children get their love tanks filled with my undivided time and attention. So this mother’s day, whether you are a child spending time with your mother, or a mother spending time with your child(ren), or just spending time with someone you love, my {tip to a happier you} for mother’s day is to fill someone’s love tank.

I’m filling my kid’s (and hubby’s) love tank this weekend by putting away my computer. It may seem like a vacation for me, but trust me, it’s a sacrifice…especially with a writer’s conference coming up next week.

So fill someone’s love tank this weekend. Remember, doing something for someone else helps you take the focus off of yourself, and altruism actually has been proven to increase those good hormones in your brain to make you happy!

From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Parenting Tips, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Learning What’s Urgent vs. What’s Important

5 May, 2012 by Leave a Comment



This morning I heard a poem on WLFJ that one of the morning hosts wrote, and once again found my self in tears driving down the road. 
The older I get, the sappier I get. 
But anyway, it really goes well to illustrate my {tip to a happier you} today: 
The Letting Go Test
 By Leslie Nease
Nine months of growth inside of my womb
And in what seemed like an instant, she was there in the room
My heart was just bursting – I could barely compose
As I looked her over intently and counted fingers and toes
Eleven days later, I remember so well
Was my first “letting go test” – her umbilical cord fell
The pain in my heart, I could not ignore
As I realized this test was the first of many more
I nursed her eight months, and then it was time to move on
So I gave her some cereal – yet another era gone
When she was five, it was time to let go again
As I walked her to the school bus, she wore a huge grin
“Oh, God! Please protect her! I cannot be there.
But I trust you are with her and you’ll keep her in your care!”
And I was grinning, also, though my heart broke in two
As I watched my little girl learn to tie her own shoe
Little by little my girl needed me less
As she picked out her clothes and got herself dressed
A few months later, she lost her first tooth
(I cried like a baby, if you want to know the truth!)
This “letting go test” was a challenge indeed
When she took the storybook from me and started to read
I blinked and in an instant I realized much time had passed
As she went off to middle school – she was growing so fast!
The “letting go test” intensified, I remember with dread
When I drove her to the DMV, and she drove me home instead!
Her face lit up with excitement as we handed her the keys
And she drove off alone as I dropped to my knees
“Oh, God! Please protect her! I cannot be there.
But I trust you are with her and you’ll keep her in your care!”
My prayers were more often and more intense, I must confess
As she was gone more often now, and I saw her much less
My girl was growing up and I was completely shook
As she picked her favorite photos for her Senior Yearbook
And just a few months later, my girl turned eighteen
A young woman she was becoming now – what a sight to be seen!
“God, where did the time go?” I began to pray
As our family dressed up for Graduation Day.
She walked across the stage with her head held high
And as she took her diploma, I began to cry
But these tears were so different, more like tears of delight
My girl was a woman now and she was going to be all right
All the “letting go tests” that I’d had over the years
Helped me let go, trust God and release all my fears
The “tests” were sent by Him to prepare my mom-heart
For the ultimate test – when we’d begin to live apart
The day quickly approached and we loaded up the car
We drove her to college – it just seemed so far
We unloaded her things and we hugged her goodbye
And I tried not to do it but I couldn’t help but cry
This “letting go test” was the hardest test yet
The drive home was long – one I’ll never forget
But the sadness I feel is not the same as before
I feel such joy for her – there’s so much in store!
“Oh, God! Please protect her! I cannot be there.
But I trust you are with her and you’ll keep her in your care!”
 Are you crying with me yet? With an {eight-year-old-going-on-sixteen-year-old} daughter, and a {thirteen-year-old-girl-crazy} son, and an {eighteen-year-old-soon-to-be-graduating} daughter, this poem really hit home, as it would with many moms. 
When our children are graduating, getting married and having kids of their own, what will we look back and remember?
  • Our little girl asking us to sit down and read a book, but we were too busy checking emails? 
  • Our teenager wanting us to meet her for lunch, but we have too many errands to run? 
  • Our kids begging to go to the pool, but we say it’s just too hot outside…so we stay home and mow the lawn instead?  
 What will they look back and remember? 
  • How the cabinets and floors sparkled every Saturday night in preparation for a new week? 
  • How much fun dad always had playing golf every Saturday?
  • How mom sat at the computer every waking hour of the day? (Stepping on my own toes bigtime)
  • How dad’s coworkers respected him because he was at the office by 7:00 am and didn’t leave work until after 7:00 pm? 
  • How there was always one more thing that had to be done before they could go out and play? 

There is a huge difference between what is urgent and what is important. In our fast-paced days, the line between the two gets easily blurred. 
My hubby and I can open up our emails at any given moment and have a thousand or more. The urge to clean out that inbox is intense, but how many of those emails are really important?
I have to stop and give God some praise for blessing me with such an awesome husband. I’m sure if he reads this post he will be difficult to live with for a few days, but nevertheless…he loves to play golf, yet he rarely does. To be good at golf, he says you have to play often, which usually means Saturdays. He decided when our kids were little that having a good golf game was not what he wanted to look back on when he was old. He wanted to look back on Saturdays spent as a family. Hiking, movies, swimming…whatever we did, we did it together. And we still do. For David, family comes absolutely first. Not to say that we haven’t had tough times. We’ve had our share of marital issues, especially when I was battling addiction and depression. But by the grace of God, David persevered. And God delivered me. Whew! I sure am glad those years are over! 
Back on topic…urgent vs. important. 
  • The grass is up to my knees, but my kids want us to bake cookies and watch a movie. The grass can wait. 
  • I’m really not hungry and need to go to Wal-Mart before Marlee gets out of school, but Miranda and her boyfriend want me to meet them for lunch at La Fogata. Am I going to remember going to Wal-Mart (again) or having lunch with my soon-to-be-in-college daughter? So what if they only want me there so I will pay? 
  • I have to be up early to work Friday morning, but the premier of the Hunger Games movie is at midnight Thursday night and Trevor really wants to go. 
I was really sleepy on Friday.
But it was important.
We made a memory. 
So that’s my {tip to a happier you} for today. Make memories. The good kind. The emails, the grass, and the dog hair on the floor will all still be there. Even when you do accomplish those tasks, I promise they will all return again.
The opportunity to make memories may not.

From my heart,

Celeste

 

Filed Under: Living with Purpose, Making Changes, Parenting Tips, Simplify Your Life, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Stretch Your Way to Happy

28 April, 2012 by 15 Comments

When Marlee was just a toddler, she would stretch endlessly. When I would go to get her up in the mornings, she would stall saying, “Hang on, I’m not finished stretching yet.” And she would stretch to one side, then the other, procrastinating because she didn’t want to get out of bed. 


But she always got up in the best of moods! 


Stretching does so much for our mind and body. When I get up in the morning, I try to take lessons from Marlee and stretch for a minute. I’m immediately energized and awake. At night, if I can’t sleep, I stretch my arms and legs as far as I can, hold the stretch, and then relax every muscle in my body. 
There is something that happens when I do this that feels like peace washing over me…which is why I picked the prescription verse above. 


I’d like to think that I’ve had the peace of God many times in my life, but nothing like I felt when He healed me in 2010 of seizures, depression, and addiction. I was in the car listening to a song by Phillips, Craig, and Dean called Mercy Came Running, being totally thankful for the mercy that God showed me when He chose to heal me, and I literally felt peace wash down over me, starting at the top of my head, running down my hair and face, then over my shoulders—kind of like the green slime kids get poured over them on Nickelodeon, only not so gooey! 😉


When we stretch out our muscles, we release endorphins in our brains that give us a peace of sorts…a sense of well-being and calmness. Maybe not as good as God’s peace washing over you, but he did create the hormones in our brain, so in a sense, it is His peace! 


Here are a few other ways stretching is good for you: 

  • Stretching relieves your body of stress, therefore decreasing your cortisol levels and increasing your serotonin levels.
  • Stretching helps put your muscles in a more relaxed state, therefore helping you sleep better.
  • When you stretch, you are focused on your muscles…contracting and relaxing them with a regulated breathing pattern, which also increases serotonin.
  • Stretching increases blood flow in your body, therefore reducing the stress on any particular system in your body (cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous system).

So the tip to a happier you for today is simple—stretch. If you read Monday’s post, and you have your post-it note up to remind you to say your “trust” prayer, just use it to remind you to stretch too. Again, it only takes a few minutes and what do you have to lose? 

From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, How to be Happy, Overcoming Addiction, Physical Wellness, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Do what you love

22 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I love to take pictures of people. It’s both challenging and rewarding to capture the essence of someone’s personality in a photograph. Sometimes you can see personality characteristics in a photograph that you can’t see in real life. We were created in God’s image, and every single one of is is a masterpiece created by the Master Creator. 


One of the best ways to fight depression—or even just the blues—is to do something that you love. For me, photography is one of my “somethings.” Here are the reasons photography makes me happy: 

  • It is a creative outlet
  • It keeps my mind focused and busy
  • It allows me to interact with people
  • It allows me to do something for someone else
  • It gives me a sense of accomplishment

All of these reasons I enjoy photography actually increase the endorphins and chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin) in my brain that increase my mood and sense of well being. Doing something that you love, whether it’s photography, music, gardening, carpentry, etc…have most of the characteristics I listed above. 


So my tip for a happier you today is to do something that you love. Whether you make money or not is irrelevant. Getting paid for doing what you love sometimes makes it more rewarding, and sometimes it makes it less. It’s all the other reasons that make it worth it. 

For me, spring is a great time for photography which is what led me to this tip today. With senior pictures, proms, and mother’s day, my camera has been busy. And I was blessed to get to photograph one a God’s new creations last week too! So I thought I’d share a few of God’s masterpieces with you today as seen through my lens 😉

So go do what you love and be happy! 
From my heart, 

Celeste
Enjoy! 😉

Gotta love the horse in this one! :D

Filed Under: How to be Happy, Life Through the Lens, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy

14 April, 2012 by 1 Comment



Since we’ve been talking about how sugar affects your health, I thought it would be helpful to look into the plethora of sugar substitutes available to us today that are FDA approved. 


My research, most of which I already knew, brought me back to the conclusion I shared in an old blog post, God’s Pharmacy. We just can’t leave well enough alone. God gave us some great stuff when he created the earth! But we insist on manipulating it to suit our desires. 


Here is a great list of the FDA approved artificial sweeteners available to us I found in an article on the Spark People website: 


Acesulfame-Potassium (Acesulfame-K) goes by the brand names Ace-K, Sunett and Sweet One. It is a combination of organic acid and potassium that is often blended with other sugar substitutes.

  • 200 times sweeter than sugar
  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

Aspartame goes by the brand names Equal and NutraSweet. It is composed of two amino acids (proteins), aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested food additives, according to the FDA. People with the rare heredity disease phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume aspartame.

    • 160-220 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 4 calories per gram (metabolized as a protein), but because such a small amount is needed to sweeten foods and beverages, the calories provided by aspartame are considered negligible.
  • Not heat stable (cannot be used in cooking or baking)
  • Produces a limited glycemic response
  • ADI: 50 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Neotame is one of the newest artificial sweeteners approved for use in packaged foods and beverages.

    • 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 18 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Rapidly metabolized and excreted

 

 

Saccharin goes by the brand names Necta Sweet, Sugar Twin and Sweet ‘N Low.

    • 200-700 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Stevia (Rebaudioside A) goes by the names PureVia, Sun Crystals and Truvia. It is a steviol glycoside, one component of the stevia plant that provides sweetness.

    • 250-300 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates per gram
  • ADI: 0-4 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Metabolized by the body into steviol, which is not absorbed in the blood and therefore leaves the body unchanged

 

 

Sucralose goes by the brand name Splenda.

    • 600 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 5mg/kg body weight per day
  • Poorly absorbed and excreted unchanged

 

 

Want to know what they all have in common? They are all synthetic chemicals. 


I could write all day on the dangers of these artificial sweeteners. The lists are unending of the problems they can cause, the studies the have been done to prove their safety (or risks), and the questions they leave unanswered.


Now here’s a fun little list of possible dangers of artificial sweeteners: 

  • Weight gain (I know, quite ironic isn’t it?)
  • Headaches
  • Allergies
  • Depression
  • Anxiety and Panic Attacks
  • Gastro-intestinal disorders
  • Cancer
Pretty scary, right? 



The stevia seems to be the most promising of possibilities for a good natural sweetener, but  the form approved by the FDA sold in the US has been chemically altered. 


So why do we put these chemicals in our bodies? 


I’m going to give you some great articles to read if you’d like to read further, but I’m summing it up. 


In one of the articles I read on the safety of Stevia and the concern for it’s FDA approval, this statement stuck out like a sore thumb: 


In the U.S., we like to go to extremes,” adds toxicologist Ryan Huxtable of the University of Arizona in Tucson. “So a significant number of people here might consume much greater amounts.” (Nutrition Action)



Now read today’s prescription verse. Yes, I know it’s about wine—a little wine that is— but shouldn’t it apply to everything? It’s about moderation and using what God gave us. When it comes to sugar and artificial sweeteners, I’m going with plain old unsweet. If I must have something sweet, a little cane sugar (the most natural form of sugar we can buy) seems to be the safest answer. If the natural form of stevia is easy to buy, I will use it as well. As for all the rest, STAY AWAY! They are nothing but trouble. 


Hope you found this post helpful! 

From my heart,

Celeste



P.S. Here’s the link to my stack of delicious article if you’d like to do some more reading for yourself: The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy


P.S.S. Don’t forget to read Monday’s post for make-a-change Monday. I have one great tip for you to help you change sugar habits that I didn’t reveal today 😉


Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,