ONE LIFE BLOG
We are all broken
I was talking to a friend recently. We were discussing where we both were in life. With my wonderful ‘depression’ snapping at my heals and the revolution of what seems like 100’s past wounds come to inflict my soul, he reflected how, two marriages down, he felt as if he was living life leaving a(n) (unintentional) trail of destruction behind him.
Which reminded me of the saying; “we are all a little broken”.
And that we are also doing the best that we can. And then the discussion of; would we do things any different? Can we do anything now that might change the outcome?
We are such unperfect beings. We make decisions, take chances, make choices. Some of which work out for the best. Some leave us wondering how on earth we got to where we got and scrambling to try and put things together again, to plaster the cracks, to put salve on the wounds.
Top Ten Supplements for Mental Health
While our first approach to our mental health should come from lifestyle adjustments - focusing on our food, sleep and movement - we may also need extra support.
We may not want to take medication because we don’t feel our symptoms are bad enough, we’ve tried medication in the past and didn’t find it helpful or we simply want short-term support to help us get on top of things.
Specific blood tests for mental well-being
Below is a list of the most important blood tests for mental health. This list is by no means exhaustive - but it is a good start to rule out some basic deficiencies or other causes for poor mood, energy or anxiety.
Please note: blood tests are a moment in time. Some of these levels (such as TSH) may fluctuate daily and even at different times of the day. Discuss the results with your doctor and have them re-tested if necessary.
Remember - everyone is an individual! There is not one solution to depression, anxiety or other mental health issues.
Traditional health care losing its appeal?
Are you a GP, nurse or other health professional struggling with your current position within the medical model?
There's an awakening (without being woke) from the general public and healthcare professionals that maybe there is more to medicine than what we have been led to believe.
And this is causing a gentle, but fast passed uprising from people who want better knowledge, better prevention and better, safer forms of treatment.
And some physicians and nurses and wondering 'Where does this leave me?'
How to exercise for mental well-being
Find it a struggle to exercise? I have good news!
I recently listened to a book called “No Sweat” by Michelle Segar.
Another coach had recommended it.
I had a belief for a very long time about exercise -.we’re often made to believe that exercise has to be:
Hard
Uncomfortable
Sweat inducing
Something you ‘do’
But actually, unless you are training or want to achieve a specific goal, exercise didn’t need to be uncomfortable, difficult or even ‘exercise’. In fact, it’s everyday movement that is important when it comes to physical and mental health.
Blood testing for Mental Health
Did you know there is no physical test to diagnose mental health issues?
There are some biological markers that have been associated with poorer mental well-being (depression and anxiety for example).
Because the way we feel mentally - is highly governed by our physical body - sometimes we feel 'low' due to a physical cause (hormones anyone??).
Physical illness causes us to want to withdraw, not be social and have low energy.
The Gut & Mental Health
Many years ago when my daughter ended up in A&E with abdominal pain, the doctor on duty asked her about her history. When she explained that she had been given the diagnosis of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), he replied “There is no such thing as IBS”.
You might be thinking ‘What the heck?’
What he meant by this, is that ‘IBS’ is a name given to a set of symptoms. It's a syndrome and doesn't describe the cause of the abdominal discomfort or the contributing factors.
IBS can be triggered by many different things, including poor digestion, dietary triggers or food sensitivities, lack of digestive enzymes, hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid), gut dysbiosis (an abnormal balance of bacteria, viruses or fungi in the gut), thyroid issues, stress, parasites…
Therefore the diagnosis of ‘IBS’ requires further investigation.
How to cope with overwhelm
In the last three weeks - and indeed 3 years has been a lot going on around us.
Even if we are not directly involved with events, seeing the images and hearing the stories on the news and social media can feel incredibly overwhelming.
This can cause us to feel stressed, which can lead to difficulty concentrating, can affect our sleep pattern and contribute to us feeling irritable.
And. This in itself can lead us to feel more overwhelmed.
SO WHAT DO WE DO & HOW DO WE COPE WITH OVERWHELM?
AND HOW DO WE COPE WITH THE FEELINGS OF GUILT AS WE CARRY ON OUR LIVES AS NORMAL?
Everyday delicious muesli / granola
I have been eating and making a version of this muesli since I was about 16 years of age. It’s morphed over the years - and got better, more nutritious and I would like to think more delicious as time has gone on. I make a batch about every two weeks or so. We have it most days.
It's so good! And good for you too!