1. Yama - correct moral code.
2. Niyama - self-discipline.
3. Asana - postures
4. Pranayama - breathing
5. Pratahara - moving inward toward the self.
6. Dharana - concentration
7. Dhyana - meditation
8. Samadhi - oneness

Diamond sitting position improves poor circulation in the feet and lower legs while stimulating digestion and combating tension and sleep issues.  It may also be used for meditation. Kneel on the floor (use a pillow if you feel pain)with knees close together, slowly sit back on your heels. Stretch your upper body erect and place your hands on your knees and close your eyes. Hold this posture, and take several slow deep breaths while focusing on the steady rise and fall of your abdomen. This stretch feels so good.

Tree position requires balance and may take some time before you are successful. I really like this posture because it helps to loosen your shoulders while promoting balance. Stand with feet slightly apart, facing forward. Breathe in and place the flat of your right foot against your left inner thigh. Let your breathing flow naturally, in and out. Slowly raise your arms over your head keeping your palms together. Hold the stretch for a few counts as you breathe in and out. Then, as you breathe out, lower your arms and legs. Repeat on the opposite side.

• Most people who are deeply grieving will still have lighter moments where the pain is less intense, (Emotional ups and downs) whereas with depression the emotions are constant and heavy.
• Those who are grieving may still have moments of "hope" for what the future may bring, while those suffering from depression will mostly feel "hopeless".

The main difference between grief and depression concerns the presence or absense of self-esteem and guilt. When a person is experiencing depression, there is typically a loss of self-esteem and overall feeling of guilt. This can be somewhat complicated, as some people will experience guilt as a result of the loss of a loved one, but this type of guilt is specific to the event of loss. It is helpful to consider seeking help through counseling if you are unsure about your reactions to the loss or would like support through the mourning process.

Today I would like to talk about a troubling condition for parents and children alike.  It is called enuresis which is unintentional bladder relief or wetting the bed while asleep.  If you have a little one, aged 3-5, bed-wetting is considered normal and nothing to be concerned about. Usually, the bladder is regulated by a reflex that controls the sphincter and pelvic muscles preventing unwanted urination. More than likely,  bed-wetting occurs because your child has not yet learned to use this reflex.  This is known as primary bed-wetting. If however your little tyke  has learned to control this reflex, and after a few months reverts to this behavior again, it is called secondary enuresis.

• Genetic factors, if one parent had enuresis, there is a 45% chance that the child will be a bed-wetter, if both parents suffered from this condition there is a 75% chance of the child inheriting this problem. This happens because there is not enough of an anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) produced during sleep.
• Bladder size may be a cause of bed-wetting.  If the child's bladder is unusually small, he/she may have a problem holding his water and may have to urinate more frequently.
• Obstructive Uropathy or an abnormality in the structure of the ureter may cause your child to wet his/her pants during the day or night. Consequently, the bladder is unable to hold a normal amount of water and makes the child less able to control his/her urine.
• Urinary Tract Infection or UTI if your child is complaining of burning or pain while going to the bathroom.
• Tonsillar Obstruction if your child breathes through the mouth or snores and is groggy and grumpy in the morning.
• Diabetes may be another physical cause of bed-wetting.

• Stress is an important factor to consider especially if your child has been dry for a long period of time and suddenly begins soiling the bed at night.  Has he/she experienced something traumatic like the death of a loved one, even a pet. Is there a new baby in the house? Have you moved to a new neighborhood so that your child has to go to a new school.  How well is he/she doing at school, has the teacher noticed any changes? Are you having marital problems, or have you been recently divorced?
• Toilet training is a very emotional time, if parents are too harsh, or too lax in their training, a child may revert to bed-wetting. As a parent, do you expect too much of your child, if so he/she may soil themselves. If you were too permissive in your training, perhaps beginning toilet training when your child was older, he/she may have poor impulse control.
• Impulse Inhibition can cause bed-wetting. Is your child able to control his anger? How does he/she act when angry? By not allowing a tyke to express anger often causes daytime incontinence, but may be a factor in bed-wetting. It is not mentally healthy to suppress feelings of anger, grief, rage, etc for adults, let alone children.
• Secondary Gain There are times when a child wants to get back at a parent (usually the mother) and will wet themselves without even being aware that they are doing it. Ask yourself these questions: What does the child get out of this behavior?  How do you as a parent react to this? How do siblings react? Is the child embarrassed wetting the bed? If your little one is not concerned about this problem, he may deriving some satisfaction from it and it will be more difficult to treat. But with patience, kindness and understanding this condition is curable.

I once watched a television program about a very unhappy man named Sam who would stuff himself with junk food and then throw it all up. After doing this, he would go to the gym and work out for hours, only to go home and do the same thing all over again. He knew that he had a problem so he was  getting counseling in a group setting with others like him,  During the therapy session Sam and the others would have to discuss their eating patterns for the week, if they engaged in negative habits, they would have to admit it.  The mental health practitioner was just awful and she would scream at them for doing this.  Needless to say, the therapist's approach was more harmful than helpful. Sam kept binging and purging every time he was stressed out over something. Of course, this was a television show and they had to make it more juicy. In reality, during a mental health counseling session, the therapist will not embarrass you like this and if they do, it is time to find a new counselor.

Like anorexics that I dealt with in my last blog, bulimics are overly weight conscious.  They are constantly getting on a scale, looking in a mirror, and  measuring or pinching themselves to see if there is any fat. The self worth of an individual with bulimia is directly related to how they perceive their body shape and weight.

Believe it or not, binge eating is seen as a way to cope with life's stresses,  disappointments and poor body image. What is ingested is usually "comfort foods" like carbohydrates such as sweets, fats, and anything with high caloric content. This obsessive eating pattern is of course done in privacy as they don't want others to witness this inappropriate behavior.

As you can see, this mental health illness is a vicious cycle that can only broken through psychotherapy. Group therapy is also helpful because it gives the bulimic and their family support and understanding from others who have similar issues. No longer are they so alone.  There are hospitals and clinics with out patient programs to help those with eating disorders.

• Chamomile or Yarrow are recommended for their recuperative powers. Put 1 tsp of chamomile or yarrow in 1 cup of boiling water, let sit for 10 minutes, strain. Swallow 1 cup 3 times a day to help you feel better.

• Try geranium, lemon-balm, bergamot,  and rose oils  to alleviate  sadness and depression.
• If you are tense, anxious and easily  angered, try clary-sage, lavender, ylang-ylang, chamomile or sandlewood, they will help to relax and soothe you.

• Kava Kava root helps to soothe away anxious feelings. Ingest 1 tsp. of a tincture, or swallow several capsules 3-4 times a day or whenever you feel that you need it. If symptoms improve, take less.

• St. John's Wort may help to alleviate depression. Put 1 cup of hot water over 1 tsp of St. John's Wort, let steep and strain.  Drink 1 cup 2-3 times a day.  You can also ingest St. John's Wort as capsules, whichever you prefer. 4-6 weeks may pass however, before you note any improvement when taking this herb.

• Natrium chloratum is good for those of us who lose touch with our feelings.
• Calcium carbonicum is helpful if you are worried about things. It is also good for timidity and when you are cold.

• Magnesium is a good vitamin to take to prevent sweet cravings like chocolate.
• Chromium is great for balancing your sugar levels, because it alleviates the desire for sugar and carbohydrates.
• It is also important for you to take multi-vitamins and minerals to restore what was lost during vomiting.

  Peanut Butter                               

  Dairy
Again, here's one that you hear about being a big no no. Dairy really is an important part of your diet, as there are nutrients in dairy products that actually help your body break down fat. The key is to get the fat free or low-fat versions, and stick with the vanilla yogurts.

And the RestAlmonds, beans, spinach, Instant Oat Meal, Eggs, Sliced Turkey, Olive Oil, Whole Grain Breads and Cereals, Extra Protein (Whey) Powders, Fresh Raspberries, Canned Tuna, Chicken Breast, Fruit, Green Veggies, Lean Fish, Lean Ground Beef, Long-grain Rice, and Whole Wheat Pasta.

So there's a start. Now, I don't expect you to throw out everything you have in your cupboards and run out and buy everything on this list. Just look it over, and next time you shop, substitute a healthy choice for something that you usually get. Get the fat free milk instead of the whole milk, and so on. Every little step matters on the path to healthier living. You'll not only feel better physically, your mental health will improve from the positive changes in your life!

There are millions of people worldwide, who suffer from depression which can be a debilitating mental condition. Research has shown your negative feelings and pessimism are related to physiological changes in your brain. When there is an imbalance of certain chemicals called neurotransmitters that control signals in your brain and nerves, you may feel extreme melancholy. Your brain needs the right amount of these chemicals to keep you feeling good and emotionally healthy. Depression therefore occurs when the messages between brain cells are not distributed evenly causing  a disruption of your inner communication system.

A good example of this concept is the childhood game of telephone, the first person whispers a message to another person, the second person to someone else, and so on. Usually by the time the message gets to the final person and he/she has to repeat it out loud, the information is inaccurate and may be jumbled up so that it makes no sense. This is what occurs when there is miscommunication between neurons, the final signals are scrambled.

• You cannot concentrate on anything
• You may experience insomnia.
• You have a lack of appetite.
• You have intense feelings of sadness with intermittent episodes of crying.
• You are always agitated.
• You feel as if you have no hope.
• You entertain thoughts of suicide.

• B Vitamins help your brain to run smoothly. Emotionally, they lift your spirits, calm your anxiety, and help to keep you energized.
• Amino Acids, are proteins that the neurotransmitters come from. Serotonin, is the chemical that anti-depressant drugs try to replicate, and Melatonin is the transmitter involved with our body's sleeping and waking rhythms. You can well imagine, if these are out of balance, you will not feel good.  Therefore, it is important that you ingest enough amino acids. They are are found in foods like salmon, brown rice and turkey. Another amino acid, Tyrosine, is needed to produce the chemical Dopamine and Norepinephrine which also keep your brain function running smoothly. These are found naturally in bananas, dairy products, almonds and avocados. If you would prefer, you may purchase purchase these amino acids as supplements.  Do not take Tyrosine if your doctor has prescribed an MAO inhibitor which is an anti-depressant drug.

• Mix 2 tbsp each of Yarrow, St. John's Wort and Peppermint leaves.
• Put 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tbsp of the combination. 
• Let sit for 10 minutes, strain and drink.
• You may drink 2-4 cups a day for a few weeks.

Thirty years ago this February, my grandmother (Ninny) died.  I can’t believe it’s been that long.  In some ways it seems like just yesterday my mother was telling me Ninny needed an operation on her stomach.  In can still picture her the day she came home from the hospital, weak and gaunt.  I can remember how she steadily lost even more weight over the next 18 months. And I get an instant stomachache when I remember the overwhelming fear and uncertainty that swirled around me when she died.   (While my parents weren’t neglectful, they were young when I was born.  Ninny offered me the stability and security they weren’t able to give.)

Thirty years is an awfully long time.  On one hand, it seems impossible that I lived that long without her.  On the other, seems like she was never physically here at all.  Some days I honestly have a tough time remembering what life was like, what I was like, when she was still alive.  Like the Wizard of Oz movie, there are two parts of me, one part in techno color (before death) and the other in black and white (after death.)  The techno color Danielle is a little fuzzy in my memory.    Back then, was I optimistic?  Yes.  Was I naïve?  Of course.  Was I hopeful for the future?  Absolutely.   Then life threw me a curve and all that changed.

A lot has happened in the 30 years between then and now.  For 2-1/2 decades I was defined by my denial, anger and grief.  I made mistakes (millions), lived selfishly (I lost someone I loved, wasn’t I entitled?) and spent far too much time feeling sorry for myself.  And in the end, it brought me nothing but more grief, anger, sadness and eventually, depression.

Today I’ve settled into a nice life as a wife and mother of a teenager but it’s only recently I’ve come to understand how Ninny’s death affected my life and made me who I am.  Losing someone you love sucks, I’ll be the first to admit it, but like everything else in life, you can learn from it and become a better person.  Realizing that came in a series of baby steps, hits and misses, triumphs and failures.  Honestly, there isn’t a therapy I haven’t tried. Alternative medicine, relaxation techniques, meditation, visualization, drugs (as in anti-depressants) and support groups…been there, done that!     

What’s important is that I didn’t give up.  I’m not always a “glass-is-half-full” kind of person but I am competitive and I used that to my advantage.  When dealing with my depression and grief, no matter how hard things were, I was determined not to let it beat me.  It’s been a long battle but guess what?  My perseverance paid off.  Sure there are days when I feel sad or hopeless, but they occur with less severity and frequency than they once had.

So, what’s the moral of my story?  To have hope, to not give up, to understand that what you are feeling can temporary, to believe you can get better and to know that you aren’t alone. 

Those in the mental health field would probably agree that anxiety is a response to fear that has gone wrong.  Of course, fear is normal emotion when a perceived threat is real. It gets our adrenaline going and heightens our senses which in turn make us more aware of what is happening so that we can deal with the threat in an appropriate manner. If however, this fear is imagined and we become anxious for no apparent reason, it inhibits our ability to cope and can make our daily life unbearable. This can lead to extreme isolation because we are unable to relate to others.

I would briefly like to mention the three types of anxiety which will be dealt with in more detail in other blogs.

Chronic anxiety, panic attacks and phobias are best treated with the help of a licensed counselor or psychotherapist because these conditions can be debilitating.  They can make you feel as if you are being held hostage by your inability to act. A professional may prescribe drugs as well as counseling.

An effective therapeutic treatment is behavior modification which has proven to be effective in the reduction of phobias. It is an excellent technique to use because it is aimed at stopping the inappropriate behavior being manifested. In a nutshell, the patient is exposed to his/her fear inducing object for increasing amounts of time until the phobia subsides.

Now I would like to talk about some alternative techniques that may enhance therapeutic interventions. Please read on.

Exercise is a great way to get those "feel good", endorphins working. Try yoga, or meditation and remember to breath deeply. If you sense a panic attack coming on inhale deeply and exhale very slowly for a few times, the symptoms will hopefully abate.



The supplement Kava Kava is a plant grown in Polynesia that helps to relieve emotional and muscular tension. It doesn't substitute for prescribed medications but it has no side effects. You can find it in many natural health food stores or online

Acupressure is an effective method of alleviating anxiety especially if you are experiencing a rapid heart rate and pulse. Massage the area below the first crease on the outer part of your wrist which is inline with with your pinky.  Do this for one minute, it should help you to relax.

Try Aromatherapy - inhale the essential oil fragrances of hyacinth, jasmine, lavender, or spruce needle to help alleviate panic.

You might like to use flower essences over a period of time.  Take 4 drops 4 times daily as long as symptoms persist.

• Cherry plum for sudden rage or fear that you might lose contol of yourself.
• Rock rose for extreme panic that stops you from doing anything.
• Mimulus for extreme sensitivity, timidity and phobias.
• Aspen for fears that you can't explain, or unwarranted premonitions of a threat or catastrophe.
• Rescue remedy which is a combination of five floral essences used for extreme mental anguish and or trauma.  Put 4 drops in water and drink slowly until you feel better.

• 1 oz.   Valerian root
  
• 3/4 oz. Lemon-balm leaves
• 3/4 oz. Orange blossoms
• 3/4 oz. Passionflower
• Add 1/2 oz. Aniseed  or 1/3 oz. Peppermint leaves for flavor and to relieve flatulence and stomach distress that come with anxiety.

• Kali Carbonicum for fears manifested at night, fear of being alone, and fear of future sickness.
• Aconitum when you are afraid of large groups, ghosts, dying and you have a rapid heart beat accompanied by the "shakes".
• Argentum Nitricum for test anxiety, fear of vacant spaces, dying, and being isolated from others.

Recently an acquaintance confided in me that she was feeling so depressed since her divorce that she could hardly get out of bed in the morning.  I smiled and said, “I know how you feel.  That’s happened to me too.”  It was a simple statement and show of understanding but what was so amazing was that I admitted it at all.

Let’s get this out of the way:  I am one of the millions of people who suffer from a mental illness - specifically, depression.  I’ve been treated for it off and on since I was 19 years old and been so ashamed that I managed to keep it a secret from even my closest friends.  Depression has always been the skeleton in my closet.  I had become so good at hiding it that if you met me, you’d never suspect a thing.  Once when I told a friend I was feeling “a little down” his response was, “Really?  You?”

Being in the medical field (I’m currently a student), I’ll be the first one to tell a patient that depression is nothing to be ashamed of, that it is an illness like diabetes or asthma.  But somehow, I hadn’t been able to believe those words or apply them to my life.  Because of my secret, I denied myself the things that someone with depression needs (a support system), pretended to be someone I wasn’t (a happy person) and prolonged my unhappiness.  It was exhausting!

The truth is, I had no one to blame but myself.  Pittsburgh is overflowing with excellent doctors and mental health professionals, most of which I’ve seen.  Unfortunately, when the questions got tough and I was forced to discuss something that made me uncomfortable, I checked out.  And the harder my therapist tried to make me talk, the more I’d clam up until eventually I cancelled my remaining appointments and moved on to another doctor and repeated the cycle…over and over and over.

But last year I had a breakthrough, got to the root of the problem (grief) and started to understand what had been making me feel so sad for so long.  I’ve changed a lot in those 12 months and will be blogging about my experiences, treatments, good days and not so good days. Most importantly, now I really do believe that depression is nothing to be ashamed of…and if my story helps even one person, this journey has been worth it!

---Danielle

My next series of blogs will focus on Stress Related Disorders such as anxiety, test anxiety, panic attacks, phobias and depression. Stay Tuned!

The mental health condition "stress" is becoming more and more prevalent in today's society.  It seems to pop up in news stories, everyday conversations and in medical evaluations. What exactly is stress and how does it effect us?  According to the dictionary, it is, " A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health".

Mentally upsetting circumstances may range from mere humdrum situations that we deal with daily, like work stressors, to severe worry, extreme sickness, trauma and dramatic life changes such as the death of a loved one.  Stress affects every system of our body and can slow down or inhibit our ability to cope. In some cases, it is so devastating that we are unable to function at all. Psychologically, we all react to stress differently some of us may become anxious, have panic attacks, become depressed, have problems sleeping, or have mood swings.

Our bodies react to stress as if it were a life threatening situation.  This occurs because our Pituitary gland sends a message to our adrenal glands causing them to release the hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenalin. As a result, the fight or flight response is set in motion. This is manifested physically by muscle tension, as well as an increase heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and respiration. When this takes place, it puts our body in a state of constant alertness, waiting for something threating to happen. If this continues for a prolonged period of time our immune system becomes compromised and we become physically or mentally ill.

Do you think that you are stressed out?  Try this test and see. If 2 of these statements relate to you, take a look at your particular circumstances and see what you can do to alleviate the stressors in your life before they cause health problems.

• You have difficulty relaxing and or sleeping because you have too many things on your mind.
• It is not easy for you to listen when others are speaking.
• You feel irritable, anxious and rushed most of the time.
• It is hard for you to concentrate on things.
• You no longer enjoy doing the things that used to be enjoyable.

Hydrotherapy is a great way to relieve stress. Take a bath with either Lemon-Balm or Lavender essential oil. These two aromas enhance your olfactory nerves and sooth the limbic system (the part of the brain dealing with basic drives and emotions).  When you immerse yourself in water it also helps to decrease your heart rate. If you prefer taking a shower, the first thing to do is let cold water hit the outside and inside of your right arm. Then allow the water to run down your back, while doing this, be sure to have the water run over your right shoulder then left shoulder. Lastly, let the water spray the outside and inside of your left arm. You may be thinking, cold water, brrrr!!! But it actually helps to stabilize your metabolism. If you like, rub lavender or lemon balm on yourself to help you calm down even more.

Too much caffeine and sugar also cause anxiety, nervousness, excitability, etc. So don't drink that third cup of coffee, and stop your children from eating too much sugar. There are great foods that you can eat to help keep you calm, such as Chamomile Tea and nuts.  Nuts are an excellent source of vitamins that promote a healthy cardiovascular and nervous system. They also decrease your stress level and increase your ability to focus. Chamomile tea has a calming effect.

Exercise is a wonderful way to release those "feel good" endorphins. I walk with my dog practically everyday, it is not only good for her but it helps me too.  If you don't like to walk, try bicycle riding, running, jogging, swimming, or join a gym class.

Try yawning, it relieves tension because it stretches the muscles in your jaw, and increases your oxygen supply. When you yawn, try raising your arms. Do this throughout the day to alleviate some stress.

Finally, I would like to discuss some medicinal herbs that may help to relieve stress.

• Kava Kava relaxes your muscles and helps to alleviate anxiety. This herb contains a type of acid that stops the fight/flight messages from going to the brain. This allows you to relax and remain calmer.
• Chinese Ginseng helps to stop exhaustion from nervousness. In addition to this, it supports proper functioning of your adrenal glands.
• St. Johns Wort is rich in a substance called hypericin which decreases depression and anxiety.  It is able to do this by enhancing the production of serotonin which is the chemical that allows you to rest, unwind and focus.  Be careful about taking St. John's Wort because it can may you very sensitive to the sun.

• Digging deeper into PTSD.
• "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" Program for returning soldiers
• How "Battle Buddies" offer support
• A support group for families of returning Soldiers
• New report shows cases of PTSD triple in combat exposed vets.

• Questions to ask your doctor
• Antidepressants
• SSRI's

• The Stages of Grief
• Grief Support Groups
• Kids and Grief

• A personal take on dealing with grief and depression.
• Self Awareness: Finding your passion
• Blogging helps your mental health. Really!
  

• Study shows that volunteering improves your mental health.
• What's good for the soul is good for the mind!
• Issues that affect mental health travel in packs.
• Bipolar disorder and epilepsy.

• The path to mental health starts in the body.
• Eating Healthier for better mental health.
• Eat better, feel better, think better!