What To Make Instead Of Resolutions To Have a Great 2017!

Most people make resolutions each year on January 1st. Here are a few of the health goals that my patients shared on the white board in one of our treatment rooms 3 years ago:

Admirable list! Here's the challenge, if success is measured by achieving them then resolutions too often don't work. Worse, we feel a sense of failure and even shame as if it's a character flaw.

So what to do? Simple, don't make goals or resolutions. Instead, make promises.

If you make a promise the odds are much greater that you'll do it. If you break a resolution or don't make a goal, you'll feel disappointed. If you break a promise, it hurts. Why? It's just the way we human beings are built (most of us anyway). Your word is your bond, even to yourself. Even more to someone else.

For example, which statement has more impact:

"My goal is to lose 10  pounds by March 1st."
"I promise to lose 10 pounds by March 1st."

Keeping promises also gives you a feeling of pride and honor. Who among us doesn't want to be known as, "Someone of their word", or "A stand up person"? And, if you need help or support, who wouldn't want to help someone keep their word? 

If your are a patient or friend of mine and you want someone to witness your promise or help keep you accountable, I am more than willing to do so. That, I promise.

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.

Reading this blog should not  be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.

THANK YOU FOR DONATING TO OUR FOOD & TOY DRIVE!

At present count, 30 bags of food and toys have been collected and delivered to the Jersey Battered Women's Shelter and St. Peter's Orphanage! Thank you to all our generous patients and friends for your support!

Winter Blues: Understanding And Managing The S.A.D. Condition

This time of the year as the days are shorter and the cold settles in, many people find themselves feeling tired, depressed, agitated, having trouble concentrating, having poor sleep, craving sugar, carbohydrates and comfort food, having a sense of heaviness in your arms and legs, and feel like hibernating away from all human contact and binge watch Netflix. If this is you or someone you know, you may be experiencing a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D. is the psychiatrist who first described the condition in the 1980’s. People with SAD feel depressed during the shorter and darker days of winter (especially from November though February), and more cheerful and energetic during the brightness of spring and summer. It’s related to of less direct and intense sunlight effects on the body’s hormonal and nervous systems.

While varying degrees of SAD can affect anyone, the most common affected are those who are:

~ Women

~ Age 15 -55

~ Have a family history of SAD or depression

~ Live far north of the equator (like New Jersey!)

~ Have a personal history of depression or bipolar disorder

~ Have low vitamin D levels

If you have SAD, you can help yourself through a combination of the following:

1. Use a light box. Light therapy is key in treating SAD. Think of light as a nutrient that you’re getting enough of in winter. I recommend the use light therapy daily.

Generally, the light box should:

·         Provide an exposure to 10,000 lux of light

·         Emit as little UV light as possible

When using the light box it’s best to do the following:

·         Use it within the first hour of waking up in the morning

·         Use it for about 20 to 30 minutes

·         Keep it at a distance of about 16 to 24 inches (41 to 61 centimeters) from the face

·         Keep your eyes open, but not looking directly at the light

There are many good light boxes on the market. The light box I personally use is Lightphoria by Sphere Gadget Technologies.

http://lightphorialamp.net/

2. Exercise. Just 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill has been shown to help people with SAD. Research also suggests that it’s the frequency and consistency of exercising, rather than the duration or intensity. A little everyday is better than a marathon session once or twice a week.

3. Get Out. Get outdoors as much as possible whenever the sun is out. If warm enough, go without a hat to allow your head to absorb the rays.

4. Take a Vitamin D3 Supplement. Have a blood test to see if your vitamin D levels are very low.

5. Eat Well. Lots of lean protein, leafy greens and fish. You’ll need t fight the comfort food cravings. Soups and stews are particularly good. When you do get the urge for carbs, choose complex, whole-grain varieties, like whole-grain pasta and bread, instead of nutrition-deficient white carbohydrates.

6. Join the Conversation. Keep connected with those you are close with and care about. Regularly make calls and visit, emails & texts are not as effective for raising your mood. Don’t be shy about asking for help during this down season.

7. Go To Sleep Earlier. The sun sets earlier, so fall more in tune with nature’s rhythm by going to bed earlier to help re-set your own internal clock.

8. Go South, or West. Spend some time in sunnier climates to recharge your internal solar batteries.

9. Seek Help. If you are finding yourself falling into a deep emotional hole of despair, lethargy, and have difficulty functioning in your life, seek out professional help.

10. This Too Shall Pass. After the winter solstice (around December 21^st) the days get longer. Keep focusing on the fact that eventually spring will arrive and with it a lifting of your mood and spirit.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/in-depth/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/art-20048298?pg=2

http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/10888476

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.

Reading this blog should not  be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.