Appreciation of Life

Last time we touched on Anxiety and Depression. I'm going to continue with the difference between thoughts and feelings. And next time, I am going to talk a bit about positive and negative feelings.

It seems very simple and obvious when you ask someone the difference between thoughts and feelings. But when it comes to identifying one's thoughts and feelings, sometimes it's not so simple and obvious.

Thoughts are statements that you cognitively process and believe in (temporarily).
Feelings are emotions that you feel and they describe your emotional condition at that moment.

For example, "I am happy" is not the same as "I think I am happy."
"I am happy" is a feeling and "I think I am happy" is a thought.

Try this one: "I feel like I am tied down" vs. "I feel frustrated"...Which one is a thought? Which one is a feeling? Can you tell the difference?

For those who are not used to identifying and expressing their feelings, it's actually not easy to know how they feel and/or to find the right words to describe how they feel.

It is a good exercise to get in touch with your emotional side and identify your feelings. Try it. Use the feelings chart to help you identify them.


On a less medical and perhaps more spiritual note:

Appreciate the gift of life. Enjoy every moment of this journey. Experience it and enjoy the process! The good and bad moments, the peaceful and happy moments, the growth and challenges...Altogether they make up the total experience of being a human. So, live it. Don't avoid it. Don't be afraid. Don't ignore it. It's a part of the human experience. Appreciate that you are able to experience it. Be at the present. At this moment. Be at the present in every moment.

Anxiety & Depression

In the past month, I had the privilege to cohost on a radio show and talked about Anxiety & Depression. And I would like to share a bit of what we talked about on here.

Anxiety and Depression are highly prevalent in today's society. The two conditions are closely linked together in both Eastern and Western medicine. Therefore, it is not uncommon for patients to present with both Anxiety and Depression. Try to imagine a patient who faces a challenging situation that is beyond her power to control (unemployment, financial debt, or prolonged illness). She might react in one or two of the following ways:

1. Try to control the situation by being overly talkative, irritable and tense. (Appearing anxious)
2. Giving up and lose all sense of hope that the situation might change; withdrawn; learned hopelessness. (Appearing depressed)

There are many factors that cause anxiety and depression. Physically, it is inherited genetically from one generation to the next. Studies have shown there is an imbalance of neurochemicals in the brain as well in depressed patients. Neurochemicals are made from building blocks of amino acids, which are absorbed into the body by good nutrition and good eating habits. Other factors include financial burdens, prolonged illness and sudden changes in life and loss of a loved one.

Some of the symptoms of depression are:
1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly everyday. Feeling sad or empty, appearing tearful, and in children and adolescents, they may appear irritable.
2. Marked diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all activities most of the day, nearly everyday.
3. Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, such as 5% of body weight loss in a month, decrease or increase in appetite nearly everyday
4. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly everyday
5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly everyday (observed by others)
6. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly everyday
7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (may be delusional)
8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, indecisiveness
9. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

Symptomse cause significant distress or impairment on social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Symptoms are not due to direct physiological effects of a substance (drug of abuse, a medication) or a genearl medical condition (hypothyroidism).
Symptoms are not better accounted for by bereavement.

If you have 5 or more of the above 9 symptoms in a 2-week period, then you may be diagnosed with depression.

PMS

Moving onto a more feminine topic, let's talk about PMS!

PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome, which is a result of hormone imbalance in menstruating females. PMS may include any of the following symptoms:

• headache
• abdominal bloating
• abdominal cramping
• fluid retention
• swelling of hands and feet
  
• breast tenderness and swelling
  
• indigestion
• constipation
• anxiety or irritability
• angry outbursts
  
• mood swings
• social withdrawal
  
• stress
• insomnia
  
• acne
• joint or muscle pain
• low back pain
  

One or more of these symptoms must be present for 5 to 10 days before the onset of period, and must not be present for 10 days following the end of a menstrual period in order to be diagnosed as PMS. Also, some females have more severe symptoms than others, and based on the changes of your body condition, the symptoms may disappear over time.

Just want to share a few helpful tips to beat PMS blues!

1. Exercise to move Qi before the onset of period.
2. Take vitamin B3 and B6 (or just a B complex) for improving mood.
3. Eat more fibers, fruits and vegetables.
   
4. Consume less fatty foods, caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar and sodium.
5. Get adequate sleep.
6. Other supplements that help relieve PMS symptoms include: Omega 3, flax seed, Calcium, and Vitamin A.
   

Immune system might be a bit low just before the onset of period, so for some people, herpes simplex virus might act out during this time, or they might catch a cold more easily. Be sure to dress warmly and take vitamins to prevent catching a cold or a cold sore! Avoid exposure to cold, such as swimming or hanging out in the snow.

Acupuncture can also help with making the menses flow smoothly and reduce PMS symptoms, such as bloating , fluid retention or mood swings.