For much of my life, I've had an eating disorder.  When I was 10 years old, I began dieting.  I was in dance classes, and wanted to look thin in my leotard.  This undoubtedly affected my metabolism, however, I continued to diet all the way through college. 

Then, I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder at 18.  I found myself binging and purging through exercise, and my then anorexia turned into something known as exercise bulimia. 

Well, in my mind, things were going fine because I was still thin.  But, the thinness didn't stick around.  In my young adulthood my metabolism slowed down.  This, coupled by the fact that I was injured in a car accident, and couldn't exercise made it nearly impossible to control my weight while binging.  I had to find a new way.

For me, the new way is OA, also known as Overeaters Anonymous.  Their philosophy, which I wholeheartedly agree with is that food can be a powerful addiction, too.  And I, certainly, am an addict.  I really have always been obsessed with food.  I have now started to abstain from flour and sugar, and weigh and measure all of my foods.  It feels great!  Yes, it was rough in the first day or so, but getting through that was well worth it.  My moods are better, I feel more in control of my food, and the best part is, I'm not binging like I was. 

I hope to lose the weight, and I know I will, but this is a side benefit.  The real change is the feeling of control over something that I had long ago lost control over, and also the change in my mood.  The highs and lows are not nearly as pronounced. 

There has been some research that shows that not eating sugar and flour does improve moods.  I seriously cannot believe the difference in myself.  I visited with my very skilled Nurse Practitioner who prescribes my meds, and she said that not eating flour and sugar is a sure way to have mental peace and sanity.  And that's something worth working for!

Be Well,
~Emily

In mental health, there has lately been a lot of buzz around treatment using mindfulness.  What is mindfulness?  Well, mindfulness was brought to the West by practitioners such as Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and Dr. Jack Kornfield.  The book Wherever You Go, There You Are by Dr. Kabat-Zinn describes mindfulness meditation in extreme detail.  Mindfulness is originally a Buddhist term, which refers becoming acutely aware of the present moment.  Mindfulness practitioners often do mindfulness meditations in which they focus on their breathing and quiet the mind by staying in the present.  The theory here is that if one focuses on the past, one will be full of regret, and if one focuses on the future, one will be full of anxiety.  The present is where there is peace.  

What is so powerful about mindfulness is that mindfulness techniques are now being used by mental health clinicians to soothe clients with symptoms ranging from anxiety to addiction.  In one very powerful article by Dr. Elisha Goldstein    entitled "Cravings- How Using Mindfulness and Urge Surfing Can Help Now!", Dr. Goldstein discusses that even with cravings as strong as addictions, mindfulness can help.  She coins the term "Urge Surfing," which is an extremely powerful idea that when you are feeling a strong urge to use, this urge rises and falls like a wave, and comes with a physical sensation as well.  By being aware of these intense physical sensations and breathing, you can "surf the wave" of this urge, and watch it pass. 

If mindfulness and "urge surfing" are powerful enough to work with addictions, imagine how powerful it can be on anxiety, depression, and other emotions that overcome one like a wave!  I have tried so many different techniques to get a hold on my anxiety and depression, and I must say that mindfulness is one of the very best when practiced regularly.

Now, imagine if we taught this technique to our children at a young age?  By the time they were adults, they would be able to manage urges that most adults currently struggle with, whether these urges are to overeat, yell at someone, or even steal.  If we could create a critical mass of people using mindfulness techniques, imagine how much more peaceful the next generation could become.  Start with your child.  Start today.

Be Well
~Emily