Beating the Winter Blues and Finding Balance

I think I may have a case of the Winter Blues. This doesn't mean I'm sad and bored every single day, but I'm noticing more days here and there that I do feel blah - like I don't have much to look forward to, I'm a little cranky, lazy and uninspired. I do know that I'm not alone in this, and fortunately can say that this year seems better than last and those before, which I truly believe I can attribute to a couple things: 1) I'm not in the middle of chemotherapy, and 2) I am eating better than I ever have in my life. The chemo one is obvious. The food one, maybe not so much. I just know that eating more whole foods - especially the leafy greens - has had an amazing affect on my moods! I'm a happy person now, like 98% of the time! I didn't used to be that way. Now, in the middle of "Winter Blues" season I do feel the "can we just get on with spring already, or can I at least disappear to a hot, tropical island filled with adventure, alcohol and chocolate?" However, I feel like this year I am more balanced in general, hence this off-balance time is not as extreme.

I often have clients who are shocked when I tell them "Oh, yeah, when I get an uncontrollable craving for something sweet, I hit the store down the road for a homemade GIANT whoopie pie." (Although, I usually don't want the entire thing now, even if initially I think I do.) I also don't exercise like I would like to, but I try and it comes and goes in phases. My point is that, yes, I am human. Being a Holistic Health Coach, does not mean I eat perfectly, exercise perfectly, balance my life perfectly or do anything perfectly. Far from it. 

I am, however, more aware of when my life is getting off-kilter, and that's the first step to finding balance. Winter Blues season is just a majorly off-balanced time that is more difficult to control.

Sometimes the clues of Winter Blues or any unbalanced time are obvious - you're irritable, depressed, bored, lazy, unmotivated and tired. Sometimes other clues, especially the physical ones, like headaches, acne, aches and pains, stiffness, dark circles under the eyes and digestive discomfort are not so obvious. We often let these symptoms of unbalance go and try to treat them with Tums, Advil, coffee, sugar, alcohol, cigarettes or whatever your choice may be. The problem is, we are then "treating" the symptoms and not the cause. If you treat the symptoms while ignoring the problem long enough, that's when bigger problems occur. I often think back to how many of these signs or symptoms I had in the two to three years before my cancer diagnosis, and it's no wonder I got cancer. SOMETHING had to happen - I was so unbalanced, but I never took the time to pay attention to the clues so I could do something about it.This certainly doesn't mean that everyone who isn't in "perfect" balance is going to get cancer or any other disease, but it does mean you are more susceptible to illness and unhappiness. 

Rather than ignoring the signs that something in your body isn't quite right, instead try to find a way to bring yourself one step closer to balance, in whatever way you define the word. Give yourself a small, manageable goal. Perhaps it's adding in a 15-minute morning walk before you go to work. Another one might be to steam and eat some broccoli three nights a week, even if it's in addition to your Chinese take-out. It also may mean slowing down your hectic, exhausting exercise schedule that gets you up at 4:00am because it's draining you, and swapping a day or two for a walk with the family or an evening Yoga class. It could be spending 20 minutes each day with a cup of tea and a book. Or try something new - like a Veggie Sushi Class! (Sorry, a shameless plug.)

My goal is to walk my dog for 30 minutes first thing EVERY morning. I don't want to start my day on my computer checking email - I just want to get outside. He always gets a walk or serious play time outside, but doing it first thing in the morning is something I know gives ME energy for the day. Being outside in the fresh air is so rejuvenating for me. Plus, if his walk(s) get pushed toward the end of the day, they sometimes get shorter in length. Today I had to force myself to meet this goal, but once I got out in the woods with my dog happily running around, I felt so amazing! Then, the crazy thing is, it made me want to go make a healthy breakfast and get in a good workout. Once I broke my slump with that morning walk, the other things seemed to come easier - and that was just on the first day! Pretty cool! I still want to get away to a sunny beach on an island, but the point is, I feel much better.

So...give it a try. Beat the Winter Blues. What's one good thing you can do for yourself to bring more balance into your life?

Dinner Last Night

My sister and her husband are up from Maryland visiting, and last night I made dinner for us and my husband. Somehow it ended up looking (and, I think, tasting) like quite the gourmet meal! I wanted to share what I did - no recipes, no exact measurements, which is how I usually cook - just throw it all together and hope for the best! Those of you who are pros in the kitchen (I may know a fair amount, but I'm no professional chef), please feel free to offer some tips as you see fit. :)

Stuffed Butternut Squash
I cooked about 1.5 cups of spelt berries in my rice cooker and added that about the same amount of leftover brown rice from the previous night. In a pan with olive oil, I combined fresh sage and parsley (growing in my kitchen), 4 medium celery stalks, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, 2 scallions, 1 shallot, garlic and a little salt - all finely chopped (heavy on the sage). Let that cook for 6-7 minutes then added the rice/spelt combination and heated for another 5 minutes.

In the meantime, at 400 degrees, I quartered a large butternut squash, cleaned out the seeds and baked on a baking pan for 30 minutes. I then took the rice mixture and scooped it on/in the four pieces of squash.

Greens
Simple - sauteed swiss chard and beet greens in a little olive oil and ended up adding a bit of water too - tossed in the pot and cooked about 5 minutes.

Beets
I don't usually cook beets the "proper" way, but instead peeled 3 medium beets, sliced into coins and boiled in water for about 10 minutes. Let them cool, then sprinkled some goat cheese, candied pecans and olive oil on top.

Falafel
These were not homemade and probably not necessary, because the rest was plenty of food, but they are so tasty. Plus, I wanted my sister and brother-in-law to try them. You can buy falafel patties or mini patties in the freezer section. I get the Papou's Kitchen brand (from Portland). I simply sauteed two minis per person in a pan with olive oil, a few minutes on each side.

That was it! I will post some photos later on, because my camera is not with me at the moment. Happy Friday!

New Favorite Book!

Thanks to a friend and client, I recently finished reading a wonderful book - Learning to Breathe by Alison Wright. It's the true story of a woman, a photojournalist, who travels the world on different assignments. During one of her trips to Laos, a country in Southeast Asia sandwiched between Thaland and Vietnam, she is in a horrific auto accident when the bus she is on collides head-on with a logging truck. The story is about her immense struggles to survive, recover and understand how and why she lived at all.

I'm not sure if having gone through a cancer diagnosis myself is what made me feel so connected to this story, or if it's simply a very compelling book. I think what I feel so connected with is what Alison comes to understand during her recovery - that we are all connected. We share the same emotions and we all just breathe. We all can and will experience suffering or struggles on some level in our lives and we usually try to survive and continue on in life. I remember so strongly feeling that when I was told I had the big "C." I knew that it was simply my struggle at this point in my life. 

In any case, this is a book that a feel like I want to keep in the drawer of my bedside table forever and probably reread periodically. It's like my new good luck charm or something. Terrifying, uplifting and inspiring all at the same time! Alison Wright's website is: www.alisonwright.com. 

How's Your BLOOD?

Another great article from Natural News - on BLOOD! Your blood's health is vital for your overall health - your blood feeds every cell in your body. Fortunately, you have control over the health of your blood, starting with what you eat everyday. How can you create good blood and keep it clean, which in turn, will benefit every part of you? Read on to find out!
http://www.naturalnews.com/028075_blood_health_transformation.html  

Creamed Sesame Dandelion Greens

I had such a delicious dinner tonight, and I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes I included, from the Greens Glorious Greens cookbook: Creamed Sesame Dandelions! Dandelion greens (that's right - the leaves from the dandelions growing in your yard!) have a bitter taste that may take some getting used to, but in this recipe, the bitterness is masked well by the tahini and garlic. Dandelion greens are so beneficial to our health, so it's worth a little bitterness. This recipe also uses calcium-rich tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds). I'm sorry I didn't include a photo - my husband and I gobbled them up before I could think twice about it!

Creamed Sesame Dandelions

2 cups water

1 pound dandelion greens, washed, stemmed and shopped into small pieces

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt to taste

2 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoons tamari (naturally brewed soy sauce)

freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Bring two cups of water to a boil in large 10 or 12 inch skillet with a tight fitting lid. Add chopped dandelions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the cooked dandelion greens and set aside (you can save the liquid broth to drink as a hot tea - I know, may sound scary, but I do like it).

2. Heat oil over low to medium heat in the skillet and saute the garlic slices for 1 to 2 minutes, until light golden brown. Stir in the pre-cooked dandelion greens and a pinch of salt if desired. Cover to cook over low and heat for 1 to 2 minutes to let flavors mingle.

3. In small bowl, combine tahini, water and tamari and mix until creamy. Pour sauce into the pan with cooked freens and stir until thoroughly mixe. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

Crock Pot Coconut Rice Pudding

Today I'd like to share a favorite dessert of mine: Coconut Rice Pudding, made in a crock pot. As desserts go, this is a much healthier option, but still has delicious sweet flavor. It uses brown rice, a whole grain, which is gluten-free and nutrient-rich; agave nectar or maple syrup instead of sugar,  both of which are lower-glycemic sweeteners that are minimally processed and all natural; and hemp, almond or rice milk instead of cow's milk. I love this comforting dessert on a cold winter day - it really warms you up and satisfies your sweet tooth without all the processed, sugary ingredients that are so damaging to our health. Plus, you just throw everything in a crock pot and let it cook!

Agave nectar or syrup can be found in most grocery stores next to the honey and tea or in the baking section. It is often located in the "healthy" section - Wild Harvest at Shaws or Natural Choice in Hannaford. Milk alternatives can also be found in these sections next to the cereal.

Photo: Kimberlykv via flickr.com

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Crock Pot Coconut Rice Pudding 

In this dessert, the whole grain, brown rice, is used adding great nutritional contentt. Agave nectar or maple syrup are also substituted for sugar, both of which are lower-glycemic natural, minimally processed sweeteners. Instead of milk, almond, rice or hemp milk is used, making this a great choice for those with dairy sensitivities or lactose intolerance. This is a gluten-free dish.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked brown rice, soaked for two hours or more and rinsed
4 cups almond, rice or hemp milk
1/3 cup agave or real maple syrup

1/4 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (melt on stove or in microwave first)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

Place rice in greased crock pot (grease with coconut oil or butter). Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour coconut oil over rice mixture. Cover and cook on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours until rice has absorbed the liquid. Cooking times may vary with different crock pots. Serve while warm. Use organic ingredients when possible. Serves 8

 

©2010 Kendall Scott Wellness, All rights reserved.

Fish Oil Supplements Prevent Mental Illness...

Take a look at this article on the benefits of quality fish oils and the damaging and monopolizing position big pharma takes when it comes to our health.


Personally, I believe that there is a place for conventional and holistic medicine. I went through chemotherapy myself and was pumped full of horrible drugs every two weeks for months. I also made some major changes in my diet and lifestyle, and am now cancer-free. Could I have beaten the cancer without the chemo? Maybe. I would even say, probably. In any case, eastern and western medicine can often work together, and there are benefits to both depending on the circumstances. It might be in our best interest to begin to consider what changes in diet, lifestyle and herbal supplementation can do for us before we begin taking drugs that may be putting a band-aid on symptoms, but in many other ways are just hurting us.

My hope and belief is that my cancer will not come back, BUT if it did, before jumping into chemo and/or surgery again, I would do my best to help my body heal naturally. Our bodies are pretty amazing and when given the right tools, such as a healthy diet, they can heal just about anything.

Rat Poison Drugs...

NaturalNews Tip of the day (from Mike): 
"Have you seen all the recent news reports warning people to avoid 30 different herbs if they're taking certain medications like warfarin, a blood thinner? (Also sold under brand names of Coumadin and others...) It's funny how the media always says "Stop taking the herbs!" when they should really be saying, "Stop taking the rat poison drugs!" Warfarin, as many of you already know, is indeed made out of rat poison. It's not an urban legend, it's a chemical fact. It works to kill rats by thinning their blood until they die from internal bleeding -- the same result experienced by some patients who overdose on the drug. Interestingly, the media never tells people to stop swallowing rat poison... they'd rather scare you into avoiding herbs."

www.naturalnews.com

Healing: You Aren't What You Eat...

The third part of the Healing Yourself in 15 Days article series from Natural News makes some excellent points about digestion and absorbing the nutrients in the food we are consuming. The article also touches on probiotics and yogurt, which is not a good probiotic source as the marketing messages claim, because it is pasteurized. Any pasteurized dairy product has killed all useful bacteria (probiotics) during the pasteurization process. 

Click the link below to read more!

Part 3 - You aren't what you eat - you're what you absorb