Category: Stress

Categories
Lipedema Mental Health & Wellness Stress

My Journey with Lipedema

One thing I hate is talking about myself. My goals and passions in life has been to help others be the person they want to be. So talking about this journey is a a bit of a challenge for me but needed. I know others are going through it too and the more we talk about it, the wider the awareness; especially in the medical world.

I’ve been lucky just getting a diagnosis. As I’ve said before my vascular doctor, Emilia Bittenbinder has been the best. I love her.

So yesterday, I met with a surgeon. Not just any surgeon, a plastic surgeon who specializes in lipdema. Boris Volsheyn, MD is remarkable. After seeing three other plastic surgeons, being shamed, gaslit, and more, he treated me with the utmost respect. His approach was individualistic and not cookie-cutter like I’ve been advised before. When I got his notes, it was 19 pages long with research and scholarly references. Never have I seen that before. So I had to put together a packet for the insurance company. In it were his notes, my referral from the vascular doctor, my personal statement, receipts, and a list of all my vitamins and supplements. I think I gave them everything possible.

Now everything goes to the insurance company. So stressed and hopeful. Things going through my head: What if the insurance doesn’t cover it? What do I do? If I do get it approved, this will be an entire year of work for me; six surgeries. SIX! Lots more compression wear. Lots of driving. Lots of out of pocket expenses for driving to and from New Jersey.

All this and the holidays. Sigh…

Categories
Anxiety Misc. Stress Trauma

Dealing with the Holiday’s

Oh, the time has come that the holidays are upon us once again. For folks like me who have anxiety and/or trauma, this is a tough time of year. Below are some things you can do for yourself to keep your sanity.

  1. Learn to say NO! Yes, we all want to please everyone and make everyone happy. Ask yourself, who’s making you happy right now? Do not feel obligated to do everything. For example, I don’t feel like doing Christmas Cards this year. I’m not in the mood and I don’t want to. So guess what? I’m not. I was also invited to a holiday party. There would be many of my friends there too. But I said no. Why? Couple of reasons: 1) I’m not big into parties and lots of people and 2) I don’t want to. I would rather be home in my pajamas where it’s quiet.
  2. Do what you feel like doing. So often during the holiday, the pressure is on women (yes women) to make the cookies, cook the dinner, and get the house ready.  If you want to do all these things great! But let people help you. If you don’t feel like it, don’t. Realize this, the world is not going to come to an end if you don’t get the cookies done or at all. My friend Wendi owns a bakery and she’s a damn good baker. I get my cookies from her and guess what? She does not make any at home! Her logic is simple: if folks want cookies, they can buy them from me but I’m not going to make any at home after making them all day. I get that.
  3. Self Care. I know a few of you will throw your nose up at that but right now, you have to think about this. You’re working, coming home, making dinner, taking care of the kids, shopping for presents, decorating, making the cookies and the cakes. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU?? You do not need to spend a dime on self-care. Make sure you’re going to bed at the same time every night, take a long relaxing bath, read a book, watch something funny on TV, have a cup of tea, and listen to the quiet. go for a walk. If you do have money, go get a massage, take a yoga class, or sit in a sauna.
  4. Last, be gentle with yourself. As I get older I realized a few things; first, it doesn’t matter what or how your neighbor decorates their house. It’s none of your business. It doesn’t matter if dinner isn’t done at 5pm. It doesn’t matter if the cookies get done in time. It doesn’t matter if you forgot to gift someone. It doesn’t matter if things are not perfect. I used to want things to be perfect; kind of like the Susie Homemaker perfection or the June Cleaver perfection. I always made dozens and dozens of cookies, baked bread, threw the perfect parties, the perfect gifts, and make the perfect foods. But guess what? IT DOESN’T MATTER!!! When you’re on your deathbed, no one is gonna say, “She made the perfect cookies or the perfect bread.” No one is gonna say that! So let that perfection stuff go.

Go be you. Be the best you. But most important, do what you want to do; not what is “expected” of you.

Categories
Anxiety Depression PTSD Stress

Reflections

Last week I was teaching at a retreat center. It was so beautiful and lovely, and I couldn’t enjoy it. My anxiety was through the roof to the point it was waking it up in the middle of the night with panic attacks and flashbacks. I also had chronic and severe diarrhea due to my anxiety. Teaching took every ounce of my energy. Thinking was a difficult chore too. I could feel depression creeping in slowly. I haven’t had this happen in years! I didn’t know what was going on.

So what happened? After getting home and getting back to my normal self, I figured it out…it was my diet. At the retreat center it was a lovely vegetarian/vegan diet. While it was lovely, it had no protein at all. None. I normally eat a high protein diet, so hence, there went my anxiety.

In a 2019 article written by Mental Health Connecticut, the state,

“Food rich in protein contain amino acids to help produce key neurotransmitters in prevention and treating depression and anxiety. Protein packed meals and snacks help you avoid sugary, processed foods, which can trigger anxiety and depression” (Retrieved from https://www.mhconn.org/nutrition/protein-and-mental-health/#:~:text=Foods%20rich%20in%20protein%20contain,can%20trigger%20anxiety%20and%20depression.).

There is so much information and research done on this. I read three articles from Mental Health Journals that all stated the same! So where can we get protein to help our anxiety and depression? Here’s a breakdown of high protein foods:

  • Lean Beef – there are 22 grams of protein in a 3oz piece of lean beef.
  • Chicken – there’s 27 grams of protein in a 3oz piece of chicken.
  • Salmon – Salmon has 19 grams of protein in a 3oz piece.
  • Eggs (and yes, eggs ARE good for you) – One large egg has 6 grams of protein.
  • Peanut Butter – 7 grams of protein in 2 tablespoons.
  • Pasta (shocking!) – 1 cup of penne pasta has 6 grams of protein.
  • Cottage Cheese – 12 grams of protein in a ½ cup of cottage cheese.
  • Lentil (I love lentils) – 18 grams of protein in 1 cup of cooked lentils.

So what about if your vegan? Try these: Seitan (made with gluten and wheat), Tofu/Tempah/Edamame, Lentils, Beans, Nutritional Yeast, Spelt/Teff, Hemp Seeds, Green Peas, Spirulina, Amaranth/Quinoa, Ezekiel Bread & Sprouted Grain breads, Soy Milk, Oats/Oatmeal (though Oats is technically not good for humans), Wild Rice, Chia Seeds, Nuts/Nut Butter/Seeds, Protein rich foods such as  broccoli, spinach, asparagus, artichokes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts, Fruits include:  guava, cherimoyas, mulberries, blackberries, nectarines, and bananas, and Mycoprotein which is a non-animal-based protein derived from Fusarium venenatum, which is a type of fungus.

There are many foods on this list I can’t eat because of celiac and nut allergies. However, there are a few I can eat. The bottom line for me to tell you this is simple: eat for your brain. If you do have anxiety, PTSD, and depression (or one of those), eat a diet that is high in protein.

Stress relieving foods are also helpful for those with a anxiety too. Foods that are high in Vitamin B, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Protein, and Magnesium Rich are excellent for this. The Cleveland Clinic has an excellent list of great foods that are high in these items.

Listen to your body folks. It’s telling you something.

Categories
Anxiety Mental Health & Wellness Stress

Being a Caregiver with a Dementia Patient

Today we talked to my friend Lindsey. Lindsay is a psych nurse who has taken time away from working to care for her mother. Her mother has early to middle stage dementia. We talk about anxiety with and someone that has dementia and the importance of making yourself first as a caregiver. Taking care of yourself and making yourself first as a caregiver is so very important. Lindsey gives us some tips on how to make yourself first, self-care, and how to take care of someone with dementia and staying calm. Check it out!

Also here’s an amazing app for Caregivers called Care for Caregivers.

Categories
Anxiety Depression Mental Health & Wellness PTSD Stress Trauma

Anxiety is a Bitch

I’ve lived with anxiety and PTSD since 1982. I’ve worked extremely hard on getting in control. And I did! Between yoga and a great psychologist, I had it all under control.

But two things happened to me in 2020 which threw me into a loop.

The first was menopause. Ladies, if you haven’t gone through menopause yet, be prepared for a major (and I mean major) change in not only your body, but your mind too. Morning anxiety is horrible (which is typical for menopause).

The second is gut anxiety. This I’ve had since 1997. (NOTE: This is going to be a little graphic). So what’s gut anxiety? Simply put, your anxiety is so bad that is causes diarrhea. I mean racing to the bathroom and not making it kind of diarrhea.

Both these items will be talked about in the future.

In this blog, we are going to talk about things which get in our way of a life in which we want. We are going to talk about anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress. All the things which make life more difficult. We will also bring in people to talk to and helpful hints to hopefully get us through the day. At times, we will have video’s instead of writing.