Brain/Mental Health

Anyone who has struggled with mental illness knows it's not easy. It can also be very difficult to talk about because of the stigma and shaming that can often come with it. Most people don't understand what can happen or how their loved ones really feel. That is unless they have experienced it themselves. This is one reason why so many try to hide their affliction and even completely turn away from everyone they love. Obviously, that is not the best course of action for relief and true help. Here are 4 important actions when mental illness strikes.

Being healthy is the number one way to encourage happiness and life fulfillment. If this is true, why do so many place such a low level of importance on how healthy they are? Health is about being well enough to live a lifestyle that serves you and those you love. I don't know about you but I want to do everything possible to live that life. Here are some smart ways to prioritize your health

How do we take back control of our lives and put stress behind us? I just had an 1.5 hour conversation with my integrative doctor about this very topic. Stress is a killer...literally. Managing stress levels goes a long way to help your life, specifically, your physical and mental health. The fortunate thing is that simply making a few small changes to your lifestyle will help curb stress and the body's response to it. Though I could talk about this topic for much longer, here are 5 top stress-busting actions.

Whenever you expand your mind and open up to new opportunities, you are on your way to becoming an improved person. I'm not saying that something is wrong with you, me or the next woman. I'm saying that we all can grow, change, and develop as we see the need and have the desire. The fact is, when you improve your mind, you improve the world.

In this busy and polluted world, it’s getting harder and harder to take care of ourselves. It's not just the flu or common ailments to worry about. Chronic, autoimmune diseases like Lupus, MS, RA, and Fibromyalgia are floating to the top of the list of health enemies to look out for. If you suffer from a chronic or long term illness like asthma or arthritis, it’s important to make sure you’re as healthy as possible. Do all that you can to bring balance to your body, mind, and spirit. Here are some of my top ways to be healthier with a chronic illness.

It has been scientifically proven that when you are focused on happy, positive thoughts you feel and perform better. When you’re happy, you feel positive and as though you can overcome anything. And, though, positive thinking is not all you need to have to change your life, it certainly is a good place to start.

Our brains and our bodies are intrinsically connected. As someone who has lived with chronic illness, I understand this connection very well. When the body hurts and cannot handle normal daily functions, the mental state can diminish. Ironically, as well, the body cannot heal when the mind is not functioning properly. Body-mind connection is imperative to life as well as healing.

Stress is a part of human life, but it affects each of us differently. It's important to know what triggers stress in your life and whether you deal with it effectively or not. In most cases, a little stress won't harm you, as your mind and body have reservoirs to handle it. However, if it's creating illness, relationship issues, and work problems, beat stress with these 5 mood-boosting measures.

Unfortunately, men and women aren’t created equally in a biological sense. And, as a result, there are some health conditions that affect women more than men. But, surprisingly, we women rarely speak to each other about these serious conditions. That all needs to change. By talking to each other about our health, we raise awareness. And then more and more women will know to get important tests and checkups, so they can catch potentially dangerous conditions early. So, which health conditions are women at most risk for? Here are some of the main ones.

Ahhh...the aging process. It's happening. And, it's happening for us all whether we like it or not. Unfortunately, some women panic and make bad decisions that have a negative impact on their lives, while others choose to lay down and give up on many of the things they embraced in their youth. But the aging process doesn't have to be bad. Instead, embrace it! Find what helps you to be yourself and live the most rebellicious life you can! Here are my best dos and don’ts of getting older!

When it comes to our health and our lives, we can be extreme on either end of the spectrum. Some focus on their health with all of their strength and will, or some choose not to think about those things until it’s too late. Not many people strike a balance, which is surprising. There are many things we can do to ensure our future health, and we can do it sensibly. Sometimes, just changing little things, here and there, can make the biggest difference. So Here are nine of those things. I believe taking charge of your present and future health is empowering and may inspire you to go even further.

We all have periods in our life when we feel down and have less energy. If there is no obvious or specific cause, it can be frustrating and confusing. Outwardly things can be going well or at the very least have remained unchanged. Yet, inwardly, we can feel down and out of sorts. If it has become chronic or is interfering with your life you should, of course, seek professional advice and eliminate any serious causes. However, more often than not, it is something that we ourselves can address with simple but effective steps. Read on to discover some of the most common causes of the blues and how to address them.

No one enjoys talking about aging - it is the proverbial elephant in the room for many of us. And, unfortunately, there is no magic pill or creme that will stop it. It is something we all have to go through, but we don't have to fall prey to negative thinking and an unhealthy lifestyle. There are so many ways to push away the ill-effects of aging, but you have to start as soon as possible. Though the choice to live a healthier life is a serving one at any age, I believe that the sooner you start these life-giving activities, the more benefit you will reap from them when you get to your golden years.

I recently deactivated my Facebook® account for a couple months and, after the initial shock of not having a news feed to scroll through passed, I realized I was experiencing some crazy emotions. I was sad, missing all my daily interactions. I was lonely, lonelier than I had ever been in the past. My phone was extra quiet and the ones I reached out to, gave me a hard time about deactivating. I was frustrated!

I'ts normal to be sad and hurt at times. It's also very normal to get angry, however letting it consume you is not healthy. The hard part is knowing how much time to allow these emotions to have the stage. One thing I found that helps is a technique called Self-Soothing. You can find helpful resources here. SELF-SOOTHING is comforting, nurturing and being kind to yourself. One way to accomplish self-soothing is to comfort your five senses in the following ways: