Motivating Yourself Without the Use of Drugs

It’s easy to get depressed. We all go through it- you lose your job, you get in an accident, your wife files for divorce, one of your children gets sick, or perhaps all of these happen at once. The key is what you do about it. Over the years, it seems that more people turn to the use of prescription and nonprescription drugs as ways to either deal with or avoid the pain associated with a negative event that occurs in their life. This bears an economic and emotional cost on the economy as a whole, and doesn’t really solve any problems.

I am not against using drugs if there is a true need. If someone has some type of chemical imbalance that can’t be changed in natural ways, or someone has immense pain because they are dying of lung cancer and can’t take deep breaths, I wouldn’t necessarily be against the use of prescription drugs. However, in general, I personally find it preferable to find other ways to deal with pain. The problem I have is when someone takes painkillers just to avoid their emotional pain, when the physical symptoms are no longer an issue. Or, someone drowns their sorrows in alcohol or takes a stimulant to stay upbeat all the time.

So, if you are mildly depressed, what steps can you take and what can you do to get out of it and become motivated about life again?

1. Stay as active as possible. For me, I believe that humans have their own will, but that the physical state of the body plays a part in our mental state. So, if you start to lie around and do nothing, this will affect the chemicals that run through your brain and affect your mood and feelings. I even believe that you could potentially change a chemical imbalance by doing certain things, but I will save that for a later article…

So, become engaged in activities to keep the chemical balance in your brain. I find that running is a great way to increase the mood. For me, running is the best way to increase the production of endorphins, which help to regulate mood. This will help keep your mind stable and make it harder for a deeper level of depression to set in. If you can’t run, try getting your heart beat up in some other physical activity. If nothing else, take brisk walks every day during this period.

2. Put yourself out in the world. One of the easiest ways to get depressed is to sit inside and not be around anyone or anything. If you go visit a beautiful place, such as a waterfall or scenic landscape, you see that there are still good things to be found. I find it uplifting to go somewhere that had happy memories in the past, like a favorite beach. If you are depressed because of a boy/girlfriend breakup, it might however not be a good idea to go to places the two of you used to go together.

3. Get in touch with your friends. It’s great to talk to others and get out your feelings. This is helpful because the emotions have a chance to escape and don’t get bottled up inside. You will also feel better when they try and cheer you up. You might even gain some type of insight that makes you aware that what you are upset about isn’t as awful as you make it. Your friends can give you a reality check into whether you might be overreacting, and give you advice on how to handle the situation.

4. Pick up a new hobby. If you’re feeling blue, do something to distract yourself. If you get into a new project, this will take up some of the room in your mind that was being used by sad thoughts and negativity. You could find that the new hobby becomes a new passion, and gets you excited about life just in itself! I recently started writing articles here with Associated Content, when I found myself upset about some recent events in my life. I have to say, that the hobby has turned into a great passion for me, and something I hope to continue to keep me motivated for a long time!

5. Do something that makes you feel good. If you like rollerskating, go do it. I f you like listening to bands, go see a band play. If you like gardening, plant some trees or flowers. It’s good to get back to something you used to do that you loved, to bring you back to a time that you felt really good about yourself.

6. Pamper yourself. Some may find this a lame way of feeling better, but if it works, do it. Get a back massage, go to the salon, or even look into hiring a personal trainer. Treat yourself well, and you will start to feel well.

7. Eat well. This is a great mind and body booster. Eat healthy foods that will make your body feel good, even if your mind doesn’t. Continue taking your vitamins, and choose foods that boost the spirit. I would recommend not eating much red meat if you are depressed, but eating lighter foods such as fish and salads and fruit.

8. Drink well. Drink lots of fluids. This tends to relax you. Avoid alcoholic drinks because they depress you, and the depression sticks even after the alcohol gets through your body. One great way to drink well is to try some of the herbal teas on the market today. Some are created just to boost your mood and relax you!

9. Volunteer. If you don’t feel good about yourself, then help someone else. This almost always provides an instant boost to your mood, and it helps someone else’s mood as well. You can never go wrong when helping another person. Maybe you could even help them with their own motivation and/or mild depression.

10. If nothing else seems to work, seek professional help. Go to a counselor and talk through your problems. I find that talking through things seems to minimize the chance of them materializing into something physical, such as an illness or chemical imbalance. If you can work through the issues, it should help you to feel better.

11. Finally, finally, finally, face the demons and do something about it. If you broke up with your spouse, try to work things out. If you made a mistake, apologize it and try to fix it. If you are sick, take steps to help yourself feel better. Whatever you can do, take it on head on and strive to make the best out of the situation!
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Author: By info@associatedcontent.com (Christi Bowers)

Source: DentalPlans.com via The Natural Health Digest

Natural Stress, Anxiety and Depression formula without the side effects of prescription drugs!

In a fitness funk? 10 Tips on keeping your resolutions

It's now been 3 months since you made that New Year's resolution to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Might your resolve be wearing thin, or might the resolution conveniently have slipped to the back of your mind along with your hopes of getting back into those skinny jeans?

Well, we're not even to March yet, so you've still got time to regain the momentum you enjoyed on Jan. 1.

Here are some tips on how to get back on track and maintain that momentum for the rest of 2007.

Start slowly: When you begin to work out, you have to remember to start off slowly.

"People who make resolutions hit it full-force and end up quitting," said Ann Raulerson, operations manager for Gainesville Health and Fitness Center for Women. "Taking it slow helps and builds up the endurance to exercise."

Start with a few weight machines and gradually build up, rather than starting with every machine in the gym.

Find the right time:

Raulerson recommends picking a time to exercise that works best for you. A lot of people exercise during certain times of the day, even though that's not when they feel at their best.

If you usually exercise before work, but aren't feeling it, try going after work.

Raulerson warns, however, that exercising too late could throw off your internal clock, leaving you wide awake or not sleeping soundly.

Start a buddy system: Sometimes it is hard to motivate yourself to be physically active. That's where exercising with a friend or relative comes in.

"Buddy systems are good because they keep people accountable," Raulerson said.

Exercise buddies provide motivation, support and make it a lot more difficult to skip a workout.

Does it appeal to you?

If a fitness center isn't your cup of tea, there are plenty of other activities to participate in. Bowling, swimming, yoga and dancing are all forms of exercise.

You can also combine exercise with other activities you enjoy. For example, if one of your interests is photography, why not walk around town taking pictures of nature for a day?

Move more: Make it a daily challenge to find small ways to move more.

Anything that moves your limbs isn't only a fitness tool, but it is also a stress buster.

Simple ways of adding movement to your daily life are taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking your dog, changing television channels manually and mowing the lawn.

Be willing to indulge:

When on a diet, many people try to completely avoid foods high in calories or foods they consider tempting. Complete avoidance, however, doesn't work.

"An occasional small indulgence may help people to maintain a healthier style of eating if they know once a week they can have a special dessert or meat dish," said Elaine Turner, associate professor in food science and human performance.

Turner also emphasized that a diet shouldn't be about giving up favorite foods but preparing them in a healthier way.

This could mean eating smaller portions or preparing them with healthier ingredients.

Drinks have calories, too:

Many people order a salad to be healthy, but at the same time order a regular soda or an alcoholic beverage. People seem to forget that drinks also have calories.

According to a McDonald's Web site, a large Coca-Cola, for example, has 310 calories, which is about 15 percent of your recommended daily intake of calories.

Drinking water, diet soda, unsweetened tea or coffee are wise alternatives with fewer, and sometimes no calories.

Eat like a kid:

Remember those peanut butter sandwiches and waffles you loved as a child?

Turner suggests putting those foods back into your diet ... with a grown-up twist.

If you loved grilled cheese, for example, put it back in your diet, but try using reduced fat cheese and a low-fat butter spread.

Add color to your diet:

Fruits and vegetables come in all different colors and most people would benefit from having more of them in their diet, Turner said.

"Sometimes we get stuck in the same (fruits and vegetables)," she said. "Trying something new once a week could add interest to the diet."

Along with adding variety, foods that are bright in color tend to have more antioxidants, which provide beta-carotene, lycopene and vitamins C, E and A.

Brush your teeth:

If you're a late-night snacker, try brushing your teeth, flossing and using mouthwash right after dinner.

Many people find it less appealing to eat more when they have a clean mouth.

Found at The Gainesville Sun

Tips for choosing exercise equipment at Natural Weight Loss Guide