Category Archives: Wellness topic

Wellness topic

Blocking blue light for a good night’s sleep

Gamma RAY Blue Light Blocking Computer Gaming & TV Glasses - 0.00x Magnification

My husband came to bed one night with these orange tinted safety glasses as he scrolled thru You Tube. Of course this led to me laughing at him and then to him sharing with me his research. So apparently too much blue light which is what is artificially illuminated from most of our lamps and devices can inhibit melatonin production so your body doesn’t know when it’s bedtime. Yellow to orange tinted blue light-blocking glasses and lens filters help block these blue lights and can help a person fall asleep on time despite late night screen usage. There’s a study out of the University of Houston College of Optometry that showed that wearing them for even an hour before bedtime had a positive effect in their study showing people whom wore the glasses slept 24 minutes longer and had 58% higher melatonin levels during the study than before they started wearing the glasses.

I have since started recommending the glasses to those clients having difficulty sleeping. I have had all positive feedback which is unusual with product recommendations. This past month I have started keeping a supply in the office to sell at a minimal price. Generic safety glasses – $3 and fancier more aesthetically pleasing frames for $15.

Resources: https://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2017/july/07242017bluelight.php

brain, Nutrition, Wellness topic

The Gut and Depression

I am fascinated about all the research in the gut biome and our relationship with the microbes that live inside of us.  I am motivated to figure out how to guide clients in improving their mood through their nutrition.  I am not a professional nutritionist but I try very hard to stay up on the latest research.  Subsequently I ran across this article in Psychology Today, October 2017 issue, pg 31-32 on how the microbes in your gut affect your mood.

There were  2 studies mentioned that as I scanned the information grabbed my attention.  The first one was on the transplanting fecal matter from depressed patients into germ-free rats.  The rats then began to develop symptoms of anxiety and anhedonia (not taking interest in the usual things one finds interesting).  The other study involved giving patients prebiotics (material that enhances the grown of beneficial microbes in the gut.)  The researchers discovered one particular type of prebiotics ( galacto-oligosaccharides – GSOs) to decrease cortisol and increase a patient’s attention to positive events.

However what was most intriguing as I looked deeper into the article was the theory of how important fiber is to our gut biome.  Apparently  fibrous material from plants which are more difficult to digest help feed beneficial microbes.  This fermentation that occurs releases energy, gases, and metabolites called “short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).  These SCFAs are one of the ways our gut communicates with our brain, signaling molecules throughout the body to mobilize hormones and activate nerve pathways to everything from body weight to mood states.  Apparently the material present from these prebiotics in the fiber is extremely important for wellness and something our general Western diet lacks.  Per article our ancestors consumed around 100 grams of fiber while  we consume currently around 15 grams of fiber a day.   This is just another added point toward why nutrition is so important to limiting our stress and increasing well-being.

 

Chronic pain, Exercise, Wellness topic, Yoga

Back Pain and Exercise

 

In sessions, I hear a lot about chronic pain, particular back pain.  Many folks are  becoming more and more skeptical to the use of pain killers with all the headlines about the opioid epidemic.  They want to look at other options for pain and/or reduce their personal use of opiates and other pain killers.  Exercise comes up with mixed thoughts and feelings.  On one hand they hear that the increase of exercise can help with circulation, healing, and tension related to pain.  On the other hand, the wrong exercise or the wrong amount can cause serious damage and create more problems.

A recent article in the October 2017 edition of Scientific American highlights some research on this topic.  The research looked at over 300 individuals with chronic back pain and prescription painkillers.  They assigned these individuals to either a program of yoga, physical therapy, or a program of educational materials.  What they discovered is that the individuals in the yoga and physical therapy groups were able to significantly reduce their use on pain killers than the control and education only group.    The author described the yoga that was prescribed in the group as gentle stretches including cat/cow and child’s pose.

The article spoke to the evidence that what seems to work best is an overall combination of tools, which could be medications and movement.  When speaking to one’s primary care physician or pain treating provider, asking about other options for pain relief in addition to medications is recommended.  If there are no structural reasons for the pain or damage to any vertebrae many times movement is preferred over medications.   Although even with structural problems with someone’s skeleton, increasing flexibility and circulation is beneficial and necessary for healing.  Muscle relaxers may help obviously with muscle tightness, but you may get much more with exercise such as overall increase in circulation, relaxation and strengthening of muscles.

Bottom line seems to be that there are benefits to medication but much more for adding the right exercise with or without the medication.   Figuring out the right exercise may take a little research and time.  Speaking to qualified professionals familiar with one’s unique health history and getting a list of options to choose from is the best place to start.   A physical therapist is also a great place to start but if you want to try something at home, one could always begin with asking their healthcare provider to explain first off which exercises they shouldn’t do and why.  Then at least  an individual is able to stay safe while they sample different exercises to try at home.  As with any exercise program, when you find something that works, it’s the consistency that will give you the most benefit.   It’s better to start small and keep going than start too big and feel like you can’t keep it up due to time or energy.

brain, Change, Exercise, Nutrition, Wellness topic

Brain Health

 

Research on Alzheimer’s was again in Scientific American this month.  This particular article was reviewing research based on a clinical trial by “FINGER” (the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) between 2009 and 2011.  The results of the clinical trials and the study show that it is never too early and in this case  never “too late”  to intervene with cognitive decline through changes in the way one lives.

The changes they were referring to were eating a Mediterranean like diet, getting exercise, and challenging the brain through learning new things and memory challenges.  These recommendations are by no means new to the public but just validates even more this life style.  To be clear the exercise that showed positive results in memory and organization was 2-3 times a week of 60 minute periods of exercise like muscle strength training, aerobic exercise and postural balance and the Mediterranean diet was fruits, vegetables, whole grains, rapeseed oil, a fish meal  at least twice a week.  The only supplement given was Vitamin D.

Of course the groups started slow and built up to this goal which is encouraging.  They started at 30 minutes.  The exercise sometimes is the most difficult to work in.  It’s important to note that the time they give is not straight cardio work, it combines strength building, cardio, and posture improvement such as in physical therapy, physiotherapy, and some types of yoga.

Motivation for change can be a slow process but building up reasons to change is one of the steps.  Looks like this study gives us more to add to that list of pros and cons.  Hopefully also  it will also help us to work through the ambivalence.

 

Addiction, Treatment, Wellness topic

Local Support

 

 

community

It can be overwhelming  seeking support outside of your friends and family when you have an addiction.   This is usually a significant step that needs to be made when you have multiple relapses; however, I see many people try to reassure themselves that this time it’s going to be different and not take this step.

They have their plan.  It usually is a decent plan.  We have worked on either a Wellness Action Plan, Crisis Plan, or Relapse Prevention Plan.    In therapy we have also came up with wonderful “tools” to use in their daily maintenance and their “emergency kit”.  We have practiced, role played, and brought in family and friends.  But yet they’ll be another relapse.  Another lie told.  Another promise broken to self or others.  They show back up sometimes beaten down, ashamed, and lower in spirit and energy.  Or they’ll show up determined that this time will “be different” only to end up like the previous scenario eventually.

The piece that is missing is support outside of treatment, friends, and/or family.  It is tapping into something positive that is larger than oneself.  This could be in the form of a religion/faith.  It could be in the form of AA/NA.  I have seen people invest themselves into a close knit wellness communities, like with Rock Climbing or Yoga.    I have seen folks begin to invest in service communities, like with Habit for Humanity, Urban Ministries, etc..  It doesn’t seem to really matter what it is as long as it has a higher principle and has other people to connect with.  This step  of participating with something outside of our individual community touches on the “spiritual” side that so many addictions counselors will talk about.  It touches on this piece of us that is sometimes very difficult to conceptualize.  People think they have to go to church or start praying.  Although this could be a path for some, it doesn’t mean it has to be the path of all searching for that “higher power”.  But one key element in this is the “investment”, the “participation” that makes it work.  Just visiting a community or group is not enough.  One must get involved so that an investment is made.   This investment will bring returns though.

In order to help with this connection, I want to provide some resources below for AA, NA, Al-Aanon.  These are by no means the only I recommend but they are the main ones folks can access easily in our community and have shown to be reliable supports and places people can become involved and invested through working steps, finding a sponsor, sharing story, etc…

Greensboro Al-Aanon

Al-Anon General Site

Greensboro AA meetings

Greensboro NA meetings