elisha

Depression: My Story

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A Climate Change Concept ImageDepression is a highly stigmatized medical condition. What does that mean? Many people judge it and view people who have it negatively to the point where they feel as though they are outcasts. Unfortunately our society places a high value on being strong and stable, and so, if you have depression, you might be viewed as weak. As a result, individuals often do not want to admit that they are depressed because of the lack of support they will get and possible discrimination that they might get from others.

This week, I wanted to share with you my path to healing from depression, and wanted to encourage those out there who might be struggling with depression that it is possible to free yourself from the chains of depression. And so begins my story . . .

Throughout my life I was prone to bouts of depression. My mother and my grandmother, along with other relatives, experienced major depressive disorder, and so, I guess you could say it just came naturally. If something negative in my life happened I would often experience bouts of depression where I was sad, no longer experienced pleasure in activities that I used to find pleasurable, I wouldn’t eat much, and I wouldn’t sleep much. On the outside I looked like your normal happy kid, but on the inside I always felt like something bad was going to happen. I put on a mask in order to hide my internal turmoil from the world.

My depression escalated when I was a teenager and a close family friend, who was like a mother, passed away. I felt guilt over not having spent enough time with her in her final months, and so, I spiraled further down than I had gone before and began using alcohol to cope. This of course made me further depressed and resulted in me harming myself out of anger, grief, and confusion. I felt alone, sad, and angry. I could not see beyond my grief and inner turmoil. I could not see my loved ones looking in at me wishing I would help them to understand my pain, because I was so blinded by the storm that was raging internally. After finding support from a friend and pressing into my faith, I was able to recover from this abuse on my body and the depression for some time. Again as the years went on I struggled with depression off and on, and had another serious bout before getting married. This time I asked for support and help and was aided through my bout. It was after this incident that I began a journey of self discovery. I began reading a book called, “Beauty for Ashes: Receiving Emotional Healing” by Joyce Meyer. This book helped me to cope with and move on from the traumas of my past and to identify problem areas that kept popping up, for example feelings of guilt and shame. I then began reading another book, “Power Thoughts” by Joyce Meyer, and this is where things began to drastically change for me. From reading this book I found out that I did not have to let depression control my life. I could wake up and FEEL depressed, but I did not have to BE depressed; I had a CHOICE. This concept really resonated with me and I began practicing it. Whenever I felt like reacting to a situation, for example, if someone said something that “offended” me, I would speak that the offense was not mine to take, and that I could choose to still be happy. If I woke up in the morning feeling sad, I would tell myself that it was okay for me to be happy and that I was going to choose to be happy today. It took time to develop this mindset, but I can happily say that depression no longer controls me. I am no longer weighed down by shame or guilt, and am walking out a free life by the Grace of God.

I would like to encourage my readers today that if you are struggling with depression, you are not alone. Please do not try to fight this alone and seek help and support. There is much support that can be provided from loved ones, friends, family, medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, and more. I would also like to encourage you that you can overcome this. If you would like some help through naturopathic medicine, please do not hesitate to contact me and book an appointment. We can work through this together.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC (416-498-9763), and let me help you achieve your health goals.

Stress and Weight: The Connection between Stress and Unsuccessful Weight Loss

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Girl - Weight LossSome do not realize that their mind impacts their physical body, but in all reality it does. Take a moment and think about having to make a presentation in front of a crowd. Do you ever get “butterflies in your stomach”, start to sweat, or feel your heart beating fast? It is most likely because you are getting nervous or anxious. This is a prime example that our thoughts can impact our physical body. With this in mind, it is possible for our mental stress to have an impact on our ability to lose weight.

Historically, stress was a way that we survived. Our bodies dealt with stress for shorter periods of time, and most of the time it was more physical than mental. For example, stress was being chased down by a tiger. From this perspective, the stress caused a release of cortisol (stress hormone) which helped you to run faster, think clearer, breathe better, and ultimately survive.

Now, we are not running from tigers, we are dealing with piles of paperwork, financial issues, stress at home and stress at work. We are not physically dealing with our stress, yet our bodies continue to release the same hormones that would help us to run faster, think clearer, and breathe easier. On top of this, we are not getting the health benefits of the exercise of dealing with the stress of today (unless your paperwork begins to chase you around, then maybe). Because our bodies are dealing with stress for much longer, our health is negatively impacted because of the wear and tear these hormones being released for so long can have on our bodies. Prolonged stress slows the body’s capacity to heal, degrades organs, suppresses the immune system, increases blood pressure, increases appetite, and can cause muscle wasting.

So how does stress halt weight loss. From a physical perspective, cortisol, the stress hormone, causes many changes in the body when it is released. From a short term perspective, it causes our heart rate and blood sugars to increase in order to have the energy needed to handle the physical stress. This can cause not only an accumulation of fat in our bodies, but also other negative impact such as those listed above. From a mental – emotional perspective, stress can cause us to feel depressed, not get outside, lack motivation; all of which can contribute to weight gain.

Because of the large role stress can have on weight and overall health, one of the main things that I tend to focus on with any patient who comes in wanting to lose weight, is stress management. Once you eliminate stress and its impact on you, you may have a easier time losing weight, and also may feel better overall.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.

 

 

 

 

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

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For this week’s blog, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Chris Habib ND who asked the question, ” Does acupuncture hurt?” Below I have provided the You Tube link where I answer this question and demonstrate what receiving acupuncture might look like.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.

 

Pumpkin Craisin Bars Recipe

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This recipe was inspired by the Craisin Bars recipe I posted several weeks ago. The changes I made were in the hopes of making it more “friendly” for those who might not like walnuts.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons of Almond Butter (I like to use Almond and Cashew Butter)
  • 1/2 Cup of Brazil Nuts
  • 1/2 Cup of Dehulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1 Cup of Dates
  • 1 Cup of Dried Cranberries (Craisins)
  • 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla

Directions:

  1. Begin by using a food processor to grind the brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds. Set the Ingredients aside.
  2. Combine the Almond Butter, Dried Cranberries, Dates and Vanilla in the food processor and grind until it becomes finely chopped.
  3. Add the Nut mixture to the Fruit and Almond Butter Mixture, and mix well.
  4. Lay wax paper down in a casserole dish and put the mixture in the dish, making it flat and pressed down.
  5. Let the mixture set, then cut into bar shapes.
  6. Lay them flat in your freezer and let them harden.
  7. Pull them out of the freezer when ready to enjoy!
  8. Alternatively, you can use the mixture to make small “Energy Balls”, as opposed to the bars.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.