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How To Relieve Stress

Just when you think you can take a break, just when you think you won’t worry so much, something else comes along and smacks you in the back of the head. I had a moment like that over the weekend and our lives are pretty much being turned upside down. I’ve had a constant stomach ache, I’m running around trying to do a million things at once and nothing was being done well. I realized I needed to slow down and take a few minutes for me. As a single mother I always feel guilty taking time for myself. There … Continue reading →

Meditation as Stress Relief

So, the day has come. Today, I dropped my husband off at the bus station. He is going 800 miles away. I am left with three children, a dog, a cat, a house, and a yard, all alone with my high stress levels and postpartum madness. But I think I’m going to try a couple new things to help me cope with the situation. First, as I mentioned before, will be organization. I’m going to physically write a schedule and post it on the kitchen wall. This schedule will include things like dinner and story time. Play time and clean … Continue reading →

8 Ways We Self-Medicate Anxiety

Everyone knows what it’s like to have anxious moments. In fact, our body’s natural stress response is an invaluable tool we need to respond appropriately in times of crisis or danger. But when it is a near-constant companion – fueled by everyday thoughts or situations that do not warrant a heightened stress response – anxiety can be harmful. In fact, it can hurt so much our minds and bodies become desperate for relief, any relief, as fleeting as it may be. Though there are healthy means of relieving anxiety, such as exercise, meditation and prayer, all too often we choose … Continue reading →

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep – Part 1

When I was younger, I never thought about having a rough’s night sleep. I slept like a baby and didn’t understand why some people complained about not sleeping well. As I edge towards 50, I now understand what it is to lose sleep. So are there some dos and don’ts to getting a good night’s sleep? There certainly is when it comes to food. A lot of times when you can’t sleep, you may think heading for a midnight snack will help make you sleepy. You should avoid preserved and smoked meats. So that means no ham sandwich or leftover … Continue reading →

Before You Opt for Sleeping Pills

When we talk about having trouble sleeping, there are many things that you can try before turning towards medication. Prescription medication for sleep disorders are not like taking a Tylenol PM. They are highly addictive and can have massive side effects. If you’re having trouble sleeping, play close attention to what you are eating and drinking in the evenings. Avoid snacking two hours before bed, that way your body has your food digested and it’s not just sitting in your stomach. Of course you should avoid caffeinated beverages, such as soda, tea, and coffee. You should try and avoid these … Continue reading →

Taking a Break from Infertility Treatments

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve heard someone say, either in real life or online, “We’re taking a break.” I completely understand the feeling. In the six years it took us to have our first baby, we stepped off the roller coaster a few times. This can be a very good thing, and is often necessary. Trying to concieve is not fun, despite the constant refrain of, “At least you get to have fun trying.” Trying to have a baby is one of the most stressful times of life. The emotional rollercoaster between hope and disappointment can … Continue reading →

Using Food to Change Mood

Prefer a natural alternative to changing your state of mind? While major chronic mood disorders require counseling and intermittent drug treatment, often we can make small but significant changes to our diet and lifestyle to assist us to get out of a bad frame of mind. Try these simple tips next time you have a case of the “blahs”. 1. Feeling Irritable? Maintaining steady blood sugar levels will help stave off sugar swings that can lead to irritability. Eating 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day and never missing breakfast can make for a much more stable mood. Supplementing … Continue reading →

Sing Your Way to Calm

Anyone who has suffered from debilitating anxiety will know that correct breathing is one of the principal weapons against anxiety and panic attacks. There are countless references to the importance of breathing correctly in many schools of relaxation therapy, including yoga. While all of these methods are excellent and should be pursued, it can take a considerable length of time to make correct breathing your everyday style. Patterns of quick, shallow breathing which promote anxiety due to the changing oxygen/carbon dioxide ratio in the blood, are often firmly entrenched. It can take a lot of conscious effort to make correct, … Continue reading →

Waiting to Take a Pregnancy Test

When you are trying to conceive, your life feels like it revolves around your cycle. The longest time is the weeks between your fertile days and the day you can take a test. This was the hardest time for me when we were trying to conceive our first baby. The rest of the month seemed to go twice as fast as the days waiting to test. During those days my mood would routinely change from optimism about the prospect of pregnancy to feeling depressed and certain it didn’t work. Every woman that I know who has gone through infertility has … Continue reading →

Dealing with Unexplained Infertility

Infertility is defined as having unprotected sex for one year without conceiving. For women over the age of thirty five, this diagnosis comes after six months. Once you visit the doctor, a variety of tests will be performed to try to determine why you aren’t getting pregnant. For between fifteen and twenty five percent of women, there are no concrete answers. This is known as unexplained infertility. Unexplained infertility is particularly frustrating because there is no good answer to why it is happening. This makes treating these women more difficult. In most cases, the cause is determined and treatment is … Continue reading →