A Discussion about SAD

January 28, 2013 / ktbuchs87

I want to preface this post by saying that I am NOT a licensed professional and am NOT trying to diagnose or treat SAD. These are just my thoughts, opinions and observations about this. Furthermore, I have not been clinically diagnosed with SAD, these are just my observations on my own feelings.

Cold, grey, dreary. Yes, those words can be used to describe the winter weather here in the midwest. But it’s also how I sometimes feel during the winter, and who wants to feel like that for at least 3 (most likely more) months out of the year?

When I first heard about SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder in my freshman Psychology class, I didn’t really think that much about it. Sure, most people get the winter blues, but it isn’t anything too serious. I quickly put it out of my mind and moved on. Fast forward about five years to this winter. I could just NOT shake my case of the “winter blues” as I called them. I was tired all the time even though I got ample amounts of sleep. I was short and cranky with the people around me, i.e. Adam (sorry dear!). I felt cold and isolated in my own little wintry world and it wasn’t very fun. I thought I was just being dramatic and tried to put it out of my mind and force myself into a happy mood. Then I started seeing a few articles about SAD and I remembered back to my psych class. Could I be experiencing my own case of Seasonal Affective Disorder? Right about this time, Adam and I left for our honeymoon to Jamaica. I was really hoping that my grumpy mood wouldn’t ruin our trip. Now, there probably was a combination of things that went into lifting my mood immensely while we were in Jamaica. One: we were on our honeymoon, who could be grumpy then? Two: we didn’t have to go to work or deal with reality, we were in Jamaica! But I must say I felt amazing on our honeymoon, no sight of the “winter blues” any where.

The transformation my mood took while on my honeymoon made me really look into SAD when I returned back home. What was it that made me feel so much better in beautiful Jamaica and how could I recreate that here at home where winter was barreling down on us? Is there any possible way that nutrition could play a part in this?

For those of you who don’t know or are not very familiar with SAD here is a very simple break down. As no one really knows what causes SAD, there isn’t just one treatment. So, for my purposes I tried a few non-medicinal “cures” on my own to see what would happen. Now, like I said at the beginning of this post, I am NOT saying that these will work for everyone nor are they proven cures. These are just the few things that I tried that appeared to work.

Sunlight. Some doctors believe that SAD is caused due to the lack of sun during the winter months. The days are shorter and it’s cold so even when the sun is out not many people want to venture outside. During my time in Jamaica there was an abundance of sun and I spent a lot of time outside enjoying the rays (with my SPF 100. I’m quite pasty). Plus, during the summer I am out in the sun a lot as well and never experience any depression like symptoms. So each day (when the weather allows it) I try to get just a little sunshine. 15 minutes is really all you need. You don’t even have to venture out into the tundra, you can stand in a nice sunny window for a few minutes each day!

Increase in Calcium and fresh fruits and veggies. This goes along with the sunlight. We get our best source of Vitamin D from the sun (and a lot of our foods, like milk, are fortified with Vitamin D). We absorb Vitamin D optimally when it is combined with Calcium. So along with getting my few minutes of sunshine each day, I decided to up my intake of Calcium. I started drinking Silk brand Almondmilk (the unsweetened variety) which has 45% Calcium as well as 25% Vitamin D2. I also made sure I was getting a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables that were also high in Calcium like broccoli and oranges. Not only are fruits and vegetables healthy, they are great at helping to boost energy!

Talk (or write) it out. I mentioned earlier that I was cranky and short a lot with Adam. He would pretty much say something and because I was already in a bad mood I would just lash out or shut down completely. He had no idea that I had been feeling grumpy all day, so he was totally blindsided. I kept all my feelings to myself and that in turn made me feel even grumpier. So when I finally shared with him how I had been feeling down lately, it was a huge relief to both of us. I felt better for getting some things off my chest and sharing with someone and he felt better because he realized his wife was not some angry weirdo. I understand that everyone might not have someone with whom they can talk to on a regular basis. In that case I suggest starting a journal. I tried this out and have been writing a little each day. It has really helped to get things out, even if it’s just a few sentences in a notebook.

These three tactics have been working well for me over the past few weeks. Again, I was not diagnosed with SAD and I never sought professional medical attention. These were just my observations and feelings. I tried to tune into what my body needed for me to feel my best. There are many other ways that you can try such as light therapy, counseling, or prescription medication. It all depends on how YOUR body functions and what it needs to feel its best. If you think that you might have SAD or just want to learn more about it, I encourage you to visit your doctor or the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association’s (SADA) website.

I know this topic did not have much to do with nutrition, but I felt it was an important thing to address. I’m interested in total health, and while I really do enjoy the nutrition side to health, it is not the only aspect of a happy, healthy body. I hope this post was able to help a few of you out there, or, at the very least, served as a good learning experience!

I’m not sure what next weeks post will be about, but I promise it will be something good! Have an amazing week and I’ll see you soon!

Things that Cheer me up: Cooking!

These crazy cats!

These two!

This little lady! (my sister Jodie)

Your amazing body

January 21, 2013 / ktbuchs87

Do you really know how intelligent and efficient your body truly is? Sure, you know that it is an amazing vessel that can do hundreds of tasks (often at the same time) and on top of that it sustains life. Pretty impressive. But did you also know that your body can actually tell you when something is not totally right? Yup, your awesome body has plenty of warning signs to let you know when something is amiss. Unfortunately most of us don’t pay attention/don’t know how to interpret these signals. I believe that part of a healthy lifestyle, besides eating well and exercising is being able to tune in and really listen to what your body is telling you.

I ran across this article the other day and I was amazed at some of the warning signs that your body will give you to clue you in to what’s going on. It wasn’t until recently (the past six months or so) that I really started to try and listen to what my body needed. Before that I pretty much only listened to the “normal” signals i.e. Go to the bathroom fool! Get some food, you’re getting hangry (hungry + angry = not a pleasant Katie), Maybe you should go to bed since you’re falling asleep while studying! I think that most of us are pretty aware of those basic signals, but we all really need to work on some of the more subtle hints that our bodies are dropping.

Because I am interested in health, I am fascinated with all the ways that my body lets me know what I need to do nutritionally. Who knew that cracks around the corner of your mouth could be sign of a vitamin B-deficiency? Or that cold you can’t seem to shake indicates a lack of good bacteria in your gut? Most of us wouldn’t think much of these things, but they are important keys to your best health.

So what should you do with this information? Become a body detective (preferably of your own body… some situations could get awkward otherwise…)! Take a few minutes each day to really assess your body. Does it feel different than yesterday? Do you notice something a little off or have a funny feeling? It will take time to really be able to interpret your bodies signals and know exactly what to do. But with a little dedication and some research, you should be able to really know your own body That is so important for your health because you only get this one body to work with. Now it goes without saying, that if you think something is terribly wrong go and see your doctor. I am not advocating self-diagnosis when it comes to serious illness, I just think that being able to interpret your bodies own unique signals is a healthy and helpful skill to have.

I hope that you all have a fantastic week and you are able to maybe tune into your amazing body and learn what it truly needs. Next week I am going to talk a little about SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder and different ways to cope. See you all next Monday!

How I’ve benefited from Mindful Eating

January 14, 2013 / ktbuchs87

Hello Readers! I hope that everyone had a fabulous week! I know I did but that might have something to do with the fact that I spent it in Jamaica on my honeymoon… Not bragging… ok I am. Both Adam and I had the best time ever in Montego Bay and were able to spend some quality time resting and relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. Ok, as much as I know you would all love to hear more about my honeymoon, I’ll get on with today’s post!

I talked last time about some easy ways that you could start to eat more mindfully. Even if you incorporate one or two of those techniques into your eating habits, you can start to reap the benefits of mindful eating. But what exactly are the benefits to mindful eating? Why should you care about the way you eat? Glad you asked and happy to answer! Now keep in mind, this is the way that I personally have benefited from mindful eating. While it will probably be similar, you may experience different results. That is totally cool, because we are all different!

1) More aware of the food that I eat By slowing myself down and really taking the time to consider the food that I am about to eat I have noticed that I am able to really see how different foods affect me. For example, over the past few months I have noticed that whenever I eat wheat I feel bloated and my skin tends to break out. Or when I have an egg and some type of nut butter for breakfast I am able to feel fuller for longer. Mindful eating has really allowed me to hone my diet so that I can feel and look as good as possible. The practice of slowing down and savoring every bit of my food has also helped to train me to tap into what my body is trying to tell me.

2) New appreciation for food Now that I try to use all of my senses while eating, I have really come to love different aspects of food. For instance, I have come to love the sound of garlic sizzling in a cast iron skillet. I love the smell of sweet potatoes roasting in the oven with Italian spices. I really like the look of roasted beats next to a pile of broccoli. While it might seem silly to feel this way about food, this has allowed me to really appreciate all the ways that healthy food nourishes my body, not just with nutrients but also with sounds, smells, and visuals.

3) Allows me to know when I’m full Before I started to eat mindfully, I could finish a meal in about 5 to 10 minutes flat if I had to. The problem with that (besides indigestion) was that I never knew when I was truly full and would end up eating way more than my body needed in that short time frame. Now that I take at LEAST 20 minutes to eat a meal (most of the time, longer than that) I can feel when I am approaching full. Let me tell you, it takes a lot less food than you would think to fill you up. Plus because I am savoring every bite, I feel much more satisfied after I am done eating.

4) Helped me to connect with others around me While this might not seem like a health benefit at first glance, it really is. Taking the time to sit down and turn off all distractions has allowed me to connect and bond with whomever I am sharing a meal with. Adam and I try to at least eat one meal together and sitting at the kitchen table and it has really opened up a new way to connect. We talk about each other’s day, interesting things we read, or movies/books we are looking forward too. Some of my best memories are family meals where we all would take the time to prepare delicious foods, turn off our phones, and sit at the table and chat. Mindful eating not only is good for the body, it is good for the relationships around you.

These are just a few of the bigger impacts that mindful eating has had on my eating habits. There are others, such as an excitement/eagerness to create new dishes just to experience a new sensation food-wise. Or just the simple fact that I know that I am doing something really healthy for my body and that is always a good thing!

If you have any questions or comments about mindful eating, I would really love to hear from you! Let me know how it has helped you or if you have any questions as how to get started, give me a shout! Also, check out this website for more tips and history on mindful eating. Next week, I want to talk about how our bodies are really great at letting us know exactly what we need nutrition wise. So have a fantastic week and I’ll see you soon!

Such delicious food in Jamaica! I may or may have not eaten my weight in their delicious smoked salmon and callaloo…

Mindful eating: How to get started

December 31, 2012 / ktbuchs87

I hope that everyone had a FABULOUS Christmas! I know that I was doubly blessed this year and got to celebrate twice! Once on Christmas with my family and then Adam and I celebrated our very first Christmas as husband and wife yesterday. It was a great day filled with cheer, board games, presents, delicious food, and Christmas shows. I could not have asked for a better day. Now on to today’s topic!

One of the many cookbooks I got, but I was REALLY excited for this one! Love root veggies!

Cooking my first Christmas feast. Yup I smile like that most of the time

I talked last week about mindful eating and what that means. Simply put, it is experiencing your food with ALL your senses and taking the time to fully savor your meal. So often we are distracted while eating a meal and this leads to you inhaling your food and not really remembering what you ate. This then leads to more (read: over) eating because you do not feel like you got a full meal. Clearly this is a problem and can lead to weight gain and numerous health problems. My humble opinion is that we all need to practice a little mindful eating.

But how exactly do you eat mindfully? It is actually very simple, although I will warn you that it does take practice and patience. When you are used to eating one way for so long it becomes a habit and habits can be tough to break/change. Here are some of the steps that I personally have taken to eat mindfully and they have really helped.

Eliminate all distractions while eating. Turn off your TV, log off your laptop, put away your cellphone/tablet/whatever electronic device you have in your clutches. When you are eating you should be totally focused on the plate in front of you. Distractions while eating cause you to over eat and not pay attention (hence the name distractions… like I said most of this advice is pretty simple). The one thing that I do have while I am eating a meal is music. I like to have the radio on in the background and it is usually tuned to the classical radio station (unless it is Christmas time and then you best believe Bing Crosby is singing to me about a White Christmas). I understand that music could be a distraction for some, but might enhance the eating experience for others.

When possible, sit at a table for your meal. Another simple but effective tool of mindful eating is having a designated area to sit and eat all of your meals. This allows your body to know that it is about to receive food and it can adjust accordingly. I know that a lot of you are eating on the go because you have super busy lives and I understand that sitting down at the kitchen table for every meal might not be possible. But try to make at least one meal a sit down meal. Once you start this habit, you will really notice how just sitting at a table helps to put your focus on the delicious meal you are about to eat.

Try to be involved in the process of putting a meal together. I totally get that not everyone loves to cook or be in the kitchen making a meal. Some people find it a chore or too hard or have the tendency to burn water whenever they are trying to make food. However, you do not have to make the whole meal by yourself to be involved in the process. Help cut veggies, make the sauce, pick a wine to go with dinner, set the table or even just spend time in the kitchen observing the meal being put together. Getting involved in the whole process really allows you, the eater of food, to be more connected to the food and get more out of the act of eating. When you are more aware of your meal, you are better able to appreciate eating that food. Which leads into the next step…

Use all your senses when eating. Don’t just limit your eating to your sense of taste. Yes that is one of the most important senses, but you really miss out on a lot if you are just shoveling food in your mouth barely tasting anything. Smell all the wonderful aromas of your meal before you take a bite, or look at the bright colors of the veggies on your plate. Really listen to the sizzle of that hot steak as it comes your way to the table. Touching your food might be frowned upon in some situations, but notice the texture of that pasta as you eat or feel how creamy your mashed potatoes are. All of these actions make eating so much more than the simple act of putting a fork to your lips. It will also allow you to feel more satisfied with less food. And finally…

SLOW DOWN. It is surprising how fast some folks eat a meal. I kid you not, I have seen a family sit down to dinner and finish in 7 minutes flat. A meal should not be along the lines of a hotdog eating competition. It takes your body at least 20 minutes to register that it has eaten something, so try to make your meal last at least that long. If possible try to stretch it out even longer. Take the time to savor your food and take note that you are eating. Also with this last tip, try to eat just one helping and not go back for seconds. The longer you take to eat, the more you feel satisfied with just that one helping of food.

These are just some guidelines for mindful eating and there are a lot more. There are actually whole classes and seminars dedicated to teaching the “art” of mindful eating. But you don’t need a class to start incorporating these steps into your daily eating. Try one or two and don’t get discouraged. You may feel silly taking at least 20 minutes to eat or that it is ridiculous to smell your food, but these things WILL help you to eat mindfully and in the long run eat better and find more satisfaction with less food.

I will be taking a short break after this post because Adam and I are leaving for our honeymoon on Sunday! I am super excited to head to Jamaica with him and can’t wait to tell you all about it! So enjoy your New Year and I pray that it is a wonderful year for all of you!

Mindful Eating: Wait… Did I just eat that?

December 24, 2012December 24, 2012 / ktbuchs87

Oh the holidays! What a wonderful time of friends, family, and food! How many of you have been in this situation? You’re at a Christmas party, there is food EVERYWHERE, people all around talking, laughing, drinking, having a good time. You are enjoying the rush of holiday spirit and look down at your plate and realize you have downed five pigs in a blanket, a mountain of chips and dip, and there are still cookie crumbs on your face. You know you had a full plate just a minute ago, but you can’t remember finishing any of it.

Unfortunately, this happens all too often, and not just at Christmas time. I’ve been just as guilty of plopping myself in front of the TV for dinner and inhaling my meal without even remembering the taste of what was on my plate. Or how about the mindless snacking that just seems to go hand in hand with surfing the internet? What would Facebook-stalking your friends be without that endless bag of Doritos? We have become a society that has gotten really good at multitasking, but multitasking while eating can be detrimental to your health.

Enter mindful eating. Maybe you have heard/seen/read about this idea but never really gave much thought to it (pun intended there). This idea has been picking up speed and support here in the United States for the past few years, but the practice of mindfulness has been around for much longer than that. In Buddhist culture, they have been practicing the art of mindful eating for thousands of years. So what is mindful eating exactly? In the simplest terms, it is being completely present and aware of everything that goes in to the act of sitting down and eating a meal. Not just the taste of food, but the smell, the sight, the texture, and the ambiance around you. It is really focusing on being in the moment, so to speak, with your food.

Now, I can see some of you rolling your eyes at the computer screen. “Great. She is one of THOSE people. How long before she has us hugging trees and dancing around with scarves to advocate healthy eating?” No, I am not one of THOSE people, although there is nothing wrong with them and I do a pretty wicked healthy food scarf dance. Mindful eating doesn’t have to be some crazy spiritual food experience to be helpful to you and your health. There have been numerous studies and research products on the effects of mindful eating on a healthy diet. And a lot of them have shown very positive results.

Over the next few posts, I want to go more into the principles of mindful eating as well as share some of my experiences with the practice. It really has helped improve my health, and I was one of the skeptical ones when I first heard the idea (30 minutes to eat a banana? No thanks, get it in my belly asap). But I now see the benefits and I think that you can reap those same benefits for yourself!

With that in mind (yup another pun) I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy the time with your loved ones and bask in the glow of this wonderful season! And just maybe think before reaching for that fifth candy cane….