Help for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Dec 21st, 2011

Here’s another tip from my women’s group…..in addition to new insights about menopause (see prior post). Several shared that they’re experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  One woman has had positive benefits from using a lightbox…

A few of you wanted to know about the brand of light box I have. It’s Philips brand goLITE blue.  Don’t forget your D3, fish oil, being outside, exercise and time with people you love. This combo really kick’s Seasonal Affective Disorder where the sun doesn’t shine

Being in a community is so important for our health and well-being.  In just one gathering with my women friends, we shared our hearts and our resources for health, healing, and connection.

Are you in a group? Tell us about it in the “comments” section below.

Menopause a Second Spring

Dec 21st, 2011

At my women’s group meeting last night, several women talked about their concerns about menopause and the accompanying, aggravating symptoms.

One member told us of a book that extolled menopause as a beautiful, natural, and important transition.  We perked up because who doesn’t want to see menopause as a positive experience!  Our friend reminded us that western medicine makes menopause a problem to be dealt with using drugs and a “put up with it” mentality.  Everyone nodded in acknowledgement that this is the unnecessarily negative conventional  perception of menopause in the western world.  And it’s time for a change.  There is a much more positive approach.

Here’s a link to a positive spin on menopause and one powerful method to help manage the transition.  This article is written by the author of the book my friend was telling us all about.

Several of us are buying her book:  Menopause A Second Spring:  Making a Smooth Transition With Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Let’s stick together in seeing menopause as a natural, beautiful, powerful transition to new life.

Food for the Birds and for Our Souls

Dec 5th, 2011

I love Mother Earth News.  Today I received their newsletter and a neat story about the importance of feeding birds (especially in winter).

Here’s a glimpse…..

Whoever came up with the expression “eats like a bird” to describe someone  with an eensy appetite never watched wild birds in winter. Although  feathers do a fine job of  insulating a small bird’s body from cold, food is  the fuel that stokes its inner fires, keeping its metabolism  generating crucial heat and energy. From sunup to sundown,  an overwintering  bird’s focus in life is to feed its face.  Most small species need to eat  from one-third to three-fourths their body weight in food each day. No gluttony here, though; the name of the game is survival, pure and simple.  No food, no tomorrow.

We feed birds to nourish our own winter-weary souls, too.  Somehow watching birds flit from feeder to bush to branch, to feeder to  bush to branch, lifts our spirits. Putting out feeders not only gives us a closer look at our feathered friends, but also gives us a greater sense  of kinship with the creatures sharing our natural world.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/2004-02-01/Bringin-in-the-Birds.aspx#ixzz1fgJa0W5i

My neighbor keeps the bird feeder full and I keep their water fresh and thawed.  How do you help support wildlife in winter?  Leave your comments below.