Patients with Parkinson’s disease who supplement with n-acetylcysteine (NAC), a natural molecule with strong antioxidant effects, experience notable improvements in dopamine function, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE. NAC is an oral supplement that can be found at most nutrition and health food stores. In a medical setting, NAC hasContinue reading “Molecule May Improve Dopamine Function in Parkinson’s”
Tag Archives: Self-Care
The Surprising Role of Nutrition in Mental Health
If you’ve been reading my blog for a month or more, you know that I have found nutrition to be a powerful force in my recovery from depression. Since 2008, I haven’t responded to medications or have had only a minimal, partial response, so I have been on a mission — for myself and for theContinue reading “The Surprising Role of Nutrition in Mental Health”
Tell Me More About These “Coping Skills” of which You Speak
Ask any kiddo who’s ever been in inpatient or outpatient mental health treatment, especially the ones still in single digit ages, what they should do when they feel (insert unhealthy emotion here), and you’ll get a pretty ubiquitous response: “Use my coping skills!” Well, my little friends, you’d be fantastically right. But, what are copingContinue reading “Tell Me More About These “Coping Skills” of which You Speak”
What to Do About Your Teenager’s “Eye-roll”
Teenagers are geniuses at doing things they know will irritate you What to Do About Your Teenager’s “Eye-roll” If you are or have been the parent of a teenager, or have ever spent more than a few hours with a teenager, especially when they are around their friends or parents, you are unfortunately familiar withContinue reading “What to Do About Your Teenager’s “Eye-roll””
Parenting: Alternatives to “No”
I once watched an episode of Modern Family where Cameron and Mitchell insisted no one, including themselves, tell their kiddo, Lily, “no.” Claire, Lily’s aunt, wants to punish Lily for flicking lights on and off in Claire’s home, leading to an argument about the differences in Claire’s and Cameron’s (and Mitchell’s) parenting techniques. Cam getsContinue reading “Parenting: Alternatives to “No””
Living Authentically
“The lies most devastating to our self-esteem are no so much the lies we tell as the lies we live.” I am living a lie when: I pretend a love I do not feel I pretend an indifference I do not feel I laugh when I need to cry I spend unnecessary stretches of timeContinue reading “Living Authentically”
Cognitive Restructuring – Common Thought Errors that Lead to Depression and Anxiety
Sometimes, we allow ourselves to think in ways that lead us down paths of destruction. Common errors in thought processes can lead to a number of negative symptoms; most notably anxiety and depression! Disqualifying the Positive – Discounting the good things that have occurred in your life or that you’ve accomplished, saying “that doesn’t count.”Continue reading “Cognitive Restructuring – Common Thought Errors that Lead to Depression and Anxiety”
How to Deal With People Who Drain Your Energy
Stop feeling depleted every time you interact with an energy vampire Let’s eavesdrop on a conversation with an energy vampire. THEM: They insist that you invest your energy in their cause, and their cause always seems hopeless – or it’s just not your cause. YOU: To avoid being rude, you accept their agenda. Now yourContinue reading “How to Deal With People Who Drain Your Energy”
What Forgiveness is, Really.
The idea of forgiveness is a common misconception amongst a number of my students and clients. When I mention the word “forgiveness” in response to a client’s experience of a particularly nasty betrayal, I’m frequently either laughed at or met with irritability. The thing is, forgiveness is not dropping the subject and never broaching itContinue reading “What Forgiveness is, Really.”
What is the “Right Age” for Kids to Use Social Media?
5 rules for teaching young people use technology with dignity and respect What is the “right” age for youngsters to begin texting and using social media? As the Mom of two young daughters and an educator on bullying prevention, I field this question frequently. Truly, there is great debate on the subject among professionals, alongContinue reading “What is the “Right Age” for Kids to Use Social Media?”
