Beat The Blues: Essential Oils

So...let's talk essential oils. I just started using them. However, I have a lot of friends who use them and they seem to like them. So I'm jumping on the bandwagon and seeing what all of this is about. And to be honest, I like them. I'm currently using lavender, wild orange, and frankincense. I thought those three were safe enough to start with. Here are the benefits of these three:

Frankincense: Relaxing, focusing, centering.

I put a drop of frankincense in my mouth once a day. A lady in Seattle told me to do this last year when I went to visit. She was really into essential oils and had me read a book all about them.

Orange: Refreshing, uplifting, invigorating.

I've always loved the smell of citrus and orange is my favorite. If I am feeling particularly groggy, I put a drop of this and rub it between my wrists or the back of my neck. The scent really helps me get going.

Lavender: Soothing, normalizing, balancing.

I told you in a previous post, that I typically use lavender internally by making lavender lemonade. If I get a headache I will use it for that. Lavender is just naturally calming and really helps with my anxiety.

My mom recently rubbed a sage blend on the back of my neck to help me calm down from and anxiety attack. I could feel my body absorbing it quickly and I was pretty surprised at how calm I became. I'll have to report back what it actually was, but I do remember it being sage.

Do you use essential oils? If so, what do you use? If you're interested in using them, there are plenty of sources to go to purchase them. I got mine at Sprouts Market Place. You can check out Doterra and they are pretty good too. Check back in tomorrow for our fifth and final post for this series. Bye!

Beat The Blues: Goals & Anxiety Management

Goal making is something I love. I love to make to-do lists and checking off them as I accomplish them. I make daily, weekly, and long-term goals. The issue is I have very little to no motivation when anxiety and depression hit. I look at my to-do list as a burden. It's hard to find motivation when you feel down. I've learned that it's important to have small goals for the day. Here are a few goals that I do and anxiety management to ensure that I have a good productive day.

• Make your bed! You'd be surprised, but while it may be such a small thing, there is a sense of accomplishment in making your bed every morning. It makes it so that I don't feel tempted to climb back in bed and it looks clean. I love a made bed and I love the feeling of climbing into a made bed at night.
• Make a short to-do list. You don't have energy or motivation to do a lot of things. Don't add to your anxiety, by adding more than you handle. It's not a good idea. Pick simple things to do that you can handle.
• GET. OUTSIDE. If you're like me, you don't want to leave your house. Especially during the winter months, I don't want to go out in the cold. Here's the thing, getting some fresh air and being active can really boost your mood. It's winter here and I have been bundling up in layers and going for a walk. I like a burst of cold crisp air, because it wakes me. I walk for however long I want to (even if it is just a block) and sometimes I listen to music while I walk. You do you. 
• Less screen time. Technology is can be so distracting. It's easy to pull out our smart phones or tablets and binge watch Netflix, check Facebook and Instagram. I'm always guilty of this. But here's the thing, I always feel worse about myself when I'm constantly plugged in. I feel unaccomplished or I compare myself. Turn off the phone, TV, laptops-whatever! Unplug, disconnect, and do something. I used to struggle with FOMO (fear of missing out) and would always check FB or Instagram to see what people were doing with their lives or what is happening in the world. I got to the point where I was either tearing myself down or living vicariously through other people's lives. But that's just it, other people were living their lives and I was just sitting there stalking their social media. Not good. Limit your screen time.
• Make your own meals. There's a feeling of accomplishment when you cook your own meals. Don't opt for fast food. Even if it's throwing everything in a crockpot and turning it on. That's an accomplishment that you  are going to enjoy!
• Take deep breaths/meditation. When my anxiety hits, I tend to shut down. I always have to walk myself through deep breaths. I used to hate mediation, but as I've been doing it everyday for 5-10 minutes, it's helped me slow down and simply be. Even if you're at work or in a public place, just take a few deep breaths. It helps.

There are so many ways in which you can manage your anxiety or have more effective goals when you're dealing with mental illness. We're all in this together, so if you have any tips or tricks go ahead and comment below or send an email. Stay tuned for post 3 of the series tomorrow and have a great day! BBBBBBBBBBBBBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Beat The Blues: Food

"Let food by thy medicine." -Hippocrates

Food has always been a hit or miss with me during anxiety/depression. I either want to binge to fill the empty void or I forget to eat. I've found though that I feel a lot worse when I just binge on junk food. While pizza may be a "comfort" food, it doesn't give me the nutrients that I need. In fact, I feel a lot more tired and groggy. It's gotten to the point where I had to get rid of all the junk food and replace them with healthier options. That way if I do binge, I have no choice but to eat what I have. Eating fruits and veggies give me the nutrients that I need and actually help me have more energy. When I put healthier things in my body, I feel a lot happier. I have found that I am able to deal better with my emotions. I recently went to Sprouts Market Place and restocked my cupboard and refrigerator. Below are some pictures of what I usually buy. (Not pictured: Nutritional Yeast)



When anxiety/depression hits, I don't have energy or motivation to make anything to eat. I make sure to stock up on simple and tasty foods that are quick. Avocado toast is a staple for me. It's quick and delicious and filling!

 Avocado Toast

1/2 Avocado

Bread

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Lemon Pepper

Butter

Toast your bread. Once your bread is toasted, you can add butter or just go straight to adding your avocado. With a fork, smash your avocado onto your toast and then season with your salt and pepper. Finish off by drizzling some olive oil over it and voila! Avocado toast!

I typically add some fresh fruit. It adds both sweetness and color. When I'm feeling down, I like to eat things that are aesthetically pleasing. By adding more color to your plate, it can brighten your mood. I know, it's weird, but it works!

I will be doing a post about essential oils on Thursday, but I wanted to share my Lavender Lemonade recipe. Lavender is naturally calming and relaxing. Funny enough, I'm not a big fan of the scent. I really love lavender lemonade, because it's got the sweetness of lemonade with a hint of lavender. I've found that this is both pleasing and relaxing.

Lavender Lemonade

3 Lemons

6 cups water

1/2 cup Agave Nectar or Honey

1 Drop Lavender Oil

Juice your lemons and add them with the agave nectar to your water. Add 1 drop of lavender oil and stir together. Chill in the refrigerator or pour over ice. Enjoy! (Note: one drop of oil goes a long LONG long way! Don't add more in. It'll taste interesting.)

  

I will be sharing with you more recipes and if you have some that you love, send them in! Check out tomorrow's post all about goals and anxiety management. Stay awesome, kids!

Beat the Blues

You may or may not know, but I struggle with depression and anxiety. Those of you reading this may also struggle with the same thing. I think it's something that has become very common, but it is also very individual. My level of depression and anxiety maybe different than others. There's really no need to compare, we struggle with it.

The month of January, my depression and anxiety tend to kick in at full force and it typically lasts through February. I think a part of that is seasonal depression. While I would choose cold weather over hot weather any day, I still need sunlight. The last few days have been dark and gloomy. I've found my spirits and energy have been lower than usual.

This year, I wanted to make a more effort to beat the blues. I have a created a five part series called "beat the blues" and will be sharing my ways in which I deal with my depression and anxiety, cheer myself up, and have more energy.

For starters, I came across a fairly accurate comic strip about people who struggle with depression and anxiety. Click here to check out the comic strip and the full article. Stay tuned for next Monday for part one of the series!