What’s going on, Sequoia Counseling community! I am in a great mood today because it is the 4th of July holiday weekend ! This is a time to celebrate our country and the freedoms and gift we have to live here. As I think about the concept of independence, I also think about our ability to live independently, without relying upon the care of others. What can we do to live our best lives and prevent future health/mental health issues? The answer is to develop lifestyle habits that target your whole person health!
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A 2009 study of 23,000 adults found that basic life habits such as eating healthy, not smoking, exercising 3.5 hours a week, and maintaining a healthy weight resulted in an 80% reduction in chronic disease! Specifically, the researchers concluded that 93% of diabetes, 81% of heart attacks, 50% of strokes, and 36% of cancers would be prevented! That is amazing news! 

One of the most common emotions we experience as we emerge from the pandemic is anxiety. Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen comments that anxiety is particularly triggered by the high levels of uncertainty we face- uncertainty about vaccines, society reopening, new normal workplace, and the COVID-19 virus and variants. 

I also believe that a high level of anxiety comes with the unfinished business that we had pre-pandemic. What goals, decisions, or projects were put on hold? What conversations and relationship growth were avoided, stunted, hindered, or forgotten due to relational distancing? Perhaps old depression or anxiety symptoms are re-surfacing with thoughts of returning to pre-pandemic living. To be certain, the pandemic and its effects had a depressing and anxiety provoking effect on some level for everyone. How can we best thrive in this new phase?  

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastro-intestinal disorder that occurs most commonly in women (it has also been diagnosed in children). People who suffer from IBS experience multiple episodes of stomach pain associated with bowel movements and changes in toileting habits. People with IBS also have increased rates of depression (7-25%) and anxiety symptoms (12-63%).

If you or someone you know suffer from IBS or if you work with the IBS patient population, there are two **free** webinars on "Myths and Misconceptions" this month. The expert led panel will address topics such as causes/how it works, diagnosing the condition, and treatment options. The patient session is on April 19 and session for healthcare providers is on April 26. If you aren't able to attend, you can still register as many of these webinars will let you know when the recording is available online for viewing. For information and to register, here's the link --

http://worldibsday.org/events/

<3 Be well ! 
#IBelieveinyourStory

​Eating is a common coping strategy in response to negative emotions such as sadness and stress. Many times we choose foods that are high in sugars, salts, or saturated fats. Emotional eating can become a habit whenever life gets tough. In the chapter, “Eat, Drink, and Be Sedentary,” Epel and others (2018) ask the question, “Does eating behavior have consistent effects on changing emotional experience?” In this blog post, I will review their findings and offer comments and recommendations. 

Sleep deprivation over time can result in physical and psychological conditions. In “Eat, Drink, and Be Sedentary”, the authors share what they learned after reviewing research on how these behaviors influence our moods and coping. This post will review their findings on the effects of sleeplessness upon mood. I will discuss the short-term risks and consequences and explore at what point sleep problems become “real problems.”

   ​We are familiar with the idea that emotions (such as stress) can influence our behaviors, such as leading to an increase in eating junk food or binge watching shows on Netflix. But how do health-related behaviors such as physical activity, eating, and sleep impact our emotions? In “Eat, Drink, and Be Sedentary”, the authors share what they learned after reviewing research on how these behaviors influence our moods and coping. I hope this blog post will share new information that will help readers be more self-aware and encourage healthy habits.  

​Healthcare providers and staff, essential workers, and caregivers have demanding jobs and at times high stress levels. These elevated stress levels affect our ability to engage in healthy coping behaviors. Not only do we lose energy and motivation for healthy behaviors, we tend to engage more in unhealthy behaviors. This of course can be problematic over time. What are some manageable ways to develop healthier lifestyle practices? By prioritizing our wellness (our physical, psychological, and spiritual health) - we can prevent breakdowns in our physical/psychological health and functioning and increase our effectiveness in daily our roles. 

Are you tired of missing family and friends, not having a routine, or not being able to go to places or do things you once did? Do you find that you have increased stress and feelings of loneliness due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)? Has your life or the life of a family member or close friend been affected by infection or exposure? Perhaps you are trying to follow the safety guidelines and are irritated by people that do not. Our mental, emotional, and physical state directly influences our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors regarding safety precautions and vaccination. With infection and hospitalization rates on the rise this winter, it’s important to take active steps as individuals so that collectively we can drive down the virus spread. For more on reasons why it is hard to follow the recommendations from the Center of Disease Control (CDC), read on.

​Life during 2020 has been very challenging. We were forced to make changes to our routines that we weren’t expecting, we experienced significant losses, and we continue to live with unnatural, difficult, and scary circumstances that are in many ways beyond our control and without a clear end in sight. Researchers are studying how people around the world are thriving and preventing problems with depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol abuse, etc. that are becoming more common due to the pandemic, its effects, and coronavirus or health-related worries. How do people successfully cope?