Let us try to have a stress-free Christmas, shall we? I've been beating myself up for getting behind on everything while I was sick this past week, but self-loathing never helped anyone, so instead I am going to focus on the positive. We have a great meal planned, and I look forward to spending time with my family. I may have to take breaks along the way,  I may have to go to the other room for a breather here and there, but the important thing is that I keep my efforts focused on the things that truly matter, and to not get bogged down emotionally with the silly things like having everything just right like a good hostess "should". I'm Amy. I don't have it altogether. Not at Christmas, not ever. My nerves will be frazzled to a certain extent regardless. But I am strong and I can do my best, and that is perfectly good enough. What's more, my family loves me just the way I am, frazzled and not-together and emotionally unstable as I can be. They don't require me to be perfect. They just want me to be present. That's all any of us really have to be. Present and open to the days, the moments, the memories. Do what you can, and let that be enough. I wish you all a wonderful and memorable holiday. Be safe, be merry, and be your beautiful self!

Stress: How It Affects Your Health and What You Can Do

Stress — just the word may be enough to set your nerves on edge. Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Some people may cope with stress more effectively or recover from stressful events quicker than others. It's important to know your limits when it comes to stress to avoid more serious health effects.

 

What is stress?

 

Stress can be defined as the brain's response to any demand. Many things can trigger this response, including change. Changes can be positive or negative, as well as real or perceived. They may be recurring, short-term, or long-term and may include things like commuting to and from school or work every day, traveling for a yearly vacation, or moving to another home. Changes can be mild and relatively harmless, such as winning a race, watching a scary movie, or riding a rollercoaster. Some changes are major, such as marriage or divorce, serious illness, or a car accident. Other changes are extreme, such as exposure to violence, and can lead to traumatic stress reactions.

How does stress affect the body?

 

Not all stress is bad. All animals have a stress response, which can be life-saving in some situations. The nerve chemicals and hormones released during such stressful times, prepares the animal to face a threat or flee to safety. When you face a dangerous situation, your pulse quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, your brain uses more oxygen and increases activity—all functions aimed at survival. In the short term, it can even boost the immune system.

However, with chronic stress, those same nerve chemicals that are life-saving in short bursts can suppress functions that aren't needed for immediate survival. Your immunity is lowered and your digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems stop working normally. Once the threat has passed, other body systems act to restore normal functioning. Problems occur if the stress response goes on too long, such as when the source of stress is constant, or if the response continues after the danger has subsided.

How does stress affect your overall health?

 

There are at least three different types of stress, all of which carry physical and mental health risks:

• Routine stress related to the pressures of work, family and other daily responsibilities.
• Stress brought about by a sudden negative change, such as losing a job, divorce, or illness.
• Traumatic stress, experienced in an event like a major accident, war, assault, or a natural disaster where one may be seriously hurt or in danger of being killed.

The body responds to each type of stress in similar ways. Different people may feel it in different ways. For example, some people experience mainly digestive symptoms, while others may have headaches, sleeplessness, depressed mood, anger and irritability. People under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and severe viral infections, such as the flu or common cold, and vaccines, such as the flu shot, are less effective for them.

Of all the types of stress, changes in health from routine stress may be hardest to notice at first. Because the source of stress tends to be more constant than in cases of acute or traumatic stress, the body gets no clear signal to return to normal functioning. Over time, continued strain on your body from routine stress may lead to serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, anxiety disorder, and other illnesses.

How can I cope with stress?

 

The effects of stress tend to build up over time. Taking practical steps to maintain your health and outlook can reduce or prevent these effects. The following are some tips that may help you to cope with stress:

• Seek help from a qualified mental health care provider if you are overwhelmed, feel you cannot cope, have suicidal thoughts, or are using drugs or alcohol to cope.
• Get proper health care for existing or new health problems.
• Stay in touch with people who can provide emotional and other support. Ask for help from friends, family, and community or religious organizations to reduce stress due to work burdens or family issues, such as caring for a loved one.
• Recognize signs of your body's response to stress, such as difficulty sleeping, increased alcohol and other substance use, being easily angered, feeling depressed, and having low energy.
• Set priorities-decide what must get done and what can wait, and learn to say no to new tasks if they are putting you into overload.
• Note what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.
• Avoid dwelling on problems. If you can't do this on your own, seek help from a qualified mental health professional who can guide you.
• Exercise regularly-just 30 minutes per day of gentle walking can help boost mood and reduce stress.
• Schedule regular times for healthy and relaxing activities.
• Explore stress coping programs, which may incorporate meditation, yoga, tai chi, or other gentle exercises.

 If you or someone you know is overwhelmed by stress, ask for help from a health professional. If you or someone close to you is in crisis, call the toll-free, 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

This article is in the public domain of NIMH publications and may be reproduced or copied without the permission from the National Institute of Mental Health. For complete guidelines regarding the reproduction of this article, you may call their Information Resource Center at 1-866-615-6464 or send an email to nimhinfo@nih.gov.

The Ugly Parts

I've spent the past two days in a haze of nauseating vertigo, an unyielding sense of imbalance and exposure, and along with the physical drain I have felt my sanity slowly seep out through the pores. I am at a breaking point, and I suddenly understand, more than ever before, what makes people do horrible things. It isn't evil. It isn't desperation. It is a fine tuning of the senses. A parting from the ordinary, because that ordinary suffocates. These horrible things dart in and out of the lines that bind us all in structure, in formality. Therein lies the problem, and the solution. Tangled together, they cancel out one another, and where that leaves us is anyone's guess.

The days leading up to today: what a horrible place indeed. The shooting. All of those innocent children. Innocence, the most prized possession among us, slain before our very eyes. I have tried to block it out because I knew what it would do to me. But to block out humanity, and the flaws within, has proved impossible. Tidbits have floated through my mind and have left behind a sickening residue of grief. I can't begin to know what it is to lose a child, but I have known the fault of taking a child for granted, of wishing for an escape, for playing the part of a prisoner to all I once found freedom in. I have known the loss of all I had, and while not altogether the same as death, it is a death, it is, and I feel too much-not enough-for families I have never met, for children I have never nursed, because in each of them I see myself, and every life lost is a scar on my heart reopened. I see murder as an escape, as a saving of what could have been. These lives remained innocent to the end. What of the rest of us? We are left here to grow old and sour. I hate us all for that.

Part of me wishes the world would end tomorrow. No more worry of pain, of the potential of God or gods, of prophecies unfolding, of mischief and religion and apathy and lies. Wrong or right, the fight would be over. No more speculating. No more second chances, or the dance of doubts that so often tires even the most faithful. I don't want to know how bad things could still get. I don't want to know what dying feels like; I only want a clear and soundless death. I want all the pain to end, the madness, the heartlessness. I want the rich to stop complaining about their rich lives, as if they know what it is to be poor. I want the poor to eat a fine dinner, or have a home that does not feel borrowed and lacking, to know what it is to only worry about the simple things that rich people do. I want the murderers to know what the piercing of their skin feels like, that harsh blow to the insides. I want the victims to know what holding the solidity of a life in their own hands feels like. I want the political to just shut up and listen. I want the spiritual to pray diligently, whether their god is real or not. I want their mouths to be silenced, their souls laid open like gutted fish. Be still and know. Be still and know.

I make no apology for my thoughts. I explain nothing. Doubts and hope spout their cases ear by ear, but nothing sounds as loud as my own fear. And from that fear comes a numbness, a way of blinding the worst of it, the ugly parts, the truth.

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Peppers and Mushrooms

This is a simple recipe that can be prepared in 30 minutes. Great for a weekday meal!

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 large sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 small package of sliced mushrooms
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions

• Mix 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, garlic powder and oregano together. Sprinkle over chicken.Use a little meat tenderizer, if you wish.
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking dish. Bake at 450° for 10-15 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in the same skillet. Add peppers, mushrooms and shallots; cook and stir over medium heat until crisp-tender.
• Add broth and rosemary, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil; cook for 4-6 minutes or until broth is almost evaporated. Stir in vinegar and remaining salt and pepper. Serve with chicken. 

 Yield: 4 servings.

Neuroimaging and Mental Illness: A Window Into the Brain

Brain imaging scans, also called neuroimaging scans, are being used more and more to help detect and diagnose a number of medical disorders and illnesses. Currently, the main use of bran scans for mental disorders is in research studies to learn more about the disorders. Brain scans alone cannot be used to diagnose a mental disorder, such as autism, anxiety, depression, schizpohrenia, or bipolar disorder.

In some cases, a brain scan might be used to rule out other medical illnesses, such as a tumor, that could cause symptoms similar to a mental disorder, such as depression. Other types of tests are needed for a mental illness to be properly diagnosed. Scientists are studying differences in the brains of people with and without a mental illness to learn more about these disorders. However, at this time relying on brain scans alone cannot accurately diagnose a mental illness or tell you your risk of getting a mental illness in the future.

Some types of brain scans pose health risks due to the radiation they use to create a picture of the brain. Because of these risks, brain scans should not be used if you don't need them. In addition, these scans are very expensive, and unless your doctor prescribes such a test, they may not be fully covered by health insurance.

What Brain Scans Can Do

• Show damage to brain tissue, the skull, or blood vessels in the brain
• Be used with other medical tests to help doctors find the right diagnosis for mood and behavioral problems
• Help researchers study healthy brain development, effects of mental illnesses or effects of mental health treatments on the brain.

What Brain Scans Cannot Do

• Diagnose mental illness when used by themselves
• Predict risk of getting a mental illness.

Frequently Asked Questions about Brain Scans

Can a brain scan tell me what mental disorders I have or might get?

No scientific studies to date have shown that a brain scan by itself can be used for diagnosing a mental illness or to learn about a person's risk for disease. Researchers use brain scans to study brain development in healthy people and people with illnesses, disease progression, and the effects of medications or other treatments on the brain.

In practice, when used with other types of medical tests and done by an experienced doctor, brain scans can be used to confirm a diagnosis of a small number of disorders, such as brain tumors, where there is obvious damage in the brain. Brain scans are not usually the first test a doctor would do to diagnose changes in mood and behavior. Other medical tests a doctor may use include behavioral and cognitive tests or a medical interview.

Researcher analyzes FMRI brain images

Should I have a brain imaging scan?

 

When used with other medical tests, they can provide useful information about:

• Brain tumors, infections, and other brain diseases
• Bleeding, blood clots, or other signs of stroke
• Skull fractures or brain damage from head injuries
• Diseases or disorders affecting the skull or blood vessels in the brain.

What types of brain scans, or neuroimaging tests, are there?

 

There are two main types of neuroimaging tests: structural and functional.

• Structural imaging creates a "snapshot" of the brain's structure, including bone, tissue, blood vessels, tumors, infection, damage, or bleeding such as from a stroke.
• Functional imaging reveals the brain's ever-changing activity and chemistry by measuring the rate of blood flow, chemical activity, and electrical impulses in the brain during specific tasks.

 
Patient enters PET scan machine.

Are there risks associated with brain scans?

 

Brain scans are relatively safe and do not cause any pain. However, risks include exposure to magnetic fields and radiation. Safety measures are used to limit these risks such as using the lowest possible radiation or magnetic level to do the scan.

Children and teens may be more sensitive to these risks. If your child needs a brain scan, ask if there are special precautions you can take or whether a different type of brain scan can be used. Ask the doctor doing the scan if the machine's settings have been adjusted for a child.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also talk with their doctor about how to prepare for any type of brain scan. While most types of scans pose little risk to the developing fetus, the doctor may make different recommendations to accommodate pregnancy.

Another possible risk is claustrophobia, or a fear of small spaces. Many brain scanning machines look like large tubes or giant "donuts" that are open on both ends. The machines can be very loud while scanning takes place. Some people feel scared or nervous when inside the machines. Sometimes, an injury or other medical condition can make it uncomfortable or painful for a person to hold a certain position.

It is important to stay still in order to get a clear picture. Tell your doctor if you are afraid of being inside the brain scanning machine or think you cannot stay still for any other reason. The doctor can give you a sedative to help you lie still, or may suggest a different type of test entirely.

Talk with your doctor to make sure you understand the possible risks and benefits before deciding to get a brain scan. In general, a person should not need more than one of the same type of brain scan. If a doctor recommends a brain scan that you've already done in the past, ask if you really need to get the test repeated.

 
Patient in MEG scanner

What can research using brain imaging technologies tell us about disease risk?

 

As they continue to learn more about how the healthy brain develops and which processes may contribute to specific diseases, scientists are building a more complete picture of how to detect which people are at risk of common diseases.

This research also is helping to reveal biological pathways that guide thoughts and emotions, and how experiences, medications, or environmental substances affect the brain. Scientists can use this information to design better screening and prevention for specific disorders, and improve on the delivery and effectiveness of mental health treatments.

Technician checks MRI machine.

Risk from magnetic fields:*

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)

These scans use strong magnets to develop pictures of the brain. This means that a person must remove all jewelry, piercings, and clothing with metal before entering the scanning machine. Medication patches, such as nicotine patches or ones that release hormones, sometimes contain metal in the sticky backing, which can burn the skin if worn during an MRI. If you use such patches, talk to your doctor about if and when you should remove them. It's important to tell your doctor if you have any metal in your body, such as metal braces or metal fillings in your teeth, embedded bullets, shrapnel, or implanted medical devices - pacemakers, aneurysm clips, medication pumps, metal plates, screws, or pins. If located close to the head, they may distort the scanned image. Sometimes, the strong magnetic field causes these objects to move, which can cause an injury. If you're not sure about your risk, check with the doctor before getting this type of brain scan.

* Magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanning does not carry these risks because it does not use magnets.

Risk from radiation: Computed tomography (CT) or computed axial tomography (CAT) Positron emission tomography (PET) Single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT) These scans expose people to low levels of radiation. For example, the amount of radiation from one CT scan of the head is about the same as the amount that the average person receives from natural sources of radiation over eight months.1 Natural sources of radiation include naturally occurring radioactive materials and cosmic rays such as emitted by the sun. Also, some people may be allergic to the chemicals, called contrast dyes or tracers, used to make sure brain structures show up in these types of scans. In some cases, these chemicals are radioactive but lose their potency fairly quickly. If you have ever had a bad reaction to a contrast dye or tracer, tell the doctor before you get the scan. In general, children should not have PET or SPECT scans. This article is in the public domain of NIMH publications and may be reproduced or copied without the permission from the National Institute of Mental Health. For complete guidelines regarding the reproduction of this article, you may call their Information Resource Center at 1-866-615-6464 or send an email to nimhinfo@nih.gov.

Introduction to M

I met with my new therapist today and I like her. Like I've often said, each new person brings a fresh perspective and a new strategy to the old battleground. We just have to open ourselves up to trust them and to face the fear of them abandoning us, which is very difficult!

 I told M today "You're my sixth therapist in seven years."

She smiled. "You have a lot to compare me to."

"No, I'm just afraid you will leave like the rest of them do."

And of course she couldn't answer to that, because no one knows what the future holds. Starting over, and starting over again, and again, and again...it seems to be an inevitable trend when it comes to mental health care. Sometimes the turnover works for our benefit; sometimes it doesn't. Always, it's a nuisance, and it produces a realm of grief to share so much of yourself with someone and then never see them again. I had canceled what was to be my first appointment last week, and had intended to do so today as well. But my gut told me to go, so a lot of pep talk, anxiety and a Klonopin later I made that apprehensive journey to the unknown. And I survived it. That within itself is therapy.

Facts About Sleep

A Healthier Year, A Happier You

It's no big secret to anyone who knows me that I love to eat. I love food! I especially love carbs. I could live off of bread and pasta for the rest of my life and never miss the meat (well, except for the seafood). I enjoyed a good twenty years of being able to eat whatever I wanted and never gained a single pound. In fact, I was clinically underweight for a good portion of my youth. But then came the baby. And another. And another. Three kids later, at the age of 33, I am tired, overweight, and still loving on those carbs. I eat for fun. I eat for distraction from depression and stress. I eat because I'm breastfeeding and I'm really hungry all the time! To top it off, I don't get enough exercise. You would think running after a one year old would be enough aerobics for one gal, but it really isn't. I am miserably out of shape, and I need to do something about it, fast! I have begun to have major issues with high blood pressure, and that is scary. It doesn't help my mental health to eat poorly and skip on exercise, either. It's time to get control of this issue, before it takes several years off my life. I want to be around for my grandchildren and actually be able to pick them up and love on them. As much of a skeptic as I am about New Year's resolutions, this is one time when I will follow in the footsteps of so many others who plan to make 2013 a healthier year. Only, I don't intend on backsliding after a couple of months. I want to make it for the entire year. Who's with me?

The food choices we make affect us not only today, but for all our years to come. And it starts from the very beginning! A girl who drinks sodas and other sugar-laden beverages instead of milk throughout childhood will not only have a a greater chance of cavities, but will likely develop osteoporosis as an adult. A poor diet during pregnancy may produce a low birth weight infant and may cause other complications in the development of a fetus. What a woman eats-as a baby, a child, and an adult-can affect how long and how well she lives.

"You are what you eat." More specifically, you feel what you eat. Food's purpose is to enrich the body with nutrition for energy and optimal function. Good eating habits will make you feel strong and vibrant. Junk food will make you feel like junk.

Eating a large variety of food is best for providing a well balanced array of vitamins and minerals for your body and mind. Supplements may be advised for people who do not receive all the nutrition they need from food, but supplements should not take the place of healthy eating habits. Supplements can sometimes be harmful, so discuss with your doctor what your best options are. It is possible to overdose even on essential vitamins and minerals, and some supplements may cause dangerous interactions or lessen the effectiveness of other medications you are on.

Women have different needs at different times in their lives. Younger women often have a greater need for iron due to the loss of it during menstruation. Sometimes an iron supplement is recommended by doctors. It is also very important to intake enough calcium throughout your life, since after menopause your bones will tell on you by becoming brittle and easy to break. Plenty of calcium when you are younger decreases the chance of osteoporosis. The suggested amount of calcium for each age group is:

• 9-18 years old: 1,300 mg
• 19-50 years old :1,000 mg
• over 50: 1,200-1,500 mg

Ask your doctor if he or she recommends more or less for your particular health needs. A major leach to calcium is, sadly, caffeine and phosphorus, both often found in our favorite sodas. It is best to limit these types of beverages for healthier bones. To increase your absorption of calcium your body requires Vitamin D. That is why it is essential to get enough sunlight and drink low fat milk fortified with this vitamin.I don't know about you, but if I drank in as much sunlight as I drink of Dr. Pepper, I would be substantially covered on the Vitamin D thing.

A significant need for pregnant women is folic acid. This reduces the chance of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. It is recommended that pregnant women intake 400-800 mcg. of folic acid, and breastfeeding mothers need 500 mcg. Doctors often urge women to begin taking a prenatal vitamin that includes a good source of folic acid before conception and to continue throughout pregnancy and lactation to ensure a healthy baby. Even if you are not pregnant and not planning on conceiving any time soon, folic acid is a necessary component of a healthy diet. Research suggests that it may lower your risk for a stroke, and a deficiency in folic acid has been linked to depression.

There are many changes to our way of eating that will improve our overall health:

• Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods. (See food pyramid below for recommended servings.)
• Limit fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol.
• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Choose and prepare foods with less sodium.
• Limit alcohol, sodas, and sweets.
• Avoid packaged foods with lots of preservatives and other "what is that?" ingredients. The closer to fresh and homegrown, the better.
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day.
• Remember that calcium! 

If you are like me and could stand to lose a few pounds (okay, several), then there are ways you can improve your health and manage a sensible plan for weight loss.

• Avoid fad diets. I will save you the time, trouble and money, and tell you that they don't work. Sure, you may lose a significant amount of weight initially, but only permanent lifestyle changes will keep that weight off, and fad diets do not provide the healthy ongoing nutrition that you need, plus they are nearly impossible not to cheat on! 
• To lose weight and keep it off takes a long-term effort. Aim to lose 1/2 to 1 pound a week. 
• To keep the pounds off, form good basic eating habits, limit portions, and boost your level of physical activity. The key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you take in.
• Notice any social, emotional, or stressful situations that trigger overeating and find better ways to cope. 
• Avoid diet pills! They have unhealthy side effects and do not work for long-term weight loss. 
• Plan meals and snacks for the day so that you are more apt to stick to the menu and not binge on something else. Snacking on fruits and veggies can satisfy hunger in a healthy way, so reach for those instead of junk food. 

The graph below displays what is considered a healthy weight for your height:

While many women struggle with being overweight, it is also dangerous to weigh too little. Some women may have a metabolic disorder or other illness that contributes to their low weight, but many women are becoming malnourished by eating disorders. The two most serious eating disorders mainly affect teenage girls and young women. Anorexia nervosa is starving oneself. Bulimia nervosa is binge eating and then removing the food and fluid by forced vomiting and/or overuse of laxatives and enemas. Death rates are as high as 10 to 20 percent from these very dangerous practices. There tends to be a strong mental and emotional link to eating disorders, so both medical and psychological help is needed for proper treatment . National Eating Disorders Association provides a hotline number for anyone who is struggling with an eating disorder. Click on the link I have provided and it will take you to a page with their number and a search tool to find treatment near you.

Beyond good eating habits, physical activity is a must for a healthy lifestyle. A few of the many benefits of exercise are:

• Helps prevent osteoporosis by strengthening bones (weight-bearing exercise increases this benefit)
• Strengthens muscles, which improves balance and slows age-related muscle loss
• Reduces back pain and strain
• Improves self-image and increases energy
• Helps relieve stress and control anxiety
• Promotes weight loss and lowers body fat
• Reduces the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduces risk of heart disease
• Boosts mood and fights off depression by releasing endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals

 If you're just beginning an exercise routine, take things slowly! Some of those muscles have probably not been worked in a long time, and your heart isn't used to the increase in activity either. Talk to your doctor about your overall health and what exercises you should start out with. Choose an activity you can do 5-10 minutes without getting tired, and gradually increase the length of time as your fitness improves. When I first began exercising again, I used a fitness ball for ten minutes and then fell asleep on the floor! In two weeks' time, however, I had built up to thirty minutes of activity, and my workouts slowly increased to an hour. Unfortunately, I have fallen off the exercise wagon, as is so easy for us busy women to do, but my new goal is to rebuild my exercise routine and not quit this time around! I will provide updates on my progress and would love to hear about yours as well.

Exercise should get your heart rate into a target heart rate zone, which you can determine with a Target Heart Rate Calculator. It is a common misconception that in order for exercise to be effective it has to be grueling and loathsome. Although drastic changes in appearance do require workouts to be challenging and thorough, nothing says it has to be a bore! Choose activities that you can have fun with. This could be brisk walking, swimming, biking, a favorite sport, or aerobic dancing. If your goal is simply to feel better and reduce your risk for health problems, then something as easy as walking 1-3 hours a week will do just fine. If your goal is to shape and tone your body, then your workouts will have to be more intense and geared toward specific areas to achieve the results you want.

If you already have a fitness program in progress, then I commend you. Keep up the great work! If you're like me and have allowed unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle to rob you of your vitality, then I urge you to join me in making some very crucial changes. Oftentimes, the best defense against falling into old bad habits is to include a friend in your health journey. Two or more people banded together with the same goals can be a powerful motivator! Ask around among your friends, family members, and colleagues to see if anyone is interested in joining the challenge with you for a healthier year in 2013. There are also countless support groups online that you can find through your search engine. Two successful groups that may be located in your area are TOPS and Weight Watchers.

Our mental health is so greatly impacted by our physical health that it would be ignorant to assume that not taking care of our bodies will ever allow for optimum psychological stability. Changing your lifestyle-and not falling back on old habits-is no easy task! But we can do it. We really can! We deserve to take care of ourselves. Stop making excuses not to.