Cleanse Thyself - Day 13

So it's been a while since I last posted and maybe some were to beginning to wonder if I was either so debilitated from a lack of food or maybe just fell off the wagon.  Well I am here to report that I have completed day 13 on the fast and cleanse.  It has come with sacrifice, headaches, cravings, discovery of some new foods, and psychological warfare with myself.

I must confess that on day 7 there was a fall from grace.  You see, we had an office family picnic at our house and I was left to cook the hamburgers and hot dogs.  Needless to say, I secretly ate a hamburger and washed it down with a margarita.  For some this sounds like the beginning of a nice evening, but for me it was like being in heaven for a few minutes.  Since y fall I have been back on the cleanse.

Overall, my abdomen has flattened substantially.  I am also beginning to discover that I am not hungry.  I still want food because I am craving something, but when I become mindful about why I want it, I discover that I am not really hungry; I just want to eat.  I think this is the behavior that has gotten me into trouble in the past.  This discovery could even potentially transfer into other areas of my life.  You see, this cleanse has been a psychological battle with myself.  I have to tell myself NO.  This is not easy to do for me and I assume that it is not easy for others out there reading this as well.

I am entering the third week.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Weight - 202

Total Lost - 9.5 lbs in 13 days

Cleanse Thyself - Day 3

Ok, so the first three days have been a bit brutal. I have been eating my fair share of fruits and vegtables, but my brain feels as though I am starving to death. I realize that I am not when I look into the mirror, but it sure feels that way. I think about food a lot and this has reinforced my beliefs that I use eating as a comfort. When you strip that comfort away, you then have to rely on self.

I have had headaches and stomach gurglings. My liver must be releasing large amounts of stored glycogen because I am in the bathroom urinating all the time.

Lastly, I have discovered a beautiful foodstuff called quinoa that is a grain from South America. You soak it in water for a few hours to break up the saponins and then boil it up. Covered with raw honey or agave nectar it is wonderful.

Weight - 207
Total Lost 4 lbs in 3 days

Cleanse Thyself - Day 1

I have decided to cleanse and try to lose some weight in the process.  My dietary habits have become horrible and although I try to practice yoga at least two times per week, I find myself run down and tired constantly.

My wife and I have decided to do a raw food diet (of which I know little) and use herbal supplements.  I am not going to mention the program that we have chosen as I am not certain I want to endorse any particular product, but I have decided to put my journey out there on the web.  I am going to try to do this daily post for the next 28 days (forgive me if I miss a day or two).  I am not certain what to expect, and at this point I am happy that I have completed one day.

Today was tough.  I found myself reaching for Twizzlers and salivating over a piece of wheat bread.  The main thing I discovered is that I am not a mindful eater.  I know this because I found myself reaching for things and then having to catch myself.  I would venture to say that many of us have the same issue.  My foods today consisted of vegetable juice, blueberries, raspberries, bananas, and leafy greens.  I have not had any particular cravings, but I have been hungry at times.  As I am trying to be more mindful, when the hunger hits I am asking myself why and what I want to eat.  It has been rather enlightening.  My reason for wanting to eat most foods is simple, "because I want it".  This is obviously not a good reason.  Today I had a pretty good headache around 2:00pm and I am sure I didn't drink enough water, because I am not good a drinking water.

I will be posting my weight at the end of each post and total pounds lost. 

Weight - 211 lbs

Total lost - 0 (day one)

Wish me luck

Postpartum Depression - Losing Your Soul

In the past few months I have seen a few women with postpartum depression.  Despite Tom Cruises' beliefs, this is an actual process that can overwhelm the new mother.  Many times these poor women feel isolated and alone.  The feelings range from simple postpartum blues to severe depression where there can even be ideations of suicide and/or hurting the baby.  Obviously in the even of the latter, I would encourage the patient and her family to either call 911 or proceed directly to an emergency room so that the patient can be evaluated and protected.

I am not writing this post to bore you with the potential hormonal influences or the DSM-IV definition of postpartum depression simply because the women that have this issue, at times, defy the definitions and the categories.  

In the world of shamanic practice, there is a ritual and ceremony for something called soul retrieval.  Shamans believe that a portion of the soul is able to leave the body.  There are various reasons that one can experience soul loss; childhood traumas, accidents, sexual abuse, and loss of a loved one.  Indigenous healers also conjecture that a mother may give a part of her soul to her newborn baby in order to protect her infant.

The reason that I bring up soul loss in this discussion is because I think that in two of my most recent cases, the postpartum depression was a sign of a soul loss in that woman's life.  They were exposed to childhoods that were less than nuturing and where they were told that they would never amount to anything.  The loss suffered when the current mother was a child is a piece of that past/soul that will not return on its own, but during childbirth and the trauma of becoming a new mother, I wonder if that piece of soul memory comes flooding back to the patient.  Since the soul piece/memory does not know how to incorporate back into this new adult being, it becomes an anhedonia or a depression.

Is this something that medication would fix.  In my opinion, no, but it could help the lability of the mood.  I liken medications for depression to a new car.  It sure looks good sitting there in your driveway and people may think, "wow, what a beautiful vehicle", but it really doesn't go anywhere without gasoline.  The gasoline in my opinion is therapy.  Can people break free of depression with just medication? Yes.  Can people break free of depression with just therapy?  Yes.  My course of action is to usually start a medication if the patient is interested, but I prefer to get them in with a therapist.  The type of therapist depends on the patient.

In one particular case, the patient was exhibiting anger, rage, and somatic pain in her back and on the right side of her body.  I thought she may do well with a psychologist that specialized in somatics.   I recommended that she see a woman that utilizes a method called Rubenfeld Synergy.  The principles of Rubenfeld Synergy are as follows:

• Each individual is unique
• The body, mind, spirit, and emotion are all interrelated
• Awareness is the first key to change
• Change occurs in the present moment
• The body is a metaphor
• The body tells the truth
• The body is the sanctuary of the soul
• Humor can lighten and heal
• Altered states of consciousness can aid healing
• Reflecting clients verbal expressions validates their feeling

Here is a link the Rubenfeld Synergy Standard of Practice

The point I was hoping to make is that postpartum depression is real and devastating.  The new mother is grappling with the feelings that she may not like her baby even though she feels the love.  She then must deal with the potential judgement that she knows others may have for her if she speaks about her feelings.  This is indeed a patient that is isolated.

The best thing you can do for a friend or loved one that you feel may be depressed is to have them see a healthcare professional.  Hopefully, the healthcare profession will look beyond the medications and treat the soul as well.  You see, the medications will not bring back or repair any memories that have been created in the past.  They may assist the provider to stabilize the chemicals in the brain, but if the patient was abandoned by her own mother when she was young a pill may no be the answer.

Depression is incapacitating and devastating.  Postpartum blues happen within the first 30 days after birth and they are transient.   Consider seeing a mental health care professional or asking your primary doctor to refer you to someone with the training to help. 

Remember, your beautiful car needs gas to run, even if the price of gas is expensive.