| Greetings!
Thank you all for participating in last month's survey. A quick synopsis of what I learned was that the majority of you are happy with the design and length of our newsletter and that most read about 3/4 of it. You also told me that Monday mornings are the best time to receive it and that some more general health information including things currently in the news would be great. I look forward to meeting your requests and needs.
To your health.
Tara
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Tip of the month - Warmth
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As I am sitting knitting with some beautiful baby alpaca yarn I can't help but think about the importance of warmth. As the days get colder and we wear our heavier coats, what does warmth have to do with health? (read more here....)
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When "normal" isn't good enough.
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Have you ever gone to get blood work and had everything come back "normal" and yet you knew something was not right. I can't tell you how many times I have seen this in practice. Typically, standard lab analysis is done to determine what we call pathology. Pathology is when something has crossed the line and is dramatically affecting the health of the body. Now there are many times when something hasn't crossed the line but it is getting close. I consider this the difference between normal and optimal health. When you are looking at health you don't want to just "not be sick". That isn't good enough. You want to have optimal health so you can do the things you desire. (read more here...)
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My top 3 tips for avoiding the holiday blues
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 For some people the holiday season is filled with joy and happiness and for others it is filled with stress and anxiety. In some cases it is even a source of sadness and depression. For a number of people that enjoy the holidays there can be moments of the holiday blues. Here are a few easy things that you can do to avoid these moments.
- Watch the sugar intake. Sugar can cause reactive hypoglycemia and major mood swings. The exhilaration of a sugar rush is rapidly replaced by the crash. This can really affect your mood and stress tolerance.
- Get out in the sunlight everyday. We need sunlight to produce serotonin. Serotonin helps us to feel alert and awake. Insufficient serotonin levels are thought to contribute to feelings of depression and seasonal affective disorder. So aim for 30 minutes in the sun everyday. If that is not possible look at getting a special light. One example is the LiteBook.
- Spend times with friends, family or volunteering. Having a good social network is very protective against the blues. They help you feel supported. Volunteering is another way people cope with holiday stress. It is a reminder of all the good things in life.
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