Day 217, Relief from Depression with SAMe
Evening
Today it occurred to me how important each component of my Big Four is. My Big Four is JV Life Tracker, meditation or mindfulness, Cronometer, and my blog. I have decided to add FMTV, reading and studying, and interacting with others on Facebook. I also want to take 21 to 30 entries at a time, design them into a story, and make a Kindle book with them so I can preserve them. That way I can leave a legacy when I am gone. That gives me my Big Eight.
Will people be interested in my writing once I am gone? I am going to assume that they may be. I am going to write with that intention. However, I am only 57 years old, so it may be a while before I leave. It is good to plan ahead however.
My JV Life Tracker app may become obsolete if Google keeps changing their rules, and they can be counted on to do that. Amazon may dump its old books. However, that is less likely. There may be something better than Cronometer in the future. I will keep my eyes on what emerges.
The last few days have been challenging for me. Fortunately, my SAMe arrived in the mail. That allowed me to take action against the depression that has been afflicting me the past several weeks. Sometimes a little extra chemical help is necessary. I probably have the tendency to under-methylate as described by William J. Walsh, PhD in Nutrient Power, Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain. SAMe helps the body perform methylation reactions. The exact mechanism for how SAMe affects depression is unknown, but it is believed to be a co-factor in converting amino acids to neurotransmitters.
Writing the last few blog posts, I have touched more heavily on aspects of bipolar. I think the topic is interesting and I certainly have a lot to write about it, but doing so sometimes gets a little emotional for me. I often wish I had handled the disorder better throughout my life. However, to give myself credit, I have often done very well. Bipolar is more of a challenge than I would wish on anyone, even for the sake of developing character or self-discipline.
It does me no good though to regret what I have not been able to achieve in the past. I can think of the future, but I can get lost in dreaming. The important thing to focus on is the present. I watched a movie on FMTV, Mindfulness Be Happy Now, this morning. It featured Deepak Chopra and Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. The movie was released in 2015, which is the same year Chopra published the book Super Genes with Rudolph Tanzi. Many of his comments in the movie I remember from that book. I was impressed with what can be achieved with mindfulness. Mindfulness is not just for when you have your eyes shut. You can have mindfulness in every step and every bite of food and perhaps in every stroke of the keyboard.
I think I understand now why the Lord did not encourage me to subscribe to Insight Timer, though it is a wonderful app. Insight Timer keeps me tethered to my Android. I can literally practice mindfulness all the time and probably should.
When I was young, I was known for being absent-minded. Some people even called me “absent-minded professor.” My husband though says he has not noticed that behavior in me, so perhaps I have overcome it.
- Mindfulness
- better concentration
- greater happiness
- more present
- less absent-mindedness
- less anxiety
- less depression
- more gray matter in the brain
- more creativity
- less stress
- possible weight loss
- increased telomere length for greater longevity
- better sleep
- lower blood pressure
- reduced chronic pain
- greater ability to regulate emotions
- more awareness
- greater peace
- less critical of self
- waking up feeling refreshed
- less irritable
The last few days, I let go of Cronometer–just as I was starting to lose weight again. Tomorrow, I plan to get back on board. I want to use Cronometer as a diet diary, an exercise log, for Trend reports, for blog graphics, to stay within my calorie budget, for losing weight, for reaching nutrient targets, and to record and analyze recipes for myself, my blog, and my books.
Wednesday Morning
Preparing For My Day
5-10 things i am grateful for:
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morning comments, feelings, ideas, moods, and empowering questions:
I have decided that today I will get back on track.
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mood and energy:
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0-100
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comments
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mood:
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40
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I am still struggling with feelings of depression. However, with SAMe, I should be able to get out of them.
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energy:
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75
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I feel more energetic after taking SAMe.
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accomplishments:
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accomplishment
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reason it is important
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next action(s)
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1
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Finished reading Human By Design by Gregg Braden.
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Spirituality
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Realize that blind chance will not get your blog written either.
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2
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Started reading Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins
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Motivation
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Apply the principles.
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3
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Finished reading The Honeymoon Effect by Bruce Lipton
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Marriage relationship
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Be grateful for your marriage.
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4
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Finished reading a book about weight loss plateaus by Heather Tucker
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Weight Loss
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Stay consistent about staying within calorie budget, even if you hit plateaus for a time.
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5
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Stayed steady with medication despite all the side effects. Started taking SAMe for depression.
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Bipolar can derail your life. Overcome it.
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Continue on!
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Thursday Afternoon
Prayer
AFTERNOON Prayer
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If you would like to join me in this journey from the beginning, please start with Day One.
KaeLyn Morrill