Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Know the Five Signs




I’d like to tell you about a new national mental health campaign supported by the American Psychological Association and endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama called “The Campaign to Change Direction.” (www.changedirection.org) This campaign seeks to make the way we talk about mental health issues in this country as commonplace as the way we talk about physical ones.  With almost one in every five Americans (that’s about 42.5 million people) having a diagnosable mental health issue, it’s imperative that we stand together and help people get the support they need. The campaign has identified 5 signs that may indicate that people need help. They are:

  1. A change in personality
  2. An increase in anger, anxiety or moodiness
  3. A tendency to isolate or withdraw from activities
  4. A decrease in personals elf-care or an increase in risky behavior
  5. An increase of hopelessness and feeling totally overwhelmed
If you recognize these signs in yourself or in another, talk about it. Let’s all work to educate to ourselves and our loved ones about these signs and encourage discussion and treatment when these signs appear.  For more information, go to www.changedirection.org.

Until next time,

Dr. Sheila

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Good-bye Jean Nidetch.



To those of you who have been loyal Weight Watcher members I am sad to tell you that founder Jean Nidetch passed away in April at the age of 91. Called “weight-loss royalty” by her son, Mrs. Nidetch began Weight Watchers in her living room over 50 years ago. As diet programs go, Weight Watchers embraces a whole life approach to weight loss dealing not only with food choices but also habits, emotions and support. If you are looking for a diet to follow in conjunction with my book The Best Diet Begins in Your Mind Weight Watchers is a good choice. Thank you Mrs. Nidetch for teaching us that weight loss is so much more than just about the food. 

Until next time, 

Dr. Sheila




Tuesday, July 14, 2015

To Get Different Results You Are Going to Have To Do Things Differently!

I’m sure you have heard the famous definition of insanity …” doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results…”  Well, it applies pretty well to most people’s weight loss attempts. They find another diet, another workout video, and other pill and they are sure this time it will work! And they are right for a while…it does…until it doesn’t!

The body you have, the health you have, and how much you weigh are all products of the lifestyle and habits you engage in. In essence we are the sum total of our habits. If you want a different body, better heath or a lower weight you need to establish habits that create and maintain those things. In other words to get different results you are going to have to do things differently!

Make a list of your current habits. Include what, when and how much you typically eat. How much TV you watch or time you spend on the computer. Include your sleeping habits, drinking habits and how you handle stress. Once you made your list really look at t. Ask yourself do these habits take me closer to or move me further away from the things I say I want to have in my life? Then ask yourself what habits would serve me better? Make a list of those habits. Choose one of those new habits and do it consistently for 21 days (that’s the minimum amount of time you need to begin establishing a new habit) and see what happens. After 21 days keep that habit going and add another new one. Before long you will start the new results you are getting from your new way of doing things. Good luck!

Until next time,

Dr. Sheila

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Try Mindfulness to Stop Eating When You Feel Depressed


In my book The Best Diet Begins in Your Mind I identify depression as one of eight emotions I see my clients eat over the most. For those of you who suffer from the kind of depression that is hard to shake or which comes back time and time again I have some interesting news. Scientific research is telling us that a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy known as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy or MBCT for short may be helpful.

Mindfulness means noticing what’s going on in your experience in the moment. It’s a form of focused attention. It involves observing your thoughts and emotions without judging them or getting distracted by them.

MBCT is currently taught as an eight-week group program which includes mindfulness meditations, yoga, and homework assignments.

One of the reasons why MBCT may be helpful is that when a person engages in mindful thinking her brain uses different neuropathways than when she is thinking depressive thoughts. This may lead to beneficial changes in the person’s brain structure.

To learn more check out the article on Mindfulness in the March 2015 issue of Monitor on Psychology published by the American Psychological Association (www.apa.org)

Until next time,

Dr. Sheila