Depression and Physical Health

There is a lot of stigma associated with mental health issues. Disorders like depression are seen more as a mental weakness then an actual disorder. But many of us go through mood issues and depression. In this post I wanted to talk about something really personal, my personal struggle with depression and how regular physical activity saved me. In 2006, I went through a high-risk pregnancy and during the post partum phase I slipped into depression. With a new baby to take care of round the clock and a full time job life had gotten really stressful. I was really riding an emotional roller coaster. My primacy care physician suggested I take Zoloft but unfortunately I could not tolerate the side effects and all other medications were not safe during breastfeeding stage. So I discontinued the medication. Life felt so gray and depressing.

Finally unable to cope with the stress of a full time job and a small baby I quit my job. started investing more in my health and personal well being. I took a few courses like the Art of Living course, Vipassana etc. One of the Art of Living courses I took was Sri Sri Yoga. A senior Art of Living teacher called Kishan Verma taught it. I was totally blown away by Kishan Vermaji's fitness level. At 60 he looked so fit, he talked with such mental clarity and he could do push-ups with complete ease. I was completely inspired by him and I took yoga more seriously.

Kishan Vermaji

   My emotional and physical health tremendously improved. In order to lose weight I incorporated cardio and strength training into my physical routines. This gave me further boost. After intense workout sessions I felt more energized and positive. It has been scientifically proven that when you exercise, your body releases "feel good chemicals" called endorphins. The release of the endorphins causes a temporary euphoria called "runners high" to set in. So as you workout more and more regularly your overall mood and outlook towards life improves. Your confidence and self-esteem improve. I experienced all of this first hand. It was the experience of the "runners high" that kept me coming back again and again. I had first hand experienced the debilitating effects of depression and the ugly side effects of anti depressants. Exercise helped me get over my depression in a more natural way. It helped me to wean myself away from anti-depressants. Life felt so gray and sad when I was depressed. But now I am grateful that it gave me the opportunity to change my outlook towards life and broaden my perspective.

   If your severely depressed here are a few suggestions I have for you. If you are persistently feeling sad and you have lost interest in life you may possibly be clinically depressed. Depression is not just the occasional blue mood that we all go through. It is more persistent.

Step 1:
Don't be in denial and please accept what is happening to you. This is the biggest hurdle to cross. We often think of depression as a mental weakness. Rather depression is a neurological problem where the brain becomes low in some neurotransmitters. Clinical depression is something that you cannot simply snap out of. During this phase you may feel people around you do not understand what is happening to you. They may even belittle your condition and label it as mere "mental weakness". You are not alone. Ignore their erroneous perceptions and invest in YOUR health and well being. Life throws curve balls at us and many of us go through challenging periods in life when we succumb go depression.

Step 2:
Seek medical help. Get your blood work done and check your thyroid levels since thyroid has a direct effect on mood. I saw this first hand when one of my family members succumbed to Graves’s disease. Fortunately thyroid mal-functions are fully treatable. The right dosage of medication will help you get back on your foot. Your doctor may possibly put you on anti depressants and anti anxiety medications. Yes, anti depressants do have side effects but the benefits outweigh the risks. The more you resist treatment the more prolonged your suffering would be and you will put yourself in a vicious cycle and spiral downwards. It takes time to find the right medicine and the right dosage. So start early on.

Step 3:

Seek actively to improve you mental health and mental attitude. Try to find a good therapist specialized in techniques like EMDR or Cognitive behavior therapy. Ask your doctor for recommendations. There is nothing wrong in going to a therapist or joining a support group. Often times a good therapist will help in putting life in perspective. Try to engage in a mindfulness-based practice like yoga, pranayama, Tai Chi. Many medical clinics offer mindfulness based stress reduction programs. Such programs have shown positive results in improving mental health. A note of caution, when you are on the lookout for such programs be careful about the organizations you lean onto for support. Many of them do yeoman service to humanity but unfortunately there are also many fraudulent spiritual organizations that prey on people going through tough life situations. Be careful about the organization from which you seek to be trained. Avoid organizations that lean too much on a single Guru and operate like a cult. The emphasis should be on the teachings and not just the teacher. Deeply contemplative and meditative practices may not be suitable for people with severe depression but physically more active practices like yoga, Tai Chi, pranayama are highly recommended.

Step 4:
Engage in a physically active workout session 2-3 times a week. This may be a hike in the woods, a walk in the park or attending a dance class in your gym. Find one activity that you love doing. When I feel mad and angry at life I like going to a kick boxing class. End of the class I would have burned out my anger and 600+ calories :-) Don't be afraid to try and find something that you love. Some people love to dance to a fast beat, some people like to walk in the woods in the solitude of nature and some others like to soak it in the pool. Keep trying new activities to find something you love. Don't give up, just don't give up!!! Exercise will stimulate the production of the body's natural anti-depressant endorphins. It will boost your confidence and self esteem. At this point in life this is what you need to turn yourself on the path to recovery.

 Step 5:
During sad times we often turn to food for comfort. Some even use alcohol and drugs to numb the pain. This when you should be really careful. Self-awareness is key. Avoid the trap of being an emotional eater. Diet has a tremendous effect on your mood. I took an Ayurvedic cooking class with Art of Living and learned how foods can affect our mental and physical health. Ayurveda has a system of classifying foods as Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Sattvic foods are those, which help in developing positive feelings, Rajasic foods are those that arouse passion and energy and Tamasic foods are those that dull your mental energies.  You are what you eat. So choose your diet wisely. Eat whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid foods high in fat and sugar.

Step 6:
Supplement your food with a complete vitamin. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies will cause fatigue and irritability. The right supplement will help in offsetting any deficiency. If you do not regularly consume yogurt with live culture consider taking a food based probiotic supplement. Probiotics are the healthy and beneficial bacteria that live in the human gut. A deficiency in these good bacteria is known to cause a "leaky gut". 

A leaky gut will allow undigested toxins to escape to your blood stream and trigger a host of immune and inflammatory reactions in your body. Only now scientists have begun to understand the far-reaching effects of having a leaky gut.

   I hope all this advice helps. I know I have given a whole list of suggestions. The path to my recovery has been an extremely rewarding and enlightening journey. It taught me to look at life in a different perspective. It has taken me 8 years to come this far and I am still learning and making changes. Take one step at a time and soon you will be on the road to full recovery. Yes, life does throw curve balls at us time and again but learn to catch the ball and bowl it over. You can do it!!!

My Weight Loss Lessons for 2014

   After struggling for a few months I am back to 130 lbs size 4 !!!  It feels really good to be able to fit back into my skinny jeans without bunny hopping into them like a rabbit :-)  A few more inches to lose and I will be back into maintanence mode. Honestly, this has been my most difficult weight loss journey in my lifetime. Ten years ago losing weight was a piece of cake. But not anymore :-( It took many hours of practising the right excercise routines and fine tuning my diet to come this far. I learned a few lessons on the way and thought I will share it with all of you.

  First and foremost watch out for the sweet treats. It is the joy of christmas indeed but please be careful with the holiday treats. I ruined my health last year by over indulging in cakes and sweets during the 2013 holiday season. Don't underestimate the damage that refined sugar can do to your body. Beyond just empty calories remember sugar is a silent killer !! A picture is worth a thousand words. The picture below says it all. 




   I admit I did have a sweet tooth. I got cured of my sugar addiction when I went for a cruise during summer. I got so sick of all the deserts they served in the cruise that I never felt like looking back at the cakes and desserts again. Seriously a sugar overdose cured my sugar addiction. Every time I see a dessert I always remember how much damage sugar can do to my body and I shy away.

   The next important aspect of weight loss...DIET, DIET, DIET....no crash diets but a sustainable, well balanced diet. A well balanced diet is key to losing weight. In 2013, I ruined all the gains I made by intensive excercise routines by eating out frequently and following a poor diet. This year I reversed the cycle. I decided to cook more at home. I spent time planning my meals and prepping ahead. This allowd me to reach out for healthy meal options when I was hungry and not junk. Don't just fall for fad diets. They are not sustainable and you will gain back the pounds you lose in no time. You need to make your diet plan sustainable and practical.

  Start your day with a good breakfast. Do not skip your breakfast no matter what. I started adding more protein to my breakfast so I had less mid morning cravings. I eat 3 egg whites and 1 egg yolk with a slice of sprouted whole wheat bread 2-3 times a week. Starting the day with protein really made me feel fuller for longer duration. Egg yolk is a very nutrient dense food. As long as your cholestrol levels are in check one egg yolk per day is okay. There are many ways of cooking eggs - veggie omlette, hard boiled eggs or sunny side up. I love my eggs sunny side up.
 

Another of my favorite breakfast meals is steel cut oat meal with blue berries and almonds. Not rolled oats but steel cut oats. Steel cut oats are less processed then rolled oats. This is my favorite comfort food. Steel cut oats is full of soluble fiber and takes longer time to digest. So it keeps you full for longer. It also lowers cholestrol. I toss in a few blue berries and almonds into my oatmeal. Blue berries are rich in anti oxidants and almonds are high in vitamin E. This makes a perfect breakfast for cold winter mornings.You can drizzle a bit of natural honey as well. I cut out honey to reduce sugar and just added more blue berries.




Another favorite breakfast dish of mine is Adai. Adai is an Indian pancake made of lentils. If your a lazy bum like me  and you live in the Bay area you can buy Shastha Adai batter from the Indian stores. Along with Adai I have spicy coconut chutney or an Indian protein spice powder mix called "podi" mixed with olive oil.


 


  When I am in a hurry to get to work and have no time to sit down and eat breakfast, I would quickly pack a sandwich made of sprouted whole wheat bread, avacado, smoked salmon and super greens. You can substitute the smoked salmon with tofurky if your a vegetarian. This is also a very filling option.





  For lunch and dinner, I started cutting down on carbohydrates and started filling my stomach with sprout salads before starting the main course. I substituted quinoa for rice as often as I could. Sprouts made a huge difference to both my mental and physical health.

 Yoga and Ayurveda highly recommends sprouts since they are high in prana a.ka. "life force". Foods with high prana help in promoting good physical health and mental clarity. For the main course, I would have 2 chappathis and curry like rajma, kadhi, chicken curry, palak tofu (instead of palak paneer) or shrimp masala. Some days I would also have quinoa and stir fry vegetables. Most importantly I would be careful about my portion sizes. Eating salads before my meal helped me to reduce my chappathi intake from 3 to 2. If I had to eat out with friends or colleagues I would choose health conscious restuarants that publish the calories values of their meals like Panera breads, Denny's etc.

  The next important thing that you need to do is excercise. In our busy lives it is really hard to find time to excercise. But when we develop an excercise routine that we really enjoy we try to arrange things around it to make it happen. This is how I made it happen in my life. So find an excercise routine that you enjoy. This might be a bollywood dance class, zumba class, hiking, swimming or working out with a personal trainer. I have written enough about the importance of strength training and developing a strong core. More importantly keep changing the routine, so that your body constantly comes out of your comfort zone and sheds pounds. Don't just do the same set of excercises or physical activity over and over again. You need to cross train for maximum results.

  I try to workout 3-4 times a week. I hired a personal trainer with whom I train 1-2 times a week. Personal training is an expensive affair but when you hit a plateau and your desperate to shed some pounds, personal training is a worthy investment. My trainer is awesome. She helped me in correcting my form in several excercise routines. She gave me written logs of all my exercise routines so I could practice them on days when I was not training with her. My personal trainer would also constantly change my routine so that my body never got accustomed to a set of excercises. This ensured I was never in a comfort zone. On days when I was not training with my trainer I did the Less Mills strength training class twice a week in my gym. If I could find more time I used to go hiking, swimming or biking with my family. But most weeks I could only workout 3 times a week and that was just good enough. There were many weeks when I did not lose pounds but I lost inches. Working out helped me build lean muscle. Plus excercise is a natural mood booster. After an intense workout the endorphin rush made me come back again and again.
 
   I hope my blog encourages you to stick to  your health goals in 2015. Make a committment to yourself that you will be a healthier person. Good health is a precious gift. As the years roll by you will be grateful that you invested in your health early on in life. Find like minded friends and find workout routines that you enjoy. As you become leaner and toner, your self esteem and confidence will improve tremendrously. Good luck and best wishes !! Have a Happy, prosperous and healthy New Year !!

Why you need a Strong Core ?

In our fitness journey we are often so obsessed about just losing weight that we forget to focus on strengthening important muscle groups like the core muscle group. Many people mistake the abdominals for the core and have the misconception that a few crunches would  help in gaining washboard abs. Core training is much more than just doing abdominal crunches. 

The core muscle groups consists of the following muscles in the front:

• The External  obliques which run diagonally from the ribs to the pubic bone. They provide power for upper-body rotation;
• The Internal obliques which connect your lower ribs to the pelvic iliac crest. They aid rotation and twisting, but their primary role is stabilising your core and spine;
• The Rectus abdominis which is the flat band of muscle that stretches from your sternum to pelvis, aka.  “the 6 pack muscles” or “washboard”;
• The Transverse abdominis which is the strip of muscle stretching from lumbar region to pubic bone, nicknamed as “TVA” or deep abs.

The posterior side of our core is our back which comprises of the following important muscle groups.

• The Erector Spinae, aka “ the lower back” – it is not just one muscle, but a bundle of muscles and tendons. It is paired and runs more or less vertically. It extends throughout the lumbar, thoracic and cervical regions, and lies in the groove to the side of the vertebral column. It functions to straighten the back and rotate it to one side or the other;
• The Glutes which is the muscles inside your butt.

There are several benefits of core training besides developing flat washboard abs. Core training improves overall athletic performance, posture and balance. The core muscles are the sturdy central link connecting the upper and lower body muscles Whether you’re hitting a tennis ball or mopping the floor, the necessary motions either originate in your core, or move through it. Therefore weak or inflexible core muscles can impair how well your arms and legs can function.  Properly building up your core cranks up the power. A strong core also enhances balance and stability. Thus, it can help prevent falls and injuries during sports or other activities. Core training also reduces and prevents back pain. 

So how do you go about building core strength.  If you like to workout on your own then add then start doing a few receptions of the following exercises. 

1) Front Plank

2) Side Plank

3) Bridges

4) Front Abdominal crunches

5) Side Abdominal crunches aka Bicycles

6) Mountain climbers

You can google the internet for complete core training routines. I found a lot of useful material available online. You can also design your own fitness routines by using Fitness apps like Fitness Buddy, Abs, Ab Workout, Instant Abs and Full Fitness. 

You may have known by now that I am a huge fan of Less Mills fitness classes. Less Mills is a company from New Zealand that designs various kinds of fitness classes. These classes have specific routines and choreography. The music tracks and routines are changed on a regular basis. Fitness instructors undergo specific training to become Less Mills certified instructors. The Less Mills classes are offered by several gyms under the Less Mills banner. I have tried several Less Mills class and my favorite and most challenging class has been the CXWorks class. It is a 30 minute class that focusses on working out the core muscle group. Don't let the video scare you. It is a tough class but the instructors also do offer options for all fitness levels. After I started taking the class and regularly doing core workout my strength and balance improved tremendously. Do check it out !!

Think in terms of inches not pounds !!!

  Fed up that I was not losing weight as fast as I could, I started skipping dinner and limiting my calorie intake as much as I could. I was actively doing strength training so my metabolic rate was high. I kept feeling hungry all the time and I just kept telling myself "Burn the fat, burn the fat". Pretty soon I was 10 lbs lighter :-) I was so proud of myself. But the bubble got popped when my personal trainer took my measurements again. My trainer was surprised with the results. I had lost 6 lbs but my body fat percentage had increased significantly. She was so surprised that she did the measurements twice. But the results were the same each time. She told me I had burnt up the muscle mass that I had built very quickly.  My trainer had always told me about the importance of feeding the body just enough calories and eating as clean as possible so that it can continuing burning fat and building muscle. I confessed to her that I had been skipping meals when possible. This explained the muscle loss and body fat percentage gain. I was putting my body on starvation mode.

	Weight	Total Inch Loss	Body Fat %
6/14/2014	146 lb		22.9
7/16/2014	145 lb	Lost 8 inches	19.8
8/25/2014	139 lb	0 inches	27

In spite of my hard work the reason I had not been losing much weight in mid july was because I had gained muscle mass. I had lost inches but not pounds. I got frustrated because the bathroom scale was not tipping in my favor. So when possible I would skip dinner and have a light breakfast. This was effectively putting my body in starvation mode. When the body goes in starvation mode it will burn up the energy that it can use up most easily which is the glycogen stored in the muscle. As a result gradually the muscle mass also dissappears. The body tries to increase the fat reserves because it is going into starvation mode !! That is why by late August I had lost weight but my body fat percentage had increased. The weight loss was not reflected in July because I had built my muscle mass and lowered my body fat percentage. Remember lean muscle is much more denser than fat so it weighs much more than fat. Here is a visual comparison.

The most important take away lesson I learnt was to stop thinking in terms of pounds and start thinking in terms of inches. The goal is not just to lose weight but to be fit, healthy and strong !! On of my class mates in the Less Mills Body Pump class was a true inspiration. She was a Japanese grandma around 65 years. She did not have a single strand of black hair on her head and she would regularly do strength training 3X times a week. Believe it or not the Japanese super grandma would do bench presses with 40 lbs on the barbell during the Less Mills Body Pump class and I am almost half her age but I would struggle to do the chest track with just 25 lbs on my barbell. She was a living role model of good health and clean living. A true inspiration indeed !!

Start building muscle today !! Many women fear that strength training would cause them to bulk up. The truth is that women can't naturally grow massive muscles like men do, it would take heavy weights, hours of dedication, the right nutrition, even years to get lean muscle definition and you still wouldn't get bulky. Men have more testosterone than women, that’s why they can build more muscle than us, and still, men will have to work hard for a long period of time, and eat right to see the muscle gains they want and maintain it. So women don't be afraid of strength training !! I have seen some really strong women in the gym who are really lean and toned. 

There are several benefits of building muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. So this means you are burning more calories even while sleeping, as your body needs to use more calories to fuel your muscles, which helps you to burn more fat!  Resistance exercise can reduce bone deterioration and build bone mass, preventing osteoporosis. It has been proven to have a positive affect on insulin resistance, resting metabolism, blood pressure, body fat and gastrointestinal transit time, factors that are linked to illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. So don't just obsess about your weight loss goals and get into fad diets. Make fitness and healthy eating a lifestyle choice. Good luck !!