Can a Sleep Study Save Your Life?

If you have sleep apnea (you stop breathing while you sleep) a sleep study can most definitely save your life.  However, if you don’t apply the treatment to prevent your sleep apnea, then the sleep study is worthless!

Sleep apnea is deadly!

When you stop breathing during your sleep, your oxygen level drops robbing your body of this life giving nutrient, but that isn’t the worst part.

When you stop breathing, your carbon dioxide level climbs causing an acidic condition in your body that literally fries your brain and all your internal organs!

If you are ignoring your sleep apnea, you MUST be aware that you are risking your life!

Got a death wish?

Sleep apnea will cause: Read more

Will Community Resources Make Your Life Happier?

Are you feeling isolated and alone?

Would you like to feel connected to the world outside your door?

It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, building a support system can be challenging.

If you have reached the point of feeling isolated, you need to take quick action to plug yourself in and get the support you need.

Community Resources may be the answer.

Online communities like this one, can offer great resources and contacts that will enrich your life.

The inter-net has the amazing ability to connect you with people all over the world.  There is, however, no substitute for real, flesh and blood, people in your life.

This blog offers education and resources to help you make positive change in your diet and life style.

Has your health care practitioner encouraged you to make changes?

Do you know what diet and lifestyle changes look like?

You know that you should be eating less junk food and more fruits and vegetables.  The couch potato lifestyle is certainly not health building.

So how do you get from the couch to activity, and McDonald’s to the produce isle? Read more

Want To Stop Feeling Depressed?

It is a gray and rainy day on the Big Island of Hawaii.

I started the day with a conversation with a depressed (and depressing) friend.

It really set the mood for the morning.  My friends dark energy just seemed to cling to me.

When I took my daughter to the bus, the cold wind and pounding rain seemed to match my mood.

Last week when we were traveling down our road on the way to the school bus stop, my daughter was awe struck by the beautiful view, and grabbed the camera to take a picture through the wind shield, which was over due for a cleaning.

I was so surprised when I got home and took a look at the picture.

Through that dirty window, she had captured the awesome beauty of the morning.

I chuckled, and thought, “wow, awesome beauty shines so brightly, ya don’t notice how murky your field of vision is.”

It reminded me of life.  No matter how stuck in the mud you are, just keep your eye on awesome, and you will be transformed.

Today, just the memory of that beautiful morning shines a light on my dark mood.

I am blessed.

Leave your email address in the box at the right.  Let’s focus on awesome together.  You don’t have to be depressed.

Let’s stay in touch.

Many blessings,

Carrie

PS– Remember everyday:

1. Relax and Release tension
2. Take deeep breaths
3. Be active in a way that adds joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter

Is the Joy of Christmas Casting a Shadow of Depression On Your Holiday Season?

Are you finding yourself feeling depressed this holiday season?

In every culture, there are special days that bring back memories of home and loved ones.

Those special days can feel bitter sweet when you are dealing with loss.  The pain becomes intensified.

You don’t want to deal with happy people because you just can’t feel happy.  There is just no faking it.

Do you just wish the holidays were over?

Somehow, when the world is celebrating, loneliness is magnified.

John was a patient of mine for many years.  He absolutely loved the holidays.

His devoted wife was a beautiful energetic lady who was always busy doing something creative.  She had an unbelievable garden, lots of cats and dogs, she loved to bake and used to have a delicious care package to give me whenever I visited.

Every Christmas, she turned their home into a winter wonderland.  It was quite a treat, since the hot humid Hawaiian afternoon just didn’t feel like Christmas to this Montana girl!

I have fond memories of sitting at their kitchen table drinking hot cocoa with candy canes.  (With the air conditioning, it almost felt like winter!)

I remember Ida telling me about her challenges making her traditional Christmas dishes without salt.  John really looked forward to the family celebration, but usually ended up in the hospital before the new year.  To much salt, wine, and fun always did him in.

John would say, “Ida, I’m only gonna live once, it wouldn’t be Christmas without your famous Christmas dinner!”

Every year with the house looking like a post card, the two of them would greet their kids, grand-kids, and extended family for the wildest celebration you have ever seen.  My favorite part was singing Christmas carols by the bonfire.

Their family was full of so much love, you could feel it in the air.

Five years ago, John passed away a few days after Thanksgiving.

Ida faced her life without him.  She couldn’t celebrate the holiday.  Her family tried everything to get her to join them at their homes, or even a Christmas vacation for the whole family. Read more

Are You Mending a Broken Heart?

Recently I noticed, in myself as well as my family and friends (both online and off), a constant mention of a “broken heart” so to speak.

Oh, they didn’t see it that way.  I know them to be positive people, so they were muddling through, just seeing the situation as one more story in their day.

I started to notice that these stories were emotionally charged.

Susan felt that “exercise” was such an interruption in her routine.

Helen feels like she is tied to her oxygen machine, like a leash, preventing her from living her life.  Every time she gets up to walk across the room, she trips on the darn thing!

I feel like if I am interrupted one more time I will scream (again)!

Susan and Helen helped me to see my own heartache.

I decided to take my own advice.

Now I feel much better.

If you are suffering from heartache: Read more

Relax! Do You Sweat the Small Stuff?

Recovering my computer this past weekend (again) sure didn’t feel like the small stuff.  In the big picture, it isn’t something I will remember next week.

“Relax!” I kept telling myself.  Yet I kept barking at my kids, and I could feel the tension creeping up the back of my neck.

Finally, I’d had enough of myself (and so had my kids), so I sat myself down to be still in silence.  Twenty minutes later, I felt a whole lot better.

Most people don’t relax unconsciously.

Do you get anxious if you aren’t watching television, or listening to music, or reading a book, or busy with some other distraction?

If you will be still in silence, you will become aware of the tension that lives in your body.  That is, IF you can stand the stillness long enough to let yourself become aware of it.

This stored tension will squeeze the life out of you if you don’t release it!

The only way to keep up with it, is to practice relaxing.  I know it seems strange that you should have to practice, but that is the only way to let go of the tension your muscles are storing.  The conscious effort to release it, is well worth the effort.  (Yes effort, see how hard it is to sit with yourself!?)

So if you DO sweat the small stuff………

How do you relax? Read more

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