Fight Depression

If you feel depressed, it's best to do something about it — depression doesn't just go away on its own. In addition to getting help from a doctor or therapist, here are 5 things you can do to feel better.
1//Exercise. Take a 15- to 30-minute brisk walk every day — or dance, jog, or bike if you prefer. People who are depressed may not feel much like being active. But make yourself do it anyway (ask a friend to exercise with you if you need to be motivated). Once you get in the exercise habit, it won't take long to notice a difference in your mood.

In addition to getting aerobic exercise, some yoga poses can help relieve feelings of depression. Try downward-facing dog or legs-up-the-wall pose (you can find these poses on yoga websites). Two other aspects of yoga — breathing exercises and meditation — can also help people with depression feel better.

2//Nurture yourself with good nutrition. Depression can affect appetite. One person may not feel like eating at all, but another might overeat. If depression has affected your eating, you'll need to be extra mindful of getting the right nourishment. Proper nutrition can influence a person's mood and energy. So eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get regular meals (even if you don't feel hungry, try to eat something light, like a piece of fruit, to keep you going).

3//Identify troubles, but don't dwell on them. Try to identify any situations that have contributed to your depression. When you know what's got you feeling blue and why, talk about it with a caring friend. Talking is a way to release the feelings and to receive some understanding. If there's no one to tell, pouring your heart out to a journal works just as well.

Once you air out these thoughts and feelings, turn your attention to something positive. Take action to solve problems. Ask for help if you need it. Feeling connected to friends and family can help relieve depression. (It may also help them feel there's something they can do instead of just watching you hurt.)

4//Express yourself. With depression, a person's creativity and sense of fun may seem blocked. By exercising your imagination (painting, drawing, doodling, sewing, writing, dancing, composing music, etc.) you not only get those creative juices flowing, you also loosen up some positive emotions. Take time to play with a friend or a pet, or do something fun for yourself. Find something to laugh about — a funny movie, perhaps. Laughter helps lighten your mood.

5//Look on the bright side. Depression affects a person's thoughts, making everything seem dismal, negative, and hopeless. If depression has you noticing only the negative, make an effort to notice the good things in life. Try to notice one thing, then try to think of one more. Consider your strengths, gifts, or blessings. Most of all, don't forget to be patient with yourself. Depression takes time to heal.

4 secrets of amazing sex that make your married life more happy...

THE credit crunch may be getting us all down but sex therapists say everyone can still have great sex - if they follow the four secrets to unlocking their passion potential.
The secrets are revealed in a new book The 4 Secrets Of Amazing Sex, reports The Sun newspaper.
1. SEDUCTION
“The first secret deals with how to sustain a heady passion with your partner. Most people assume they need to be seduced to feel sexy – wrong! We first create the desire in our own mind. It’s your responsibility to understand what turns you on. It’s about taking notice of how you are feeling – not expecting a partner to immediately trigger sexual feeling.”
2. SENSATION
“The second secret is all about the six senses. Absorb the energy between you and your partner, as well as remembering smell, touch, sound and taste. The six senses are often overlooked in our busy lives, but without them sex is dull.”

3. SURRENDER

“The third secret is when you feel safe to surrender to your partner and have sex. Thanks to secrets one and two, your mind is ready and your senses alive. You need to feel you want to be there and your mind is present to feel connected to your partner.”
4. REFLECTION
“If you’ve had fun with the first three secrets, reflection is about looking back on the experience and feeling you want to do it all again. If the experience is bad, people will look back on it negatively and may avoid a repeat performance and lack confidence.”
Now try Georgia’s five tips to help create a new sexual you.
FIVE STEPS TO A NEW YOU IN BED
1. Ignore that niggly voice in your head saying your thighs are fat or your bum wobbles and tell yourself you are gorgeous and believe it.
2. Trying new moves in the bedroom can be scary, so agreeing on a non-verbal sign on when to call time can help build trust and confidence.
3. Grab a moment to sit down with your other half and make a list of what originally made them turn your knees to jelly; it’s easy to forget why what you found attractive next to a mound of washing up.
4. Remember to breathe. When people are anxious they shallow breathe. A good relaxation method is; take deep breath, hold it for five and exhale. Repeat three times and feel your nerves melt.
5. Make one small change each time you have sex. It will keep it fresh and stop you going through the motions.

Mental soundness and health

Mental soundness
mental health - the psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment,

The Lord directs us to make the maintenance of good mental health a part of our lives.

Limitations

No plan for a mentally healthy lifestyle is guaranteed to maintain good mental health. The reason is that such plans cannot possibly take into consideration all of the variables in the lives of everyone who follows such plans. These variables include how mentally healthy a person is or is not, the effects of age, needs determined by gender, how well the person follows the plan, etc., etc. However, following a mentally healthy lifestyle plan will increase the likelihood of maintaining good mental health. On the other hand, if God promises you that following a mentally healthy lifestyle plan will result in the maintenance of good mental health, then it will.
God promises us mental health if we do our part. II Timothy 1:7 says:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
God has given us the spirit, the Holy Spirit, of a sound mind but God will only give us mental soundness (mental health) if we meet certain conditions. You will find some of these conditions in the following plan for a mentally sound (healthy) lifestyle.


Audience

This web page is for everyone.

Guiding Principles

One of the guiding principles of this plan is to keep things as simple as possible. This plan is as brief as possible.

Another guiding principle is that a mentally sound (healthy) lifestyle plan can always be improved. Therefore, this plan will constantly be updated. Many sources of information have been and continue to be consulted and new sources are continually being added. Some key sources of information are listed at the end of this web page. All but one are websites. If you cannot access a given website, let us know. We do not necessarily endorse everything on these websites.

Rating Scale

The number attached to each item rates its value with respect to maintaining mental soundness (health). The rating scale is from 1 to 10. “1” indicates least value. “10” indicates greatest value. As more information is obtained, the rating of an item may change. Please note that a rating lower than 10 still means that you should be concerned about the rated item. Also, the ratings of items we know will never change appear in white on a black background.

THE PLAN


God’s Guidance
Ask God to show you how to maintain mental soundness (health). God is greater than any mentally sound (healthy) lifestyle plan.

Definition of Mental Health

Mental health is mental soundness.

Signs of Mental Soundness (Health)


A mentally sound (healthy) person does not try to harm themself and does not try to harm others except, if necessary, in self-defense and/or the defense of others.

Responsibility

Fulfill your responsibilities. Your mental soundness (health) is influenced by your moral soundness. An unrighteous person does not have the mental health that a righteous person has.


Physical Health

Follow our “Healthy Lifestyle Plan” (see our Health page). Good physical health means good brain health. Note that we said “good brain health” and not “good mental health.” Mental health is not brain health. Brain health is sometimes necessary in order for a person to have mental health. Sometimes it is not necessary. For example, a person can have a brain tumor that causes partial vision loss. This particular lack of brain health cannot affect one’s mental health. Therefore, one can lack brain health and still have mental health.

Brain Health

Maintain adequate levels of the brain fuel glucose by eating often enough. Poor concentration and low energy levels can be a sign that it's been too long since your last meal. Folate (folic acid), vitamin B-12 and vitamin E are nutrients to investigate with regard to brain health.

Folate sources:

· Leafy dark green vegetables

· Legumes (dried beans and peas)

· Citrus fruits and juices (orange, lemon, etc.)

· Most berries

· Wheat bread is better than white bread.

Vitamin B-12 sources:

· Meat

· Poultry

· Fish

· Dairy products

· Eggs.

· Fortified cereals

Vitamin E sources:



· Soybean and its oil

· Safflower and its oil

· Corn and its oil

· Sunflower seeds

· Nuts

· Whole grains

· Wheat germ

· Leafy vegetables (Contain an appreciable amount of Vitamin E.)


Chastity
Read our Chastity page. Your mental soundness (health) is influenced by your moral soundness. An unrighteous person does not have the mental health that a righteous person has.


Knowledge

Only knowledge that prepares one to have sound beliefs is necessary for mental soundness (health).

Sound Beliefs

Sound beliefs are the nutrition of the mind. Here are a few sound beliefs a person must not reject if they are to have mental soundness (health):

Fundamental (Intuitive) Beliefs

· An idea is not a physical object.

· A physical object is not an idea.

· A thought is not a sentence.

· A sentence is not a thought.

· A mental image is not a physical object.

· A physical object is not a mental image.

· The mind is not a physical thing.

· Emotions are not physical things.

· Emotions are invisible.

· The mind is invisible.

· The idea of the mind is not the mind.

· The mind is not an idea.

· Knowledge is invisible.

· Beliefs are invisible.

· The soul is invisible.

· Emotions occur in the soul.

· Emotions do not occur in the body.

· Emotions affect the body.

· The mind is not the brain.

· The brain is not the mind.

Progressive (Rational) Beliefs


· Pleasure is better than pain.

· Pleasure is better than numbness.

· Numbness is better than pain.

· Good is better than evil.

· Love is good.

· Hatred is evil.

· Wealth is better than poverty.

· It is good to plan ahead.


Advanced (Moral) Beliefs

· God exists.

· God is invisible.

· God rules the universe.

· God rules the world.

· God holds people accountable for their actions.

· Murder is a sin.

· Adultery is a sin.

· Stealing is a sin.

· Laziness is a sin.


Sound Beliefs (Spiritual) (rated 9)

Spiritual beliefs promote mental soundness (health) but they are not indispensable to mental soundness (health). Here are a few:



· God loves people.

· Every person has the opportunity to be granted a place in heaven.

· It is good to love God.