According to Lacy Drayer, MA, RD, who wrote “The Beauty Diet”, there are ten foods that we should eat that will lead to healthy, glowing skin. And luckily, all of these foods are accessible in Japan. The Japanese believe they have the healthiest diet in the world and although many parts of their diet are very healthy, there are also a lot that is not. A lot of Japanese food has a high sodium content (which can lead to stomach cancer (of which Japan has one of the highest rates in the world) and high blood pressure) and things like white rice, have basically no nutrition whatsoever. The high carbohydrate content of white rice will make your blood sugar rise up and then crash not long after you eat it, making you crave another carbohydrate fix. So if you eat white rice, you should pair it with lean protein and vegetables to make it more balanced. Even better, switch your white rice with brown rice. Brown rice is much healthier and contains fiber, which will help to regulate your blood sugar levels. Here are some other things you can add to make your diet healthier and many of them can be found just around the corner, at your local Japanese supermarket.

1. Salmon, preferably wild salmon. A lot of salmon in Japan has been raised on fish farms so it’s not as healthy but it’s still better than not eating any salmon at all. Salmon, is chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation, keep our cells supple, and help our brains function properly. Think of omega-3s as moisturizing your skin from the inside out.
2. Low-fat yogurt. Meiji brand with the probiotics is good. Of course, we all know that yogurt contains calcium, which keeps our teeth and bones strong. It also contains zinc, which supports skin health.
3. Oysters. These seem to be a bit hard to find in Japan, although I know they exist and are usually pretty expensive. Oysters help create collagen in the skin and also have high levels of zinc.
4. Blueberries. Also seem to be hard to find in Japan although you can buy them frozen at major supermarkets. Frozen is better than nothing. These little babies contain more antioxidants that any other fruit. So there. Antioxidants protect against cellular damage from environment, stress, etc.
5. Kiwifruit. This green fruit stimulates collagen production and is also high in antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals which cause cancer and other terrible diseases. Also packed with Vitamin C.
6. Sweet potatoes. Although the sweet potatoes in Japan differ from the ones we typically find back home in the West, they are still packed with beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A, which then keeps your skin smooth and healthy.
7. Spinach. Be like Popeye and eat your Spinach. Contains a lot of lutein, which is good for the eyes. It also contains beta-carotene, Vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, fiber, and even omega-3 fatty acids. So you can’t go wrong with spinach.
8. Tomatoes. This wonderful food brought to the Europe from the Americas helped make Italian and Mediterranean food what it is today. It is also the food which contains the most of the antioxidant lycopene, which is actually more readily absorbed into your body after it has been processed (think canned tomato paste, juice, or ketchup).
9. Walnuts. These can be found pretty easily at any supermarket in Japan and contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids and also Vitamin E, which helps protect cells from damage and supports beautiful skin.
10. Dark Chocolate. Yes, it’s finally okay to eat chocolate, dark chocolate that is. It contains as many polyphenols as red wine and has anti-aging properties.

So, that’s my list. Add a few or all of these foods into your diet and you will soon be blessed with glowing skin!

1. What is Swine Flu? It is a viral infection caused by a new type of influenza A virus, first detected in April of this year. Because it is new, most people lack immunity to the virus and it has spread worldwide, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a “pandemic” state on June 11, 2009. Although it shares some genetic components with influenza viruses known to infect pigs, it is a distinct virus, so it has most recently been referred to as the “2009 H1N1 Influenza A Virus” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

2. How do you get it? Similar to most other influenza viruses, 2009 H1N1 typically spreads from person to person via droplets produced during coughing or sneezing. Touching virus contaminated surfaces then touching your nose or mouth may also lead to infection.

3. What are the symptoms? Again, in most cases very similar to seasonal influenza, familiar to most of us. Relatively sudden onset of high fevers, cough, sore throat, body aches, joint pains, chills, and headache are typical symptoms. Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea may also be noted in some cases. In general, the symptoms, though similar to the common cold, tend to be more severe.

4. Oh no! I think I got it. What do I do? An otherwise healthy adult can usually manage the infection at home. Medicine for fever and pain such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, rest and adequate hydration are recommended. Recovery should occur in 3 to 7 days. For children under 5 years of age and anyone with chronic health problems (see below) it is best to consult a physician for the best course of action.

5. Shouldn’t I go to the doctor and get tested? A rapid test is available at many clinics and hospitals. The ability of such tests to pick up influenza infection is quite variable. Sensitivity (the ability to return a positive result when the patient actually has the disease) may be anywhere from 10% to 70%. Thus the test may be negative even if you have influenza, and such a result should not be relied upon to exclude the possibility of influenza. Rapid tests can only tell if you have influenza A, and cannot distinguish between seasonal influenza A and 2009 H1N1 Influenza A. Final diagnosis of influenza should be made based on the clinical symptoms in addition to any tests results. A negative rapid test result should not be the sole basis of a decision to return to work or school.

6. I’m not getting better. What should I do? Although most healthy people recover without any problems, a small percentage of people will develop more severe symptoms. If you have any of the following “danger signs” (per WHO) please seek medical attention immediately.

DANGER SIGNS:

Shortness of breath / difficulty breathing
Turning blue
Bloody or colored sputum
Chest pains
Changes in alertness/mentation
High fever that persists beyond 3 days
Low blood pressure

7. Do I have to take medication? Again, most healthy people should do fine with over-the-counter medications for the symptoms and do not require antiviral medications (oseltamivir or Tamiflu® and zanamivir or Relenza®). Early use of such drugs is recommended for high risk patients (see below). Previously healthy people who develop severe respiratory symptoms should also consider the use of antivirals. Isolated reports of viral resistance to oseltamivir are emerging. Physicians in Japan are quite liberal in their prescribing of antivirals, but it is unclear if this is the reason behind the relatively low mortality rate thus far.

8. I have other health problems. What do I do? If you fall into one of the “high risk” categories, consultation with a physician is recommended. This would include anyone with chronic lung, heart, kidney, liver, neurologic, muscular, hematological (blood), or metabolic diseases. Persons with asthma, diabetes, or those who have had heart attacks or strokes would fall into this group. In addition, children younger than 5 years, adults older than 65 years, immunosuppressed patients, and pregnant women are considered high risk. Those 19 years and younger who are on long-term aspirin therapy are also at increased risk and should consult a physician.

9. Can I go to work/school? It is recommended that you stay home until you have no fever without the use of medication for at least 24 hours.

10. Isn’t there a vaccine? A vaccine has been developed in several countries including Japan. Availability in Japan is expected to be sometime in October 2009, but due to the limited supply administration will be prioritized and restricted to certain facilities. The average healthy person may have difficulty obtaining the vaccine. Also, there is a possibility that by the time the vaccine is available, peak spread of 2009 H1N1 will have already passed.

11. How ‘bout those masks? Although the CDC does recommend use of a mask when caring for a person with influenza, there is no good evidence that a mask will protect you from infection. If you have the flu, however, a mask may help limit spread of the disease to others. Covering your cough and washing your hands remain the best ways to prevent spread of the disease.

12. How about the seasonal flu? Annual flu season is coming up in Japan and is expected to be no different from previous years. Vaccination for seasonal influenza is recommended for most people as in the past. This is a different vaccine from the vaccine for 2009 H1N1 Influenza and will not protect you from 2009 H1N1. Unfortunately, there may be a shortage of seasonal flu vaccine in Japan due to early conversion of vaccine production to the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Seasonal influenza vaccine is expected to be available in October.

13. Do I have to stop eating tonkatsu? In terms of “swine flu”, no, since you cannot catch this flu from pigs or from eating pork. Looking at that belly of yours, however, yes.

14. Will Wilbur be OK? Your pet pig, ironically, is not susceptible to “swine flu”, so he should be fine.

15. How are the Nippon Ham Fighters doing? They’re in first place, despite several members contracting “swine flu”. Being the Hams that they are, however, they wasted time, money and precious test kits by testing the entire team, including those with absolutely no symptoms. “Shinjirarenai!”

The situation with 2009 H1N1 Influenza is ever changing, and you are likely to get conflicting advice from a variety of sources. WHO and the CDC are generally reliable sources, though their perspective may not match the local situation in Japan. So keep your eyes and ears open, your mouth covered, wash those hands, and you too shall survive Swine-Oh-Nine.

Dr Kurosu blogs privatley on behalf  of GaijinPot.  For more health advice please check: http://www.pctclinic.com/

What is an action director?

There’s a lot of different titles for people  who are responsible for creating a fight scene; the action director, the stunt coordinator, the fight coordinator, etc, so it’s easy to get confused. An action director is like the overseer. They are the ones who have to think about the drama portrayed by the action, the camera angles, the editing, and the sound.

How is an action director different from a stunt coordinator?

The stunt coordinator is the person responsible for making a scene that could be potentially dangerous real, and yet safe enough to execute. The action director thinks about the image of the scene from the script, and how it pertains to the movie.

Why are there no ‘action directors’ in the west?

The position of the action director is something that was developed in Hong Kong. In HK, the director and the action director works together. During the filming of dangerous scenes, the AD would have all the say. (Although it’s quite common for A.D.s to transition into directing as well.)The position of the action director started in Japan about 10 years ago, but it still isn’t really recognized in Hollywood.

Once Hollywood took an interest in the HK style of fight scenes, they tried to only import Hong Kong’s most talented stunt men, but it didn’t necessary work. Next, they tried to import action directors but they gave them credit as other things instead of recognizing the position. Even Yuen Woo Ping,who worked on the Matrix and is  one of HK’s most reknowned action directors, still isn’t credited as such in the film.

What are some of the challenges unique to directing action in Japan?

A lot of directors in Japan conceive of the action and the drama as separate things instead of seeing them as both integral parts of the film as a whole. They aren’t good at integrating the action scenes into the story.

If there’s action and drama in the same film, oftentimes the action is seen as holding less value, and the action sequences will be the first thing to get cut.

Sometimes a film will start off with multiple fight scenes, but the director will cut out the action sequences claiming that the bottom line is just that the good guy kills the bad guy.  For us as action directors however, the fight scenes are as important and as potentially emotion envoking as the dramatic scenes; and how the good guy kills the bad guy is just as important to the story as why he’s doing it.

Another challenge we face is that ,Japan, having the island mentality that it does, film makers always concentrate on making films that will appeal to the Japanese market, and aren’t as outward looking as film-makers in Korea or Hong Kong. That’s one reason why there hasn’t been a major international action hit here.

If they do want to make something to sell internationally, usually they try to make something that reflects Japanese culture so they go the route of history films instead of action.

This is our challenge as action directors here- to push the envelope of creating entertaining films that can reach farther audiences.

Do you prefer working on Japanese action films or international ones?

It’s easier to work in foreign movies. They allow you to spend more time because they have a bigger budget. At times, for something that should take a month or two to film we only have 2 weeks . Also, as a function of smaller budgets, the economics of the filming are often considered more important than the creation of true entertainment value.

Have you always wanted to simply be a director? Was there ever a time that you wanted to be an action movie star yourself?

Of course. Like a lot of people in Japan’s action industry, I got into it during the ‘Kung Fu Boom’ because I wanted to be like Jackie Chan or Jet Li. I started making Indy films with my friends (See Sample) and as we produced the films, I’d spend hours and hours studying Hong Kong films to see how we could produce fight sequences with the same level of quality.  In doing so, I realized that every action director has a certain taste, a flavor.  The same actor with the same martial arts ability can look completely different depending on the action director they are working under. The more I learned, the more exciting the process of creation became for me, and eventually, it outweighed my desire to be in the films myself.

What do you see for yourself and U’den in the future?

I don’t want to create a huge action team per se. The future vision that I have for Uden is for it to simply be a group of ‘creators’ who can work without borders and integrate different elements of film with action.

When people fight, there is always a reason that they are fighting. The more meaning the fight has, the harder hitting the impression needs to be. In the future, I hope that we can develop and pioneer new ways of expressing this idea.

Yuji Shimomura is the head action director at U’den Flameworks, and is one of the first action directors in Japan. He has worked on over 50 films to date in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Romania. Death Trance, (which I had the honor of appearing in myself) was his directing debut, and a smash hit internationally. Recently, I also had the honor of working under him again in the short film, Yassy.

English/Japanese Interpretation by Ichiro Gutierrez

]]> http://blog.gaijinpot.com/legal/the-art-and-the-science-of-action-directing-interview-with-yuji-shimomura/2850/feed/ 0 http://blog.gaijinpot.com/health-fitness/emotional-intelligence-%e2%80%93-a-harmonious-balance/2772/ http://blog.gaijinpot.com/health-fitness/emotional-intelligence-%e2%80%93-a-harmonious-balance/2772/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:12:34 +0000 Sandra Kimball http://blog.gaijinpot.com/?p=2772 What happens when assertiveness, a highly valued emotional competency in most Western cultures, comes in contact with uchi no soto, the distinction of being on the inside, or set apart on the outside of a particular group in Japan?    How can we use emotional intelligence to sensitively bridge the cross-cultural conundrums we experience everyday?

Lily, a sixth grade Japanese/Australian came home from her neighbourhood school in Tokyo and burst into tears.  Next week’s school lunch was going to include whale meat and having spent her holidays watching the whales frolic off the coast in her Australian homeland, she came to think of whales with the same regard one would have for a pet.  Lily had to find a way to sensitively navigate through cultural and also deeply personal values with emotional attentiveness.  Lily’s independence, the ability to think for herself and not be unduly influenced by the thoughts, desires and emotions of others stood in stark contrast with her need to be in harmonious balance and feel secure within her social group in Japan.

Regardless of culture, we are bound together to all living things by our emotions.  They provide a way for us to exchange information using facial expressions, body posture, and a whole realm of non-verbal language. We humans add another layer of sophisticated interpretations, labels and symbolic meaning to our emotional life.

Some of these interpretations can get muddled when communicating between cultures. For example, Western societies are more likely to be less tolerant of ambiguity. In Japanese society nobody is expected to disagree directly.  Disagreements are more likely be handled in a round about way.  People in Japan usually take care to maintain a friendly atmosphere.

There is also a tolerance for silence in communication. This silence can imply a wide range of meaning such as deep thinking, consideration or embarrassment.  But a Western person may interpret it as stonewalling.  Stonewalling is an ability to dampen or even eliminate any sign of the emotion being internally experienced.  Studies have shown that even though the outward signs aren’t there, on a physiological level an emotion is experienced very intensely.  Stonewalling itself can be considered an emotional signal of being overpowered or of being unable or unwilling to deal with the matter at hand.

But why be aware of our emotions and does it matter so much in a cultural context?  Can emotional intelligence help Lily out of her dilemma?

When we can participate more consciously in what we feel and how we respond, we’re more able to effectively manage stress and resolve conflicts with others.  But this gets more complex when you’ve been taught a way that encourages social cohesion in one culture that might not make much sense in Japan.  Lily was able to hold this paradox in mind, and instead of having to choose one path, she could weave together her voice of protest and still remain a member of her group.  She decided that during lunch that day, she would not make it a big issue and cause embarrassment to herself or shame to the others.  She arranged to be absent during lunch for a personal appointment.  She remained true to her beliefs and at the same time learned an important lesson about how people draw the line at different places when it comes to what they consider food.  She didn’t have to agree with it, but she learned to respect it and will most probably grow up influencing others in a positive, peaceful way when it comes to what animals they will eat.

In a cross-cultural living situation, understanding emotions and how emotional expressions are culturally influenced is an important skill for meaningful communication to occur.

http://www.internationalcounselling.com

Risks from Water and Food

While local cuisine is certainly one of the highlights of travel, remember that all raw food is subject to contamination and care should be exercised when consuming such foods, if at all. Water and ice are other common sources of viral, bacterial, and parasitic disease. Consumption of street vendor fare has been linked to an increased risk of illness in travelers. Consuming only properly and thoroughly cooked foods, bottled beverages or beverages made with boiled water should help decrease your chances of contracting any unwanted pathogens. Swimming in contaminated waters may also result in various infections, including eye, ear, skin and gastrointestinal infections. Some organisms may even be present in chlorinated waters (hepatitis A, norovirus, e.g.).

Vaccine-preventable diseases

While there are many infectious diseases out there, there are also many vaccines which can help prevent disease. A review of childhood vaccines is a good place to start to check for any missing or incomplete vaccinations. Check to see if you have had a tetanus booster within the past ten years.

Hepatitis A and typhoid fever vaccines are often recommended for travelers as these diseases are quite common throughout the world and typically acquired through water or food.

Rabies is a potential risk depending on location and activities planned. Extensive outdoor activities such as hiking, camping or working with animals may involve significant risk and pre-exposure vaccination may be recommended (three doses over 3 to 4 weeks). Although post-exposure vaccination is typically effective in preventing infection, there is no effective treatment once infection is established in this fatal disease.

Meningococcal vaccine may be recommended for those traveling to sub-Saharan Africa with a single injection providing.

Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral infection, common in Asia. Infection may result in serious neurologic problems or death. Although risks for travelers to urban areas for short periods is felt to be low, they may be higher for those planning extensive outdoor travel such as camping or biking in rural areas. A vaccine is available (a new formulation has just been released in Japan), and three injections are recommended over a one month period to obtain initial immunity.

Hepatitis B is typically transmitted by blood or blood products and risks for most travelers is felt to be low. Unprotected sex, needle sharing or work in health care related areas may increase the risk. A effective vaccine is available, given on a 2 or 3 dose schedule.

Yellow fever exists in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America and some countries require proof of vaccination via an “International Certificate of Vaccination” prior to entry. In Japan, the vaccine and certificate is only available at quarantine offices.

Malaria

Malaria is found in many regions and infection is a potential risk, though difficult to estimate in many cases. There is no vaccine, but prevention through personal protection (screens, clothing, insect repellent) and prophylactic medication. Several types of oral medications are available for prophylaxis, but most must be started prior to departure and continued after leaving the area. Medications are not 100% effective and personal protection measures are recommended regardless of the use of oral prophylactic medications.

Finally, there are some unique considerations when initiating travel from Japan. Many vaccines are not licensed in Japan and therefore are not widely available. Typhoid and Meningococcal vaccines, for example, are not approved by the government. Some clinics do stock imported vaccine. Some malaria medications are also not approved, most notably Malarone® (atovaquone/proguanil), which is frequently recommended. Again this may be available at some clinics that import the product. It may take a bit more effort and cash, but adequate preparation is possible in most cases.

Review your itinerary and consult your physician as far in advance of your departure as possible so that the only parasite that bugs you is the guy selling trinkets on the beach.

Happy travels!

http://www.pctclinic.com/

No one moved. No one except for a young man who was helping them support him, trying to relax him as much as possible before real help arrived. The trains from both sides of the platform came to a dead halt. They weren’t moving in case the man became startled again from the sound of the train rushing by, potentially making things worse. My friends and I were waiting for immediate help but other than the train conductor making a call and blank faces on all of the passengers, nothing was happening. As the minutes, which felt like hours ticked by, we became restless and perturbed by the lack of reaction. Fifteen minutes passed by, still no help. We asked the eldest daughter who was calling out for something what we could do to help. She spoke in Japanese so our one Japanese friend stepped in to listen, but she uttered a word we all understood, she needed an AED – Automated External Defibrillator. The one in the station was missing! It was not the first time the troubled family had gone through this, and as we later found out, though the victim had health problems, it had never been so serious. He was having a heart attack, and they needed help fast. It was time to take action. We split up, with two of us staying back and staying in communication with the family, while the two others bolted up the stairs and out for help, hurdling over the ticket booth and outside to the next station in search of an AED.

Almost half an hour had passed and only then, we saw four paramedics come down to the platform in what seemed like a slow walk with little urgency. Was this too common or not serious enough? They took his legs and arms and counted “ichi, ni, san!” to get enough strength to place him on the stretcher and take him away. The eldest daughter, mother, grandmother and all the little ones trailed them, dismayed by the situation. The little girl was still sobbing; little red Minnie Mouse bows in her hair, this was no way to wrap up a day at ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’. We had alerted our friends of the paramedics’ arrival so they returned, catching their breath as we watched the situation finally come to a close – at least for us. Before we got back on the train, the eldest daughter rushed back to thank us with true gratefulness in her voice and eyes. It was strange that we were the only foreigners in the vicinity, yet also almost the only ones who made the effort to help. It was a shocking wake-up call, as it was questionable whether this would happen elsewhere. No one seemed to want to step outside the box and do something unfamiliar. That sense of community wasn’t there that night. Neither was the sense of urgency from the professionals. All we knew was we didn’t want someone’s father, husband and friend to pass away before our eyes, knowing we didn’t at least try our best to help.

Du-Zhong tea, which can be found at most pharmacies in Japan, is a kind of green-tea which is made in Japan but originally came from China. Du-Zhong grows in the cold weather and so part of its appeal is that “while the other plans are dying, Du-Zhong tea grows so why not absorb its vitality into our bodies?”

The main components of this tea that speed up weight loss are catechins and Geniposhid acid. Catechins are a component of all green teas and promote fat metabolism and control the fat levels in the body. The Geniposhid acid enhances our blood vessels. I wasn’t exactly sure how enhancing my blood vessels was related to weight loss but I wasn’t going to argue with anyone about it.

Not only did Du-Zhong claim that I would lose weight, it also claimed that the tea would prevent aging, viruses, allergies, and even hangovers! This was exactly what I had been looking for all along, a miracle drink that would fix everything.

All that was needed was to drink 2L a day, the pharmacist explained to me. If I followed this one rule, I would be slim in two weeks.

So I started drinking Du-Zhong tea religiously, 2L each day. I counted my calories each day to make sure that they remained the same as before. Two weeks later, I was exactly the same size. Du-Zhong had done nothing for me.

So, I consulted a Japanese friend who was trying a different product, a carb-blocker pill which you dissolve into water and drink before every meal. She claimed the pill was all natural and was made from herbs.

“Are there any side effects?” I asked, suspicious.

“Just diarrhea,” she answered simply, shrugging her shoulders.

I decided in the end, it just wasn’t worth it.

Dealing with illness or injury can be difficult in our own countries where we naturally communicate and comprehend most things.

But now you are in Japan or will come to Japan; here the language, culture, social norms and way of doing ways are in many case completely alien to what you have known and where our assumptions are quite often wrong.

It’s a worry, especially when it comes to health issues. Well, there is a wonderful ray of sunshine and that sunshine is in Ebisu.

The Tokyo British Clinic has all the medical services that you could possibly require. All the doctors are native speakers of English (The Queen’s English, naturally) and all the staff speak English either fluently or to a very high degree.

Below I have included some of their main services and at the bottom is the address to their web site, where you will find all the information that you may require.

• General adult medicine
• Pediatrics
• Immunisations
• Circumcision
• Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Orthopedics & Rheumatology
• Surgery
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (’STDs’)
• HIV tests – results in 15 minutes
• Emergency Contraception (’Morning-after pill’)
• Travel Medicine
• Counseling & Psychotherapy
• General Check-ups
• Smoking Cessation
• Referrals

www.tokyobritishclinic.com
http://syrbastyianvzampfyier.blogspot.com

Clinical practice guidelines indicate that the most popularly prescribed type of anti-depressants called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor drugs or SSRI’s need to be taken for at least six months for minimal treatment of major depression, far longer than most episodes of minor or moderate depression last. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider whether anti-depressants are the best option for you.

Depression is often characterized by overwhelming, persistent feelings of grief, guilt, anxiety and despair, and a loss of interest in the pleasures that were once enjoyed.  Dullness, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and disrupted sleeping and eating patterns are also indicators. Major depression differs significantly from minor depression even though the symptoms can be the same.  The difference is that in mild depression, the symptoms ebb and flow and eventually lift whereas in major depression, they hold you down until you become entrenched in a mental health crisis. If you have major depression, it’s crucial to stay on anti-depressant medication under the care of a qualified medical health care provider. If there are suicidal thoughts or an obsession about death these must be taken as serious warning signs and need to be addressed immediately.

Most experiences of depression are natural, normal and temporary.

In many cases, it’s a common reaction to a health crisis, a relationship breakdown and financial woes, relocating to a new country or other big life transitions.

When feeling depressed, it may be helpful to ask, “What am I depressing?”   We can begin to notice the fears, assumptions and conditioned reactions to circumstances that lead to self-rejection and misery.  This process of self-inquiry can guide us to rediscover and sustain a renewed capacity for joy and fulfillment in life.

The truth is that sadness and grief are normal, particularly after a trauma or loss.   But when the discomfort persists for more than a month, it’s important to seek the advice of a trained counsellor, therapist or psychologist.

The therapeutic secret of a depression is not always found by suppressing it with biochemical agents, but by examining the possible reasons why you’re feeling depressed.

www.internationalcounselling.com

When feelings of despair and fatigue come visiting and stay too long, there may be other unrevealed physical or emotional issues that need attention.

It’s time to get a complete medical check-up to determine if there are underlying physical reasons for how you’re feeling including a complete battery of thyroid and glucose tolerance tests.  Possible medical causes for feeling the way you do can include allergies, endocrine system imbalances, poor nutrition, PMS, medication interactions, and stress.

Stress is a big factor behind many depressions and in fact, depression can be the body’s way of telling us to lessen the tension in our lives. Chronic anxiety overloads the brain systems responsible for self-protection and an emotional numbness can emerge that blunts feelings.

What can we do when depression threatens?  After getting a physical check-up, there are simple lifestyle and dietary changes to attend to.  What we eat and drink affects our brain chemistry so eating a balanced and healthy selection of food and avoiding sugar, caffeine, alcohol and junk food provides the lift in energy that is needed to make more substantial changes. Moderate and regular exercise can be a powerful antidote to mild or moderate depression especially when combined with counselling.

Many people who experience a loss of meaning in their lives or who are seeking a greater sense of freedom and fulfillment benefit from talking to a therapist.  The general feeling is that when symptoms of depression emerge, seeking help from a trained therapist or counsellor sooner rather than later is most constructive.  Therapy is a way to understand and change deep-seated emotional and relational problems that can in turn, alleviate the symptoms of depression.

Several years ago, a series of unfortunate events in my life propelled me into a state of depression.  A dark and comfortless mood hung around me and I’m sure I wasn’t very pleasant to live with. But eventually with the help of therapy, my mental climate began to change and I climbed out of that bleak space.  The experience changed me.  I gained a new understanding and appreciation for the hills and valleys in the landscape of my parent’s lives, both who suffered from periodic bouts of depression.  I’m now better able to appreciate the times when my body and mind quiet down so I can hear the deeper messages from within.  And I know what to do when it is time to bob up to the surface with a newly discovered treasure of perception and appreciation.  It’s important not to avoid this call to find deeper meaning to your life and not to be defeated by what in most cases, is a short-term, temporary situation.

Next time, I’ll talk about when it’s necessary to think about taking anti-depressants.

www.internationalcounselling.com