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Archives for June 2011

Anxiety and mood disorders higher in cities, so get outdoors!

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Just because the risk for anxiety and mood disorders is higher for city-dwellers does not mean you have to be resigned to it. There are some powerful things you can do to prevent this happening to you: make some pretty basic food changes, consider supplementation for your specific needs and biochemistry, and make some simple lifestyle changes (read more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/antianxiety-food-solution-what-you-eat-makes-difference/).

A new international study, published in Nature, is the first to show that living in a city affects the two distinct brain regions that regulate emotion and stress.

This from Science Daily, June 22, 2011

“Previous findings have shown that the risk for anxiety disorders is 21 percent higher for people from the city, who also have a 39 percent increase for mood disorders,” says co-author Jens Pruessner, a Douglas researcher. “In addition, the incidence for schizophrenia is almost doubled for individuals who are born and brought up in cities.”  You can read the whole report here.

So here is one lifestyle change that is just perfect for city-dwellers and perfect as we move into beautiful summer weather – get out into the great outdoors and into nature!

“An interesting study from the Netherlands found a strong relationship between being outdoors in nature and lower rates of anxiety and depression especially in children and in poorer communities.”  (The Antianxiety Food Solution, www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com)

So I recommend that you go bike-riding with your family along some urban trails (this picture was taken on the bike path near where I live), go down to the lake and have a picnic, go for a nice walk with a friend, go camping, go hiking in the mountains, go surfing or go windsurfing (this is my all-time summer favorite!).

Exercising has tons of other benefits too, such as weight-loss and cancer-prevention (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/have-fun-exercising-and-prevent-cancer/) and is just a lot of fun!  Happy summer exercising to you, whether you’re in the city or countryside!

Antianxiety food talk and book signing at Avid Reader

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avid reader antianxiety foodI’m a big fan of supporting local businesses, so I am thrilled that the Avid Reader book stores (http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/) in Sacramento and Davis are hosting me for a talk and book signing on Saturday and Sunday.  It will also be terribly exciting to see MY book on display and on the shelves!

The Sacramento store is very impressive, with so many wonderful books, beautiful displays and a really good vibe. I’ve always loved reading and I can happily lose myself in there for hours.  We were told that it is the largest independent book store between Redding and Bakersfield.  And it’s a great place for some interesting book talks.

I’ll be talking about Food and Mood: 9 Steps to Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve your Mood and End Cravings. These are the 9 steps that are covered in my new book. In case you missed it, the official launch of my book The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings was June 2.  I am just thrilled to be able to share this important information with those who have anxiety and are looking for natural solutions. You can read more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/antianxiety-food-solution-what-you-eat-makes-difference/

Here are the details:

Local Book Talk and Signing in Davis, CA – at The Avid Reader store

617 Second Street, Davis, CA, 95616     Tel: (530) 758-4040

Saturday June 25th, 7:30pm – 8:30pm

Local Book Talk & Signing in Sacramento, CA – at The Avid Reader store

1600 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, 95818    Tel: (916) 441-4400

Sunday June 26th, 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Hope to see you there to get a signed copy of my new book. It will be signed with a beautiful new pen my darling sister Wendy gave me earlier this month!

If you can’t make it, I look forward to seeing you at another talk.  You can sign up to get my newsletter and talk notifications here www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com.  And if you are looking for a speaker, either live in-person or via teleseminar, for a group or organization you belong to, please contact me at trudy@everywomanover29.com

EWG 2011 dirty dozen includes apples, celery, strawberries and why buy organic?!

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The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) has new 2011 “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” lists of produce. The 2010 version of these lists are included in The Antianxiety Food Solution, so I want to provide you with the latest and greatest information from the EWG as I’m a big fan of this group, and veggies and fruit of course!

So at a bare minimum use the lists when you cannot find organic or are traveling or visiting friends.  The rest of the time, I still encourage buying organic produce.

Dirty Dozen 2011 (fruits and veggies with the highest pesticide residues)

  1. Apples
  2. Celery
  3. Strawberries
  4. Peaches
  5. Spinach
  6. Nectarines (imported)
  7. Grapes (imported)
  8. Sweet bell peppers
  9. Potatoes
  10. Blueberries (domestic)
  11. Lettuce
  12. Kale/collard greens

Clean Fifteen 2011 (fruits and veggies with the lowest pesticide residues)

  1. Onions
  2. Sweet corn
  3. Pineapples
  4. Avocado
  5. Asparagus
  6. Sweet peas
  7. Mangoes
  8. Eggplants
  9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
  10. Kiwi
  11. Cabbage
  12. Watermelon
  13. Sweet potatoes
  14. Grapefruit
  15. Mushrooms

This is the previous (2010) list I included in the The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/antianxiety-food-solution-what-you-eat-makes-difference/

2010 “dirty dozen”: apples, bell peppers, blueberries, celery, cherries, grapes, kale or collard greens, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, and strawberries

2010 “clean fifteen”: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, eggplant, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mangoes, onions, pineapple, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, and watermelon.

The EWG is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment, and they have a super visual here http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ and a handy wallet PDF you can download.  They have also addressed some great FAQS here http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/faq/ This fact I find particularly helpful: “if consumers simply chose their daily recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables from the least contaminated list over five from the dirty dozen, they would reduce the amount of pesticides ingested by 92%”.

I am a proponent of organic produce for these reasons:

  • We know there are health implications of pesticides: mood problems including anxiety and depression in farm-workers, ADHD/memory issues in kids (these and others will be covered in more detail in part 2 of this post)
  • It tastes SO much better
  • It is better for the environment
  • It does not impact farm workers (Tom Philpott addresses this topic here http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/06/dirty-dozen-veggies-dont-forget-farmworkers)

If the cost of organic produce seems to be an issue, buy and eat real whole food instead https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/we-dont-say-wet-water-why-do-we-say-real-food/ and spend less (or preferably nothing) on fast-food, sodas and junk!

The Antianxiety Food Solution: what you eat does make a difference!

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The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings…official launch date is June 2, 2011!

This book will show you that what you eat (real whole food and yes, animal protein), when you eat (controlling blood sugar), what you don’t put in your mouth (sugar, coffee and foods you’re sensitive to like wheat), your digestion, your hormones and neurotransmitters – and more – can affect how anxious and overwhelmed you feel. And the magical thing is that when you address the root cause of your anxiety with food and nutrients it really does make you happier, eliminates sugar cravings and you’ll even sleep better!  And who doesn’t want all of that?

The book has it’s own site www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com and this site is going to continue to grow and evolve.  You can also buy your own copy of the book or eBook directly from my publisher New Harbinger (15% off this and all other books from their site). It’s also available in book stores and on Amazon. Right now you can check out the Table of Contents here , some Selected Quotes from the book here and some of the Rave Reviews I’ve already received here.  In October I blogged about the new cover (you can read more here) and now we have the official launch! I am so excited!

I’m working with my publisher, New Harbinger on some exciting PR, events and book signings.  If you have a need or know someone looking for a speaker on this topic, please let me know as I have big plans to get out and speak, and I may just be in your city! Don’t forget to sign up here to receive newsletter updates and stay up to date on new research, workshops and special offers.