Rolanda Perkins

December is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month –  SAD  is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons. Last week I shared information about the  signs & symptoms  of  SAD .   This week I’m sharing about the  CAUSES & RISK FACTORS  of SAD :  The specific   cause of Seasonal Affective Disorder remains unknown. Some factors that may come into play include: ·          Your biological clock (circadian rhythm).  The reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may cause winter-onset SAD. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body's internal clock and lead to feelings of depression. ·          Serotonin levels.  A drop in serotonin, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that affects mood, might play a role in SAD. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin which may trigger depression. ·          Melatonin levels.  The change in season can disrupt the balance of the body's level of melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood

December is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month –  SAD  is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons. In last week’s post, I presented an overview of the disorder referred to as  SAD . This week, I want to share with you the  signs & symptoms of SAD . In most cases,  seasonal affective disorder  symptoms appear during late fall or early winter and go away during the sunnier days of spring and summer. Less commonly, people with the opposite pattern have symptoms that begin in spring or summer. In either case, symptoms may start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses. Signs and symptoms of SAD may include : ·          Feeling listless, sad, or down most of the day, nearly every day ·          Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed ·          Having low energy and feeling sluggish ·          Having problems with sleeping too much ·          Experiencing carbohydrate cravings, overeating, and weight gain ·          Having diff

  December is  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month   What’s the meaning of the word, ‘ SAD ’? A few definitions from the dictionary define it as follows:  -affected by unhappiness or grief; sorrowful or mournful -expressive of or characterized by sorrow -causing sorrow: -(of color) somber, dark, or dull; drab -deplorably bad   D id you know there’s a ‘thing’ called:  SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER , or ( SAD )?  It’s  a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons.   SAD  begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you're like most people with  SAD,  your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. These symptoms often resolve during the spring and summer months. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer and resolves during the fall or winter months. Treatment for  SAD  may include light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy, and medications. Don't brush

November is  National Diabetes month  and today’s subject is about diabetes and your feet. We all might know of at least one person with diabetes. I know a few people who have it. I also know of a few people who have succumbed to it. Two of my friends, who had diabetes, began experiencing issues with their feet. It started with their feet but began to affect other parts of their bodies. One friend had his toe amputated. The other, his leg. After further research on the disease, I learned more about how it can affect a person’s feet. I learned that when a person has diabetes, they can experience nerve damage and poor blood flow which puts them at risk of developing sores or wounds,  also known as foot ulcers . Foot ulcers can get infected and not heal well. When this occurs, your foot, toe, or leg might need to be surgically removed to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of your body, which can help save your life. Below is a link from the CDC ( Centers for Disease Contr

November is  National Diabetes month  and today’s subject concerns  Diabetes symptoms  and the ‘ risk test ’.   The following information was obtained from the American Diabetes website : The symptoms of diabetes listed below are some of the common ones that people experience. Some people with type 2 diabetes have symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed. Early detection and treatment of diabetes can decrease the risk of developing complications. The site goes on to explain that although there are many similarities between type 1 & 2 diabetes, the cause and treatment for both are quite different.   Below is a list of some common symptoms : -Urinating often -Feeling very thirsty -Feeling very hungry-even though you are eating -Extreme fatigue -Blurry vision -Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal -Weight loss-even though you are eating more (type 1) -Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)   You can check your risk for developing type 2 diabetes by clicking on the link pro

  November is  National Diabetes Month  and the information that I’m sharing may already be very familiar to a lot of people reading this post. However, I don’t know a lot about the disease so I’m trying to keep the information basic so that those of us who are not that familiar with it, can better understand it.         Today’s focus is on the  A1-C test . This is a test that measures a three-month average of your blood sugars. Prior to my research, I was not aware of that timeline. I thought that, prior to taking an A1-C test, the results were determined due to the foods consumed within the last couple of days, ( prior to having the test administered ). So THAT was eye-opening news to me!!   I know people who have diabetes and I’ve seen them ‘test’ their blood before. However, I now understand that there are multiple ways in which the A1-C test is used,  in relation to the disease . It’s used to help doctors diagnose prediabetes, it’s also used to diagnose type 1 & 2 diabetes, an

  November is  National Diabetes Month,  and I wanted to bring attention to this disease because it allows me an opportunity to learn more about myself. When I was younger, I used to hear people refer to diabetes as,  “SUGAR ”. They would say things like, “ so-in-so has SUGAR ”, ( meaning that they had a disease called, Diabetes ).   I’ve learned that diabetes is a  metabolic disorder  in which the body has high sugar levels for prolonged periods of time. I wasn’t sure what a  metabolic disorder  was, so I looked that up as well. The definition that I located on Wikipedia describes it as being a disorder that negatively alters the body’s processing and distribution of  macronutrients , ( such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates ). To get a better understanding of the disease, I found a short, animated video that explains what diabetes is. The video was produced by  Diabetes UK  & it provides a very good explanation of what diabetes is.   https://youtu.be/wZAjVQWbMlE

  October is depression awareness month & for this last post of the month, I wanted to share some true confessions from people who struggle with depression.  These are things they would like others to know ...    https://youtu.be/UwunMZQYAxA Also included in this final post of the month is the link to an article I read on the WebMD website explaining some of the things we can do to help someone struggling with depression. Hopefully, the information shared this month has been helpful & insightful.   Someone I Love Has Depression: What Can I Do? (webmd.com)

  October is depression awareness month & listed below are 10 things that depression makes us do ( explained in a short video ). As shared in the video, depression is a sneaky mental disorder that’s difficult to catch in the early stages. It’s often recognized after we’re already engulfed in it.  One time when I was experiencing depression, I had no idea how I got to that place in my mind, but I was there and recognized that there was definitely something wrong. I knew that was not a place that I desired to be and found myself doing things that were out of the ordinary for my character. Below are a few of the things that I experienced...   10 Things Depression Makes Us Do - YouTube -Isolating yourself -Being disorganized -Poor hygiene -Struggling with sleep -Catastrophizing every situation -Terrible eating habits -Lack of motivation -Evading your problems -Feeling guilty & feeling self-hatred -Living in fear

  October is depression awareness month and last week I shared what depression is. We know that depression presents itself differently in everyone, yet many people experience some of the same symptoms. In the past, I experienced depression and felt so alone with my thoughts because I chose to suffer in silence. I didn’t want to share my experience with anyone out of fear of people not understanding & also, judging me. However, at this point in my life, I truly understand the importance of reaching out for help, as well as being able to receive support from people who recognized when there's something not quite right. I ran across the short video below, of how one man explains his feelings of depression. I found it to be very interesting because he explained a lot of what I experienced once upon a time but was unable to put into words. However, I truly Thank God for the seasons constantly changing in my life & never remaining the same.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez17

October is depression awareness month.  Today’s information is shared from an article titled:  Depression , on the  World Health Organization’s  website.   What is Depression & what are the causes : According to the article, Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, it’s estimated that 5% of adults suffer from the disorder. It is characterized by persistent sadness and lack of interest or pleasure in previously rewarding or enjoyable activities. It can also disturb sleep and appetite. Tiredness and poor concentration are common. Depression is a leading cause of disability around the world and contributes greatly to the global burden of disease. The effects of depression can be long-lasting or recurrent and can dramatically affect a person’s ability to function and live a rewarding life. The causes of depression include complex interactions between social, psychological, and biological factors. Life events such as childhood adversity, loss, and unemployment can contribute to

  In the month of September, we learned that self-improvement is about challenging ourselves in new ways while working on our personal growth. As we diligently work on improving ourselves, we eventually become the person that we aspire to be. We adopt new & healthy habits & we make the changes in our lives that we want to see. It’s also a time to embrace self-love.   I’ve listened to self-improvement audio for years now. It was especially needed after the heart attack I experienced in 2005 because it seemed as if my self-esteem had taken a nosedive. Over the years, I’ve encountered many great speakers with helpful messages who’ve assisted me along my journey. However, Lisa Nichols was one of those influential speakers that helped to  transform  my situation with her messages.  So, as we’ve reached the last week in September, discussing the subject of self-improvement, I wanted to share with you a video called:  Say YES to self-love  by Lisa Nichols. Listen when you can and hear

September is Self-Improvement month and today we’re focusing on being physically active & working on our exercise habits. We do this because we all know how important it is to stay physically active to help improve our health. Some researchers have even noted that regular physical activity makes us happier because of various brain chemicals that get stimulated. It can also help to boost our confidence and improve our self-esteem once we begin feeling better about ourselves and our appearance. I ran across a great article on the  lifehack.org  website  that helps explain how we can improve our exercise habits, ( especially if we're slow to start, or if we’ve fallen off the wagon ). Below are the tips mentioned in the article that will help jumpstart you back into an exercise regimen.  Considering the fact that I am NOT a fan of the scale, ( Tip #11,   Measure fitness ) was my favorite tip because it provided information on other numbers for me to focus on besides the one on the

  September is Self Improvement month and today's focus is on  Cultivating Self-Love   As I was reading this seven-step prescription for self-love on the Psychology Today website by Dr. Deborah Khoshaba, number 6 ( Forgiving yourself ), resonated with me in a big way. There were times in my life when I would beat myself up for choices that I’ve made. I have since learned how to silence the negative messages of my inner critic, while owning my mistakes and remembering that the mistake does not define who I am as a person.    Below I’ve shared those seven steps on How to cultivate Self-Love:   1.        Become  mindful .  People who have more self-love tend to know what they think, feel, and want. They are mindful of who they are and act on this knowledge, rather than on what others want for them. 2.        Act on what you need rather than what you want . You love yourself when you can turn away from something that feels good and exciting to what you need to stay strong, centered, an

  September is self-improvement month and there’s always something that we can do to make improvements in our lives. Who is it or what is it that you aspire to be? How often do you assess where you are in life and then take the necessary steps to improve your situation? Today I’m sharing 10 practical ways of improving ourselves, that I found to be interesting in an article titled:  10 simple ways to work on self-improvement , from the  BetterUp  website, written by Giulia Villirilli. These 10 items reaffirmed for me, the things that I need to do,  or continue doing  to see the results that I’ve been striving to achieve on my self-improvement journey.  1. Focus on your strengths-  Often people think of self-development as "covering for their weakness," which makes the process more painful. Self-improvement can also mean developing our talents, becoming excellent at what we love to do, and having a lot of fun! 2. Declutter-  The process of decluttering is the process of letting

  A way to remain grounded is to periodically check in on your own emotional wellbeing. August is wellness month and in this last week of August, I’d like to leave you with this article that’s related to caring for yourself. NOTE :  ( even though the article is dated 2020, the information is still relevant today as it relates to helping others by caring for your own wellbeing ). By clicking the link below, you will learn how your well-being : -Is contagious in social circles -Helps you bond with others -Can improve the health of those around you -Helps you engage in social problems and help the world Why Taking Care of Your Own Well-Being Helps Others (berkeley.edu)

August is wellness month and this week I want to share with you,  Your healthiest self Wellness Toolkits . The following toolkits are available for you to obtain additional information about: Environmental wellness toolkit Emotional wellness toolkit Physical wellness toolkit Social wellness toolkit ( and ) Disease prevention toolkit You can click on a subject icon to access each individual toolkit for a specific area. You can also flip over each card & learn more about steps for prevention.   Your Healthiest Self: Wellness Toolkits | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  August is wellness month and this week I want to share with you, ways to detox your emotional well-being.  Our emotional health plays a vital role in our overall wellness. Check out the video below to learn how to detox your emotional well-being.   7 ways to detox your emotional well-being- https://youtu.be/PAestsXAWsw

August  is WELLNESS  month… Click on the link below to watch the short video & learn how to improve your overall health.  https://youtu.be/_nuDp-fded8