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Plants as Magic!
Madelyn Strong RN, BSN
One day, about five years ago, while resting and eating the previous night’s leftovers with my college roommate and lifelong friend Abby, we came across a video on how to take old candle jars and turn them into pots for plants. We boiled the leftover wax, removed it from the old candle jars, and set them aside. Then, we visited a local home improvement store.
Having a limited budget, we both picked two discount cacti on the verge of death, about 50 cents each, shared a bag of potting soil, and went home to continue our repurposing project. After potting the struggling cacti into the old candle jars, they thrived! The cacti grew with us over the years as we moved from house to house and grew into young professionals.
Today, my home has roughly two hundred plants of a wide variety of species, colors, shapes and sizes. My old cacti from the candle jar is affectionately named “Richard”. He has remained in my home for the past five years, living in ten different pots over the years. He never stops growing! Moreover, my tallest indoor plant, a Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia Reginae), is about seven feet tall. My smallest plant, a lithop (part of the Aizoaceae family native to Southern Africa), is the size of a quarter. For me, plants represent responsibility, fragility, dependency and hope. Plants demand their caregivers be responsible for them. Yes, a plant receives some of what it needs organically, like absorbing sunlight; but ultimately, if a plant is going to stay in an unnatural environment, we must adjust the environment to meet its needs. Plants can be fragile and easily harmed. Too much light, not enough humidity, overwatering, or pulling roughly at a stem are all ways plants can be harmed. I may have given you pause in considering gardening and raising indoor plants given the required responsibilities; but, you have yet to hear the best part. The best thing that plants do is to provide undeniable hope.
Do you recall the devastating nuclear disaster in Chernobyl? Against all odds, guess what was recently discovered in the area? Native plants. Martin Hajduch, a plant biologist for the Slovak Academy of Sciences, conducted a study on soybeans growing near Chernobyl. The soybeans were so resilient, they adapted to the soil conditions and grew despite all odds. Isn’t that incredible? Imagine if we had the strength of a tiny, seemingly insignificant, soybean. Plants are hope!
Other studies have shown the mental and physical health benefits of plants. In a review by Hall and Knuth (2019), emotional and mental health benefits of plants included decreased depression, reduced anxiety and stress, enhanced memory, and improved creativity and self-esteem, to name a few. Native American tribes use sweet grass to promote emotional strength and dispel negative energy. Sensory gardens, sometimes known as healing gardens, are beneficial to individuals living with or without special educational needs. These gardens offer a variety of plants which appeal to all of the senses and promote positive reactions to new sights, sounds, smells and touch.
It’s an odd thing to say I have a kinship with plants, but I DO! They are magical. Want some magic in your life? Grab any kind of seed from your local home improvement store and plant it with a little dirt in a tiny paper cup or empty egg carton. Give the seed a little light, a little water and a lot of patience. The day it sprouts, you will experience the magic! As your plant grows, share cuttings with your friends. You will be amazed at the magic plants create in your life.
There is a quote that comes to mind when I catch my priorities shifting and I am no longer caring for myself, my plants and the Earth. It comes from a fellow member of the Kentucky Wild Ones Chapter, a chapter of the national organization that studies and fights to preserve native plants for the health of our state.
“No matter what you encounter in the years to come, do not forget to look above at the sky and marvel at the clouds and the stars… Look about and note the individuality of every tree - the architecture of its branches, texture of its bark, venation of its leaves. All these things may be oblivious of us, but we do not need to be oblivious of them. This is what we belong to, and what grounds our sense of self.”
Anne Lubber
That, I believe, is magic! Plants remind us to pause and appreciate the details around us. So, what are you still doing here? Go plant a seed. Then, go share the magic of plants with the world!
Charles Hall, Melinda Knuth; An Update of the Literature Supporting the Well-Being Benefits of Plants: A Review of the Emotional and Mental Health Benefits of Plants. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 1 March 2019; 37 (1): 30–38.
Elsevier. (2012, April 19). The influence of sensory gardens on the behaviour of children with special educational needs. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S187704281200835X?token=C22C57413BFBC5B6367119D246E1E6740D2E7C055871565963437AC8B4D5D05C68A8864E55807FF12D46E462346C4B9B&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20221201165408
How Plants Survived Chernobyl. Science. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.science.org/content/article/how-plants-survived-chernobyl
Sweet Grass has a pretty sweet history of health and Wellness. Beekman 1802. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://beekman1802.com/blogs/almanac/sweet-grass-has-a-pretty-sweet-history-of-health-and-wellness
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Social Workers and Nurses Partnering in Hospital Settings
Hannah Brewer
For hundreds of years, there has been a dynamic duo in the hospital setting: the social worker and nurse. A healthy partnership between social workers and nurses is vital as they both provide effective, holistic care. Here are 7 key elements of the partnership between social workers and nurses that contribute to positive patient outcomes:
1. Partnering in Patient-Centered Ethical Duties
In the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics (1996), social workers are ethically bound to support the dignity and worth of a patient. In the same way, the American Nursing Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (2015) calls for nurses to protect human dignity and patient rights. Each profession’s training requires a patient-centered focus.
2. Assessing a Patient’s Physical and Psychological Needs
Identifying needs and desires of a patient is one of the first steps of the social work and nursing team. As part of a multidisciplinary team, social workers and nurses contribute to the development of each patient’s treatment plan. The nurse will assess a patient’s medical and psychological needs and provide care to ensure that these needs are met according to their professional scope and standards, clinical guidelines, and best practices. Social workers also complete an evidence-based biopsychosocial assessment early in treatment to inform a patient’s individual treatment plan. This assessment serves as a guideline in discharge planning, where the social worker determines the various environmental, social, medical, and family supports that a patient will need upon discharge.
3. Advocating for Patient’s Autonomy and Rights
Social workers and nurses each play key roles to ensure that every part of a patient’s treatment is ethical, appropriate, and respectful. Both social workers and nurses remain aware of any barriers throughout a patient’s treatment, initiating investigations for abuse and neglect (as needed), informing a patient of their treatment options during care, maintaining confidentiality, and including them in all decisions regarding their treatment.
4. Answering Questions for a Patient or their Family
With a multitude of factors which require consideration in a patient’s treatment, it is natural for a patient and family to have questions concerning timeline, the treatment plan, medications, and long-term care. In this dynamic duo, nurses take the lead on conversations concerning a patient’s diagnosis, treatments, and medication management. In turn, the social worker takes the lead on conversations about long-term care plans, providing counseling in challenging situations, and connecting the family to needed resources. As such a dynamic duo, both the social worker and nurse ease a patient and their family’s minds, which can lead to better health outcomes. In fact, when patients are educated about their diagnosis and treatment plan better health outcomes can be expected (Fernsler, J. I. et al, 1991).
5. Individual and Group Counseling
Diagnosis and treatment plans can be challenging for patients and families. Making lifestyle changes to improve wellness can often seem overwhelming. A nurse's rapport with a family can create opportunities to offer emotional support and referral to a social worker if needed. A social worker may counsel patients and families individually to process these feelings and challenges in behaviors and skills to achieve recovery. In addition, patients and families may participate in group counseling sessions. Group counseling is an evidence-based practice that allows individuals to receive treatment together in a group with others who may be experiencing similar life stressors.
6. Providing Financial Planning and Assistance
In addition to concern for their loved ones, families frequently endure financial stress related to healthcare and hospital stays. While the nursing team works to ensure proper medical treatment and recovery, the social work team is tasked behind the scenes to address the financial situation with the family. As recovery is underway, social workers may refer patients to legal aid, federal financial assistance programs, community-based resources, and payment plans provided by the healthcare institution.
7. Developing Discharge Plans
Nurses and social workers alike are proponents of a patient living their best life after hospitalization. However, the social worker and nurse assist a patient and family leading up to discharge in different ways. The nurse will provide timely communication with a patient and family regarding medical assessments and ongoing care needs. This includes explaining to a patient and family regarding all necessary health information, medications, and other health needs. In a complimentary manner, the social worker’s role for discharge planning focuses on securing housing (or other accommodation) placement, financial resources, and social support. The social worker may coordinate ongoing patient and family assessment and counseling, follow-up, and community resources needed to ensure continuity of care after discharge.
Conclusion
The collaboration between social workers and nurses in hospital settings creates a dynamic duo. Together, they have the common goal of providing care to patients in ways that enhance patient outcomes. Partnering in ethical duties, assessing patients’ physical and psychological needs, advocating for patients’ rights, providing individual and group counseling, financial planning and assistance, and developing discharge plans are all ways that social workers and nurses work together toward providing excellent care.
Code of Ethics for Nurses. American Nurses Association. (2017, October 26). Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/code-of-ethics-for-nurses/
Fernsler, J. I., & Cannon, C. A. (1991). The whys of patient education. Seminars in oncology nursing, 7(2), 79–86.
National Association of Social Workers. (1996). Code of ethics of the National Association of
Social Workers. NASW Press.
Social Workers in healthcare: How they make A difference. Adelphi University Online. (2021, June 10). Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://online.adelphi.edu/articles/social-workers-in-healthcare-how-they-make-a-difference/
Williams, C. C., Bracht, N. F., Williams, R. A., & Evans, R. L. (1978). Social work and nursing in hospital settings: a study of interprofessional experiences. Social work in health care, 3(3), 311–322.
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A Movie of Glitches: Living Life with OCD
My life constantly glitches. I often get caught up in one moment and have to repeat things to assure myself that it’s okay to move on with my day. My brain tells me I can’t contaminate anything.
My life constantly glitches. I often get caught up in one moment and have to repeat things to assure myself that it’s okay to move on with my day. My brain tells me I can’t contaminate anything.
If I touch something dirty, I have to wash my hands. Wait... my hand touched the sink, so I wash again. Wait... I touched the sink handle that I touched with my dirty hand. I wash again. The towel that I wiped my hands on also touched my face and snot could have gotten on it. I wash again.
I sanitize the door handle with a disinfecting wipe. Wait... there are chemicals in that disinfectant. I try to move on, but my attention is snagged on that one detail. I wipe off the disinfectant with a paper towel so that no one else gets chemicals on their hands.
I sit at my computer, reading something. At first, I try to read it in my head. Wait... did I really get anything out of it? I read it again. This time aloud. Wait... I messed up one word. I have to start over and read it perfectly to get the intended message of the sentence.
I get ready to hop into bed and look over at my desk. A couple of things are cluttered around. I tell myself “It’s okay. Those things can wait until the morning.”. My brain sends a different message: “No, I have to clean it now or else it will bother me, and I won’t be able to sleep”.
Moments like these control my whole day. When I try to move past whatever is bothering me, my mind continues to fixate on it. There’s always a “wait...”. I’m nervous... tense... and distressed. I don’t want to give in to the thoughts because I know that they’re irrational. However, the thoughts persist, and at some point, I can’t take it anymore.
If you can relate to my experiences, there is hope and there is help. Health professionals can provide treatments such as therapy and medications. I used to feel helpless, constantly replaying every moment. Receiving treatment has helped prevent my obsessions and compulsions from controlling my life. Are you experiencing obsessive-compulsive disorder? It’s never too late to ask for help.
International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). How is OCD Treated? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/ocd-treatment/
International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). What Causes OCD? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/what-causes-ocd/
International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). What is OCD? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/
International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). Who Gets OCD? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/who-gets/
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, March 11). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://www.m ayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20354432
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Wisdom from the Well: Eating Disorders
Dr. Lovoria Williams
Lovoria Williams, Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAANP, is an Associate Professor in the UK College of Nursing. She is also a part of the BH WELL faculty team. In this brief video, she shares about eating disorders.
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Is My Child At-Risk For ADHD?
Claudia Robertson
Have you ever thought your child may be exhibiting signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but you simply aren’t sure? This video blog is for you! It shares the signs of ADHD along with what unmanaged ADHD symptoms may look like. It also reviews different forms of ADHD and potential differences between boys and girls living with ADHD.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder diagnosis worldwide, affecting over 5% of children. Think of “neurobehavioral” as something happening in your brain that is impacting how you behave.
ADHD is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of:
- Hyperactivity/impulsivity and/or
- Inattention
There are two main categories of symptoms for ADHD (inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity).
Three kinds of presentations can occur: Combined (enough symptoms from both categories), predominantly inattentive, or predominantly hyperactive-impulsive.
A child exhibiting ADHD symptoms may experience negative impacts such as:
- Academic and social difficulties (i.e., struggles in school),
- Rejection by their peers, and
- Challenges making friends.
In addition to these challenges, children at risk for ADHD are more likely to have poor social skills. Because of this challenge, they may be viewed as
- Bossy,
- Inflexible,
- Controlling,
- Easily frustrated,
- Inattentive
Couple that with struggling to cooperate, share, or take turns, and a child’s social life can take a nosedive.
Children exhibiting all symptoms of ADHD may be seen as more likely to start fights and arguments. Not only do children at risk of living with ADHD struggle socially but they may also have underlying social cognitive difficulties, such as difficulty recognizing social cues like tones of voice and facial expressions.
It is also important to note that there is a form of ADHD that is predominately inattentive. A child living with predominately inattentive ADHD is more likely to be viewed as very shy.
Due to differences in symptoms between sexes, ADHD and comorbidities are more likely to be noticed by parents and teachers in boys than in girls. For example, boys tend to exhibit higher levels of rule-breaking and externalizing behaviors when compared to girls. Also, parents of boys may expect ADHD behaviors to last for a shorter amount of time than parents of girls. As girls exhibit fewer externalizing symptoms compared to boys, girls’ ADHD symptoms and social difficulties may be less noticeable during an intervention.
A girl might be off task but just seems to be dazed or daydreaming rather than exhibiting hyperactive behaviors. Without noticing these symptoms, girls may miss parts of an intervention, potentially decreasing its overall effectiveness.
Medication is commonly used to treat ADHD symptoms, but medication alone does not resolve social difficulties. Behavioral interventions may be necessary to improve social problems. An occupational therapist, or "OT," can help children living with ADHD improve a number of skills, including:
Controlling energy levels (whether experiencing hyperactivity or low points)
- Increased organization
- Improved physical coordination and
- An improved ability to do everyday tasks - such as taking a shower, organizing their backpack, or making their bed - quickly and well.
Why the need for behavioral interventions?
Up to 50% of children with ADHD are rejected by their peers, putting them at risk for long-term challenges with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, substance use, employment difficulties, and school failure.
When ADHD symptoms are not addressed in childhood, they can prolong into adulthood and even intensify. However, mastering skills, such as emotional regulation, the ability to focus during social interactions, being aware of how others feel, and learning to read social cues, can allow children to better integrate with their peers. The passage of time, may not necessarily improve social challenges associated with ADHD. So, it is important to notice and treat these social difficulties as early as possible to prevent future negative consequences as a child develops.
Having a parent helping a child with social skills at home may aid in the internalizing of the intervention’s desired learning outcomes. However, in addition, it is important to find a behavioral health provider that interacts well with your child. A behavioral health provider will be able to assess your child’s risk for ADHD and other behavioral health challenges and will be able to provide the professional care your child needs!
Abikoff, H. B., Jensen, P. S., Arnold, L. L. E., Hoza, B., Hechtman, L., Pollack, S., Martin, D., Alvir, J., March, J. S., Hinshaw, S., Vitiello, B., Newcorn, J., Greiner, A., Cantwell, D. P., Conners, C. K., Elliot, G., Greenhill, L. L., Kraemer, H., Pelham, W. E., Jr., … Wigal, T. (2002). Observed classroom behavior of children with ADHD: Relationship to gender and comorbidity. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30, 349–359. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1023/A:1015713807297
Bellanti, C. (2009). Fostering social skills in children with ADHD. Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter, 25, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.20083
Bussing, R., Schoenberg, N. E., Rogers, K. M., Zima, B. T., & Angus, S. (1998). Explanatory Models of ADHD: Do They Differ by Ethnicity, Child Gender, or Treatment Status? Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 6, 233–242. https://doi.org/10.1177/106342669800600405
Carpenter Rich, E., Loo, S. K., Yang, M., Dang, J., & Smalley, S. L. (2009). Social functioning difficulties in ADHD: association with PDD risk. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 14, 329–344. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104508100890
DuPaul, G., & Weyandt, L. (2006). School‐based Intervention for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Effects on academic, social, and behavioural functioning. International Journal of Disability, Development & Education, 53, 161–176. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1080/10349120600716141
Hodgens, J. B., Cole, J., & Boldizar, J. (2000). Peer-Based Differences Among Boys With ADHD. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 29, 443–452. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1207/S15374424JCCP2903_15
Joelsson, P., Chudal, R., Gyllenberg, D., Kesti, A.-K., Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, S., Virtanen, J.-P., Huttunen, J., Ristkari, T., Parkkola, K., Gissler, M., Sourander, A., & Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, S. (2016). Demographic Characteristics and Psychiatric Comorbidity of Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with ADHD in Specialized Healthcare. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 47, 574–582. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1007/s10578-015-0591-6
Mrug, S., Hoza, B., & Gerdes, A. C. (2001). Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Peer relationships and peer-oriented interventions. In D. W. Nangle & C. A. Erdley (Eds.), The role of friendship in psychological adjustment. (pp. 51–77). Jossey-Bass. https://doi.org/10.1002/cd.5
Polanczyk, G., de Lima, M. S., Horta, B. L., Biederman, J., & Rohde, L. A. (2007). The worldwide prevalence of ADHD: a systematic review and metaregression analysis. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 942–948. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2007.164.6.942
Rydell, A.-M. (2010). Family factors and children’s disruptive behaviour: an investigation of links between demographic characteristics, negative life events and symptoms of ODD and ADHD. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 45, 233–244. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1007/s00127-009-0060-2
Wehmeier, P. M., Schacht, A., & Barkley, R. A. (2010). Social and emotional impairment in children and adolescents with ADHD and the impact on quality of life. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46, 209–217. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.09.009
Willis, D., Siceloff, E. R., Morse, M., Neger, E., & Flory, K. (2019). Stand-alone social skills training for youth with ADHD: A systematic review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 22, 348–366. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1007/s10567-019-00291-3
Wilkes-Gillan, S., Bundy, A., Cordier, R., & Lincoln, M. (2016). Child outcomes of a pilot parent-delivered intervention for improving the social play skills of children with ADHD and their playmates. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 19, 238–245. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.3109/17518423.2014.948639
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Suicide Risk Factors
This is the story of John. John is 45 years old and has recently experienced numerous substantial life changes. Watch the video below to hear John’s story and identify some risk factors and warning signs that increase the risk of suicide for John.
- John is 45 -years old.
- After 10 years of marriage, he recently went through a divorce and is now living alone. He has visitation with his 10-year-old daughter every other weekend.
- John was recently fired from his factory job of over 15 years and is unemployed because of his increased drinking.
- John acknowledges feeling increasingly depressed and hopeless since his divorce and the loss of his job.
- Over the last two weeks, he has had insomnia and loss of appetite, leading to weight loss and loss of interest in hobbies including hunting and going to the shooting range with friends. His use of alcohol has also increased considerably in the past 2 weeks.
- John has a few close friends but has little contact with his family. He has expressed his hopelessness and while drinking with his friends he’s said things like, “My family might be better off without me.”
- His increased drinking led to being pulled over by the police and charged with DUI, one week ago.
Can you identify some risk factors and warning signs that increase the risk of suicide for John?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2021) and the American Psychological Association (2019), warning signs for suicide include the following.
Talking about wanting to die, experiencing guilt or shame and/or being a burden to others.
Feelings of emptiness, sadness, hopelessness, feeling trapped and/or feeling unbearable emotional or physical pain.
Changes in behaviors such as making a plan or researching ways to die, preoccupation with death and dying, has recently experienced serious losses, withdrawing from family and friends or social activities, loss of interest in school, work or hobbies, saying goodbye, giving away important items, or making a will, taking unnecessary or dangerous risk, displaying extreme mood swings, eating or sleeping more or less and/or increases in drug or alcohol use.
Access to means such as firearms and medications
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Feed Your Mind
Welcome back to Mental Health Research Jeopardy. Today’s theme is mental health and diet.
Game show host: Welcome back to Mental Health Research Jeopardy. Today’s theme is mental health and diet. Let’s jump right in.
Mom: What is women?
Game show host: Yes, what women eat seems to be crucial to their mental well-being, according to a study. But the same association was not found in men. However, diet is important for both men and women.
Next question.
Dad: What is never, of course!
Game show host: AAAAAND, sorry! It is actually 5 years. The same study showed that anxiety, depression and the other mental health disorders were not causing the high sugar intake!
Moving on, different foods are needed for optimal mental health at different ages as well!
Those of age 30 and older benefitted more from eating fruit and breakfast, as well as skipping WHAT? and foods high in sugar.
Mom: Though it pains me to say it… What is coffee?
Game show host: Correct. And also correct.
Laughter from the audience.
Game show host: Mental distress in adults (age 30 and older) was related to caffeinated coffee consumption and inversely associated with low fruit consumption and skipping breakfast.
Moving on to the next question.
Grandpa: What is depression?
Game show host: Correct! Older adults receiving dietary support demonstrated a significant improvement in depressive symptoms compared to a control group.
Moving on.
Mom: What is everything?
Game show host: Well, you may be correct. But this study showed that consuming large amounts of sugar is linked to bipolar disorder.
Drum roll and next question!
Dad: What is junk food?
Game show host: Correct. A long-term study showed that eating fast foods like hot dogs, pizza, burgers, cupcakes, croissants, and donuts is, in fact, linked to depression. And not just a slight increase.
Woman: What is 40%?
Game show host: Yes. They showed a 40% increase for depression. In fact, the more they ate, the higher their risk!
Next ques-ti-on!
Dad: Oh! I know this. It’s on the tip of my tongue. What is sero- -- what is serati ---? Uggghhh. What is a smiling molecule?
Game show host: So, so close! It is serotonin.
Grandpa: What is my intestinal tract?
Game show host: That is correct!
Moving on…
Woman: What is Mediterranean?
Game show host: Yes. Those foods are high in nutrients critical to mental health. Nutrients like...
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Essential amino acids
- Vitamin B12, folate
- Vitamin D
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Iron
Grandpa: What is fruit, green leafy vegetables, and…
Game show host: That’s two of them. Can anyone guess the last one?
Dad: What are legumes?
Game show host: Yes. So the 4 are:
Nuts. Especially almonds, brazil nuts, and cashews.
Legumes which include black beans, chick peas, and soybeans.
Fruits such as oranges, apples, and grapes.
and Green leafy vegetables like kale, bok choy, and spinach.
Next question.
Grandpa: None
Game show host: Yes. Having healthy snacks handy, like raw nuts, makes it much easier to make healthy choices when hunger strikes!
Ok. Final question before the lightning round. We’ve talked a lot today about how cutting out sugar can be good for your mental health. There are many natural sweeteners that are less harmful but the top four are coconut sugar, maple syrup, molasses and WHAT?
Bailey H Bee: HONEY!
Game show host: Bailey H Bee! You got a stinger in right here at the end. (Pause) and Honey is… CORRECT! Honey does contain higher fructose levels but is low on the glycemic index – which makes it one of the best sugar substitutes around. One study found that replacing sugar with honey can actually lower blood sugar and avoid the weight gain that comes with high levels of sugar consumption. Fruits with natural sugars are also a great option to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Okay, Family! You made it to the lightning round!
Are you ready? (nods and smiles, excitement)
Here we GO! You’ve got 30 seconds.
Montage: Different people answering.
Correct answers:
- Carrots
- Bananas
- Apples
- Dark leafy greens like spinach
- Grapefruit
- Lettuce
- Citrus fruits
- Fresh berries
- Cucumber
- Kiwifruit.
Game show host: Good work team. Many of these foods go great in smoothies. So today’s prize is a smoothie maker!
- Pick an unfamiliar green vegetable at the grocery each week!
- Choose whole-grain pastas and breads
- Cook using olive oil instead of other fats
- Challenge yourself to go meatless one day a week or even at one meal a day - eating black beans, lentils, and other legumes instead.
Game show host: What a great family and great game today! That’s all for today’s episode. Thanks for tuning in AND see you next time on Feed Your Mind!
Begdache, L., Chaar, M., Sabounchi, N., & Kianmehr, H. (2019). Assessment of dietary factors, dietary practices and exercise on mental distress in young adults versus matured adults: a cross-sectional study. Nutritional neuroscience, 22(7), 488-498.
Brookie, K. L., Best, G. I., & Conner, T. S. (2018). Intake of raw fruits and vegetables is associated with better mental health than intake of processed fruits and vegetables. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 487.
Camilleri M. (2009). Serotonin in the gastrointestinal tract. Current opinion in endocrinology, diabetes, and obesity, 16(1), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.1097/med.0b013e32831e9c8e
Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R., Itsiopoulos, C., Cotton, S., Mohebbi, M., ... & Berk, M. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’trial). BMC medicine, 15(1), 1-13.
Knüppel, A., Shipley, M. J., Llewellyn, C. H., & Brunner, E. J. (2017). Sugar intake from sweet food and beverages, common mental disorder and depression: prospective findings from the Whitehall II study. Scientific reports, 7(1), 1-10.
McManus, K. (2019) A practical guide to the Mediterranean diet. Harvard Health Blog.
Meegan, A. P., Perry, I. J., & Phillips, C. M. (2017). The association between dietary quality and dietary guideline adherence with mental health outcomes in adults: a cross-sectional analysis. Nutrients, 9(3), 238.
Psaltopoulou, T., Sergentanis, T. N., Panagiotakos, D. B., Sergentanis, I. N., Kosti, R., & Scarmeas, N. (2013). Mediterranean diet, stroke, cognitive impairment, and depression: a meta‐analysis. Annals of neurology, 74(4), 580-591.
Sánchez-Villegas, A., Henríquez-Sánchez, P., Ruiz-Canela, M., Lahortiga, F., Molero, P., Toledo, E., & Martínez-González, M. A. (2015). A longitudinal analysis of diet quality scores and the risk of incident depression in the SUN Project. BMC medicine, 13(1), 1-12.
Sánchez-Villegas, A., Toledo, E., De Irala, J., Ruiz-Canela, M., Pla-Vidal, J., & Martínez-González, M. A. (2012). Fast-food and commercial baked goods consumption and the risk of depression. Public health nutrition, 15(3), 424-432.
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Source: https://www.happify.com/hd/what-to-eat-for-optimal-mental-health-infographic/
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Breaking the Stigma
D'Arcy Robb
This is the first-hand story of a woman struggling with postpartum depression. She shares how it took her, "Five years. It took five years of convincing, cajoling, and near pleading for me to swallow a pill..."
I grew up with a fear of mental illness and a deep suspicion of psychiatric drugs. Which is why it took a collective five years of persuasion by my caring therapists to swallow that little pill.
Flash forward to eight years later, when I’d gone cold turkey off those meds, popped out a baby, and was a manic mess. Things unraveled fast and there I was checking into the psychiatric hospital in the middle of the night, stumbling along behind a staff.
As we rounded the massive, high-ceilinged main room, a woman sat silently in a chair while another woman bustled softly nearby, and a few staff members chatted behind the desk. The bustling woman asked something like, “Do you want to go back to bed now, Lin?” The woman in the chair made a few small motions in response. Their conversation continued that way, the bustling woman speaking and the woman in the chair making tiny gestures in reply.
I shrank away from the woman in the chair. She must be a patient….like me. But I wasn’t like her, my manic brain insisted. I’d talk only to the staff. I then proceeded to initiate a loud, too-friendly conversation with the women behind the desk. THEY were who I could relate to, after all. Not this strange woman who sat silent and unblinking in the middle of the night.
Full Transcript
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Wisdom from the Well: Feeling Stuck
Dr. Lee Anne Walmsley
Lee Anne Walmsley, Ph.D., EdS, MSN, RN, is an Assistant Professor in the UK College of Nursing. She is also a part of the BH WELL faculty team. Her life's work is about mental health and well-being. In this brief video, she shares her thoughts on feeling stuck.
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Can Anxiety Be Turned Off Like a Light Switch?
I wish to be freed from all my excessive worrying and fear. Part of me knows I’m blowing it out of proportion, but I can’t help it. It’s as if there are a million switches in my brain, each in charge of a different thought, that I just can’t turn off.
It’s not just ordinary things that everyone gets nervous about like taking a big test or preparing for a job interview. I literally worry about every little thing that happens... or doesn’t happen.
I get stuck focusing on a mistake I made at school or work. Before I know it, I’m panicking and thinking of all the worst-case scenarios that could have arisen. Then, I mull over whether something I said might have offended my friend. I jump to conclusions that don’t ever actually happen. The list goes on and on. It invades every part of my life.
I can feel my heart beating against my chest. Sometimes it feels like there’s a black hole of worries that nothing can fill. I wake up in the night feeling tense, on edge, and at times sick to my stomach. The switches in my brain begin to spark, the fuses burn out, and I’m left utterly exhausted, with no relief in sight.
If you sometimes feel the way I do, please know that you are not alone. There is hope. I talked to a health professional about my switches constantly being “on”, and they were able to help me learn how to turn them “off”. I used to feel worn down and hopeless but now I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Learning how to manage anxiety has helped me reach my full potential. Are you experiencing anxiety? It’s never too late to ask for help. There is no problem too big or too small.
If you or someone you know is experiencing anxiety, there is hope. Contact your health provider or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
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