The Hemp Connection [Search results for lavender] 

Long ago, I had a client who needed me to help her stay on course in the grocery store. Most of the time she did well, but one day, as we were wrapping up the trip, she accidentally zeroed out her calculator (which was her indicator she was staying within budget), just as she had three items left to put in her cart. The next series of behaviors humbled me as her dietitian, because I saw just how useless it is for anyone helping someone with an eating disorder to assume that there is any kind of logical/rational thinking when a person encounters a stress.

My client broke out into a profuse sweat. She removed all of the planned menu items from her shopping list and proceeded to the frozen food section, where she loaded up on ice cream, pizza, chicken wings, you name it. She was in such a zone that I couldn't get her attention.

I learned from this, that waiting until you're stressed out, to implement stress management behaviors, doesn't work. By that time, too many hormones and too much momentum are headed in the wrong direction for there to be much of a chance to think your way out of the problem. The same thing happens with anxiety and sleep medications. If you're taking them on an"as needed" basis, by the time you realize you need them, you've got far more momentum to overcome than you would if you implemented proactive stress management behaviors.

One of my favorite proactive remedies is lavender. It's an herb whose essential oil has repeatedly been observed to have powerful anti-anxiety, antidepressive, sleep-enhancing qualities. I was reminded of lavender this morning when I ran across a new study suggesting that lavender essential oil has the potential to be as potent as lorazepam (Ativan) for anxiety management, without thhe addictive potential. The beauty of this essential oil is that you can apply it throughout the day on your wrists, helping to keep anxiety at bay before it becomes overwhelming. Lavender sprays and pot pourris can be helpful as well. Of course, they will be more useful when used regularly and proactively than if you wait until you're completely freaked out (when you may not remember to use it, anyway).

Lavender is also an herb that can be used in cooking! Here's a link with some interesting recipes, including lavender scrambled eggs and lavender oatmeal.

I think Mother Nature is the most incredible pharmacist. I hope this is an option with potential for at least some of you with anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders that intensify your PCOS.

Kritsidima M, Newton T, Asimakopoulou K. The effects of lavender scent on dental patient anxiety levels: a cluster randomised-controlled trial. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2010 Feb;38(1):83-7. Epub 2009 Nov 23.

Woelk H, Schläfke S. A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender oil preparation Silexan in comparison to Lorazepam for generalized anxiety disorder. Phytomedicine. 2010 Feb;17(2):94-9. Epub 2009 Dec 3.

Setzer WN. Essential oils and anxiolytic aromatherapy. Nat Prod Commun. 2009 Sep;4(9):1305-16.

It's been super hot around the country. It's that time of year when hydration is extra important. But water can get boring, and many of the options are just too full of sugar to be realistic in large quantities. Here is a great beverage option that is lower in sugar but more interesting than plain water--the Arnold Palmer.

The classic Arnold Palmer is a half and half mix of lemonade and iced tea. But with the many fruits in season and all of the great non-caffeinated teas on the market, there's no reason to stop there! I spent the afternoon Google searching and found some great, creative lemonade recipes. I've altered them a bit to cut the sugar even more, and asked Kerstin Wingert, a local tea purveyor and copfounder of Souvia Tea, to pair them with some of their offerings to get you thinking about what potential your own local farmer's market holds. I got Kerstin's suggestions back and immediately wanted to head to my own kitchen! Who would want to drink soda when you've got these incredible alternatives?

A think-ahead suggestion, when juicing your fruit, and making the tea, make a little extra for ice cubes to add to your final beverage!

Note: In the lemonade recipes, I've cut the sugar by half from the original recipe, (except in the cucumber and ginger versions) and doubled the fruit. I encourage you to start at this point and then sweeten to taste, rather than oversweetening. Remember that even those these beverages are lower in sugar than soda and juice, they still contain sugar. They will be best tolerated when enjoyed with a meal, to help you tolerate the sugar.

Here is the general link to Souvia's online store. For your convenience, I've also linked each of the individual teas below in case you'd like to try them.

Watermelon Arnold Palmer (lemonade recipe courtesy of Whole Foods Market)
Lemonade: 10 cups 1-inch cubes seedless watermelon, 1 bottle (10-ounce) 365 Everyday Value®
Organic Lemon Juice, 6 cups water. If you use real sugar, start with 1/4 cup and increase to taste.
Iced tea: Honey-Do, a fruit blend of melon, apples and a touch of hibiscus

Raspberry Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 2 cups rinsed fresh raspberries, mashed with 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cup lemon juice, and 2 cups
water. Add more sugar if desired.
Iced tea: Raspberry Honeybush – a naturally sweet tasting infusion that is caffeine free

Peach Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 4 peaches peeled and cubed, 4 C water, 1/2 C sugar, 3/4 C Fresh Lemon Juice
Iced tea: Black Peach – a blend of black teas with the taste of ripe peaches. Or…Cranberry Peach – a
black tea that combines flavors of sweet peaches with the tartness of cranberries.

Blueberry Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 6 cups blueberries, 1/3 cups sugar, 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, 3 cups cold water
Iced tea: Blueberry Yoghurt – Rooibos from South Africa with blueberries. Freeze-dried yoghurt pieces
add to the smooth flavor.

Pomegranate Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup pomegranate juice, 2 1/2 cups water
Iced tea: Pomegrante/Grape – White and green tea blend with pomegranate and grapes – light and
refreshing

Cucumber Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1 cucumber, peeled and cubed, 1 lemon, 5 c water, sugar to taste
Iced tea: Lemon Souffle– Rooibos with a creamy lemon taste

Strawberry Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 2 pints mashed fresh strawberries, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups water
Iced tea: Strawberry Fields – A mélange of black and green teas with strawberries and pineapple pieces

Basil Hibiscus Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1/2 cup rinsed, lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, 3 tablespoons sugar, 4 cups water,
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Iced tea: Lemon Basil Oolong – Formosa Oolong combines the savory taste of basil with sweet citrus note

Mango Mint Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 4 large mangoes, 2 1/2 cup(s) water, juice from 6 medium lemons), 1/4 cup(s) sugar
Iced tea: Moroccan Mint Organic

Lavender Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1/4 cup dried lavender, 2 cups boiling water, 1/3 cup white sugar, 8 lemons, 5 cups cold water
Iced tea: Quiet Mind – Rooibos with coconut and lavender

Green Apple Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 3 green apples, cored and juiced, juice from 2 lemons, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 cup cold water
Iced tea: Apple/Mango Rooibos

Ginger Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1 1/2 cups white sugar, 4 quarts water, 14 slices fresh ginger root, 4 cups fresh lemon juice
In an 8-quart saucepan combine sugar, water and ginger root. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Cool 15 minutes. Remove ginger. Refrigerate lemonade at least 1
hour, or until chilled.
Iced tea: Georgia Peach – Black tea with ginger and peach pieces

One of the recurring themes I see in my clients is a lack of self-care. This is one of the indicators that I am working with someone who is depressed. Self-care is often one of the first things to go by the wayside. By self-care, I mean the obvious as well as the things that aren’t so obvious. Obvious aspects of self-care include eating regularly, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and taking a shower regularly. Without these basic items being taken care of consistently, your life isn’t going to function very well. Less obvious aspects of self-care that are often lacking include: • Tending to quality of sleep, as well as quantity • Eating a diet that works for your particular body, on a consistent basis • Maintaining decent work hours • Making time for family, friends, and your spouse/partner • Going to therapy • Practicing safe sex • Not driving while drunk • Consulting with qualified health practitioners about your PCOS • Going to yoga • Starting a meditation practice If you’re not engaging in these forms of self-care, your quality of life will be low, your relationships will suffer, and your health will ultimately decline. Above and beyond these basics, there’s a whole host of other things you can do that comprise a complete package of self-care. These might include: • Engaging in clear and open communication • Having a spiritual practice • Making time for art, music, and culture • Practicing a hobby • Shopping at the Farmers’ Markets • Getting massages, manicures, and pedicures • Taking an occasional “mental health day” from work • Doing something silly, juvenile, or useless, just because it’s fun • Having date nights with your spouse/partner • Taking time to play – really play – by yourself or with your friends or children • Getting acupuncture • Keeping a journal • Finding a community of like-minded individuals, and making time for them • Cooking from scratch • Taking a mid-afternoon nap when you need it • Deciding that there are some things that really aren’t worth doing – and then not doing them • Saying “no” to people you don’t like, causes you don’t care about, and anything else that makes you feel irritable, disgruntled, miserable, or resentful • Practicing gratitude • Buying candles – the expensive lavender ones from that little boutique, if that’s what tickles your fantasy • Engaging in community service that pleases you on a variety of levels • Getting real about what size you wear, and getting comfortable about it • Hiring help when you need it • Ordering dessert occasionally • Deciding you don’t care what other people think As you can see, there are many levels to self-care, or emotional nutrition. When you know what you need to do to feed your body, brain, heart, and soul, your priorities become clearer, you’re calmer, and you experience more life satisfaction. Quite often, you’ll find that symptoms of depression decrease. How about making your own list, and committing to practice at least item on it every day? Check in with yourself after a week, and again at 30 days. Note what’s changed. Keep practicing. Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She has completed the inCYST training. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses. If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at AskDrHouseMD@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.

My friend Joseph Cuevas, a local glass artist, is also a pretty amazing foodie. We met at a local monthly potluck club, where his creations are always favorites with the crowd. So when he invited me over for Thanksgiving and posted the menu for a paleo-Mediterranean dinner (see below), there was no way I could say no!

As we got ready to serve, it became evident that there were not going to be enough plates to go around, so one of the guests started hunting for a solution. She found some sushi plates.

And I loved them! Because they were smaller, I automatically served myself smaller portions in order to have room on my plate for a bite of everything. I had seconds, but because I had to stand up and go to the kitchen for more food, it gave me a bit of a mindfulness break to think about what I really wanted.

That brings me to my next point. Having a buffet set up away from the table made a major difference. No picking at food because it was in front of me. I did eat more than I normally do, but far less than I usually do when it's all set out in front of me.

Two simple things that can make a huge difference. Think about trying them come Christmas dinner!

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Joseph's Paleo-Mediterranean Dinner Menu
Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with a pecan Shrimp cocktail with your choice of cocktail sauce or a zaatar oil Antipasto plate Spinach with garlic, raisins and pine nuts Turducken Cranberry Sauce Parsnip & Turnip mash Roasted Broccoli Tostones topped with ribeye Homemade biscuits (gluten free) Garlic & Mushroom Sweet potato salad Red Sangria Virgin Sangria Lavender-Lemon coconut milk ice cream Vanilla-Cardamom whoopie pies

Joseph's spinach is one of my favorites that he makes

But I made sure to leave room for dessert!