I was recently approached by Susan White, a researcher and writer, who asked if she could write a guest blog. When I looked at some of her articles, I was impressed with how she had found some excellent resources on the net for the subjects she was researching.

For regular readers of this blog you’ll know that I am a strong advocate of regular exercise for anyone, but particularly if you have been living with a mood disorder. The evidence is overwhelming; exercise is the best self help strategy for those of us that are susceptible to depression. I decided to challenge Susan to find some helpful websites to stay with a regular exercise program. So without further introduction, here they are.

10 Websites That Can Help You Stick to Your Exercise Program

Along with a sensible diet, it is probably the most important contributor to good health, and without exercise to substantiate and augment your choice of healthy food, you’re not doing the best you can to promote your health. A good diet provides you with energy and nutrients to get on with life, and exercise improves your wellness quotient by augmenting your physical and mental health, improving bone and muscle strength, boosting blood circulation, and keeping you fit and strong. The problem with exercise is that most people have trouble sticking to their routine; laziness sets in or work takes priority, and sooner or later, working out is relegated to the wayside. If you want some inspiration and motivation to help you stick to your exercise program, look no further than these websites:

1.      Everyday Health: This is a great place for people whose busy schedules don’t allow them to follow strict and time-bound exercise programs. It teaches you how to take advantage of everyday activities to boost your health and get your daily dose of exercise.

2.      Mayo Clinic: Get information from a trusted online source on why exercise is important for you and why it must form a part of your life.

3.      Mama’s Health: This site has a comprehensive yet precise overview of the various dangers caused by the lack of exercise. When you don’t work out, you tend to become overweight and even obese, and this could cause significant health issues.

4.      Living Health: If you’re worried about accidental injuries when working out, check out this site for safety tips when working out – find out the best ways to exercise without causing harm to your body.

5.      About Exercise: If you’re on vacation and worried about gaining weight because of all the good food you’re eating and the visible lack of exercise, this site offers great tips and tricks on how to work in a workout into your vacation.

6.      Essortment: If you’re stuck at home with no access to a gym or park, find out how you can continue working out at home with these great exercise programs.

7.      Medicine Net: Sidelined by an injury and worried you’re going to gain weight because you cannot exercise? Check out this site for safe ways to work out when you’re incapacitated by illness or injury.

8.      Web MD: Pregnant and worried about unnecessary weight gain and the wellbeing of your unborn child? Go here to find out how you can exercise safely when you’re expecting and stay healthy in the process.

9.      Workout Mommy: The best way for new moms to lose weight is to start exercising as soon as your doctor says it’s ok to start working out; and if you’re looking for ideas and tips on the fastest and safest ways to lose weight, this site offers great advice.

10.  Senior Fitness Suite: As you age, it becomes harder to maintain the intensity of your workout program; you’re worried about your safety and fitness. Continue to work out with no worries with tips and advice on senior fitness from this website.

Exercise is an integral aspect to a healthy life, so ensure that you stick to your workout routine without providing room for excuses.

By-line:

This article is contributed by Susan White, who regularly writes on the subject of surgical technician schools. She invites your questions, comments at her email address: susan.white33@gmail.com.

I’ve checked out the websites and they do all have a great perspective on different elements of maintaining exercise.

I also wanted to add two sites myself:

SparkPeople.com is a free online diet and healthy living community with over 3 million members who provide support and motivation to each other. I first saw an article on this in Fortune Magazine described as the “Facebook for dieters”. It boasts some very impressive results and is entirely free. There is a lot of social support to help you achieve your goals.

FitDay Another free site which I have heard very good things about. A friend of mine is writing a weight loss book and she rates this very highly.

Navigating a meaningful life

I truly believe that we all have wonderful strengths and gifts, and by using these for the benefit of others (and ourselves), we can have a wonderful life. I am presenting two seminars about how I believe this is possible for everyone – unfortunately only in the Sydney area – but if there is enough interest we may look at presenting it in a webinar format. It is hosted by my friends the Brahma Kumaris – there is no set cost – you are invited to make a donation.

Saturday September 11, 10.30am- 4pm Wilton – a beautiful retreat about 1 hour south west from Sydney CBD. Register here

Wednesday September 15, 6.00pm- 8.00pm – East Sydney – City Fringe Meditation Space

Register at  eastsydney@au.bkwsu.org

If you have tried any of the exercise sites or ideas above please let us know how you found them. Likewise, if you have found something that works for you, please let us know by responding to this blog.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: back from the brink, depression anxiety, depression help, depression research, depression treatments, exercise and depression, graeme cowan, self help

With all our medical advances, why is it that the incidence of depression and anxiety is skyrocketing. The World Health Organisation says that depression is the most disabling disease in the Western World today, yet all mental healthcare specialists seem to talk about is “evidence based” treatments such as counselling and anti depressants. Whilst these strategies have been shown to be helpful for some people, if this was really cutting edge advice, why aren’t we seeing the incidence of depression declining or at the very least plateauing. This in no way seeks to imply that medication and psychological counselling don’t have their place in treating depression, just that we are not exploring all the variables

Having interviewed thousands of people who have battled with depression, I am convinced that there are some serious issues with the “evidence based” approach to treating depression. These can be summarised as follows:

1. The “evidence” is where the money is

Unfortunately clinical trials are very expensive to run so private funding will only be directed towards those areas where “investors” can see a return on investment. In the world of depression treatments, this means that the vast majority of funds are directed towards medication and psychological counselling interventions. This means that important lifestyle strategies such as exercise, emotional support,nutrition, relaxation, and fulfilling work are relatively ignored. Ironically these less discussed strategies can be much less costly to implement.

1. When you’re holding a hammer everything looks like a nail

The vast majority of depression treatment studies are undertaken by doctors or psychologists. Whilst there is nothing wrong with this per se, most of these studies are evaluating areas where they have expertise (which makes sense). This means that the comparisons are often looking in isolation at one drug verses another (or a placebo) or one psychological intervention verses another. Quite often meaningful advancements in areas can come from someone outside the established “paradigms”. I love the story of the little boy who came across rescue workers who had been struggling for 3 hours with sophisticated hydraulic equipment trying to dislodge a truck which had been tightly wedged under an overhead bridge.  After being encouraged to leave the site he quietly said “Why don’t you let down the tyres?”.

1. We are not just DNA

As human beings our bodies and minds are intricately linked. Depression treatments that focus purely on a “biological illness” are seriously limited. Much of the despair that exists in the western world today can be linked to loneliness, family breakdowns, excessive and unfulfilling work, and financial crises. Saying that depression is caused by low levels of serotonin is like saying teen pregnancies are caused by a sperm fertilising an egg – yes, but…. Depression treatments that fail to reconnect us with our passions and purpose are ultimately going to be short lived solutions.

What are the right depression treatments?

To find out what works best in managing or overcoming depression, we must ask the people who are living with depression what works best for them. In 2007 I asked just that, and their answers were (in order) exercise, support of family and friends, psychological counselling, fulfilling work, relaxation/meditation, nutrition and medication.

Coincidentally, the Black Dog Institute (BDI) –one of the pre-eminent mood disorder units in the world - also undertook a study directly asking those with depression what helped them most. Although there were some differences in the studies, lifestyle strategies were also shown to be extremely important. One of the authors of the published study, Professor Gordon Parker, who has been practicing psychiatry for over 30 years, has now started advising General Practitioners and their patients to exercise regularly to aid recovery.

If Professor Parker, who has published over 600 clinical papers and book chapters regarding mood disorders, can learn something from these results, perhaps we all can.  

Tags: back from the brink, depression anxiety, depression help, depression research, depression treatments, exercise and depression

I flew to New York on May 25 with the objective of finding Literary Agent to take on my book to complete US versions for the existing two.

On Wednesday I went to the first day of Book Expo America which was dedicated to authors. There were about 400 people there and they had some great seminars regarding how to plot your way through the publishing maze which gave some excellent insights.

We then had the opportunity to do a “pitch slam” with Literary Agents. Over here, publishers receive an average of 300 manuscripts per day and very rarely follow up any directly and rely on the LA’s to vet opportunities.

In “pitch slam” the 400 authors have 3 minutes to tell their story to about 50 LA’s with a view to getting feedback on their project and perhaps a signal of interest that could lead to the LA taking on their project. Before getting to NY I had done a lot of research to find out who would be the best LA’s to take on my project. I had targeted 6. Of the 6 I slammed, 5 expressed interest and my 3 top picks expressed very strong interest including one saying “I’m totally on board – don’t bother seeing any other agents”. I had emailed my top 3 LA’s prior to getting to NY with my new 3 minute keynote demo and I think this added considerable momentum (http://www.pineapplemedia.com.au/Cowan.html  )

I had another great day yesterday and by chance met with Judith Curr the Executive Vice President of Atria books which is a division of Simon and Schuster. Believe it or not she is an Australian who is now based in New York. She was the publisher of “The Secret” which has now sold 7 million copies. She asked me to post her copies of my books and follow up with her executive editor which is very exciting.

A key part of the US success will be getting on board the American celebrities to be interviewed in BFTB. BFTBToo is ready to go almost immediately but it makes sense to launch the 2 together.

On Monday we head to Chicago to see the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance to get their support (which I need for local credibility with the high profile people) for getting the project underway. I have already had email and phone contact with them and it is looking very good.

On Friday night Hilary and I went to “Jersey Boy” – a musical about Franky Valli and the Four Seasons. It was just sensational – real stand up, shout and cheer show. After that we strolled through Times Square which at 11pm was just jam packed with people – you feel guilty for going to sleep in this place.

Hope all is well back home.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: back from the brink, depression books, depression help, depression treatments

I know through the emails I receive and the feedback I get from my GROW group members that  a lot of people find the Christmas period very unsettling and depressing. Often it brings into focus what we don’t have or highlights difficult family relationships.

I came across a very good paper from the Internet called “10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy”. Whilst I usually shudder at these formulaic papers that promise happiness and fulfillment, this is a little different in that it is based on quantitative studies from positive psychology from the likes of Ed Diener, Standford Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post. They have studied people all over the world. Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.

1. Savour Everyday Moments
2. Avoid Comparisons
3. Put Money Low on the List
4. Have Meaningful goals
5. Take Initiative at Work
6. Make friends, treasure family
7. Smile even when you don’t feel like it
8. Say thankyou like you mean it
9. Get out and exercise
10. Give it away, give it away now

For full details of the paper go to the news section of www.IamBackFromTheBrink.com

I think this is a very interesting list as it really parallels my experience in overcoming depression.

Make 2009 depression free

Whilst most of you would know that I don’t believe in quick fixes for depression, I believe the key to starting a more fulfilling life is to take appropriate action. I am going to be reading this paper to my GROW group tonight and ask them if they would like to choose 2 of these strategies that they would like to concentrate on for the next 3 months.

When we meet back on January 5 I will ask them to describe what they will be doing to make these things a higher priority in there life. Over the Christmas break when things get a bit difficult they can reflect on what they will be doing to make 2009 more pleasant.

I hope all my readers and visitors have a restful break and feel the sense of a new dawn in 2009.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Graeme Cowan

www.IamBackFromTheBrink.com

Tags: back from the brink, beating depression, depression, graeme cowan, happiness

The tragic news today of Richard Marslands suicide really brings home the point that we need to watch out for each other during this stressful period. Marsland was the popular co host of MMM Melbourne’s morning breakfast program.

Whilst we can never know what was going through his head, research shows that the Christmas period is often a very unpleasant time for lots of people. After a year of frenetic activity some people find they don’t always have the close friends and family that are portrayed in all the advertisements. Here are some thoughts to help get you grounded:

Step Back

While everyone tries to do a million things during these next 3 weeks it is important to take some time to step back from the activity and realise that you don’t “have to” do anything. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars or go to constant parties to be worthwhile. See the activity for what it is. Unfortunately much of the commercial world sees this period as an opportunity to get people to spend lots of money and to forget about the true meaning of Christmas. Make a list of what you have to do before Chistmas and really consider what is essential and what would be nice to do.

Experience the now

Try to find something that really allows you to experience the moment. What many of prophets have known for millenniums and which modern science is now just realising is that the capacity to live in the now is often the secret to a fulfilling life. This is the Buddhist concept of mindfulness. Psychology Today produced a wonderful, practical story called “Six Steps to living in the moment” http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-20081027-000001&print=1

Reach out

In this time of 24/7 activity many of us forget to take time to reach out to others when they are having a hard time or if we are experiencing difficulties. In the 12 Step mental health program GROW there is a saying that “Friendship is the special key to mental health”. Through my own experiences, I am totally convinced this is the case. When you care for another it often takes you outside your own issues. “To have a friend, be a friend.”

Value yourself and others

“As I am healed and harmonized by responding to the offer of true friendship, so the measure of my maturity is my capacity to be a true friend.” GROW saying www.grow.net.au Connecting with others really helps with loneliness and sometimes we forget to give this the priority it deserves.

If anyone else has any suggestions or thoughts about how to make this period less lonely or stressful please respond to this blog. 

Look out for each other.

Kind Regards

Graeme

www.IamBackFromTheBrink.com

Tags: back from the brink, depression, graeme cowan, stress, suicide

What is spirituality?

I believe spirituality is identifying the things that are truly important to you and giving them the priority they deserve.

How to overcome depression?

Some time back I was asked to speak regarding spiritual solutions to depression. Now I know more than most that the word depression covers a myriad of conditions and I hesitate to talk about simple cures. For those that know me I believe there are 6 strategies you need to focus on when trying to manage/ overcome depression: exercise, support from family and friends, psychological counselling, fulfilling work, relaxation/meditation, and medication.

What underpins all these things?

In my own recovery, I found that when I was severely depressed, I was best to focus on exercise and contact with family and friends. As I started to improve, I embraced meditation and this really helped with being centred and seeing things with new clarity. I came to realise that when I looked back to my past, much of my self esteem was tied up with external achievements. When things were going well I was fine and when they weren’t I crumbled. I now believe that striving to be of service to others is the key to my mental health. I’m not saying that this is the case for everyone but I have certainly found it to be true for me.

Who am I?

I have spoken on several occasions with Charlie Hogg, The Director of the Brahma Kumaris in Australia. Over the years Charlie has helped thousands of people learn how to meditate. He says that 80% of the people who come to learn are struggling with depression and/or an anxiety disorder. Many have been trying to find happiness and peace through achievements and material possessions and have found that to be a losing battle. They think of themselves as their gender, occupation, marital status, income level etc. When these don’t measure up with their expectations of the perfect life they feel disillusioned.

Source of Happiness

Charlie has no income, and no traditional material possessions, yet he is one of the happiest and most positive people I know. He truly feels fulfilled when he is serving others. When I was interviewed recently by Richard Fiedler on the Conversation Hour, he made the comment that the happiest people he has interviewed (and his has spoken to an incredible cross section) are those that are dedicated to helping others.

This is no quick fix

What I am describing above is no quick fix, but I believe that finding our what is truly important to you and then spending a lot of your time addressing this purpose in central to sustainable happiness and fulfillment. An important part of this is understanding your strengths and finding out what special skills or qualities you have that you like to use. Martin Seligman did some great work in this area in his book Authentic Happiness - see http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx . At this website you will find some tools to help you understand your strenghts

Brinkmanship

I believe that depression, like any adversity has the potential to be transformed into a gift. If through your pain you are able to come out the other side with new priorities in life and a new mission then I believe you can consider yourself blessed. Don’t get me wrong. I know that depression can be a living hell but like every crisis it can EVENTUALLY be turned into an opportunity. I believe that depression has such a high recurrence rate because people that don’t come to terms with what is important to them and change their lifestyle accordingly have to eventually revisit it.

For an excellent artictle on this subject from the Mayo Clinic please see: http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions/mental-behavioral-health/bipolar-disorder/living-with-bipolar-disorder/spirituality-stress-relief?msc=A62687 

If you have a view on this topic, please respond to this post.

KInd Regards

Graeme

Tags: anxiety, back from the brink, depression, depression treatments, graeme cowan, spiritual solutions

It was all going so smoothly

As many of you would know, I had my routine down pat. Rise at 5.45am, meditate for 20 minutes and then go for a 45 minute bushwalk before having breakfast and beginning my work. I felt healthy and energetic and was very productive.

Life is what happens to you while your busy making other plans

Then three weeks ago I unexpectedly (is it ever expected!!!) broke my ankle when I crashed into my son on a waterslide. Last week after another xray my specialist decided to insert a plate and screws into my fibular as the fracture had become displaced. I had all these plans of things I would like to do in October and November and I’m spending most of  my time in hospitals and doctors surgeries. I now find myself rising at 8.30 and taking an hour and a half to have breakfast, clean up and have a shower. I’m eating more than I should and starting to feel a bit blarrrrrr.

Feeling sorry for myself

At the time it happened I commented that I would rather have two broken legs and two broken arms than go through a period of depression again. Whilst that is still true, the full impact of my injury and the limitations it places on me are just starting to really hit home. I can’t drive, so I am restricted to my house and going a bit stir crazy. I can’t put any weight on my broken leg so things like cooking, washing up, cleaning, and working become a real challenge. I’m focussing at everything I can’t do.

Then I saw a movie

On Friday night I watched “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”. For those who haven’t seen it, it is the true story of the French editor of Elle magazine, who suddenly was struck down by an illness known as “locked in syndrome”.  Whilst his mind was still functioning normally, he lost movement in every muscle except his eyelid. What extraordinary frustration that man suffered as most people saw him as “vegetable” when his mind was still alert.

One blink at a time

Though a very patient speech therapist, he learnt a system whereby he would blink when she said the right letter. They had to go through this agonising process to identify the right letter, which became a word, which became a sentence, which became a paragraph, which became a chapter, which became a book. I thought I had problems writing my two books!!!!!!!!

When I was depressed…

I would have thought “interesting movie but at least he is not depressed”. Thankfully now, I’m not depressed but I’m aware that I have to take action so that I don’t slip back there again. Seeing the movie has helped me realise how “able” I am compared to the “Diving Bell”. Whilst it is difficult, today I am going to recalibrate my weekly goals and realise that I am going to need the assistance from others to get through this period.

My goals for next week

1. Rise by 6.00am, meditate and do 20 minutes of stretching
2. Eat 10% less than I have been eating
3. Reach out to family and friends via phone and email
4. Finalise a telephone seminar course designed to help carers provide the best support to those living with depression.

I’ll let you know how I go.

Kind Regards

Graeme 

Tags: back from the brink, back from the brink too, depression, graeme cowan, stigma

Last week I went away with my son and his cousin on a holiday to Forster. We had a great time until we went to a fun park!!! I followed Adam down a water slide. We had a good distance between us but unbeknown to me his mat got caught on the tube.  I crashed into him at great speed and for the first time in my life I broke a bone - a fibula.  Luckily he escaped injury.

This week I was asked to speak at a forum for the Sydney Leadership Centre for Mental Health Week. I raised my leg on the table and said it highlighted the anomaly that existed in Mental Health Week. With a cast on my leg everyone wanted to help me by opening doors, carrying bags, holding lifts, holding food, asking how it happened etc. I couldn’t help comparing this experience with my time when I suffered with depression when many people are too embarrassed or don’t know how to offer help.  Even so called close and lifelong friends would evaporate because they did not know what to say or do.

Why is that we feel reluctant to offer the same level of assistance to those living with a mental illness. To be honest I would rather have two broken legs and two broken arms than have to go through an episode of depression again. I know that depression is much more disabling than a broken bone but in 2008 this is not generally known or acknowledged.

My wish is that when people encounter someone who isn’t coping that they show as much compassion to them as they would if they came across someone in a plaster caste. It’s time we recognized an inequity for what it is. It’s time to start breaking down the stigma walls.

Kind Regards

Graeme

Tags: back from the brink, back from the brink too, depression, graeme cowan, mental health week, stigma