Why electroconvulsive therapy was the closest thing to a magic bullet I’ve found for my depression
When I requested electroshock (also known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT) from my psychiatrist, she was shocked that I was actually requesting it. Nearly every medical professional I spoke to on my ECT journey made a concerted effort to sing its praises and try to convince me to stick with it. I didn’t need convincing, and I am incredibly glad that I stuck with it. ECT has helped me in ways that no other treatment has, lifting me out of a 15+ year fog of depression and making me much more capable of functioning like a “normal” adult.
Running as metaphor: how suffering shapes your perception of life and how you can use it to grow
I listened to a podcast on my run the other day about purpose, perseverance, and the close connection that exists between passion and suffering. The magic that happens when you embrace suffering and seek the impossible. To be willing to suffer for the things you’re passionate about. So that podcast led me to thinking about suffering in all its forms and whether it can be turned into a growing experience…
I’m pregnant and in a metal band: how do I protect baby’s hearing?
I’m an audio engineer and an electric violinist for a metal band, and just found out that I’m pregnant. It’s early days, but do I need to cancel gigs after a certain point? As an engineer, I experience up to 105db at work, but generally staying under 90db. As a musician, though, I’m onstage next to drum kits and loud amps, including my own, for an average set of 50 minutes. Is there anything I can do to keep them safe without cancelling gigs?
This meditation app is using Bob Ross magic to lull you to sleep
If you’re a fan of meditation/relaxation apps like Headspace and Meditation Studio, and ALSO a fan of the dulcet voice of Bob Ross, you’re in luck. The meditation and sleep app Calm is introducing PBS fave Bob Ross’ voice as part of its Sleep Stories, using the audio from his super relaxing painting episodes to lull you into repose.
Get your daily self love by following these body positive Instagram accounts
We’ve been having some discussions about body positivity lately that made me remember that not everyone is entrenched in body positive role models on social media as others of us are. What better way to shine some light on our favorite bad-ass body positive babes than by finding some of the best body positive Instagram accounts out there?
Whether they’re loving their fat bodies, their differently-abled bodies, their perceived “flaws,” their feminism, and their everyday realness, these are some babes who will prove that “the norm” means nothing.
Your microbiome and you! How to feed it a healthy diet
Three years ago, I decided I needed to re-haul my diet. I was slowly gaining weight, no matter how much I exercised. I had a host of health issues, including eczema, vitamin deficiencies, and food sensitivities. I had lots of chronic pain, and caught every single cold and flu that came home from school with my kids. It got to a point where I began to wonder what was wrong with me. Why was my body fighting against me?
That’s when I got interested in feeding my microbiome. WAIT! HOLD ON A MINUTE… WHAT IS A MICROBIOME?
The sacred rites of menstrual cup disposal, post-hysterectomy
My uterus and I had a complicated relationship, and a rather messy break up. About a week after my hysterectomy, I came across my menstrual cup and it hit me — I no longer need it post-hysterectomy. I’ll never need it ever again.
I think I need a ritual, a rite of passage, some symbolic way to move on from where I was to where I am. Disposing of my menstrual cup feels like an opportunity for just that. Anyone have any suggestions, ideas, thoughts on the matter?
Following the “lead”: how you AND your dog can be more active together
Our lives are often sedentary, and those of us with dogs know that they can get on that bandwagon, too. In spite of their innate need to move and play, our dogs often find themselves sitting on the same sofa we ourselves sit on. It’s easy for all of us to become couch potatoes together. Here are some easy ways to make exercising with dogs more enjoyable for everyone…