Tips from a West Los Angeles area ADD / ADHD Coach

The post “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving; we get stronger and more resilient.” –Dr. Steve Maraboli appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.

Taking medicine can sometimes be viewed as a sign of weakness because of the stigma a lot of people associate with treatment. However, some studies have demonstrated the true value that medication can have for patients with anxiety disorders -amongst other things.

If you struggle with an anxiety disorder yourself, the world probably feels like an insurmountable challenge with no way out. Your resilience will either be low or nonexistent and confronting life’s difficulties head-on may feel impossible.

Experiencing such emotions is definitely overwhelming, and this is where receiving medical prescriptions may come in handy for you. However, the decision doesn’t lie solely in your hands: consult your physician and find the right treatment together!

With all the different treatment possibilities out there, there seem to be more questions than answers. How do you find the right possibilities for you?

First and foremost, consult with your medical doctor –or psychiatrist- when considering any kind of medication. These are professionals, and psychiatrists are trained to listen deeply to the issues and symptoms you may be experiencing.

With a doctor’s support, you can clearly identify the areas in which you need help -from initiating tasks and focusing, to managing anxiety and/or depression, or sleeping. You’ll be able to determine the right medication(s) for you.

If you decide to take medication, it is incredibly important to track its effects on you. There are several different options for this, such as:

• An app: Medisafe is the best-known app, free to download and used both by medical professionals and pill-takers alike.

• A spreadsheet: you have several options out there, but here’s one from the Free Medical Forms. The spreadsheet will also allow you to go more in depth when tracking your prescription and its effects.

There are several elements you need to stay attentive to when tracking the medication’s effects on you:

1. Is this medication having the desired effect?
2. What, if any, side effects are you noticing?
3. Does it interfere with your sleep or your appetite?
4. Does it wear off after a number of hours?

Follow-up with your physician and share your results, the good and the bad alike, especially if you experience any other side effects. This will help your doctor know if the medication is having the desired effect, or if the prescription should be changed in any way.

If you don’t know where to start, contact your doctor! And if you want any support in finding out whether medication might be the right resilience-building tool for you, I am always available for an appointment, booked at barbarlipscomb@gmail.com

How has medication helped you manage your anxiety disorders or any other executive functioning challenge you have? Leave a comment or send me an email! Your story matters to me.

The post Build Resilience Through Medication appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.

Meditation is one of the most powerful tools available in the service of building resilience into our systems. And, as is so often said about mediation, it is “simple, but not easy.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” This is quite the task and a beautiful place to strive for and be.

Our minds will always wander. As AdditudeMag puts it, “it’s the nature of the mind to be distracted.”

Among many other health benefits (Science), meditation is a tool that teaches and nourishes our abilities to recognize the moments our minds wander from our designated focal point, i.e., the breath, particular sensations, etc., as well as to gently and lovingly return our attention to the places we choose.

Over time and with support, this skill of returning one’s attention to the present moment can be generalized to all areas of our lives.

For example, if you are working on a creative project and you somehow just happen to find yourself playing around on social media, over time you will have strengthened your neurological muscles enough to be able to choose to return your attention to your creative project. Voila!

I love to find and create meditation practices that work specifically for each person. Just as with exercise and nutrition, there are a variety of approaches to meditation. Sitting isn’t the only meditation practice. You can meditate in movement as we do in yoga, tai chi, and other physical practices. You may meditate while brushing your teeth, eating, or create a loving-kindness practice. The options are many!

A plethora of resources exist to help us find and create the right meditation for you. Here are just a few:

Books

– The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult AD/HD by Lidia Zylowska, MD
– Mindful Parenting for AD/HD by Mark Bertin, MD

Apps

– Headspace
– Evenflow

I would love to help you create a meditation practice that works specifically for you. Please send me an email at barbaralipscomb@gmail.com to book an appointment.

The post Build Resilience through Meditation appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.

Exercise is known to be important. You’ve probably heard about the benefits of exercise for cardiovascular health as well as building and maintaining physical strength and flexibility. But exercise has also recently been found to have far reaching and very positive effects on our brains. It’s something that we can, and should, use to our advantage.

In a wonderful book called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, by John J. Ratey, M.D., the literal effects of exercise on the human brain are beautifully demonstrated. They show our abilities to be more and more self-directed in all things we pursue, especially in relation to our focus, mood, memory or when dealing with stress.

Essentially, exercise has been proven to help build resilience.

The beauty of exercise lies in its variety; there is something for everyone. In working with my clients it is apparent that each person needs to decide what form/s of exercise appeal to them. Yes, you can actually enjoy exercise!

The key is finding what works for you.

It might be team sports, such as basketball, baseball, lacrosse, football, etc. Or it might be playing against a single person, as in tennis. Or you may just enjoy your own company or that of others while bike riding, walking, running, practicing yoga, etc. Perhaps it’s working out at the gym, or taking a dance class.

Try it out. Mix it up. Give a chance to any kind of exercise that appeals to you. Play around with the amount of time you exercise, be it a daily 10-minute session or a weekly 2-hour one.

Once you find an exercise routine that works for you, begin tracking its effects on your body, your mind, and your life. I’m sure you’ll begin seeing a change very quickly. Take note of your mood before and after you exercise, as well as your overall mood a day prior and after your workout.

Are you uninspired by any of my suggestions? Check out this article by the NYTimes to find inspiration!

How has exercise changed your mood and resilience? Share your story with me in the comments or at barbaralipscomb@gmail.com!

The post Build Resilience Through Exercise appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.

Have you ever noticed that if you eat something “unhealthy,” you don’t feel great? For example, if you’re eating gluten when your body is sensitive to it, you may experience exhaustion. Or, if you’re unused to consuming dairy, you might get bloated.

• Track your food & mood! No one has a better answer to what makes you tick than you. In order to understand how various ingredients you ingest affect you. It is very useful to track yourself.Keep a food & mood journal. As you eat, jot down what foods you ingest, your mood before eating, perhaps your mood after eating, any physical symptoms, emotional responses, etc.Don’t know where to start? Here are two printable food & mood trackers that you may use: check out the journal from the Personal Nutrition Guide or from Medi Health.

• The Whole 30 The Whole 30 is an elimination diet that, as its name indicates, lasts all of 30 days. During this time, you’re eliminating what are considered to be “inflammation-causing” foods, such as processed foods, refined sugar (and all alternative sweeteners), gluten, and dairy, while ingesting mainly “whole” foods. What this means is that, instead of having a smoothie, you’re encouraged to eat the fruits that would be used for the smoothie.This diet will allow you to actively observe both the impact of such a radical shift in eating habits as well as your body’s true reaction to eating the foods that are normally part of your diet.

• Change your eating schedule Intermittent Fasting is a current dietary fad, but one that has had proven results on both the physical and mental health of many of its converts. Many intermittent fasters have reported increased mental focus at the height of their fast, as well as normalized sleeping schedules and more overall energy.The fasting schedule can vary greatly for each person, from eating every day within a 6-, 8-, or 10-hour window to fasting 24 hours and eating normally the rest of the time.Be careful! Fasting might be a proven path to good health, but it involves eating the right foods to succeed.

• Drink more water Did you know that the average healthy intake of water is anywhere between 2 and 3 liters per day? Now, ask yourself: how much water have you been drinking? Dehydration, caused by a lack of water intake, has been proven to cause “unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, constipation, and kidney stones.” So start downing some more of that liquid clarity! It’ll make an almost immediate difference if you don’t usually drink enough.

• Eat less sugar Studies have shown that processed or added sugars increase the risk of health issues, namely heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Much of the excess caloric intake in the average American comes from added sugars. In fact, about one in ten people get their caloric intake from added (or processed) sugars!Cutting back on your sugar intake can make a huge difference on both your physical and your mental health. If you’re craving something sweet, have a fruit!

   Bon appétit!

The post Build Resilience Through Diet appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.

AD/HD and other executive functioning skill challenges can be seen as dysregulations in our systems. In addition to each of our innate challenges, we live in a complex and fast-paced world that can also be seen as dysregulated and is often further dysregulating. Together, these present unique circumstances for each of us.

How may we intervene? What might we create? What can we do to have an impact on the ways we feel, or in the manners in which we function? How may we help ourselves succeed?

I call sleep the kingpin, or the cornerstone in terms of building resilience into our systems. Everything begins with, and is much better when we have had a good night’s sleep. One of my favorite talks on this topic is a Ted Talk by Russel Foster, a circadian neuroscientist. He details the importance of sleep and exemplifies what happens when we lack the sleep necessary for our systems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWULB9Aoopc

1. Set specific and consistent sleep and wake-up times that you adhere to daily. Be sure that these times encompass the number of hours you need to sleep, usually at least eight hours.
2. If you use electronic devices after dark, install flux on your computer and Night Shift on your phone to dim the blue light on the screen in order not to interfere with the melatonin production in your brain.
3. Turn off all technology 60 to 90 minutes before going to bed.
4. Establish a soothing nighttime routine that does not include technology, i.e., read a book, write in a journal, meditate, take a hot bath, listen to calming music or whatever else feels right for you.
5. Set an alarm and get out of bed when it goes off. Don’t snooze!

The post Build Resilience Through Sleep appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.

Have you ever noticed that if you eat something “unhealthy,” you don’t feel great? For example, if you’re eating gluten when your body is sensitive to it, you may experience exhaustion. Or, if you’re unused to consuming dairy, you might get bloated.

Even more than feeling tired or bloated, your diet has a huge impact on your entire body, including your mental health. Research has shown a direct relationship between the gut and the brain. In fact, the gut is now being called the second brain. Eating has been proven to affect your mood and executive functions.

When you don’t eat well, you don’t deal with life’s curveballs well either. Your resilience takes a hit.

Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between the food you eat and your overall mental health including your propensity towards depression.

The eating options available to us today are mind-boggling. You can be a vegetarian, a vegan, eat paleo, keto, raw, gluten-free or, basically, anything under the sun.

How do you determine what is best for you? What can you do when you have so many choices?

Finding what’s right for you.

I don’t have the answer to that question, but here are some options people have tried:

• Track your food & mood!
  No one has a better answer to what makes you tick than you. In order to understand how various ingredients you ingest affect you. It is very useful to track yourself.Keep a food & mood journal. As you eat, jot down what foods you ingest, your mood before eating, perhaps your mood after eating, any physical symptoms, emotional responses, etc.Don’t know where to start? Here are two printable food & mood trackers that you may use: check out the journal from the Personal Nutrition Guide or from Medi Health.

• The Whole 30
  The Whole 30 is an elimination diet that, as its name indicates, lasts all of 30 days. During this time, you’re eliminating what are considered to be “inflammation-causing” foods, such as processed foods, refined sugar (and all alternative sweeteners), gluten, and dairy, while ingesting mainly “whole” foods. What this means is that, instead of having a smoothie, you’re encouraged to eat the fruits that would be used for the smoothie.This diet will allow you to actively observe both the impact of such a radical shift in eating habits as well as your body’s true reaction to eating the foods that are normally part of your diet.

• Change your eating schedule
  Intermittent Fasting is a current dietary fad, but one that has had proven results on both the physical and mental health of many of its converts. Many intermittent fasters have reported increased mental focus at the height of their fast, as well as normalized sleeping schedules and more overall energy.The fasting schedule can vary greatly for each person, from eating every day within a 6-, 8-, or 10-hour window to fasting 24 hours and eating normally the rest of the time.Be careful! Fasting might be a proven path to good health, but it involves eating the right foods to succeed.

On that note, here are 2 things that have helped my clients in the past, and that you can do today:

• Drink more water
  Did you know that the average healthy intake of water is anywhere between 2 and 3 liters per day? Now, ask yourself: how much water have you been drinking? Dehydration, caused by a lack of water intake, has been proven to cause “unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, constipation, and kidney stones.” So start downing some more of that liquid clarity! It’ll make an almost immediate difference if you don’t usually drink enough.

• Eat less sugar
  Studies have shown that processed or added sugars increase the risk of health issues, namely heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Much of the excess caloric intake in the average American comes from added sugars. In fact, about one in ten people get their caloric intake from added (or processed) sugars!Cutting back on your sugar intake can make a huge difference on both your physical and your mental health. If you’re craving something sweet, have a fruit!

 Bon appétit!

Has this advice helped you regain focus and resilience? If so, I want to hear from you! Leave a comment or send me an email at barbaralipscomb@gmail.com to share your story.

The post Build Resilience Through Nutrition appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.

Summer can be an amazing time to rest and relax without having to worry about the myriad details of busier times of the year.

Summer is also a time of disrupted routines, changes in responsibilities, school vacations, travels and the like.

Summer and the leisure it brings, can also be a time of stress. We often think, “What am I supposed to do with myself?!” And, panic ensues.

Instead of panicking, try any of these 3 tips to help tackle your summer transitions head-on:

Start (and finish!) a personal project. Downtime during the summer is the perfect opportunity to focus on you. Is there something that you’ve wanted to do but just haven’t had the time? Well, now you do! Go write, paint, draw, create, design, decorate, clean, play or any other project you’ve been putting off for lack of time.

Establish a daily routine. With less things than in a normally full schedule, summer is the perfect time to develop new habits! A daily routine can be something as small as a 5-minute meditation session every morning upon waking. It can also be more elaborate, such as a detailed workout or morning routine. Just make it daily!

Build resilience through rest and nutrition. With greater resilience, you’ll have greater adaptability to life’s challenges. Having a good night’s sleep and eating healthy food have been proven to help with your mood. What does that look like for you? Explore that over the summer.

Do you feel like you can’t go it alone? I’m here to help!

The post It’s Summer… Again! appeared first on Barbara Lipscomb Coaching.