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I Think I Have OCD.

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m so OCD!” or maybe “You’re so OCD!”? The term “OCD” is often thrown around in social circles when someone is extremely tidy or a perfectionist. But, the reality is OCD can manifest itself through a variety of ways. OCD is a disorder that is not limited to handwashing or having items on a desk in a straight line. Often, OCD first presents itself through mental obsessions that impact one’s behavior.

One presentation of mental obsessions is fear of harming another person. Specifically – murder, molestation, sexual assault, hit and run in a car or ignoring hazards that might ultimately hurt someone. The following examples outline the mental obsession (the fear) and the behavioral response that might follow for someone who has OCD:

  • Do I want to stab and kill my roommate?
    • A person with OCD may avoid holding a knife in the kitchen when around the roommate.
  • Am I a child molester?
    • A person with OCD might avoid being around kids.
  • Did I just run over somebody while driving?
    • A person with OCD might circle a block several times to check if someone has been run over.
  • Will I sexually assault a woman in a crowded area?
    • A person with OCD might avoid walking close to other pedestrians.
  • Did I not pick up dangerous trash on the ground that a child could choke on?
    • A person with OCD might compulsively check the ground and pick up small pieces of trash.

A person who truly has OCD is one of the least likely persons to harm another. Yet, they obsess frequently and sometimes incessantly over whether they can know for sure that they won’t ever do a certain harmful behavior.

Signs someone may be suffering from OCD:

  1. Increased worry. Specifically related to the above mental obsessions.
  2. Seeking reassurance. This can include compulsive checking that they didn’t follow through with the above feared behaviors.
  3. Is your loved one pulling away displaying quiet seemingly intense thinking?

The good news? There are therapeutic solutions for healing from OCD. Someone with OCD suffering from these fears is not going crazy. A form of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) has proven to be an effective treatment to reduce these fears and compulsive behaviors in individuals. At Restoration we have counselors that can use this treatment method for OCD. For more information on OCD you can visit the International OCD Foundation at https://iocdf.org/

Mindfulness

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally living with awareness in the present moment without judging, rejecting or attaching to that moment. In short, it is the art of continually being present in the present. It increases a person’s ability to let go of ruminating over the past or fixating on the future. Mindfulness has been found to reduce stress in the workplace, assist connection in relationships and increase self-control in individuals.

As individuals move from childhood to adulthood, they gain the ability to experience more than one emotion at a time, but they do not always gain the ability to recognize and regulate those emotions. Mindfulness addresses this problem by helping individuals become aware of their emotions, accept them and then respond to them effectively.

Mindfulness starts as only a one-minute, routine practice done alone three times a day until it becomes a continual part of a person’s everyday life situations and conversations. During this one-minute routine, the person learns the essentials of mindfulness. They are given something constant to focus on, their own deep breathing, and something spontaneous to become aware of, their own thoughts, feelings or body sensations that come into their mind at that moment. The goal is to develop the mind’s ability to move its focus back and forth between these two. The person is assisted in the process by learning skills such as observe, describe and participate. Using these skills is made easier by the use of even more skills such as letting go of judgments, staying in the moment and being effective.

Being effective is another major goal of mindfulness. Effectiveness means asking what will work in a situation within my value system rather than thinking only about what is right or wrong regardless of the situation. Fixating solely on right or wrong blinds us to what we are thinking, feeling and sensing. Letting go of judgments allows the brain to see this relevant information and form new solutions. As the person employs these new solutions in their life and observes how they work, they are able to fine tune their effectiveness.

Over time, mindfulness results in not only greater effectiveness, but also greater regulation of emotion, higher self-esteem and an awareness that a person is more than their thoughts, feelings or actions. They are a mysterious, valuable human being capable of living life with joy, freedom and meaning. They truly can have a life worth living.

Instilling Empathy in Our Children

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

Take a moment and think about a shift in your life. What transpired within that context to help you change the trajectory in which you were headed? Was it when someone blasted you with a lecture and reminders of ways you’ve fallen short? Was it when someone confronted you on your inward motives? If I were to guess, I bet it was a time where you felt genuinely cared for and out of that care you were able to hear the truth of their concern.

When it comes down to it, we want to feel understood and met before anyone tries to fix our situation or hurts. There is value in being heard and there’s value in being still and enduring someone’s grief, fear or even joy. If we as adults can relate to the need of feeling heard, how much more do our children share that same innate need?

What we are referring to is empathy. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. A friendly way to think of empathy is putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes.

Empathy indeed is a characteristic that is advantageous to possess. So how do we go about teaching our kids to see a situation from someone else’s perspective? First and foremost, our children learn empathy within the context of relationship. It is not something they can learn in a book, but rather it is through our interactions as we parent. Here are two ways in which we can model empathy to our children.

1. Caring, nonverbal communication.
When your child’s feelings are big, get down on their level, hold their hands gently and make eye contact. There is great power in your presence and the ability to sit close as your child emotes. It is the first step in helping your child feel heard.
2. Validate your child’s perspective
A helpful tool in validating is stating the feeling behind the content their sharing. For example, your child may approach you angrily and say, “I can’t do my math homework! It’s too hard and confusing. I never get it right, so why even try!” A validating response could be, “It sounds like the homework is really difficult… and it’s frustrating to even think about where to begin.” When we meet our child in their emotion they feel understood and as a result, become disarmed.

Now, we as parents won’t get it right every time. There will be tantrums and rants that only escalate ours and our child’s emotions. In fact, there are two common hindrances that can get in the way of us showing empathy. First, we assume that our child has the ability to think and reason similarly to us. The truth is that our child’s brain is ever developing and doesn’t reach full maturation until around the age of 25. Dr. Barbara Sorrels, a child development expert, reflects upon developmental research from Berkley and states, “that when scientists measure the brain waves of preschoolers, their brain activity looks like that of an adult on a psychedelic drug!” No wonder we struggle with our child’s waves of emotion and lack of reason at times. Their tantrums/meltdowns are the effects of a brain still forming and maturing. Even if their emotions don’t make sense to us, they are very real to our children. Let’s meet our children where they are and use those emotionally laden moments to connect and understand their perspective.

A second hindrance to parents showing their child empathy is the assumption that empathy does not lead to reasonable or logical conclusions. As parents, we want our child to see things rationally and out of this desire we can ignore their feelings entirely. When we choose to ignore, their feelings only escalate. However, showing empathy does not necessarily mean that we agree with our child’s perspective or believe that it’s completely rational. Rather, we first validate their feelings and seek understanding even if we don’t agree. After we connect through validating, then we proceed to speak logically. Take the time to brainstorm solutions to their problem together and watch their reason become activated and their emotions dissipate.

One of the most influential gifts we can give our children is deep, loving care. When a child genuinely feels understood, belief and empowerment develop within our children. Choosing to demonstrate empathy is as if we have a megaphone into their life shouting, “I see you! I hear you! And I’m here for you! Now, go and do amazing things!”

Other interactive ways to teach empathy:

1. Build an emotional vocabulary by playing a feeling game together. Take paper and together write out various feeling words. Cut the words into strips and place the words in a bowl. Choose a feeling word from the bowl and take turns acting or drawing the emotion for the other person to guess.
2. Provide a need for someone around you. Who in your circle may be going through something hard? Sickness, life transitions, a death of a loved one? Include your child and brainstorm ways in which you can meet their needs. Are you planning on bringing a meal to a friend? Let your child write a note to go with it. Watch and see them take ownership and begin to consider the needs of others before their own.
3. Read children’s books on empathy together. The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld is an excellent place to begin.

5 Ways to Connect with Your Kids During the School Year

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

School is officially underway, and each year can bring big adjustments for parents and children alike. As a parent myself, gearing up for the school year can be overwhelming. From school supply shopping to scheduling haircuts the last minute “to do’s” can seem endless. When our children transition to a new school year it’s easy to place emphasis on how they look on the outside over who they are on the inside. What would happen if we shifted our focus from the external to the internal health of our children and our relationship with them? What if instead of placing the latest school “must have item” as a priority, our new “to-do” list entailed of ways to communicate encouragement, belief and love to our children?

Because more than having all the new things, what they really want is you. To be encouraged and poured into by you. You are the strongest, most important voice in their life. So enter in and speak. Speak love and tell them, show them, relate to them and ultimately connect with your kids this school year.

1. Say yes.

Picture it with me: After rushing from work to pick your kids up from school, waiting in two different pick-up lines, dragging all of the bags, folders, precious arts and crafts projects inside the door of your home you hear, “Hey, mom. Can I….” I don’t know about you, but in the heat of the moment it doesn’t matter what comes out of their mouths…I’ve already determined my response is, “No!” Can anyone relate?

Please don’t mishear me, there are times our response should be no, and yet I find that all too often I’m saying “no” only out of a selfish motive. Here, the challenge is to pick an afternoon where you plan to say “yes” and observe how it impacts your relationship with your child. Say “yes” to letting them get out the messy art materials, “yes” to letting them paint your nails, “yes” to letting them measure out the flour to make cookies.

The value in saying “yes” often leads to memory-making opportunities. So, say “yes” and watch their joy as they lead you in play.

2. Sit close.

Sometimes, especially after school, I feel the urgency to want to connect with my child and before I know it the unintentional berating of questions begin… “How was school today? What about recess? Did you like your treat I packed for you in your lunch or how about that really sweet note I left you?” After I ask these questions and get a few brief replies, I often feel unsatisfied. As in, that wasn’t quite the connection or response I was looking for.

Another tactic is once you’re settled at home and everyone is onto the next thing, sit near your child and unlike my previous example, resist the urge for all the questions. Proximity alone sends a message of, “I enjoy you enough just to be near you” and you’ll be surprised at what conversations/insight into their day come about just because you’re right there next to them.

3. Make the most of mornings and bedtime.

Since school takes up the majority of the day, we have the opportunity to make mornings and nighttime memorable. This doesn’t necessarily entail a fancy breakfast or drawing a bubble bath for your kids. In fact, connecting with your children during these times can be quite simple. Greeting them in the morning with a big hug and a cheerful, “Good morning sweetheart!” and leaving them at night with a kiss on the forehead and the words, “I’m so glad you’re my girl or boy” can fill their love tank.

However you choose to greet and say goodnight, making a routine with physical touch and an encouraging words helps your child begin and end each day with the assurance that they are seen as precious and valuable by you.

4. Leave room for spontaneity.

Today in our society it is easy to see families buzzing about from activity to activity. One of the easiest ways to help grow your relationship with your children is to limit the after school activities. Don’t get me wrong, the sports and clubs can be meaningful, but having a commitment every night of the week stifles relationships.

Let’s fight the “to-do’s” together and surprise our children with a zoo trip or ice cream after school. Or better yet, let them take turns choosing an activity of their choice. Prioritizing spontaneous activities with our children communicates that spending time with you is one of the most important ways I can spend my time.

5. Be mindful.

This point may be the most important strategy of all. It is impossible for our relationship to grow with our children if we are not being present with them. While practicing the strategies above, turn off the distractions and choose to be in the moment. Sit back and take your child in. Notice the way their hair falls across their face, the way their smile brings about the cutest dimples, listen to the deepness of their laugh and simply enjoy. Delight in who they are and the intricate ways God has made them.

As we prepare for school, let’s place our attention on more than our child’s outward appearance. Let’s commit to routine connections so they can be reminded of how amazing they are and how deep our love is for them.

3 Tips to Minimize Holiday Stress

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

Crisp air, changing leaves, and seasonal decor is popping up all around. Somehow, the holidays are already upon us. For many, this is a season filled with joy and happy memories with those you love. A time that you look forward to all year. For others, the holidays are not something you get excited about, instead, you may even feel a sense of dread as they approach. Each year around this time you just can’t wait for them to be over with. Even for the population that genuinely enjoys the holidays, there is still a slight elevation in your stress level. If you’re like me, you may experience a tension of both excitement and stress as you anticipate this holiday season. The great news is that we can minimize our feelings of stress and anxiety by implementing some basic and practical skills:

  1. Establish Expectations

Determine ahead of time what the schedule for the holidays will look like. Are you gathering with family? If so, what days and times? Where are you gathering? What are you expected to bring? Answering all of these questions may require you to assert yourself and start the conversation. I recommend starting a group email thread to begin the dialogue and to ensure that everyone involved is on the same page well in advance.

  1. Cope Ahead

Imagine anything that could trigger an adverse reaction out of you. Maybe it’s a relative who gets on your nerves, tension between people close to you, a change in plans that throws you off. If you can anticipate the challenging situation ahead of time and practice coping well with it, you will be equipped to respond effectively in the moment if what you fear actually happens. Have an exit strategy in the event that you need to step away in order to get regulated. Step into the bathroom, walk outside or go for a drive. Take deep steady breathes, slowing it down to a 5 second inhale and 7 second exhale to calm your emotions and urges. Again, by practicing ahead of time, you will be prepared to effectively engage with others during the festivities.

  1. Avoid Avoiding

This time of year is inevitable. The holidays happen around the same time every year without fail. Whether we like it or not, this is a fact. When you move towards acceptance that the holidays are coming and there is no way to escape them, you will be more effective in dealing with them. Signs that you may be refusing to accept your reality can include thoughts such as “this isn’t fair”, “it shouldn’t be this way”, “how could this happen to me?”. Unfortunately, by refusing to accept your reality, you stay stuck in unhappiness, bitterness, anger, sadness, shame, or other painful emotions. When you choose to radically accept your reality for what it is, there is a deep calmness that usually follows.

Regardless of how you feel about this holiday season, I encourage you to be mindful of opportunities to establish expectations, cope ahead, and avoid avoiding. Hopefully, this will allow you to be present and accepting of whatever this time of year brings. May you have a meaningful and blessed holiday season!

5 Questions to Ask when Looking for a Therapist

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

The first step to change is admitting you need help, but unfortunately we can’t blink 3 times and have a therapist appear! Finding the perfect fit can be daunting, so here are 5 questions to keep in mind when finding the right person.

  1. “Who do my trusted friends, family or church leaders recommend?”

While favorite restaurants or new movies may be popular topics of conversation, not everyone will freely discuss their counselor recommendations. You may have to find the perfect time, and ask in a way that offers both you and them confidentiality. You don’t have to ask their personal experiences, or even disclose your own! You may want to throw out a discreet question such as, “do you know of a local therapist that works with children/addiction/marriages/etc.”

  1. “What kind of online presence can I find?”

Many practices have a website, Facebook page, or Instagram account to look up. If not, you can sometimes see reviews in local community groups. In our hometown of Fort Worth, TX, we have the ability to use the “search” bar in various neighborhood groups to type in, “therapist,” “counselor,” “counseling,” or “Licensed Professional Counselor”. You can also ask the question yourself and perhaps find a useful lead! An open-ended non-assuming question could be, “Does anyone in this group know of a great therapist in the area?” You don’t have to go into your personal story, or even announce that it’s for you!

  1. “So I found a few names, but how do I know if they’re a good fit for me?”

Here’s where the phone calls come in. Grab a pen, paper, calendar, and set aside about 1 hour to follow up on leads. Don’t wait until you’re free…it most likely won’t happen!  You are busy and most likely already juggling too much, but remember: You’ve already decided to make a change. This is the first step. Find a comfortable seat, brew a cup of tea, shut the door to your room or office and start dialing. If calling a larger practice, they most likely have a receptionist. For a single private practice, the counselor might return their own calls in the evenings or schedule an “administration hour.” Make sure to add their number to your “contacts” so you won’t miss their return call!

You can ask a few questions over the phone, and get a “feel” for the counselor or practice group. Here are a few questions. Take notes, because they may use terminology you can search later! (Example, he is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy)

  • What are the counselor’s credentials and treatment modes?
  • Do you have a website where I can find more information about your practice?
  • What are the counselor’s areas of expertise and experience?
  • If there are multiple counselors in the practice, could you match me with one based on my specific situation?
  • What are the counselor’s available times?

At our practice, Restoration Counseling, we offer appointments with an Intake Specialist if more specific care is needed than a quick phone call! The specialist can hear more about your case and schedule you with the right therapist.

  1. “What does all this mean?”

Research your notes.  Look up those terms that may sound like gobblygook, and spend time deciding how they resonate with your own worldviews and philosophies.

  1. “Will you please tell me your available time slots?”

Make an appointment Set a goal and do it. “I will have an appointment written on my calendar with a counselor by the end of this week.” Some may have a wait-list, so have a plan of action of ways to stay committed to healing during the delay. Join a free recovery group (Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, etc.). Open up to a trusted spiritual leader (pastor, deacon, etc.). Meet friends for coffee or spend time journaling.

Honestly, if you’ve made it through and taken the time to answer these questions, you deserve confetti falling from the sky and a standing ovation! While these unfortunately don’t typically occur, we hope you find the pay-off in restored self, relationships, and abundant growth along the way.

Room to Breathe

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

My grandmother knew she was nearing the conclusion of her story. There was no closet, drawer, or Tupperware dish left unattended. She labeled lamps, saucers & “treasures” with various grandkids names. What used to be a storage closet now became a functioning tomb of relabeled boxes and files. From the looks of the curb on trash day, she must have bought stock in a trash bag company.

Yes, grandma was “decluttering” or to use the Swedish term dostadning; which is translated death clean. I’m not suggesting a morbid preparation of your possessions; however, there is something valuable in decluttering your life and getting rid of waste.

Marie Kondo’s Netflix show, Tidying Up, has highlighted the benefit and process of making room for life by removing the “stuff” that distracts and takes up space. Removing things and perhaps people that don’t enhance or enrich your life may be a great start to an organized life. When we remove unused, unwanted, unnecessary items, we make room to breathe, think and act with greater clarity and purpose. Here are three ways to start your journey to declutter your home.

  1. Change your Perspective

Remember the saying, “change your perspective, and change your life.” Try naming all the benefits of removing the clutter from your home (i.e. increased space, physical activity, you may even find a lost treasure).

  1. Start with a list

A list will help you to stay focused, and gives a sense of accomplishment when you’re able to mark completed tasks off.

  1. One room at a time

Attempting to declutter your entire space in one setting may be overwhelming and unrealistic. Pick one space, maybe even a small space and make that your project for the day.

I miss grandma and I’m thankful she brought order to the final season of her life. I have memories of her final days where the conversation was less about her mess and more about each other. I guess she really did make room for me.

Reflections on Clinical Depression Impact, Part 1

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

Aaron Beck, the author of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, described clinical depression as someone having consistent negative thoughts about oneself, the world, and the future. Beck referred to these three negative thoughts as the “cognitive triad.”  According to Beck’s theory, a depressed individual will have a poor view of his or herself that leads to universal feelings of unworthiness that results in a consistent feeling of hopelessness about his or her future.  As a result, the clinically depressed person falls into a cycle that perpetually feeds these negative views of self, the world, and the future.  Lacking an ability to mitigate this distress, a depressed individual will fall into a defensive pattern of avoiding anything that might confirm his or her global fears and emotionally react when these perceived threats occur.  It is as if a clinically depressed person wears distorted lenses that alter his or her perceptions; i.e., positive experiences are dismissed, neutral events are catastrophized, and negative situations are personalized.

Recent statistics on how many people struggle with clinical depression is astonishing.  Approximately 20 percent of American women and 12 percent of American men will experience clinical depression in their life.  It is estimated that 16 million people in the United States will experience clinical depression this year, and only half of them will seek professional help. Reading these statistics has me questioning how much clinical depression is costing us as a society.

In 2015, Paul Greenberg calculated that depression costs Americans $210 billon. Greenberg estimated, “For every dollar spent treating depression, an additional $4.70 is spent on direct and indirect costs of related illnesses, and another $1.90 is spent on a combination of reduced workplace productivity and the economic costs associated with suicide directly linked to depression (Scientific America, February 25, 2015).” The above figures suggest clinical depression is widespread and is costing Americans. Restoration has several skilled clinicians who have postgraduate training in treating clinical depression. If you are interested, please call us at Restoration to schedule an appointment.

Science Suggests We Should Unplug and Reconnect

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

Neuroscience has proclaimed humans are wired for relationships. For example, research indicates that cortisol levels, the stress hormone in humans, increases when someone feels lonely. Science indicates the elevation of cortisol from loneliness is similar to someone who was physically assaulted. On the other hand, the body releases oxytocin, which is often referred to as the “love hormone”, when someone feels connected to others. For example, oxytocin is secreted through the mammalian glands of a mother when she breast-feeds her child; it is released when a father wrestles with his child or when friends warmly greet each other. These examples illustrate how oxytocin is involved in several positive human experiences, such as empathy, trust, and relationship building. In addition, research is consistently supporting the benefits oxytocin has on depression, anxiety, and intestinal problems.

 

Unfortunately, social research indicates people are feeling less connected than ever before. Data suggests people are feeling more isolated, experiencing more stress in their life, and mental illness (i.e., depression, anxiety, etc.) is skyrocketing. Oddly, we are more technically connected than previous generations. Families eat dinner while watching television, friends talk to others on their smartphones when walking to their classes, kids play on the Internet with friends who are on the other side of the county, and parents make a post about their “utopic” family life on social media.

 

This blog is not intended to suggest that modern advances in technology are ruining the mental health of America. It is the over-reliance on technology that distracts people from having close connections with family and friends. Here are three tips on simple ways you can unplug and reconnect with those around you. This fall make it a point to: turn off the television when eating dinner with your family; turn your smartphone on silent when walking with a friend; play cards with friends; or instead of retreating to your bedroom to watch YouTube on your iPad meet a friend for coffee. Use technology to physically connect with friends and family – Your connections may be more enjoyable with a little Oxytocin.

Treats not Sweets

Posted on by Restoration Counseling

The holidays are upon us.  That means cooler weather and tasty sweets.  I associate Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even Valentines Day with lots of tasty, sweet foods, like pecan pie, fudge, sugar cookies, and M&M’s.  Except for the effects this has on my waistline, I love this time of year.

Recently, I Google searched “sugar” on the Internet.   Dozens of articles on the addictive qualities of sugar popped up on my screen.   That is a scary thought – sugar, a household staple, is associated with cocaine and methamphetamine.  Neuroscience has revealed that sugar activates the brain’s reward center similarly to illegal drugs.  They both stimulate the nucleus accumbens and release dopamine (i.e. neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure) into the brain’s mesolimbic pathway.  The stimulation of the mesolimbic pathway motivates the body to unconsciously seek out more pleasurable experiences or substances, including sweets.

In addition to neuroscience, Nutritional psychology (an emerging study that examines how nutrition impacts psychological well-being) provides another explanation for why we crave sugars.  In general, the body separates foods into three categories: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.  Carbohydrates are our body’s primary source of energy.  Carbohydrates are separated into two groups: complex carbs and simple carbs.  Complex carbs are made up of fiber, starch, and sugar; whereas, simple carbs are only made up of sugar.

As a whole, the Standard American Diet (SAD) consumes too many simple carbs (e.g., cereals, fast foods, and sweet snacks).  Simple carbs spike the body’s blood sugar levels.  When the body’s blood sugar is elevated, the pancreas releases insulin, which moves the sugars out of the blood and into the cells (i.e., stores energy and becomes fat).  The body tends to overcorrect itself when it consumes sugary food.  The overcorrection results in a drastic dip in the body’s blood sugar levels, which leaves us feeling lethargic and edgy.  At this point, two things can happen to increase energy levels: 1) in an attempt to reenergize itself the body releases cortisol, a stress hormone, and 2) we crave more sugary foods.  This overcorrection results in: mindlessly buying candy from the vending machine, inadvertently ordering French fries in the drive through line, or “accidently” reaching for the crackers in the pantry.  It is easy to see how the body can unconsciously fall into a never-ending cycle that seeks tasty sweets and adds inches to our waistline.

There are several ways to stop craving sugar:

1) One option is to eat complex carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables.  Unlike the sugars that are found in drinks, candy, and bread, the sugars that are found in fruits and vegetables have more nutritional value.  Fruits and vegetables are filled with fiber, which actually slows down the stimulating process of sugars in the body.  Berries are my personal favorite snack.  They have less sugar, are filled with fiber, and have a ton of antioxidants, i.e., rid the body of free radicals that speed up the aging process and have been linked to cancers.  When my kids were small they were allowed to eat from the fruit drawer whenever they wanted a snack, they did not have to ask for permission.

2) Fats and proteins are filing.  Reduce your pasta and bread consumption by allowing meats and vegetables to be your primary meal.  Additionally, a handful of walnuts or almonds are a great snack.  The fats and proteins that are found in nuts are filling and have a ton of nutritional value.

3) We often reach for sugary foods when we are tired in hopes of increasing our energy levels.  A healthy alternative to using sweets to keep you awake is to get plenty of sleep at night.  Sleeping a full 8 hours a night has been found to be a helpful weight loss strategy.

4) Speaking of weight loss, exercise has been found to help increase energy levels and regulate the caloric process.  With your doctor’s okay, exercise for at least thirty minutes 3-5 times/week.

5) Most Americans do not drink enough water.  Dehydration can lead to a sweet tooth.  Instead of drinking sugary drinks try drinking water when you are thirsty. Plus, you are less likely to eat a big slice of pecan pie if you drink 32 ounces of water.

This holiday season put down the “addictive” sweets and treat yourself to a healthy alternative: eat fruit or veggie snacks, snack on nuts when you have a craving, strive to obtain 8 hours of sleep a night, engage in routine exercise, and drink plenty of water.  These five treats can help you feel better.