Renewing Spirit: An Anxiety & Wellness Practice, LLC

02/07/2024

After 3 months of hard work - I just launched my new website! I’d love to know what you think :)

Christi Cabrera, Ph.D., ABPP is a therapist who helps working women struggling with anxiety and depression to stop overthinking, reboot their social life, and start enjoying life again.

04/16/2018

Hello! I am reading the latest issue of "Scientific American Mind: Behavior and Brain Science." There is a very interesting article called, "In Search of the Optimal Brain Diet" by Bret Stetka. I plan to post some of the article's content for the next few months, so stay tuned. Today's, excerpt focuses on the findings of a randomized control clinical trial on the impact of diet on depression that was published in BMC Medicine. According to the article, the "SMILES" trial found that 12 weeks of eating a Mediterranean-like diet (which includes nuts, fish, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, limited sugar/processed foods, & moderate amounts of lean meats) was associated with improved depression scores. It's amazing what a healthy diet can do for your mood!!

01/29/2018

American Heart Associations's 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge:

Day 21: "Take 2 minutes to reflect and write about how you feel after having participated in this challenge. Then, keep the ‘tude going all year long - and keep sharing on social."
Day 20: "During your next meal, try to put your fork down between each bite and really enjoy the flavors, rather than wolfing it down."
Day 18: "Pause before your next meal to sit in gratitude. Notice how yummy it looks and smells, and feel grateful to the person who prepared it (especially if it was you!)."
Day 17: "Write down what you’ve eaten today and be grateful for every item without judging any of it as “good” or “bad.”"

01/25/2018

American Heart Association's 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge:
Day 16: "Take a moment to invite someone you’re thankful for to dinner."
Day 15: "Next time life doesn’t go your way, try to think of something about the situation that you can be grateful for."
Day 14: "Schedule some time to volunteer in your community. "
Day 13: "Tag someone and tell them why you’re grateful for them in the comments."
Day 12: "Offer a hug to someone you’re grateful for. Make it a genuine two-armer!"

01/19/2018

American Heart Association's 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge:

Day 11: "Write a note of appreciation to someone you care for. Want to take it online? Post it on social with the hashtag so [AHA] can see how you’re showing gratitude!"

01/18/2018

American Heart Association 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge:

Day 9: "Reach out to someone who could use some extra appreciation."

Day 10: "Think of someone who makes your day better and invite them to lunch."

01/16/2018

I missed posting a few days of the Gratitude Challenge --sorry!! I hope you are following the American Heart Association's FaceBook page to stay current, but here are the days that I missed (including today's challenge):

"Day 5: Take 2 minutes to list the awesome things your body can do, and remember them when you’re feeling down.

Day 6: Rename your alarm to a nice message, like “The Universe Has Your Back!”, to help you start the day positively

Day 7: Think of something about your body that you tend to think of as less than perfect. Then, write a little note of appreciation about it.

Day 8: Look for someone to help today without expecting anything in return."

01/11/2018

The American Heart Association's 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge continues (you can follow the challenge on their FB page too)! Here is the post for Day 4:

Day 4: "If something frustrates you today, take a moment to reframe and find something that IS going your way."

My comment: The news can be so negative and trigger feelings of frustration. I reframe by intentionally searching for positive news to remind myself that there ARE positive stories and positive people making a difference in the lives of others!

What about you?

01/10/2018

The American Heart Association's 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge continues (you can follow the challenge on their FB page too)! Here is the post for Day 3:

Day 3: "We're surrounded by things to be thankful for! Noticing the beauty in the world can make your life a lot brighter and your goals more doable. Take a photo of something you find beautiful (bonus points for posting it!)."

01/09/2018

The American Heart Association's 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge continues (you can follow the challenge on their FB page too)! Here is the post for Day 2:

Day 2: "Find 3 positive ways to describe yourself, write them down and put them somewhere you will see them."

My answer: Dedicated, Helpful, and Empathic

What's your answer?

01/08/2018

Let the challenge begin!
The American Heart Association's 21 Days of Gratitude Challenge has started (you can follow the challenge on their FB page too)! Here is the post for Day 1:

Day 1: "Tell us one thing you're REALLY good at? To set yourself up for success, it's important to acknowledge and appreciate your strengths."

My answer: I'm really good at helping people overcome problematic anxiety, particularly Panic Disorder!

How would you answer this question?

01/05/2018

It’s the first Friday in January 2018, and if you read my post from 1/4/2018, then you know that I am implementing my SMART goal for the New Year, which was to post a monthly blog on Face Book on the first Friday of the month by 12pm. Well, here it is…
I am very interested in mental health and physical health, so I enjoy reading the latest research and news from national health organizations, like the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA has recently posted a challenge to EVERYONE to “rethink” the concept of New Year’s Resolutions by focusing on gratitude for 21 days. The rationale is that most people do not maintain resolutions for the year, and this can result in feelings guilt. So, instead of resolutions, the AHA is asking people to engage in actions of gratitude for 21 consecutive days. Showing gratitude has been linked to improved mood and attitude. Given this positive association, the AHA believes that behaviors that show gratitude will not only have a positive impact on you, but also have a positive impact on others!

Starting on January 8, 2018, the AHA will be posting the gratitude action of the day, and I will post it on my page. Consider taking part in this challenge and commenting on your experience! I will do the same!

~ Let’s Reclaim our thoughts, Reduce our anxiety, and Regain the best of life!

01/04/2018

Happy New Year!!

It’s 2018, so let's start off by making SMART mental health and wellness goals! SMART goals are:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-oriented

For example, one of my SMART goals is to blog on Facebook on the 1st Friday of each month by 12pm on a mental health or wellness topic. It is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-oriented.

Many people have New Year’s resolutions related to exercise, diet and budgeting, all of which are good things! But consider devoting some thought to improving your emotional well-being in 2018. Will you learn and use a relaxation strategy daily? Will you make a daily list of prominent thoughts and take notice of how they influence your mood? Will you make an inventory of your nighttime habits before you go to bed and take notice of how they influence your sleep pattern? Will you make a daily inventory of worry triggers and learn ways to manage each of them via professional help or self-help books? Make emotional well-being AND physical well-being a focus this year!
Let’s Reclaim our thoughts, Reduce our anxiety, and Regain the best of life in 2018!

12/11/2017

Greetings!
Please forgive my excessively long absence from FaceBook. Many things have changed for Renewing Spirit, most important of which is my new location. Renewing Spirit is now in Jacksonville, FL! Although my physical location has changed, the value I place on science-based therapy and education have not! With that said, I wanted to post some anxiety management tips for Holiday Anxiety by the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA). The holidays can be a joyous time, but for many people, it can be a time of stress, anxiety and worry. I really like the practical tips that ADAA offer and the links they provide for additional information. I would like to add to their list of 6 tips that the importance of EXERCISE should not be lost during this time of year given its beneficial effects on stress and anxiety.

So, check out their tips at: https://adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/managing-anxiety/managing-holiday-anxieties.

~Happy Holidays!!

11/08/2017

04/21/2017

Many thanks to Michele Moore, Registered Dietitian, for her contributions to the Food & Mental Health Blog. Michele is a local dietitian who is certified in diabetes education and she provides medical nutrition therapy for diabetes, prediabetes, weight management, hyperlipidemia and other medical conditions.

She is accepting new clients and can be reached at 850-2948274 or by email at mmoorerd@comcast.net.

04/21/2017

This week's Food & Mental Health Blog features Michele Moore, a Registered Dietitian!

Depression & Diet.
Often times depression leads to overeating, under eating and/or poor food choices. Can what you eat improve your mood? While diet is not a cure for depression, a healthful diet along with adequate sleep and exercise may help decrease and manage the symptoms. We know that certain nutrients are needed for optimal brain function so it makes sense to make sure we are getting these nutrients in adequate amounts through the foods we eat. Some of the key nutrients are:

Omega 3 fatty acids. A type of fat that is found in fish, especially wild salmon, walnuts, olive and canola oil and flax seed.

Folic Acid. Vitamins A and B are found in citrus, beans and peas, green leafy vegetables, beef and whole wheat bread.

Vitamin B12. Found only in animal foods such as beef and fish. Vegetarians/Vegans should take a supplement.

Vitamin D. The “sunshine vitamin,” are found in sardines, fortified milk and orange juice and salmon.

Phytochemicals and Antioxidants. These are substances found in foods that protect the cells of our body from oxidation and protect against many diseases. Found in plant foods, some of the best examples are citrus, berries, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, greens as well as tea and some spices.

Even though it may be difficult to make healthy food choices when we would prefer high fat or high sugar “comfort foods,” try to make some of these foods readily available and easy to grab. Your body and brain will thank you!

Resources:
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition Care Manual ®. Nutrition Care Manual Web site [by subscription]. http://www.nutritioncaremanual.org/.

Depression and diet. WebMD® Web site. http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20040803/vitamin-d-ease-depression.

Ehrlich SD. Depression. University of Maryland Medical Center Web site. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/depression. Updated August 26, 2013.

Vannice GK. Medical nutrition therapy for psychiatric conditions. In: Mahan LK, Escott-Stump S, Raymond JL. Krause’s Food and the Nutrition Care Process. 13th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:956-969.

04/07/2017

Food and Mental Health

Eating fruits and vegetables may protect against psychological distress. A recent longitudinal study conducted in Australia among 40+ year old men and women found that participants who consumed a medium amount (5 servings a day) of fruits and veggies had lower rates of psychological distress. The study also found that eating a higher amount (>5 servings a day) of fruits and veggies did not offer additional psychological benefit. In addition, the study found that there was a stronger psychological benefit for women compared to men. The authors suggest that fruits and veggies may reduce psychological stress among middle age and older adults, but more research is needed to better understand the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and psychological distress.

Nguyen et al. (2017). Fruit and vegetable consumption and psychological distress: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses on a large Australian sample. BMJ Open, 7(3). http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/3/e014201.info

03/31/2017

Mental Health Minute

Generosity leads to happiness. Experimental research across cultures has found that doing pro-social behaviors (i.e., doing nice things for others) leads to a personal sense of happiness and well-being, and attracts positive attention from others. So, consider donating to a local charitable organization, volunteering at a community organization, or doing something nice for your family/friends! Being generous (for its own sake) will likely increase your happiness over time!
(World Happiness Report, 2017)

03/25/2017

Food & Mental Health
Experimental evidence has found that Lactobacillus, “a probiotic bacteria found in live-culture yogurt,” decreases depression in mice. In the study, the level of Lactobacillus was measured before and after mice were exposed to chronic stress. Results found that a decrease in Lactobacillus was related to an increase in specific metabolites that are associated with depression. The reintroduction of Lactobacillus into mice resulted in improved depressive behavior. Although not tested in humans, researchers suspect Lactobacillus may positively influence mood.

Martin et. al ( 2017). Microbiota alteration is associated with the development of stress-induced despair behavior., Scientific Reports,7, Article number: 43859. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep43859.