Mood Check

See where you fit on the continuum from happy and content to blue, all the way down to clinically depressed. (No one but you will be looking at the answers, so be honest!) Give yourself one point for each "yes" answer.Do you feel downhearted, blue, and sad?

1. Do you feel worse in the morning? Do you have crying spells or often feel like crying?
2. Do you have trouble falling asleep or sleeping through the night?
3. Is your appetite poor, or are you losing weight without trying?
4. Are you overeating and/or gaining weight?
5. Do you feel unattractive and unlovable?
6. Do you prefer to be alone?
7. Do you feel fearful?
8. Are you often tired and irritable?
9. Is it an effort to do the things you used to do with ease?
10. Do you feel hopeless about the future?
11. Do you find it difficult to make decisions?
12. Do you feel less enjoyment from activities that once gave you pleasure?

Scoring:

1-5: You are normal, usually able to roll with the punches.

6-10: You have a mild to moderate case of the blues. Read on to see how this can happen, and then, to the solutions.

11-14: You are moderately to markedly depressed. Consider seeking professional help.

If you were in the depressed range, you should start by consulting your physician or health practitioner to make sure there is no physical cause for your problems. Then, unless you are fortunate to have someone who does both, consult a psychotherapist and a natural medicine practitioner. A psychotherapist will deal with psychological issues, while a natural medicine practitioner will help to find any underlying chemical imbalance that might be causing the problem.

More on: Feeling Good Naturally

Balancing your life

By following a few simple things, it will help to relieve much stress and depression:


1. SCHEDULE breaks during the day:

2. After working two hours in the morning, take a complete break for 15 minutes. If you lie down put the phone close enough so you can answer it or unplug it.

3. Schedule a lunch break. Sit down and eat, relax, listen to music, visit with the kids. But sit and relax.

4. SET ASIDE 1 hour for yourself. If children are little, they must spend that hour napping or playing quietly in their room. This is not a punishment -- they need a break too. And they will gain a much more balanced mother.
DURING THIS HOUR choose what you want to do most that day:
a. nap
b. paint fingernails
c. good facial
d. learn to fly a plane
e. take painting lessons
f. practice a musical instrument
g. long soak in a bubble bath
h. read -- trivial or profound -- just what you want
i. play a game
j. dream it and do it, etc.

The main thing to remember about this hour is that you can do anything, but be certain it is what you WANT to do not what you MUST do.

Contributed by: Marie in Tampa

Some Safe Home-made Cleaners

Why use homemade cleaners? When you use your own homemade cleaners, you are being kind on the environment, and not exposing yourself or family to any unknown, hazardous chemicals.
Homemade cleaners are also cheaper to use! Moreover its fun to experiment new things once in a while. Here are some good recipes for creating your own.

Basic Laundry Detergent 1 cup soap flakes 1/2 cup washing soda 1/2 Borax
Liquid Laundry Detergent 1 cup of the above mixes 2 Tbl glycerin 2 cups warm water

For the detergent recipes, mix all ingredients and store. To use measure 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the mix and add to the laundry. Launder as usual. Each of these recipes yields approx. 12 oz. Note: you can buy glycerin at many pharmacy's or health food stores Homemade Pre-treating Stain Remover 1/2 cup ammonia 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup baking soda 2 tbl. liquid soap 2 qts. water Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray the liquid onto the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Launder as usual. Fabric Softener 1/4 cup baking soda 1/2 cup white vinegar Fill washing machine or basin with water. Add the baking soda, stir it around to dissolve, then add the clothes. After rinsing the clothes, make a final rinse and add the vinegar to it. Another way to soften clothes is to add 1/2 cup baking soda to the wash water, or use 1 part soap flakes and 1 part borax in the wash water before you add the clothes.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner 1 cup borax 1/2 white vinegar Flush the toilet to wet the sides. Sprinkle the borax all along the sides of the inside of the bowl. Drizzle the vinegar over the borax and leave over night. Next day, scrub with a toilet brush and flush. All-Purpose Cleaner and Disinfectant 1 tsp. borax 1/2 Tsp. washing soda 2 Tbl. lemon juice In a spray bottle that will hold at least a pint, combine the ingredients. Add 1 cup very hot water and shake well, mixing and dissolving the dry ingredients. To use, simply spray and wipe. This can be stored indefinitely. Window cleaner 2 tbl. vinegar or lemon juice 1 qt. water Combine the ingredients and put them in a spray bottle. Use like any window cleaner. Tip: Use newspaper to dry your windows. It's cheaper than paper towels and it leaves windows shiny and streak free. Also, coffee filters work well! Dishwasher Rinse 1- 1 1/2 white vinegar added to the rinse compartment of your dishwasher. Don't overfill. Add before washing. Dishwashing Liquid This inexpensive soap does not suds up very much, but it cleans so well. Use with hot water. Do not use in an automatic dishwasher. 1/4 cup soap flakes 2 cups hot water 1/4 cup glycerin 1/2 tsp. lemon essential oil In bowl combine soap flakes and water and stir until the soap is dissolved. Cool in lukewarm water. Stir in the glycerin and the essential oil, leave to cool. As it cools it will form a loose gel. Stir with a fork and break up the gel and then pour into a narrow-necked bottle. An old shampoo bottle makes an excellent container. To use, squirt 3 tsp. into hot running water.

Oven Cleaner 1 box baking soda (16 oz.) 1/4 cup washing soda In a container mix the ingredients well. Wet the floor and walls of the oven using a rag or paper towels. Generously sprinkle the walls and floor with the mixture. Source