Marla Ahlgrimm: DASH Your Way To Better Health

Diets are hard, which is a fact of life known to just about all women. But, according to Marla Ahlgrimm, diets are not the way to lose weight or take control of your health. Instead, she recommends eating according to a heart-healthy plan, which is much easier to handle than a restrictive diet. 

 

One eating plan to follow is known as the DASH diet. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, it is extremely flexible and simply requires followers to meet daily and weekly goals for their nutrition. Loose rules of the dash eating plan include: 

Marla Ahlgrimm Shares Thoughts On Sadness In The Winter Months

How does sunshine affect your mood? According to retired healthcare professional Marla Ahlgrimm, the sun, or lack thereof, can have a significant impact on your overall mood throughout the long winter. 

 

If you have ever noticed that you feel fatigued, cranky, and generally down from November through late February, you may be suffering from a mild form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). According to Marla Ahlgrimm, SAD is a type of depression that is triggered by the time change of the winter months. As the sun begins to set - sometimes as early as 4 PM - we have less daylight. Less daylight means less energy. Why? 

 

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that the summer sun means more exposure to sunlight. This leads your brain to producing more serotonin. This hormone, which is closely intertwined with our moods, dips when it is darker for longer. This can leave us feeling like a shell of ourselves and longing for spring. 

 

Symptoms of SAD include pulling away from friends and family, uncontrolled fatigue, increased hunger, and extreme anxiety. Marla Ahlgrimm says that only about 2% of the population experiences true seasonal affective disorder, but the vast majority of us are affected in some way by longer nights and shorter days.