Coming home to your 5 senses.
What do your 5 senses have to do with recovery?

When we FEEL the softness of a kitten's fur; when we SMELL the scent of the ocean; when we SEE the awe inspiring views of nature; when we HEAR resonant music, and when we taste the deliciousness of a favorite flavor, we are connected to ourselves. We have a sense of Being. Of experiencing. Of our 'self-ness'. A way of expressing who we are and what we are experiencing is through whatever creative means inspires us. Children, in all their disinhibited and spontaneous wonder, do this all of the time. They let the world know them: "Ta Dah, World!" they in essence exclaim as they splash through the water without worry about their body size or shape or of what peers will think. Their voice is expressed in their playful relationship with their body and environment. This is the birthright of us all. To learn more, please contact Dr. Daniels at 781-575-0390.

YOGA, a 5,000 year old practice, is a profound methodolgy to access recovery. There are many different levels on which yoga provides this access. For example, the main purpose of yoga, according to ancient yoga texts, is to quiet the chatter of the mind. One of the most insidious and ubiquitous symptoms of eating disorders is the ongoing internal dialogue filled with self criticism, self hate, and other punitive messages. Other than to take an anti psychotic medication, very few options exist to provide individuals to quiet the noise and find space to be quiet internally. Further, yoga is an 'inside out' practice. That is, yoga gives us tools to learn how to live more comfortably inside our bodies. This is extremely useful in a culture that tends to promote 'outside in' approaches and values image over quality. To learn more, please contact Dr Daniels.

Eating for Fun and Health
Dieting can be hazardous to your psychological and physical health.

Have you read the "Listen to your Body" campaign? It goes like this:
"EAT WHAT YOU WANT--when you are truly hungry. Stop when you are full. And eat exactly what appeals to you. Do this instead of any diet, and you are unlikely to ever have a weight problem, let alone an eating disorder. " The campaign is all about listening to your body and being aware of your internal dialogue. My approach to helping individuals improve their relationship with food and their body is based on these ideas.

For starters, consider the following paradox: At least one half of Americans are overweight, and rates of obesity continue to climb among men and women in this culture. In fact, overweight and obesity are at an all time high in America. This is occurring at the same time as unprecedented high rates of dieting. Further, the prevalence of eating disorders continues to climb.

If so many people are overweight, shouldn't they diet?
No! Dieting often ends up increasing one's waistline due to the tendency for the body--and mind--to compensate for restriction by overeating. How long each of us can "white knuckle" it varies. In every case, though, the body's needs eventually prevail. In addition, taken too far, dieting can lead to an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. In fact, dieting is one of the major risk factors for the development of an eating disorder. It is also a common cause of feelings of failure, disappointment, and inadequacy reported by individuals. In addition, dieting is often associated with metabolic changes that can make weight loss or its maintenance more difficult. Further, common psychological effects of dieting can include irritability, depression, poor body image, fatigue, impaired concentration and memory, and worsening self-image.

It is ironic that Americans spend more than $33 billion dollars annually on weight loss products. The weight loss industry has the highest rate of consumer dissatisfaction of any industry, yet its profits continue to skyrocket.

Are you condoning obesity, Dr. Daniels?
Absolutely not. With obesity comes increased health risks. However, dieting is typically an unsuccessful attempt to solve the problem. Research has shown that significant health benefits are associated with losing 10% of one's weight. This is called "reasonable weight loss" and is best achieved through lifestyle changes.

If not by dieting, how do you suggest one approach weight loss?
The optimal psychological approach to weight loss appears to be to increase mindful eating and gradually increase activity (aka exercise). Selecting activities that one enjoys is crucial. Walking in one's neighborhood is an example of how my formerly sedentary, overweight patients begin to realistically incorporate activity changes into their life. "Successful losers" (people who lose weight and keep it off at least one year) have learned to make slow and steady changes in their relationship with food, and to incorporate many lifestyle changes, such as parking their car a greater distance from the store or taking the stairs instead of the escalator. Conceptualizing one's evolving relationship with food, weight, and exercise as a lifestyle change, rather than as part of a diet, has numerous advantages that go well beyond semantics.

My patients have also benefited from the application of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to their weight and body image struggles. CBT is a systematic approach to learning how to become more aware of one's internal dialogue, evaluate its validity, and make it more adaptive. (For more information about CBT, please read the article on the next page.)

Consider speaking with a nutritionist (e.g. Lori Lieberman at 781-335-7559) or a psychologist for more information on incorporating mindfulness and enjoyable activities into lifestyle changes to promote well-being.