Snowed in

Hello there. We've had a record month of snow around these parts, which paradoxically does not make me more productive, but rather makes me want to sit on the couch wrapped in a blanket, sipping tea and doing nothing.

I have a few new posts up despite all of that...some from last month that I'm just getting around to linking here:

Diet, Depression, and the Microbiome

(I've started to use Grace Liu's fiber protocol just as a little self-experiment, btw).

I've FINALLY written something about how exercise affects the brain (it's very positive except when you hit your head with the bar, which I have done more than once in CrossFit), over at the whole9 blog:

Does Exercise Help the Brain?

And last but not least, there is a brand spanking new post at Psychology Today about lifestyle factors and depression based on that wonderful article from BMC Psychiatry:

Lifestyle Interventions for Depression 

Some are obvious, some not so much...like keep those gums healthy!

Look for a new post at the 9 blog soon and I have some other folks requesting blog posts too...I'll get to them when the snow melts, maybe ;-)

In the mean time, just got the brand new book from Diana Rodgers delivered last night, literally on a pile of snow, and I've very excited to try the recipes and projects. Around my house we would need to stand guard with weaponry to keep the animals from eating our garden, but herbs grow very well in the sun room, and maybe we could keep the back porch safe for some pots of garlic and some tomatoes...here's the book trailer for her amazing work full of recipes, home projects, and how to grow your own food at home:

And one final little snippet...I find the following song/music video amazing. It is a dance with a 12 year old girl (the fantastic Maddie Ziegler from Chandelier) and a full grown man (yeah, Shia LaBeouf) in a cage representing two aspects of one person battling mental illness. It's creepy and artistic and powerful, but some may find it too creepy, so fair warning.

Sia: Elastic Heart