Argiope Aurantia--otherwise known as the yellow garden spider

A few weeks ago, I posted some random pictures. I've been trying to take various photos during the week of things I see. Most are animals, nature, and landscapes since I live in the country, but it's really just whatever pleases me at the time. Photographing on a weekly basis helps remind me that there is a lot of beautiful stuff out there which is in a way a form of therapy for me.

Although I already posted a picture of this yellow garden spider, I'm devoting a post to her. Now, I am not a spider fan by any means, but I find a few things quite interesting. First, I'm super amazed she has stayed in one place for over two weeks. Unfortunately, her location is not in the greatest spot. I try really hard not to ruin her web, but she continues to remake it. It's always there every morning, so figure she can't be that mad at me, or otherwise, she'd completely leave. Secondly, I've been able to get really close to her. Now, with this type of spider, it is harmless. A black widow or brown recluse, I'd be running the other direction. Both can give some nasty bites.

Here is a picture of the male spider. At the time, I did not realize it was the male, as it is so much smaller than the female. I saw him for a few days, and then he vanished. I'm honestly thinking that maybe she mated with him and then ate him. Ahh, the cycle of nature.

The next three photos are the spider making her web. The first one is her ventral side. If you look closely, you can see her making the silk. And yes, I was pretty darn close. The second and third are her forming her webs. I was really glad that I was able to get some photos of her webs this time. Doesn't she look larger to you?

And lastly, I think I'm going to give her a name. I'm thinking she looks like an Elvira. Any other suggestions?

Is there harm in telling parents their children's weight?

I read this article today, published in Pediatrics about how there was little harm in telling parents their children were overweight. The article was from a survey in the UK looking at the National Child Measurement Program in which parents are told their children's weight upon request. While it may be true that a small percentage of parents and children were not upset about their weight feedback, I still question the repercussions of the children.

The study says that 96% of the children (ages 6-7 years and ages 10-11 years) said being weighed was "okay" or enjoyable and about the same percentage said they would be measured again in a year. Of those, 10% of healthy weight and overweight children did not like being weighed. 15% of healthy and overweight children did not want to be measured again in a year. And most of the ones who responded negatively were older which would be about right at the beginning of puberty for some.

The article also says that there was only a slight increase in restriction of food by parents of overweight girls, but that it wasn't apparent that parents were becoming overly vigilant about their eating habits after feedback.

There's a lot missing in this survey. Even if about half of the parents of overweight children changed their dietary and physical habits after feedback was given of their children's weight, there is no indication of how they did this, how they told their children, and whether it was merely to be "healthier" or to just lose weight. I think these are all important questions to ask. There's a lot to be said for how parents and other professionals talk to someone about weight. And I think with children, the utmost of care ought to be given with little emphasis on BMI or a number on a scale.

Seasonal mood disorders and the brain

Summer is almost over and fall will soon make its debut. Honestly, I can't wait, because I am sick of 90+ degree temperatures! Fall is my favorite season, but at the same time, I do have a tendency to get a bit sadder, missing the sunlight.

Seasonal mood disorders, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affect many people worldwide. SAD is a type of depression that occurs cyclically with the change of seasons. The majority of people experience SAD during the fall and winter months, but it can also occur with the spring and summer months. Though symptoms do not necessarily qualify for major depression, SAD does impair the quality of life for certain individuals. Symptoms include depression, fatigue, changes in appetite, oversleeping, social withdrawal, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, agitation, increased sex drive. Some people also experience reverse SAD, with symptoms higher energy levels, increased sociability, and elevated moods.

The causes of SAD are unknown but clinicians feel circadian rhythms, melatonin, and serotonin can all have an impact. Other factors for SAD are a family history and living in northern locations. Treatment for SAD is similar to major depression with medications and psychotherapy. Light therapy can also be used for SAD during the fall/winter months.

Recent research for SAD has looked at the variable serotonin levels in the brain. In this article from the Archives of General Psychiatry, titled seasonal variation in human brain serotonin transporter binding, scientists studied the brain through Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans. The serotonin transporter is significant in regulating the intensity and spread of serotonin signals across the brain.

In this study, 88 individuals underwent a PET scan to assess serotonin transporter binding potential value, an index of serotonin density. Each scan was grouped into fall and winter or spring and summer.

The results showed that individuals in the fall and winter group had significantly higher serotonin transporter binding potential value which means less serotonin was circulating throughout their brain than the spring and summer group.This may explain the hyposerotonergic symptoms like lack of energy, fatigue, oversleeping, and overeating that often occur during this time in those individuals who experience SAD. Thus, this provides more physiological evidence of the role of serotonin and variability of seasons throughout the brain.

Bread preservation technique: cinnamon essential oil

image: wikipedia

Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices. It's aromatic and adds a lot of flavor to many different recipes. Whenever I smell cinnamon, there is a hint of nostalgia, reminding me of my mother making me cinnamon and sugar toasted bread. A simple recipe, but as a kid, I really loved it.

The nice thing about cinnamon is that there are a variety of uses for it besides in standard baking. In medicine, cinnamon has shown to be an effective treatment for diabetes II, as well as for common colds, toothaches, and halitosis. Cinnamon is also used in insect repellents. Since cinnamon oil has high anti-microbial properties, studies are looking into the preservative effects of it on different foods.

An interesting article came out about the use of cinnamon oil as a way to preserve bread and other gourmet baked items. In Spain, researchers studied packaging of paraffin wax paper with different concentrations of cinnamon essential oil. Observing both white bread with a common mold in plain wax packaging and the paraffin wax paper with cinnamon essential oil, they found the packaging with 6% cinnamon essential oil prevented mold growth by 96% after only three days and lasted up to ten days. The bread in plain wax packaging did not inhibit mold growth.

This is significant for any of you who are tired of having to throw away a half or more loaf of bread due to moldiness. I can't tell you how many partially eaten loaves of bread I've had to throw away due to this. I now keep my bread in the fridge which does make it last longer. I just don't understand why there can't be half loaves of bread? For single people like me or people who just don't eat bread quickly, this would seem like such a viable option and less waste. I know I could just not buy bread, but honestly, I'm a huge bread lover. And why deprive myself of that?

To therapy or not

I've been thinking about going back into therapy for awhile. Whenever I decided to do this, it becomes an ordeal of analysis, and you'll see why below. However, I find writing it out gives me better success for follow through.

It's been almost nine months since I've been in any form of therapy, though that's not the longest I've been without therapy. Honestly, I feel a little pathetic that I feel this kind of need. It's not even really that but moreso in that it's the same issues--fears, anxiety, my future, my parents, and other issues as well. I guess I'd call them unresolved, though I've come a long way in learning the whats and whys.

So here I am trying to think of who I should see, and this is where my dilemma comes in. Do I want to see one who specializes in eating disorders or do I want a more general therapist? Do I want to see one I'm familiar with or start brand new with someone different? Do I want a passive approach or a more aggressive approach? Do I want one who is CBT-focused, psychodynamic, interpersonal, eclectic, or something completely different? So the run down of therapists are:

Therapist K. specializes in eating disorders and uses CBT and psychodynamic. I have seen her off and on for the last five years, so she knows me well. She takes an in-between approach of passive and aggressive but mostly gives you full rein of decision making which is sometimes not my forte. She is very knowledgeable about eating disorders and keeps up to date on the latest research which is something I really do like. She's probably the only therapist that has let me have my dogs there which I found helpful. Okay, that reason isn't a great criteria, I just thought it was cool, despite the fact she was allergic to dogs! Plus, I think she enjoyed seeing them a lot too!

A few drawbacks to Therapist K. are that she doesn't take my insurance and she has limited time.

My last therapy stint with therapist K. went okay, but we both became frustrated (she at me for not making progress and really wanting to recover and me just frustrated with myself). So we ended our time together with her leaving the door open for me. I took that break up hard and felt a sense of loss. I needed time to get past that. Though what she said was true and hard to hear, I still felt crushed and dejected.

Therapist R. also specializes in eating disorders and body image issues. She's currently the ED therapist at the main university here and has a small private practice as well. I've only spoken to her once on the phone which was awhile ago. She has told me she uses more of an interpersonal style of psychology and looks at a lot of relationship issues. Her approach is more aggressive than passive. I'm pretty sure she accepts my insurance and is willing to be negotiable with her schedule.

Therapist V. specializes in eating disorder and body image issues. She currently shares an office with Therapist R. I don't know too much about her style of therapy, but is more on the aggressive side. I haven't officially spoken with her. I chickened out at the last minute when I had originally thought about seeing her.

Therapist A. is a general therapist but also deals with body image issues. She was the ED therapist at the main university here (maybe five years ago) until she decided to open up her private practice full time. I saw her for about six months. It didn't go that well. We had different styles and didn't mesh well. She takes more of a passive approach towards eating disorders and therapy in general. We had many moments of silence! I terminated that one due to our differences. She understood and left the door open for me to come back if I so chose to.

Therapist C. was my therapist in college for about three years. I abruptly ended my sessions with her, because I took a medical leave of absence my last semester. It was an emergency session, and by the end of the week, I was gone. Her style is CBT and psychodynamic. She is more of a general therapist but specializes in working with fear as well as a few other things. Overall, my time with her went well, and she did help me through some very rough patches.

The one drawback for her is that she shares an office with Therapist A. Now, I know that that really shouldn't be an issue. I'm sure both are professional, it's just me and my paranoia. Therapist C. also knows several clients from my work. I did deal with a similar situation in that Therapist K. shared an office with a client whose dog I have taken care of many times. I dealt with it okay, but again, it's just that paranoia and six degrees of separation feeling.

Then there is Therapist D. I don't know much about her other than reading her website. She doesn't give specifications as to her style and seems to be a general therapist who works with eating disorders and sports performance as well as other issues.

There is also one other group in town with a variety of therapists. I don't know much about them but have heard good things.

Ultimately, I know I need to call these therapists and get information. I've been in therapy long enough to know what works for me and what doesn't. I know with a therapist who is more the passive type, well honestly, I'd probably just bullshit my way. And I don't mean that in a smart ass type of way, just that I'd have more trouble opening up, sharing my true feelings, and just not getting anywhere. I know I'm the type that needs challenges (I wouldn't necessarily call it "homework"), lots of food for thought, that type of thing. This doesn't mean just go read this book, it will make you feel better.

With Therapists K. and C. who know me well, what holds me back from seeing them is feeling like a failure. Logically, I know therapists are there to help you cope, deal with life, give new perspectives, etc. But sometimes I wonder if it is better for me to try someone completely different, kind of like having a "blank slate," though I despise the thought of going through my entire history again. A friend of mine would tell me make a pro/con list and decide what my factors were for therapists, but that just seems too logical. This is why I say therapist shopping for me becomes an analysis procedure.

The other thing for me to think about is WHY I would want to be in therapy now? It's really more about my life, getting over certain phobias, learning to move on, letting go, and gaining self-esteem than it is about the ED, although everything is essentially intertwined. Sure, I've talked about a lot of this in therapy in the past, but I know I can't keep putting these major life decisions on hold anymore. I'm 28 and not getting any younger. There are several other issues involved with my parents, expectations, social approval, etc.

I guess right now I'm feeling a bit "blue." I'm not sure whether it is the fact that three-quarters of the year has gone by, and I feel like I've accomplished nothing. Or that fall is coming soon and there is a hint of nostalgia. Or that I get tired of my father continually harassing me about graduate schools and moving closer to them. Or the sense of disappointment and inferiority I feel. Or the anxiety about my upcoming marathon which I feel very ill-prepared for. It's probably all of the above.

Sometimes I hate the fact of knowing these things but yet feeling so stuck that everything feels insurmountable.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names (words) will never hurt me

It's a classic phrase that we've all been told at one point or another in our lives. I wish it were true, but in reality, it is not. I'm sure a lot of us can attest to the falseness of this phrase, proverb, idiom, adage, maxim, whatever you want to call it.

I tried looking up the origin of it but only came across this posting on the web.

So are there differences in physical and social pain? How do the intensity of pain rank for each? Which one is easier to recall and relive?

Researchers recently looked at all these questions in a set of four experiments. In experiment 1, participants were asked to relive both a physical (injury) and social (betrayal) pain experience and to rank their level of pain when the event occurred. In experiment 2, participants were asked to relive either a physical (injury) or a social (betrayal) pain experience and also rank their pain level at the time of the event. Then both groups wrote a detailed account of their experiences and stated what their pain level was at that moment.

The results of these studies showed that it was easy to recount both physical and social pain experiences and that the pain level was similar for either experience at the time the event occurred. However, participants who relived a social pain experience had more pain intensity after recalling the event than those who recalled a physical pain experience.

In experiments 3 and 4, similar protocol was followed as the previous other two studies, but with series of easy and difficult cognitive tasks. The results indicated that participants who had to relive a social pain experience had a higher level of pain intensity and performed worse on the difficult cognitive tasks than those who relived a physical pain experience.

Researchers think one possible explanation for these findings has to do with the evolution of the cerebral cortex in the brain. The authors write, "The evolution of the cerebral cortex certainly improved the ability of human beings to create and adapt; to function in and with groups, communities, and culture; and to respond to pain associated with social interactions,” the authors wrote. “However, the cerebral cortex may also have had an unintended effect of allowing humans to relive, re-experience, and suffer from social pain."

Full text study: When Hurt Will Not Heal
Exploring the Capacity to Relive Social and Physical Pain

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I actually don't find this research that surprising, but I think it is good validation at the importance of social pain versus physical pain experiences. Sometimes, I think we forget that just because we can't see a physical scar or wound, that the pain doesn't exist or affect us. In my opinion, it's the invisible scars that hurt worse. Those are the ones that are deeply buried and don't fade away so easily; thus, the reason why we can relive them easier and have such high intensity towards them.

Everyone has a different school of thought as to whether it is better to drudge up these experiences or not. For some, reliving and processing that pain helps them to heal and move ahead. For others, it's about acknowledging that pain but leaving it there (in the past) and moving forward. Each individual has to decide what works best for her/him to heal. In the end, it's all about making oneself whole again.

Is our sense of body labile?

image: Physorg

I came across this fascinating article today called "Sleight of hand and sense of self." We all know that many people with eating disorders have body distortions. Sometimes the distortions become so focused that individuals have a difficult time sensing ownership of their bodies. It can lead to a mind-body dissociation. Normally, one of the goals in treatment is to bring back self-awareness, so individuals can feel whole both in body and mind.

Researchers at Oxford University wanted to see if they could replicate this type of experience in two ways. Through the mind, they wanted to see if they could manipulate a sense of ownership of the body. Physically, they wanted to see if there was any detection of a temperature change.

From the article,

The rubber-hand illusion involves placing a rubber hand in front of the participant in their field of vision and near to their real hand. The real hand is then concealed behind a partition. If the real hand and the rubber hand are touched or stroked in the same way and at the same time, the participant tries to co-ordinate what they are feeling (their own hand being stroked) and seeing (the rubber hand being stroked). They can experience a shift in where they believe their hand is to the position of the rubber hand.

Participants said they felt like they owned the rubber arm. With this type of result, researchers concluded that it was like they were "disowning" their real arm which resulted in a temperature drop in that hand.

Dr. Mosley, one of the researchers said, "The rubber-hand illusion is a beautiful device to manipulate our sense of self. It tells us that our sense of our bodies, our sense of who we are, is labile."

I just think this is a very interesting study and really shows the adaptability of the mind. I'm not as well versed in the physiological aspect of temperature change with regard to body distortion, but it is an avenue worth consideration for researchers.

What are your thoughts?