LIVING THE WORD

There have been a few moments in my life when I effortlessly reached my ideal weight and felt truly in shape. One of those times, surprisingly, was during the months I spent writing my dissertation—a season filled with stress, long hours, and intense mental effort. Because I was using my brain nonstop, I naturally gravitated toward foods that kept me alert and energized without dragging me down. I often sipped hot, sugary drinks throughout the day—rotating between coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. For snacks, I reached for chocolate bars and other sweet treats. Oddly enough, instead of gaining weight, I started to slim down. My jeans fit better, I dropped a size or two, and people began to compliment me on my appearance. I felt lighter, clearer, and even healthier overall. Still, despite seeing no negative effects, I eventually returned to my old sugar-free, macrobiotic lifestyle. Back then, I believed sugar was something to avoid at all costs—it was what I had been taught. But even with...

I was jogging when a troubling thought popped into my head in a flash. I had been doing everything right: exercising, eating healthy, and avoiding chemicals. On the outside, I seemed to be doing well. But inside, something didn’t feel right. I stopped running because I couldn’t continue. Why does our mind feel so heavy and confused even when we're trying our best to be healthy? Since my early teens, I’ve wrestled with what felt like low-grade depression. I pretended everything was fine by smiling, talking and keeping things cheerful. But when I was by myself the real struggle started.  My thoughts turned dark. Memories I didn’t want would flash in—failures, regrets, awkward moments. They would replay like a broken record, and I couldn’t hit pause. Sometimes the fog would lift in a few hours. Other times, it lingered for days, and with it came a frustrating mental sluggishness. I used to be a dedicated student. At first  my grades were great  but as the schoolwork got hard...