When I was at the height of health and happiness I lived according to some very different principles. I studied Eastern medicine, Deepak Chopra, and Ayurveda. I didn’t eat meat or drink soda, I pumped iron listening to Pachelbel, meditated throughout the day, sent good vibrations to loved ones and the world around me, gave thanks to the universe every night for the gifts of the day and put in my requests for I wanted next. I practiced sleep strategies. I was disciplined and strong. It took a life time of reading, studying, and searching find what I thought was the perfect balance. The perfection only lasted a short time because it was based on living alone and not being affected by outside influences. Since I wasn’t able to carry it through the constant changes of life, it really wasn’t perfected yet, was it?
It was so easy to have my apartment all Feng Shui’d up and a multisensory treat of sight, fragrance, and sound. No one else lived there. Nobody interrupted anything. I had very few guests to speculate and criticize how I believed and lived. Add a husband, in laws, growing network of friends & family, children, etc… and all that peace and tranquility goes out the door. There is no time for meditation and no room in the budget for an organic lifestyle or yoga class. So rather than tweaking my lifestyle a bit to match my changing life, I chucked it all. I Turned into top 40, meat and potatoes, survival mode with a goal no bigger than making it through one day at a time with everyone clean, fed, and safe in a house that is more clean than dirty. 
The change from disciplined and healthy to unhealthy and frazzled happened pretty gradually and I never made the connection between my old lifestyle and my new so strongly until I ran across this video. It is very NON frou-frou as it discusses Eastern ideas in a way that eliminates the “mysticism” and appeals to even the most pragmatic types.
This video touches on Anorexia and Bulimia, which is something I struggled with as a teen. And it reminded me how the over eating, the purging, the not eating are all forms of control, not weight loss. We use the term “emotional eating” but we don’t spend enough time getting to the root of our own individual reasons for needing that control, and fixing those areas of our lives that we feel out of control.
Our Western medicine gives us diagnoses and prescriptions that help us cope, but often don’t treat what really ails us. I know many mothers who are popping diet pills and chugging caffeine drinks in excess because they are desperate for the energy and focus to keep up with their busy schedules and the competition from the super mom next door. Those things are all good and definitely serve a good purpose, but there is more you can do.
I believe there is a perfect blend of Eastern & Western ideas to suit everyone, you just need to find what’s right for you. Instead of pulling another all nighter or another 5 hour energy shot, take a look at this video and see if there is something you are doing to sabotage your energy, or a simple way to enhance your vibrancy naturally. Really listen to what he has to say. It’s not very long and is part of a series that touches on other specific issues that might appeal to you.