Ya Snooze Ya Lose? Maybe Not.

Here's some good news for anyone who likes to take an afternoon nap. It seems that emerging science suggests that taking a mid-day snooze is actually good for us. Prior to the industrial age and the invention of the light bulb, people usually followed the sun for their sleep patterns. When the sun went down, people went to sleep. Some non-industrialized cultures not only sleep with the sun cycles but also take a break during the day for a nap, especially in hotter climates. This practice is called biphasic sleep, sleeping in two different phases during a day. We typically follow a monophasic sleep pattern, usually getting all the sleep we'll get in one shot, and usually at night.

But now science is exploring the value of napping for a short period during the afternoon, when our energy level is typically at its lowest. This afternoon drop in energy is hardwired into our genes, regardless of any cultural differences. It's when we see more sleep related automobile accidents, school test scores are lower when the tests are administered in the afternoon, judges are less likely to hand down favorable rulings, anesthesiologists are three times likelier to make a fatal dosing mistake in the afternoon, and unethical behavior is more likely to occur in the afternoon. The bottom line is...we need a nap.

What benefits will napping provide? 

• It can lower your risk of heart disease. In Greece, until the 1990s it was a regular practice to close business in the afternoon and people would take a siesta. This practice was phased out and businesses began staying open longer during the day. The result was that people who had no discernible heart disease risk prior to the change in practice now developed a 37% increased risk of heart disease. In areas of Greece that still practice biphasic sleep like the island of Ikaria, the men are far more likely to reach the age of 90 than their counterparts in America. 
• It can lower your blood pressure. Findings at the American College of Cardiologists conference determined that a daily nap could be as effective as some medications in reducing blood pressure. This is pretty impressive because a small drop in blood pressure can lower your risk of a cardiac event by nearly 10%.
• It can improve your memory. When we sleep, we compartmentalize what we have learned prior to sleeping. Taking a nap after learning something new will actually move the new information from short term memory in the hippocampus to log term memory in the cortex, making space for new learning. 

If you can fit it into your day, taking a nap is anything but a waste of time. It may actually help make better use of the rest of your day because you can do so with a clear head and more energy. So, sweet dreams sleepy head.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Grow Old Along With Me

The best is yet to be. I read this article today and it really resonated with me. We live in a youth obsessed society and are constantly bombarded with messages that we should do anything possible to delay the inevitable effects that living a long life will have on our skin, body, mind and belief system. We're told to keep our skin youthful and wrinkle-free with cosmetic surgery or injections of body fluids/fats that don't belong in the face or, worse yet,  poison made from botulism, the food contaminant. We are urged to cover up our gray hair, wear concealing makeup to hide our flaws/scars that are proof of a life lived. We nip, we tuck, we lift, we augment, we suck fat out of our midsection, hips, buttocks. And for what? To look like someone we are not, are no longer, or even may have never been. 

I feel privileged to be able to grow old. I've had my life threatened twice, once with cancer and once with a cardiac event. I've chosen to consider those events turning points in my life. I no longer allow myself to worry about 'what if' when it comes to my health. If it's my time, I hope I've left behind a legacy where I am remembered with love. I hope people will smile when they think of who I was. But I'm not ready to leave just yet.

I do what I can to preserve my youth in different ways. I choose my foods carefully. I exercise regularly, I study to keep up on my passion, I focus on teaching others to grow old with energy and in good health. I don't color my hair, my wrinkles are there for all to see, I can't see squat without my glasses and can't wear contacts because I have chronic dry eye. I'm shaped like an hourglass with all the sand in the bottom. I bear scars from the surgery and treatment I had for breast cancer. I also have a lot of energy and nothing on me hurts.

I have a very rich life. I have a husband who feels lucky to be married to me and I feel the same way. I raised two strong women who are on their own. I no longer have to deal with the corporate world but can now pursue what I love so passionately and help people in the process. I avoid any drama, family or otherwise, which sometimes means I don't get to see people I love, but I fiercely protect my peace. I'm a WomenHeart Champion-Community Educator, I am the senior warden of my church vestry, I'm one speech away from earning my Competent Communicator and Competent Leadership ribbons at Toastmasters. I get to do what I want when I want.

When I talk to people before they retire who don't know what they want to do upon retirement, it boggles my mind. What did they think would happen? Did they expect to die in the saddle? What a sad thing...to die slumped over your work, having never had the chance to enjoy the fruits of your labor. I was so excited to retire to pursue my passion but I know people who retired when I did and are back to work because they were bored. Not me! I can't remember  the last time I got bored.

So many people are not afforded the privilege of growing old. My mother died when I was 16 at the ripe old age of 41. She never met the seven wonderful grandchildren and six great-grandchildren she would have had. She never saw her own children become five successful adults. I feel very blessed that I have reached an age where I can enjoy the remainder of my life doing what I love and get to spend time with people I love. I'm proud to be able to take advantage of the senior discounts wherever I go and to be considered an elder. I don't miss the male attention I once attracted when I was young. It was uncomfortable then and now would just seem ridiculous to me. I have suffered unimaginable grief, losing my mother at such a young age and seeing many contemporaries die earlier than they should. I have been so very fortunate to be part of a large close and supportive family. I don't know where I would be without them. As I said...I have a very rich life. I hope you do also.   

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

  

Five Steps To Developing A Healthier Lifestyle

There are many steps one can take to get started on a healthy lifestyle. This is by no means an exhaustive list of improvements but it's a good start. Success is more likely with a series of small incremental changes over time rather than a complete overhaul of every habit one has developed over a lifetime.  A nutritional consultant/health coach can help you to improve your lifestyle, one healthy habit at  time.

Drink plenty of water

Water is important for all systems in your body to work properly. It helps to remove toxins from your body, keep your temperature regulated, minimize fatigue, for healthy weight management, great for the skin, prevention of muscle cramps and many other benefits. You don’t have to feel thirsty to be dehydrated. Every day you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of clean fresh water.

Get plenty of sleep

Lost sleep cannot be made up. You should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Adequate sleep will improve mood, reduce stress, lower risk of chronic disease, improve  cognitive function, aid in healthy weight management among other benefits. Electronic devices should be shut down at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light emitted from the device interrupts the production of melatonin which signals the brain that it’s bedtime. 

Exercise daily

Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. Play with your kids, dance, do yard work, walk, take the stairs, park at the end of the lot. You don’t have to go to a gym to get the benefit of exercise. Just move your body every day.  Exercise can improve mood, reduce stress, support cardiovascular health, minimize the risk of serious disease, improve quality of sleep,  stimulate muscle growth, prevent osteoporosis and provide many other benefits.

Take a quality vitamin supplement

Even if you choose nutrient dense foods, your body will still benefit from a good quality supplement. Because of over farming, chemical fertilizers and  pesticides, our food system is not what it used to be. The nutrient levels  that were in our grandparents’ food, do not exist in our modern food system. 

Eat local when possible

Even organic produce that has been shipped all over the world loses a lot of its nutrients by the time it gets to the store. Eat produce that has been locally grown. It will keep you healthier and will support your local  farmers.

Being healthy is simple but not always easy. Vast amounts of misinformation is all over the internet and sometimes you can't figure out what's right and what isn't. In my capacity as a health and nutrition coach, I help you to make the changes that make the most sense in your life and before you know it you will feel better, have more energy, lose weight and regain your youthful vitality. 

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Support Anyone???

In 2010, after a devastating health diagnosis, I changed and, in fact I believe, saved my life. I found out I had an aggressive form of breast cancer and was on the verge of developing diabetes and high blood pressure. 

After undergoing a grueling treatment regimen of chemotherapy for a year and radiation for eight weeks, I made radical changes to my diet and lifestyle. I lost 135 pounds and brought my critical numbers into a healthy range. I removed processed sugar and refined carbohydrates from my diet, eating only whole healthy foods. Over time, I became a pescatarian and removed gluten from my diet. I feel better than I did 30 years ago.

After having done what I did for myself intuitively, I realized that helping others achieve the same or similar results was my calling and I earned certifications in holistic health coaching, nutritional consulting and whole food plant based nutrition. I have worked with several clients over the past few years and have found that most of them have the same issues. 

I generally work with women who want to regain their energy and vitality, lose weight, get some good quality sleep, manage hormonal changes and just feel better. They often suffer from overwhelm and confusion about how to go about the changes they need to make to return to good health. We work together to identify their goals and I gently hold them accountable so they can achieve those goals.  

Most of my clients feel they don't have enough time for self-care because of competing priorities. I work with them to figure out how to do it all, or at least to properly set priorities. As women, we often will put everyone else's needs ahead of our own, especially if we have kids. But, you can't pour from an empty pitcher so it's important to take care of ourselves first before we take care of others...just like the flight attendant tells us to put on our own oxygen mask before helping another put theirs on. 

My clients are successful because I break it down in easy to implement steps for them and I am there beside them the whole way to make sure they feel supported.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Let's Take A Walk

One of the easiest ways to be healthy and fit is to put on your walking shoes, get outside and walk. According to a study published by the University of Warwick, people who walked at least 15,000 steps per day were more likely to be in the healthy range for body mass index (BMI). People who walk more and sit less tend to have lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Walkers tend to have lower blood glucose levels which helps to minimize the danger of developing diabetes.

In a clinical trial of older adults in Japan, it was found that after 12 weeks of daily walking participants had significantly greater improvement in memory and executive function compared to the control group that just went about their usual routine. Another study of a group of adults published in the Journal of Neurology determined that walking is associated with a larger amount of gray matter in the brain, which is a measure of brain health.

Exercising aerobically can improve your mood and lower stress levels. Walking is no exception. Aerobic exercise helps to release endorphins and improve your mental state. Walking in nature is especially good for this. 

According to the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, researchers found that walking about three hours per week lowered the risk of premature death compared to those who did little to no walking. It's never too late to start either. A study in the journal Maturitas found that seniors with an average age of 80 who walked four times per week were less likely to die over the studies ten year follow up compared to those who walked less.

Experts agree that any amount of walking is good but to really reap the benefits, you need to rack up the miles and step up the pace. The minimum suggested for good health is at least thirty minutes per day and at least five days per week. More and faster is better but you will see some health benefits with just that amount.

Following are some ways to put more steps in your day and to get the most out of your effort.

• walk as much as you can - the University of Warwick did a comparison between people who exhibited at least one symptom of metabolic syndrome and people with no such factors. They discovered that people who were most sedentary had the most risk factors, but people who logged at least 15,000 steps had healthier BMIs, smaller waist circumference, lower cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
• walk faster - a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, looked at not only number of steps but how quickly subjects walked. Those who walked faster had similar outcomes to those who walked longer. Keeping a pace of 2.5 to 3 miles per hour did the job.
• break it up - take several walking breaks during the day of at least 10 minutes each. It keeps you from being sedentary throughout the day and will decrease your risk for heart disease.
• do some intervals - rather than doing your 30 minute walk at the same pace, try doing some high intensity interval training (HIIT). Alternate between 30 second to one minute bursts of faster high intensity walking and one to two minutes of recovery slower walking. Studies have shown that people who practice HIIT tend to have lower levels of abdominal fat and smaller waists.
• walk uphill - if you increase your intensity by walking uphill you can get twice the benefit in half the time

The important thing is to walk as much as you can. Any amount of walking is better than nothing. The more you move, the better off you will be, the healthier you will be and the longer you might live.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Who Is In Your Tribe?

Do you have a core group of people in your life with whom you feel a connection? The group doesn't have to be large...just one or two people with whom you feel comfortable and can spend time together. Being connected to other people is a form of self-care. Spending time with your tribe is good for you, not only while you're together but also in the "afterglow" of the time spent together. 

Humans are social animals and being connected to others has a great impact on your mental and physical health. We need to feel needed, valued and loved. Having strong ties to family and friends helps to alleviate stress and increases your zest for life. We learn to be more empathetic when we care for someone besides ourselves. Staying healthy is also easier knowing that someone cares for you too. 

Spending time together with your network has many other benefits too. You have increased self-esteem from the support and a greater sense of self and a feeling of identifying with a group. Your stress level is reduced and your mood is enhanced. 

When you are together with your tribe, find ways to have fun. Participate in healthy activities like walking or sports. Have a meal together. Play a game. Sit and chat. 

Your interactions don't have to be only with your close family and friends to be beneficial. Connect with strangers. You can achieve fulfillment from a friendly chat with someone you meet on the street, in a store or any place you are where there are other people. It's important that we stay connected to other human beings to help us to know our place in the world. It makes for a much richer and more fulfilling life. 

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Do You Know How Important You Are?

I love this Dr. Seuss quote: "To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world."

So often we wrap ourselves in the identity of being something to someone...you're a parent, a spouse,  a caregiver, a profession, an employee, a volunteer or whatever role you have either been assigned or you assigned to yourself. But, you see, you are none of these things. These are simply something you do. 

The danger of wrapping yourself in the title of what you do is that you may lose your identity when that role ends. What happens when your children are grown and decide your guidance is no longer needed or welcome? What if your marriage ends, either by death or divorce? What if the person for whom you are the caregiver either recovers or dies? What are you when your job ends, either voluntarily by resignation or retirement, or involuntarily? 

So many parents I know mourn the fact that they have raised their children and are no longer needed to provide the housing and support they've provided during the entire lives of their children. But the fact is, they were successful in raising self-sufficient people who have begun to find their own way in the world. Shouldn't that be a reason to rejoice? Now they can use the rest of their lives to do what they want to do.

Often when marriages end, one or both spouses have difficulty finding their new identity as a single person. It's like they have lost half of themselves. I can't speak from experience in this matter. I know I rely heavily on my husband for moral and emotional support and I don't want to think about what I would do without him. I hope if I ever find myself in that position, that I would be able to find the support I need from family and friends and that eventually I would be able to develop a new "normal" for myself that includes finding happiness again.

Because both of my parents died suddenly and relatively young (mom 41 and dad 72), I have not had to deal with the failing health of aging parents. I can only imagine the soul-sucking fatigue that brings on and the potential strain it can inflict on the family dynamic. When the child becomes the parent, it must be very stressful. It can be all-consuming and when that relationship comes to its inevitable conclusion, the care-giving child often struggles to find their place in the world again. 

When these roles change, often we find ourselves without direction and lacking in self-esteem. If we defined ourselves by what we were doing and now are no longer doing that thing...what are we and where do we fit in this world?

So often, as I talk to people approaching retirement, they (mostly men)  tell me they don't know what they would do with themselves if they retire. That boggles my mind. They knew this day was coming...either they would one day retire or they would die before they had the chance to do so.

It's so important to make a plan for your life, or at least know how you will use your time when one season of life is over and the next one begins. I was excited to retire because it meant I would be able to pursue full-time what I was meant to do. I can continue making a living and not feel like I'm working because I truly love what I do.

I encourage my clients to find something they love to do that they can feel good about. Everyone wants to know they matter and everyone DOES matter. Making a contribution and having a servant's heart is why we are here. We are here to leave the world a little better than we found it. I think the more we realize and work in that direction, the stronger our feeling of self-worth will grow.

You are a valuable asset in this world and you have gifts you have not even begun to access. The world needs what you have to give, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. Remember what Dr. Seuss said...if you don't remember, look at the top of this page.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

How Important Is Vitamin D To Your Good Health?

We've often heard that Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin. That's because upon exposure to the sun, our bodies manufacture Vitamin D. But, we can also get it from food and supplements.

But why is Vitamin D so important? There are several reasons for us to maintain a healthy level of this vitamin, that isn't actually a vitamin, but a hormone.

• It helps to maintain healthy teeth and bones - Vitamin D helps to regulate our blood calcium and maintain phosphorus levels, both important for the health of our bones and teeth. If not for Vitamin D, most of our calcium would be excreted through the kidneys before it can be used. When children are Vitamin D deficient, it shows up as an extremely bow-legged appearance due to the softness of their bones with a condition called rickets. In adults, it shows up as osteomalacia, also a softening of the bones that will lead to osteoporosis and muscle weakness.
• It supports the brain, nervous system and immune system
• It helps to regulate insulin levels and manage diabetes - Several studies have shown that there is an inverse relationship between blood levels of Vitamin D and the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Vitamin D deficiency may negatively impact insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. In one study it was found that infants who were given 2,000 IUs of Vitamin D daily had an 88% lower risk of developing Type 1 diabetes by age 32.
• It supports cardiovascular health and lung function
• It protects our bodies against diseases like:
• Cancer - Several forms of cancer including breast cancer have been linked to Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is instrumental in regulating cell growth and inter-cell communication. There are some studies that suggest that Vitamin D can reduce cancer cell progression, by slowing the growth and development of new blood vessels in cancer sites and thereby encouraging cancer cell death, reducing cancer cell reproduction and therefore metastases. Vitamin D influences many gene expressions so when there is a deficiency, that expression could be impaired leading to the mutations that develop into cancer sites.  
• Type 1 Diabetes 
• Multiple sclerosis
• It protects against the development of some allergies - infants with low Vitamin D levels are at higher risk of developing allergic diseases like eczema, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Vitamin D may increase the anti-inflammatory properties of glucocorticoids, which may be useful in the treatment of steroid resistant asthma.
• It supports a healthy pregnancy - Women who are Vitamin D deficient may be at higher risk of developing preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and bacterial vaginosis. However, having too high a level of Vitamin D is associated with an increased risk of the child developing food allergies within the first two years of life.

Vitamins cannot be made by our bodies so they must come from an outside source. But in the case of Vitamin D, when the sunlight hits our skin, our bodies can synthesize Vitamin D for our use. If we spend approximately 5-10 minutes several times a week with skin exposed to the sun without sunscreen, we probably can make enough Vitamin D to keep us healthy as long as we aren't terribly deficient to begin with. Vitamin D is not stored in the body and breaks down quickly so we have to constantly replenish our supply. Much of the global population is living in a state of Vitamin D deficiency.

As a society, we don't spend as much time outside as we once did. And when we are outside, we slather ourselves with sunscreen, blocking any opportunity for our skin to absorb the sunlight. Eating the nutrient deficient food of the Standard American Diet (SAD) also contributes to our deficiency. It's important to find out if you are deficient in Vitamin D.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I found out that I was quite deficient in this essential hormone. That, along with other poor lifestyle choices, likely contributed to that condition. It was a wake-up call for sure. I am no longer Vitamin D deficient. This can be done through a simple blood test.

To maintain healthy levels of Vitamin D, this supplementation guideline can help:
Infants (0-12 months) - 400 IUs or 10 mcg
Children (1-18) - 600 IUs or 15 mcg
Adults (to age 70) 70-600 IUs or 15 mcg
Adults (over 70) 70-800 IUs or 20 mcg
Pregnant/lactating women - 600 IUs or 15mcg

Deficiency can occur for a number of reasons. Darker skin and sunscreen use inhibit the absorption of UVB rays which are the rays needed for Vitamin D production. Sunscreen with SPF of 30 can reduce your absorption of sunlight by up to 95%. Skin needs to be uncovered and without sunscreen to absorb what is needed for Vitamin D production. If your lifestyle or your geography impedes your ability to be out in the sun, you should probably be getting your supply from food sources or supplementation. 

Signs of Vitamin D deficiency include:

• susceptibility to infection
• fatigue
• painful bones and back
• depression
• slow wound healing
• hair loss
• muscle pain

Prolonged Vitamin D deficiency can result in:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Depression
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Osteoporosis
• Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers or dementia 
• Cancers of the breast, colon and/or prostate

It is important to get your Vitamin D level checked as part of your health maintenance. Again, most of the world's population is thought to be deficient in this vital hormone. It's easy to reverse the deficiency if you know it's an issue. Knowledge is power.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Boundaries...Have You Set Some Healthy Ones?

Someone far wiser than I once said that we teach people how to treat us. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. That last part was a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. So how are you teaching people to treat you?

Do you set healthy boundaries and show people you respect yourself through self-care and self advocacy? Do you draw the line when someone starts treating you with disrespect? Are you showing people you know your value by taking care of yourself?

I have seen it happen so often in the corporate environment where people, especially women, are so afraid of being sidelined that they neglect themselves and their health in the interest of keeping a job. As a result, they are available anytime of the day or night, weekends, holidays, vacations, and sick time. So what message are you sending to your employer when you allow them to use you without limit? Your message to the people you work with or for is that their emergency is your priority, and everything with them becomes an emergency because they know they can get you to treat it as such. You put your personal and professional needs behind everyone else's needs. After you live in that dynamic for awhile, good luck trying to change it. It's not just your job where that happens, it happens with family and friends too.

But just because people may react badly when you try to upset the status quo, it doesn't mean you don't deserve to be treated with respect. When you try to set new boundaries that you didn't have before, other people have to change the way they interact with you. It's likely they were comfortable with the way things were and will try to resist your newfound strength. Do not let them derail you.

Having healthy boundaries helps to define you as a person. When you don't have strong boundaries, you don't know where you begin and the other person ends because you don't have a clear identity of your own. For instance, if you strongly identify as someone's wife, you feel that you cannot exist without that person so you do everything you think you should to keep your partner happy. In the process of constantly trying to be the perfect spouse, you lose who you are as a person. Being a parent is the same thing. If you only identify as someone's mom, once the kids are grown and no longer need you the way they did growing up, in your mind you may have no discernible purpose in life.

The problem with assuming these roles is that we teach the people we co-exist with that they should treat us as the one who will do everything for them. So when they are expected to stand on their own two feet, they are unprepared to do so. As a result, not only did we lose ourselves but they were also taught that they need someone to take care of them too and the dynamic continues to be perpetuated.

The bottom line is...set firm limits for yourself so that your identity remains intact and you teach other people in the meantime that they can take care of themselves if they just gave themselves a chance. Respect yourself and expect nothing less than respect from everyone you meet. You may get some pushback from people who are used to you being at their beck and call, but they can learn self reliance and to respect your limits the same way they learned that you didn't have strong boundaries. And treat yourself at least as well as you want to be treated by others...you deserve it.

An update on my journey back to wellness...I am about to go to the gym today for the 50th day in a row. I'll get on the scale tomorrow and hopefully will see a number I'm happier with. I made some modifications to my food choices this week so I'll see how that shows up on the scale. I am noticing a difference in the way I feel and it seems like the stretchy leggings I wear to the gym are getting longer on me which indicates I'm not filling them out quite as much as before. The best part of this whole journey I am on is the new set of habits I'm forming like daily exercise, intermittent fasting and a significant reduction in sugar consumption. I was not eating processed sugar prior to this undertaking but I was probably fooling myself into thinking that the honey and pure maple syrup I was using to sweeten my food was not a problem. But of course it was. So no more of those things for me. I eat some berries, an occasional banana and maybe a green apple from time to time. Most of my carbs come from vegetables and occasionally some brown or black rice and sometimes a little quinoa. I feel great, my energy is high and I'm feeling the positive changes in my body. All is well in my world.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Lose Weight...Save Your Brain

I know I recently wrote about brain health but I attended a presentation by Dr. Daniel Amen the other night and learned about the close correlation between excess body weight and the decline of brain function. 

What does your weight have to do it your brain? Well, as your weight increases the size of your brain decreases. WOW! Did you know that? I didn’t. Your ability to reason, pay attention and your memory decreases as your weight goes up. So the higher your weight goes, the smaller your brain becomes.

Excess body fat is dangerous. According the Dr. Daniel Amen, fat is the largest endocrine organ in your body. It stores toxins, releases lipids into your bloodstream, produces inflammatory cytokines, promotes insulin resistance and turns healthy testosterone in men into dangerous forms of estrogen.

Now remember that you do not get fat from consuming healthy dietary fats. You become fat by eating sugary foods or foods that quickly turn to sugar as refined carbohydrates do. We know that consuming these foods also contributes to diabetes and obesity or a term coined by Dr. Mark Hyman, diabesity. 

But did you know that having diabetes and being obese can affect your memory and put you at higher risk for dementia? Living a sedentary lifestyle, consuming too much alcohol, using nicotine and other addictive substances, exposure to toxins, and consuming excess sugar and foods high on the glycemic index can all contribute to diabetes, obesity and ultimately a decline in brain function. 

Another consequence of being overweight can be the development of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a potentially very dangerous sleep disorder that can lead to brain damage because of lowered blood flow in the brain. When blood flow in the brain is reduced, your risk of dementia increases. IF you lose weight, and are treated for the apnea, this condition may be reversible.

There's more, and as I complete the course I am taking on brain health, I'll share more of what I learn. Your brain is your most valuable asset and when you kill off brain cells, they don't grow back. So treat your brain with the same care you would use with a loved one because it's the only one you'll have. 

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Let's Work On Some Habits

If you have been following my blog, you may remember that I promised myself in early August that I would go to the gym every day for 90 days and make that a non-negotiable part of my life. Well, I have so far completed 47 consecutive days of going to the gym and exercising pretty strenuously for at least 30 minutes while there. If I get there late at night, it may only be the 30 minutes of cardio on the recumbent bike, treadmill or elliptical, but if it's a reasonable hour, I will incorporate about 30 more minutes of weight training.

Success in this area for me is so much more than the number on the scale. I've gotten back to eating a normal amount of food and not eating in the evening. I am getting better quality sleep, possibly due to the exercise and I've been exercising. I have started to feel these new, or more accurately, old and renewed, habits taking hold of me.

I read a book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. In it the author tells us that a habit consists of three components. First comes the cue, then the action, then the reward. The cue is telling your brain to take the action, you then take the action and you reap the reward. To put that into a real life situation, think of this. If you are a stress eater, say you have an argument with your partner. That's the cue. It triggers you to take the action. The action is to eat a pint of Häagen-Dazs (or your drug of choice). The reward is you have temporarily anesthetized yourself from the argument. But then of course you start to feel lousy about eating all the ice cream. At this point you're on a roll, so you figure what's the use and go on to whatever else is in your path. The cue is, you've already done the damage, the action is to eat more and the reward is more numbing. It's an endless cycle that becomes habitual. But just like you formed this habit that doesn't serve you, you can replace it with one that does.

When we form habits, there are neural pathways in our brains that are like roads. Each time we practice the habit, the pathway gets deeper. When we start to form a new habit, another neural pathway is formed. The old one remains but if we continue to practice the new habit, eventually it will become as deeply entrenched as the old habit. However, even though we form a new habit, the old pathway can easily be followed again if we fall back into old behaviors. That's why it is important to work on the new, healthier habits as much as possible so it's less likely that we will fall back into old routines. It takes work but you can indeed, teach an old dog new tricks.

Forming new healthy habits takes work and can sometimes be frustrating. I am taking it one day at a time and doing my best to improve on a daily basis. Last night I went to NYC for a program that was on the upper east side of Manhattan. I walked from West 33rd St. to East 50th St. It was a beautiful night and it felt amazing to do that. I used to walk all the time but about a year ago I injured my foot and it seemed to take forever to heal. I used that injury as my excuse to stop exercising since I was exercising when it happened. But here's what happened to me...I walked about 1.5 miles each way and my foot was fine. I was a little sore this morning but that may have been because I had to run a little to make it to the venue on time and to make my return train after the program.

I'm no different from most people. I can be derailed by almost anything but I am getting back up and moving forward. If you choose to join me on this journey, I hope I am able to impart some nutritional and lifestyle wisdom. Even though I may have gone off the rails temporarily I can still share some of my first hand experience as well as my acquired knowledge and training to help you make the right changes for your best life.

It's a new day...what changes will you make to start a new habit?

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Coffee...Hmmm, Good Or Bad

A question I often get from my clients is whether drinking coffee is good for them. For me, it isn't my best choice so I choose not to drink it. When I was undergoing chemo in 2010, I lost my taste for it and never went back.

There are a number of reasons to limit or even avoid drinking coffee but there is another school of thought that says coffee is good for you. I'll give you the bad news first.

The Bad News

• Coffee contains caffeine and caffeine is addictive. Even decaf coffee has caffeine in it so beware.
• Caffeine increases stress levels which will increase cortisol production, causing adrenal fatigue, weight gain, hormone imbalance, etc.
• Excess coffee consumption can cause dehydration which may show up in the skin as dry, dull, scaly patches. Dehydration also contributes to fatigue, elimination problems, joint pain, etc.
• Coffee can bring on gastrointestinal issues like heartburn and stomach ulcers. It can also cause constipation in some people.
• Caffeine being constantly present in your body can affect the central nervous system and increase the heart rate and adrenaline production. If you couple this with the dehydration mentioned earlier, you can wind up with headaches, the jitters, sleeplessness and sleep hallucinations. 
• Excess caffeine consumption can lead to sleeplessness or interrupted sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, it's a good idea to limit your caffeine consumption from any source.

The Good News

• Moderate coffee consumption may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimers and dementia
•  Coffee supplies antioxidants that may support brain health, prevent damage to brain cells and increase the effects of the neurotransmitters used for cognitive function
• Coffee and tea consumption seems to help reduce the risk of glioma, a particular type of brain cancer
• Researchers believe that there may be DNA repairing compounds in coffee that may help to reduce the risk of some cancers by keeping the repaired cells from turning cancerous
• Regular coffee consumption may help to reduce the risk of developing Type-2 diabetes by increasing cellular sensitivity to insulin. It is believed that decaf coffee is more effective in this area because sometimes caffeine can have the opposite effect on insulin sensitivity.
• There is evidence to support the moderate consumption of coffee may reduce the risk of stroke but too much coffee can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Early studies indicate that coffee may protect the liver from cirrhosis and liver cancer. Again this is due to the rich supply of antioxidants present in coffee.  

I believe you can safely consume coffee in moderation as too much of anything, including anything good, can be detrimental to your overall good health. Sometimes the worst part of the coffee is all the stuff we put in it. If you are drinking a sugar and heavy cream laden milkshake-like coffee beverage every day, that may not be in your best interest. Even using artificial sweetener isn't going to save you from that awful choice because artificial sweeteners can cause their own problems, which will be the topic of a later post.

If you choose to drink coffee, I would avoid the fancy mocha latte frappuchino caramel macchiato whipped cream covered desserts the chains sell. Stick with regular coffee, either caffeinated or decaf. Sweeten if you must, with Stevia and if you need milk, stick with a non-dairy nut milk. Limit your intake to four cups per day, which is 32 ounces, not four of those giant-sized cups you get from a takeout place.

If caffeine causes you to develop cravings as it did for me back then, I would limit consumption to even less than four cups. There is no need to poke that bear. And of course, if you need support, you know where to find me.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

An Attitude of Gratitude

Have you ever heard of a gratitude journal? It's a place where you record what you are grateful for in your life. It doesn't have to be anything dramatic. I add five things to my journal every night that I'm grateful for from that particular day. It helps me to go to sleep in a good mood which allows my subconscious to set me up for a good start to the next day. 

Don't think you have anything to be grateful for? 

Did you wake up in a nice warm bed after a good night's sleep? Do you live in a safe place with plenty of clean water to drink and healthy food to eat? Are you healthy and able to move your body the way you want to? Do you have a good job that gives you financial security? Do you have family and friends who love you and whom you love?  You have plenty to be grateful for.

Gratitude is one of the most researched emotions and there is plenty of evidence proving its power.

• Being grateful can make you happier. If you look for what's good in your life instead of what's going wrong, you will develop more positive feelings about your life and yourself. 
• Being grateful can help to reduce symptoms of depression. Depression generally makes the depressed person focused mostly on self but being grateful forces the person to look outward to who or what they are thankful for, taking the focus off of self.
• Being grateful can increase your resilience. When you look at the good things in your life, you can see past the immediate problem to the bigger picture and bounce back more quickly.
• Being grateful can improve your self esteem. When you feel grateful for what others do for you, you feel loved and appreciated which makes you feel better about yourself.

More surprisingly, gratitude can improve your physical health too.

• Being grateful can improve your sleep by activating your relaxation response. Alternatively, negative emotions will activate the fight or flight response so it makes sense that sleep comes more easily to the grateful heart.
• Being grateful helps to lower stress. Practicing gratitude can help to reduce cortisol production, a stress hormone, and to increase production of DHEA, which promotes physiological relaxation. 
• Being grateful may make you exercise more often. If you are grateful for the healthy body you have, you are more likely to want to take care of it.
• Being grateful helps to reduce pain. Positive emotions have an analgesic effect by triggering the release of naturally occurring endogenous opioids. Grateful people are less sensitive to pain and have a higher threshold for it.
• Being grateful can help to lower blood pressure. Negative emotions will cause blood vessels to constrict, thereby raising blood pressure.
• Being grateful can boost the immune system. Practicing gratitude has been known to stimulate the increase of immunoglobulin A,  which is the first line of defense in fighting off viral infections.     
• Being grateful helps you to live longer. Optimistic, positive people are generally known to have longer life spans.   

There are many other reasons to be grateful. It will never hurt and it may improve your life in ways you never would have expected.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Please Don't Shoot The Messenger

I've heard it referred to as being the nutritional equivalent of Vaseline. We all know how tough it is to cut cheese out of our diet and now you're about to find out why. Alas, you will also find out why you need to do just that.

When you talk about which foods are the hardest to give up, everyone has their own list. Some is salty, some sweet. The usual suspects are: chocolate, ice cream, salty snacks like potato chips,  cookies, but the worst offender on the list, almost without equal is...cheese. I'm so very sorry to tell you what comes next.

This is the story with cheese...it covers all the categories that make food so hard to give up, except being sweet. It's full of fat, has a good mouth feel in its gooey cheesiness and has tons of salt. Adding salt to food, as the food processors and manufacturers do, will guarantee that you won't be able to "eat just one" as stated in an old potato chip commercial. And they are well aware of how enticing the salt they add is. Our bodies need salt and back in the "olden" days, it may have been hard to get enough salt to stay alive so when we find salt our physiology is designed to crave it and eat it. Salt is no longer scarce but our bodies have not evolved much in 10,000 years so salt still turns on our cravings. Salt also turns on our pleasure center located deep inside the brain.

Our tongues are very tuned in to the taste of salt so when it's detected, dopamine is released. Dopamine is the pleasure hormone that is released when we have a pleasurable experience like sex or, in this case, like eating a food we like. Salt causes the pleasure center to be activated and cheese has a lot of salt in it. So it just stands to reason that the salty taste of cheese gets our dopamine on.

But here's another thing you may not have known about cheese. It contains casein which is a protein present in milk and other dairy products and is particularly concentrated in cheese. Most protein molecules, when seen under a microscope, look like a string of beads. Each of those "beads" is an amino acid which will be absorbed into the bloodstream and used as building blocks in the body. However, casein is different. Casein releases fragments called casomorphins or casein derived morphine like compounds. And they attach to the same receptors in the brain as heroin and other narcotics do.

This really makes sense if you think about it. Suppose a baby animal or human won't nurse? It wouldn't survive of course. But the opiate from the casein provides the reward and sets up the dopamine release that causes the baby to want to eat. So that might explain why a baby falls asleep immediately after being fed. There is a mild naturally occurring narcotic in the milk that keeps the baby coming back for more, therefore ensuring its survival, as nature intended.

A cup of milk contains about 8 grams of protein of which about 80% is casein. Turn that into cheese and that increases the concentration of protein to about 56 grams, with again 80% being casein. It's kind of like being able to purchase legal crack in your local grocery store.

Drug manufacturers have found a way to make cocaine even more addictive by turning it into crack, and food manufacturers have done the same thing with dairy products. Back in the day, cheese makers didn't know about the addictive qualities of the protein found in cheese, but today's food manufacturers are well aware of this quality and do everything they can to exploit it.

There are scientists hired specifically to determine what will bring people back over and over again to purchase foods that are addictive. The precision of added salt and fat along with other chemicals is done so that it's in just the right amounts to make you crave the foods that are the worst for you to eat. They have perfected this skill when it comes to cheese.

Once we are weaned from mother's milk, there is no reason for human beings to consume dairy. We are the only species on the planet that drinks the milk of another species. It does not prevent osteoporosis. Most Eastern cultures do not use dairy in their traditional foods and they have far less osteoporosis in their populations than Western cultures. Calcium can be sourced from dark leafy greens, beans, lentils, sardines, almonds and seeds and they don't expose the consumer to the hormones present in dairy.

So do yourself a favor...when someone says "milk...it does a body good" (or in this case cheese) don't believe them.

LAST DAY TO REGISTER!!!  There is one seat left!

ICYMI...How about a sugar detox? I don't have a fancy name for this program but I can tell you a little about it. We'll begin on September 18th and end October 16th using Zoom.

If you want to get your energy back, lose a few pounds and generally feel better, this is the place for you. I'll share some of the strategies I used to eliminate sugar from my life and to get back on track in my own weight loss journey.

Won't it be nice to eliminate cravings, not feel that "hangry" feeling when your blood sugar drops, and to be able to control what you're eating? 

The five week program is only $49! For the price of less than one lunch per week, you can kick sugar to the curb. This is the only time the program will be offered at this low price because it's the first time I'm doing it, but I've used it for myself and it worked on me.  

Click here to schedule a quick chat with me so we can decide if this is a good program for you. You'll be glad you did. 

What Others Think Of Us Is None Of Our Business

Why do people think they have the right to judge others? I see all sorts of criticism of high profile people on what they wear, how they look, the size of their bodies and many other meaningless criteria. Why, when someone is in the public eye, are they targeted with such animosity? Is it jealousy, contempt or something else?

I see it among people who are not famous too. What is it about some humans that when they see someone doing something they might not have the confidence or the ability to do, they feel a need to tear them down? That, I believe, is the aforementioned jealousy rearing its ugly head. So when we are the subject of such unwanted and unwarranted scrutiny, why are we so negatively impacted by it? I love this quote:

A lot of cheap seats in the arena are filled with people who never venture onto the floor. They just hurl mean-spirited criticisms and put-downs from a safe distance. The problem is, when we stop caring what people think and stop feeling hurt by cruelty, we lose our ability to connect. But when we're defined by what people think, we lose the courage to be vulnerable. Therefore, we need to be selective about the feedback we let into our lives. For me, if you're not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I'm not interested in your feedback". - Brené Brown

If you're out there trying to change the status quo and make a difference in the world, no one gets to opine on your actions from the cheap seats. This rule is the same for well meaning loved ones as well as those who don't necessarily have your best interest at heart. Even if the changes are for you alone, unless someone is walking that journey with you, they don't get a vote. 

I have found several times in my life that someone would tell me not to lose too much weight (that has never been my problem) or not to go all in on something I wanted to try. I was told not to go into Accounting when I was first going to college by someone who supposedly had my best interest at heart. So I went to college for one semester studied Psychology and English and dropped out for several years until I decided to return to years later to study...Accounting. At the time, it was what I wanted to do and of course I didn't listen to my own inner voice, but rather the one of someone I thought I admired. I wasted many years and fell about seven years behind my peers in the career path I followed. Fortunately I was able to catch up and had a very good career that took care of my family and me quite nicely. Everything worked out in the end but to bottom line is I allowed someone else's choice for me override what I knew to be my best option at the time.

Don't let the opinion of others dull your sparkle. If you have something to contribute to the world, put on blinders and put in earplugs. Don't let the occupants of the cheap seats tell you how to proceed through your life.  They aren't the ones who have to live with the results of your decisions. 

ICYMI There is one seat left...How about a sugar detox? I don't have a fancy name for this program but I can tell you a little about it. We'll begin on September 18th and end October 16th using Zoom.

If you want to get your energy back, lose a few pounds and generally feel better, this is the place for you. I'll share some of the strategies I used to eliminate sugar from my life and to get back on track in my own weight loss journey.

Won't it be nice to eliminate cravings, not feel that "hangry" feeling when your blood sugar drops, and to be able to control what you're eating? 

The five week program is only $49! For the price of less than one lunch per week, you can kick sugar to the curb. This is the only time the program will be offered at this low price because it's the first time I'm doing it, but I've used it for myself and it worked on me.  

Click here to schedule a quick chat with me so we can decide if this is a good program for you. You'll be glad you did. 

Why Is It Harder Now Than It Was In The 70s To Maintain A Healthy Weight?

I have posted this before but if you haven't seen it, it might be time to read. IT may explain a few things.

According to this article, there are several factors contributing to the growing girth of our society. Even if we ate less and exercised more than our same aged counterparts in 1970, we would still have a harder time maintaining a healthy weight.

• Stress - even if stress causes you to lose your appetite temporarily, in the long run the cortisol it causes your body to produce will increase belly fat. We are often in a constant state of fight or flight and our bodies never get a break from the stress.
• Environment - there are ingredients in products we use every day that are estrogenic, meaning they imitate estrogen in our bodies, causing weight gain. Ingredients such as BPA, PCBs, triclosan, pesticides, fire retardants, just to name a few, affect how our bodies function.
• Food - the quality of our food supply is not the same as it was fifty years ago. We have additives and preservatives that our bodies don't know how to process. The soil is depleted of nutrients and there are many food items that have been genetically modified (GMOs). When multiple generations of mice have been fed GMO food, they end up morbidly obese along with having multiple other health problems.
• Drugs - the rampant use of prescription pharmaceuticals, especially antidepressants, has the unpleasant side effect of weight gain
• Microbiome - the bacteria in our gut is designed to help eliminate toxins from our body and neutralize the effects of bad bacteria and yeast. However, the Standard American Diet does not promote good gut health and in fact, often has ingredients that actually kill off the good bacteria (think antibiotics in factory farmed meat). 

There are ways to mitigate the impact of modern life on your waistline.

• Eat real food - stay away from food that comes in a box, bag or can. If it wasn't alive, don't eat it. And if it contains any artificial ingredients, don't eat it.
• Eat organic - minimize exposure to chemical pesticides that disrupt your body's ability to do its job
• Read labels - if your personal care products have any of the hormone disrupting chemicals listed above, don't use them
• Manage stress - take breaks, get adequate sleep, meditate, laugh, exercise, to minimize blood sugar fluctuations
• Avoid overusing prescription drugs - only take antibiotics when other alternatives are not possible. Antibiotics kill off good bacteria as well as bad and can lead to an overgrowth of candida (yeast) in the body
• Eat food that supports a healthy gut - fermented foods, foods with active probiotics, garlic, onions and asparagus, all promote a healthy microbiome

While our modern life makes it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight, it isn't impossible. Just make sure you eat the way nature intended. Eat plants, not food that was made in a plant.

ICYMI...How about a sugar detox? I don't have a fancy name for this program but I can tell you a little about it. We'll begin on September 18th and end October 16th using Zoom.

If you want to get your energy back, lose a few pounds and generally feel better, this is the place for you. I'll share some of the strategies I used to eliminate sugar from my life and to get back on track in my own weight loss journey.

Won't it be nice to eliminate cravings, not feel that "hangry" feeling when your blood sugar drops, and to be able to control what you're eating? 

The five week program is only $49! For the price of less than one lunch per week, you can kick sugar to the curb. This s the only time the program will be offered at this low price because it's the first time I'm doing it, but I've used it for myself and it worked on me.  

Click here to schedule a quick chat with me so we can decide if this is a good program for you. You'll be glad you did.