How Do You See Yourself?

Most of my reading is in the area of personal development. I attend conferences, listen to podcasts and generally immerse myself in learning how to 'mind my mind'. While I don't consider myself a pessimist, I don't always see the glass as half full. I've come a long way in my mindset after years of working on it. I listen to audiobooks in the car and while I exercise and they are always either about topics to enhance my coaching or to enhance myself. I've come a long way baby.

It wasn't all that long ago that I had a hard time telling people what I do. When I worked in my corporate job, that was easy. I was Director of Tax Audits for a multinational corporation. What I do now was a little tougher for me to talk about. Don't get me wrong. I love, love, love what I do but I was hesitant to let people know what that was. I know how it all fits together but I didn't want to appear scattered and unprofessional.

I have my hand in several things. I am first and foremost a health and nutrition coach. I am also a WomenHeart champion community educator. I am also a social marketer for three health and wellness product lines. This is really where I have a hard time. These products are sold through multi-level marketing (MLM) from very legitimate companies. Because of the often unjustified stigma attached to MLMs, I don't want to de-legitimize myself in someone else's eyes if they don't know enough about the industry to realize that it really is a great way to develop multiple streams of income and have access to high quality products at prices far lower than you would pay in a brick and mortar retail store for the same or lower quality. But I have gotten over that story through personal development.

Here are some of the benefits you might enjoy by practicing a little personal development yourself:

• Self awareness - Get to know you. Find out what makes your heart sing. What is your true purpose? Why were you put in this life at this time? What are your dreams? What completes you? You learn to listen to your inner wisdom, your intuition, the voice of God...whatever you like to call it. If you follow your true voice, it will never steer you wrong.
• Direction - Once you find your true purpose through self awareness, you will want to decide what you need to do to make that happen. You'll learn what it is you're doing that doesn't get you closer to your goal and stop doing it to free yourself to take the steps necessary to accomplish what you set out to do. Simplifying your life by getting rid of the distractions will make your goals much more attainable.
• Clarity - Once you have determined your objective(s) and gotten rid of many of the distractions, the path forward becomes much clearer. With personal development, you can become much more focused and 'keep your eye on the prize'. You can assess each activity for the value it brings to the process of reaching your goal. When you decide which steps to take to get you closer and can see the end result, you are much less likely to be dazzled by distractions and more likely to stay on your path.
• Motivation - As you gain the clarity of your objective and your path forward, your motivation can soar because you know what you're doing and how it will get you closer to achieving the result you want. One of the things that derails us in achieving the goals we set is the size of the goal. If it seems too large, it will seem overwhelming and unattainable. As we learn through personal development, attainment of the goal is only part of the journey. The learning is in the process of achieving the large goal. The steps we take to the end are where the learning occurs. You don't need to be motivated to accomplish the whole goal. You just need enough motivation to get through the next step.
• Resilience - We all walk through storms. That's a part of life that nobody can avoid. Whether it's a problem you caused through a mistake or lapse in good judgment, or something that happened that had a profound effect on you, it's your reaction to the situation that determines its impact on you. What I have found is, while there are some occurrences that may still trigger me, I am able to rebound much more easily from situations that might have kept me in a downward spiral several years ago, for much longer. Life is 2% what happens and 98% how you respond to it.

Personal development has changed me in ways that are apparent and in ways not so apparent. I have much more ease and confidence when I speak about what I do because I can now proudly own it. I can confidently coach people and know that I'm helping them. I don't need to please anyone or live up to anyone else's expectations of how I should live my life. I am happy and optimistic most of the time and have a very full and abundant life for which I am very grateful. Really good things happen for me and to me often. I don't think my luck has changed but the way I look at things has changed. You can see all the good or you can see all the bad in life. Whatever you look for you will find. So look for the good...always look for the good, in yourself and everyone else.

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.

Are You Getting Enough?

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.

Holiday Stress...How Do You Deal?

'Tis the season...the season for lots of food, the season for shopping, the season for baking,  the season for socializing and the season for any number of things, including lots of stress. We overspend, overeat, overextend ourselves by overcommitting. Holiday stress can lead to depression, anxiety and unhealthy behaviors.

It's important when in the throes of a stressful situation that you try to step back and regroup. Here are some strategies to get through the next few weeks:

• Not everything that happens during the holidays sparks joy in your life. Allow yourself to feel whatever you're feeling. Perhaps you recently lost someone you love and this is a tough time for you. Give yourself some grace if you are not feeling particularly festive.
• People who are alone often feel a lot more alone during this time of year. If you fall into this category and don't have anyone to spend the holidays with, get involved in church or community events or volunteer at a nursing home or some other facility where people would welcome the company.
• Don't hold yourself and your holiday preparations to some unreasonable and unattainable standard. The important thing is to be present, not to give presents. Don't hold others, like your adult children, to unreasonable expectations either. They may need to spend time with other family members and may not be able to be with you the way they have in the past. Be flexible. There are other ways to stay connected during the holidays if you can't be together in person.
• The stress of the holidays can often make minor grievances seem much bigger than they otherwise would be. Take a step back from addressing the negative situation until after the holiday so that the extra stress doesn't add to the problem.
• Stay within your budget. We often spend way too much money on gifts and food. Figure out what you can comfortably spend and stick to that amount. Instead of buying everyone in your family gifts, you can do what the adults in my family do. We take turns identifying a charity that is meaningful to us and everyone donates to that charity instead of exchanging gifts. 
• Set boundaries around your time and your sanity. Limit your exposure to challenging people and situations. You don't have to attend every party, or argument for that matter, you're invited to. Allow yourself some down time and only accept the invitations that feel good to you.
• Make a plan so you aren't left at the last minute scrambling to figure out what to do, cook or buy. Planning can take a lot of the wind out of your stress.
• Maintain your healthy habits. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated, get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet and exercise. Practicing self-care every day but especially during a stressful period like the holidays will keep you resilient and healthy.
• Recognize your triggers and do your best to avoid them. If you are triggered when you get hungry, make sure you have healthy snacks handy. If being tired sets you off, get plenty of rest. Take care of you first and foremost. You cannot care for others if you don't take care of yourself.

The holidays don't have to be a time to dread if you are prepared mentally and physically. It might be a busy time in your life every year but with a little perspective, you can enjoy it. I hope you do.

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.

Exercise...It Does a Body Good

I attached the picture of these 50 reasons to exercise to give some incentive to move your body regularly. But I also want to share with you the benefits that I've enjoyed since committing to daily exercise. Here are a few of the changes I see happening in my body the more I exercise:

• I have more energy
• I have no joint, muscle or foot pain
• I can walk for hours without tiring out
• I have much more confidence
• I feel better in my clothes
• I think my posture is better
• I sleep more deeply
• I feel stronger
• I lose weight more consistently

These are the benefits I've enjoyed since I began my daily routine. It feels like a habit now. It's a priority in my life and so far, I have not gone to bed without first going to the gym. Some nights I've gone at 10:30. I try not to be that late because by the end of the day I'm tired but it's important to me to keep up my momentum.

If weight loss is your goal, exercise alone will not get you there. Proper nutrition is 80-90% of the formula for successful weight loss. Exercise will help to accelerate your efforts a little but don't count on it to do the whole job. Exercise helps to develop muscle and maintaining muscle takes more calories than maintaining fat takes. As your muscles develop, while muscle weighs more than fat, muscle takes up less space so your body becomes smaller. Women don't have enough testosterone to build large muscles but we can certainly tone what's there.

Exercise delays the aging process, helps to ward off many illnesses, keeps your balance and coordination, helps to keep your brain sharp along with many other benefits. But the biggest one of all is it makes me feel really good. I now understand the runner's high. I don't run but I do get a feeling of euphoria after I have exercised. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I've logged another day at the gym. And every time I take a long walk it just makes it better.

So why not take that plunge? If you've been making excuses to neglect your daily exercise, you aren't doing yourself any favors. Start out slow then increase as you get stronger. It doesn't take long to feel the impact and the benefit. You deserve to feel and look your best. Give that gift to yourself.   

Are you dreading the holidays, knowing that you won't be able to wear the same clothes on New 

Year's that you wore at the beginning of the feeding frenzy we call the holiday season? Are you worried that you might undo all the good you have done recently for your health? Do you think you might go off the rails with your food choices? Do the holidays get really stressful and cause you to make food choices that may not be very healthy? 

If any of the above scares you, I can help you get through the four weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's with my Healthy Holidays program.  And you won't even have to leave the comfort of your home.  

I am offering SPECIAL PRICING for BLACK FRIDAY this weekend for anyone who signs up by Sunday. The regular price of this program is $297 but until 12/1, the price is only $247...that's a $50 savings!

If you would like to have a free consultation about the Healthy Holidays program, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Aging Gracefully May Not Be Popular But It's So Much Easier

The best is yet to be. I read this article recently 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're 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 recently earned 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.   

Are you dreading the holidays, knowing that you won't be able to wear the same clothes on New 

Year's that you wore at the beginning of the feeding frenzy we call the holiday season? Are you worried that you might undo all the good you have done recently for your health? Do you think you might go off the rails with your food choices? Do the holidays get really stressful and cause you to make food choices that may not be very healthy? 

If any of the above scares you, I can help you get through the four weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's with my Healthy Holidays program.  And you won't even have to leave the comfort of your home.  

I am offering SPECIAL PRICING for BLACK FRIDAY this weekend for anyone who signs up by Sunday. The regular price of this program is $297 but until 12/1, the price is only $247...that's a $50 savings!

If you would like to have a free consultation about the Healthy Holidays program, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

A Day of Gratitude

Today's post will be short. I want to express my gratitude to all read these blog posts I put out on a daily basis. Some of them take a few hours to write, others come quickly.

If I'm helping anyone with a little advice or some shared knowledge, I feel it's worth it. If these posts help you, please feel free to comment below the blog post and share them with whomever you think could benefit. If there are health and/or nutrition topics you want to learn about, please let me know.

I wish you all a healthy and happy Thanksgiving. I'll be spending Thanksgiving with my family so I'll be back on Friday.

Are you dreading the holidays, knowing that you won't be able to wear the same clothes on New 

Year's that you wore at the beginning of the feeding frenzy we call the holiday season? Are you worried that you might undo all the good you have done recently for your health? Do you think you might go off the rails with your food choices? Do the holidays get really stressful and cause you to make food choices that may not be very healthy? 

If any of the above scares you, I can help you get through the four weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's with my Healthy Holidays program.  And you won't even have to leave the comfort of your home.  

I am offering SPECIAL PRICING for BLACK FRIDAY for anyone who signs up by then. The regular price of this program is $297 but until 11/29, the price is only $247...that's a $50 savings!

If you would like to have a free consultation about the Healthy Holidays program, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Who Are We Really Doing It For?

I've heard it said that there is no such thing as an unselfish act. Everything we do for others provides a benefit to us. Whether it's because we feel responsible for helping them, or we just get a good feeling from helping, we still benefit from performing a good deed.

I speak for myself when I say that helping people makes me feel good about myself. I also believe that there is something for us after we leave this life. I may not define the way my childhood religion taught me but I believe there is something bigger than us that we will discover when we leave this plane. I think we were put here to take care of each other and I'm not sure how that's measured in the afterlife but I want to leave this life thinking I made a difference to at least one person. But that makes my good deeds purely selfish, doesn't it? Well, maybe not purely selfish. Hopefully the recipient(s) of my good deeds benefit from them as well.

I read an article about how, around the holidays, many people decide to become charitable with their time and other resources. They search for ways to donate a few hours here or there to a food bank or some such concern. They want to remind themselves about how fortunate they are or teach their kids about gratitude by showing them how little some other people have. Their motives aren't necessarily directed to helping others but rather for their own self interest. The write referred to these types of people, as "using the holidays as a poverty zoo", a type of holiday tourism. This practice provides the "donor" the opportunity to do something that is safe and not too difficult, for someone less fortunate than themselves. They leave feeling pretty good about themselves and their own circumstances.

Where are these people outside of the holidays? Much of the year, many charities are desperate for help but have an overload of supposedly well-meaning people knocking at the door only during the winter holiday season. Unfortunately, what this does is it reduces the recipients of the charity to a pawn in their "let me feel good about me" game. The very people who need a little dignity because much of theirs has been stripped away, are being used once again.

When we give to another person, it's important to remember that the recipient is still a person who deserves to maintain their dignity. They shouldn't be made to feel that the donor is in any way superior to them. They already feel bad enough in most cases because they have to accept charity in the first place.

One idea the author suggested was to collect unwrapped holiday gifts so that the parents could choose and wrap the gifts themselves and give them to their kids. It allows the parents to maintain some sort of autonomy over a situation where they have very little control. Receiving charity should be part of the healing process when someone is down and out and should not leave the receiver worse off than before the gift was given.         

Become a regular volunteer so that you don't just show up for special occasions but help out all year as time allows. Be respectful of the recipients of your largesse and don't use them as a reflection of the blessings in your own life. You know how blessed you are. Don't make them prove it to you.

I was deeply moved by this article because I believe I am often guilty of the "there but for the grace of God go I" mantra. It could happen to any of us and I hope it happens to none of us. I'm sure I've often used others misfortune to feel good about myself by giving them money or food. I'm going to think twice about this in the future. I won't stop giving because sometimes people need a hand up. But I think I'll change the story I tell myself about it. The article is here if you're interested.

Are you dreading the holidays, knowing that you won't be able to wear the same clothes on New 
Year's that you wore at the beginning of the feeding frenzy we call the holiday season? Are you worried that you might undo all the good you have done recently for your health? Do you think you might go off the rails with your food choices? Do the holidays get really stressful and cause you to make food choices that may not be very healthy? 

If any of the above scares you, I can help you get through the four weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's with my Healthy Holidays program.  And you won't even have to leave the comfort of your home.  

I am offering SPECIAL PRICING until THANKSGIVING for anyone who signs up by then. The regular price of this program is $297 but until 11/28, the price is only $247...that's a $50 savings!

If you would like to have a free consultation about the Healthy Holidays program, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.