A big shout out to Dr. Chris for sharing this great video with us —please visit his site http://www.yourpersonalwellness.com for more great information.
Happy 4th of July
Check out this great recipe for some paleo burgers for your 4th of July cookout!!!
Here is Christa Orecchio from The Whole Journey giving some information about “What is a GMO?”
And here is the trailer to the fabulous documentary “Genetic Roulette”
I spent some time with Dee this weekend! She looks great and is feeling confident and down 15lbs. She is keeping it off and doing it the right way. Here is one of her great posts on breaking habits. Happy Saturday!
Dee writes:
Remembering those triumphant times will help you know that you have the strength to do this too. My downfall has always been at night. I can normally spend all day eating well, including a decent dinner. After dishes, some laundry and household chores, I tend to sit down for television with my family for an hour or so before bed. Sixty minutes can undo 14 hours of hard work.
To substitute this bad habit with a good one, I’ve come up with some ideas to keep from snacking on junk food at night.
So the last few months, I have felt completely stressed out with my kids on summer break, my menopausal hormone imbalance, and trying to sell our house. I don’t know how many of you can relate but the showings seem to come at the most unfortunate times. Last week, they called at noon for a showing at 4 when I was knee-deep at work. The beds were unmade, the dishes were in the sink, and the children that I enlisted to power clean— were at the pool relaxing! ” Really Mom, It’s summer break!”
I decided I needed to practice some mindfulness in order to settle my erratic brain. Because I don’t know how to meditate, I thought of adding Yoga to my usual routine of running and Zumba. The first few weeks went well. I seemed to develop a groove after week #2; realizing that I’m not nearly as limber as I thought. Week #3 brought the reality that I was elderly and not that nimble 20 yo ballet dancer anymore. Week #4 –well, I can still cross my legs, but my splits look more like Gumby trying to morph into Stretch Armstrong than Natalie Portman in “The Black Swan”.
But here is the kicker! I walked into class to find all my cronies facing flat against the wall in some awkward squat position. I slowly and quietly turned to leave deciding I had entered the wrong class only to be called out by the Yoga instructor (damn, why did I try to befriend her?) saying—” Don’t worry-come in because we are trying something different tonight. NO JUDGEMENT in our practice. NAMASTE”
Much to my dismay, she was teaching Wall Yoga. I suffered through the difficult positions with my muscles quivering and sweat dripping onto my newly purchased chic pink Target brand Yoga mat. I drove home thinking that I must be the only person going to Yoga that doesn’t toke up before class. I then came home and googled (officially a verb now) Wall Yoga. OOPS–I’m the jerk! I proceeded to find extraordinary information on Wall Yoga’s amazing health benefits. Likewise, I was apparently incredibly fortunate to have found an experienced teacher here in the Midwest.
My ignorance has prompted me to enlist some exercise and Yoga experts to write some guest blogs for you all. After all–we are in this together and you certainly can’t trust my views on exercise. Jeez —I thank the Universe because usually I take my 19 yo daughter with me to class. I’m sure she would have posted a You Tube viral sensation of me trying to do these moves.
I’d like to introduce KATHY—our Yoga expert!!!
Aloha! I am a guest writer for Angela M.D.’s lovely blog. Because of her new-found enjoyment in the practice, Angela has asked me to write a post about the benefits of yoga.
But, before I get started, let me share a little bit about me. In 2012 I graduated from Carthage College with a degree in Exercise Physiology. Although I love the human body and all the amazing physical things it can do, I decided to go right back to school to finish a licensing program at Dominican University to become a Registered Dietitian. I am currently in my second (and final) year and will be looking for internships this spring. Upon this road of health, I discovered yoga. My passion for feeding the body and moving my muscles naturally moved towards yoga due to its holistic practices. After 3 years of practicing (during college), I decided that I wanted to share this wonderful lifestyle with the world! Ok, well maybe my friends and colleagues first…So, I became a registered yoga teacher (RYT 200) through Essencia Yoga in Wheaton IL. I love teaching and sharing my experiences with students of all capabilities and lifestyles, so I hope you enjoy this article and maybe visit me at the studio one day!
Ok, enough about me…let’s talk yoga!
Benefit #1: Relaxing
In this modern world we live in, every day is a day to do more, learn more, and simply accomplish more. We are taught from birth to be the best at whatever we put our minds to. While this is great and all, it is really good for us to slow down every now and then to assess our progress and reevaluate the route we are taking. Yoga helps your body to do that. By focusing on your breath, connecting it with the body, and feeling the sensations in each posture, you become more aware of not only your surroundings, but who you are as a person. After practicing for awhile, you might even begin to notice that the little things that used to bother you so much seem like just a cool breeze that you can handle much better.
Benefit #2: Strength
If you have taken just one yoga class, you will more than likely know what I am talking about here. In yoga, you use your body as the machine to move into postures and facilitate healing throughout. You build muscles you never knew you even had. As a matter of fact, I practiced for 3 years on my own before actually taking a yoga class and I was actually sore after the class! Having been an athlete my whole life, I was shocked that yoga could make me sore. It is important to note here that not all yoga is for building muscles, but the majority of the types do have some sort of asana (posture) attached, so a physical benefit will happen along the way.
Benefit #3: Strong Heart
Along with strength, yoga can increase your heart rate during class through flowing motions. Building a strong heart allows for the heart muscles to grow stronger. A stronger heart means a lower overall heart rate and is therefore a more healthy heart. Like any form of exercise, it is important to get that heart rate up just a bit so it can become stronger over time.
Benefit #4: Spirituality
By focusing on the breath, body, and mind, you may naturally become a more spiritual person. Being ”spiritual” can mean so many different things, depending on who you are and your current level of spirituality.
Benefit #5: Healthy Eating
Becoming more in tune with your body will not only strengthen and stretch your muscles on a deeper level, it will also create a mind-body connection that might possibly lead to choosing healthier foods. When we show care to our bodies, our mind wants to keep up that kindness; which is when we start reaching for more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
As you can see, yoga is so much more than just a physical practice, but the practice is usually where it all begins. Everyone is a beginner in yoga, your mat is your sacred space and no one will judge you (not even you!).
Thank you Angela, for the opportunity to write about a major passion of mine and I hope that all who read this may consider trying just one yoga class. Whether you want to grow stronger, more flexible, or find a place of peace to yourself for an hour, give it a try; I’m sure you’ll love it.
Namaste. (“salutations to you”)
Kathy
Thanks to Kathy for her contribution and check out her site above or on the link to the right!!!
I am so excited about spinach right now I can’t even stand it. It’s a beautiful sunny day in Florida and most normal people are excited about body surfing in the Gulf of Mexico. But I’m not normal, so I am happy that I just found two great ways to put spinach in my lunch.
Keep this in mind when you get out your blender — can I add a handful of spinach? If it’s a margarita, the answer is no. But if it’s homemade fruit vinaigrette or a smoothie, throw it in. I made pear vinaigrette (one peeled pear, one orange squeezed plus the zest, a pinch of thyme, 2 T of pear infused balsamic vinegar and 1 T of olive oil). It was really good but when I blended in a cup of spinach it was even better.
I bottled it up and went to get a bowl of bean soup for lunch out of my Crock Pot. Before ladling in the soup, I chopped up another handful of spinach. Pouring the hot soup on top caused the spinach to wilt, which is what I wanted. It added a pretty color to the beige soup and added a whole lot of health. Only 7 calories per cup adds half a day’s supply of Vitamin A, 14% of your Vitamin C, 5% Iron and a gram each of fiber and protein. Best of all, your mama would be so proud!
For more posts by Dee–visit http://www.gettingthebestoffood.com
My sentiments exactly! Thanks for the share Dee–check out her blog at http://www.gettingthebestoffood.com
A big shout out to Donna and Steve for sharing their testimonials!!! A huge shout out to Kathy Taylor who makes a great cheerleader and advocate to changing lifestyles!
Here is this weeks article in the IU Health Matters
Wellness clinic leads patients to healthier habits
“I’ve learned a different way of eating, and I’m enjoying more fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Donna Tipton, a patient who participates in the free wellness clinic offered by IU Health Physicians Internal Medicine at Indiana University Health West Hospital. Tipton continues,
“I feel so much better; I’ve lost inches and I’m slowly losing weight.”
The brainchild of Angela Henriksen, MD, the clinic came about because Henriksen found herself advising “diet and exercise” to her patients
year after year during their annual exams—and not seeing any positive results. “I know
how hard it is to change yourself, and
the trouble that I have doing it,” Henriksen says. She wanted a way to help patients take responsibility for their own health. A year ago, she established a program whereby all of the practices’ patients who are interested can first see their respective physicians and then meet with medical assistant Kathy Taylor on a regular basis for wellness consultation.
Today, 70 patients participate in the popular program, talking with Taylor for 15 minutes to an hour once or twice a month during office hours. Many of the patients report that
they like the accountability and encouragement the wellness clinic offers, and have gained healthier habits—resulting in being able to eliminate their diabetes medicine or losing weight. “It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change,” says Tipton. “It’s about learning what your body needs and feeding it what it needs.”
The wellness and lifestyle modification tips offered not only help prevent disease, according to Henriksen, but also provide cost savings in the long run by aiding with compliance issues. Taylor uses the visits to check patients’ medications, food logs and more. She also offers ideas about local resources, such as fresh fruit and vegetable delivery services.
As for the future? Henriksen shares that she would like to like to incorporate more exercise, such as yoga, into the evolving program. It’s all part of her personal wellness concept: “The best way to change the world is to change ourselves.”
For more information, contact the office of Angela Henriksen, MD, at 317.217.2600. IU Health also offers free personal health coaching to all team members. Health coaches can help you identify ways to improve your health and/or manage your health challenges. Call 317.963.WELL.
Visit her site at http://www.gettingthebestoffood—she may be “still a small voice”–but, a powerful one indeed!
Thanks Dee for sharing
I am privileged to share my experience and health insights with the readers of Weight Loss Mavens. I am a board certified internist in private practice in Indiana for the last 12 years. Like most medical school graduates, I left medical school eager to treat and cure-all diseases. After completing my residency, I was absolutely sure that I had found my mission in life by becoming a physician.
To my surprise, I was WRONG!
My wake up call came about a year ago when I realized that I was repeating the same, ineffectual mantra by encouraging my patients to “eat healthier and exercise.” But nobody was getting better! Every year I wrote more prescription medications to treat symptoms. I never truly identified the root cause of their disease, and certainly didn’t give them specific information about how to eat better and exercise. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t even know anything about good nutrition and prevention at the time.
Enter Susan–my “Ah Ha” patient that changed my life for the better. Susan was in her 40′s with four young sons, a successful veterinary practice, and the awful disease LUPUS. Lupus is a debilitating, chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks its own cells all over the body. We had her on immune suppressing drugs that were packing on the pounds, causing severe symptoms, and frankly not controlling her symptoms. She was unable to spend any time in the sun and couldn’t attend her son’s ball games. She frequently missed work due to pain and was relying on narcotics to get her through her days. She was nearly suicidal. This intelligent, beautiful woman had everything going in life until she was struck by disease. I wasn’t helping her at all.
We decided to go on a mission to determine the root cause of her disease. We began educating ourselves on toxins in our food supply and environment that could turn on auto-immunity. I spent sleepless nights feeling like I was a complete failure and contemplated quitting medicine. I felt that I wasn’t doing patients any good.
CUE THE DRUM ROLL!
We figured it out! After tedious symptom/ food diaries, spreadsheets, research/prayers—We discovered that Susan was intolerant to RED DYE # 40!
We immediately removed it from her diet. Today, Susan is a drug free, vital, beautiful, thin, happy woman who no longer has Lupus. It may seem too simple and hard to believe, but it is a true story!
Today, I continually educate myself on the power of food as medicine and integrate this knowledge into my practice. Susan was my wake up call. Thanks to her, I’ve helped many patients re-examine how they eat, move, and think. The results are remarkable.
My challenge to you is to start today—Start being conscious of each and everything that you put in your body, and ask yourself “Is this something from the Earth that is going to nourish my body?” If the answer is NO–reconsider consuming it! It just may save your life and give you many years of vitality versus disease.
When Rosie O’Donnell had her heart attack last year, she stated that was the first time she actually became conscious of what she was putting into her body. So that is the first step we can take. Let’s begin this journey by reading labels, focus on eating real food, and being mindful of what we are putting into our bodies.
About the author:
Angela DeBord Henriksen, MD received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and her MD degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Internal Medicine through St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Dr. Henriksen currently has a private practice at IU Health after serving as a hospitalist there.
