Walking for Health.

Walking is one of the best and most natural types of low-impact exercise.  It is a convenient way to improve your health while seeing the sites in your community.   All you need are good walking shoes & maybe an umbrella, jacket, or walking buddy.

If you don't have time for a planned walk, try to add as much walking as you can to your daily life.  This can be done by:

• parking a few blocks from work, school, or the store.  
• Take the stairs when you have the option. 
• You can also take a quick walk around the block on your breaks from tasks or work.

There are many health benefits from walking.  It can help you manage weight and improve muscle strength.   Regular exercise can help people control blood sugar levels and reduce cardiovascular risks.
New research published in Stroke:  Journal of the American Heart Association  reports that 2+ hours of walking per week (especially at a brisk pace) can reduce a woman's risk of stroke.   Although this research was specific to women, walking most likely has a similar health benefit for men.
Here are some helpful resources to get you walking:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/benefits-of-walking.htm
http://www.prevention.com/health/fitness/walking/walk-yourself-fit-warm-up-workout-video/article/c7eb33bfa8db8110VgnVCM10000013281eac____
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/hq01612

Tobbacco does so much for you and to you.

Why would you want to quit smoking or using tobacco?  
 After all, it's your buddy, the thing you turn to when the boss yells or when life gets too hectic.   That tobacco is there for you at any moment.

Let's look at it in a slightly different way...

The cig is my buddy?  I've had friends who weren't the best for me - borrowing money, leading me into poor choices, draining my energy and time.   However, tobacco takes the cake.  How much money can you give this buddy? - $7-11 per pack and the prices are going up.  We all know that spending time with this friend has an impact on our health - cardiovascular and lung risks are just a few.  And, think about the time spent smoking - 20 cigs per day at about 5 minutes per cigarette.  That's over an hour and a half, just in the act of smoking.  (Wow, you keep putting off joining the gym because you don't have enough time in the day.  Well, here it is!) Tobacco is that energy-sucking friend that won't leave & requires too much of your attention.  In general, people start to feel a distinct improvement in energy 1-9 months after quitting tobacco.   So, people may say that any friend is better than no friend at all.   You don't have to put up with abusive buddies, just because they are there.  It's time for new friends, friends who lift you up & enhance your life. 



 

Insomnia and Sleep

When you engage in deep sleep, regeneration processes in your body contribute to long-term health.

INSOMNIA CAN LEAD TO:
•    drowsiness/fatigue
•    impaired concentration and memory
•    stress intolerance
•    mood changes & irritability
•    muscle tension
•    hormonal imbalance & weight gain
•    increased health problems such as infections.



10 TIPS TO IMPROVING INSOMNIA

1.    Get on a schedule with consistent sleep and wake times.   Try to give yourself at least 8-9 hours for sleep.

2.    When you feel sleepy, go to bed.  Try not to stay awake to complete a task or project. Your body may release epinephrine to help you keep going.  Epinephrine is a stimulant & can take 30-45 minutes for your body to process.

3.    Avoid taking naps if you have trouble sleeping at night.

4.    Reserve the bed for sleep and sex only. Do not read, watch TV, eat, or worry in bed.

5.    If you find that you’ve been lying awake in bed for 15-20 minutes, get out of bed. Do something mundane until you feel sleepy, and then go back to bed. Repeat this as often as needed.

6.    Your sleeping environment should be quiet, cool and comfortable. The room should be clutter-free. Reduce the amount of ambient light as much as possible.

7.    Exercise regularly, but avoid exercise late in the evening.

8.    Exposure to sunlight early in the morning and late in the afternoon or evening encourages a strong circadian rhythm. The hormone melatonin, which helps create a sleep state in the body, is suppressed in light and secreted in darkness.

9.    If you have problems with waking during the early hours of the morning, have a small protein snack just before bed to ensure consistent blood sugar levels throughout the night. Consistently get exposure to sunlight as late in the day as possible.

10.     Caffeine & nicotine are stimulants.   Avoid caffeine in the afternoon/evening.  Quit tobacco – for assistance call your state tobacco quit line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. 

Resources
1.    Dement MD PhD, William. The Promise of Sleep. 1999. Dell Publishing. New York, NY.
2.    Jacobs PhD, Gregg. Say Goodnight to Insomnia. 1998. Henry Holt and Company. New York, NY.
3.    Ross DC, Herbert, Brenner Lac, Keri and Goldberg, Burton. Sleep Disorders. Tiburon, CA. 2000.
4.    Bastyr handout.

Spring Detox

Spring is fast (no pun intended) approaching, so it’s time to think about Spring Cleaning.   This applies to your body as well as your closets. 

So why is this a good time for detoxification? 
•    We are moving out of the Winter season, a storage and hibernation period. 
•    Traditionally, fewer fresh foods are consumed in the colder months, as people rely on more easily stored items.  This means that we may have consumed a lower quality of food over the winter - often more calories & fat.
•    We just exited the holiday period of rich meals and overeating.
•    We spent more time indoors in the Winter – less fresh air and more indoor toxins.   Indoor toxins?  Think about allergens (mold, dust mites, pet dander, etc.,) dirty furnace filters and wood-burning stoves. 

For the purpose of this discussion, a detox has two main functions: 1) Improving the body’s ability to rid itself of toxins or waste, and 2) Reducing toxin exposure.   Part 2 will enhance part 1.  

The following is a simple outline for a Spring detox.  Talk to your health care professional about personalizing a regimen for your specific health concerns.  For the general population, I do not think that serious calorie restriction (i.e. fasting) is necessary.  It’s more important to shift where you get your calories.  We want to move toward what Nature provides for us in the Spring.

Baby steps:  For the first 2+ weeks, start to reduce your use of coffee, black tea, alcohol, refined sugar, & processed foods. 

Then, the detox: 
1) Diet:  Mostly whole foods- organic if possible, avoid canned or frozen. 
•    Plenty of whole grains: quinoa, brown rice, barley, millet, whole wheat
•    Unless you are told otherwise by a health professional, eat some of these veggies daily:  broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, leafy greens, beets, carrots, artichokes, burdock (gobo.)  These foods provide nutrients to enhance the body’s detoxification & elimination processes.
•    Legumes, quinoa, cold-water fish, and organic meats for protein
•    Fruits & nuts (raw best)- great snacks
•    Try to stick to 5 small meals: 
BREAKFAST—SNACK—LUNCH—SNACK—DINNER
o    Breakfast – smoothie w/ protein powder & fruit are good for busy people.  However, watch the sugar content in protein powder mixes!

2) Drink:  plenty of water, avoid coffee (a cup of green tea per day is ok)
•    Talk with your Naturopath about a good detox tea for you. 
•    Fresh juice – carrot, beet, lemon

3) Exercise:  30 minutes of sweat-provoking exercise, at least 5 times per week  (yoga is great for detox)  Once again, check with your medical professional to find a suitable exercise for you. 

4) Sauna or warm bath w/ Epsom salt.  Consult your health care professional to make sure these are safe options for you.  The skin is a detox organ.

5) Ground Flax seed:  1 TBS added to diet per day (over veggies, salad, etc.)  This is a great source of fiber.  The colon is a detox organ

6) Deep Breathing – the lungs are a detox organ, too.
•    4x4 deep breathing when feeling anxious or tense, or esp before bedtime, etc.
o    Take a slow breath in through your nose, counting to 4.
o    Take a slow breath out through your mouth, counting to 4.
o    Do 4 sets of these breaths. 

AVOID COFFEE, ALCOHOL, PREPARED FOODS, & SUGAR. 

Obesity & Weight Management

On February 9th, President Obama signed a memorandum with a plan of action to address childhood obesity. This will work in conjunction with the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign. So, why the attention? It’s a matter of health. And this issue has finally gotten political attention due to financial ramifications. A review of the last decade’s (English) public literature by Dr. Alter Withrow found that “obesity was estimated to account for between 0.7% and 2.8% of a country's total healthcare expenditures. Furthermore, obese individuals were found to have medical costs that were approximately 30% greater than their normal weight peers.” (Obesity Review. 2010 Jan 27.)

Obesity increases your risk factors for:
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Endometrial cancer
• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Stroke
• High blood pressure (Hypertension)
• High cholesterol (Dyslipidemia)
• Arthritis
• Liver and Gall bladder disease

Obesity can be caused by medical problems or a result of lifestyle choices. See your doctor for evaluation of obesity. The following is information about healthy weight and eating.

Rx for a Healthy Lifestyle – weight and diet
(based in part on NIH Weight Control Information Network recommendations)

• Eat a variety of foods – balanced diet of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats
• Avoid or limit saturated fats and trans fats.
• Avoid added sugars and salt.
• Avoid or limit alcohol.
• Give yourself smaller servings of high-calorie (high fat, etc) foods and larger amounts of low-calorie foods (fruits, vegetables.)
• Limit restaurant meals. When you go out for meals, eat only half of the meal & take the other portion home.
• Engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day. Do this at least 5 times per week. This activity level will help you reduce chronic disease risk (diabetes, heart disease.)
• Find time to exercise. Get into a routine – before your day, during lunch break, before dinner, on a work break. Take the stairs when you can. Park far away, so that you can walk.
• Prepare fruit & vegetables as snacks before starting your day or purchase these items in convenient snack packs. When you have healthy foods on hand, you won’t need to reach for the high calorie snacks when you are hungry.
• Avoid prepared foods when possible. However, if you need to grab a quick item, look at labels. Make sure you understand the serving size.

For weight loss, also consider:
• Keep a food diary, writing down all foods & drinks consumed per day. Make sure to note the time, amounts & feelings. This diary will help you identify unhealthy eating patterns.
• Engage in physical activity for 60-90 minutes per day. Start slowly – walking, etc. Vary your activities and be sure to increase intensity or duration as you are able.

Resource: www.win.niddk.nih.gov
NIH Publication No.08-6444 and 07-5634

Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is hands-on evaluation & treatment practice primarily involving the connective tissues of the central nervous system. It is a type of bodywork commonly used by naturopathic physicians, osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, massage therapists, and other alternative medicine practitioners. Craniosacral therapists gently assist the body in relieving restrictions in cerebral-spinal movement (the fluid that bathes the brain & central nervous system) - this is one of the most important aspects of the practice. CST is often used in the treatment of pain, stress-related illness, TMJ, depression, Migraine headaches, Autism, physical injury, asthma, digestive problems, anxiety, insomnia, & the list goes on.

What to expect in a treatment: Patients will lie or be seated in a relaxed position, fully clothed (possibly with the exception of shoes.) You will feel light touch, as the practitioner assesses certain rhythms and tensions in the body. Treatments last 30-60 minutes. Many people feel a profound sense of relatation during/following a session.

Menopause

The most important thing I want to convey about menopause is that it is a natural and normal part of women's life cycle. Like puberty, it is a time for acceptance, patience, and growth. Menopause is not a condition to be cured or avoided.

So, what is menopause? Clinically, it is defined as the the cessation of menses due to hormonal and body changes. This may occur naturally or through surgery/pharmaceutical treatment Menopause is official when a woman has gone without menses for 12 months.

Women may experience temporary signs or symptoms such as headaches, joint pain, muscle pain, urinary incontinence, hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, vaginal dryness and urinary tract infections. I want to emphasize the use of the word temporary. For example, hot flashes will discontinue over time without intervention in most women.

However temporary a symptom can be, it may still be disruptive & affect your quality-of-life. Symptom treatment can be important to keep women active & functioning.

Common Treatments:

• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): This treatment consists of estrogens derived from horse urine. This is a very well-studied intervention. For more information, go to the Women's Health Initiative: http://www.whi.org/. HRT has risks including blood clots, heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, and breast cancer. The side effects include breast tenderness, bloating & vaginal bleeding.
• Bio-Identical Hormones: This is a Wild Yam-derived estrogen treatment. It has been made famous by popular culture icons/authors. The risks and side effects have not been sufficiently studied at this time.
• Botanical Medicine: These are plant-based treatments often emphasizing phyto-estrogens and other plant constituents to address various symptoms. Phyto-estrogens are chemicals that mimic or act as weak estrogens in the body.
• Nutritional Support: Overall improvement of diet is suggested. Elimination of aggravating food allergies/intolerances can be very helpful with symptom management. The addition of certain foods (a famous example would be soy) can be helpful for some women.
• Stress Management/Relaxation Therapy: Stress has been known to exacerbate many menopause symptoms.

It is important to work with your doctor to find the appropriate intervention(s) for you.

Women’s attitudes about menopause are important. Cultural and historical beliefs can greatly impact how a woman views this time of change.

Women who have social support (friends & family) for discussion of menopausal signs & symptoms have improved attitudes of menopause. This social factor is discussed in the article Predictors of Midlife Women's Attitudes Toward Menopause. By: Theisen, S. Carol; Mansfiedl, Phyllis Kernoff; Seery, Brenda L.; Voda, Ann. Health Values: The Journal of Health Behavior, Education & Promotion, May/Jun95, Vol. 19 Issue 3, p22, 10p; (AN 6237811)

Whether you have had children or not, your body has been using vital energy each month to prepare for reproduction. This has been an long job & menopause is your retirement. It is a time for introspection and self-care. Your energy is for you, no longer split between you and your reproductive potential. This is a powerful time for women. Think of the hot-flash as a metaphor for this power & returned energy.