Right now as I type this, it is Monday morning, I’ve seen my first group of patients, have a short break before the next ones arrive, and I’ve had a thought in my mind since early this morning that I thought I’d share with you. I was reading through some posts on social media outlets today, and saw varying degrees of “Monday morning” comments. As you might imagine, they ranged from “ugh, it’s Monday”, to more encouraging ones wishing everyone a great start to the week. I had a brief conversation with my 14 year old son this morning on the way to school (aren’t all conversations with 14 year old boys brief?) about the same topic. It really got me thinking about the importance of how we start our days. I always encourage people to “Finish Strong”, but I sometimes think we forget to “Start Well”. This can set the tone for an entire day, and an entire week.
So, how do you start the day? Are you the “Good God it’s morning!” person? Or are you the “Good morning God!” person? Admittedly, I have both types of days at varying times, but honestly I have to say it’s more the latter to a very large degree. I don’t think it’s because I am especially blessed, or lucky, though both of those come into play to some degree. I know I am blessed to have a profession/career that is a blast. I know I am lucky to have the wife I have (she’d agree too) etc. But beyond that, I believe there are some keys that I’ve learned in my years of living and in my years of practice and observing the habits of my patients. So, today I’ll share a couple of tidbits that work well for me to have the best chance of “Starting Well”.
First, today being Monday, that means that I arose extra early to spend time at the gym for a spin class (stationary bike class). It’s an hour of intense cardio work and calorie burning. I’ll be honest that when that alarm goes off at 4:45 on mornings like this, I always have a 3 minute conversation with myself as to whether or not I will actually get up. Getting up usually wins because I think about how great it feels afterward to have started my day in such a great manner. You may not desire to rise that early and go spin for an hour, but the point is to find some way of expending some energy right off the bat and help your day start well. You’ll be proud of yourself and thus feel better emotionally about you. You’ll release endorphins that automatically make you feel good too. You will have awakened your body and made it ready to attack the week. Consider finding some way to exercise right off the bat, even if it’s walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes, you’ll be glad you did it and learn to love the new habit.
Another way to start your day off in a wellness manner is to eat well. Fuel your body in an appropriate manner. A caramel machiotto and pastry doesn’t qualify! Remember it needs to be real food. I start my day off with a Superfood Shake with some products we carry, giving me the equivalent of 8-10 servings of organic fruits and veggies, some healthy whey protein, a solid dose of Omega 3 fish oil, and my vitamin D for the day. I add in a boiled egg often, and a piece of fruit. It’s the first chance I’ve had since the previous dinner to re-fuel so I want to make sure I do it right to avoid mid-morning cravings for twinkies, soft drinks and the like.
I also enjoy a bit of quiet time first thing every morning. Sometimes this is spent with a cup of coffee on my back porch, sometimes sitting in a comfortable chair in my family room. That’s the time I spend mentally preparing for the day, connecting with my God, reading my bible and planning out the day. It organizes my brain (as much as that is possible at least) and helps me insure that the coming day will be as productive as possible.
Lastly, if nothing else, getting up early enough to not be rushing out the door is vital. Being able to take the time to enjoy the morning time (yes it’s possible) sets a good tone for the day. Stressing because we’re running late and trying to remember all the things we need to take with us at the last minute causes stress and certainly isn’t conducive to starting well.
If you begin one or more of these habits, I think you’ll find it easier to start well, stay productive, feel better about one’s self, and banish the “Good God it’s morning” persona!
Until next time…Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Hatred Killed Americans 10 Years Ago
And hatred is killing America today. It's sad, but it's true. Hatred of people within our own country has weakened us. Hatred of each other creates an "us vs. them" mentality within our own team. We have to remember that we are on the same side in the long run, and stop hating someone just because they have a different letter behind their name. "They" are Americans, "they" are one of us. We don't have to like "them", or what they believe in and stand for, that's not what I am saying. It's impossible to like everyone, even if "they" are on "our" side politically.
But the mass hatred I see in this country for entire political groups is a worthless emotion, with no upside to it. It has created a divided country where each side blames everything bad on the other. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. But to go on hating, and blaming, gets us nowhere. I'm like a lot of people this weekend, watching a lot of football. The teams that are strong and successful are united and work together, and I am sure they don't all like each other. If they acted on on the fact that they don't like each other, they'd not succeed. That same analogy can be said about our country, which is why I believe we are weakened country for many reasons, and divisiveness is one of the big ones.
Hatred in this manner kills. It kills the owner of that emotion. It is not a wellness oriented emotion, and can serve no good. The Carpenter from Bethlehem said for us to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. How much more so should we do this for those on our own team? How much more so does this weaken us individually by harboring said hatred? And when each of us is weakened individually by holding on to such hatred, well, the whole is the sum of it's parts.
If you want to be well, and if you want our country to be well, and be healed, it starts with each of us individually. Just like when one or more of the cells in your body become ill, it makes the whole body less healthy. Release that hatred, focus on the good, focus on doing good, serving others, caring for one's self. Thinking well is one of the 4 Pillars of Wellness I teach, and hatred of entire groups of people is the complete opposite of that pillar.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
But the mass hatred I see in this country for entire political groups is a worthless emotion, with no upside to it. It has created a divided country where each side blames everything bad on the other. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. But to go on hating, and blaming, gets us nowhere. I'm like a lot of people this weekend, watching a lot of football. The teams that are strong and successful are united and work together, and I am sure they don't all like each other. If they acted on on the fact that they don't like each other, they'd not succeed. That same analogy can be said about our country, which is why I believe we are weakened country for many reasons, and divisiveness is one of the big ones.
Hatred in this manner kills. It kills the owner of that emotion. It is not a wellness oriented emotion, and can serve no good. The Carpenter from Bethlehem said for us to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. How much more so should we do this for those on our own team? How much more so does this weaken us individually by harboring said hatred? And when each of us is weakened individually by holding on to such hatred, well, the whole is the sum of it's parts.
If you want to be well, and if you want our country to be well, and be healed, it starts with each of us individually. Just like when one or more of the cells in your body become ill, it makes the whole body less healthy. Release that hatred, focus on the good, focus on doing good, serving others, caring for one's self. Thinking well is one of the 4 Pillars of Wellness I teach, and hatred of entire groups of people is the complete opposite of that pillar.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Monday, June 20, 2011
Keep It Simple, Keep It Real
It's simple. It really is.
Eating well is very simple. One doesn't need to spend countless hours watching grams of fat, weighing food, counting calories, evaluating what's good for you or not, looking at a pyramid or a plate. Too much information can truly confuse one as to what types of foods they should consume. It's sad.
I see people talking about eating healthy because they buy low fat "x" or they eat only whole wheat pasta, without regard to the fact that it's loaded with sugar, or processed carbohydrates that turn to sugar in the body. The media, the marketers, all tend to give us half the story. They're allowed to call something healthy without any regard to whether or not it's truly healthy. And unfortunately, most of society sees that and jumps right on it, because it's what they're told. The results? Rampant obesity, skyrocketing numbers of diabetes in children, heart disease, removal of organs (the gall bladder is the most popular these days), and in general fewer and fewer people that are truly healthy.
It's a shame. It really is very simple, and the title of this post says it all: Eat real, eat raw. Real food, as I've said over and over, grows or had eyes at some point. That would mean vegetables, fruits, and meat. For veggies and fruit, it's best to eat organic, and for meat it's best to have range fed wild animal meat. This is what our ancestors ate for years, and studies done on their remains have shown nowhere near the episodes of these diseases of lifestyle that are so prevalent in our western culture. Our ancestors also moved a whole lot more than we do. They walked places, they spent time outdoors playing, they worked hard in the fields, they had no TV to spend countless hours in front of. I'd guess they probably didn't work til all hours of the night since communication was limited, which meant they tended to rest well. In short, they lived innately, the way we were designed to live.
I just had this conversation with a patient this morning. The problem we have in our culture is the desire/felt need for convenience. If we didn't always look for convenience in our eating habits we'd be better off. Yes it takes a bit more effort to eat innately. It's not always convenient. However, it's not convenient to be sick either, it's not convenient to have heart surgery, or take insulin daily, or be stuck in a hospital for days. And that is the result of eating conveniently. It's also MUCH more costly in the long run to eat conveniently when you count the days lost due to illness, the cost of medicine, doctors visits, surgery and the wear and tear of those procedures/meds on our body.
So, instead of making it so complicated, think of it the way I do. Make it simple. It will take some extra work, specifically it will take planning. At the start of each week, look at your schedule, plan out meals for the week. I know sometimes you can't affect your meals. Many times I have meetings where they supply food. Sometimes it's a good choice, sometimes not. But when I look at my schedule and see opportunities to eat well, I plan those out. A basic meal needs some protein (meat/chicken/eggs/nuts/seeds), and about 2 different vegetables of varying colors or a good salad and/or fruit. Snack on things such as raw veggies/fruit/nuts/seeds. Purchase lots of healthy snacks for the times when you can't prepare a full meal, but you can put together several healthy ready to eat snacks to make up a meal. Eat throughout the day, avoiding the typical huge meals that are common. I like to use the concept of grazing vs. gorging to make this point clear. If you eat out, realize their portions are way too big, so plan on taking some home. You can even request a to go box when your meal is delivered and then separate out part of it immediately. Sharing a meal is another option when huge portions come your way.
Keep it simple, overcomplicating things makes us less likely to follow through. It can be done, and I am around to help people work through this via our wellness consultations. Call me if you want to work on your plan for wellness, and we'll evaluate your eating, exercising, thinking, and resting habits to help you attain your wellness goals.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Eating well is very simple. One doesn't need to spend countless hours watching grams of fat, weighing food, counting calories, evaluating what's good for you or not, looking at a pyramid or a plate. Too much information can truly confuse one as to what types of foods they should consume. It's sad.
I see people talking about eating healthy because they buy low fat "x" or they eat only whole wheat pasta, without regard to the fact that it's loaded with sugar, or processed carbohydrates that turn to sugar in the body. The media, the marketers, all tend to give us half the story. They're allowed to call something healthy without any regard to whether or not it's truly healthy. And unfortunately, most of society sees that and jumps right on it, because it's what they're told. The results? Rampant obesity, skyrocketing numbers of diabetes in children, heart disease, removal of organs (the gall bladder is the most popular these days), and in general fewer and fewer people that are truly healthy.
It's a shame. It really is very simple, and the title of this post says it all: Eat real, eat raw. Real food, as I've said over and over, grows or had eyes at some point. That would mean vegetables, fruits, and meat. For veggies and fruit, it's best to eat organic, and for meat it's best to have range fed wild animal meat. This is what our ancestors ate for years, and studies done on their remains have shown nowhere near the episodes of these diseases of lifestyle that are so prevalent in our western culture. Our ancestors also moved a whole lot more than we do. They walked places, they spent time outdoors playing, they worked hard in the fields, they had no TV to spend countless hours in front of. I'd guess they probably didn't work til all hours of the night since communication was limited, which meant they tended to rest well. In short, they lived innately, the way we were designed to live.
I just had this conversation with a patient this morning. The problem we have in our culture is the desire/felt need for convenience. If we didn't always look for convenience in our eating habits we'd be better off. Yes it takes a bit more effort to eat innately. It's not always convenient. However, it's not convenient to be sick either, it's not convenient to have heart surgery, or take insulin daily, or be stuck in a hospital for days. And that is the result of eating conveniently. It's also MUCH more costly in the long run to eat conveniently when you count the days lost due to illness, the cost of medicine, doctors visits, surgery and the wear and tear of those procedures/meds on our body.
So, instead of making it so complicated, think of it the way I do. Make it simple. It will take some extra work, specifically it will take planning. At the start of each week, look at your schedule, plan out meals for the week. I know sometimes you can't affect your meals. Many times I have meetings where they supply food. Sometimes it's a good choice, sometimes not. But when I look at my schedule and see opportunities to eat well, I plan those out. A basic meal needs some protein (meat/chicken/eggs/nuts/seeds), and about 2 different vegetables of varying colors or a good salad and/or fruit. Snack on things such as raw veggies/fruit/nuts/seeds. Purchase lots of healthy snacks for the times when you can't prepare a full meal, but you can put together several healthy ready to eat snacks to make up a meal. Eat throughout the day, avoiding the typical huge meals that are common. I like to use the concept of grazing vs. gorging to make this point clear. If you eat out, realize their portions are way too big, so plan on taking some home. You can even request a to go box when your meal is delivered and then separate out part of it immediately. Sharing a meal is another option when huge portions come your way.
Keep it simple, overcomplicating things makes us less likely to follow through. It can be done, and I am around to help people work through this via our wellness consultations. Call me if you want to work on your plan for wellness, and we'll evaluate your eating, exercising, thinking, and resting habits to help you attain your wellness goals.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wellness Days vs.Sickness Days
I'd venture to guess that most people experience too many "Sickness Days". They deal with too much stress, bad food, not enough rest or exercise every day of their lives. And since one's life is created one day at a time, the sum of all of our "Sickness Days" is a sick life. So, Wellness Wednesday is what we call the first Wednesday of every month in our office. On those days we focus on adding in a new wellness habit and we often have our patients experience the new habit, such as tasting a new smoothie, trying out a new supplement etc. Our goal is to get people thinking monthly about what they can try that is new and different and that can move them toward a wellness lifestyle. It's a great idea I think, and our patients look forward to it each and every month to try something new. If everyone started a new wellness habit every month, our health as a nation would significantly improve over the long haul.
Recently in doing some wellness lifestyle coaching with one of my patients, I came up with a new idea. We were talking about making changes in her lifestyle to get her moving toward wellness, and I take the approach of making just a little change at a time. My purpose in doing this is to not overwhelm the patient with too much too quickly. This is important as we don't want to set a patient up for failure, and trying to do too much too quickly is sometimes too painful to be successful at, and they become discouraged and tend to quit.
Instead, we focus on baby steps. For instance, instead of trying to go out and jog for 30 minutes when they've been pretty much a couch potato, we encourage them to try walking "x" amount of time, depending on their fitness level, "x" times/week. After they get accustomed to that new habit, they are then encouraged to do a bit more, maybe increase the frequency, or the duration of their walks. That way it feels like they are only adding in a little bit more to their already established routine.
But, in doing this, I've found it takes a long time for enough new habits to build up to create significant changes. So to accelerate the process, I decided to give a new idea a shot. It's called a "Wellness Day". It consists of planning a certain day as a total wellness day. On that day, they must plan in advance what they are going to do. I encourage them to focus on all 4 of our Pillars of Wellness (eat well, move well, think well, rest well) and make sure they have plans for each area.
So in advance they plan out their meals and snacks for the day. They have to focus on whole foods (real food) with no additives. Remember my definition of real food: It either grows or had eyes at one point, otherwise it is an "edible food like substance". They need to focus on consuming plenty of water for the day, maybe some tea with lemon, or an herbal tea of their choice.
They have to plan to move more than they might normally. This may not be much more than a 30 minute walk if they are sedentary usually. If they're already active, then any sort of normal exercise program they do is acceptable, but maybe they push their duration by 10 minutes or so more. If they don't usually do any stretching, this would be a good day to start that habit too. There are many stretching sites on the net to learn from. Just always remember to be careful if you've not been active, and if you're over 40 or have a history of cardiovascular issues, get cleared by your doctor before you begin any vigorous plan of exercise.
I encourage them to spend some time de-stressing and relaxing on their Wellness Day. It's a great time to schedule a massage for relaxation purposes, or some time at a quiet spot for dinner with their spouse (eating healthy of course). Making sure they spend some time being grateful is extremely important, and connecting with their Maker on a spiritual level is vital for this special day. This can also be accomplished by whatever activities they really enjoy doing, grilling a good dinner, playing with the kids, the dog or both.
Finally, I encourage them to work on their sleep hygiene plan. I want them to get good rest that night, so nothing with caffeine after 4 in the afternoon. As bedtime draws near the need to start winding down is vital and they need a plan for doing just that; turning down the lights, quiet music, a good book, good conversation with their spouse etc.
By creating a Wellness Day, one can see what it would feel like to live that lifestyle. The first Wellness Day may be a bit tough, but it's only a day, so plan it ahead of time. If you wait til the last minute, there will be stress when you don't have all the foods that you need for a certain recipe, or when you suddenly realize that you forgot to plan out some aspect. Remember, I want you to be set up for success, not failure. And if you do fail in some aspect for that day, at least the day you had was more wellness oriented than it would have been otherwise. You can also choose to do this in community with others and discuss/plan your day together for accountabilty.
Once you have a Wellness Day going once/week, or even once per month if weekly is too tough, then add in "a little more", like an extra day/week or month. Soon those days will become comfortable for you and you will be able to continue adding in a day or two more. Soon the majority of your days will be Wellness Days, and you'll have much less "sickness" days.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Recently in doing some wellness lifestyle coaching with one of my patients, I came up with a new idea. We were talking about making changes in her lifestyle to get her moving toward wellness, and I take the approach of making just a little change at a time. My purpose in doing this is to not overwhelm the patient with too much too quickly. This is important as we don't want to set a patient up for failure, and trying to do too much too quickly is sometimes too painful to be successful at, and they become discouraged and tend to quit.
Instead, we focus on baby steps. For instance, instead of trying to go out and jog for 30 minutes when they've been pretty much a couch potato, we encourage them to try walking "x" amount of time, depending on their fitness level, "x" times/week. After they get accustomed to that new habit, they are then encouraged to do a bit more, maybe increase the frequency, or the duration of their walks. That way it feels like they are only adding in a little bit more to their already established routine.
But, in doing this, I've found it takes a long time for enough new habits to build up to create significant changes. So to accelerate the process, I decided to give a new idea a shot. It's called a "Wellness Day". It consists of planning a certain day as a total wellness day. On that day, they must plan in advance what they are going to do. I encourage them to focus on all 4 of our Pillars of Wellness (eat well, move well, think well, rest well) and make sure they have plans for each area.
So in advance they plan out their meals and snacks for the day. They have to focus on whole foods (real food) with no additives. Remember my definition of real food: It either grows or had eyes at one point, otherwise it is an "edible food like substance". They need to focus on consuming plenty of water for the day, maybe some tea with lemon, or an herbal tea of their choice.
They have to plan to move more than they might normally. This may not be much more than a 30 minute walk if they are sedentary usually. If they're already active, then any sort of normal exercise program they do is acceptable, but maybe they push their duration by 10 minutes or so more. If they don't usually do any stretching, this would be a good day to start that habit too. There are many stretching sites on the net to learn from. Just always remember to be careful if you've not been active, and if you're over 40 or have a history of cardiovascular issues, get cleared by your doctor before you begin any vigorous plan of exercise.
I encourage them to spend some time de-stressing and relaxing on their Wellness Day. It's a great time to schedule a massage for relaxation purposes, or some time at a quiet spot for dinner with their spouse (eating healthy of course). Making sure they spend some time being grateful is extremely important, and connecting with their Maker on a spiritual level is vital for this special day. This can also be accomplished by whatever activities they really enjoy doing, grilling a good dinner, playing with the kids, the dog or both.
Finally, I encourage them to work on their sleep hygiene plan. I want them to get good rest that night, so nothing with caffeine after 4 in the afternoon. As bedtime draws near the need to start winding down is vital and they need a plan for doing just that; turning down the lights, quiet music, a good book, good conversation with their spouse etc.
By creating a Wellness Day, one can see what it would feel like to live that lifestyle. The first Wellness Day may be a bit tough, but it's only a day, so plan it ahead of time. If you wait til the last minute, there will be stress when you don't have all the foods that you need for a certain recipe, or when you suddenly realize that you forgot to plan out some aspect. Remember, I want you to be set up for success, not failure. And if you do fail in some aspect for that day, at least the day you had was more wellness oriented than it would have been otherwise. You can also choose to do this in community with others and discuss/plan your day together for accountabilty.
Once you have a Wellness Day going once/week, or even once per month if weekly is too tough, then add in "a little more", like an extra day/week or month. Soon those days will become comfortable for you and you will be able to continue adding in a day or two more. Soon the majority of your days will be Wellness Days, and you'll have much less "sickness" days.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
When All Health Is NOT Breaking Loose......
and instead, all HECK is breaking loose.....those are the times when it's tough on us to live a wellness oriented life. We have the best of intentions, but life is happening at the speed of, well, life. Everything seems to be out of control, and our health often suffers for it.
For many, the month of May is like that. I have been saying all month long (today is May 31 as I am writing this) that May is December, minus the cold weather and presents. It is crazy busy. Right now it is 9:30 at night on a Tuesday evening, I am at my church while my daughter is going through rehearsals with her performing arts group for the production this weekend. Tomorrow is the last day of school for my kids, and I decided to let my wife head home to finish up her grading etc. for the year, and maybe find time to pay a few bills lol. I am sure your life has similar challenges, and there are parents of about 150 kids here with us tonight out this late probably thinking some of the same things I (and you) are thinking: How can we allow this to happen?
It's not easy raising kids and keeping our lifestyles in check. I am not sure I have the best answer yet. But I know this. I cannot give up, and I realize that soon I'll be able to settle into a routine that allows us as a family to exercise with regularity, and eat home cooked meals regularly too (what a concept). I think it's important to just make sure we don't lose site of the goal, the prize, which is optimum health. Sometimes we have to accept, that for a short while, we may get a little unbalanced. But we need to keep looking for that time when we will be able to get back to that lifestyle we want, and make sure we jump right into it when that time finally makes its appearance!
For me that will be right after Youth Camp ends in about 1.5 weeks. I still have 1 week of hanging out with kids out in West Texas and eating, yep you guessed it, CAMP FOOD for a week! Talk about no control!
I so look forward to 2 spin classes a week, 2 Peak 8 sessions and 3 10 minute blasters every week again! The thought of salads with most meals, and here's a novel idea: a home cooked meal! I am pumped just thinking about it!!
Ok, maybe if I'm that excited, I need to get a life!!
Until next time...BE WELL!
Dr. Bruce
For many, the month of May is like that. I have been saying all month long (today is May 31 as I am writing this) that May is December, minus the cold weather and presents. It is crazy busy. Right now it is 9:30 at night on a Tuesday evening, I am at my church while my daughter is going through rehearsals with her performing arts group for the production this weekend. Tomorrow is the last day of school for my kids, and I decided to let my wife head home to finish up her grading etc. for the year, and maybe find time to pay a few bills lol. I am sure your life has similar challenges, and there are parents of about 150 kids here with us tonight out this late probably thinking some of the same things I (and you) are thinking: How can we allow this to happen?
It's not easy raising kids and keeping our lifestyles in check. I am not sure I have the best answer yet. But I know this. I cannot give up, and I realize that soon I'll be able to settle into a routine that allows us as a family to exercise with regularity, and eat home cooked meals regularly too (what a concept). I think it's important to just make sure we don't lose site of the goal, the prize, which is optimum health. Sometimes we have to accept, that for a short while, we may get a little unbalanced. But we need to keep looking for that time when we will be able to get back to that lifestyle we want, and make sure we jump right into it when that time finally makes its appearance!
For me that will be right after Youth Camp ends in about 1.5 weeks. I still have 1 week of hanging out with kids out in West Texas and eating, yep you guessed it, CAMP FOOD for a week! Talk about no control!
I so look forward to 2 spin classes a week, 2 Peak 8 sessions and 3 10 minute blasters every week again! The thought of salads with most meals, and here's a novel idea: a home cooked meal! I am pumped just thinking about it!!
Ok, maybe if I'm that excited, I need to get a life!!
Until next time...BE WELL!
Dr. Bruce
Saturday, May 7, 2011
What Would You Have Them Say About You?
I hate this feeling. I just read that golfing legend Seve Ballesteros passed away from the evil brain tumor he had been diagnosed with a few years ago. Seve was always so strong, so determined, he was one of those you'd always EXPECT to make that killer putt, or chip it in when you least expect it. He was always getting himself out of trouble on the golf course. He always won and lost with class. He seemed to be a gentleman at all times. You couldn't help but root for him. And as he faced this battle of a lifetime, you again couldn't help but root for him, and again, you expected him to make it.
Sadly it wasn't to be. His body succumbed to cancer, and his time on this earth is done. He will be missed by family and friends, and the golfing world for sure. It brings to my mind my own mortality, he was less than a decade older than I. As I take in this loss of life, I am seeking the answer to what this means to me.
Obviously I didn't know Seve, only what I saw of him on TV, so that is not what I mean when I think of what this means to me. But it is a reminder that we are on this earth but a short while, our life is vapor Scripture says and we aren't guaranteed the next breath. It is a reminder to me to not take for granted what I have in my life. We all need to enjoy the time we spend with our families and friends, take care of our bodies we've been given and work to leave behind a legacy that will impact the world in a positive way.
I recall years ago going through an exercise where we were to think of what we'd like a friend, family member, co-worker, spouse etc to say about us if they were eulogizing us. Scary thought right? But, the exercise didn't end there. I was told to ask myself if they'd be truly able to say those things about me if I died right now. In many cases I'd say they wouldn't be able to say some of the things I'd like. The point is, if they can't say those things, then what do I need to do now, RIGHT NOW, to start making sure those are the things said about me when my time comes?
That's an exercise that should be a regular part of our life, especially if we want to truly live our lives in a wellness way. It's never to early to start working on that, our time could be around the corner.
RIP Seve.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Sadly it wasn't to be. His body succumbed to cancer, and his time on this earth is done. He will be missed by family and friends, and the golfing world for sure. It brings to my mind my own mortality, he was less than a decade older than I. As I take in this loss of life, I am seeking the answer to what this means to me.
Obviously I didn't know Seve, only what I saw of him on TV, so that is not what I mean when I think of what this means to me. But it is a reminder that we are on this earth but a short while, our life is vapor Scripture says and we aren't guaranteed the next breath. It is a reminder to me to not take for granted what I have in my life. We all need to enjoy the time we spend with our families and friends, take care of our bodies we've been given and work to leave behind a legacy that will impact the world in a positive way.
I recall years ago going through an exercise where we were to think of what we'd like a friend, family member, co-worker, spouse etc to say about us if they were eulogizing us. Scary thought right? But, the exercise didn't end there. I was told to ask myself if they'd be truly able to say those things about me if I died right now. In many cases I'd say they wouldn't be able to say some of the things I'd like. The point is, if they can't say those things, then what do I need to do now, RIGHT NOW, to start making sure those are the things said about me when my time comes?
That's an exercise that should be a regular part of our life, especially if we want to truly live our lives in a wellness way. It's never to early to start working on that, our time could be around the corner.
RIP Seve.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Magic Health Potion: Does It Exist?
In short, NO. Absolutely, without a doubt, NO.
I know in our Western culture, where we want everything in microwave fashion, it is ingrained in us to find the quick and easy way to health and wellness. I see people seeking it out all the time, and no matter what good evidence they hear to the contrary, they often continue to search for it. I could sit down and spell out exactly why Eating Well, Moving Well, Thinking Well and Resting Well is the formula for optimum health right in front of them, and it would all make sense, but the minute a quick solution is bandied about, it seems inherent in our nature that we grab onto it.
I don't know why that is. I know when I hear about such products, I am initially hopeful. But within a few minutes of thinking about it, without even researching it further, I know innately in my heart that it's probably just like one of the other many different products I've seen come down the pipe over my 2 decades of being in the wellness business. And most likely its popularity will peak, and then fade, especially if/when health issues come about related to this miracle product as so often happens.
My heart actually breaks for people that want it so badly to be the magic formula for them. I want optimum health for everyone: me, my family and our society so badly I want to scream when I hear someone promoting a product as the answer to our ills. Our society makes it so easy to slip into this mindset that "for every ill there is a pill". Think about this, does health really come in a pill? Is the solution for health and wellness wrapped up in a tiny drink or capsule? We all know in our heart that it doesn't come that way. Even with the supplements I take and promote, I know they don't create good health by themselves. It comes from taking care of our body with good nutrition, movement, rest and right thinking. There is no other way, period.
Often many of these products promote themselves as natural. This is particularly true in the weight loss realm. However, simple research often shows that though the products are natural, they contain things that can be harmful, particularly stimulants. Ma Huang was one that was used in the last decade, now there is one being used called "guarana". Stimulants such as these increase your heart rate, can cause palpitations and raise blood pressure when used in products to help with weight loss. Yes people WILL lose weight on them. And yes they can become skinny, but they can become skinny and have a heart palpitations, anxiety, or heart attacks. Look back on the product from the early/mid 90's called Formula 1. It was a weight loss products, sold in multilevel marketing form and was quite the rage. I remember many patients of mine trying to get me to promote it since it was "natural". Later when heart issues occurred in many of those taking the product, it went away, thought it's made an appearance again in something of a new form I hear.
Stimulants also "stimulate" one's adrenals. That can lead to adrenal fatigue or burnout, and more health issues with weight gain in the long run. Additionally, once someone loses weight on a product, if they stop taking the product they will gain the weight back, so they are essentially on the product for life (which by the way never happens in my experience, people always stop taking the product at some point,and sadly, but predictably, the weight returns).
Beyond that, I am really on a mission to get people to understand that weight loss doesn't mean health. Think about it. Anorexic people are not healthy. Starving people in 3rd world countries are not healthy. Unfortunately our society thinks thin is equivalent to health, and it's just not so. One can lose weight, but still have stress issues that lead to a heart attack. One can exercise perfectly but still not get enough good rest and end up with ill health. So the goal should never be "weight loss". It should be optimum health, and pursuing that will usually lead to weight loss. And some of them cause such rapid weight loss that it is not considered healthy. 2-3 pounds/week is optimum weight loss, more than that can be dangerous to your health.
My friends, please, please know there is no magic formula for health and well being. If all you want is weight loss, there are products that can help you lose weight. Knowing what I know, and having been around as long as I have been, I cannot and will not endorse them at all. If you are going to use them, you need to be aware of their side effects, and think long and hard about what your goal really should be, not what society says it should be.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
I know in our Western culture, where we want everything in microwave fashion, it is ingrained in us to find the quick and easy way to health and wellness. I see people seeking it out all the time, and no matter what good evidence they hear to the contrary, they often continue to search for it. I could sit down and spell out exactly why Eating Well, Moving Well, Thinking Well and Resting Well is the formula for optimum health right in front of them, and it would all make sense, but the minute a quick solution is bandied about, it seems inherent in our nature that we grab onto it.
I don't know why that is. I know when I hear about such products, I am initially hopeful. But within a few minutes of thinking about it, without even researching it further, I know innately in my heart that it's probably just like one of the other many different products I've seen come down the pipe over my 2 decades of being in the wellness business. And most likely its popularity will peak, and then fade, especially if/when health issues come about related to this miracle product as so often happens.
My heart actually breaks for people that want it so badly to be the magic formula for them. I want optimum health for everyone: me, my family and our society so badly I want to scream when I hear someone promoting a product as the answer to our ills. Our society makes it so easy to slip into this mindset that "for every ill there is a pill". Think about this, does health really come in a pill? Is the solution for health and wellness wrapped up in a tiny drink or capsule? We all know in our heart that it doesn't come that way. Even with the supplements I take and promote, I know they don't create good health by themselves. It comes from taking care of our body with good nutrition, movement, rest and right thinking. There is no other way, period.
Often many of these products promote themselves as natural. This is particularly true in the weight loss realm. However, simple research often shows that though the products are natural, they contain things that can be harmful, particularly stimulants. Ma Huang was one that was used in the last decade, now there is one being used called "guarana". Stimulants such as these increase your heart rate, can cause palpitations and raise blood pressure when used in products to help with weight loss. Yes people WILL lose weight on them. And yes they can become skinny, but they can become skinny and have a heart palpitations, anxiety, or heart attacks. Look back on the product from the early/mid 90's called Formula 1. It was a weight loss products, sold in multilevel marketing form and was quite the rage. I remember many patients of mine trying to get me to promote it since it was "natural". Later when heart issues occurred in many of those taking the product, it went away, thought it's made an appearance again in something of a new form I hear.
Stimulants also "stimulate" one's adrenals. That can lead to adrenal fatigue or burnout, and more health issues with weight gain in the long run. Additionally, once someone loses weight on a product, if they stop taking the product they will gain the weight back, so they are essentially on the product for life (which by the way never happens in my experience, people always stop taking the product at some point,and sadly, but predictably, the weight returns).
Beyond that, I am really on a mission to get people to understand that weight loss doesn't mean health. Think about it. Anorexic people are not healthy. Starving people in 3rd world countries are not healthy. Unfortunately our society thinks thin is equivalent to health, and it's just not so. One can lose weight, but still have stress issues that lead to a heart attack. One can exercise perfectly but still not get enough good rest and end up with ill health. So the goal should never be "weight loss". It should be optimum health, and pursuing that will usually lead to weight loss. And some of them cause such rapid weight loss that it is not considered healthy. 2-3 pounds/week is optimum weight loss, more than that can be dangerous to your health.
My friends, please, please know there is no magic formula for health and well being. If all you want is weight loss, there are products that can help you lose weight. Knowing what I know, and having been around as long as I have been, I cannot and will not endorse them at all. If you are going to use them, you need to be aware of their side effects, and think long and hard about what your goal really should be, not what society says it should be.
Until next time...Be Well!
Dr. Bruce
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