Most everyone thinks (or worries) about his or her heart health from time to time. My “first love” in medicine was the heart. I’ve been an Acupuncturist for 11 years and a Cardiovascular Intensive Care RN for 20+  years. So matters of the heart, your heart, are near and dear to me.

How’s your ticker? How do you know it’s in good shape? Here are two valuable pieces of lab work you can go have drawn today to check out your heart health.

How is your ticker?

Over the last two decades managed care has developed a system of whittling down lab work such that yearly physicals include little if any, and serious health issues go undetected. The reality is that regular monitoring of lab work and life style changes subsequent to those results, go a long way in heading off the possibility of future heart or cardiovascular problems.

Draw these two tests at least once per year.

Do make it practice to keep your own file with copies of your lab works. When your health care practitioners have the ability to view your lab results over spans of time, it is invaluable.

Homocysteine (abbreviated tHcy or HCY)

Homocysteine is an amino acid which if elevated is associated with:

•Higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

•Higher risk for developing blood clots.

•Increased risk for pregnancy complications, miscarriage & fetal growth problems.

•Reduced brain health and functioning in the elderly.

What helps reduce Homocysteine levels?

Supplementing with B Vitamins including:

Folic acid, Vitamin B6 (pyridoxines) and Vitamin B12 (cobalamins).

Dietary sources of Vitamin B12 are animal based:

fish, mussels, clams, lamb, and beef.

Dietary sources of Vitamin B6 as well as the other B Vitamins are:

kombucha, whole, grains, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chili peppers, tempeh,             beans, nutritional and brewer’s yeasts, and molasses.

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (abbreviated  hs-CRP)

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) measures inflammation in your body.

If you’ve been fighting off an infection or significant illness, or are recovering from a surgery or trauma, I would expect your hs-CRP to naturally be elevated. This is a temporary elevation. After healing, your hs-CRP is typically no longer detectable in your bloodstream.

High levels of hs-CRP indicate inflammation and can be associated with more silent cardiovascular developments. It is widely accepted that tendency toward developing heart attacks and cardiovascular disease is associated with generalized inflammation in the blood vessels.

Sometimes managed care sources are reluctant or refuse to draw lab markers key to thoroughly monitoring your health. However these days many reduced fee labs exist and provide options for consumers to have blood works drawn at greatly reduced rates.  As an Acupuncturist and RN in the State of California, I routinely order lab work for my patients.

I also do not mark up any lab test fees.

Adding a Homocysteine level to a blood work panel is $39.

Adding a High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein is a mere $19.

Take care of your heart by reducing stress hormone levels with things like acupuncture, reasonable and consistent exercise, quality and adequate sleep, and have some labs drawn each year to see exactly how your ticker is doing.

Did you know that inflammation in your body could predispose you to health risks?

Did you know that the hormone shifts in menopause could further raise levels of inflammation?

What is inflammation?

We often think inflammation with tangible things like scraped knees. A scraped knee has obvious redness, swelling, pain and heat, right? The thing about inflammation inside your body is that it is silent but still holds the possibility of being destructive. In menopause there are changes with estrogen levels. These shifts together with existing inflammation can impact your health.

This article is intended to give you food for thought, information to make educated choices, and reconnect you to the fact that your body is made to heal. Inflammation serves the valuable purpose of fixing tissue damage; so it’s not all bad. Cellular repair is important and necessary. However ongoing inflammation, which does not resolve, is problematic. Remember you always have an opportunity to guide your body away from being more inflamed to less inflamed.

So what happens with this inner inflammation?

One way to look at this “silent” inflammation is that it is like oil build-up inside an engine. Your engine needs oil to lubricate your gears. However, if the oil is dirty, build-ups occur, your gears are stressed, and things may grind to a halt. Atherosclerosis (build up of fatty materials inside blood vessels) is one common example of a result of chronic inflammation, very much like clogged gears.

Do you have:

Allergies?

Popping or clicking joints?

Redness or broken blood vessels in your face or neck?

Increasing sensitivities to foods or environmental substances?

High blood pressure?

Elevations in your cholesterol, triglycerides or C-reactive protein lab works?

High blood sugar?

Cravings for sugar?

Drowsiness after meals?

Extra weight around your mid section?

Yes to any of the above, indicates inflammation. Inflammation can be temporary or can be chronic depending upon your health history, genetics and various lifestyle habits and how many of the above factors you have at the same time.

Here is what you can do right now to help reduce inflammation in your body:

Avoid environmental and nutritional things to which you are sensitive.

It sounds simple but most of us know when we don’t tolerate specific foods or beverages. Yet we still “try them” now and again. It’s not worth it. If curry always does a number on your digestive tract: it’s not worth the stress to your system.

Give up gluten in your diet.

Even if you are not formally allergic to gluten, there are multiple reasons to avoid it. Firstly gluten is a highly inflammatory substance. It is like tossing gasoline onto any inflammation fire inside your body. Secondly, gluten found in the typical diet is a hybridized genetically modified organism (GMO), which is foreign to our bodies. Lastly it is too heavily ingested as far as quantity. Gluten will substantially ramp up any inflammatory process happening in your system. A wealth of information currently exists on gluten-free foods; so do some research. (http://www.triumphdining.com/blog/, http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/blog/)

Specifically avoid: wheat, spelt, semolina, barley, bulgur, and rye.

Incorporate into your diet: rice, potatoes, quinoa, wheat-free oats, millet, or amaranth.

Corn is a possibility but keep in mind that corn too is inflammatory though not to the degree of wheat.

Increase in your muscle mass and decrease in your body fat. This does not mean hours and hours in the gym. Even modest shifts in body fat substantially reduce your body’s tendency to make inflammatory substances.

Give your body antioxidant rich foods and supplements like:

Berries,

Broccoli,

Carrots,

Tomatoes,

Red grapes,

Garlic,

Spinach,

Green tea.

Vitamin C,

Vitamin E,

Selenium,

Beta Carotene.

Increase your intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids like:

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). You can also supplement with Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) but this Omega-3 is sometimes harder to absorb if you have multiple inflammatory signs.

Dietary sources of Omega-3’s:

Salmon,

Mackerel,

Tuna,

Flaxseed oil,

Algal oil,

Krill oil.

Make an appointment with your Acupuncturist, Naturopath or Nurse Practitioner, as well as a Clinical Nutritionist or Personal Trainer to get more information, get evaluated and create a plan, which will work for you and your lifestyle.

In the year 2007, a total of 6 people in my life died. Beyond people living in war torn countries, who knows anyone for whom 6 loved ones departed this good green Earth in a typical year?

It was intense. I realized as I walking my dog recently that there are few to whom I’ve talked about 2007. Three of my loved ones died from brain tumors from various cancers. Two more were utterly freak accidents. The final passing was from complications of diabetes.  My kind and compassionate business partners and close friends knew; but it became almost embarrassing. It was like: “Another one? Really? Your poor family!” I caught myself wondering if those that knew would think I was making things up like some sort of whacko attention getting ploy.  I grew to loathe the phone ringing because all too often I would hang up with a sinking, shock-like feeling realizing while whirling that I still had to keep it together to move through life.

Ironically, 2007 was also the year I plunged into co-ownership of Balance Restored Center for Integrative Medicine in Mill Valley, which is the site for my acupuncture practice and which I love. When it rains it pours it seems.

Things I learned…

Despite the losses and the intensity of the stacked proximity of each passing, 2007 was year of pivotal learning, largely due to the way in which my loved ones moved through death.

My friend Palmer was perhaps the most graceful. He was venerated teacher and inspired students of all ages his whole life.He read a book a week, sometimes more, and had knack for suggesting just the right book for whatever ailed you. Palmer was my very first real patient in my very first acupuncture office. Two days before he stepped across, I had what was the greatest honor of going to treat him in his Napa home.  He was calm but was having some difficulty breathing.

I asked if he would mind if I stimulated some acu-points on his chest to help with his breathing. Not missing a beat, or a stand-up opportunity apparently, he chirped out in his best Norwegian fisherman accent: “Well, keep in mind the ladies get very excited when I take off my shirt.”  The solemn bedroom erupted into laughter.

Grace,

humor and

the ongoing quest for knowledge are what I learned from Palmer.  At Palmer’s memorial services dozens of people spoke about how he had impacted, touched and changed their lives. At the close of the service his son stood and said: “Please let’s give a round of applause for my father and a life well lived.”

Laughter on a deathbed? Applause at a funeral? It was perfect, not usual, but perfect. These were among the lessons and gifts I took from Palmer.

A year ago I wanted to get a special gift for my dear friend-Palmer’s daughter.  Rich Sigberman, a local artist and friend created a watercolor of Palmer with blue herons taking flight in the background (http://sigsart.com).

Palmer was fond of the Great Blue Heron, which held spiritual significance for him. To my surprise and delight, that small but so treasured watercolor gift, prompted a whole series of Blue Herons by Mr. Sigberman, one of which now hangs in my office.So Palmer’s grace takes flight and continues to inspire even now.

Running scared from the grimmest reaper

But death is not all Hallmark cards, fairy dust, and inspiration. Everyone, if not personally, innately knows this. Perhaps it is one reason why our culture avoids death, its discussion, and process. This avoidance is a common human phenomenon. Maybe death places us the cross hairs of considering our own mortality or threatens to unleash the tamped down, weighty emotions of grief, loss, and fear.  Perhaps we dance around it because death is the ultimate life episode of us having zero control.

When I was working as an ICU RN, I would often be surprised that when we had a dying patient on the unit, someone for whom we had exhausted all of the best medicine we had to offer, nurses shied away from taking that patient assignment.It was not malicious or callous. In fact it was quite unconscious.

ICU nursing is fast-paced. In order for RN and patient alike to survive, the RN must be able to make accurate, rapid assessments followed by correct and timely interventions. The vigilance can be exhausting: Is the patient bleeding internally? Is the potassium too high or too low? Have their kidneys stopped functioning? Is there a mental status change and why?

Whereas if the patient is moving through the death process, the nursing tasks turn to comfort care, supporting the family, assisting with social services interventions and the like.  You see much pain and grief; but the biggest task can be willingly, lovingly and patiently remaining present-not running scared from the hooded guy with a scythe.

One task at hand for family and friends: be present

There is something in 2007 I learned about being present. It’s not about having answers, though personally it that makes me feel better.  It’s about being present. That means: being present when it’s physically messy. That means: being present when sifting through the maddening insurance maize. That means: being present when there is no tidy, quick or comforting answer. That means: being present when families disagree or family dynamics are playing upon the stage. That’s why you so often hear people say, “Thank you for being here.” It is of immense comfort not to be alone.

The bigger task at hand for the dying

In contrast, the dying loved one is often about the business of shaking off the bulky, problematic strappings of physical temple and re-entering Brahmin, going to Heaven maybe after a hitting a rest area in Purgatory- if that is your belief. Maybe they are cooking up their next existence after this one. That’s yet another complexity: our many belief systems around spirit, this world and the world(s) beyond.

Important things can refocus rapidly for dying people whereas family and friends might remain mired in day-to-day minutia.I remember my friend Sue struggling with finding a facility for her dying husband. The only one with room and availability was very worn and poorly maintained. It was heart breaking for her to see her husband in this setting.

There was a pivotal moment when she was crying and upset about the surroundings when her dying husband Jon reached over and clasped her hand saying, “Sue. Listen to me. Really: this does not matter. It does not matter at all to me. I do not care.”  I believe Jon was already spending a great deal of time on the other side. He slept a lot as many dying people do; but he was at peace with the workings of this physical human world. It was as though this existence was simply a part time role in a play into which he stepped now and again.  He didn’t resist. He didn’t judge or get angry. He didn’t care that the night stand was chipped or that a little, old lady resident sometimes absently wandered into his room in confusion and had to be redirected back to hers etc. etc. It just wasn’t important any more.

That checking out process can be rough on family and friends, grasping for last treasured moments and completions. For the transitioning human, one foot is already stepping onto that other side and it’s a comfy, blissful place there. The reality is that completions can occur at any time even when our loved ones are long passed. That part is our work: connecting, tuning in, tapping on and doing what we need to do to take care of ourselves for closure. Sometimes our dying friend or family simply does not have the reserves for closure in the here and now.

Bumpy rides

Not all death transitions are so graceful.  That unfortunate instance is immensely and incalculably hard on loved ones. One dear friend became angry and prone to rages during the latter stages of his brain tumor. It happens. It wasn’t pretty. He was young and brilliant which made his death that much more painful.  I remember him saying that he felt as though many people kept him at arm’s length because they worried about their own loss in the eventuality of his death. It was true.

After his passing, I struggled with did I do enough as a clinician and friend? Did I miss something? Should I have done more, done less?

“Should have”,

“would have”,

“could have” are all of those terribly destructive phrases.

A wise coach later said to me: “Karen: on some level, any level at all, was there healing in your friend’s death?” ‘Yes, of course.’ I said without hesitation or contemplation.

In that moment, I realized that nothing is lost. Nothing is ever lost, really. It feels so in the moment because we can not bend time and space to comply with our desires. But really, truly, no efforts go without benefit. We do the best we can. It’s a physics thing actually in that energy cannot be destroyed, only changed. Change our minds, change our hearts, change our lives.

Spirit goes on beyond the body. That is my belief anyway and 2007 solidified that for me. So in closing: I’m not really sure why I needed to write this now in 2011,  other than to say there are blessings and gifts even through death. If I had resisted 2007 those things would be lost and I would not carry them forward to hopefully help someone else in their process.

There is an old Yiddish saying, “May his/her memory be a blessing to you.” It seems to me that part of the wisdom of that wish is seeking the blessing and light. I wish you all many blessings and applause at your life well lived.

2007 taught me those are good things.

Getting your blood drawn to run lab work can feel like taking your car into the mechanic. Most of us don’t know a lot about it. What is really going on in there? What absolutely must be inspected? The tests have complicated names and do they tell you what is good, bad, or what to do next to stay healthy?

Over the last two decades managed care has developed a system of whittling down lab work such that yearly physicals may include little if any, and serious health issues go undetected until damage is done. The reality is that regular monitoring of lab work and life style changes subsequent to those results, go a long way in heading off the possibility of future disease development. So do you want to know if your gears are not shifting smoothly or your brake pads are wearing before a crash or no?

Here are two tests to consider having drawn at least once per year. Do make it practice to keep your own file with copies of your lab works. When your health care practitioners have the ability to view your lab results over spans of time it is invaluable.

Homocysteine (abbreviated tHcy or HCY)

Homocysteine is an amino acid which if elevated is associated with:

•Higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

•Higher risk for developing blood clots.

•Increased risk for pregnancy complications, miscarriage & fetal growth problems.

•Reduced cognitive functioning in the elderly.

What helps reduce Homocysteine levels?

Supplementing with B Vitamins including:

Folic acid, Vitamin B6 (pyridoxines) and Vitamin B12 (cobalamins).

Dietary sources of Vitamin B12 are animal based:

fish, mussels, clams, lamb, and beef.

Dietary sources of Vitamin B6 as well as the other B Vitamins are:

kombucha, whole, grains, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chili peppers, tempeh,             beans, nutritional and brewer’s yeasts, and molasses.

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (abbreviated  hs-CRP)

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) measures inflammation in the body.

For someone fighting off an infection, with a significant illness, or recovering from a surgery or trauma, we would expect the hs-CRP to naturally be elevated. After healing, the hs-CRP is typically no longer detectable in the bloodstream. However inflammation can also be associated with more silent cardiovascular developments. It is widely accepted that predisposition to developing heart attacks and cardiovascular disease is associated with generalized inflammation in the blood vessels.

Are you in a higher risk group for inflammation? Here are some important questions:

Do you smoke?

Do you have high blood pressure?

Do you have high cholesterol?

Are you diabetic?

Are you overweight?

Are you physically inactive?

If you are answering yes to any of the above, you are in a high-risk category; so having a High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein assessed regularly is a good idea. If your hs-CRP is elevated, there are sundry lifestyle, dietary and supplemental practices you can employ to reduce inflammation in your system and thereby lower your risk for a future cardiac event.

Sometimes managed care sources are reluctant or refuse to draw lab markers key to thoroughly monitoring your health. However these days many reduced fee labs exist and provide options for consumers to have blood works drawn at greatly reduced rates.  Depending upon the state in which you live, you can also access allied licensed health care practitioners such as Nurse Practitioners and Acupuncturists to order labs and help you manage and effectively monitor your health.

We all know that our cars run better and risk less by changing the oil, right? So check your oil, that blood the flowing through your body, to make sure your engine is in top condition.

Did you know that the severity of Peri-menopause & Menopause is related to adrenal health? Healthy adrenals act as the reserve for hormone production when your ovaries slow down. Many women enter Menopause with tired adrenals. Exhausted adrenals cannot function as nature’s back up.

Here is a partial list of symptoms of what is called adrenal stress syndrome:

Frequent nighttime waking, especially with a racing heart.

Reliance on caffeine to get going in the AM.

Shakiness/Irritability/Lightheadedness with missed or delayed meals.

Cravings for sweets, caffeine, cigarettes.

Fatigue, which can be relieved by eating.

Inability to fall asleep.

Inability to stay asleep.

So what can you do to take care of your adrenals? The adrenals are stressed by stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and cigarettes. Initially you feel a little surge of energy because stimulants push the already fatigued adrenals to pump out epinephrine. However epinephrine is short lasting and nature intends for it to be available for emergencies, not navigating typical daily life.

Try slowly weaning yourself from coffee to black and then green tea. If you are big coffee drinker it’s good to wean incrementally such as starting with ¾ caffeinated coffee beans mixed with ¼ decaffeinated for several days. Then mix ½ caffeinated with ½-decaffeinated beans for several days. Gradually continue to taper down the mix of caffeinated coffee beans in your daily intake and then transition over to black tea followed by green tea.

Another tip is eating at least every 4 hours and do not skip breakfast. Even if you are “not a breakfast person” you’ve got to get glucose to your brain after a night’s sleep. Start with a protein drink and an egg. Protein is key and breakfast is key-even if it’s a very small meal.

There are also various blood and salivary lab works, which your Acupuncturist, MD, or Nurse Practitioner can order to further evaluate the health of your adrenals. Be well!  Karen Reynolds, L.Ac., M.S., R.N.

KR:What do you find is the common denominator with people in midlife and exercise?

DS: Mindset. I think people really do believe that part of getting older is that you go to hell. Menopause for example happens and there is hormonal weight; but it is temporary. It’s not just because the hormones shift. People gain weight, as they get older because their metabolism slows down, but what they don’t realize is that they have control of their metabolism by keeping their muscle mass. The body loses 6-10% of our muscle mass per decade; so by the time you hit 40-50 you have lost almost 30%.  By adding muscle, we increase the metabolism.

I think the biggest message is that it doesn’t have to be that way.

A pound of muscle takes the space of a tangerine. A pound of fat takes the space of a grapefruit.

So muscle takes 1/3 the space of fat. If we do nothing to keep the muscle as we age, we get softer and mushier. The scale might not even change but the fat vs. muscle percentage in your body changes.

Think of this: a pound of muscle burns 50 calories a day. So for every pound of muscle you lose,  you lose the ability to burn 50 calories for each of those pounds. But let’s say you add 2 pounds of muscle to your body. You will burn 100 calories more per day. In 30 days you will burn 3,000 calories just by having that extra 2 pounds of muscle. It takes 3,500 calories to burn a pound of fat. So basically by putting on 2 pounds of muscle, you will burn fat just by the existence of the muscle.

You’d burn 10 lbs per year with that 2 pounds of muscle.

KR: What are some pearls for peri and postmenopausal women seeking fitness?

DS: I say the post-menopausal woman is way more sexy. These are women who say:

I don’t care what the world thinks. I can do anything. I’ve gotten over the humps of child raising, careers etc.

The fitness industry tells you 40 minutes 3x/week of aerobic exercise to “stay fit”

There many of us in the fitness industry who believe you can get cardio while doing muscle-building activities. Mindless hours of ellipticals and stair steppers are not necessary. You get a much better bang for your buck doing short, muscle building, intense movements which gives you cardio while you are doing them vs. just getting on that treadmill.  Women hear muscle and they think I don’t want to get bulky. The reality is that most women don’t tend to get bulky because we don’t have enough testosterone. The other consideration is that women are generally thinking of their upper body vs. their legs. It’s easier to add muscle to the legs than the upper body.

There is lots of research that shows it’s never to late to add muscle.

The body will find a different pathway to build the muscle as we get older; but functionally, older people get stronger just like younger people who work out.

Women are motivated by how we look. We’re often looking at the soft mush and we are not looking at the loss of quality of life. What’s more important? What happens if I can’t get up stairs or get off of a soft or low couch?

Strength is about being able to continue doing your life at a high quality.

So if you want a life with quality you want to be able to wash your hair. If you lose use of your shoulder muscles, you can’t open a refrigerator anymore. I’ve had clients in that predicament. If we don’t do anything it will happen.

So my “pearls” of wisdom are:  big payoff in building some muscle.  The other one is doing Pilates – great for toning the midsection and strengthening the “Core”, making all sorts of activities easier.

KR: What are some words of wisdom for creating the best mindset for getting in shape?

DS: Fear is big. The solution is to visualize where you want your life in 3 years. How do you see yourself?  If you see yourself less active with aging you’ll become that person. If we can’t envision it, we can’t become it. You must be able to see yourself as someone who is strong, able, fit and healthy.  I think it’s important for people to go inside and see their beliefs. If you are thinking anything like: this is the way it has to be, or this is what it’s like to get older, or there is nothing I can do about it or it’s more bother than I’m willing to do – you’ve got to look at all those belief systems and say who says it has to be this way?

Do you know that all the age markers go down when you exercise? You can keep away cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, osteoporosis and more.

KR: What is your personal life approach to exercise, health and fitness?

What is my first line medical defense?

I believe in exercise.

I keep my food clean.

Whatever ails me: I go to acupuncture. My first line defense is acupuncture. I’ve done that for 20 years.

People are always asking me how much I exercise. I exercise, averaged out, to about 15 minutes a day with intense weight training plus I teach Yoga and Pilates classes.

People don’t get it. They say,  “I don’t have time.” I have two different answers to that.  The nuts and bolts answer is that you can incorporate exercise into your day just by doing what you are doing and not doing anything extra.

My favorite example is shown in this you’ve-got-to-see video clip on U-Tube which shows how to do chair sits. Of course, it’s my own video, just put fitnessbydot into YouTube.  Most people get in and out of a chair many times during a typical day.  This is a slightly different way to get into and out of the chair that uses your leg muscles more.  In public restrooms you squat. You butt goes back and you hover.  We can sit into any chair this way.  The closer and lower to the chair seat that you are willing to hover, the harder you work. Stop and focus and take an extra 20 seconds slowly squat into chair every time you sit down.

What is the worst that is gonna’ happen? You are going to end up in the chair!  First you work at it. Several weeks later you can hold easily above chair. You’ll end up able to ease in an out of all chairs without using your arms or falling into the chair. There are benefits to not getting stuck in a chair or on a couch. Strengthening the muscles supports knees too. There are benefits of joint health. Think about how many times you do this in a day. 10 Times at 10 seconds a piece. We are not talking about a lot of time here but even they are opportunities to get stronger and build muscle.

What else?  Park farther away ie:  park a block away. Walk more.

Use the stairs. You should never be in the elevator for a flight or two.

Stand at work vs. sitting.

Even if you are watching TV do some sit-ups during commercials.

The earmark of convenience is usually an opportunity to get some added exercise.  Squeeze your butt muscles together while you are standing at the sink or in line at the grocery store.

KR: Why do you think people resist classes as fitness opportunities?

DS:  The biggest reason is people have NO idea how much better they can feel because they have never felt it.

People who are beginners in a class activity think, “I look goofy.”

The reality is that in most classes people are at different levels. It’s like being

in a dance class and not knowing the moves. It’s just what new looks like.

We have this idea in our culture that we have to do things instantly and be good at them with no learning curve.

They are just excuses. I felt that way too when I started partly because I was embarrassed and partly because didn’t know what I was doing.

The time is now, not tomorrow, not later.

Get younger, feel younger. This is turn-back-the-clock work. This is how to turn back the aging clock.

People who exercise sleep better and fewer hours. They are more productive and their brains are clearer. Their moods are more even. If you had the ability to be focused and clear all day, do you think you could get more done? The time you gain is greater than the time you spend exercising. It’s like an investment that pays 5 to 1. It gives you back more time than you put into it.

The reality is that it doesn’t cost much and it’s readily available. If exercise were a pill everybody would be taking it. All you need is a good pair or sneakers and that’s about it.

KR: What helps with getting that ball rolling to begin exercising?

DS: People wait to be motivated.  It doesn’t arrive, it is created.

You can do all kinds of things to help yourself, like the only clothes you put out in the AM are gym clothes.

Block the front door with your bicycle.

It’s easier to manipulate the environment vs. create or motivate. The exercise becomes its own reward because it feels so much better that you don’t want to give it up.

Make a date to meet a friend at the gym or for a hike.  Accountability really helps – tell someone else you will do it and check in with them later.

KR: Dot, thank you for your many words of wisdom. What are your final pearls for spurring the fitness goals of our readers?

DS: Ask yourself: what is driving you?

Do you want to play with grandkids?

Can you get up off the floor without using your hands? (Sit on the floor right now, cross your arms over your chest and get up without pushing with your arms. Can you do it?) This is measure of muscle strength.

What is your “why”?

Mush around the middle?

Maybe it’s that I am embarrassed because I think I should look better than I do?

Maybe it’s that my clothes don’t fit?

What activities are you giving up? Skiing? Bicycling? Hiking?

I don’t buy into that.

We become what we believe.

Believe!

Do you know how many times I have heard, “If I had known it was going to be this easy, I wouldn’t have waited so long”?  You can get a whole lot out of a little bit of consistent exercise.

Visit Dot Spaet at
www.fitnessbydot.com, and feel free to join our email list and shop our very own fitness products.

Send me an email at:  fitnessbydot@earthlink.net

telling me you signed up because you read Karen’s article and I will send you something free!

Dot Spaet, Fitness by Dot, where the best workout is the one you are willing to do!

As the outbreaks of Pertussis (whooping cough) have been escalating, patients are expressing understandable concern. Many have been asking me questions about vaccines, how to stay healthy and ways to be proactive for their kids. I am an Acupuncturist/Chinese herbalist and RN located in Mill Valley and family medicine is a large part of my practice. This article is intended to give you valuable information about Pertussis and supporting healthy immune systems.

As of June 2010 the state of California declared Pertussis an epidemic. Epidemic simply means that there are many more cases across California compared to this time frame in years past. Rather than getting caught up in fear of exposure or of illness, it is wise to keep in mind that we have many health-promoting options readily at our fingertips. The reality is that our immune systems are made to keep us well, and I want to share some tools toward that goal.

Facts about Pertussis

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a bacterial infection. It is highly contagious and spread through contact or respiratory droplets, which hang in the air from an infected person. Droplets generally can be found in a 6-foot radius of a coughing or sneezing event. Pertussis typically begins as a runny nose, which evolves into a spasmodic cough. The cough is strong, such that it can induce vomiting and rib soreness.

Pertussis can be fatal in infants. If you have a baby in your home, I believe it wise for the whole family to be vaccinated. I do realize that some families opt against vaccinations, and if that is your choice, you’ll find additional helpful tips below too.

As a parent you are likely familiar with the Td vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria. It is part of standard childhood vaccination schedules. Pertussis, a separate vaccine, has historically been given to children less than 7 years old. However in 2004 there was a spike in adolescents and adults developing Pertussis such that the Tdap vaccine was developed.

Tdap Vaccine

In 2005 the Tdap vaccine became available and was the first vaccine for adolescents and adults to protect against: tetanus, diphtheria and Pertussis. At this time Tdap is licensed for a once in a lifetime dose per person, whereas Td is given every 10 years or possibly repeated following a serious wounds or injuries. Health care workers in California are currently being encouraged to get Tdap vaccinated and facilities are offering the vaccine to employees.

What else can you do?

•Consider a consultation for homeopathic remedies. I find these to be highly effective, safe and economical options and routinely prescribe them. Remedies are tasteless, can be used by both children and adults, and can be taken alone or in conjunction with conventional vaccinations. There are combination remedies available, which address Pertussis, 2011 Flu, H1N1, and Childhood Immunization Support.

•Take care of your own immunities with an Acupuncture Immunity Booster appointment. A 30-minute treatment once per month September through January will help keep your immune system in optimal shape through flu season.

•For kids who frequently develop colds or ear infections, give a supplement of organic bovine colostrum (powdered capsules can be opened and added to foods) one capsule twice each day.

•Consider Chinese herbs for immune system enhancement. Both herbs and acupuncture have been shown to boost the activity of white blood cells and lower stress hormones, all of which improve your immunities.

•To resolve acute illnesses quickly:

Vitamin C 500-1000mg/day

Vitamin A 10,000-20,000 units from fish oil;

Sambucol 1 teaspoon 3 times/day

Echinacea (non alcoholic) 10-20 drops 3 times/day.

Karen Reynolds specializes in fertility and family practice in Mill Valley, CA. Drawing from 22 years as an ICU RN, she makes use of lab testing, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and nutritional supplementation to optimize health.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact her at:

kreynolds@balancerestored.com

Balance Restored Center for Integrative Medicine

600 Miller Avenue

Mill Valley, CA 94941

Ring: 415.381.8500 Ext. 4

Come meet one of the authors of The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook and learn about optimizing your health and fertility.

Enjoy sample foods from the book’s recipe collection and get your copy signed!

All of my fertility patients get this book free; so if you’ve not gotten yours, give me a buzz!

When:Saturday December 11th @ 1PM

Where:Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA

This post was authored for the Fertile Kitchen website and I’m sharing it here as well!

For more information on Nutrition for enhancing fertility, I highly recommend

http://fertilekitchen.com/ and co-authors Cindy Bailey and Pierre Giauque of the The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook.

This book is an integral part of my program for all of my fertility patients
As an acupuncturist and herbalist in Mill Valley, CA specializing in fertility, I often receive questions about how acupuncture helps women struggling with infertility. Recent research shows that women undergoing fertility treatment who receive acupuncture have improved reproductive outcomes. In the last 14 years, there have been many publications and studies on acupuncture in scientific, peer-reviewed journals. Two of the best-known studies were done in 1996 by Stener-Victorin and then by Paulus, et al in 2002.
The Stener-Victorin study showed that the resistance of uterine artery blood flow reduced following electro-acupuncture. This mechanism is of great value in allowing for an egg to implant more easily. The Paulus study showed that In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) patients treated before and after embryo transfer demonstrated improved pregnancy outcomes.

Since 2003 the acupuncturist, Diane K. Cridennda, and reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Paul C. Magarelli, MD, PhD have conducted 5studies combining acupuncture and ART (Assisted Reproductive Techniques). Their amazing research shows that with acupuncture, poor prognosis patients are more likely to fall pregnant, have lower miscarriage rates, fewer ectopic pregnancies, fewer multiple pregnancies, and more take-home babies than without acupuncture.

The research also shows that women have a greater sense of active control and involvement by adding acupuncture to their ART. Acupuncture will add an estimated 15% more pregnancies to an IVF series, which can make the difference in couple creating a family. Reducing miscarriages, ectopics and multiples is precious to a woman’s health and reduces health care costs and risks.

We know that acupuncture improves how the brain communicates with the reproductive organs and we also know it helps regulate stress hormones and induces relaxation. Acupuncture also increases nutrients and blood flow to the uterus and helps to balance hormones. All these elements are important to conception.

I do hope that providing some insight into the research and science behind using acupuncture in conjunction with ART has been helpful. In my practice women consistently share with me that acupuncture helps them weather the side effects of IVF medications more easily, calms their mind and spirit, and gives them a sense of well-being amid what is a storm in life when falling pregnant is a challenge.

Karen Reynolds specializes in the treatment of both male and female fertility, women’s health, and functional endocrinology. Drawing from her 22 years of experience as an ICU RN, she makes extensive use of lab testing, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, antioxidants, dietary changes and nutritional supplementation to optimize health, wellness and vitality for the amazing women and men who she has the great honor to treat.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact her at:kreynolds@balancerestored.com or at 415.381.8500 Ext. 4.

As chance would have it or more accurately as the Universe perfectly orchestrated it,

I happened to see an old 60 Minutes interview with Lena Horne. Lena recently died at age 92 and she was a powerful female presence in an era in which she was blacklisted for it.

She’s probably best known for her vocals of the original song Stormy Weather.

In 1943, she performed that well known mesmerizing melody as a fresh faced girl among an all African American cast. That was the only way in which African American artists could participate in a venue.

The interview was conducted when Lena was in her 60‘s. A striking thing throughout was her natural sex appeal, her easy exquisite smile, her low rumbling voice and a magnetism which beckoned the listener toward her. Her charisma manifested itself without being garrish, lewd, or disrespectful. The now deceased interviewer, Ed Bradley, had moments of obvious intrigue.

During the conversation Lena spoke about how it was very hard for her to try and perform Stormy Weather as she had as a young girl. The difficulty wasn’t about her voice quality or the words or the music. The broadcast cut to scenes of her one woman show Lena Horne: the Lady and Her Music. She was belting out blues, unafraid of how the sounds contorted her lips and face doing so, and gliding about the stage like a queen. She sang about love, lust, being proud of her curves, her wrinkles and her still smoldering sexual desires. Of course she couldn’t sing Stormy Weather as she had in 1943 because she was a woman who had blossomed, fought against bigotry and open racism and she was fully embodied Mojo. The girl from Stormy Weather was just a babe with no hollows in her sweet round face and no life challenges to have molded Lena Horne into the powerful strong woman that she was.

So here’s to Mojo with growing power, Mojo that amplifies, expands and recreates itself joyfully throughout women’s lives.

I suspect Ed was waiting at the Pearly Gates with flowers and a bottle of wine and a

“Hey, baby I’ve been waiting for exactly you. It’s been some Stormy Weather up here.”