Purple Notes: Ten More Quick Tips to Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Cholesterol Levels
- A buildup of bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins – LDL) and triglycerides in the blood can cause clogging of the arteries which leads to coronary heart disease. Be very conscious of the kind of fat you eat and stay away from foods high in cholesterol as much as you can.
Weight Loss:
- A modest loss of 5 to 10% of body weight regardless of your goal will significantly help improve your chances of reducing risk of heart disease (American Heart Association). Overweight and obese people have higher rates of hypertension and diabetes which are promoters of heart disease.
- Central obesity which is the accumulation of fat around the midsection is one of the most common causes of diabetes and coronary heart disease. Having a lot of fat around your midsection exposes you to high cholesterol and triglyceride levels which are common causes of coronary artery disease. Work on trimming your midsection.
Stress:
- Cortisol levels and hormones that promote eating are usually increased when you are under stress. Living under minimal stress helps you improve your ability to stay in control of your diet and maintain optimal health conditions to avoid risk of heart disease. Manage your stress.
Diabetes:
- Having diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 2 to 4 times in adults. Well controlled diabetes and adherence to treatment as recommended by your physician can greatly reduce your chances of developing heart disease.
Hypertension/High Blood Pressure:
- High blood pressure can lead to most cardiovascular illnesses like stroke, heart failure and coronary heart disease. African Americans have high rates of hypertension. Managing hypertension with diet, physical activity and medication can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease significantly.
Routine Health Checkup
- Having routine clinical and physical examinations is very important for keeping track of vital information about your health. Always be aware of your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar in order to detect and treat any abnormality as early as possible.
- Abnormalities in blood pressure readings or cholesterol levels may not cause immediate symptoms until serious damage has been done in your body. In order to prevent heart attacks, stroke or sudden cardiac which are resulting complications of hypertension and high cholesterol levels, it is highly recommended that you get routine checkups and always know your numbers.
Sodium/Salt Intake
- Eating a diet high in sodium is directly related to an increase in blood pressure. Minimize your salt intake to the barest minimum, especially through sources like fast foods and processed foods. Cooking your meals at home will help you stay on top of the quantity of salt you consume and will also encourage using healthier substitutes to salt.
Genetics
- Conditions like essential hypertension and type-1 diabetes are inherited. If you have a family history of such illnesses especially among your immediate family members, it is important that you make efforts to adopt a healthy lifestyle of physical fitness and healthy eating. You can significantly reduce your chances of developing these conditions if you start making lifestyle changes early in life.
By: Kike Oduba, MD
Work obligations, social anxiety and a stressful family life can lead you down a path of unhappiness and even hopelessness. However, there are many strategies to de-stress that doctors and even celebrities vouch for. Here are some tips you can use when you’re overwhelmed and stressed out.
Meditation
You may think of meditation as new-age mumbo jumbo, or hippy-dippy mysticism, but it has helped thousands let go of emotions brought on by stress. Director of cult classic television show, Twin Peaks, David Lynch knows all about meditation. “Things like traumatic stress and anxiety and tension and sorrow and depression and hate and bitter, selfish anger and fear start to lift away,” Lynch told The New York Times, about his Transcendental Meditation practice. Neuroscientists have even studied the human brain while individuals meditated and found that the brain physically changes, and the part of the brain called the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, becomes less active. People who suffer from intense anxiety have very active amygdalas, so a healthy meditation habit can help with moderate and intense stress.
Visuals & Space
Many meditation experts say that happiness is self -created from within the mind. But the outside world, especially your surroundings, can also have an immense impact on your mental and emotional health. A beautiful living space can relax you just as a trip to the beach can. Decorate your space with fragrant flowers, delicate colors, and indoor plants. Live plants cut down on carbon monoxide, which enhances the air quality in your house or apartment. If you color coordinate your home, it is also more aesthetically pleasing. When you have a clean and uncluttered space you will find that you feel less frazzled and more relaxed.
Exercise
Perhaps the most accessible remedy for moderate or severe stress is exercise. Whether you go for a run or a bike ride, like to pump iron at the gym, or enjoy laps in a pool, physical activity relieves stress. While millions of Americans use exercise as a relaxation technique, few are more famous perhaps than First Lady Michelle Obama. In an interview with Marie Claire back in 2008 while on the campaign trail, she divulged that hitting the gym with her favorite tunes and bike rides with her daughters are her favorite ways to relax after a tense or stressful day.
Art
Creativity can help you relax. Your creation can be a manifestation of your stress or a ward against it. Art comes in all shapes and sizes. For instance, if you have some land, start a garden. Maintaining a garden can bring you into the present moment. Leave your worries about the future, or your frustrations concerning the past behind as you nurture a flower, food, or hybrid garden.
If you’re more interested in traditional art, then you can paint, work with your hands and clay, or keep a creative journal. All of these mediums of art let you work out your stress, transfer it to another object, and keep you in the present moment. While Brad Pitt might not use a traditional art for relaxation, a relaxing hobby of his is architecture.
Check out the CBHC Flow Directory under resources to find meditation and exercise resources.
Posted by: Kim Farmer – Mile High Fitness
Yeah! You probably thought, “Nope! Not me, I drink fluids a lot!” “I am always drinking something.” What do you mean by fluids? Coffee? Juice? Soda? Water? Perhaps tea? Water is the main fluid that hydrates you and puts a brake on cascading events that lead to chronic illness. Our body fluid isn’t made up of coffee, juice, or soda; therefore it is deprived of what it truly needs to function optimally when we don’t hydrate with water. DRINK WATER!
More than 50% of our body weight is made up of water? Up to 78% in new-born babies, 55% in women (we have more fat cells than men), and 60% in men. This shows how crucial it is to drink water. Do you drink at least 50% of your body weight in water? That might sound like a lot, but it is recommended that we drink at least 8 cups of water a day, which is 64 oz. Not too much, yet it is difficult for most – that includes me. Water is very essential for purification of the body system. If you are on a weight loss journey, you need to drink more water. Drink about one liter daily to help your body detoxify and flush impurities. DRINK WATER!
Since our body is composed of a majority water, it means a majority of our bodily function depends largely on it; digestion, respiration, our blood flow, hormones, waste removal, our skin (the largest organ in the body). Seeing this is so true, let’s be kind to our body by drinking water regularly, especially at this altitude in Denver of 5,280 ft. or more above sea level. Sometimes when we feel hungry, it is actually a signal your brain is sending to you to drink water. Try drinking a cup or 2 of water and wait a while. You might actually see the hunger pang disappear. DRINK WATER!
A lot of people simply forget to drink water. Or, drink water only when they eat and as such need regular reminders to drink. This was my case as well. I used a water drinking App to form my water drinking habit. I found the App helpful as a reminder to drink water. The App I used is called “Waterin,” which is available for free at the Apple App Store. It alerts you by making the most interesting noise of water being poured into a cup. I was just trying to be modest, it actually sounds like someone peeing in the toilet, which makes you want to attend to it immediately. DRINK WATER!
You can set a goal of water drinking. For example, drink 8 cups of water between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. It then automatically divides that number over 12 hours and reminds you every 1.5 hrs. till you achieve your goal. It is really helpful in forming a habit of drinking water regularly. Depending on the type of phone (Android or Apple) you use, you can find some free water Apps. A few I found are Idrated, Water Logged, Drinking Water, Aqua Alert, Oasis Water. Try them. DRINK WATER!
It sounds so simple and basic, yet so difficult to do. This is not new information. I am sure we all know drinking water is good, yet we don’t do it enough. It really helps with weight loss as it keeps you fuller for longer. You help your bodily cells easily eliminate waste and keep blood pressure low. A dehydrated body means thicker blood which has limited blood flow, thereby increasing blood pressure. We don’t want that right? DRINK WATER!
You will be urinating a lot so be sure to know where a restroom is wherever you go. You will thank me for that heads-up later. Your body will thank you for it as well. Your skin will be relaxed and not shriveled. If you find it hard you use an App, you can get an accountability partner- someone with the same goal or doing better than you are in this area so you can help each other in reaching your goal(s). DRINK WATER! DRINK!!
Dr. Tolu Oyewumi is a Primary Care Physician and Public Health Professional. She is also a John Maxwell Certified Coach, Speaker, Teacher and Trainer who is passionate about helping people get unstuck.
You’ve probably seen the lady hanging over the bars on the elliptical, or the guy who barely bends his arms while doing chest presses. Hopefully you know by now that when you do a squat, your knees should not extend beyond your toes. Seem a bit nit-picky? Maybe, but proper form is important while exercising. Not only does it ensure you are getting the benefit of the exercise, but proper form also helps prevent injury.
How do you know what proper form is for your selected exercise? Working with a personal trainer, even just for a few sessions, is a great way to learn proper techniques and form. It is an investment, but is well worth it in the long run. Learning how to properly do an exercise will allow you to see the results of the exercise sooner, and also help you avoid injuries, which would obviously set you back in your fitness quest. If you do decide to go it alone, here are some guidelines to follow to help you with your fitness form:
- YOUR MOVEMENTS SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONTROLLED. TRANSLATION: YOUR MUSCLES NEED TO BE ENGAGED AND TIGHTENED WHILE PERFORMING MOST EXERCISES, ESPECIALLY ANY INVOLVING WEIGHTS. ENGAGING MUSCLES MEANS YOU ARE PERFORMING THE EXERCISE IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY, AND CHANNELING THE STRESS TO THE PROPER PLACES. TO TEST THIS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO STOP A MOVEMENT AT ANY POINT (AT LEAST BRIEFLY). IF YOU ARE USING MOMENTUM, INSTEAD OF CONTROLLED MOVEMENT, YOU RISK JOINT INJURY BECAUSE YOU ARE CAUSING STRESS IN UNINTENDED AREAS OF THE BODY.
- STOP HANGING ON THE SUPPORT BARS. MOST CARDIO EQUIPMENT INCLUDES SUPPORT BARS FOR BALANCE. IT IS A SAFETY FEATURE. THE SUPPORT BARS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR YOU TO HANG ON WHILE EXERCISING, BUT RATHER TO HOLD ONTO LOOSELY TO PREVENT A FALL. HANGING ON THE BARS DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE BY TAKING MUCH OF THE WEIGHT OFF YOUR LOWER BODY. IN ADDITION, IT ADDS STRESS TO YOUR UPPER BODY/SHOULDERS AND CAN RESULT IN TIGHT/SORE MUSCLES.
- WHEN DOING RESISTANCE EXERCISES, USE THE FULL RANGE OF MOTION FOR THE BEST RESULTS. FOR THE WEEKEND WARRIOR ATHLETE, PERFORMING AN EXERCISE FROM USING THE FULL RANGE OF MOTION (FROM THE EXTENDED STATE TO THE FLEXED STATE), HELPS WITH EFFICIENCY OF MOVEMENT. USING ONLY ONE PORTION OF THE FULL RANGE OF MOTION ONLY IMPROVES THE EFFICIENCY OF MOVEMENT FOR THAT PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE MOVEMENT. THERE IS SOME BENEFIT TO DOING AN EXERCISE USING ONLY PARTIAL RANGE OF MOTION, BUT THIS SHOULD BE BALANCED BY REPEATING THE EXERCISE USING THE REMAINING RANGE OF MOTION, TOO.
Here are some guidelines for improving your form:
- TAKE A STEP BACK IN INTENSITY/SPEED/WEIGHT. IT IS EASIER TO FOCUS ON YOUR FORM AT A LESS CHALLENGING LEVEL. ONCE YOU FEEL YOU HAVE GAINED SOME MASTERY OF YOUR FORM, GO AHEAD AND SLOWLY WORK UP THE INTENSITY.
- USE MIRRORS. USING A MIRROR TO CHECK YOUR FORM IS NOT VAIN. IT IS SMART. TURN SO YOU HAVE THE PROPER VIEW, DEPENDING ON THE EXERCISE. AFTER YOU HAVE THE FORM DOWN, YOU WILL MOST LIKELY BE ABLE TO FEEL IF YOU START TO SLIP BACK TO OLD HABITS.
- IF YOUR BUDGET ALLOWS, WORK WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER. MOST GYMS OFFER A FREE SESSION TO NEW MEMBERS SO YOU CAN LEARN THE ROPES. GYMS DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU GET INJURED ANY MORE THAN YOU DO, SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PERK. MILE HIGH FITNESS & WELLNESS HAS PERSONAL TRAINERS THAT COME TO YOU IN YOUR HOME OR OFFICE. CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PERSONAL TRAINING PROGRAM AND TO RECEIVE A FREE PHONE CONSULTATION TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR FITNESS GOALS.
Resources:
http://steadystrength.com/how-training-full-range-of-motion-can-help-you-gain-strength-faster/
Contributor: Kim Farmer of Mile High Fitness and Wellness. Mile High Fitness and Wellness offers in-home personal training and corporate fitness solutions. Visit www.milehighfitness.com/personaltraining or email [email protected].
When you’re on the trails, track or streets, you don’t want to have to be worrying about your feet. Finding the right pair of running shoes can be considered an art form in some running circles. There are many things to consider when selecting the best kicks for all terrains and seasons.
However, it’s also important to understand those expensive Nike or Adidas shoes are not always the best option for you. Here are some other factors to consider when thinking about buying a new pair of running shoes.
Comfort and Sizing
There are many qualities that make up a good pair of shoes, but if they don’t fit your feet correctly, you’re already off to a bad start. Don’t assume you know your shoe size — our feet grow over time, and not every type of shoe fits the same — when picking out your next pair of kicks. Sizing is not always accurate, and you may need to adjust by moving a half size up or down. This is especially true when the shoes are made by a company outside the United States.
In fact, European shoes don’t always translate into our customary American sizes. Another thing to consider is that each foot is like a snowflake — they’re all shaped differently. Find a shoe that has a moldable sole. This allows the shoe to take form around your uniquely shaped toes, heel and arch, enabling you to have adequate support in the places your foot needs it most.
Weather and Season
Unless you’re running indoors on a track or treadmill, you’ll want to consider the tread on your shoe to accommodate the weather and season in which you’re running. The last thing you need is to find yourself not sticking to your running surface and wasting energy on keeping your feet planted upon each stride.
If you run outdoors, you may find yourself on terrain that requires more traction, like in the mud or snow. Take a look at some shoe companies that have upped their traction game by partnering with tire companies. Adidas, in particular, has a few options in which to choose. You’ll find your running times will get faster as you’re better able to push through that mud and snow.
If you run in warmer weather, you may want to look for a shoe that allows for more breathability. There are a few brands that sell shoes with a meshy top surface, allowing for more airflow and the less likelihood of getting sweaty feet while out running.
Try Them Out
Purchasing new running shoes can sometimes put a strain on your pocketbook, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Research shoe stores online and read user reviews to help you gain an understanding of what to expect out of your potential next pair. Head to your local shoe store and try on the pair you may have had your eye on online.
While you’re there, try on several pairs so you can get a feel for what you want and don’t want out of a shoe. Local retailers tack on service fees and other price hikes that you won’t find online. So once you find that dream pair, order them online and save yourself some hard-earned cash.
Contributor: Kim Farmer of Mile High Fitness and Wellness. Mile High Fitness and Wellness offers in-home personal training and corporate fitness solutions. Visit www.milehighfitness.com/personaltraining or email [email protected].
Summer is almost here. This is a great time to get active and health oriented. Let your phone do more. Check out these free or low cost mobile applications (Apps). Mobile Apps are ideal assistants for health, fitness, wellness, and general well-being.
Mobile Applications:
Stress Reduction & Mindfulness
- Breathe2Relax
- Mindfulness Coach
- com (free version, you don’t need to pay to use)
- Take a Break! Guided Meditations for Stress Reduction
Better Sleep
- CBT-i Coach
- Nature Melody – Soothing, calming, and relaxing sounds
- Can track sleep on iPhone 6 (and more recent models) in Health Data (heart shaped icon)
Healthy Thinking
- ACT Coach
- CBT Thought Record Diary
- Stress & Anxiety Companion
- Moods: Track for Better Mental Health
Healthy Eating and Weight Loss
- My Fitness Pal – exercise and calorie counter
- Map My Run – GPS Running and Walking distance and calorie tracker
- iPhone 6 and more recent track daily steps
Smoking Cessation
- Smoke Free
- Livestrong MyQuit Coach
Pain
- $3.99 My Pain Diary: Chronic Pain & Symptom Tracker
- WebMD Pain Coach
By: Rahem Mulatu, Colorado Black Health Collaborative (CBHC) – Health Access Committee.
“I am busy.” “I am really busy.” “I was busy.” “I have been so busy.”
Busy! Busy! Busy! The new buzz word of our generation.
In these current times, using the word “busy” or being busy all the time seems like the cool thing. It creates the impression that if you aren’t busy, something is wrong with you or “busy” is the cool life to live? Looks like when we are busy then we must be really important and doing something important, even when we neglect our health and sanity. Busy doing what? Now ask yourself,” Are you just “being” busy or are you really productive? Have you had such days that you were everywhere doing everything and at the end of the day, you still feel like you didn’t achieve anything? Yep! Been there. And then I stare at my overall goals and wonder why I haven’t moved as much.
Most of us set out this year with goals in every area of our lives, maybe financial, career, or health related. 50% of the year is almost gone, how far have you gone with your goals? Why haven’t you gone to the gym 3 times a week like you intended? Why haven’t you been eating home cooked meals 3 times a week like you set out to? Why haven’t you had your green smoothie in 3 months? “I have just been very busy!!”, “I literally have no time!”, “No energy!” These are the excuses we give. These are the excuses I gave myself! Let me share with you an exercise that really helped me. This was inspired by a conversation with a friend when I talked about how busy I was trying to justify why achieving my goals were suffering.
Take a piece of paper and journal/write down everything you do from the time you wake up till you go to bed for a week. I mean everything and if possible, time spent doing it, from opening a piece of bubble gum, to chatting on the phone, to time in bathroom. Document everything. The 5 minutes you spent on YouTube that became 75 minutes. The unplanned phone call you picked and spent 30 minutes on. Do that for a week. Then take that paper you journaled/wrote and scan through the items critically. Are there patterns you see? Time-wasting endeavors that you counted as “busy.” Are there things you could honestly cut out and make your health a priority on the list?
For me, I saw things like binge “netflixing” on certain nights, when the intention was to watch a 24-minute episode of a series which became 4 sets of 24-minutes. And that is why I don’t watch series. I saw excessive checking of emails, activities that stole time and energy from me. Things that prevented me from going to bed early so I could rise early – refreshed and hit the gym or give me time to make my own breakfast and lunch. I spend a significant amount in my kitchen because I usually eat what I cook most of the time and that takes time! Doing the journaling exercise has helped me to critically examine most of my activities to determine how they move me towards my goal. Can I still do this and have enough energy and time to hit the gym by 5 a.m., knowing full well that if I don’t at that time, I probably won’t.
I would encourage you to try this out (the journaling exercise). You will find plenty of time in your daily and weekly schedule that you can productively assign to things that matter to you like your health, fitness, family, relationship, reading books etc. The message behind this is don’t just be busy. LIVE INTENTIONALLY!
By Tolu Oyewumi, a health enthusiast, with a background and practice in primary care medicine and public health.
Consider Apprentice of Peace and Mindfulness Meditation, two Community Resource Partners who can assist you in Making Time for YOU. To obtain contact information for these two Community Resource Partners and others, please check out the CBHC Online FLOW Directory @ https://www.coloradoblackhealth.org/colorado-black-health-directory/ OR call the FLOW Line on 1.800.209.FLOW (3569).
If you are one of the 72 million people in the United States with high blood pressure (hypertension), you may be taking prescription medication to help control it. Unfortunately, these prescriptions are often costly and may cause side effects. There are many lifestyle modifications that play an important role in the treatment and prevention of hypertension including dietary changes, limited alcohol and caffeine consumption, stress reduction and exercise. What type of exercise helps treat and prevent hypertension? And how? Read on.
- Assuming your doctor has cleared you for exercise, any type of endurance exercise such as low-impact aerobics, walking and swimming have been shown to help control hypertension. There is no need to start training for a marathon or the next big race since high intensity, high impact exercise will usually increase your heart rate and blood pressure, and may exceed safe ranges. Also heavy strength training should be avoided and replaced with lighter weights and higher repetitions.
- Try to fit some type of exercise into your life on most (preferably all) days of the week for about 30 minutes per day. If you have physical limitations that prevent you from exercising for 30 minutes consecutively, start with 10 minutes a few times a day. Don’t forget that gardening, cleaning your house or taking items up and down the stairs several times are considered forms of exercise. Work on progressing to a brisk walk or bike ride for 30 minutes.
- How does exercise help control your blood pressure? Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger which results in your heart pumping more blood with less effort. When your heart works less to pump blood, this lowers your blood pressure by decreasing the force on your arteries. Ultimately, regular exercise can lower your systolic blood pressure (the top number) by about 5-10 milliliters of mercury which is as good as some medications. If you don’t have high blood pressure, regular exercise can keep it from rising as you age.
- In order to keep your blood pressure low, it is important to keep exercising. It will normally take about one to three months for regular exercise to have an impact on your blood pressure, and you need to keep exercising in order to continue to see the benefits. Weight loss also has a positive impact on high blood pressure as well as many other health benefits.
- Be aware of the change to your blood pressure due to exercise. Your doctor may instruct you to take your blood pressure before and after exercise to gauge what type of exercise is safe for you to participate in. Some hypertension medications increase the heart rate so it is a good idea to know what your heart rate range should be. Using the rating of perceived of exertion scale (RPE) as opposed to your heart rate is a better way to gauge how intense you are working when you are taking heart rate altering medications.
If you don’t currently exercise regularly and you have high blood pressure, you may be surprised with the positive impact that consistent physical activity can have on your heart and ultimately your blood pressure. Don’t worry about how long you are able to exercise right away, just start doing something for a few minutes at a time and progress from there. Exercise is far less costly than medication, so why not save some money in the process? So put on your tennis shoes and get moving!
Contributor: Kim Farmer of Mile High Fitness & Wellness. Mile High Fitness & Wellness offers in-home personal training and corporate fitness solutions. Visit www.milehighfitness.com or email [email protected].
Denver, Colo. — According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five Americans will be affected by a mental health condition in their lifetime, and everyone will be affected or impacted through their friends and family. With May being Mental Health Month, the Colorado Department of Human Services would like to remind Coloradans about the statewide crisis services available through Colorado Crisis Services. Individuals seeking mental health, substance use or emotional help for themselves or someone they know can access Colorado Crisis Services for support and resources.
Colorado Crisis Services resources include:
- The Colorado Crisis Support Line: The support line [1-844-493-TALK (8255)] is available toll-free 24/7, 365 days a year and provides callers with an immediate connection to a crisis counselor. Services are available in more than 100 languages.
- Chat Crisis Service: Available at ColoradoCrisisServices.org, this service allows users to chat online with Masters level crisis clinicians or chat specialists to receive emotional support, crisis intervention and suicide assessments. This chat feature is available seven days a week from 4 p.m. to midnight.
- Text Crisis Service: Available 24/7, this text service is the latest resource for individuals needing mental health, substance abuse or emotional help. Anyone can text the word TALK to 38255 from anywhere in Colorado about any type of crisis and text with a Masters level crisis text counselor.
- In-person Services: Individuals can access in-person services through 24-hour walk-in crisis locations, mobile response teams and respite care facilities throughout the state. A list of the walk-in crisis center locations can be found at ColoradoCrisisServices.org
- Crisis Stabilization Units: Some walk-in locations provide crisis beds for 1-5 days, for either voluntary or involuntary treatment.
“With a variety of crisis service options now available, anyone in Colorado can get the emotional support and resources they need for themselves or for a loved one,” said Dr. Liza Tupa, the Deputy Director of Community Programs at the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health. “We want to encourage all Coloradans to use these services before, during and after a crisis.”
To learn more, visit www.ColoradoCrisisServices.org.
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More about Colorado Crisis Services
Colorado Crisis Services is Colorado’s first statewide resource for mental health, substance use or emotional crisis help, information and referrals. This effort was formed as a part of the initiative set forth by Gov. John Hickenlooper, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services, to strengthen Colorado’s mental health system and provide greater access to mental health services. This campaign is part of the Strengthening Colorado’s Mental Health System: A Plan to Safeguard All Coloradans initiative.
View the Colorado Crisis Services TV spots (English and Spanish) here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3fnvq7qml2mb3g0/AABED9-xPM0gBQtgnadVBgI9a?dl=0
April is the month of awareness for IBS. Perfect timing! Why? Seeing that it’s IBS Awareness month, I feel a bit qualified to write about it having struggled with gut issues in the past year. This little note is not to take the place of you consulting your physician, if needed and following medical recommendations.
What is IBS? I like to keep things simple as a health enthusiast so anyone can understand and implement. Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Big word, right? Let’s break it down. It simply means a digestive system (bowel) that is irritated! Angry! Offended! Rebellious! For movie lovers, IBS is a DIVERGENT bowel! And as such, lashes out with different signs and symptoms like abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and altered bowel habits ranging from constipation to diarrhea.
Some causes of IBS can be a low fiber diet, food allergies, free radicals, nutritional deficiencies, stress, leaky gut, and poor lifestyle choices such as drugs or alcohol. I was never diagnosed with IBS but my research revealed to me I had leaky gut (twin sister to IBS). My gut decided to have a Halloween party in summer!!
I had been having digestive symptoms on and off for a while, which got so bad last summer. I wondered why I was going through this because I ate healthy; 98.137% of the time (that’s a distinction), yet it got worse! I would eat and the food would sit in my belly like “Rock of Ages,” not moving, not shaking… just there. I struggled with mental fogginess in the morning. I’d wake up in my room and felt like I was on a ping pong table with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker having an essential gist over my head. I always wanted to go back to bed as I struggled with great amounts of fatigue and I was chronically constipated. I was bloated all the time, like I was crying 3-month-old twins…ah! More importantly, my quality of life and productivity suffered.
I felt miserable and wondered what I was doing wrong, I ate right, attended a body pump class 4 times a week. Having a great degree of self-awareness, I began to ask myself questions -what is new or recent in my life? STRESS! At that time, I was going through an unusual amount of stress. I knew deep within that popping a pill wouldn’t help me (besides I don’t like pills). A friend suggested I see a natural health specialist who helped her some time ago. I did and got some recommendations which helped tremendously.
Now, this isn’t for everyone because the root-cause of different issues helps determine the treatment modality. Like I said I lived a healthy life but poor sleep and stress were two “E-s-s-es” that seemed constant in my life and I needed to change that. I’d encourage practicing self-awareness so you can know how your body responds to different things.
I went gluten free! The first day I had breakfast that was gluten free- my favorite yogurt mix, (will share recipe later) which has NOW become my morning favorite. I felt like there were eyes in my brain. I felt so alert, had so much clarity and was so energetic.
I already ate lots of fruits and veggies. I started incorporating healthy fats like coconut oil into my meals. I incorporated foods heavy in natural probiotics into my meals like kimchi, organic bone broth, organic plain kefir, organic raw kombucha and also high quality 400 million strains of probiotics daily and digestive enzymes. YES! My bowel was so naughty and needed to be contained and regulated. Increased water intake and more importantly, worked to eliminating stress in my life. Having made these lifestyle changes with exercise, as well, helped me. It took me several months to be where I am today, not bloated and having a bowel that respects its owner (ME!) doing what it should do. I adhered to my treatment regimen.
As highlighted above, if you have any of these symptoms, finding the cause is half-way to breakthrough. Seek your health care provider for help. Make lifestyle changes as recommended! BE WELL!
http://www.aboutibs.org/site/living-with-ibs/ibs-awareness-month/
By Tolu Oyewumi, a health enthusiast with background and practice in primary care medicine and public health.