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IN THIS ISSUE JULY 18, 2006
- Coming to Grips With Disordered Eating
- It's Your Health... Learn to Make the Most
of Your Doctor Visits
- Our First Fundraiser With NOF... October 14th
Osteoporosis Prevention Day Fun Fair
- The Recipe Corner... NEW Summer Veggie
Recipes and More on our Website
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Coming to Grips With Disordered Eating
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One of the distinct life challenges facing most people today is food. It's the classic case of "too much of a good thing can be bad for you." The negative cycle goes like this. You eat too much and don't exercise enough and you gain weight. The excess weight eventually leads to a host of chronic health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Maybe you are one of these people; where eating food has become an obsession, maybe even an addiction; certainly going beyond its normal role as sustenance and social enjoyment in your life.
Unhealthy: Emotions Override Natural Mechanisms
To your credit, food is one of the most challenging substances to control. Look at the tremendous obesity problem we have in this country.
People are literally eating themselves to death. The body's natural mechanisms designed to tell you you're full are being over-ridden with other mental desires and messages. Unlike alcohol, drugs and cigarettes, food is required on a daily basis and cannot be eliminated. Unlike cigarette smoking, if you are abusing food, you just can't give it up. However, with any disordered eating, there are many effective strategies available to reduce the importance and attractiveness of foods. Here are a few examples to consider.
First, let's examine what I call the Food Priority. As an example, little Johnny or Jenny is out playing in the back yard. Mom calls at the back door "dinner time" and of course the response is "I'll be right in Mom." You know what happens next; Mom has to come back to the door and call again, not just once but maybe even twice. For Johnny or Jenny, the Food Priority is very low and the play and having FUN priority is very high. This is an example of a normal and healthy Food Priority.
Healthy: Listen To Natural Mechanisms
Clients who have trouble with their weight typically have their Food/FUN Priority inversed. Food has migrated to the top of their priority level and FUN has sunk to the bottom. The solution... restore FUN to it's rightful place at the top of the Food Priority in your life. Find activities that are pleasurable, something you can really enjoy. Some of these could be learning a new sport, creating a hobby, trying a new class at the local community college or starting your own business.
Read More>>
Fresh Start is an effective, better health solution helping you establish healthier eating habits as you safely lose weight. Fresh Start is also a complete, healthy lifestyle solution improving your nutrition, increasing FUN physical activity and reducing stress. Fresh Start gives you all the tools necessary for increasing strength, vitality and good health.
Contact Woody McMahon at 702-628-2880 or email Woody@SequoiaHealth.com to learn more about giving yourself a
Fresh Start or to schedule your free telephone or in-person consultation.
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It's Your Health... Learn to Make the Most
of Your Doctor Visits
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Going to the doctor these days can be a little daunting without the right preparation. The doctors are rushed, the staff is stressed and you're supposed to get a quality experience from the visit? I don't think so. But that is the way healthcare is now and will continue to be in the foreseeable future. In fact, it's only going to get worse as cost cutting measures are brought to bear on the general public. If you have a good experience at the doctor, you're either lucky or well prepared.
Regardless of the circumstances, there are certain strategies you can adopt to improve your odds of having a satisfying experience. In their defense, medical doctors are human beings and make mistakes. Currently, they are overworked and stressed out. When you are hurried and stressed you make mistakes. But your health is your responsibility. Ensuring a positive outcome at every visit to the doctor is up to you... not the doctor. What I am saying holds true for your entire health and fitness team... acupuncturists, massage therapists, chiropractors, nutritionists and fitness trainers.
Marc Siegel, MD relates his personal experience with patients in an insightful Washington Post article entitled, Who's In Charge. He says "For much of my 15 years of medical practice, I was a card-carrying member of the group of doctors who resent know-it-all patients -- the Web surfers, the health column clippers, the types we suspect are out to feed their egos by proving they know more than their physicians. But most self-informed patients can sense our cynicism, and they don't like it. A 2003 study published in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care added to growing evidence that, for patients, physician 'empathy is perceived as going hand-in-hand with competence." He goes on to say "It turns out that patients we acknowledge as stewards of their care tend to be more satisfied with their treatment. Several studies also seem to suggest that
informed patients tend to have better outcomes."
To read more of Dr. Marc Siegel's article go Who's In Charge>>.
So, there are three strategies you can use with your healthcare team to get the most "bang" for your buck. In this order they are: do your research ahead of time, write down and ask good questions and don't be afraid to speak up and even disagree for yourself. Remember, you are responsible for the positive outcome so learning to be your own patient advocate will reap great rewards. In more complicated health cases, you may need to hire someone to help you research and sort out the situation. Let's take a brief look at all three strategies.
Do your research ahead of time. The web has made research much easier with the ease and availability of
information. On the down side, there is a lot of miss
information as well. Finding several reliable sources and organizing a balanced profile of your condition is a good strategy. Always look at all your approaches, "traditional" and "alternative", to your problem. One without the other will rarely give you a balanced or successful outcome. When looking at treatment options, consider the most conservative treatments first. Also look for options that will help balance your body, not just "kill" the invader or "extract" the offending part.
Write down and ask good questions. Once you have gathered your
information and compared it to your health condition, begin compiling a list of pertinent questions. Many doctors have nurse practitioners who can be very helpful in answering all your questions. Write the questions out and then organize them into a logical flow. Eventually, you will want to pick the top 5 or so to ask your healthcare provider. Remember, for most health conditions, you can always schedule another visit if necessary at minimal cost.
Don't be afraid to speak up for what you think is right. You have heard the old saying" the squeaky wheel gets the grease" well it applies to your healthcare as well. A brief stay in the hospital will show you exactly what I mean. There is no place for timidity; you had better speak up and nicely demand the attention you deserve or you just might end up leaving by the back door instead of the front. At the doctor's office, if you feel uncomfortable with a suggested treatment approach, tell him you're uncomfortable and need more time to think about it. Rarely does a decision have to be made immediately. If he doesn't like that idea, maybe it's time to find a new doctor with a more open mind.
Do you need help researching a health condition?
Would you like someone to review your health history and show you what questions to ask your doctor or other healthcare provider? Contact
Woody McMahon at 702-628-2880 or email Woody@SequoiaHealth.com
to learn more about our Health Advocacy Program. |
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Our First Fundraiser With NOF... October 14th
Osteoporosis Food and Fitness Fun Festival
Where:
Sequoia
Health & Fitness
Center
-
Herndon
,
Virginia
What: Osteoporosis Food & Fitness Festival
When: Saturday, October 14, 2006 - 10:00am to 4:00pm
Sequoia Health and the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) are sponsoring the first annual Food and Fitness fundraiser. All proceeds will go to NOF in their ongoing effort to prevent and eliminate the negative health effects of Osteoporosis through education. This event also commemorates World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) and will celebrate this year's theme, Bone Appetit, the role of food and nutrition in building and maintaining strong bones.
The day long event will feature food booths by area restaurants, carnival style games showcasing weight bearing events like a jump rope competition, tennis serve station, line dancing or ballroom dancing contest, soccer kick, basketball hoop toss, whack-it tournament and batting contest.
You can win prizes for each event and sign-up for a raffle for some grand prizes as well. Tickets will be $1 a piece and can be exchange for food samples or for participation at any of the fitness stations. "Family" packs of tickets will be offered at 25 tickets for $20 or 50 tickets for $40 to encourage a larger scale participation level by attendants. Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door.
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The Recipe Corner
Summer veggie recipes and more from our resident dietician and chef
extraordinaire Michele Powers, RD of NutrientChef.
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Woody
Woody McMahon
The Sequoia Advisor
News From Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
Fresh Start is a revolutionary way of helping you achieve strength, vitality and
good health in less time and with less effort. Unlike other approaches,
Fresh Start improves both your mental and physical fitness making positive healthy lifestyle changes complete and permanent. Fresh Start benefits you in four important ways.
You receive: - A Healthy Life Plan that is a step by step road map to achieving the changes you've
always hoped for on your journey to better health
- A balanced and integrated approach to your health and fitness activities including
physical activity that is fun; nutrition that optimally fuels your body; and stress reduction
techniques that produce greater results in less time
- A supportive health and fitness team available 24/7 guaranteeing your success by
offering individualized programs, personal attention and motivation
- A cutting edge health and fitness
information service provided by experts in their
fields helping you apply the latest scientific health and fitness breakthroughs to your
program.
Copyright (c) 2006 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc. |
Read more>> _________________________________
Woody McMahon
Woody has been working in the health and fitness profession for over 20 years.
Before starting his career, Woody earned his Bachelor of Science degree in human biology from the
University of Maryland, his Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine from Palmer College of Chiropractic
and is certified as a personal trainer through the National Strength Professionals Association.
Woody's unique integrative approach to health and fitness culminated in the Fresh Start program.
It combines FUN physical activity, healthy eating and relaxation and stress reduction activities
into a unique and comprehensive healthy lifestyle program... allowing him to assist many people
that are considered beyond help.
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Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
483A Carlisle Drive
Herndon, VA
20170
Required Disclaimer: The
info
rmation provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis,
treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The
info
rmation is provided with
the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care
profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. The publisher
does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health
or well-being other than suggesting that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters.
No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The
info
rmation and opinions
provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment
available to the authors. However, readers who rely on
info
rmation in this publication to replace the advice of
health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such
conduct. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
Copyright (c) 2006 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc. |
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