The Sequoia Advisor

       IN THIS ISSUE                                                               January 1^st 2015

• Four Steps to Better Health in 2015!
• Take Back Responsibility for Your Health
• New Better Health and Fitness 101 Workshop Series... Register Now! 
• Participants Needed for LivMD Investigational Study
• Posture Perfect!^TM  Try Your First Class for FREE!

Feel Better... Live Better

Four Steps to Better Health in 2015!
by Woody McMahon

My Four Steps Streamline the Process 
Now that we have rolled into a new year, all the talk is about improving
your health. For some it might be losing weight or getting in shape. For
you it could be eating better, getting more sleep or improving a health
condition like a painful back or osteoporosis. Whatever your particular
challenge, taking responsibly for both the problem and the solution is
the greatest hurdle of all. I have found that the key to success can be
found in a basic four step process that includes embracing change,
gathering information, creating a plan and seeking professional help.
Let's take a look.  

Step 1 Open Up Your Possibilities By Embracing Change 
It has been said that "doing the same thing over and over and expecting
a different result is the definition of insanity." Unfortunately, when it comes
to health, you may unintentionally be doing just that undermining your
good intentions. Change may be scary because it is unfamiliar and
many times requires a leap of faith that is outside of your comfort zone.
Feeling better is not a complicated process but it does require a willingness
to let go of the old (that is not working) and try something new that will.

Step 2 Empower Yourself By Gathering Information
Gathering information about your challenge is the second step to a successful
outcome. "Knowledge is power" and will help you familiarize and understand
your situation. It gives you options helping you see your challenge in a
different light. Gather your information and have a working knowledge of
your status long before seeking professional assistance. Be open to new
solutions. Look for ones that you may not have considered trying. You want
all the cards on the table before taking the next step of creating a plan. 

Step 3 Take Ownership By Creating a Plan
Now its the time to organize the knowledge and create your working plan.
This is not your final plan but one that will help clarify your possible
solutions and allow you to see all of your options more clearly. It will give
you direction and help you take ownership of your challenge before you
seek professional assistance. Review your plan and think about it.
How does it feel? What is your gut reaction about the best solution
and course of action? Take the time to review this working plan before
seeking professional assistance to help streamline your discussion.

Step 4 Complete Your Support Team By Seeking a Professional
This is where you bring in the big guns. You have opened your mind to
change and possibilities, completed your research, outlined a preliminary
plan and now it is time to find your professional partner. This person
(or persons) will be a part of your support team. A knowledgeable
professional can be of great assistance in helping fine-tune your plan,
providing accountability and assisting with motivation and support.
You are still the team leader but they help cover your back.

The next time you have a health or fitness challenge, try my four step
process. You will find it much easier than you ever imagined to solve
your challenge and reach your goal of feeling good.  

Would you like to improve your health but don't know where to start?
How about an exercise program that alleviates pain and strengthens your
bones? Do you have weight problems but are tired of dieting? I provide an
easy to follow program without the gimmicks or fads. You'll also get the
education, motivation and accountability necessary to improve your health
while helping you feel and look your best. Please call Woody McMahon for a
no cost consultation, at 703-628-2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Take Back Responsibility for Your Health
by Woody McMahon

The Current Health Care Crisis
Taking responsibility for your health is a powerful way to feel better
and enjoy your life more. You don't need Senators, Congressmen or
healthcare bills to improve the quality of your life. You can be a direct
part of the solution especially if you choose to live a healthy lifestyle.
On the surface the increase in heart disease, obesity, cancer, high blood
pressure and high cholesterol would make it appear that good health
is an aberration rather than the natural order of things.

More Healthy Days Than Sick
Analyze the situation more closely and you'll find that healthy days
far out number sick ones. Your body wants to be healthy IF you don't
interfere by subjecting it to unhealthy habits. But how do you really
achieve good physical and mental health that goes well beyond just
the absence of being sick?

Beyond Just Crisis Management
It is unwise to just address your health only during a crisis. This is
commonly called the "band-aid" approach to feeling good. Sickness is the
final stages of many missed opportunities to take care of yourself. Lack of
quality sleep, no regular exercise program, poor food choices and a high
stress lifestyle can all deplete your reserves and open you up to illness.
Sickness is the body's only way of telling you that something is very
wrong. In some situations, it may be your body's way of forcing you to
rest. Your body can only take so much stress and strain and then
something has to give.

Taking Responsibility for Yourself
Personally, I would rather choose my rest periods somewhere on a warm and
sunny beach than sitting in doctor's office or hospital. What about you?
The best way to take back responsibility for your health is to throw away
the "band-aid" approach and practice prevention. By not relying upon short
term fixes for long-term problems, you feel better and are able to enjoy
life more. It's your body; it's your health, demand the very best for yourself.
This year, choose better lifestyle habits that keep chronic illness at bay
while allowing you to feel and look your best.

Yes, You Choose Your Lifestyle
It was once a popular belief that we had little control over our health.
However, research continues to confirm that your health and wellbeing is
about 75% nurture (your lifestyle) and about 25% nature (your genes).
That means that you have the power to live a long and healthy life based
on the lifestyle decisions you make today. Here are four important lifestyle
choices you can make every day. They will help you take more responsibility
for your health while you feel and look your best.

Step 1 Stay Active
Participating in fun physical activity is one of the best ways to reduce
stress and fill your body and mind with vitality. Having fun with your
physical activity and making it health-based are the two most important
exercise elements. Allowing your physical activity time to be more social
increases the chance of participating for a longer time. Invite your family or
friends along to a Posture Perfect!^TM class or the park for a nice walk or
other activity adventure.

Step 2 Get a Good Night's Sleep
Sleep has always and will always be important to your good health.
Although experts agree you need sleep, most disagree on how much.
The quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity. To
improve your sleep quality, take the necessary time at night to relax
before bedtime. No watching television right before bed. Taking a
nap is another good way to increase rest time.

Step 3 Make Time for Yourself
You'll want to make time for your various healing activities. If your
first reaction is to say "I don't have enough time to take care of myself"
then you have a huge challenge to overcome. It is hard to be a good parent,
run a business or be a productive employee without internal and external
strength. Time for yourself and doing the things that you love helps
rejuvenate your soul. You're going to need support so call on your spouse,
friends and family to give you the time you need.

Step 4 Choose Healthier Foods
The old saying is "garbage in garbage out." Clearly this applies to food.
There are truly no really bad foods but lots of poor food choices. You can
still eat all the foods you love or even crave if you include fruits, vegetables
and a good balanced protein source. It really is that simple. The more
balanced your eating approach the less chance of food cravings, over-eating
and vitamin deficiencies.

Don't accept anything less than feeling your best. Taking the first step to
better health is sometimes the greatest challenge. Take advantage of my no
cost consult where I can provide additional suggestions and advice on helping
you feel your best. You can reach me at 703-628-2880 or email
to woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Give the Gift of Health!
Posture Perfect!^TM Classes...

Looking for the perfect healthy birthday gift for someone?
Consider purchasing a gift certificate for one or several
Posture Perfect!^TM classes. Gift certificate amounts start
at $20. This is the perfect gift, the gift of health, to give
to someone you love.

New for 2015
Health and Fitness 101 Workshops

With the best of intentions and thinking that you are doing the right
thing, you set out to improve your heath and fitness. But, after a
month or two, you find yourself either confused, stuck or giving-up
on your goals of becoming a fitter or healthier person.

Does this pattern sound familiar? All too often you, like many other
people, find yourself working with information that is inaccurate
or has little value, out-dated techniques and a support team that is
inadequate to assist in the changes necessary to help you look and
feel your best.

Enter to the rescue, the Health and Fitness 101 series of workshops.
Why do I call them 101? If you might recall, in college, all the first year
courses were numbered 101. And this is exactly what we will do; skip
the fashionable trends, Dr. Oz "isms," fads, myths and gimmicks and
return to the basics. Just like the coach says to the team when they
are failing miserably, "boys, it's time to get back to fundamentals."

The workshops will help you simplify the entire process, get you back
on track, dramatically increase your success rate and strengthen your
support system by surrounding yourself with like minded people.

These workshops cover a variety of topics and are hands-on, personalized
and limited to six participants (4 minimum). The workshops will continue as
an ongoing class for those who are interested. All the workshops will begin
in January. Dates and times to be announced.  Please contact me at
703.628.2880 or email me woody@sequoiahealth.com for more
information or to register.

Here is a Sampling of Topics:

Weight Training 101
Weight training has been shown to be one of the best ways to enhance
both physical and mental health. Weights are also an excellent companion
to your Posture Perfect!^TM exercises. In this workshop you will learn weight
lifting safety, functional weight training techniques and body weight training
for maximum health and fitness benefits. Weight training has been shown
clinically to improve osteoporosis, back pain, multiple sclerosis,
Parkinson's disease, mental impairment and diabetes.
Length: 90 minutes Cost: $30

Stress Control  101
Managing stress is the most overlooked way to improve your physical
and mental health. Stress unnecessarily contributes to many different health
conditions. In this workshop you will learn how to implement a variety of stress
reduction techniques such as focused breathing, mindful stretching, meditation
and visualization. If you are less stressed you will sleep better, have fewer
headaches, experience less aches and pains and have better memory and
thinking skills.
Length: 90 minutes Cost: $30

Healthy Weight 101
Losing weight is not as complicated as most people make it. But when you
make it complicated, it is very difficult to succeed. Excess weight gain is
closely tied to stress eating and cannot be fixed by counting calories and
exercise alone. In this workshop you will learn how to effectively stop
stress eating, learn correct portion control and a body fat burn exercise
program.
Length: 90 minutes Cost: $30

Healthy Bones 101
Strengthening your bones is important to reducing your fracture risk and
maintaining a high quality of life. Most people make the mistake of trying to
improve their bone health by diet and exercise alone. They overlook the four
important steps that are necessary for healthy bones. In this workshop,
you will learn about and how to implement the four important steps to
healthy bones. Stronger bones help reduce your fracture risk and allow
you to enjoy life more.
Length: 90 minutes Cost: $30

Flexibility 101
Practicing regular flexibility activities is the best way to improve circulation
while reducing stiffness, muscle and joint pain and fatigue. Improving circulation
also helps speed healing and reduce premature aging. In this workshop, you
will learn a simple 30 minute stretching program using the green stretching
strap. These straps were invented and are used by physical therapists all
over the world. Increasing your flexibility helps you feel healthier.
Length: 90 minutes Cost: $30 

In-Home Health-Based Exercise Instruction
For those of you who cannot get to my office or would prefer to work in the
privacy of your own home, I am offering all of my classes and instruction
at your home or office. Please contact me at 703.628.2880 or email me
woody@sequoiahealth.comfor more information or to schedule a
no-cost telephone consultation.

Beginner Posture Perfect!^TM Classes in Herndon,
Reston and Arlington
We have beginner Posture Perfect!^TM classes in Herndon, Reston and
Arlington. Take your first class for FREE and see how much taller, more
balanced and relaxed you feel afterwards. To register please contact
Woody McMahon at 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com.
Please wear comfortable clothes and bring a towel, a bottle of water
and an exercise mat if you have one.

Posture Perfect!^TM for Spinomed Program
I have created a new companion back strengthening exercise program to
help anyone wearing the Spinomed orthosis. The classes include helpful tips
on getting the most from your Spinomed as well as exercises that help
strengthen your back, improve your posture and increase your balance.
Click Here to learn more about this exciting program.

Posture Perfect!^TM First Class FREE

If you have never tried Posture Perfect!^TM you owe it to yourself to
come to one of our convenient classes and see how good it makes you
feel. We want you to give us a try so come take your first Posture Perfect!^TM
class for FREE. It's on us... so what do you have to lose?

RESERVATIONS are REQUIRED
Please call Woody McMahon at 703.628.2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com for more information or to make
your reservation.

The FREE Posture Perfect!^TM class helps introduce you to the many
benefits of our safe and effective posture, balance and strength program
co-developed by Sara Meeks, PT and Woody McMahon, personal trainer.

Come and experience how each class can help strengthen your bones,
improve your balance, alleviate back aches and neck pains, improve
osteoporosis and teach you how to sit and stand-up straighter. 

The History of Posture Perfect!^TM
When I developed the Posture Perfect!TM classes over 2 years ago, there
were no safe and effective exercise programs available for "over age 50" adults.
Everywhere I looked there were older adults in classes that used seated
exercises (bad for your back); machine style exercises (bad for your balance)
treadmills (a poor hip and leg strengthener); and performed movements
that involved crunching, bending and twisting. (increases the risk of spinal
compression fractures).
  
Posture Perfect!^TM solved all of these problems by offering a safe and effective
approach helping older adults become more active. Each class improves your
posture, strengthens your bones, enhances your balance, alleviates back
aches and neck pains, reduces fracture risk and teaches you how to sit
and stand-up straighter. 
 
We have several people in our current classes who are coming to strengthen
their bones and over half of the others are interested in exercises and posture
changes to help make their backs and necks feel better.

Please call Woody McMahon at 703-628-2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com for more information, class times and reservations.

Posture Perfect!^TM Testimonials...
Posture Perfect's! momentum continues to grow. Here is a glowing testimonial
from one of our class members.

"Posture Perfect!^TM class has not only met my expectations, but exceeded
them! There are several reasons I enjoy the class. The small class size
gives each of us extraordinary personalized training; your knowledge,
expertise, patience, and sense of humor makes me look forward to
coming to a class I thought would be only for 6 weeks; and I have
learned so much more than I expected."

"For example, I now think about my posture every time I sit, and just when
I thought I'd begin to have a hard time rising from sitting on the floor, you
taught me how to make it easier. I try to practice some of the balance
exercises a couple of times a week (I know, I should do it more often!).
I thank you for all I have learned from you so far, and hope to continue
this class for the foreseeable future!"
Paula S.

Click Here to read more about S.A.F.E. and effective Posture Perfect!^TM
classes.

Woody

Woody McMahon
The Sequoia Advisor

Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
483A Carlisle Drive
Herndon, VA
20170

Required Disclaimer: The material provided herein should not be construed
as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed
health-care advice or instruction. The material 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
material 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 material 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) 2006-2014 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.

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