Month: July 2020

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Meditation

There are many types of meditation, but mindfulness meditation is the type that has been most studied in scientific literature.

I was first introduced to the concept in college, and I wasn’t a fan. Though I’ve always been incredibly introspective, and thought myself open-minded, I didn’t get it. Meditation first became a tool that was extremely useful for me when I was working in a position that wasn’t suited to my personality, and was driving me a little crazy/depressed. I went through formal mindfulness training at that time that really helped me to survive my last few months in that job.

Now, I use mindfulness and meditation to help me with my migraines. I have become a true believer–through practice–that my migraines must be controlled through a balance of all of the interventions that I have thrown at them: pharmacology (meds), diet, exercise, physical therapy, and mindfulness. If one is out of balance, it doesn’t work.

So what does the literature say?

Well, this 2017 Journal of American Heart Association article, discusses in detail hypertension, insulin resistance, heart disease, and finds that possible benefit on cardiovascular risk although the overall quality and in some cases, quantity of study data is modest. They go on to say that Meditation should be considered as a complementary therapy to help reduce cardiovascular risk for those who are interested in this practice, with the understanding that further research should be pursued.

The mind is a powerful tool, and one I believe should be utilized fully on our wellness journey.

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Wellness is…

My happy place

I’ve had this page now for about 10 months, and it’s about wellness. I sat down to try to come up with my definition of wellness, and I realized it was still quite nebulous.

One concept that resonated with me was a concept that I believe I got from one of the books I read in the time before my migraines–its the concept that true self care isn’t bubble baths, facials, massages–I mean, it can include those things, those are nice. True self care is the concept of creating a life from which you don’t need escape.

I also decided to look up some formal definitions of wellness.

UC Davis defines wellness as “an active process of becoming aware of and making choices towards a healthy and fulfilling life…more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth.”

The World Health Organization defines it as “…a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the abscence of disease or infirmity.”

The National Wellness Institute defines it as “a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential.”

Where I have always acknowledged that one has to be aware of the mental, physical and spiritual aspects to be completely well, the National Wellness Institute sites 6 dimensions of wellness, and UC Davis has as many as eight: occupational, emotional, spiritual, environmental, financial, physical, social, and intellectual.

It makes me chuckle to have arrived here after all this time–that wellness is a journey, not so much a destination. Something so obvious–something I have seen play out in my life and in my struggles to do this. Something I have seen play out in this blog. It took seeing it written in black and white, by scientific minds to really get it. I feel a little basic…lol.

A thought that is reinforced by this definition: Imperfection is okay, but giving up is not.

Live well, friends.

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Healthy Plate

When it comes to discussing healthful eating, I like to start with a healthy plate. With the exception of keto, any diet plan can follow this pattern, and it is essentially a carb conscious plan. I like to start here because if you are focused on the healthy plate, you don’t have to think about calories as much.

It emphasizes:

  • 1/2 plate of vegetables with some fruits
  • 1/4 of a lean protein ( this can be plant based)
  • 1/4 of a whole grain source of carbohydrate
  • Healthy fat sources are in moderation

Things to remember:

If you are doing smoothies or juices, these should be counted as part of your plate. I generally would count a juice as a carbohydrate because the sugars are so concentrated, however, a healthful smoothie or juice retaining the pulp (fiber source) made with both fruits and vegetables may be a good way to get in those servings if you wouldn’t otherwise eat them. If you’re interested in some healthy juices, check out JuJu’s juices–I can attest to the fact that they did not raise one of my patient’s pre-diabetic numbers, and this along with some changes to the diet and exercise allowed me to stop some of her medications. (Julia also does healthy meals and vegan meals.) She was ecstatic!

Sweet tea, sodas, regular juices and sweetened coffee are not a part of this plate–the are carbohydrates and should be done in moderation if at all.

Desserts are not a part of this plate (this is my weakness, ya’ll). They are an EXTRA and should not be an every day thing. If you are eating desserts regularly, they are your carbohydrate–and not a whole grain one.

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Low Calorie Diet

We were originally taught that 3500 kcal equals a pound, and if you could get a deficit of that amount, that’s what you would lose. What we now know is that works in a lab, but our bodies are just too resilient and adaptable for this to work in reality. In reality, when you cut your calories for a significant amount of time, your body begins to adapt, and burn less energy to do the same tasks. Your basal metabolic rate slows.

Why? Because our bodies are adapted for famine, not excess, and they are designed to keep us alive. Your body interprets a deficit as a threat, and counters that threat by slowing down for survival. So, yes, you need a calorie deficit, but it should’t be the main focus.

The focus should be feeding the body healthfully, ideally in the way it wants to be fed, being as active as possible, minimizing and modulating stress, getting enough sleep, addressing any medical barriers, and hopefully, our bodies will respond in kind by approaching a more healthful weight. Hence, my focus on complete wellness, and tailoring a diet plan specific to the individual. I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all health or diet plans–we are individuals and should be treated as such. There are calorie guidelines to follow for healthy weight loss: they are 1400-1600 kcal for women and 1600-1800 kcal for men.

I typically don’t recommend anything under 1200 kcal for extended periods or unless instructed specifically by a healthcare professional. I feel these diets should be utilized for short term weight loss goals (i.e. prior to bariatric surgery to reduce the size of the liver) in those who have very large amounts of weight to lose. You should generally supplement your diet with a multivitamin, because it is difficult to get the full spectrum of required nutrients below 1000-1200 kcal.

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“Prescriptions for the Pandemic” Week 10

Week 10

This week, we discussed the new uptick in numbers. Many countries are concerned with the state of COVID-19 in the United States as discussed in this article I referenced.

There was a little commentary on what is being done in Texas to try to slow the spread, and I encouraged people again to take personal responsibility for reducing numbers–wear masks, stay home, wash hands–even if it is not mandated by our government.

We went on to discuss ways to help our bodies live strong, and strengthen our immune system. It started by discussing the healthy plate–and what that means. I introduced the concept of “food as medicine.”

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“Prescriptions for the Pandemic” Weeks 8 & 9

Week 8

This week we added theme music!! My preacher is really making this a thing!

We discussed the new cases in the state and how we had to start amping up after only 2 short weeks of a break.

Texas had become a leader in COVID cases within the past week–not something to be proud of. We had a discussion about the factors that may have contributed to this, and ways we could help these numbers slow.

We went back and revisited the basics of prevention of COVID-19–you can find these in my blog posts, here. See the sections on symptoms, prevention and risk factors.

Week 9

In this week’s episode, we acknowledged that we were in new territory–we are now exceeding the previous spike in activity.

Honestly, this one was more of a conversation. We discussed the differing presentations of COVID-19. We touched on treatment, or lack thereof, for the virus. Population demographics were discussed briefly.

I’ve encouraged people to have discussions with their loved-ones and friends prior to having gatherings, even small ones, to ensure they are on the same page.

We broached the subject of children returning to school. At that time, I hadn’t read this article about childcare centers who stayed open during lock downs, and this position statement hadn’t come out from the American Association of Pediatrics. (New York Times also did an article about their position that can be accessed here.) I still feel iffy about a return to in-person classes, unless the districts can make some very huge infrastructural changes. Standardized testing at this time–just plain insane!

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“Prescriptions for the Pandemic” Week 6 and 7

Week 6

In Week 6, we discussed five social activities and their relative risk. taken from this article.

  • Backyard Gatherings of fewer than 10 people–low to medium risk
  • Eating indoors at a restaurant–medium to high risk activity
  • Attending a religious servous–high risk
  • Spending a day at a popular beach or pool–low risk IF you can keep appropriate social distancing
  • Outdoor celebrations of greater than 10 guest
  • s–medium to high risk

We also touched on safety guidance for protests in light of another public health issue–racisim.

Since our discussion, TMA has offered this guidance:

Week 7

This week, we went into detail discussing the increased cases in Texas. It was important for me to point out that this had nothing to do with the protests, because it was much too soon to see an increase in numbers just yet.

We also covered what you should do if you went to the protests–how you could protect those around you if you thought you may have been exposed to a high risk situation.

We covered what masks ACTUALLY do–it’s more about loving your neighbor, and less about self protection. You should still wear one.

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