April 13, 2023 | issue 136

What's Inside This Week:

Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors - 

Artists often get their starts in elementary ways. They may not know exactly where they will end up but they start anyways. It may be with painting or drawing or molding clay. When they start, it may be messy, it may take several attempts to achieve something they are happy with. Most are driven to continue and as they do, they improve. We can do the same thing with our health. We have so much more power than we know. We can change our health destiny. It's our daily routine…what we do every single day that leads us to something better. It might be improved cholesterol numbers, lower blood pressure or more energy. We can achieve these things when we focus on what carries the most weight with our cardiovascular health. There is an art to creating better health. It takes determination and perseverance and it is available to you now. 

 

Here are some modifiable cardiovascular risk factors that you have the power to impact in a positive way. Look this over and see what feels most important to you. As we age…and we all are aging…reducing our risk becomes more important every year. Most would say they not only want more years to live but more life in the years they get. These matter. 

Tobacco use is a no-brainer. We have enough knowledge about the dangers of smoking that anyone who is still smoking, knows the risk. To lower your cardiovascular disease risk…stop it now. Alcohol consumption is modifiable. You may not necessarily want to eliminate or reduce your alcohol intake but we know that there is no safe amount of alcohol intake. Even as little as one drink increases risk. Our society has become almost immune to the dangers of being overweight or obese. Being overweight may be considered normal for some people nowadays. Excess fat is associated, not only with cardiovascular disease but with cancer, too. Call me. I can help you get the weight down if you are one of the more than 70% of Americans who are overweight or obese. Physical activity is another modifiable risk factor. We hold a lot of sedentary jobs now. Many people sit for most of their work day. This can be modified with conscious effort. Standing desks are available and setting reminders to get up and move every hour can be a great way to be more active. Drink more water at your desk. This will trigger more trips to the restroom and get you more steps in! Healthy eating is something we all can do. Our brains and habits may say otherwise but truly, if we are committed to reducing our cardiovascular risk, eating a whole food, plant-based, no oil diet is the #1 way to see the most significant improvements in the least amount of time. Works like magic. Start today…start now! Time is a-wasting. 

Life can knock us down at times. What I always find so interesting is how some people bounce back so easily and how some do not. My question is, “what makes us resilient?” Is there one answer that covers all of us…I doubt it. I know that resilience is a character trait that is desirable by most. Resilience refers to the ability to successfully adapt to stressors, maintaining psychological well-being in the face of adversity. It’s the ability to bounce back from challenging experiences. Resilient people roll with the punches. They may be down at times, but they carry on and adapt to stress, crises, and trauma.

 

Resilience is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; it’s a mental toughness. Instead of falling into despair or hiding from issues by using unhealthy coping strategies, resilient people face life's difficulties head-on. Resilient people do not experience less stress, trauma, or obstacles in their lives. They just seem to roll with it better than some.

Some of the skills that are common among people who are resilient are a positive view of oneself, confidence in one’s strengths and abilities, the ability to regularly make and carry out realistic plans and manage feelings and impulses, and good communication along with problem solving skills. 

 

Many of these traits are seen in those with high emotional intelligence.

Change is inevitable in life, and everyone experiences setbacks. Those who lack resilience may become overwhelmed; they often tend to ruminate on problems and resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with them. Although some people are born with resilient traits, we can become more resilient with practice if we were not so blessed. Here are a few tips to improve your resilience.

These tips may seem simplistic but tackling them one at a time when appropriate may help you become more resilient over time…you will be a more content, happier person when you are able to roll with the punches a little better. 

Life flies by. Time seems to go faster every year. Suddenly we've become older. I was substitute teaching last week for a 4th grade class and I realized it had been more than 50 years since I was in the same grade. What!! How is this possible? lol

 

When we are young, summers seem to last forever. Time passes at different rates depending on our age. I recall my 92 year old grandmother telling me how the years go faster every year. I rolled my sarcastic teenage eyes thinking she was senile. As I have aged, I have realized that she was spot on in her assessment. 

 

We cannot go back in time but we can bring back memories. Remembering happier times allows us to experience that joy again. One thing that I always found interesting is that we often remember things differently. I recall sharing memories with my brother and his recollection was quite different than mine. We base our memories on our life experiences which, for most of us, are not exactly the same for any two people. Our memories make us what we are. 

 

Have you ever looked at an old photo album that brought back old memories? This can be a fun exercise to do with people who knew you then and for those who did not. Sharing stories from your life helps others get to know you. Sharing memories with your children or grandchildren gives them a sense of who you are. this can also be true for the older members of our families. One way to learn more about the history of our loved ones is to interview them. Asking your grandpa what his favorite candy was as a child may trigger a conversation to bring you closer and strengthen your bond. 

 

Most of us enjoy hearing stories from the past. This is especially true for parents and grandparents sharing stories with children. There are so many benefits associated with this activity. Kids may develop better listening skills along with improved connection and a sense of belonging. Passing along our stories and our memories, especially the good ones, enrich our relationships. This can be done with journals, story telling or with memory jars. Placing a written memory in a jar to pull out later can be a fun connection-building exercise for your family or friends. Writing your thoughts in a journal is an excellent way to pass along the memories we carry. Long after we are gone, those memories may just bring a smile to a loved ones face thinking of you.

Consider attending this wellness offering. Dr. Yunus and I will both be provide short presentations on health and wellness along with so many other speakers!

Leonardo da Vinci was a vegetarian who was also an animal activist. He purchased caged birds and then released them.

The art of loving animals

Recipe of the Week

3 cups frozen mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries)

1 banana, frozen or fresh or 3 to 5 pitted dates

½ lemon, with peel

2 handfuls of leafy greens like spinach or kale

1 handful of almonds or walnuts, or both

1 cup water

 

Combine all ingredients in your high-speed blender and blend until smooth, adding another ½ cup of water if needed. 

Recipe  from Beat Cancer Kitchen by Chris & Micah Wark

Deliciously Simple Plant-Based Anticancer Recipes by the man (and his wife) who survived stage IIIc colon cancer. Highly recommend this beautiful cookbook!

Catch my Health Tip Tuesday video on Facebook on Tuesdays to hear my book review! 

My Favorite Quotes

"Our bodies are our gardens; our wills are our gardeners."

--William Shakespeare

hen Basics tea