You need your sleep...

 Today let's talk about sleep.

 

Sleep. How do you feel about your sleep? How much sleep do you need to feel refreshed? Do you feel as though you are getting enough of it? Do you feel fatigued, as though you aren't getting enough? Are you the energizer bunny, needing very few hours of sleep where others need 9-10 hours per day? What does your sleep profile look like? Are you falling asleep quickly and staying asleep easily? Does discomfort disturb your sleep?

 

If you are having any sleep disorders, disturbance or concerns, this is an important topic to discuss with your healthcare provider. Sleep is so important for our health and wellness yet it is often overlooked. Chronic sleep deprivation can result in increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and even stroke.

Want more sleep talk?

Call us in office: 860-589-1491

I promise. Exercise is not a four letter word...

 Salutations,

 

When it comes to health and wellness, ask any holistic health care provider, “How can I be healthier?” and they will probably focus on the following pillars: Healthy mind body connection, Food, Water, Sleep, Nutrients and you guessed it: Exercise.

 

We've spent some time extolling the virtues of eating mostly real foods that reduce the body's inflammation load. We've extensively gone on about water and sleep. And as far as nutrients go, that's a story for another day. So guess what we are chatting about today dear one: Yes indeed, exercise. I feel like you either love it or hate it. My intention in writing this is to encourage you to be on the love it side.

 

I feel you tuning me out but hear me out! Remember this is the easy 7 day launchpad to optimal you, (part of the 30 day kickstart!) I feel as though I have been true to my promise, that everything I will ask of you in this process will be easy to get started, and exercise is no different.

 

Like everything else we've talked about, just be easy about it, and it all starts with how you are thinking about the things you are thinking about.

 

Let me share a story with you. It's a story that truly proves that you just have to take a "be easy," approach to all this. This woman was in her 30's.  As far as she was concerned she'd been trying to lose weight for the longest and nothing seemed to be happening. Her doctor did all the tests: blood sugar, thyroid etc, she tried different diets and she even trained for the upcoming marathon with our run team that we used to have in our office at the time. She had recently had a baby, she was still nursing, not sleeping well because her baby wasn't sleeping through, and she was eating very few calories. At the time in her life that i'm describing, she was about a size 14, up from about a size 6 before her baby. She was FRANTIC. She was a very smart professional lady, the kind of person who actually knows a thing or two about health and wellness and she was also open to trying something new, anything! 

 

Firstly, she had to eat more. Her body had slowed her metabolism way down in response to her practically starving herself. She also needed to actually reduce her exercise. True story y'all. All this marathon training, coupled with her lack of calories and lack of sleep was causing fat storage instead of building lean muscle! Short version of this long story: With eating more, getting better sleep and reducing my exercise, I went from a size 14 back down to somewhere around a size 8. Yes y'all. This is my true story. 

So when I tell you that exercise in the wrong context can be bad for you but in the correct context can do wonders for your body, please please please do believe me. I've not only seen it in the text books and with patients, but I've also seen it with myself.

 

So my question to you is: why would you exercise? Why would you want to include exercise in your daily regimen? What do you feel about exercise? Is it punishment for the extra treats you may have consumed? Is it something you are doing because you look in the mirror and are dissatisfied with the wonderfull goddess that you truly are? 

 

Exercise is amazing! It increases the production of your "happy hormones," improves bone density in many cases, improves energy, reduces inflammation when taken in moderation, improves skin, cardiovascular and brain health. Exercise can help improve sleep, increase energy and also can even reduce pain. A study in the journal of the American Medical Association concluded that exercise was more helpful for patients with arthritic changes than NSAID pain relievers!

 

Is there another way we can be considering this idea of exercise? What if we moved our bodies in celebration of the ability of our bodies to do tremendous things? What if we moved our bodies in anticipation of all the wonderful things exercise gives us. What if we were EASY about this whole idea of including daily exercise in our lives? What would that mean for us? What would that make available? What if we changed the way we think about the way we think about exercise?

 

Nowadays when I lift weights, I luxuriate in the power I feel being able to lift big things up and put them down! When I run or cycle or spin I marvel at my body's ability for speed and I revel in the post exercise endorphin rush. When I do yoga or zumba or dance, it's for the pure pleasure of doing it and not as a punishment for not living up to what society thinks I should look like, it's not because I had the extra servings, it is absolutely not because I dislike my reflection! Who's with me?

 

Oh, BTW: one more thing, when you are tracking your steps make sure you aren't just going for a leisurely stroll. You want to swing your arms and walk briskly to truly get the benefit.

Want to know more about exercise and about why HIIT is a fat burning miracle?

Call us in office: 860-589-1491

*Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles, books or from a challenge! I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your healthcare provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office (860-589-1491) to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you

Drinking enough can help the weight?

 You have to stay hydrated.

Here are 5 reasons you need to drink more water...or put in other words: 5 ways drinking water can improve your health!

 

1. Why do we need water anyway?

70-80% of the brain is water and ~75% of the body is water. We need water to aid in our metabolism, for digestion, to remove impurities / waste, for circulation / transport and for maintaining temperature! All these tend to work better when we are properly hydrated.

 

2. We are constantly losing water so we have to replace it

We lose water through: breathing, sweating, as urine and bowel movements and some medications can speed up water loss. Alcoholic beverages increase fluid loss and so does hot weather.

 

3. Dehydration can affect your central nervous system causing:

Sleepiness / tiredness, headache, dizziness / lightheadedness, confusion and even coma in severe cases.

 

4. Not getting enough water may also affect the kidneys and can lead to:

Kidney stones (stones can’t form in dilute solution!) Kidney disease and urinary tract infections.

 

5. Other bodily functions are affected by dehydration:

Muscle and joint pain can often be avoided by drinking more water. Healthy beautiful skin thrives on sufficient water intake and constipation can often be avoided if we drink enough water.

 

Please remember that if you are feeling thirsty you are already getting dehydrated! So make sure you are getting enough water. 64 oz per day is enough for most people but look at your urine to make sure your intake is adequate for you. It should look more like lemonade and less like iced tea.

 

Almost all liquids help with hydration, but try to avoid sugary beverages and too many caffeinated beverages. Alcoholic beverages reduce antidiuretic hormone and are dehydrating. Many fruits and vegetables are a good source of water, think watermelon, lettuce, celery and cucumbers just to name a few. And of course, don't forget good old water: try a glass when you wake up, a glass before meals, try taking a bottle of water out with you and in most cases take medication or supplements with a full glass of water.

Increasing water intake is a good idea for most but not for everyone! Talk to your health care provider if you have kidney disease, heart failure, are on certain medications and as always before implementing any new health care strategy.

 

Oh, and one more thing: While we are increasing water intake to help remove toxins, we may be introducing toxins to our bodies via the water we drink. A couple of tips for improving the quality of the water you drink include investing in a quality water filter and avoiding water in plastic bottles as well as choosing stainless steel, glass or other toxin free containers to store and transport your water.

Want more?

Call us in office: 860-589-1491

*Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles, books or from a challenge! I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your healthcare provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office (860-589-1491) to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you

How can we develop healthy habits?

We all have habits,

Some that aid us to our objectives we classify as good some that have negative consequences we call bad habits. We will go into the neurology of habits in a future exercise but today let's talk about some good habits that can help our bodies function at maximum efficiency.

 

Get in the habit: Good habits

 

Our bodies have rhythms and schedules. We make certain hormones in the mornings, others in the evenings. Our bodies respond to sunlight and even to the seasons. These regulate things like our sleep cycle, appetite, temperature, hormones, alertness, body performance, blood pressure and other things like that.

 

When these are disrupted we can see a number of health concerns including anxiety, depression, lack of energy, increased risk of obesity and even metabolic disorders like diabetes or thyroid issues, even the dreaded autoimmune disorders can show up!

So how can we develop better habits and be happy about it? How can we do what's healthy for us without feeling deprived?

Call us in office! 860-589-1491

Want to know what you should eat?

The question everyone asks me the most is:

What should I eat? I'm going to say categorically:

“It depends.”

There is no one size fits all diet for everyone.

Based on your 3 markers a protocol can be tailored specifically for you.:

• How you’ve lived your life so far,
• Your DNA and
• Your gastrointestinal status including your natural flora,

 That being said I can give you some broad strokes: We know that 80% of chronic illness is caused by chronic and sustained inflammation. We all want to avoid those, right? I mean, is there anyone who actually wants these chronic illnesses? Often patients are a little surprised to find that diet and overall health could be even remotely related! The truth is that some mainstays of the Standard American Diet promote inflammation. In general some of the most inflammatory foods include sugar, gluten and OMG – dairy!

How can you enjoy you life and still reduce inflammatory foods in your diet?

Join us!

You have questions and you will find we have a lot of answers!

860-589-1491

Do you think it's just you getting older?

I'm debunking the myth that decline is just a part of getting older once and for all time!

This one will be a long one. In The 30 Day Kickstart Program we cover this material over a few days, it is that important y’all!

 

Let me drop some science:

If you have ever been to one of our retreats or heard me speak you will have heard me talking about how inflammation is responsible for about 80% of chronic conditions that people consider just a natural part of aging. If you know me pretty well, then you know that even though I tend to have a spirit based approach to health, having been a research scientist, I always want to see the research. When it comes to health claims, count me in the cynical category!

 

Well, there is research that confirms that decline is not just a part of aging, this research pinpoints a molecule called NFkB found inside cells. NFkB is responsible for telling our cells to start the inflammatory process. This is great if there is an invader that needs to be taken care of, but, inflammation that goes unchecked will eventually become chronic and can lead to a variety of diseases. So here is the very very very short version of what's going on inside the cell:

 

NFkB ----->

 

Activates COX 2----->

 

Which stimulates the production of prostaglandins ------>

 

That cause inflammation which may lead to ---->

 

PAIN and trigger DISEASE processes. 

 

What increases its actions?

 

Lots of things can activate NFkB! One key activator is free radicals. Pollution, radiation, certain types of smoke (e.g. cigarettes,) and some chemicals such as those used in agriculture as well as even some of the foods we eat may increase exposure to free radicals.

 

What diseases are associated with increased NFkB?

 

Research shows that some NFkB associated diseases include: Cancer, atherosclerosis, asthma, hepatitis, diabetes, inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases, inflammatory arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory kidney diseases such as glomerulonephritis, other autoimmune conditions etc.

 

What can help?

 

Keeping free radicals in check and suppressing the action of NFkB may help prevent and even may slow the course of many chronic inflammatory illnesses

 

- NSAIDS, COX 2 inhibitors and steroids have been shown in some studies to reduce the expression of NFkB and as a result reduce inflammation. This is great news, the only problem is that there are significant side effects associated with these drugs especially with long term use! Soooo don't want to go that route. What other options do we have?

 

A more natural approach has fewer side effects and is also effective for keeping NFkB under control:

 

- Increasing intake of fruits and vegetables (As many as 12 servings per day. I know this sounds like a lot but it's not really. Servings are smaller than you think and are easy to fit into your day...but that's another discussion for another day :)

 

- Potent natural antioxidants such as pycnogenol, polyphenols, resveratrol, vitamins C and E, curcumin, ginger, lipoic acid, coenzyme Q 10 to name a few.

 

- In addition to increasing fruits, vegetables and natural antioxidants in the diet, adopting what's called an anti-inflammatory lifestyle plan has also been proven to be very effective at keeping certain inflammatory conditions under control. We'll talk a bit more about anti inflammatory foods. I know you are looking forward to that part!

Do you like this info?

Would you like more?

Call us in office 860-589-1491

*Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles, books or from a challenge! I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your healthcare provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office (860-589-1491) to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you.

Have you really thought about your health?

 Last time we chatted about: "How you've lived your life so far."

Today, let us ponder the same question but from a different perspective. It's interesting that many of us internalize our current health challenges as a permanent part of us. If you resonate with this you are not alone. Most people are. I used to be the same way, I probably still do it occasionally when I'm having a not so great day! ;) 

I used to say things like: "MY autoimmune disorder," or "I have a hard time losing weight." What I found interesting in its simplicity is that shifting the way I would talk about the disorder I used to suffer from, changed the way I felt about it. That was one of the first steps for me on my road to recovery.

Thoughts matter, thoughts have some power. I'm not saying that sitting thinking "I'm perfectly healthy" while doing something that my body has clearly rebelled against is a good idea. Trust me, kids, don't try that at home. What I'm saying is that excluding the mind from efforts to heal the body can only garner temporary or reduced results. 

So starting today and for the rest of our time together, let's think about our health in the most positive way that we can (under the circumstances.)

Want to continue this? There is a short worksheet that helps you explore how you have been living your life so far and what your next steps could be.

Call us in office: 860-589-1491

*Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles, books or from a challenge! I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your healthcare provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office (860-589-1491) to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you

Could your past be affecting your future health?

One of my favorite mentors, a physician and teacher of functional medicine, always says that the health of about 80% of people is as a result of three things:

A) How you've lived your life so far

B) Your genes

C) Your gut and natural flora

So I've got to ask you: 

• How you've lived your life so far?

• How is that impacting your health today?

I invite you to give this some serious consideration! To help with that, I've created a little questionnaire.

Click here for today's worksheet.

Go ahead and fill it in. This is not one of those clickbait quizzes. I will go through each of these personally and email you your results. Ok?

And the invitation to call in office is still open to you.

860-589-1491

Regards in health,

Dr. Davia H. Shepherd

Power-Transformations.com

*Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles, books or from a challenge! I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your healthcare provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office (860-589-1491) to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you

What could you change in your health in the next 7 days?

I know that the last year was truly challenging in so many ways. I just wanted to reach out to remind you that it is never too late. 

No matter how old you are, no matter where you are in life, it’s not too late to live the best version of your health that you can, here and now. 

So take a moment, close your eyes if you can, and think about this: If your health was ideal, if you could wave a magic wand and change everything in a snap; what does the picture of your ideal health look like?

I've been talking to a lot of patients about this sort of thing recently. They have been saying things like: 

 

"With the pandemic I've gotten out of my routine, and I just need to get back on track." 

 

or 

 

"I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired."

 

Is this sounding like you? If it is, you are not alone. Often we feel alone in our trials. I'm here to tell you that it is not just you, you are not alone and you may have options that you never even thought about. 

I am GIFTING you a free KICK IN THE PANTS: "7 day launch pad to optimal you."

Ok I'll be honest; it’s not a diet or a challenge. If you are like me then I know you don't respond well to those things either :) Instead it is an introduction to a totally different way of approaching your wellness.

If you are ready to step fully into a version of you that is healthier, happier and living life more vibrantly with less overwhelm and more energy then call us in office 860-589-1491.

 

 

 

Over 7 days we focus on the foundations of optimal health. You will have the opportunity to determine your optimal health and develop simple strategies for implementation. As a result you will feel excited about the possibilities as you take action. But wait, there's more! After your 7 days, we can talk about your personal transformation.

Let me tell you about one of our patient's, we'll call her Sarah. By the time Sarah came in she had gained significant weight and had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. She was overwhelmed, overtired and over it! She truly felt as though her diagnosis was something she was going to have to live with forever and she came in because someone told her about me, about how I had suffered similarly and had come out on the other side.

Sarah figured, might as well give it a chance. She had a problem. She truly wanted to and was committed to changing. But... I think she truly turned the corner when she surrendered to the idea that there is a different way to approach health. Last time I saw her, she didn't have an appointment, just stopped in to say hi. She looks and feels great and basically wanted to say thank you.

There are so many stories that I can share, I'd love to share your story too someday soon. If you are ready to change the status quo and think about health a different way, then I'm ready too. Let’s do this together. 

Call us in office 8605891491

 

Regards in Health,

 

Dr. Davia H. Shepherd

Power-Transformations.com