Tag: self care

2023 Is The Year to Strengthen Your Physical and Mental Health

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I encourage all to take responsibility for their own health. This journey is a personal one and if you have not made your health a priority in the past, make 2023 the year to strengthen your physical and mental health. We will be reviewing the following topics this year so that you can be your best self and be in the best of health.

 

1. Self-care—We are so busy taking care of others that we easily put ourselves on the back burner. Have you figured out how to carve out at least 30 minutes out of your day in order for you to do something just for yourself?
2. Time management–You know we each have the same 24-hour window. Why is it that some people get so much accomplished while others cannot get anything done?
3. Physical Health—when was the last time you had a check-up? When was the last time you went to the dentist? Did you develop a plan to improve your physical or mental health?
4. Mental Health—all of us need to ensure that we find the time to let our brains rest. We are so busy multi-tasking that it is easy to get all caught up in our daily activities. Let’s learn how to pause and work on how to quiet our thoughts.
5. Education—You must develop a skill to support yourself so that you do not have to rely on someone else to survive. Do you have that skill? If not, what do you have to do to get there?
6. Budgeting—they say the average American cannot cover a $400 emergency item. Can you cover a $400 emergency without a credit card? Let’s develop a plan to ensure you can cover your basic expenses.
7. Finances—Do you understand the basics of managing your money? If your first thought was, ‘I don’t have to worry about that because my partner does that for me,’ I am going to challenge you to educate yourself. What if your support person is not part of your life tomorrow?
8. Simplicity—Quit comparing yourself to others. By being more conscious about what you need versus what you want, you will have less clutter in your home, life and mind.
9. Employment—I am a firm believer that every able bodied person should work in some capacity. Each person should have a skill set that can generate an income to help support oneself and those that depend on you.
10. Mentorship—we should all be reaching out and helping others move up the ladder. There is not a day that goes by that you do not have an opportunity to pay it forward.
11. Retirement— Live below your means and save some money. Everyone should be able to retire and not have to worry about how you will pay your bills. Do you understand the different ways to save for retirement?
12. Legacy—what impact will you have while you are on this earth? The saying of ‘leave something better than you found it’ applies to so many categories of your life. What does this look like for you?

Join us in our FB private group WhoIsTakingCAreofYou or on IG where we cover one of these topics on a weekly basis.

May we grow together!

Health Goals Weekly Chart Planner

Are you writing out you health and financial goals? You are most likely going to make progress on your journey if you write them out and post it where you can see it every day. Whether you print it off or keep them on your phone, take a few minutes this evening to plan your week using our health goals weekly chart planner. It is a mental game.

You have to decide how important this is to you and make a promise to yourself that you are going to follow through.

Remember my mantra?

You, and only you, are responsible for your health.

What are you focusing on right now? Here are some specific examples if you need help getting started:

  • Eat less than 50 gms of carbs per day
  • Do not add sugar to any drink
  • Do not fry any of your food
  • Do not buy anything fried to eat
  • Move your body 30 min a day
  • Add one mile to your usual walking session 3 times a week
  • Complete your work wellness activity
  • Schedule your next wellness check appointment
  • Schedule your next dental cleaning appointment
  • Schedule your mammogram
  • Drink 75 ounces of water a day
  • Ride your exercise bike 30 minutes a day
  • Listen to one meditation session per day for at least 10 minutes
  • Read all nutrition labels and avoid anything that has corn syrup as an ingredient
  • Eliminate artificial sweeteners
  • Eliminate soda or sugar drinks
  • Eliminate meat from two meals a day
  • Set a quit date if you are using tobacco or vaping products
  • Keep a food diary and write in it every day
  • Eat natural foods that have less than 3 ingredients

As you can see, there are many ways to become healthier. The list is endless. You get to decide what is most important to you.

Pick 1 or 5 things to focus on at a time. Whether it is improving on the ones you chose last month, a combo of old and new or 5 new ones, it doesn’t matter. 

 

Even if you stumble on day one, pick yourself up and reset your mind. I have attached our Health Goals Weekly Chart Planner to help you keep track of this.

 

Are You Struggling with where to begin?

If you need help getting started, reach out to me by clicking on the Contact Us tab.

Velma Taormina, MD profile picture

Velma V. Taormina, MD MSE FACOG

Women’s Health Consultant

7 Tips to Avoid Scale Fright During The Holidays

Did you overindulge this weekend? What is on your schedule this next week?  The timeline between Thanksgiving and New Year’s weekend is the time of year during which most people will gain weight due to letting their guard down. The temptation of holiday treats and drinks make it easy to put on weight during the holiday season. 

Look ahead and see what kind of activities are on your schedule for the rest of the holiday season.  Factor in everything;  work parties, neighborhood pot-lucks, church gatherings, family gatherings and every event you are invited to.  What can you do to maintain your weight during this season?

7 tips to avoid scale fright during the holidays.  

  • Plan your meals

  • Pack your lunch

  • Stay hydrated.

  • Don’t arrive at a holiday function with an empty stomach.

  • Sample a treat without eating all of it.

  • Limit alcohol.

  • No snacking in between meals or after dinner.

As you see, you can enjoy gathering with family and friends but you need to plan your meals, drinks and activities.  You can sample holiday treats without eating the whole thing.  These ideas are only addressing the things you will eat and drink but coupled with monitoring your activity level,  you should be able to at least maintain your weight.

Top View of Sneakers on the grass with the text: It Starts With You

Take Responsibility For Your Health

Vaccine or no vaccine? Masks or no masks? Become a hermit or figure out how to live with it?  Did you know that YOU, and only YOU, are responsible for your health?  Act like the adult that you are and take responsibility for your health.

We just had a holiday weekend and there were so many decisions to make, weren’t there?  Cake or no cake? Exercise or sit on your butt again? Smoking/vaping or kicking the habit? Alcohol–to use or abstain from? Fried chicken or grilled chicken? Pecan pie or fresh fruit? Meat or no meat? Hot dogs or lean meats? Grilled veggies or fried battered veggies? I mean, who doesn’t like fried pickles?

I could go on and on and on but I am ready to throw down the gauntlet.  

It is truly your body, your decision. Not just about the vaccine or the mask.  You are literally responsible for your own health so begin acting like it.   I don’t care what the topic of the day is but if you are serious about avoiding hospitalization for any reason, you need to begin taking better care of yourself.

There are some people who are doing an amazing job on all fronts when it comes to their health journey. I tip my hat off to you as you have made your health a priority and I know that this takes a dedicated focus on a daily basis.

The majority of us are somewhere on the continuum of this work. I know that many of you have made so much progress and I will continue to be a pest in case you need a nudge.   There are some who don’t want to proactive but then want everything done when they finally go in for care.  What are you waiting for?

According to the CDC, the medical conditions that are most likely going to put you at risk of severe illness from COVID are the following:

  • High blood pressure (especially if it is poorly controlled)
  • Obesity (BMI > 30)
  • Diabetes (especially if it is poorly controlled)
  • Smoking/vaping or a history of using tobacco products
  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy or recent pregnancy
  • Lung problems
  • Chronic kidney problems

Are any of these on your list of medical conditions? The more conditions that you have, the more at risk you will be for hospitalization, with or without COVID.  Don’t wait until it is too late to take responsibility for your health.  Reach out to your primary care provider and make an appointment.

We are 19 months into this pandemic so if you haven’t’ begun working on improving your numbers, losing weight or kicking the tobacco/vaping habit, you need to make an action plan.

TODAY.

3 Myths to Dispel About Skin Cancer

Who was basking in the sun this weekend? ??‍♀️

Who has basked in the sun over the last 5 or 6 decades? ??‍♀️

Who has covered themselves with baby oil and then fallen asleep poolside, in your lounge chair in your backyard or on the beach? ??‍♀️

Most of us probably still have our hands raised so I have 3 myths to dispel about skin cancer while I have your attention.

Myth #1: I have ‘brown’ skin so I won’t get skin cancer.

    • False. All skin types are at risk for getting skin cancer.  Having less pigment in your skin does increase the risk of damage from ultraviolet (UV) rays but all skin that is constantly exposed to these rays is at risk.  There are skin cancers that occur from other causes as well so continue to inspect your skin and have others peek at your back.

Myth #2: Only people with blue or light colored eyes get skin cancer.

    • False. Individuals of all eye colors can get skin cancer. Those with lighter eyes are more likely to get the ones from UV ray damage but again, there are other types that you need to be aware of.

Myth #3: Only older individuals will get skin cancer.

    • False. Individuals of all ages can get skin cancer.  Your risk is based on your personal and family history, total sun exposure and the number of sunburns or tanning bed sessions.  It is never too late to begin become proactive with this preventative measure.

There are many types of skin cancers so it is important to read about the different types so that you can act on any changes that you may notice on your skin.  The Mayo Clinic has a great summary of what to look for and the different types of skin cancers.  It has great pictures of the different types of skin cancer.  

Read through this resource and then look at your skin from all angles and make note of any concerns that you may have.   Take pictures for your personal files.  Schedule a follow up appointment with your clinician to discuss your concerns or bring this up at your next preventative visit.

 

 

 

Have You Paid Off Your 2020 Holiday Bills?

Money Monday

Have you paid off your 2020 Holiday bills?

We are almost a third of the way through 2021 so I want to circle back on how you are going to pay for fixed social expenses moving forward. For those of you new to our group, one of the core topics that we cover is financial literacy. We encourage you to learn all that you can about your personal finances. We want you to develop a budget and ‘social expenses’ is one category that I recommend that you work on.  We want you to begin using a budget so that you can always cover the core categories that you need to survive.

Social expenses?  What does that mean?

This is my title for those celebrations that are repeated every year; birthdays, Christmas or other religious holidays, anniversaries, graduations, etc. These dates are fixed and you know you are likely going to be paying for something related to these events. A religious holiday is the event that usually involves the most people on one day so focus on that first.

I know that not everyone has the means at this time to do this but start thinking about the process and try to work in small expenses so that you can really focus on this when you are in a better financial state.

Let’s use Christmas for our example. We have 8 months left before we need to have our gifts ready. I have attached a worklist that you can use to pencil in who you need to save money for. Go ahead and pencil in a gift idea as well so that if you see a fantastic sale you can save some money. Think hard and include everyone that you usually share a present with. Family members, friends, work or church events, etc. If the length of the list is scaring you, start removing people from it! It is OK to do this so that you can focus on those that are truly in your gift giving circle.

Let’s say that you have determined that you need to save $400 between now and December. $400/8 months means that you need to setting aside $50/month in a savings account or in a money envelope so that when you see a great sale, you can start buying things on your list. You cannot take money out of this stash unless it is truly for someone on your gift list. This is NOT your emergency fund.

So focus on paying off any remaining amount of 2020’s holiday bills so that you can begin planning for 2021. Start with your holiday celebration but then start working on birthdays and other fixed events. Once you get started, you will see that you will have less stress because you have planned for these events.

Click on the Resources tab and use Holiday Budget Worksheet.

Happy savings!

DeStress During Holy Week

This is the beginning of Holy Week for many of you so I want you to take a few minutes this evening or tomorrow to map out what you need to get done. By taking a hard look at your traditional Holy Week and Easter activities, you can decide what is most important for you to do this week.  By analyzing what is most important to you is necessary to destress during Holy Week. 

We want to continue to work on protecting our ‘me time’, practicing self care while ensuring that last minute spending doesn’t wreck our budget for the week.

One of the financial goals for many of you this year is to preplan your activities and trips so that you can anticipate what it will cost you. This allows you to save your money for these items that occur every year so that you don’t end up in debt creating the perfect celebration so Easter week is a great time to practice this new habit.

Preplanning allows you to decide how much you truly want to do this week. Your schedule for the week allows you to write down your menus, church schedules, and Easter activities.  Once you decide on your activities, develop your budget. Shopping lists are a must so that you can minimize your trips to the store in order to decrease your impulse purchases.

Now that you have mapped out your activities, are you over scheduling yourself? Are you building in ‘me time’?  Are you going to be able to truly enjoy yourself? Are you spending the weekend with other adults?  If so, this is a great time to map out the chore list so that everyone is helping with each activity.  Working with others ensures that everyone can spend time reflecting on what is truly important.

It is better to back off on commitments now rather than trying to decompress afterwards.  

6 Tips to Combat Mindless Eating

Mindless Monday….

I had to take a picture of the situation I found myself in last night. I was all excited about getting Dr. Fung’s book The Obesity Code and was settling in to begin reading it. I wanted a sweet snack and was about 3 bites in when I realized that I was my own worst enemy!

Ughhhhh! I looked into what was left in the container, freezer burn and all and thought, you cannot eat bad ice cream while reading about why you are struggling with your weight! Especially when it is a flavor that you are not crazy about.

OK, you shouldn’t eat good ice cream either while reading this book but this was such a perfect example of mindless eating.  I have worked to eliminate added sugars in my diet and this just creeped in.  I told myself not to do it and then talked myself into 5 spoonfuls.  It is such a mind game.

I put the ice cream container away and reminded myself about how I eliminated added sugars to begin with.  Food is the fuel my body needs and I work to ensure that I am eating healthy and nutritious foods the majority of the time.  

Here are 6 tips to combat mindless eating:

  • Don’t buy it to begin with.
  • Buy ice cream flavors that I don’t like so that my husband and kids don’t get mad at me.
  • Hide it.
  • Throw it out when it gets freezer burn.
  • Read nutritional labels to look for hidden sugars.
  • Be intentional and serve an exact serving or portion of a serving so that I don’t eat the whole thing in one sitting.

Being intentional with our foods and remembering that they are a fuel should help keep us on course.  

10 Prompts To Help You Tell Your Story

March is Women’s History Month

 

What is your story?  Do your loved ones know about your childhood or why you decided to pursue your chosen profession?  I love genealogy and am always encouraging others to journal their experiences and family stories.

 

Let’s start with your early life.  Do your family and friends know your history.  Where were you born?  Did your family move around?  Who raised you?  What did you enjoy doing as a child?  Is there a deep secret that you have been keeping?  

Here are 10 prompts to help you tell your story for future generations.

  • What city, state and country were you born in?
  • Were you born in a hospital or at home?
  • Do you have brothers and sisters?  If so, where do you fall in the lineup?
  • Ask your mom, dad or an elderly relative if they have a favorite memory of you.
  • What is your earliest memory?
  • Did you have any pets?  Write about one of them that was extra special to you.
  • What is one memory that brings a smile to your face every time you think about it?
  • What was the name and location of the elementary school(s) that you attended?  
  • What was the name of your first grade teacher?  What is your favorite memory of her?
  • What sports or activities did you participate in? Which one was your favorite and why?

Once you are done with this time period, begin working on the next one.  Break it up into decades or schooling or other milestones that give you a timeline you can work with.  There are many ways to break down the time periods so that it does not overwhelm you.

I prefer that you use a paper journal to document your story since your loved ones may not have have access to the electronic versions.  You can also publish these works.  Pairing them with any photos you may have is even better.

The hardest part is deciding where to start.  Start with the prompts above and let them guide you as you travel back in time.   

Your story is worth sharing!

 

Tips For Staying on Task With Your Heart Health Goals

What are Your Heart Health Goals?

We are starting a new month and January is behind us.  How did you do with your health goals last month?  Did you map out your needed appointments to cover all of your preventative screening tests for the year?

Doing this now gives you direction and also allows you to save any money needed to cover any deductibles or co-insurance.  If you don’t have insurance you have time to find available resources in your community through your local community health centers or health departments.

You may be asking what screenings do you need?  The United States Preventative Services Task Force has a list of screenings that you should discuss with your clinician every year to see what actions you need to take to improve your health.

February is the month where we celebrate Heart Health.  There are basic things that you need to know in order to focus your attention on this aspect of your health. You cannot change some of the risk factors that put you at risk for heart disease such as age, race and gender but you can work on the ‘modifiable’ risk factors.

Modifiable risk factors

Do any of the following apply to you?
  • I am a smoker.
  • I don’t exercise on a regular basis.
  • I don’t know what my cholesterol levels are or my levels are too high
  • I haven’t checked my blood pressure recently.
  • I need to be at a healthier weight
  • I have not been screened for diabetes or my diabetes is not well controlled
  • I need to lower my stress levels
  • I do not follow a heart healthy diet

take action on defining your goals

If any of the risk factors apply to you, you need to promise yourself that you will make a plan to address it.  The key is to start somewhere. Here are some tips for staying on task with your heart health goals.

Figuring out where to start can be overwhelming.  Take a deep breathe and focus on one thing at a time.  Let’s look at cholesterol screenings:

  • Pull out your medical records or log into your patient portal.  Gather whatever information you can collect and make note of what your baseline status was or is.
  • Do you know what your levels are?
  • Do you understand what they mean?
  • Has it been more than one year since you had your levels checked?  
  • If you have a prescription for cholesterol meds, are you filling it and taking them as instructed?
  • Are you following a heart healthy diet?

When you get to the point to where you ‘know your numbers’ and have an action plan, you can move on to the next topic.  Try focusing on one risk factor a month.  If you take it one step at a time and commit to making an action plan for each risk factor, you will have an action plan for improving your heart health by the end of 2021.

That’s not too hard is it?  Remember that self care is not selfish.

Which risk factor will you focus on this month?