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Making It Stick
Forever!
By
Kathi Casey |
 January
2012 is certainly an interesting time to be alive! Some say
that the end of the world is coming, although people have
been making that prediction, seemingly, forever! Others
believe that we are all moving closer to enlightenment this
year – a free upgrade, if you will. I am part of this latter
group. I see more and more masters sharing their teachings
with more and more students and making ancient healing
traditions available to everyone. Miracles in health and
wellness are happening every day.
For many of us Baby Boomers, these last several years have
been fraught with caring for or watching our aging family
members deal with health issues like Alzheimer’s,
osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. Seeing these
diseases so up close and personal has made us all the more
determined not to go there and we are steering ourselves
onto a much different course than the previous generation.
January is typically the month of New Year’s resolutions to
get fit, take care of our health, etc. so I have included
several tips for making those resolutions stick not only
this year, but for the rest of our lives.
Cancer is so much in the news these days. Several of my
friends and family members have recently had their first
colonoscopy, this year I’ll be going for my second. In ten
years there’ve been some changes on the recommendations for
this test, just as there’ve been recent changes on testing
for breast, cervical and prostate cancers. Thermography is
becoming more and more popular and I can’t help but think
that health insurance will cover this procedure soon – maybe
this year! The studies that have been done, show that
thermography may be able to find a tumor much sooner than
mammograms and larger, more scientific tests are being done
now.
My recommendations for this year are, firstly, become more
aware of your own body and any changes you feel. Early
diagnosis of any disease increases your chances of beating
it.
Also, stay on top of the latest testing available. In my
blogs and articles I post information on any new studies
that come out, as do many other health coaches and doctors.
Read these posts, and then have a heart to heart with your
doctor about new testing, any changes you feel or see in
your body or diet, and your own family history.
I know that my parents and many of their friends would never
have discussed family history with their doctor nor did they
really understand their own body in the same way that I do.
This Baby Boomer generation is learning to take charge of
our own health care, and not rely on someone who sees us
only once a year and doesn’t really know us. That’s a good
thing, as fellow baby boomer Martha Stewart would say!
Exercise and diet have been proven to help prevent
osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as many of the
heart disease issues like high blood pressure and weight
gain. A diet rich in Omega 3’s is a must these days, as well
as plenty of fruit and vegetables. Wild salmon, walnuts,
flaxseed and sardines provide Omega 3’s, and dark fruits
like blueberries and cherries have lots of antioxidants,
while green leafy veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli and
Swiss chard provide plenty of vitamins and some calcium as
well. Almonds are also a good source of calcium, and my
personal favorite.
Moderate exercise, on a regular basis, over the long term,
is the best way to keep your body going strong, and I
recommend choosing something that you love to do. How about
Salsa lessons? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to play tennis,
or you swim like a fish. When you enjoy exercise it’s easier
to get out there and do it, so choose wisely, and keep it
going! Start an early morning swim club or join a dance
class in January and your body will thank you.
Social activity has also been shown to help keep our brain
cells healthy so combining exercise with a social gathering
is another great way to keep active, healthy and vital well
into our golden years.
And don’t forget your supplements. I know they’ve gotten
some bad press recently, but I’m still a believer in their
benefits. It’s impossible to get all the vitamins and
minerals we need from our food, so make sure your
multi-vitamin has everything your body needs and then add
some fish oils, magnesium and vitamin D. I also take extra
vitamin C, especially at this time of year to keep my immune
system functioning properly. Bring the supplements you’re
taking to your next doctor’s appointment and discuss your
blood levels with your doctor and get their recommendations
for the supplements that will be most beneficial for you.
You can also work with a health coach. A good health coach
will help set up a plan for you that will fit easily into
your daily life, won’t make you feel deprived and set up new
healthy habits that will stick with you over the long haul!
If you’d like a free 30 minute session with me to discuss
the benefits of a personalized wellness plan, please let me
know by going here and signing up: http://www.
kathicaseypilates.com/en/contact_kathi/
Best of Health,
Kathi
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About The Author
Kathy Casey, RYT, CPI, is located in Otis. She provides
health-related information on her web site,
www.KathiCaseyPilates.com. Her book “Get Off The Couch,
Potato!” is available at Amazon.com.
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