Live Love and Eat
ISSUE 97 MARCH 2024/ ISSN 2689-7741
Heal t h | Wellbeing| Nutrition
EMBRACING THE RENEWAL OF SPRING: A SEASONAL GUIDE TO HEALTH AND WELLBEING Lost Inquisition: Exploring the effects of compliance over curiosity
Four little secrets to help you lose weight
Benefits, Safety and Tips for Exercise During Pregnancy
Loving You
Major March Transits to help us “Spring” Forward
HOW TO STOP DELAYED EATING Women’s History in Physical Therapyshould it really be called a Kegel? How I used whimsy and pleasure to expand my emotional keyboard
LIVE LOVE AND EAT
WHAT IS INSIDE ISSUE 97
03 EDITOR'S NOTE 04 MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS 11
HOW TO STOP DELAYED EATING
20 WOMEN’S HISTORY IN PHYSICAL THERAPY-SHOULD IT REALLY BE CALLED A KEGEL?
25 LOVING YOU
27 EXCLUSIVE!
33
38
LOST INQUISITION: EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF COMPLIANCE OVER CURIOSITY
30 HOW I USED WHIMSY AND
PLEASURE TO EXPAND MY EMOTIONAL KEYBOARD
42 BENEFITS, SAFETY AND TIPS FOR EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY
MAJOR MARCH TRANSITS TO HELP US “SPRING” FORWARD
FOUR LITTLE SECRETS TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
46 EMBRACING THE RENEWAL OF
SPRING: A SEASONAL GUIDE TO HEALTH AND WELLBEING
EDITOR’S NOTE NEW STORIES, NEW WRITERS As we step into the enchanting month of March, it is my pleasure to extend a heartfelt welcome to the latest edition of our magazine. This issue, like the blossoming flowers and lengthening days, is filled with a renewed sense of energy and creativity that mirrors the spirit of spring. In these pages, you'll find a curated collection of articles and features that encapsulate the beauty, vibrancy, and positivity that spring brings. From health, and wellbeing to lifestyle insights, we aim to bring you a delightful reading experience that resonates with the essence of the season. March is not only a time of blooming flowers but also a moment to celebrate Women's History Month. We invite you to immerse yourself fully in the magazine's content. From thought-provoking articles to visually stunning features, we've designed this issue to be an engaging journey for our readers. Your feedback and participation are invaluable, so don't hesitate to share your thoughts and join the conversation on our social media platforms. I want to take a moment to express our gratitude to our talented team of writers, and contributors who have poured their passion into crafting this issue. Their dedication is evident on every page, and we are excited to share their work with you. To stay updated on upcoming events, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and more, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Your support fuels our motivation to continue delivering highquality and inspiring content. Thank you for being a part of the Live Love and Eat Magazine community. We hope this issue brings a breath of fresh air to your reading experience, much like the arrival of spring. Happy reading! Warm regards, Managing Editor
Otto e n i d a Bern
Bernadine Otto
Editor-in-Chief
CONTACT US 4497 Wyndtree Drive West Chester Ohio 45069 513 2758081 bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com www.liveloveandeatmagazine.com
Our Team
4497 Wyndtree Drive , West Chester 45069 513 275 8081 | bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com
Bernadine Otto
Jace Jacobs
Managing Editor Weight loss coach
Author/Happy Mindset Poet
Judy Brown
Victoria Kleinsman
Health and Wellness coach
Food Freedom Body Love Coach
Kim Klein
Dr. Sarah Martinez, DPT
Life Coach, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, and author.
Physical therapist
Sherry Parks
Linda Watson
Money Mindset Coach
Astrologer & Soul Guide
Jennifer Millard-Schmitz MS, LPC
Ingrid Harm-Ernandes
Mental Health Therapist & Empowerment Expert
Pelvic physical therapist/Author
Copyright © 2024 Bernadine Otto. All rights reserved. Published by Live Love and Eat
SPRING DAY Trees begin to grow new leaves again and also flowers in Spring. The temperature of the air and soil starts to warm up and the hours of daylight increase as the days get longer with the coming of Spring. Spring day is on March 18th.
PLANT A FLOWER DAY Is celebrated on March the 12th. It is in midMarch, the dawn of a new gardening season. Winter has seemed endless. It is a day of finally getting a little dirt under your fingernails again. Take a few minutes to plant a flower today.
SAINT PATRICK’S DAY Observed every March 17, is packed with parades, good luck charms, and all things green. The event started as a religious holiday, but over time it's become a celebration of Irish culture.
BE OUR I R C Y S B R U O S Y F COPY L ED R A YEPRINT YEARLY $45
Live Your Best Life With
Live Love and Eat
Basking in the Splendor of Spring
Happy Spring Embark on the verdant path of cultivating your own garden.
A picnic, a perennially perfect choice.
Open your windows for some fresh air
Taking A Breath In Nature
Engage in the ancient art of grounding/earthing.
Engage in the dance of Spring purification.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS TIPS Embrace the New Season
As the days get longer and temperatures rise, spring offers a perfect opportunity to rejuvenate your health and well-being. 1. Outdoor Exercise: Take advantage of the milder weather by moving your workout routine outdoors. Whether it's jogging in the park, cycling, or simply going for a walk, outdoor exercise can boost your mood and increase vitamin D levels. 2. Nutrient-Rich Spring Foods: Incorporate seasonal fruits and vegetables into your diet. Fresh berries, leafy greens, asparagus, and artichokes are abundant during spring. These foods are not only delicious but also packed with vitamins and antioxidants. 3. Stay Hydrated: With temperatures rising, it's essential to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support your overall health. Consider adding slices of cucumber, mint, or citrus fruits for a refreshing twist. 4. Spring Cleaning for Your Diet: Just as you would declutter your living space, consider a "spring cleaning" for your diet. Gradually transition towards lighter, plant-based meals and incorporate more fresh produce into your daily meals. 5. Mindful Eating: Practice mindful eating by savoring each bite and paying attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues. This can help you develop a healthier relationship with food and prevent overeating. 6. Prioritize Sleep: Ensure you're getting enough quality sleep. The longer days might tempt you to stay up later, but maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is crucial for overall wellbeing.
1. Sun Protection: As you spend more time outdoors, don't forget sun protection. Use sunscreen, wear sunglasses, and consider a wide-brimmed hat to shield yourself from the sun's rays. 2. Springtime Stress Relief: Explore stress-relief activities like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises. Taking time for self-care can help manage stress and improve your mental well-being. 3. Connect with Nature: Spend time in nature to promote mental and emotional well-being. Whether it's a hike in the mountains, a walk in the woods, or simply enjoying a picnic in the park, nature has a calming effect on the mind. 4. Seasonal Allergy Management: Spring is synonymous with pollen, and for some, it means allergy season. If you're prone to allergies, consider taking necessary precautions, such as keeping windows closed on high pollen days and using air purifiers. Remember, the key is to embrace the energy of spring, make healthy choices, and create habits that support your well-being. Listen to your body, and enjoy the rejuvenating effects of this beautiful season.
How to Stop Delayed Eating Written By Victoria Kleinsman
This question “How do you stop delaying eating?” came from a sweet soul called Helena. Thank you Helena for this question, the insights you share with me, and all the love you give in the FB group.
Why do you delay your eating? The first place I want to go here is to ask a question… “Why do you delay your eating?” I’ll speak for myself and share that I used to delay my eating for the following reasons; The longer I could go without food, the better because that would mean fewer calories overall and calories were the devil. When I started eating I typically wanted more and was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to stop myself and that I’d eat “too much” so the fewer chances of that happening the better.
It was a game I played with myself that I got extreme gratification out of when I succeeded in not eating or delaying it as much as possible. I felt superior to others who seemed to ‘have’ to eat at least 3 times a day. I didn’t want to succumb to the ‘humanness’ of needing to eat. When I ate I felt deeply shameful and dirty. It was also a way of delaying gratification. There was a part of me that wanted to eat, the part that I suppressed as much as possible… and so if I got pleasure out of eating, I was only ‘allowed’ pleasure once a day at the end of the day. It felt good to look forward to it all day and at the same time, I didn’t deserve pleasure anyway. It was like I ‘got off’ from denying my needs. All of these reasons are of course from the eating disorder plus the outcome of emotional trauma.
What do you want? The second question I have for you is… “What do you want?” I assume you want to stop delaying eating because this is a restrictive eating disorder behavior and you want to be free from the eating disorder. So I’d love for you to write in detail what you want. EG: I want to be fully recovered from the eating disorder and live in total food freedom. I don’t want to give a shit about how many calories I’ve eaten or whether my stomach is flat or not. I want to detach the way I think my body looks from my happiness and worthiness. I want to feel good nourishing myself and my body and taking care of myself in all ways. Delayed eating is not in the life that I want for myself. When you have written down in detail what it is you want, I’d like you to rewrite it in the present tense.
EG: I am fully recovered from the eating disorder and live in total food freedom. I don’t give a shit about how many calories I’ve eaten or whether my stomach is flat or not. I have detached the way I think my body looks from my happiness and worthiness. I feel good nourishing myself and my body and taking care of myself in all ways. I eat unrestrictedly following my mental and physical hunger which looks like regular eating. This feels so freeing and empowering!
And when you’ve done that I’d like you to record your voice speaking that out loud, really feeling how it would feel to be living that. Then I’d like you to listen 3 times a day with at least one of those listens when you’re lying down with your eyes closed. This will help to reprogram your subconscious mind and rewire your brain so that you’ll be living the life you want sooner than you think. Your actions will start to feel easier as you’ll feel less resistance. This is because your brain doesn’t know the difference between make-believe and reality. So if you’re programming your brain via repetition with your ideal life, it thinks it’s already true, especially if you bring FEELING into it. When it thinks it is already true, it will support you in behaving that way. Basically, brainwash yourself into behaving how you’d like to behave.
Our brains can’t tell the difference between reality and our thoughts. For example, It doesn’t matter if an anxiety sufferer is experiencing an anxious situation or imagining it, they will experience a stress response either way. Stress hormones like cortisol and fight/flight hormones like adrenaline are released regardless of whether they are in a stressful situation or not. To put it simply, their brains can’t tell the difference between what is reality and what is imagined. Scientific studies back this up. One study, in particular, took two groups of individuals and asked one to play a specific set of keys on the piano and the other to imagine playing a set of keys. Under both circumstances, whilst being scanned, brain activity significantly increased in brain regions corresponding to motor movement of the hand. This is significant as our brains clearly cannot differentiate between what is reality and what is not. Just like our anxiety example. What we imagine has a tremendous impact on our minds and bodies. So allow yourself to imagine multiple times a day what it would be like if you were living in food freedom and body love. Make it up. Play make-believe. It’s going to help!
Who do you need to BE to have what you want? Who would you need to be to have what you want? Because before you can have something, you first need to be the person who already has gotten it. Asked differently; What characteristics would someone have who was rocking recovery and surging toward freedom? Who was eating regularly and unrestrictedly? Would they be committed to recovery? Would they be resilient?
Would they be determined? Would they be in the state of “Whatever it fucking takes!“? (I’d say that fits into being responsible for making something happen). The reason this is such a crucial part of your recovery is that the doing (behavior and outcome) is only in direct reflection of the being doing the doing. If someone is being uncommitted or unresponsible for their recovery, they’re unlikely to eat if the eating disorder is telling them not to. But someone who is committed and responsible will eat regardless of whether the eating disorder is telling them not to. 99% committed is hell. 100% committed is simple. So who do you need to be to NOT delay eating?
Structure & Support Ok so now it’s time to take action and create a POA. I always recommend a structure such as; breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and dessert daily. This is until your hunger cues come back and you can eat unrestrictedly by following your mental and physical hunger. How can you plan these into your day with time frame boundaries such as; “I will eat breakfast between 7 and 8 am. No exceptions because I am choosing to be committed to recovery. Being committed to recovery will result in me living in food freedom for the rest of my life. I trade short-term discomfort for longterm gain” “Every time we escape situations that make us anxious, the cost of that short-term comfort is long-term anxiety.” Dr Julie Any help you are offered, accept it! If you’d like support from someone with whom you live or work with, ASK! I know it can be SO hard to ask for help especially if you have a shit load of shame just for having human needs, but asking for and receiving help is a crucial part of recovery and honoring your needs.
Help from someone else could look like asking them to have breakfast ready for you at a certain time because you don’t want to allow yourself to procrastinate and then ‘run out of time’ before you have to leave the house. It could look like asking them to sort dinner and you making a commitment to eat with them every night and eat whatever they’re eating. At work, it could be asking a colleague or friend to eat lunch with them each day, etc. Anything that you can do to support yourself in your environment is a must. Ensure you have food in the house! Different snack options (that are not only rice cakes ) ready meals and ingredients to cook. If you live by yourself and don’t go to a workplace then you will have to hold yourself fully accountable. Some IG accounts offer meal support such as @diets_dont_work_haes1 and @bodyacceptance_coach. You can also lean on free support groups (such as my FB group The Body Love Binge Support Group) for accountability and encouragement. Of course, if finances allow the best path to recovery is to work with a professional 1:1 or in a group environment. I’m here for any of you who would like to explore either of those options. I have a free support group, group coaching (with extended payment plan options), and 1:1 coaching. Another great idea is to start a daily habit tracker to tick off your regular eating as you go. This can be helpful as many of you will be perfectionists and will not like to have an imperfect habit tracker! Use your traits to your advantage because everything that enabled you to develop the eating disorder is exactly what will get you out of it. Put this somewhere visible and celebrate yourself every time you eat regularly.
What to eat? If you have trouble deciding what to eat which is very common and can lead to overwhelm and panic, you can use a name generator or an online spinning wheel to help you. You can put in say 2-5 different options that you have available and let the name picker or spinner choose for you.
Self-talk This leads me to self-talk and self-celebration. Acknowledging yourself for facing your fears is ESSENTIAL. We learn through positive reinforcement and that includes ourselves. If we only focus on what we didn’t do well then that will create more feelings of failure and it’s then challenging to stay focused on recovery. For example, instead of this; “I did have lunch but I didn’t eat it all and I should have chosen the burger instead of the fish dish, I’m such a failure.” Say this; “I’m so proud of myself for eating lunch! I wanted to delay eating until this evening but I am committed to recovery and I want food freedom so I ate it anyway. Next time I’d like to make an even bigger step and choose the burger and commit to eating all of it. I know I can do it!“ Big difference right? Our self-talk is such a crucial aspect of recovery and our lives. The way we talk to ourselves greatly impacts our feelings and our behaviors. Practice being your own biggest cheerleader instead of your own worst critic. I invite you to come up with some positive encouraging self-talk mantras that are easily accessible when you need them (until you remember them). Mantras such as; “I can do this!” “I eat __ at this time and even if I don’t feel like it, I’m going to eat anyway because I’m a badass and I want freedom.” “The only way to the other side is through.” “Beyond fear lies freedom.” “I’ve got this. It’s just food. People eat every day.” “Whatever it fucking takes. Bring it on!”
Homework assignment if you’re up for it… come up with 100 positive and encouraging things you can say to yourself when the eating disorder wants you to delay eating.
And of course, I couldn’t talk about self-talk (lol) without bringing up the secret sauce to your recovery and your selflove… do you know what it is?
SELF-COMPASSION! Self-compassion is EVERYTHING. Speak to yourself with kindness, gentleness, and encouragement at all times. It takes practice but the more you reframe your thoughts to those born from love over and over again, it starts to become your default and then it doesn’t take effort anymore. Then your head will be a much lovelier place to live in instead of the current hell that you’ve been trying to run away from for however many years. Which is impossible obviously but trust me, I tried. There was one time I wanted to check myself into a psychiatric ward because I was so afraid of my thoughts. A great question to ask yourself is; “What would Love say?” and say that to yourself. Another lovely thing you can do for yourself is write yourself a note of celebration every evening. Say what you’re proud of yourself for that day and how much you appreciate yourself for your efforts. You know that love you have by the bucket load to give to others…? Well, give some of that to yourself! Through words of affirmation, acts of love and most importantly BEING self-loving. You can do an action of self-love but if you’re not BEing self-loving then it’s not going to make much of a difference.
Ultimate question The ultimate question is; “What am I more committed to? Recovery or the eating disorder?” And then act accordingly. Constantly connect to your why. Listen to your recording. Feel it as if it’s already true… it’s ok to allow yourself to go there, my love. It’s ok to want more for yourself and it’s ok if you worry that you’ll never get there. Just imagine and feel. If you can envision it then you can hold it in your hand because you’re only remembering the future. Surround yourself with others who are cheering you on and who have walked this path before you. Before you know it, you’ll be doing the same for others… YOU’VE GOT THIS!
Q&A I also wanted to share a random Q&A from an email I received as I think it will be of value to some of you… “There are some evenings (usually after eating/drinking a lot the previous evening) when physically I really don’t feel like eating and drinking my same exact foods and drink that night. But I feel compelled to do it anyway! Why??“ ME: Because you want what you need. you’re malnourished and your body needs more food. “I have even felt a bit sick and still done it. To me this would seem like the perfect opportunity to do something different and yet I don’t. I am guessing that it’s something to do with the feeling of comfort that comes with the same old familiar pattern and the association I have created between the food, drink, and feeling relaxed. So then…I need to learn that I can relax and not be coupled with food & drink. But then that comes back to the…phone a friend, have a hot bath list which my mind tells me is nowhere near good enough.”
ME: Your body is scared that it won’t get enough food and so whilst food is available, it will get it in regardless. you can only seek comfort from other things as well as food when you’re eating unrestrictedly and you’re back to full health and vitality (your natural set point weight). you feel relaxed when eating because you’re meeting a survival need… fuel. learning to “relax” without food when you’re undereating is impossible bc your body is in a stress response. restriction is very traumatic to the body. “I would love to have some hot, more tasty food but my fear of doing this is that it would all be over too quickly (20 mins) and then that’s the pleasure all gone and nothing left to look forward to.” ME: What’s stopping you from following your body’s cravings here and eating more hot food AND then whatever else you want for pleasure? “I have even wondered whether I might have OCD and/or autistic traits because there are other things in the ritual that “have” to be just so…e.g. I have to be freshly showered before I eat (even if only had a shower 5 hours before and still clean), sit in same place on sofa, laptop at my side (usually reading about personal dev, ED, alcohol), same cold foods (chicken and stacks of different veggies/salad), cut up small in same place on the same plate.” ME: Potentially (did you have similar traits before the ED?) but this is ALL ED behavior. the cleanliness, control, “just so.” I had it too. Thank you for being here. If you’d like support, I’ve got you.
Victoria is a Certified Transformational Life Coach specializing in helping high-achieving women to heal their relationship with food & their body. She is a coach, mentor, speaker, and writer; working with women from all around the globe, speaking at worldwide events, and is a writer for Live Love And Eat Magazine. Victoria has lived with eating disorders and body hate for over 20 years. (she was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa in her early teens and then Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia in her early twenties). Through her own personal experiences, education, certification, and countless hours spent on personal development, she holds the skills, knowledge, and empathy to guide and support you to food freedom whilst building a loving relationship with yourself and your body. Victoria has profoundly helped many women around the world to transform their lives and she knows the importance and value of constantly investing in and improving herself to serve her clients powerfully. Her goal is to positively impact millions of women from all around the world. https://www.victoriakleinsman.com/ info@victoriakleinsman.com https://www.facebook.com/victoriakleinsman https://www.instagram.com/victoriakleinsman/ Podcast: https://anchor.fm/victoria-kleinsman “Victoria’s Secrets To Health & Happiness” on any podcast platform Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1g1H40rbSQ6Trmcha59kDg
WOMEN’S HISTORY IN PHYSICAL THERAPY Shoul d i t r eal l y be c al l ed a Kegel ?
Wr i t t e n By I ngr i d Har m- Er nandes
Women have been involved in the development of many treatment and exercise methods that help promote health as well as heal the body in natural ways. The physical therapy (PT) profession advocates and promotes good health through exercise, movement, and healthy living. It is a well-known first line of treatment in countries around the world. In honor of Women’s History Month in March, let’s explore how many women have shaped and progressed these fields over time. The field of PT has a “founding mother”. She was the pioneer of physical therapy in the United States. She initially worked on rehabilitating World War l survivors and in 1918 she became the first official reconstruction aide. She took on a leadership role and began training other women to become reconstruction aides. During the Polio epidemic, the need for reconstruction aides grew and she saw the need for the profession to move forward. She recognized the need for creating an organization, developing treatments based on a scientific basis, training more women, and raising the standards of practice. She helped establish the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association in 1921 and served as the first president. Today it is known as the American Physical Therapy Association, and approximately 70% of physical therapists in the United States are women.
Berta Bobath was born in Germany where she practiced professionally in the world of dance and gymnastics. She began working in a children’s hospital in 1941 and at that point started studying to become a PT. After becoming a physical therapist, she spent much of her career developing new and innovative approaches to treating spasticity in children with cerebral palsy and adults with hemiplegia. Her husband Karel, who was a pediatrician/surgeon, worked together with her on addressing neurological disabilities and developing problem-solving therapy approaches to improve patients’ lives. It is known as the Bobath concept today. “Muscle Testing and Function” is a book that every PT is very familiar with. An amazing woman named Florence Kendall wrote the book and established the basics for muscle testing and evaluation. She also played an important role in establishing the legality of PT practice in Maryland, and she served on President John F. Kennedy’s Council on Physical Fitness, where she helped to establish exercise standards for school-aged children. Enid Graham began training in both Europe and the United States and had a keen interest in developing physiotherapy programs in Canada. She devoted her life to establishing standards for ethics and practice in the Canadian physiotherapy profession. Graham was an integral player in persuading the Montreal Society to improve nationwide practice and educational standards. During WW II Graham helped create the Canadian Physiotherapy Association’s Military Affairs Committee. Women have played a huge role in the formation, progression, and development of the physical therapy profession as a whole. Physical therapy now has subspecialties in many fields since the initial formation of the profession over 100 years ago. One of those specialties is Women’s Health now known as Pelvic Health. Elizabeth Nobel was born and raised in Australia where she received degrees in physiotherapy, philosophy, and anthropology before she moved to the United States in 1973. In 1977, she founded the “Section on Obstetrics and Gynecology” under the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The name of the section was then changed to “Section on Women’s Health of the American Physical Therapy Association” and more recently the name of the section was changed to “Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy”. The name changes reflect the growth, inclusion, and treatment of many more aspects of pelvic health.
Elisabeth Bing is a German PT who is known for establishing a course in prepared childbirth education at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. In 1960 she co-founded the American Society of Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics. The numerous books that she has published on psychoprophylaxis have become the basis in childbirth education. She played an extremely important role in advocating for the Physical Therapist’s involvement in birth preparation in the United States. Improving care for both pregnant women and women during the post-partum and fourth-trimester phases is something that we continue to fight for today. The fourth trimester refers to a period that occurs not just for 6 weeks following birth (postpartum) but can continue for months and years later. This must be recognized by the medical community and the overall community so that pregnant women and women during the fourth trimester get the best quality care they need sooner. Another individual who made a big impact on the pelvic floor and pelvic health world was Margaret Morris. She was a wellknown British dancer who pursued an interest in breath and pelvic floor muscle training to control leakage during the 1930s. This was a few years before Dr. Kegel published his findings!! Margaret Morris along with Minnie Randel was the first to outline and publish the foundational work in her book “Maternity and Post-operative Exercises-In Diagrams and Words” in 1936, a full 12 years before Dr Kegel published his work.
In the book she described pelvic floor exercises and encouraged using them regularly-describing both contracting and relaxing the muscles!
She even advised doing them to Shubert’s Waltzes. A majority of Dr. Kegel’s “exercise regimens” were developed from her book. Yet, most individuals, even in the pelvic health space, do not recognize her name. Understand that Dr Kegel should be credited for studying pelvic floor exercises and promoting the use of them for improving pelvic health, but knowing that Margaret Morris developed them begs the question: Should we be calling them Kegels? Many women today continue to contribute to and progress the field of physical therapy in many ways. Specialty education has grown and board exams exist for each specialty. Pelvic Health board certification is one of the newer subspecialties and the first exam occurred in 2009. The specialty continues to grow covering many conditions including incontinence, prolapse, pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, constipation, pregnancy and fourth trimester care, lymphedema, prostatitis, post-surgical care, and more.
Advocacy for better care is a strong desire for many physical therapists no matter whether they are a specialist or if they are a generalist. Physical therapists, many as you can see were women, have fought to have physical therapy become the great profession it is today. These same individuals have fought to improve recognition of the field so more people can get better care earlier. Who knows what the next 100 years will bring! Ingrid Harm-Ernandes is a pelvic physical therapist. She was the Co-Director and a mentor for the Duke Women’s Health Physical Therapy Residency Program, a mentor for new pelvic PTs, and participated in PFDN research projects. She is board-certified in Women’s Health (WCS) and Pelvic floor Biofeedback and served on committees for both the APTA and AUGS. She enjoys presenting the importance of recognizing and assessing the pelvic musculoskeletal system. She published “Assessment of the Pelvic Floor and Associated Musculoskeletal System”, in the FPMRS journal in December 2021. In 2021 she published her book, “The Musculoskeletal Mystery: How to solve your pelvic floor symptoms”. She has been a guest on national and international podcasts and webinars and is “The Pelvic Detective on YouTube. Her goal is to provide individuals with the knowledge they need to get proper pelvic care and for everyone to realize that pelvic conditions are common but not normal. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingrid-harm-ernandes-5057773b/ https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.harmernandes.71/
Loving You Written By Jace Jacobs Spring is here. It's a time for new beginnings. It's a fresh start. As I say hello to Spring, I reflect on my journey. We are each on our own unique journey. Some will focus on scarcity and some will focus on abundance. Some will focus on hate, while others focus on love. It's an individual choice. I have no time for hate No matter what you sell I’ll either keep on loving you Or I’m going to wish you well There is no right or wrong in this journey of life. There are only lessons and experiences. As I point at you, three fingers are pointed back at me. I choose to focus on love and believe the best of you and me. The image in this article is a picture of my mother when she was young. Although she was a great mom she didn't stop to smell the roses for herself. She was always helping others first and in the end that didn't help her live a long and happy life. She passed away when I was a younger man. If I could go back in time, I would encourage her to spend some more time on self-love and personal development. What feels good to you is really important. It's your oxygen mask. When you think about it, if you don't put on your oxygen mask first you may not be in a position to help those you love. If you love someone wouldn't you want to be the best version of yourself and be there for them 100%? You need your oxygen mask.
So let’s keep on trucking Let’s flex some authenticity Haters will hate and lovers will love And I’ll keep on being me I wrote these rhymes with happiness in my heart. Hate doesn't work for me and at the same time it's okay if it works for you. I'm not here to change you. Love just feels so much better to me and I love feeling better each day. Cheers to loving you. Namaste Jace Jacobs Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need Nothing
Meet Jace Jacobs! Jace Jacobs is a Happy Mindset Poet, Performer, and Creator @ jacejacobs.com. Jace is an author and spoken word poetry performer. His Happy Mindset Poetry books are available on Amazon or via jacejacobs.com. Jace enjoys helping cool souls raise their vibrational state so they can experience more confidence and clarity in their life.Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need Nothing#HappyMindsetPoetryVisit the social media links below for video performances of spoken word rhyming happy mindset poetry. https://www.facebook.com/jacewjacobs/ https://www.youtube.com/jacejacobs https://www.instagram.com/jacejacobs https://twitter.com/jacejacobs
Lost Inquisition: Exploring the Effects of Compliance Over Curiosity Written By Jennifer Millard-Schmitz Early in my career as a therapist, I was living the DREAM. My path within a state system was a sure thing, and I was set for life. The struggle that other budding clinicians endured was not mine as I had found an employer that would not only supervise my hours for licensure but also give me a paycheck, benefits, and retirement. I jumped in the water with two feet, my whole body immersed in the pool of the state. I was one of the lucky ones and I drank the Kool-Aid. As the years passed, I found myself in the clinical field undergoing training in “gold standard” interventions. These interventions became the treatment plan, and I found myself adopting less of an individualized approach and more of a one-size-fits-all method of treatment. The relationship I had with the fancy diagnostic bible grew too intimate, and I gradually leaned toward "labeling" clients rather than LISTENING to them
Often, my inner inquisitive voice chimed in, reminding me that my clients are human beings, not mere algorithms; thus, adopting person-centered, holistic, and individualized approaches to therapy seemed logical. However, my emotionally gaslit mind would quickly suppress this inquiry, leading me down the perilous path of diagnosis(label)=treatment intervention=need met. It seemed only logical that for my patients to receive alcohol and drug treatment, they must first carry the label of an addiction diagnosis. After all, that was the protocol I had been trained to follow, so why bother questioning it? It became a routine: Wake up. Follow protocol. Rinse. Repeat. Consuming the metaphorical Kool-Aid hadn't resulted in physical demise, but my curiosity and spirit of inquiry had perished. The perils of blind compliance became apparent when the system failed. Patients weren't experiencing improvement. Those struggling with addiction continued to battle issues of mood, self-esteem, and trauma. Individuals undergoing interventions like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for trauma still resorted to maladaptive coping mechanisms such as addiction and self-harm. Even those receiving the gold standard of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, particularly those with severe personality disorders, persisted in sabotaging their relationships and causing harm, both to themselves and their loved ones. What was missing from this formula was the acknowledgment of individuality and the power of self-curiosity. The dream sold me a faulty product and I was not going to buy it any longer as my patients mattered. On numerous occasions I shifted my stifled perspective, urging clients to look beyond conventional labels and treatment interventions. I encouraged them to delve into their life stories, recognizing that these narratives could serve as interventions in their own right. I refrained from attributing issues solely to first-degree-relative correlations, neuroscience, or a single traumatic life event and instead probed into the complexities of their family systems. When clients hesitated to add medications to manage side effects of other medications, I explored holistic interventions with them.
My attempts at inquisitive innovation were met not by resistance from patients but from colleagues and supervisors. It seemed as though I had stumbled upon inconvenient truths that needed to be suppressed immediately to prevent the leakage of secrets. Despite my efforts to challenge the status quo and question the system, I found myself repeatedly shut down. The flame of curiosity began to flicker, and I found myself isolated in a world of compliance, disconnected from my own truth. The words of psychotherapist Daniel Mackler hit home: “...listening to bigshot psychiatrists and psychologists, I realized: Huh. What they’re saying often does not add up. And when I would ask critical questions…what I saw again and again was that they didn’t like it… It’s easy sometimes to close your eyes and not think…I think often this is the way of the world: curiosity is dangerous.” Had my curiosity become such a threat to the system that it needed to silence me? It was during my tenure as a supervisor that I found myself compelled to confront my curiosity once again, as I grappled with a new realm of state government-influenced challenges and decisions. The adage "leadership is lonely" took on a palpable reality. Each day, I pushed the boundaries, becoming the whistle-blower deemed dangerous to the establishment. The knowledge I acquired about the treatment of staff left me feeling nauseated, and decisions regarding patient care became even more dishearteningly formulaic than I had ever anticipated. The façade presented to the community began to overshadow the individuals being served. My clients' words rang true – they weren't seen as people but merely six-digit numbers. With my eyes wide open, I continued to question, only to be met with resistance, bullying, and isolation. The silver lining came when I followed the advice I gave to my clients, employees, and colleagues. I took a look inside myself and questioned everything. Assuming that all events in my life influence one another shifted from an idea to a mantra. Curiosity led to a lot of pain. My hardest truths? I came to realize that the Kool-Aid was slowly killing my mental and physical health, my relationships, and my family. It was also clear that even though I was taking on repeated battles with psychiatrists, psychologists, medical doctors, social workers, and administrators, I too had perpetuated gaslighting and was living a lie. Looking inward and pushing past the consequences of curiosity is the most free space one can sit in. I gained clarity on what and who mattered; the rest became white noise. It is the best of both worlds - ying to the yang, heads to the tails, and shake to the bake. What sits on the other side, is empowerment which I can proudly say - I am an expert in. Drinking the Kool-Aid didn’t end in demise - it led me to my TRUTH. Has compliance taken over curiosity in your life? What’s YOUR Truth? References Mackler, Daniel. The Dangers of Curiosity in the Mental Health Field and the Family System. Mad in America. 2024. www.madinamerica.com/2024/02/the-dangers-of-curiosity-in-the-mental-health-field-and-the-family-system/
Jenn Millard-Schmitz is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in Empowerment- the art of finding the authentic self and living beyond pain points that take away our power. With over a decade of experience, Jenn has been in the business of Making Things Happen. Jenn is an EMDR-trained Trauma Therapist and a Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist. In therapy, Jenn brings a holistic twist as a Nationally Certified NeuroHealth Coach, focusing on physical wellness, nutrition, and mindfulness. Jenn’s Candidly Unapologetic onair personality shines as the co-host of The Gaslit Truth Podcast and Sunny 97.7 “Morning Sun” radio show. Interested in connecting with Therapist Jenn? Instagram: @thegaslittruthpodcast @candidlyunapologeticjenn YouTube: @thegaslittruthpodcast Tiktok: @jenn.schmitz www.cardinalpointwi.com Facebook: @cardinalpointwi @thegaslittruthpodcast
How I used Whimsy and Pleasure to Expand My Emotional Keyboard Written By Sherry Parks
I’ve been in a mastermind group the last few months that’s primary focus is to help us learn to live our truth. To use our body, our emotions, and our thoughts to help us learn to live more fully into who we are and own the truth of that. During the kick-off weekend we were given a list of emotions that range from the super dark and low to the super light and high ones. There were more than 1500 words on the list. I’m sure the list is not all-inclusive. And, 1500 is a lot of different ways that a human being can feel. For the six months of the mastermind, we were given the assignment to partner with a quality each month. Three of the months are assigned qualities, and three months we get to choose a quality.During the month we are to explore our relationship to the quality. The assignment is to partner with it, to explore it, to notice it. This allows us to learn how to embrace our whole selves and create space for our most uncomfortable feelings, along with the good ones.
The first month the quality was chosen for us pleasure. I know I’m not alone in this, but my relationship with pleasure has been mostly ignored throughout my life. I think this stems from my strict Baptist upbringing - and the story I created for myself that “pleasure” was linked with sin. Sin leads to hell. So on and so forth. The fear of retribution led me to develop a shell around myself to ignore pleasure. And for sure it wasn’t something to revel in, talk about or seek out. That first month of the program was difficult. I felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall. Pleasure was not in my wheelhouse. When we got to the second month, we were allowed to choose our own quality to partner with. At first, I thought that I would partner with pleasure again. Maybe this time I’d conquer that tricky little quality. That just felt frustrating and painful. So, I turned to The Book of Qualities by J. Ruth Gendler. This is a book of short, wise, artistic representations of several qualities. While I didn’t resonate with her description of pleasure, there was one quality that really spoke to me and pulled me in. Whimsy.
The dictionary defines whimsy as: “Playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor; A whim; A thing that is fanciful or odd.” J. Ruth Gendler writes: “Whimsy is not afraid to be outrageous but she is basically shy. She has all kinds of books, and she arranges them on the shelves by the color of the cover or how the titles sound next to each other. She was especially pleased to put a book on African dyeing called Into Indigo next to a dark blue book on Jewish mysticism. Her clothes are also kept by color in the closet. When Whimsy was a little girl, she would stay in the museum with the marble walls talking to the statues after everyone else left. She has trouble keeping her shoelaces tied but in every other way she is as practical as your next door neighbor. Because she is wild, people expect her to entertain them. She is not encouraging anyone else to live like her.Remembering how abruptly her brother was locked up for being a troublemaker, she fears people who treat her like a curiosity. Freedom is her lover.” I realized that while most of this description doesn’t describe me, there were a few phrases that struck a chord inside me. “She is as practical as your next door neighbor” and “Freedom is her lover” are the two main ones.
I decided to partner with Whimsy. Let me tell you, it was so much easier than pleasure. I could relate to it. I could feel it inside me, like whimsy was a natural part of me that I’d never seen before. My whimsy came forward in things like: Making up songs to sing to the cats Dancing my way to the bathroom instead of just walking Laughing at myself I've also been choosing more whimsical actions. Things like: Taking a mid-day break to do yoga Eating popcorn for dinner Coloring in a coloring book Whimsy is fun! This concept of partnering with quality is designed to help us expand our range of emotions. This feels important to me because I feel like as a society, we aren’t taught how to express emotions. On top of that, it seems like we are encouraged to stay within a certain set of societal norms and anything outside that is taboo. If we can learn to notice what we are feeling, we can better regulate our nervous system. We can also expand our ability to hold emotions for ourselves and others. My coach describes it like notes on a piano. If we only stay within the range of middle c, then we are missing out on all those super high notes and those gorgeous low notes. And while as a society we dub certain qualities/emotions to be bad or good, the fact of the matter is – that they all have their place. Even qualities like greed, anxiety, blame, and panic are all important. We might see anxiety as something inside us that needs to be fixed, handled, or managed. In truth, anxiety is just a messenger. If we can sit with it, notice when it comes up, and recognize what anxiety is covering, we can let go of the stigma and be grateful for and learn from its message. And even for me, a quality like pleasure that feels foreign and “bad”, if I can learn to sit with it and allow myself to notice it, and seek it, then it starts to lose some of its wrongness for me. And that allows me to live life more fully. Noticing that I’m whimsical and allowing that to become more prominent in my life allows me to let go of what others might be “expecting” just a little bit. And that lets me live a more truthful life. How about you? Have you ever done an exploration like this? One where you explore both positive and negative emotions? If not, I encourage you to check it out. Your life and the lives of those around you will be expanded because of it.
Sherry Parks, CPA, is a Life & Money Mindset Coach who helps women escape feeling trapped by their finances. She is passionate about helping women change their mindset, emotions, and actions regarding money so that they learn to keep what they have and generate more. Check out her 5 Steps to a Better Money Story workbook or join her women-only Facebook group More Than Enough Money Sisterhood.
MAJOR TO
MARCH
HELP
US
TRANSITS
“SPRING”
FORWARD Written By Linda Watson
Just when we think that we can’t take the dreariness anymore, Mother Earth brings us hope and sunlight once again. We have some lovely transits to get us started, plus the first Lunar Eclipse of the year, and I will walk you through some of the Moon phases of March so that you can make the most of this time period. We begin the month with the Sun in sextile to Jupiter on March 1st. This is amazing energy to jump-start your vitality and elevate the lethargic mood you may be experiencing. This is probably the luckiest and most optimistic of all the transits. You will have a good week to take advantage of this transit. There is a window of opportunity here to expand the focus on yourself. A sextile aspect is one that brings out the best of both planets involved. It presents opportunities that we must act upon and initiate in order to take advantage of the gift offered to us. Therefore, my advice is to keep your eyes open during this time for any new opportunities, projects, or ways to align yourself with who you are today. Start to think about how you can create a lifestyle that is conducive to your natural talents, how you can contribute your talents to society, and be open to a new perspective about yourself.
On March 3rd, Venus is in the sign of Aquarius and is in a square to that sign’s ruler, Uranus. Even though we know that Venus represents love, partnerships, and beauty, this combination is not about those things in that sense. This is not the time for encouraging romance or forming new relationships. This is more about finding value in your independence. In fact, for these few days you should expect more tension and conflicts in your relationships. The key to this transition is awareness. It can actually be an exciting time to embrace emotional freedom and allow yourself some unconventional experiences. Mercury conjuncts Neptune in Pisces on March 8th. There is something almost magical about this connection. Everything feels heightened: your intuition, your imagination, your creativity. This could lead to some amazing possibilities if you allow yourself to go with it. It is the perfect time to experiment with some mystical or spiritual activities or anything that allows your mind to dream and create. Just make sure you do something to keep yourself grounded in reality as well.
On March 9th, Mercury leaves Pisces and moves into Aries where it will stay until May 14th. There’s that reality check. While Mercury is in Aries, your mind is going to move much more swiftly. You won’t feel like pondering anything. You will be focused on making decisions, and making them quickly, which is not always such a great thing; however, this can really work in your favor when there is no time for contemplating. Communication will be more direct and forthright, possibly coming off as a bit impatient or brusque. Your mind just wants to get straight to the point. This connection also provides us with more confidence. There will be no second-guessing yourself during this transit. Make sure to take advantage of this energy before Mercury retrogrades between April 1- and April 24.
At the same time, Mars – the planetary ruler of Aries, is making a square aspect with Uranus. This adds an element of rebellion to the mix. You are not going to want anyone or anything to restrain you from what you want to do. This is a challenging and dynamic energy. You will feel more determined than ever to pursue your goals and desires without any restrictions. To get through this transit which will last until March 17th, it may be a good idea to figure out how to channel all of this energy in a way that embraces freedom and uniqueness in a positive, adventurous, and open-minded way.
March 10th brings the New Moon in Pisces. We know that the Moon represents your emotional expression, how you nurture yourself and others, and your deepest and most private feelings. The New Moon is when we should formulate and meditate on the wish or goal to focus on for the next 4 weeks and reflect on what we would like to accomplish. You can begin to actively start working to manifest this within the next day or two. Because this New Moon is in the sign of Pisces, this would be a perfect time to begin spiritual or meditative practices, or anything involving the creative process since we will be able to benefit from the great imagination of this sign. Venus enters Pisces on March 11th. Venus is in an exalted state in the sign of Pisces, meaning that Venus feels very comfortable and welcome in this sign. In other words, the best qualities of Venus are enhanced by this exaltation. Exaltation represents the highest expression of a planet's energy, and that energy is expressed in a positive and harmonious manner. Venus will remain in this sign until April 4th, so take advantage of this transit by removing anything in your life that restricts love, compassion, and a connection to the divine part of yourself and others. There may be times you feel like you are overcome with emotions but try to keep one foot in the reality zone and lean on your intuition for guidance. Focusing on the practice of gratitude, meditation, and spiritual connection at this time is also very helpful.
On March 17th, the Sun will be in conjunction with Neptune in Pisces and the Moon will be in her 1st Quarter Phase. When the Sun is aligned with Neptune, this can have an amazing impact on your sense of spirituality, your inspiration, and creativity. This transit can open you up to all sorts of new possibilities. However, it can also make it more difficult for you to focus on daily routines and work schedules. During this time period, make sure to have a schedule that you can follow and create boundaries for yourself so that you don’t get lost in the weeds. If you have been interested in diving deeper into meditation practices, learning more about the metaphysical world, or even embracing a more visionary and creative part of yourself to share with others, now would be a good time to begin. The 1st Quarter Moon Phase brings an element of emotional tension or nervous energy with it. This is because the Sun and Moon are in a square aspect with one another, and it creates an internal need to resolve inner conflicts. But it also opens up a sense of independence and desire to begin something new using creative inspiration. Your inner self actually starts to question the intent of your consciousness. There is a readiness to move things up a notch. Something is usually triggered during this phase that demands action or attention.
On March 19th, we welcome the Spring Equinox as the Sun moves into Aries. As it is commonly known, the Spring Equinox marks the official arrival of spring, when the Sun crosses the equator, and the days and nights are equal in hours. The first day of spring each year is determined by the exact time that the Sun moves into the sign of Aries, which this year occurs at 11:06 pm (EDT).
This also represents the beginning of a new astrological year. Although January 1st is seen as the beginning of a new year, astrologically speaking it doesn’t occur until March.
This is an ideal time to think about what you want to accomplish or fine-tune during the coming year. It is about welcoming in a new cycle shedding the heaviness of the winter doldrums and embracing the energizing warmth of the Sun. We can open our hearts and create a positive nature simply by taking advantage of the longer days and warmer weather. It does wonders for your soul by just spending time outside, taking a walk in nature, planting your gardens for the summer harvest, dining alfresco, and planning more outdoor adventures. Make it a point to greet every morning with eagerness about what each day may bring. From March 22nd until April 30th, Mars will be in the sign of Pisces. Since Venus and Mars always work together as a team, Venus will let Mars know what she wants, and Mars will do his best to accomplish those wishes.
Pay close attention to your heart’s desire during this time. We know that Venus is in Pisces from March 11 – April 4th. Notice and observe how and where you take action and pursue your goals. How is your passion ignited? Both of these signs are moving through the sign of intuition and feeling, so you expect your motivations to be more about pursuing emotional or spiritual goals.
On March 25th, we formally enter Eclipse season. The first Lunar Eclipse of the year will be in the sign of Libra. This is the second eclipse on the Aries/Libra axis. The first occurred on April 20, 2023. There will be four additional eclipses remaining in this series starting with this Lunar Eclipse, then a Solar Eclipse occurring in April, another Solar Eclipse in October, and the last Solar Eclipse in this series to occur on March 29, 2025.
A Lunar Eclipse occurs only during a Full Moon when the Moon passes into the shadow of the Earth. The Sun, Earth, and the Moon are in perfect alignment with each other, with the Sun and Moon on opposite sides of the Earth. Eclipses often open up gateways in the part of our lives being triggered by the Full Moon and can signify the end of a particular phase in our life. Because this eclipse is on the Aries/Libra axis, there are lessons to be learned about finding a balance between yourself and your relationship with others. It teaches lessons about valuing your independence while keeping in mind your commitments to others. Since Aries is a very reactionary, passionate, and assertive sign, learning to pause and listen before reacting is very important. Include some of the Libra qualities of compromise, cooperation, and diplomacy in order to have more successful relationships and life experiences. The energy of a Full Moon and a Full Moon Eclipse is always that of a culmination or completion of whatever has been developing up to this point. It is an opportunity to let go of any emotional experiences that you have outgrown and to release the things that no longer serve you. It is important to remember that with every ending, there is an opportunity for a new beginning. I invite you to reflect back to the last Solar Eclipse in Libra on October 14, 2023. Here is where you may get clues about what is getting ready to climax or conclude. What was happening at that time in your life, especially regarding relationships or partnerships? Were you considering how to be more independent and autonomous, while still trying to consider others in your life and how your actions would affect them? What was happening overall on your personal journey? Reflecting on all that has transpired can help us discover the karmic path eclipses encourage us to explore.
Linda Watson is the owner and creator of Soul Guide Astrology providing birth chart and solar return (birthday/yearly) chart consultations. An astrology reading can provide you with a truer sense of who you are and what you need, helping you to navigate both challenges and opportunities and feel more empowered to live life to the fullest. She also offers coaching sessions in combination with what is learned in the birth or yearly charts to help guide you in developing realistic goals and life plans to get you moving toward your best life. Linda is a member of the American Federation of Astrologers and is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach. Schedule your consultation by visiting her website at www.soulguideastrology.com, or contacting her at Lindawatson519@gmail.com. You can find her on Instagram at @soulguideastrology
Written By Kim Klein
Before transitioning to life coaching, I worked as a health coach. The primary reason for this shift was my observation that, as a health coach, most women came to me mainly for weight loss rather than overall health improvement. I realized that weight loss and being healthy were not always synonymous. Through my experience with numerous clients, I noticed that the real challenge wasn't necessarily related to food or a lack of nutritional knowledge. Instead, it often came down to a low or lack of self-worth. This led me to pursue studies in life coaching so that I could work on this very important area in my clients' lives. I believe that when we love ourselves and feel worthy, and valuable, we tend to take better care of ourselves and make better life choices.
Now, I'd like to share what I consider to be four relatively unknown secrets about weight loss.
The first secret: a little something called Primary Food and Secondary Food: Primary foods, or nonfood sources of nourishment, are what really fuels us. Nutrition, the actual food we put in our mouths, is a secondary source of energy. Think about this, as children, we all lived on primary food. Imagine children playing outside with friends. At dinnertime, their mother calls to them, “Time to come in and eat!” “No Mommy, I’m not hungry yet,” they respond. At the table, they eat as fast as they can and reluctantly force down the minimum requirement, eager to get back outside and play. At the end of the day they return, exhausted and satisfied. They quickly fall asleep without thinking about food at all. Do you remember those days? Can you remember being deeply in love? Everything is light and warm, colors are vivid, and life is full of joy. You’re high off your lover’s presence, sustained and exhilarated by the blissful connection. You float on air, and food becomes secondary. Lovers thrive on the pure bliss and peace they are experiencing, while passionate entrepreneurs are fueled by their work. The excitement of daily life can feed us more completely than any food. Think back to a time when you were involved in an exciting work project. You believed in what you were doing wholeheartedly and felt confident and stimulated. Time stopped, and the outside world was muted – food was an afterthought. Now recall a time you were depressed or experiencing low self-esteem – you were starving for primary food. No matter how much you ate, you never felt satisfied. The need for love, power, or mere acknowledgment drove the desire for excess food. Primary food goes beyond the plate and nurtures us on a deeper level. Primary foods consist of things like our career, relationships, creative outlets, physical activity, spirituality, and our joy factor. The more are primary foods are fueled; the less we depend on secondary food. On the contrary, the more we fill ourselves with secondary food, the less space we leave for primary food – our true source of nourishment.
The Second secret: Diets don’t work, or all calories are not created equal. If you’re one of the 45 million Americans who plan to go on a diet this year, I’ve got one word of advice for you: Don’t. There are hundreds of them out there and, we are spending billions every year on weight-loss programs and products, and the number of choices available has multiplied in recent years, thanks to plans available online or via smartphone apps. And yes, you’ll likely lose weight in the short term, but your chance of keeping it off for five years or more is 5 percent. 97 percent of dieters regain everything they lost and then some within three years. The old calories in versus calories out is a very outdated way of thinking. We were taught to believe that we needed x number of calories to maintain, increase, or lose weight. And when we’re talking about losing weight, it could be any calories, as long as we didn’t exceed a certain number. So, if that was the case, we could have 1200 calories of Snicker bars, or whatever. It wouldn’t matter. The calorie itself mattered. But now we know that it is about the quality, not the quantity, of calories that can make or break you. A 300-calorie plate of kale is very different from 300 calories of chips or cookies. Packaged and processed food – even the stuff in the 100-calorie packs or the “healthy” frozen food aisle at the grocery store – are keeping you from losing weight and reaching your goals. I hate to burst your bubble, but that stuff is not healthy and it’s not helping you. Processed food is full of hormones, chemicals, additives, sugars, and other ingredients that are causing you all kinds of health problems besides just keeping us loaded with extra weight.
Your body is an amazing machine, and when you eat food, your body digests it and pulls the nutrients from the food to feed the cells in your body. If your cells aren’t getting everything they need, they will keep sending signals to your brain to eat more food. You can feel physically full but be nutritionally starved. It’s no different than fuel for your car, or any other piece of equipment that needs a certain source of fuel to work - fill the tank up with sugar, or sea water instead of gasoline, and you’re not going anywhere. Matter of fact, you’re causing the car damage. To lose weight or maintain the weight you’ve worked so hard to get off, you must be ready to make lasting lifestyle changes. If you continue to eat foods that are keeping you inflamed, not meeting your nutritional needs, or depriving you to the point where it’s all you can think about, you're setting yourself up for failure. So, stop dieting. Start making healthy choices. And in secret three, I’ll tell you one of the best and easiest ways to start making those choices.
The fourth and sometimes the toughest secret: Loving /liking/forgiving yourself and others
The third secret: Crowd Out instead of Cut Out Dieting doesn’t work, but what does work is adding better nutritious food to your diet, and thereby, naturally “crowding out” the foods that aren’t in your body’s best interest. If you start adding in one more green at dinner, like a large salad or a big serving of broccoli or spinach, a bowl of soup at lunch, or some protein in the morning, you will eventually find things changing that you hadn’t even anticipated. You will be fuller. Your cravings will lessen.
If you were asked to write a list of all the people you love, would you be on that list? We are most often our own worst enemies, the most critical, harsh, judgmental, and downright hateful. Why then, would we want to do anything nice for this horrible person? They don’t deserve to feel good, to look good, to have energy and a wonderful life. Right? But you do. We do. We all do. And this is a tough task, but the most important. We need to rethink the way we think about ourselves, we need to retrain the way we have been conditioned to believe. When we love ourselves and feel worthy, we will treat ourselves well. Remember that wherever you are in your life right now is ok, but it’s never too late or the wrong time to make a change for the better.
So instead of starting out on a diet, restricting your food intake, or completely cutting out the items you typically like to eat, start adding a healthy alternative to each meal. And make sure you eat it! If you put a large serving of broccoli on your dinner plate, next to some mashed potatoes and a lean piece of chicken, eat the broccoli first. You might find yourself fuller and not needing to finish the rest of those potatoes. Or if you’re having a bowl of pasta, first have a big salad. Start shopping in the outer isles of the grocery store. If you buy real, whole, foods (meaning foods that are not processed, they are one ingredient) you will not need to worry about calorie intake. Fill your plate with vegetables, enjoy a piece of fruit, and make a pot of beans. Eat all those good things first. And then go ahead, have something like a cookie occasionally. Because if you don’t, you’ll find yourself one night, crying, sitting on the bathroom floor, and eating an entire bag of Oreos!
Kim Klein is a Life Coach, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, and author. She is the founder of Kim Klein Life Coaching and Wabi-Sabi Women and is the author of Damn, the Pusherman ~ Sugar, The Legal Drug that is Keeping You Sick and Fat, and Nine Degrees North, a young adult fiction novel. https://kimkleincoaching.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/wabi sabiwomen https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberklei n/ kimberjklein@gmail.com
BENEFITS, SAFETY AND TIPS FOR EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY Written by Dr. Sarah Martinez, DPT
As a physical therapist in Reno who works with many pregnant patients, I often get asked about exercise during pregnancy. The most common questions patients ask are what exercises are safe to do, and what exercises should be doing to prepare for labor. Patients are also often misinformed that exercise can be harmful to their pregnancy when in fact it can be incredibly beneficial. So, let’s get into the benefits; what to watch out for; and how to stay mobile and active during your pregnancy.
Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy It is ideal to exercise four to five days a week for 20 to 30 minutes throughout your pregnancy. There are many benefits to exercising when you are pregnant. It improves blood pressure as well as overall strength and fitness levels. Exercise in pregnant women reduces chances of gestational diabetes or can help manage gestational diabetes if you have the condition. Back pain is also reduced with exercise, and that strength and mobility you gain through regular movement can help with delivery. Also, regular exercise helps keep the digestive tract healthy and prevents or eases any constipation issues. Every pregnancy is different and unique. Just because something works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for another. When you are pregnant is NOT the time to start training for a marathon if you haven’t been running prior. It is also not the best time to start getting into intense CrossFit or other programs if you had not been doing it prior to getting pregnant. Exercise can be wonderful during pregnancy but keep it realistic to you!
Top 3 Exercises for Pregnant Patients Clam Shells Named for the way your legs and hips resemble a clam shell when performing the movement, this exercise will strengthen your hips and thighs while also stabilizing your pelvic muscles and toning your glutes.
Squats You can vary the speed, depth or weight in a squat to make it challenging for you, but the most important part is keeping the form. Doing proper squats is an excellent way to build strength in your legs and glutes.
Bridges Bridges are a fantastic way to work your glutes and hamstrings. This video shows you several ways to do a bridge workout depending on the intensity and difficulty you want for your fitness level.
Common Misconceptions Exercise During Pregnancy
About
Unless you have a high-risk pregnancy, the likelihood of exercise hurting your growing baby is very low. High-risk pregnancies include conditions in Mom like cardiovascular or lung issues, preeclampsia, or high blood pressure. High-risk can also be any complications with the fetus that your OBGYN may have identified. If these issues are not present, then the risk of injuring yourself or your unborn baby while exercising is not worth the worry. In fact, exercise helps you to have a healthier body and therefore healthier pregnancy. Here are three of the most common misconceptions among healthy pregnant women when it comes to exercise: I have to back off my normal exercise routine. As long as you have a routine that works for you and you feel good doing it while pregnant, there is no need to “back off.” Listen to your body and if you feel good after a workout, keep doing it! If you get later in your pregnancy and fatigue easier or have aches in your back, then you can go lighter, but no need to preemptively change your workout routine. I can no longer run. Misinformation that running or higher impact exercises cause miscarriages is false. Especially if you are already a runner. If your body likes running and you feel good doing it, there is no need to stop because you are pregnant. I can’t lift heavy. Lifting heavy is not harmful to you or your baby. If you already lift weights, there is no reason to stop because you are pregnant. In fact, continuing to build those muscles keeps you strong and your core engaged, which helps with posture and can help you avoid lower back pain in that third trimester.
Safety While Pregnancy
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In general, low impact is a safe choice when pregnant, however, whether it’s the best choice depends on the person and how their pregnancy is developing. In a healthy pregnancy, if the patient is already very active, they are generally OK to continue with their workout routine (lifting, running, swimming, etc.), though may need to modify technique and form as their pregnancy progresses.
If you feel overly fatigued, have muscle soreness or strain lasting more than two to three days, or have pain beyond just soreness, you may have “overdone it.” If this happens, there are several things you can do to recover. If the pain and soreness are mild, then you will want to rest and ice the area. When you are feeling better, consider changing the workout to not be so strenuous. For example, change the amount of weight you are lifting or adjust the height and angle of the movement. If the discomfort is more moderate, then a prenatal massage may do wonders. You can also book a physical therapy appointment or see a prenatal chiropractor. All of these modalities can help more severe muscle or alignment issues. Make sure to schedule rest days into your workout routine. These can include a 20-to-30-minute walk, doing prenatal yoga, or getting a prenatal massage.
Reno physical therapist, Sarah Martinez, DPT specializes in working with prenatal women to prepare for delivery, and postpartum women to recover after childbirth. Her work in prenatal and postpartum physical therapy helps ease discomfort in pregnancy and aid in delivery, and helps moms rebuild their pelvic floor, recover from diastasis recti, or rehabilitate their hips and spine after baby comes. Read more about her here: https://battlebornhealth.com/sarah-martinez/
Embracing the Renewal of Spring: A Seasonal Guide to Health and Well-being Written By Bernadine Otto
As the world emerges from the cold embrace of winter, nature begins to awaken, and the air becomes infused with a sense of renewal. Spring is not only a time of blossoming flowers and warmer weather but also a season that can inspire us to rejuvenate our health and well-being. In this blog post, we will explore the various ways in which we can harness the energy of spring to enhance our physical and mental health. Revitalize Your Diet: Spring is synonymous with an abundance of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables. Take advantage of the season's offerings by incorporating a variety of nutrient-rich foods into your diet. Opt for leafy greens, berries, and citrus fruits, which are not only delicious but also packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Consider trying out new recipes that celebrate the flavors of spring and provide your body with the nourishment it needs. Outdoor Activities: With the weather becoming milder, spring is the perfect time to embrace outdoor activities. Whether it's hiking, cycling, or simply taking a leisurely stroll in the park, spending time outdoors can have numerous health benefits. Exposure to natural sunlight helps boost vitamin D levels, and physical activity contributes to improved cardiovascular health and mood enhancement. Spring Cleaning for Your Health: Use the energy of spring to declutter not only your physical space but also your mind. Engage in a thorough spring cleaning of your living environment, getting rid of unnecessary items and creating a more organized and uplifting space. This can have a positive impact on your mental well-being, reducing stress and promoting a sense of clarity and focus. Mindful Practices: Incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine to promote mental and emotional wellbeing. Whether it's meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga, taking time for self-reflection and relaxation can help alleviate stress and improve overall mental health. As nature renews itself in spring, use this season as a reminder to renew your commitment to self-care. Stay Hydrated: As temperatures rise, it's crucial to stay hydrated. Drinking an adequate amount of water is essential for overall health, as it helps maintain bodily functions, supports digestion, and keeps your skin radiant. Consider infusing your water with fresh fruits and herbs for a refreshing and flavorful twist. Connect with Nature: Take moments to appreciate the beauty of nature around you. Whether it's watching flowers bloom, listening to birdsong, or enjoying a sunset, connecting with nature can have a calming effect on the mind. This connection is vital for mental health and can provide a sense of grounding and peace. Spring is a season of renewal and growth, and by aligning our health practices with the energy of this vibrant time, we can foster positive changes in our lives. Embrace the opportunities that spring offers for revitalizing your diet, engaging in outdoor activities, practicing mindfulness, and connecting with nature. As you embark on this journey of health and well-being, let the spirit of spring inspire you to bloom into your best self. Bernadine Otto is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach & an EFT Practitioner and the Managing editor of The Live, Love, and Eat Magazine. She helps women to make peace with food, cravings, and emotional eating by using a technique called The EFT Tapping Method for Weight Loss and Cravings. She also works with women who are tired of dieting, and women who have a negative body image. My approach is not to focus on calories or the scale but to find the root cause so my clients can have the happy, healthy life that they deserve. https://www.bernadineisthebodyshrink.com/ https://www.liveloveandeatmagazine.com/ https://www.instagram.com/dienkie1
RECIPES
Judy’s Easy Tomato Soup 6 servings
25 minutes
INGREDIENTS 1 large onion chopped 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 can of crushed tomatoes - 28 oz. 2 TBSP of tomato paste 2 TBSP red cooking wine 1/4 cup of molasses 16 oz vegetable broth Water 1 TBSP Oregano
DIRECTIONS
S&P
Sauté the onion in EVOO. Add minced garlic. Sauté until medium soft. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, molasses, broth, oregano, s and p. Cook for 20 minutes. Add water, if needed, to the desired consistency. Optional: I like to add about 1 cup of cashew milk at the end to make it a bit creamy. You can also use almond milk or regular milk (or half and half). In my opinion, it is always soup season! Serve this soup with grilled cheese to make a perfect meal! Use organic ingredients when possible. All ingredients can be adjusted.
NOTES Enjoy with a loved one
Roasted Veggie Salad 6 servings
40 minutes
INGREDIENTS 2 large carrots, chopped 2 medium potatoes, chopped 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp rosemary 1 Cup of Beets 4 cups spinach dressing, optional
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450F and line baking. Place chopped carrots, Beets, and potatoes on paper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until tender, about 25-35 minutes (this will depend on the size of the pieces, so check after 25 mins). Place spinach in two bowls. Top with roasted vegetables, and sheet with parchment paper. drizzle with dressing if desired
NOTES Enjoy with your favorite new dish
Homemade Hummus 6 servings
20 minutes
INGREDIENTS 3 cups of cooked garbanzo beans or 2 cans ½ cup of sesame tahini ½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons of garlic powder 1 teaspoon of ground cumin Sea salt for taste ¼ cup bean cooking liquid or water
DIRECTIONS Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. You will want to taste the hummus to see if it needs more lemon, tahini garlic, or salt.
NOTES Hummus freezes very well
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!'” ― Robin Williams