APRIL 2014
LIVING WELL MAGAZINE™
K-CUPS —A WAKE UP CALL! 14 HABITS OF ULTRA-ORGANIZED PEOPLE “OVERDOIT-ITIS”
SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY: SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED?
LWM TRENDS
HEALTH + HOME + FOOD + WEALTH + STYLE = recycle: share this magazine
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A word from the editors and publishers:
Earth Day, April 22, 2014�means what exactly? I myself am not quite sure. I think that Earth Day comes and goes pretty much unnoticed for most, unless of course you have younger children participating in school driven Earth Day activities that forces you to participate. I also think that we still stereotype the person who enthusiastically plans and partakes in the celebration of Earth Day, somehow disassociating ourselves from them rather than joining in. Thus, the image that so many have painted of individuals who feel they have an almost spiritual connection to “Mother Earth”. But why? When Earth Day is a day that without hesitation should be acknowledged by everyone, everywhere. It is undeniable, that there has been a drastic change in climate all over the world. Just because many parts of the country experienced unusually cold temperatures this past winter along with an abundance of snow, does not mean that “Global Warming” does not exist. Quite the contrary, in some parts of the country while it has been colder than it should be it is warmer in other parts of the country where it should be colder. In Iceland, there is now so much “dark ice” caused by pollution that the ice can no longer reflect the sun’s rays, protecting it from melting in those areas. What happens when it is all “dark ice”? I may have used an example that is a little dramatic…but it is true. So this year, celebrate Earth Day by doing anything that is out of your normal routine, to give back and show your appreciation. The smallest gesture is better than doing nothing. This year don’t leave it to those who already know what to do, join them and take on the responsibility of the planet too, insuring that our Advertising Inquiries: children and our children’s child have the planet to enjoy for many years to come. Now if that’s not drama I don’t know what is…lol! Seriously, allow Brian Strauss -Publisher me to explain what precipitated my rant— my own ignorance. Brian and Sales@livingwellmagazine.net I have been married for over thirty years and it wasn’t until we launched 302-355-0929 LWM, dating back to February 2005 that we finally started to get a wakeup call, from our own publication. we began to understand the legitimacy behind the editorial content, that we were sharing, finally realizing that Lita Latham - Account Executive it was equally important for us to start implementing some of the new Lita@livingwellmagazine.net strategies that we had learned and shared ourselves. I can honestly say 302-750-0898 that since 2005, we have reduced our carbon footprint substantially and will continue to do so. We have made outdoor furniture using the pallets that the magazine is delivered on, we use the large sheets of cardboard Kristine Walker - Account Executive for separators as drop cloths or in the garden to hold down the weeds; we Kristine@livingwellmagazine.net Editors / Publishers recycle and compost everything. I am confident Diane and Brian 302-893-1921 that we have completely turned the eco-system in Strauss Associate Editor: our area upside down, feeding our leftover food to Michael Strauss Looking To Start Your Own Business? the raccoons, fox, deer, and squirrels. To date, we puppy love™ Creator Sean Strauss have rescued, neutered, and given 8 cats a good You could be a LIVING.WELL MAGAZINE Executive Assistant home, (actually 9 cats, thanks to Suzanne Eder who Nick E. Daum ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Resident Artist and Living Well Magazine is expanding into all was kind enough to give one of them a home), Creator of the reducing the homeless cat population in our area, areas of the country. Valentino caricature. and I am not sure I should say that we would Liam McWilliams Business Opportunities are available: Design and Graphics continue but we are running out of space, with 8 sales@livingwellmagazine.net Diane Strauss cats and two Great Danes. But if one should VOLUME 9 NUMBER 4 LIVING.WELL MAGAZINE wander our way…
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LIVING.WELL MAGAZINE is a monthly publication distributed regionally. All articles and advertisements are accepted in good faith. Living Well Magazine assumes no responsibility or liability for any claims, conditions, products, services, errors, and/or opinions expressed through articles and advertisements appearing in this publication. Please check with your primary health care provider before making any changes. Living Well Magazine welcomes your comments and suggestions. No part of LIVING WELL MAGAZINE™ may be reproduced in any form without permission and written consent. Copyright, All rights reserved. 2012 Various Trademarks Used By Permission Of Their Respective Owners
Enjoy this issue of LWM, filled with old contributors, new contributors and a great articles from The Huffington Post and Earth 911.
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(ISSN 2325-2448) published monthly by Savendale Media Group, 1519 Old Coach Road Newark, Delaware 19711 Phone:302-355-0929 Fax:302-454-1867 www.livingwellmagazine.net
Cover: by dcfine
�Brian and Diane Strauss April 2014
puppy love™ see page 10.
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Join us on
inside Green Tips & Tricks
Joyous Ecological Gardening by: Karen Verna Carlson 14 Habits Of Ultra-Organized People By Sarah Klein
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Baby Steps by: Suzanne Eder
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Back Surgery? Read This First! by: Dr. Scott Rosenthal
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When At The Point of Giving Up by: Joe White Ask The Vet by: Dr. Rose Dileva
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Hands on Health by: Ann Wilkinson P.T.M.S.
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Sexual Health and Healing: Can High Blood Pressure Cause Erectile Dysfunction? 34 with Dianna Palimere, PhD, LCSW Style Files: Jessica Jenkins by: dcfine
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Earth Talk: K-CUPS —A WAKE UP CALL!
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The prestigious Living Well Magazine Tried and True award is given only to products and companies that we have used and can honestly say they were great! If it has the LWM Tried and True Award on it, we are sure that you will too.
Earth Talk: Synthetic Biology: Should we be concerned? 13 Change the Brain Change the Pain by Ellyn Stanek Hutton BSN, RN
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“Overdoit-itis” by Danny Singles, PT, DPT, MA
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7 Fitness Tips to Start a Workout Routine By Alisa Rose
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The “Welcome To Summer” Gas Price Hikes… Are Nothing Compared To This By Aaron Styles 8
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Where’s Valentino?
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April 2014
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FYI
Shopping for replacement windows? A few tips to help you make the right decision. Efficiency Ratings:
Manufacturers mark their replacement windows with a U-factor, a measure of a window’s ability to conduct heat. The U-factor is the reverse of the R-value, which is a measure of insulating ability. The lower the U-factor or the higher the R-value, the better a window can keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter. The R-value may be better known to the general public, but manufacturers avoid listing it because it might seem less impressive. The R-value of the very best windows is about 2 or 3, equivalent to that of an uninsulated wall. The solar heat gain coefficient is shown as a fraction and indicates how much of the sunlight that hits a window makes it inside as heat. 1. If you live near a busy road or neighborhood double-paned/triple paned windows to help reduce noise transmission into your home. 2. If your home was constructed before 1978, make sure to hire an expert certified in lead safe renovations. Many homes built prior to 1978 had lead-based paint on the exterior and in the window cavities, 3. For hard-to-open window locations (such as above a kitchen sink) replace existing windows with a Garden window. This mini-greenhouse style features dual,fully-operational casement side windows that crank open to bring air and sunlight into the room. 4. Consider replacing older Single or Double Hung windows with easier-tooperate Casement or hopper windows. These crank-out windows are less stressful on aging backs and hands because they require no lifting action. 5. Make certain to purchase windows with sturdy, easy-to-operate locks to secure windows in the home. 6.
For ease of maintenance, order windows with vinyl frames.
7. If selecting Double Hung windows for your home, make certain to request those that have sash that tilt-in for ease of cleaning.
ART IS AFTER DARK: DR. SKETCHY’S April 11, 2014 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm ADULT PROGRAMS ART IS AFTER DARK Sketch models from Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School of Philadelphia clad in ’80s outfits using Fashion, Circus, Spectacle: Photographs by Scott Heiser as inspiration. Afterwards, check out other photographs in the Museum’s collection on an exciting gallery tour. Special Guest Models include America’s Next Top Model Finalist Cory Wade Hindorff and Philadelphia Burlesque royalty Kiki Berlin. Music by DJ John Burke. ABOUT ART IS AFTER DARK The Museum comes alive on select Friday nights! Each night is unique with live music, special performances, Studio activities, films, gallery games, tours, and more! Plus, stroll the galleries and enjoy a cash bar with snacks in the Thronson Café. Free for Members, $8 in advance or $10 at the door for Non-Members. Free for Members, $8 in advance or $10 at the door for Non-Members There’s more! Sign up for the popular Friday Evening Adult Workshops from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in the Museum’s Studio. Supplies, beer, wine, and light snacks provided. Pre-registration is required. Must be 21 participate. $30 Members, $35 Non-Members. For more information: visit delart.org or call 302.571.9590 6
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April 2014
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The “Welcome To Summer” Gas Price Hikes… Are Nothing Compared To This By Aaron Styles
ING
& DRINK
A
s summer approaches, we watch and wait with somewhat bated breath for the never-ending string of gas price hikes that will accompany that last day of school. And every year we are not disappointed or surprised as the oil companies, the state and the profiteers take another chunk of our well earned pay …just when we need it all the most. But, there is a bigger villain out there. A more cunning and wellhidden foe that makes big oil seem downright philanthropic… the bottled water industry. The images are everywhere, healthy, happy and fit people in nice sports gear clutching that ever-present bottle of water. Generated gently by nature, filtered over millions of years in a subterranean cave, and finally pumped into the most beautiful of receptacles, the plastic bottle. I can understand (but may not like the fact we still have to use it) that oil is a difficult product to bring to market. First you have to find it, drill for it, transport it, refine it, transport it again …all over the world, and then sell it to the consumer. And they manage to accomplish all that and sting us for a whopping $3-4 a gallon, … and we call them rogues. But for some of the bottled water peddlers, they don’t have to find it, don’t need to drill for it, in fact they don’t even have to transport it. We deliver it right to their door for less than a penny 8
a gallon, and all they have to do is turn on a tap. Yes, turn on a tap and charge us more than twice the price of gas… $7 a gallon for something that cost a penny. Well done! I wish I had bought stock in one of these companies when they first started. A large amount of bottled water is simply filtered tap waterand has no more spent a million years in a subterranean cave than I have. Lets not overlook, if it had, …then why once we put it in a plastic bottle does it magically require a use by date. Lest we forget, the municipal water authorities in the U.S have very stringent rules and regulations as to the quality of tap water. Is it perfect? …No, but what is. We can for a veryreasonable price purchase another wonderful invention. In fact it was invented millions of years ago in that same subterranean cave … a water filter. Put it on our tap and presto, clean water. Yes, if you really need to keep hold of milleniums number one security blanket …you can filter it into a bottle (a reusable one would be nice) The environment will thank you for this one little change, CocaCola and PepsiCo may not, but the rest of us and your wallet will. About the author: Aaron Styles A provocateur, and writer for more than 25 years, Aaron has simplified and humanized the complicated areas of politics, the environment and human interest issues. Skeptical by nature and anonymous by requirement, Aaron enjoys nothing more than getting the conversation started.
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Reprinted with permission from Aaron Styles and earth911.com April 2014
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V W
ALENTINO!
Caricature created by: Liam McWilliams
Enter: Where’s Valentino Contest Find Answers Here
APRIL 22, 2014
ow! There are thousands of readers who search for Valentino. He is hiding somewhere on the pages of each issue. The entries keep pouring in. We hope you have fun looking and will continue your quest to find Valentino. When you find him please email us at: info@livingwellmagazine.net [Please type “Valentino” on the subject line]. So here are the ANSWERS of Where’s Valentino! In February, Valentino decided to visit to First State Health and Wellness on page 19, After all the partying he needed an adjustment and noticed that First State Health and Wellness had earned a BBB torch award.
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In March, Valentino thought the house could use some new Window treatments, He called Red Star Decorating on P41 and they came to the house. Valentino knew that Calvin and Millie like to sleep in and didn’t want the morning sun to wake them up. — keep searching and entering the “Where’s Valentino!” Contest every month for your chance for some great LWM gifts, subscriptions, T-shirts, mugs,cookbooks,books, videos, etc. Or enter on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ LWMlivingwellmagazine Make sure you like the page first. Please remember to share our page with your friends! Have you checked out our Pinterest Page yet.. Check it out pinterest.com/livingwellmag Did you know that we also have an online version as well? This way if you favorite location is out, you do not have to miss an issue! Just go to www.livingwellmagazine.net and on the right side you will see a link to the most current issue. Prefer a print copy? Don’t want to have to look for it. Now you can buy a print subscription for yourself and your friends! LWM subscriptions makes a Mother’s Day gift! Only $24.00 per year and you can order it from our website livingwellmagazine.net Every month your friends will remember that you want them to Live Well too!
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April 2014
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K-CUPS —A WAKE UP CALL! K-Cups—those little one-serving coffee containers that allow people to brew one cup at a time in a specially designed Keurig brewing machine—are all the rage these days. Each K-Cup is made up of a plastic outer container with one cup’s worth of ground coffee and a small filter inside, capped off with a foil lid. They go into Keurig brewing machines which pierce the bottom of the K-Cup with a nozzle that then forces hot water through the coffee grounds and filter, and then out into the drinker’s cup. K-Cups and the Keurig brewers are convenient and require little to no clean-up while producing gourmet quality coffee for a fraction of the price that a retail coffee shop would charge. Environmentalists’ beef with the Keurig system is in the singleuse, non-recyclable nature of the packaging, given the implications for our waste stream. The individual parts of a K-Cup (plastic, paper and foil) could theoretically be recycled on their own, but the combination is too small and messy for recycling facilities to be able to sort. So our only choice is to throw the whole K-Cup pack, lock stock and barrel, into the garbage. Each pound of coffee consumed sends 50 K-Cups to the landfill. And with upwards of 17 million U.S. households and offices possessing Keurig brewers these days, billions of K-Cups are already ending up in landfills every year. Keurig Green Mountain, the company behind the K-Cup revolution, is on the case about the bad environmental reputation it is developing over the issue. As a first step, it launched its Grounds to Grow On program in 2011 whereby office customers can purchase K-Cup recovery bins and fill them up with spent K-Cups. When the boxes are full, they are shipped to Keurig’s disposal partner, which turns the used coffee grounds into compost and sends the rest out to be incinerated in a “waste-toenergy” power plant. Critics point out, though, that waste-toenergy is hardly green given the airborne pollutants released from 12
incinerator smokestacks and the fact that, in the words of Julie Craves of the Coffee & Conservation blog, recycling is the enemy of the never-ending stream of garbage needed to feed waste-toenergy facilities. In 2012, Keurig Green Mountain, realizing it still had a lot of work to do on sustainability matters, undertook a lifecycle assessment across its product lines—and set ambitious sustainability targets to achieve by 2020. Chief among them is to make all K-Cups 100 percent recyclable. Other goals include ensuring responsible sourcing for all its primary agricultural and manufactured products, reducing life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of its brewed beverages by 25 percent compared to the 2012 baseline, and achieving zero waste-to-landfills its manufacturing and distribution facilities. Those who love the Keurig system but are ready to forego the environmental guilt sooner than 2020 do have some options. Julie Craves reports that used K-Cups can actually be refilled with ground coffee and reused. An easier option might be buying a reusable K-Cup—most of them are made out of plastic with a stainless steel mesh filter. Still the best choice for the environment, however, might be getting the old traditional coffee pot out of storage and brewing up several cups at once—just like the old days.
CONTACTS: Keurig Green Mountain, www.keuriggreenmountain.com; Coffee & Conservation Blog, www.coffeehabitat.com.
EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www. emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com.
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April 2014
Synthetic Biology: Should we be concerned? “Synthetic biology” (or “synbio”) refers to the design and fabrication of novel biological parts, devices and systems that do not otherwise occur in nature. Many see it as an extreme version of genetic engineering (GE). But unlike GE, whereby genetic information with certain desirable traits is inserted from one organism into another, synbio uses computers and chemicals to create entirely new organisms. Proponents of synbio, which include familiar players such as Cargill, BP, Chevron and Du Pont, tout its potential benefits. According to the Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SYNBERC), a consortium of leading U.S. researchers in the field, some promising applications of synthetic biology include alternatives to rubber for tires, tumorseeking microbes for treating cancer, and photosynthetic energy systems. Other potential applications include using synbio to detect and remove environmental contaminants, monitor and respond to disease and develop new drugs and vaccines. While these and other applications may not be widely available for years, synthetic biology is already in use for creating food additives that will start to show up in products on grocery shelves later this year. Switzerland-based Evolva is using synthetic biology techniques to produce alternatives to resveratrol, stevia, saffron and vanilla. The company’s “synthetic vanillin” is slated to go into many foods as a cheaper and limitless version of real vanilla flavor. But many health advocates are outraged that such a product will be available to consumers without more research into potential dangers and without any warnings or labeling to let consumers know they are eating organisms designed and brought to life in a lab.
“This is the first major use of a synbio ingredient in food, and dozens of other flavors and food additives are in the pipeline, so synbio vanilla could set a dangerous precedent for synthetic genetically engineered ingredients to sneak into our food supply and be labeled as ‘natural,’” reports Friends of the Earth (FoE), a leading environmental group. “Synthetic biology vanillin poses several human health, environmental and economic concerns for consumers, food companies and other stakeholders.” For example, FoE worries that synbio vanilla (and eventually other synthetic biology additives) could exacerbate rainforest destruction while harming sustainable farmers and poor communities around the world. “Synbio vanilla…could displace the demand for the natural vanilla market,” reports FoE. “Without the natural vanilla market adding economic value to the rainforest in these regions, these last standing rainforests will not be protected from competing agricultural markets such as soy, palm oil and sugar.” Critics of synbio also worry that releasing synthetic life into the environment, whether done intentionally or accidentally, could have adverse effects on our ecosystems. Despite these risks, could the rewards of embracing synthetic biology be great? Could it help us deal with some of the tough issues of climate change, pollution and world hunger? Given that the genie is already out of the bottle, perhaps only time will tell.
CONTACTS: SYNBERC, www.synberc.org; FoE, www.foe.org; Evolva, www.evolva. com. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. www.livingwellmagazine.net
April 2014
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Change the Brain Change the Pain By Ellyn Stanek Hutton You wake up with the same throbbing headache, fuzzy thinking, and anxiety about the day ahead. Even though you try to be optimistic, you feel depressed and isolated. As you look in the mirror you apply your fake smile, pop a few Advil and head out the door. You can’t remember the last time you felt good. You are very tired. Nothing seems to help. Chronic pain is defined as pain that is persistent. Typical definitions define chronic pain in relation to acute pain. Acute pain is temporary usually lasting less then thirty days. Chronic pain lasts beyond this time period. According to a recent survey, the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) reports that more than 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain of varying degrees lasts beyond this time period. According to the AAPM (2012) at least 100 million adult Americans have common chronic pain conditions. Pain is a significant public health problem that costs society at least $560-$635 billion annually, which includes medical costs of pain care and economic costs of disability, loss of income and productivity (Institute of Medicine Report, 2011). Global Industry Analysis (GIA, 2012) predicts that the global market for pain management is to reach $60 billion by the year 2015, and $77 billion by the year 2017. An aging population worldwide, growing number of surgical procedures being performed, changing lifestyles, rising obesity, and increasing incidence of cancer are some of the factors driving growth in the pain management sector. GIA lists chronic pain conditions as:
present pain and suffering (McGonigle, 2009). Talk to anyone with chronic pain and your will find them anxious, waiting for the next pain episode to occur or get worse. The pain response becomes overprotective. The pain cycle disrupts relationships, leading to isolation, fear, and depression leading to more pain. Stress is a major part of chronic pain as both a consequence and cause of pain. Recent findings report that anger can trigger pain in the low back due to muscle tension. This finding demonstrates emotions may be just as likely to instigate an old injury as lifting a heavy barbell. On the other hand a forgiveness meditation has been shown to reduce chronic back pain (Carson as cited in McGonigal, 2009). Learning how to reduce stress is an important step in coping with pain (McGonigal, 2009). Yoga and Meditation The good news is that whatever has been learned by the brain in its response to pain, can be unlearned. According to McGonigle (2009) the best way to unlearn chronic stress and pain is to give the mind and body new healthier responses to practice. Yoga and meditation practices are the perfect antidotes to the pain response/stress cycle. These modalities teach you how to use your mind as a resource for healing instead of falling at the mercy of an unpredictable body. It helps transform chronic pain and stress response into long standing healing response of mind and body. It not only reduces the suffering but also gives the practitioner great strength, courage, and joy. Begin now to change your relationship with pain. Start slowly and minimally but start today. Perhaps schedule a daily breath practice, or join a yoga or meditation group. If you are unable to venture out, find on online option. You will see optimal changes that will become integral to a new way of thinking and your relationship with pain.
Cancer Related Back Neuropathic (the largest growing) Arthritis HIV Diabetic Neuropathy Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis (Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Report, January 10, 2011)
References:
Pain specialist and yoga teacher, Kellyn McGonigal Ph.D. explains that chronic pain does not follow the rules of acute pain. Acute pain begins with a real threat. When the threat is over the body heals and the pain goes away. In chronic pain, the relationship to pain and the threat is distorted. The brain interprets sensations as painful and out of proportion to any real threat. The mind and body in an attempt to protect you from future threats amplifies
Chronic Pain. (n.d.). American Academy of Pain Medicine: the Physician’s voice in pain medicine. http://www.painmed.org McGonigal, K. (2009). Yoga for pain relief: Simple practice to calm your mind and heal your chronic pain. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc. PR Web (2013). Pain Management: A Global Strategic Business Report.http://www. strategy.com/Pain_Management_Market_Report/asp
— continued on next page 14
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April 2014
The simplicity of breath awareness practice belies its strength and effectiveness. It can offer a quick remedy to the pain cycle. While the mind is naturally drawn to pain sensations, it can be encouraged to pay more attention to other sensations. Breath awareness can be soothing and restorative. With regular practice you will discover that the sensation of the breath offers a change of focus away from pain to the awareness of the breath. Breath with Spinal flex:
I wish you peace in your heart and freedom from all suffering.
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Christiana 302-918-6335 Hockessin 302-239-1600 Newark 302-454-1200 Rehoboth Beach 302-645-6681 Wilmington 302-654-4001
Ellyn Stanek Hutton BSN, RN is certified in Mind-Body Medicine, Holistic Nursing, Yoga and Massage Therapy. She is now conducting a yoga and meditation series for chronic pain and disease. Please contact her for more information at 302 383.5500 or www.wellnesswithinbe.com
April 2014
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Back Surgery? Read This First! By Dr. Scott E. Rosenthal
What do toddlers, laundry baskets and 56 cans of cat food have in common? Not sure? How about an untied shoe, an auto accident, work injury and your golf swing? I think you’re getting closer. All are common objects lifted or actions referred to by many of my patients as causes for the same debilitating symptom: Sciatica!
such as spinal stenosis (narrowing), pelvic muscular problems or tumors may also be considered. (Though, in the hundreds of patients with sciatica I have treated over two decades of practice, I have seen only two or that were caused by a tumor.) If you are also experiencing loss of bladder or bowel control, please seek medical care immediately. Sciatica is serious condition, so if you are suffering from symptoms, get it checked out. It is worth your attention! Over 250,000 people elect to have back surgery (lumbar microdiskectomy) to remove the portion of the offending tissue. This procedure can provide relief, but due to the risks, experts agree that it should be used as a last resort. With a direct annual cost of approximately $5 billion, or $25,000 per patient, consumers and health insurers would agree that any viable alternative not only makes sense, but can save serious dollars and cents!
The most common statement made by a patient suffering with sciatica (besides “OUCH!”) is, “I don’t want surgery!” New research now allows chiropractors to firmly state what has been known and seen for years: chiropractic helps many patients suffering with sciatica and they get better without surgery. Affecting nearly 4 percent of women and about 5 percent of men over the age of 30, sciatica is a set of symptoms that arises from compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve. Comprised of several nerve branches from the lower back and tailbone, the sciatic nerve is our longest and widest nerve and controls the back of the thigh, leg and foot. Patients with sciatic nerve problems often experience pain, numbness, burning, pins and needles and/or loss of normal muscular function. Some walk into the office while others have crawled! The sensations may rest in the buttock region, a single toe, or span the lower extremity. Sciatica is most commonly caused when a disk separating the bones of the lower back moves out of position or herniates. Picture an ice cream sandwich that is being bitten on one side with the frozen middle squishing out of the other side. The ice cream represents the disk and the cookies would be the bones. Once herniated, the disk can move into the space between the spinal bones where the delicate nerve exits. Symptoms may be localized or may travel to the lower extremities. Other less common causes 16
A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics compared chiropractic care to lumbar microdiskectomy surgery. Hearing the results would make any sciatic patient stand up straight – and run straight to the chiropractor. 60 percent of the patients who were considered surgical candidates improved EQUALLY with chiropractic care as those who received surgery. The research also found that the patients who eventually needed surgery had equal results, even when the surgery was delayed by undergoing chiropractic care first. The study’s authors concluded that chiropractic care should be considered as a first line of care for herniated lumbar discs that cause sciatica. With the effectiveness, low cost and safety of chiropractic, why are so many people still undergoing surgery? A recent study looking at nearly 2,000 state workers from Washington State over a three year period found an answer. It’s not about why or what, but where you go first! 43% of workers who saw a surgeon first— got surgery
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1.5% of workers with the same condition who saw a chiropractor first —got surgery Modern chiropractic technique provides care that is more comfortable than ever. Besides the decrease in stress and anxiety by avoiding surgery, the cost-savings with chiropractic is substantial. It is believed that if chiropractic is utilized first, it will save nearly three billion dollars each year. Presently, chiropractic is covered by nearly all insurance plans, including Medicare. Although most plans allow the patient to go directly to the doctor of chiropractic without referral, most chiropractors are happy to communicate and coordinate care with your primary care physician.
• Buttock or leg pain that is worse when sitting • Weakness, numbness and/or difficulty moving the leg or foot • Symptoms are typically one-sided • Difficulty standing up and/or walking due to shooting pains
Next time you swing your driver and feel a sharp pain shoot down your leg, get your child out of the car seat and feel an electrical twinge, or just notice the symptoms slowly creeping their way into your life, rest assured that non-surgical solutions are available. Call the chiropractor and get back to your healthy life again. Research shows that you have nothing to lose by trying it first and everything to gain (except you won’t be able to blame your poor golf performance on your sciatica anymore!).
References: J Manip Physiol Ther 33:576 (2010). www.chiroeco.com/news/chiropractic-news.php?id=11219 Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2013 May 15;38(11):953-64.
Dr. Scott E. Rosenthal is a second-generation Doctor of Chiropractic and a past president of the Delaware Chiropractic Society. His undergraduate degree is in Nutrition and he is a Certified Yoga Teacher. In his Wilmington practice, he offers the cutting-edge Koren Specific Technique (KST) as well as other contemporary and traditional approaches. KST comfortably integrates gentle adjustments of the spine, cranial bones, TMJ, arms and legs (including the wrists and feet). Dr. Rosenthal specializes in pain relief, auto or work injury recovery and natural ways to boost whole body wellness. To contact Dr. Rosenthal please visit rosenthalchiropractic.com or 302-999-0633.
Common Symptoms of Sciatica: • Pain that often starts in the lower back and radiates into your buttock, thigh and leg • Burning or tingling down the leg
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Joyous Ecological Gardening Cleaning up garden and yard after such a wearying winter I’ve aspired to liberate my attitude from dreading the continued drudgery of arduous labor. Even though more birdsong fills the air, more solar heat warms my bones, and more daylight lengthens outdoor opportunities, I’ve had to work at refreshing my attitude. “IT’S SPRING!” was not a powerful enough mantra to offset my dread of more extremely hard work—sawing off dangerously cracked branches, dragging away tarps loaded with debris, and always heavy-duty raking. Spring clean up hardly feels different than shoveling snow, scraping ice and wrestling fallen tree limbs off walks and driveways. A simple paradigm shift has now resolved the debilitating effects burdening my work weary body and mind. Find how to Serve I strengthened my focus on being a helpful steward for Nature’s healing. “Seek and find how to serve; doing that brings happiness,” said Albert Schweitzer. Nature needs support to foster a healthy ecosystem from a network of healthy ecosystems. Intricate survival systems of potable water, living soil, diverse vegetation, mobile organisms consisting of a few cells or 60 trillion—all are suffering. Our yards and roadways and rivers and forests have lost balance casting all systems awobble.
By Karen Verna Carlson, N.D., Ph.D.(Hon.)
Doing what You Love So I look for opportunities to demonstrate better stewardship. I look a little closer at water run-off and speculate some landscape adjustments. I spot seedling invasives like multifloa rose and dig them out. I study the mossy carpet thriving under a 40-foot maple. I recognize small sprouts of native plants heralding their return to serve as food and shelter for a myriad of wildlife and soil microorganisms. Something that I love doing completely engages me. I discover I’m not really working that hard after all. Ask ‘How’ Questions One technique for paradigm shifting is to ask questions that begin with “How.” How can I move towards enjoyment and gratitude in ways that I respect myself? How can I get this work done and feel cheerful about it? How can I get help? Instead of harboring a negative attitude that I’ve got such a small piece of cake, I ask, “How can I have this cake and eat it?” All kinds of possibilities open up, such as eat only half—on a big scoop of ice cream, or after a big bowl of breakfast oatmeal, or with a friend, which doubles the joy. Another idea would be to eat it all then get the recipe and bake a cake for somebody special (like yourself). — continued on next page
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Read for Inspiration Literature has often helped me shift my paradigm of the moment. This search for attitudinal relief uncovered a sheaf of notes I wrote during a power point presentation by the Delaware County, PA Master Gardeners Fall Fest September 24, 2011. “Ache…” was just one-third of a line out of 20 lines. The remaining 19 and two-thirds lines gave me paradigmshifting power.
ere’s another paradigm shifter just mailed to me by cousin H Mary who found it in an early scrapbook made by her mother, my special and only aunt who died a year ago. Its source is unknown, but I’m guessing she had it for five or six decades.
How to be a Gardener Green Secrets of Master Gardeners Lean towards sunshine Dig down deep Make peace with chaos Grow amazing zucchinis & too many tomatoes Raindance Rake leaves and jump in Hum along with bees Ache, sweat and yearn Wear crazy hats and baggy pants Have wise hands Cultivate patience Stay rooted Blossom wildly Have shady and mysterious corners Mend fences Wonder Get earthy Make magic Share the harvest Be thankful Karen Verna Carlson, N.D., Ph.D. (Hon.) is a naturopathic physician and professor credited with “the first major breakthrough in Swedish Massage—research demonstrating energetic interconnections”—since Peter Ling systemized it in the early 19th century. After 35 years running her own nationally accredited school of holistic healing and massage she has retired to provide a new kind of holistic care for individuals and families. In addition to her specialties of healing massage and bodywork, she provides sensitive, time- and cost-effective services that include child-, pet- and elder-care, green housecleaning and auto detailing, decluttering and reorganizing, garden care, and academic tutoring for elementary, middle and high school students. She has received international recognition for holistic healing and educational work, an honorary degree, silver medal, and Who’s Who listing. She’s appeared on TV and radio and has been featured in professional publications and mass media. kvc@livingwellmagazine.net Phone (302) 777-3964 www.livingwellmagazine.net
The Garden Plant three rows of peas: Peace of mind, Peace of heart, Peace of soul Plant four rows of squash: Squash gossip, Squash indifference, Squash waste, Squash prejudice Plant five rows of lettuce: Lettuce be faithful, Lettuce be kind, Lettuce be honest, Lettuce laugh, Lettuce really love one another No garden without turnips: Turn up for meetings, Turn up for service, Turn up for fun, Turn up to help one another Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow. To conclude our garden we must have Thyme: Thyme for God, Thyme for study, Thyme for rest
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“Overdoit-itis”
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What if the epic training montage from Rocky IV (YouTube it if you haven’t seen it) were real life? While we can’t all have a song like Hearts on Fire as our personal soundtrack or own an American Flag robe like Apollo Creed’s, we can still take some lessons from Rocky’s training.
Let’s pretend for a minute that this montage is actually a single exercise session. In the aforementioned film clip, Rocky and Ivan Drago are shown performing interval training involving resistance exercise intermixed with bouts of high intensity cardio. This type of high intensity interval training (HIIT) is extremely popular at the moment. It involves furious bouts of intense exercise followed by bouts of rest or lower intensity exercise for a short 20-30 min workout. It advertises more “bang” for the proverbial “buck.” Programs like T25, P90x, Crossfit, Insanity, the Grit Series, etc. promise less time and more results.
There are some distinct advantages to this type of workout. Here are a few of the commonly cited benefits to HIIT: •
It strengthens your heart
•
It builds muscle and burns fat
•
It improves metabolism
• It can be done without much equipment •
It can be done almost anywhere
•
It is relatively time efficient
• It can be done alone or in a group setting Perhaps most important of all, HIIT can also be a fun and social way to exercise (say goodbye to the lonely and mindnumbingly boring 60 minutes on that hamster wheel you call a treadmill). The
fun and fast-paced qualities cannot be ignored. Whatever gets people unplugged from their devices and plugged into getting moving, getting healthier, and getting fit must surely be a good thing, right? Just like with most things, there are some caveats. The training paradigm used in some of these workouts values completion of the workout above all else. Mix that with some healthy competition and add a dash of peer pressure from the instructor or your friends cheering you on and you’ve got an atmosphere where it is “go hard or go home.” Minus the actual fighting, it’s sort of like a real life version of Fight Club in your local gym or living room. Imagine being peer pressured to see if you can best your previous workout record while ignoring your body’s physical limitations. It’s exciting and it will push you, but is it safe? In this push to work past physical boundaries and ignore fatigue, improper form and poor movement execution can occur. This is sometimes necessary on the athletic field or in other unique situations (ex: being chased by a pack of feral dogs). Unfortunately, it also opens the door to significant musculoskeletal injury, such as sprains, strains, overuse injuries, or traumatic injuries such as tears, ruptures, or fractures. HIIT can also cause some other serious problems. For example, cardiovascular issues, overtraining, stress incontinence, and rhabdomyolysis (among others) have also been shown to occur with improperly supervised or performed HIIT. Rhabdo is particularly alarming – it can result in dead muscle cells flooding the bloodstream and overwhelming kidney function causing a massive shutdown and even death. While the above injuries are not common, I do see a constant stream of injuries from these types of HIIT programs at my clinic – HIIT aficionados are quickly becoming even more ubiquitous than runners in my www.livingwellmagazine.net
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clinic. While I like the job security, I don’t like people getting hurt. Fortunately, other than some wrist fractures and some shoulder dislocations, I have yet to work with a significant number of people who were seriously injured doing these HIIT routines beyond the normal overuse injuries. One of my PT mentors often advises me to think simpler when confronted with patient exercise progression. His advice is sound and essentially boils down to the following statement; master the basics. Then, and only then, is it safe and appropriate to move on to the next step. Due to its high level of multi-joint, three dimensional, and plyometric movements that can be coupled with heavy force production, HIIT can involve significant complexity. It should safely be progressed into as part of a general fitness routine once exercise-appropriate basic skills are mastered. Correctly utilized HIIT can function well within a workout routine. It can help provide variety and safely challenge our cardiovascular and neuromuscular systems. A properly instructed and supervised HIIT program that respects individual fitness levels can work well in conjunction with traditional resistance and cardiovascular exercise. — continued on next page
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It can greatly improve many of the things listed above when it is coupled with an understanding of proper form, proper workout variety, and proper amounts of rest and recovery. Just like with any exercise program, consultation with a doctor, physical therapist, or qualified health professional is always advised before starting any HIIT. Talking with a Physical Therapist can also help you before you begin. Most of the patients I see that are injured from HIIT have a condition I like to call “Overdoit-itis.” They overdo it with HIIT or with a similar exercise activity that in small amounts would otherwise be appropriately challenging. In an everyday or even multiple days per week frequency, it simply becomes too much for their body to handle. Sure enough, like drops of water in a bucket, eventually the bucket overflows and suddenly they are hurt. I hear it all the time: “I’ve been doing this for 3 months with no problem – why am I hurt now?” Stress and microtrauma are cumulative in the body, compound that with poor exercise form and complex high intensity exercise and you have a recipe for disaster. Subsequently, complete HIIT workouts are not an everyday thing or even a multiple days per week thing and should be employed sparingly; the body will break down without adequate rest and recovery (sleep, hydration, food, active rest, deep tissue mobilization, stretching, etc.). Damaged muscles and tissues rebuild and renew on rest and recovery days; don’t skip them! A good Physical Therapist will not only address your injury, but also the cause of the injury. Far from providing a Shakespeare-style verbal scolding (“I bite my thumb at you!”), a Physical Therapist will address this issue by educating you. This education might include what exercises are contributory to current or potential injuries, how they can be modified and performed safely, appropriate levels of participation for your current fitness level, safe recovery or rest activities, and how to safely incorporate HIIT into your existing exercise or fitness routine. If you want, you can even rock out to Hearts on Fire or Eye of the Tiger while you are doing it. Properly performed HIIT can be a great way to get fit, stay fit, and keep you moving while adding some engaging variety to your routine. Just don’t overdo it.
Sources: Bergeron, M.F. (2011). Consortium for Health and Military Performance and American College of Sports Medicine Consensus Paper on Extreme Conditioning Programs in Military Personnel. The American College of Sports Medicine, 10(6), 383-389. doi: 1537-890X/1006/383Y389 Danny Singles, PT, DPT, MA Danny is a sports physical therapist who specializes in manual therapy. His clinical interests include injury prevention, working with sports and orthopedic injuries, pre and post surgical rehab, and working with the pediatric patient population. He attended the University of Delaware for his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Currently, he works full time as an outpatient sports therapist and provides educational outreach through lectures at local schools and fitness centers. He can be reached at Elite PT in Hockessin, DE at: (302-234-1030) or emailed directly at: dsingles@elitept.com. He can also be followed on Twitter (@ MoveEqualsLife) for current updates about health and wellness. 22
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I realize that “Peeps” are not necessarily the healthiest food on the planet, but don’t confuse Living.Well with never Living! I know they contain food coloring and plenty of sugar and maybe a couple of other ingredients you may not choose to eat on a regular basis, but unless you have been told to eliminate these items from your diet altogether, I think we will all survive the indulgence of a few “Peeps”. After all Easter is about spending time with the...Peeps. The peeps we are related to and the ones that we can’t resist, marshmallow “Peeps”. Now, just in time for Easter, the company that has brought us those infamous marshmallow chicks for years introduces some new members of the “Peeps” family. Four yummy marshmallow Peeps only have around 110 to about 140 calories, these of course minus the varieties without added chocolate or sprinkles, but even those remain relatively low in calories. So enjoy the holiday with your “Peeps”! New varieties include chocolate mousse, Peepster’s, are chocolate covered marshmallows, Party Cake, Rainbow Pops, and Sugar Free to name a few. Available: Everywhere!
Keep Your Brain Alive 83 Neurobic Exercises to Help Prevent Memory Loss and Increase Mental Fitness By: Lawrence C. Katz, Ph.D., was the James B. Duke Professor of Neurobiology at Duke University Medical Center. His research focused on brain development. and Manning Rubin is the author of 60 Ways to Reduce Stress in 60 Seconds and the former Senior Creative Supervisor at K2 Design in New York City. He lives in New York. Forward by: Gary Small, M.D., is the author of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program and the New York Times bestseller The Memory Bible. The book is based on leading neurobiological research, introducing a regimen of mental cross-training—a series of deceptively simple exercises that help stimulate the production of natural growth factors called neurotrophins, which in turn grow brain cells and keep the brain younger and stronger.
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Clothing & Accessories with a Conscience
shopbydesign The Caliber Collection (Newark (not DE) The oval shape of the bracelet mimics the trigger cage of a gun and serves as a reminder of the destruction that is caused when the trigger of a gun is pulled. Each series carries a serial number that corresponds with one of the guns that were taken off the streets of Newark by the Police Department. The side of the bracelet is hand hammered to symbolize the hard work required, not only of the police, but of each individual, in the fight to get illegal guns off the streets of their community. The pieces are handmade, no two are exactly alike. jewelryforacause.net
Men’s Earthkeepers® 2-Eye Boat Shoe About Earthkeepers® Footwear: Earthkeepers® footwear is designed and manufactured with our commitment to the environment in mind, using recycled and eco-conscious materials whenever possible. Earthkeepers® footwear offerings best represent our environmental values in action. Silver-Rated Tannery One or more major components in this item use at least 50% leather tanned in a facility rated Silver or higher by a thirdparty environmental audit. The Leather Working Group judges and classifies tanneries based on energy use, waste production and water treatment. Timberland 26
Peasant Blouse Blouse done in an airy, woven organic cotton fabric. Buttons and embroidery at top, inset lace trim, and 3/4-length sleeves with elasticized cuffs. Smocking at hem. H&M Recycled Purse One of a kind eco handbag made from repurposed clothing. www.etsy.com Seller: Sisoi
These special edition tees were made for ONE's volunteers to wear at this year's U2 360 Degrees Tour. The tees are made of 100% organic African cotton and were made in Uganda or Tanzania. Shirts are available in both men's and women's sizes. Net proceeds go to support ONE’s advocacy and campaigning. one.org
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14 Habits Of Ultra-Organized People By Sarah Klein
They’re the people who just love to check things off a list. Their idea of heaven is The Container Store. And they sure know their way around a spreadsheet. They’re the ultra-organized, and to those who prefer things a little less tidy, their ways are mysterious. But they’re also onto something. More than 80 percent of people polled in a 2010 survey said being organized improved their work performance. Being organized may lead to feeling more in control and having more mental energy. Not to mention, who really needs the stress of misplacing the car keys one more time? The good news is that anyone can be (or at least become) an organized person. “There really is no organizing ‘gene,’” says Annette Reyman, president of the greater Philadelphia chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers and CEO of All Right Organizing and All Right Moves, professional organizing and unpacking companies, respectfully. “With some people it comes more naturally, [but] it absolutely can be learned.” While of course, every individual, organized or not, will act differently in different situations, there are some patterns among the highly organized.
As originally published on The Huffington Post by Sarah Klein Senior Editor, Health & Fitness The Huffington Post used with permission.
Here are 14 common habits. Organized people are goal-oriented. Most organized people aren’t keeping everything in order just for their own amusement -- they’re doing it for a reason, says Reyman. Maybe your organized neighbors love to host guests at their home, she says. They’re going to set things up around their house that make it an easy and comfortable environment for new people -- and they’ll work to keep it that way. “They can easily let go of things that are not connected to those goals,” she says, “whether that be stuff or time commitments.” They’re optimistic. Reyman says she’s observed that organized people tend to be more positive, at least anecdotally. “They have a can-do attitude,” she says, “even if they’re moving forward an inch and not a foot at a time.” Frequently, she explains, disorganized people will decide to consult a professional organizer after something has occurred in their lives that inspires them to be more positive. They reach out for help, saying, “I’m ready to go forward,” she says. They’re conscientious. In what’s known as the Five-Factor Model, personality — continued on next page
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is evaluated along five major spectrums, one of which is conscientiousness, says David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA, the assistant executive director for the American Psychological Association’s Center for Organizational Excellence. A person who scores high in conscientiousness is likely to be efficient, achievement-oriented and self-disciplined, and to show a preference for planned activities over spontaneous ones, he says. While you’re not necessarily one or the other -- this is a spectrum, remember -- organized people tend to score higher in this trait. They may not always be open to new ideas. While we tend to think that being organized and tidy is a good thing -- and it certainly helps people be productive and efficient -- there’s also a downside, potentially,” says Ballard. A 2013 study suggested that working in a messier office environment sparks more creative ideas than working in a more orderly space. “Sometimes there’s an upside to being in a little more chaotic environment,” he says. “You don’t want total chaos, but you also don’t want to restrict your thinking.” They’re decision makers. In general, organized people can say, ‘This is good enough,’ and then move forward,” says Reyman. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, and we don’t have to rehash it 10,000 different ways.” Organized people consider their options, choose one and stick to it, without looking back with regret on the paths not taken, she says. The decision-making process hinges on an organized person’s ability to prioritize, keeping their big-picture goals in mind, says Ballard. Organized people decide what is most important to do immediately, and what is still important but doesn’t need to interrupt their flow.
They let go of perfectionism. It follows then, that not everything has to be perfect: Sometimes good enough is good enough. In fact, many perfectionists are actually incredibly disorganized, says Reyman. “They concentrate on all the fine details and end up becoming immobilized by [them],” she says. The final 20 percent in a push to make something perfect “takes a disproportionate amount of time and energy and resources and may not produce the equivalent value,” says Ballard. “Being good but not necessarily having to be perfect is a balance that varies person to person.” They capture, calendar and contain. Reyman came up with this alliterative list to sum up the listmaking tendencies of organized people. “Organized people capture everything,” she says, from events to ideas to requests from others, and it’s usually done in a list. If it’s a recurring event or something with a certain deadline, they are likely to do their capturing on a calendar. And they arm themselves with the appropriate physical containers to make physical items easy to capture, she says. “[Organized people] won’t throw a bunch of something into one big empty basket,” she says. “It’s going to be a system where, when you have to go back to it, it’s easily accessible.” They check in with their lists. Organized people “are really in touch with their commitments,” says Reyman. And there’s big payoff: “We spend a lot of mental energy trying to keep track of all the things we need to remember,” Ballard says. Putting them on paper frees up some of that mental energy, he says, so much so that people who have trouble sleeping may get better rest simply by writing down those to-dos. Just don’t let the list itself stress you out, he says. Keep it to a few manageable tasks for each day and one longerterm project you’ll work toward so it doesn’t overwhelm you. — continued on next page
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They have a do-it-now attitude.
it’s in the office or with family or just quiet time alone.
When an organized person walks in the door after work, she hangs her coat up immediately rather than throwing it on the back of a chair, says Reyman. “They know there would be five coats on the chair later, and they might say they’re too lazy to do that work later, while disorganized people might say they’re too lazy to do the work now.” If a task takes fewer than five minutes, an organized person is likely to just get it out of the way, she says.
They know when they do their best work.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t put things off until later, she says, their procrastination just happens in a slightly less time-wasting fashion. “Sometimes something will move from this week’s list to next week’s list, but it doesn’t stay on there for long,” says Reyman. “[Organized people] like to check things off.” They prepare.
You’ve probably known at least one ultra-organized person who you’d say was extraordinarily well-versed in the skills of time management. But Ballard says there should be a greater appreciation of energy management. Organized people know to do particular tasks at specific points throughout the day that are best-suited to the energy level needed for the task. For example, he says, if a project requires your clearest thinking and most creative ideas, you wouldn’t save that for the middle of your afternoon slump. Organized people are keenly aware of “where their head is throughout the day,” he says. An organized person will charge through a challenging to-do list item at the natural high-energy point in his or her day. “Don’t try to accomplish critical tasks at that time of a lull,” Ballard says. They de-stress.
Organized people like to be ready for anything. It doesn’t mean they’ve necessarily finished that work presentation three weeks before it’s due, says Reyman. “It’s just knowing how much time they have and leaving enough time to do it,” she says. Every individual will have his or her own style of meeting deadlines, she says, but organized people are likely to leave a cushion big enough that if something else were to come up they wouldn’t be totally thrown off. They ask for help.
Organized people know how to let it all go, says Ballard. “Most of us are operating in a state of chronic stress; we’re always on.” But the same people who are “able to really stay focused and stay organized do things to manage their stress effectively,” he says. It doesn’t matter if it’s yoga, meditation, mindfulness, exercise or even seeing a mental health professional; the important part is “getting that support to help manage the stress they’re facing... so that it doesn’t detract from their performance and health,” he says.
Organized people know their strengths and weaknesses, and they delegate accordingly. “They know they don’t have to do it all themselves,” Reyman says, and they avoid additional stress by reaching out when they need support. This reflects a high sense of self-worth among organized people: “They realize that their time is worth more than trying to figure out every little thing,” she says, and if they use others’ strengths to make something run more efficiently, everyone ends up with more time. “Thinking about your time as a resource that has value will help you decide how to effectively allocate across all the other things that you’re doing,” says Ballard. Perfectionists and high-achievers may not be comfortable letting anyone else share the reins, but interpersonal support goes a long way in managing stress and staying on top of goals, he says. They unitask. “People who think they’re really productive like to think that they’re great multi-taskers,” says Ballard. “But in reality, even those who think they’re good at it are not.” Multitasking essentially spreads your attention too thin, and all the different tasks you’re juggling get less and lower-quality love as a consequence. “The more efficient, effective and organized people do it as little as possible,” he says. They give one task their ultimate attention, turning off email pop-ups and other disruptive notifications to “protect their time,” he says, whether 30
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Special thanks to Karen Jessee for obtaining permission from The Huffington Post to share it with our readers.
Karen Jessee is a professional organizer and founder of Simply Organized. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and the Philadelphia Chapter of Professional Organizers. She encourages people to simplify their lives and works with those who need to downsize and get organized. Karen helps clients make the decisions and create the systems that are best for them. She also teaches the strategies to help clients gain greater clarity, control, productivity and peace. Karen is a public speaker on these topics. Visit her website at: www.nowsimplyorganized.com
April 2014
7 Fitness Tips to Start a Workout Routine By Alisa Rose
Start slowly
If you only have 10 minutes, then that is a great place to start.
Prepare
The biggest excuse is “I don’t have the time”. Write it down on your calender. You would not cancel an appointment, why would you cancel on yourself?
Where are your friends?
Motivation, inspiration, determination, conversation. Surround yourself with friends who think positive and can help keep you accountable. Who knows, they might even join you!
Reward yourself
Making lifestyle changes are an accomplishment, set up a non food reward for sticking to and achieving your goals.
Focus on activities you enjoy
A twenty-minute bike ride won’t sweep away all of life’s troubles, but exercising regularly helps you take charge of anxiety and reduce stress. Aerobic exercise releases hormones that relieve stress.
Lifting your mood Exercise can help with mild to moderate depression. When you exercise your body releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energizes your spirits. Sharpening brainpower
Those same endorphins also help you to concentrate. Exercise stimulates the growth of new brain cells and can help prevent agerelated decline.
Boosting energy
Set Specific, Manageable Goals
Use the S.M.A.R.T goal method to help stay focused. For example, plan to exercise for 20 minutes, three times a week. — Don’t forget to track your progress.
Get Back to Basics
You do not need fancy equipment to get a great workout. Keep it simple, but intense! Use basic equipment like medicine balls, free weights, Swiss balls or kettle bells.
Increasing your heart rate several times a week will give you more stamina. Starting off with just a few minutes a day and gradually increasing your routine as you feel more energized.
Improve self-esteem Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body and soul. It can foster your sense of self-worth making you feel stronger and powerful.
Use Multiple Muscle Groups
Using full-body movements burns massive amounts of calories in a short amount of time and it takes less time to do a complete full body workout. For example, try doing squats (lower body) combined with dumbbell shoulder presses (upper body).
Exercise can be life changing
Exercise can improve your health and your physique, trim your waistline, improve your sex life and add years to your life. People who exercise regularly also experience an enormous sense of wellbeing— feeling more energetic throughout the day and sleeping better at night. Some people find that their memories are sharper, feeling more relaxed and positive about themselves. Exercise can also increase productivity at work. www.livingwellmagazine.net
Alisa Rose - owner of ART Fitness LLC, Alisa has over 8 years health and fitness experience and is a Certified Personal Trainer with NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) which is the #1 nationally recognized certification program. Alisa holds a certification in Functional Movement Systems (FMS) , and is certified as a Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Alisa is currently working on certification for Medical Exercise. Alisa was awarded the 2012 YWCA Empowerment Award for her outstanding dedication and perseverance to making her dreams a reality and being passionate about educating the community on the growing obesity rate; teaching proper techniques to take back control of their lives and start living healthy. Alisa is committed to creating relationships that are built on honesty, commitment and integrity which is often lost in a fitness atmosphere. Alisa prides herself with establishing these types of relationships making each person feel confident and reassured that their goals are always top priority and achievable. Delivering stellar customer service is a must at all times when you walk into Art Fitness. April 2014
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photo courtesy IMDb
Baby Steps By Suzanne E. Eder
I recently completed a project that was well over a year in development: my first online course! As I move now from the development phase to the launch phase, I’m pausing to acknowledge and celebrate having reached a huge milestone. And I have to tell you, there is great joy in the pause – joy that I would have missed, had I just plowed through to the next action item. I can distinctly recall how I felt the day I sent an email to my “inner circle” of clients, colleagues and friends during the pre-launch phase, offering the course to them at a discount as an expression of appreciation for their support of my work. I paused before clicking “Send,” and gave myself the gift of feeling my appreciation for these amazing people in my life, and feeling appreciation for every step I had taken that got me to the point of being able to offer a course I feel really, really good about. It was a moment of deep emotion and I was overwhelmed by it in the best of ways. I realized that the feeling itself – of appreciation and connection and joy in creative accomplishment – was the essence of what I’d hoped to experience in creating the course. It was a “wow” moment, and I was so grateful that I had paused to let it in. As I’ve moved through the prelaunch phase into the “official” 32
launch phase, I’ve made a point of slowing down to feel how good it feels to be in this process, and to acknowledge all I’ve learned – or perhaps more accurately, relearned – and all the ways I’ve grown. Here are a few nuggets of insight I want to share with you now: Baby steps really do get it done. Really. I know you’ve heard this before, probably dozens of times. (And who can forget Bill Murray’s “baby steps” genius in the movie, What About Bob?) But I’m talking BABY steps…more on that in just a bit. Baby steps taken with great love transform “getting it done” into “getting it done and enjoying it along the way.” This simply cannot be overstated. Sure, we can be super-disciplinarians – or rigid taskmasters – and force our way through a long-term project, but what fun is that? If we’re delaying our enjoyment – our joy – until we reach a specific goal, we’re missing out on the life we’re living, moment to moment to moment. More on that in just a bit, too. Missing a targeted completion date provides the perfect opportunity to deepen our capacity for self-love. I had planned to launch my course in the fall of 2013. I missed that target by six months. I had the choice to beat myself up about the delay, or to appreciate myself for all the other things I accomplished during that time - and to learn how to keep moving even when it seemed I’d never “get there.”
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April 2014
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On the other hand, HAVING a targeted completion date provides some really valuable creative tension. The self-imposed time pressure taught me how to access my inner focus even when I didn’t really feel like it. And even more than that, it reinforced the importance of prioritizing my own creative efforts over the countless demands on my attention that would have diluted them. And now for the “more in just a bit.” Baby steps taken with great love help us resolve the seeming paradox between “accomplishment” and “being in the moment” – between “doing” and “being.” Like me, you may have grappled with how to love the life you’re living – being in the moment and accepting it for what it is – while, at the same time, actively making changes to create a life that lights you up. Baby steps taken with great love foster both of those experiences, at the same time. Baby steps keep us moving in the direction we want to go, at a pace we can accommodate. As we focus on completing each step, we subtly yet profoundly create a sense of self that is in motion and accomplishing things. (We do, however, need to actually pause and acknowledge each step to get that sense of accomplishment.) The smaller the step, the easier it is to take it without resistance. And of course the more steps we take, the more momentum we create and the easier it becomes to take more of them.
to procrastinate on long-term projects. As we accept all of these aspects without judgment, we free up tremendous energy that was previously tied up in trying to ignore, defend, justify or wallow in all of our seeming deficiencies. When we stop seeing ourselves as deficient, and instead see ourselves as learning and growing and evolving, we treat ourselves with the respect and care that we deserve to support that growth. And when we treat ourselves with respect and care, our momentto-moment experience feels good. We don’t have to wait until we’ve reached a certain milestone to feel good about ourselves. We begin to grasp that feeling good about ourselves is what keeps us in the flow of life and carries us forward to each milestone. So whatever you may be in the midst of creating in your life right now, pause to acknowledge how far you’ve come and how much you’ve already grown. Decide right now to love yourself through all of it, to take one baby step at a time and to celebrate every step you take. Baby steps taken with great love get it done.
Suzanne Eder is award-winning writer, teacher and transformational life coach, Suzanne Eder started her professional career as a CPA and enjoyed a highly successful corporate career in both Finance and Human Resources. She is a graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing’s intensive four-year program in mind-body-spirit healing, and is a former fitness instructor who taught aerobics, body sculpting and yoga for 16 years. She has also been initiated in Divine Openings, an extraordinary evolutionary process which powerfully supports clients in awakening to their magnificence. Through her writing, classes and workshops she offers inspired and practical counsel in all areas related to personal growth and transformation. Suzanne can be reached at see@mysolidground.com or (302)888-2138.
As a side note to the “baby step” approach, I also learned that the less specific I was about which step to take next, the better things flowed. Rather than filling my to-do list with the numerous detailed tasks that are involved in a multi-dimensional project, I would write “make progress on online course” on each week’s list of things to do. Doing that helped me keep the course front and center in my mind, yet it afforded me the flexibility of choosing what to do that week based on my genuine willingness and energy to do it. And guess what? It all got done. In just the right sequence for me. Which brings me to the “with great love” piece. At a fundamental level, love and acceptance are one and the same. When we love ourselves, we are accepting ourselves as we are right now – our desires, our natural rhythm, our unique point of view, our quirks and talents, our fears and resistance. And yes, even our tendency
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April 2014
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Can High Blood Pressure Cause Erectile Dysfunction? The short answer is yes. In fact, a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that approximately 49% of men in the age category of 40-79, with high blood pressure, had erectile dysfunction (ED). To fully explain how this happens, I’m going to pretend that not all of my readers remember the basics of penile anatomy and function that they may have learned during health class in high school‌if they were lucky enough to have that. After explaining the basic mechanics of how a penis functions, I can then explain why having your blood pressure in a healthy range is so important for sexual health.
The urethra runs through the center of the corpus spongiosum and is responsible for moving and expressing urine from the bladder, as well as moving and expressing semen from the ejaculatory ducts. To make sense of all of this, see Figure 1. below.
Figure 1. Mechanism of Erections: Cross Section
Sex Ed 101: The Penis Inside the shaft of the penis, there are three cylindrical chambers of spongy tissue. Two of these spongy chambers are side-byside, at the top (a.k.a. upper surface or dorsal) of the shaft. They are called the corpora cavernosa. The third is just below, at the bottom (a.k.a. undersurface or ventral) of the shaft. It is called the corpus spongiosum. 34
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Source: Advanced Urological Care, P.C. www.urologicalcare.com April 2014
Within the spongy tissue, the corpora cavernosa are made up of small arteries and veins, smooth muscle fiber, and empty space (when flaccid). As you can see from Figure 1. above, erections require adequate blood flow through the veins and arteries to the three cylindrical chambers of spongy tissue in the penis. For an erection to occur, nerve impulses, or signals, travel directly to the spinal cord, or to the brain and then to the spinal cord. The domino effect of this nerve signal initiates an erection reflex. The result is that the smooth tissue of the three chambers relaxes, and the arteries dilate or widen, allowing more blood to rush in and fill those empty spaces. This engorgement from the increased blood flow is what allows the penis to stiffen, or become erect. The increased pressure of the blood flow around the sheath of tissue around the three chambers, causes a restriction to the veins that would normally allow blood to flow away from the penis, and back into the body. Without this restriction, a man would not be able to maintain an erection. Naturally, when the excitement phase ends, the smooth muscle contracts again, taking the pressure off of those veins and the blood flows back into the body and the penis returns to a flaccid state.
know, adequate force of blood flow is necessary to achieve an erection. Some research also suggests that diuretics can deplete the body of zinc. Zinc plays an important role in the production of testosterone in men. Thus, low levels of zinc could cause low testosterone production. Testosterone is a hormone necessary for the nerve impulses that are sent to the spine and to the brain, as discussed earlier. Medications containing beta-blockers are problematic because beta-blockers interfere with the response to the nerve impulses required to lead to an erection. In addition, they can also inhibit the ability for arteries in the penis to dilate (widen) to let in adequate blood flow for an erection. If you are taking medications for high blood pressure and are concerned about the side-effects, talk to your doctor. Never stop taking or modify the dosage of your medication without first talking with your prescribing physician. Talk to your doctor about other medications that are available that may be less likely to cause sexual side effects. Ways to Take Control
High Blood Pressure and ED High blood pressure (also called hypertension) damages the walls of your arteries because the amount of force or pressure is higher than the walls were meant to handle. This can cause a thickening of the walls, and/or microscopic tears in the artery that over time could cause a buildup of scar tissue. The built up scar tissue can then become restrictive to blood flow. The restriction leads to a buildup of particles of fat, cholesterol, and other substances. Doctors refer to this built up collection as “plaque.” Over time, the buildup of plaque causes a restriction in the blood flow, causing arteries to slowly narrow and harden (known as atherosclerosis). Note: As we age, our arteries will naturally lose their elasticity and harden over time, even in people with no history of high blood pressure. As you now know, blood flow through the arteries is crucial for a male to achieve erections. The effects of high blood pressure adversely affect the arteries that carry blood into the penis, and prevent the veins and arteries from being able to dilate the way they are supposed to. As a result, not enough blood flows into the three cylindrical chambers of spongy tissue to make and keep the penis erect. The Catch-22 Okay, here’s the kicker: some medications for treating high blood pressure (HBP) can actually cause erectile dysfunction. Sounds crazy, right? I agree, but it’s true. The two most common medications prescribed to treat HBP are diuretics (water pills, like hydrochlorothiazide) and beta-blockers (for example Atenolol). Diuretics decrease the force of blood flow to the penis. As we
The good news is that there are ways to take control of your blood pressure, before it becomes harmful for you, your body, and your sexual health. Several ways to try to control your blood pressure include: losing weight, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, taking a daily multivitamin (be sure it includes potassium and zinc), reducing sodium (salt) intake; avoiding tobacco and tobacco products, and decreasing alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day.
Until next time, have fun and be healthy!
Sexual Health and Healing with Dianna Palimere, PhD, LCSW Dr. Dianna Palimere is a Psychosexual Therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has been in the field of mental health for the past 12 years, dedicating the past seven years to specializing in clinical sexuality. She holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology, a Masters degree in Social Work, a Masters degree in Human Sexuality Education, and a PhD in Clinical Human Sexuality. Utilizing a holistic approach to therapy, she incorporates a variety of clinical interventions in her work with individuals, couples, and families. She is devoted to helping people achieve sexual health and healing through her work as a psychotherapist in her private practice in Pike Creek, DE; as well as in her work with local nonprofit organizations. To learn more about her or to schedule an appointment, visit her website: www.SexTherapyInDelaware.com or email her directly at: dr.palimere@sextherapyindelaware.com Join us on Facebook, keywords: Sex Therapy in Delaware.
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April 2014
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HANDS ON HEALTH by: Ann Wilkinson P.T.M.S,
Q:
I have a torn disc. Does this mean I will be in pain forever?
A:
A torn disc is a treatable ailment. Depending on what type of treatment you seek out first can be a critical issue. Unfortunately, studies have shown that the some of the interventions can exacerbate the problem to the point the patient thinks they have no other alternative but surgery. People develop habits in the way they move. These low duration yet repetitive forces of the vertebrae cause strain on the non-bony or more vulnerable tissues of the spine such as ligaments, joint capsule, discs and nerves. Let’s use a typical Example: a man plays Frisbee with his dog every day. He bends over to the right to retrieve the Frisbee no matter where it lands. Hundreds of times over the course of the week, His capsule is stretched on the right. When he starts to feel stiff, this actually means the disc is starting to migrate out the back and to the right of its normal space. He stretches by touching his toes. He gets really tight now, because the stretches have opened space in the vertebral column, taking pressure off initially, however making room for the disc to migrate further out the back and to the right. He now needs to relax on the couch with his feet elevated. All of this flexion encourages the capsule to stretch and weaken and the disc to become misshapen. He gets adjusted and a massage when he feels really sore. If symptoms get too bad he goes to PT for heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and abdominal strengthening and hamstring stretches (more opening and stress in the disc). One day he reaches down and to the right to get a pen he dropped from the floor. The capsule ruptures, the disc presses out and onto the nerve root. Pain is so severe he must be on bedrest, pain pills and injections. He gets weaker overall. This scenario plays out several times throughout his life and one day he is hunched over, a man with a bad back, a torn disc from 30 years ago when he reached over to get the pen. 36
In Europe, or with a therapist trained in Osteopathy and McKenzie Technique, the approach and outcome could look like this; first, the pressure must be taken out of the disc that escaped the ligamentous capsule because of continual stretch and strain from bending always to the right. Mechanical inversion is great for decompressing this area and allowing centripical force to realign the disc to center. Osteopathic techniques’ affecting the fascia creates the space for the disc to realign itself. The patient is taught to be aware of disc position through symptoms and how to position themselves to center the disc. Once the disc finds home, extension of the spine must be restored. This protects the disc and allows the capsule to heal. This is opposite to sit ups, knees to chest and hamstring stretches because those flexion exercises actually further stress the disc in the wrong direction. Once proper alignment is established strengthening is used to stabilize the spine and the joints and reinforce integrity of the tissues supporting the disc. Finally, the patient must change the habits that caused the problem to begin with. He will learn to be coordinated retrieving the Frisbee both from the left and the right. Also, stretching the spine into extension rather than flexion when he feels stiff. Relaxing on his stomach with the chest elevated creating an arch in the back to recover from all the bending. Strengthening the paraspinals as well as the pelvic floor for continual support of the vertebral column. Outcome: a strong, straight healthy man throughout his entire life.
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Ann is an award winning writer,teacher and speaker. Ann is the personal body worker of Her Holiness “Sai Maa”. Ann practices osteopathic physical therapy and has helped thousands of patients. Ann is also an expert on the use of healing foods, homeopathic and herbal consultations, and therapeutic horseback riding. Ann treats her patients in a beautiful country setting which enables her to utilize all of her learned skills as well as some of the healing properties that only Mother Earth can bestow .Ann is available by appointment and can be reached 302-656-7882. The farm is also available for birthday parties, women’s circles, and retreats. April 2014
Q:
My cat was recently diagnosed with an allergy to some fish. I was wondering if I could still give fish oil as a supplement for his skin or if it would not be a good idea because of his allergy.
A:
Presently, it is believed that the peptides in fish oils are what cause the allergens in diets. Most fish oils claim to be free of these peptides and, therefore, would allow you to still give your cat the fish oils. Some cold-pressed fish oils do, however, contain peptides. It is best to inquire about the manufacturers quality controls. Some companies do test for these peptides by way of testing protein nitrogen content. Animals can produce some of the fatty acids that they need but not all. Therefore, the ones they cannot produce must be obtained in the diet. These substances are called ‘Essential fatty acids.” Fish oils, in general, are good sources of essential fatty acids. They are, in fact, the best source of omega-3 fatty acids. Dogs and cats do have differences in requirements. Cats require the fatty acid, arachidonic acid, but dogs do not. Most natural diets contain mostly omega-6 fatty acids. This generally leads to an excess of omega-6 fatty acids in the diet. It is necessary, therefore, to get omega-3’s into the diet. There is a proportion of omega- 6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Research has suggested that this ratio should be between 5:1 to 10:1. The use of supplemental fatty acids in the diet can reduce the effects of inflammation. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids, in particular eicosapentaenoic (EPA), is beneficial in reducing the inflammation associated with arthritis in both dogs and cats. Inflammatory bowel disease, colitis and rheumatoid arthritis all have an inflammatory component that can benefit from fatty acids. Yeast infections are often caused by Malassezia pachydermatis on the skin and ears of pets. Research in the
laboratory has suggested that fatty acids slow down its growth. Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for the proper development of the retina and visual cortex. Dogs with hypertension (high blood pressure) have been helped because omega-3 fatty acids have decreased these measurements. Fish oils also can reduce the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood. Research has also indicated that omega-3 fatty acids slow the development and spread of some cancers, while omega-6 fatty acids have been shown to stimulate tumor growth. This is the perfect reason to choose a veterinary product for your pet. Human sources may not have the proper ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids necessary for dogs and cats. FYI : According to the 2013 survey done by the American Kennel Club, the Labrador retriever is once again the most popular dog breed in the United States. Second on the list is the German shepherd followed by the Golden retriever, Beagle, Bulldog, Yorkshire terrier, Boxer, Poodle, Rotteweiler, Dachshund, French bulldog and Doberman pinscher.
Dr. Rose DiLeva is a 1987 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s school of Veterinary Medicine. She practices alternative and conventional veterinary medicine. Dr. DiLeva is a certified veterinary acupuncturist and a certified veterinary chiropractitioner. She can be reached at her Animal Wellness Center in Chadds Ford, Pa. at 610-558-1616 for appointments and telephone consultations. Her web site is www.altpetdoc.com and www. drrosesremedies.com
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April 2014
37
When At The Point of Giving Up By Joe White
“...instead of focusing on the failures and mistakes, you must focus on your victories.” She threw her hands up and cried out, “I cannot do this any longer. It is never going to change!” I remember that moment so very well. It was at one of my Ultimate Breaking Through The Barrier seminars. We were talking about what really holds us back from what we want and she shared what was deep inside. She shared with me that she has been trying to make changes in her life but she always seems to slip back, she has been to therapists and workshops but nothing seems to stick. She was so frustrated, so beaten down, she felt this was her final chance. She wanted to be happy. Happy for real. Not the I act like I am happy but I am pissed off or hurt on the inside happy. She knew there were key areas of her life that must change but she believed she should be happy even as she worked these things out. She felt it was 2 steps forward and 1 step back or even 2 steps back. I knew that her frustration overload could be the doorway of her biggest breakthrough. Sometimes when it seems like everything is caving in we discover exactly what we are made of and this was going to be her time now. The first thing I shared with her was to help her to stop looking at her past as an indicator of her success. Every time she mentioned something good she did, she backed it up with one or more things that she failed at or messed up. Whatever you focus on you will get more of. If you focus on everything that is wrong, you are telling your brain to delete the good and find more bad. You must take control of your focus if you are going to reclaim your life. I then shared with her that instead of focusing on the failures and mistakes, you must focus on your victories Times when you pulled out a victory even when it seemed like a loss. At first she struggled, but then she remembered a time in high school, then a bad breakup that she overcame and then at her work… The more she recalled, the more she could recall and you could see the shift in her physiology, her face lighten and hope was beginning to show again in her eyes. I then asked her, “if you were going to choose to play to win and not play not to lose, what would you do? What actions would you take?” She was silent at first and then the lightbulb went off. She 38
said, “I would start to make decisions!” I asked her what decisions did she need to make first and she began to share them and you now could see the confidence returning. I thought we about to have the breakthrough but then she said, “But I have failed so many times.” I smiled and said, “Perhaps but remember this, your past does not equal your future. This is a new moment filled with new opportunity.” I asked her what was most important and she said “Getting to the other side.” I replied “And, it does not matter how you begin the race, what matters is how you end it.” She got it. The breakthrough she was looking for was right in front of her. She has not given up or quit. Which meant she was still in the game!! We can’t give up for that what we truly believe in. The road may be rocky and we may fall down, but we can also rise up. Measure your success by effort and remember that it is in faith we do things that we don’t know how to do. Until next month.. Live Free!!
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Joe White is the President and founder of Get Life Coaching. Get Life Coaching is the leader in personal and professional development since 1999. Joe recently earned the most Prestigious Award : 2012 Entrepreneur of the year. Joe can be contacted at: 302-832-3424, or email him at: doitnow@getlifecoaching. com or check out: facebook.com/getlifecoaching Follow Joe on @getlifecoaching April 2014
recipes: happy spring!
Mixed Lettuce, Fennel & Orange Salad with Kalamata Olives Vinaigrette 3 tablespoon red-wine vinegar 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 cloves garlic, minced salt, to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Spicy Thai Steak and Vegetable Stir Fry
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat or curly parsley
3 (3 ounce) packages beef flavored ramen noodles
3 navel oranges 10 cups mixed lettuces, try using chicory, radicchio red/greenleaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup beef broth
1 head Belgian endive, sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced
2 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger
To prepare vinaigrette: Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Stir in olives and parsley.
1/4 cup fresh Thai Basil Chopped
3 tablespoons Thai chili peanut sauce
To prepare salad: Using a sharp knife, remove peel and white pith from oranges. Quarter the oranges; slice pieces crosswise. Just before serving, combine lettuces, endive, fennel and the orange slices in a large bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat well.
4 chopped garlic cloves 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound beef top round steak, cut into 1/4-inch strips (could substitute chicken or tofu) 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 carrot cut into matchsticks 2 stalk celery, thinly sliced 4 scallions, include the greens thinly sliced 2 cups shredded cabbage (nappa or bok choy) 1 cup bean sprouts
Caramel Pecan Brie
6 fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 wheel goat cheese brie
Crushed pepper flakes ( optional)
4 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
Cook ramen according to package only use one of the seasoning packs. Whisk the beef broth, peanut sauce, soy sauce together in a bowl; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Stir in the steak; cook and stir until the steak is no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet. Stir in the carrots,celery,garlic,ginger and green onion, Cook and stir until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage, bean sprouts,Thai Basil and mushrooms. Stir in the sauce. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.Toss in the cooked ramen noodles and steak. Serve in bowls.
2 teaspoon cold butter, chopped into small pieces 3 tablespoon chopped pecans Apples and toasted bread for serving Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cheese wheel in four quarters Place one quarter of the Brie in the bottom of of ramekin Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar onto top of cheese. Top with the second layer of cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 Tablespoon of brown sugar, chopped butter, and pecans onto the top of the cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and yummy. Serve with apples or pears www.livingwellmagazine.net
April 2014
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LWM TRENDS
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS Bambooee is earth friendly, sustainable. Can be reused up to 25 times! Clean up then toss right in the washing machine. One roll of Bambooee is equivalent to 60 standard paper towel rolls. Made of certified organic and sustainable earth-friend bamboo, they are thicker and more absorbent than even the lux paper towels. By switching, you can save money while decreasing the 3,000 tons of paper towel waste that are produced each day! Williams Sonoma and online at: bambooee.com
Circle 'Round Sheet Set By Plover Organic 300 thread count. Organic cotton Anthropologie Light n Go Bonfire The Bonfire Log is completely portable, unique, and the simplest innovation in firewood. Can be used virtually anywhere and create a beautiful bonfire with one match. No chemicals, just pure kiln dried beautiful white birch, with a paperboard firestarter, and you have a great fire, instantly. Inexpensive self contained entertainment. The Bonfire burns more than an hour, while the Bonfire XL goes for about 1.5 hours. Both can be enjoyed in a fire pit, chimnea, or fireplace, indoors or out. Take them camping, cook marshmallows or hotdogs on a stick. Available at: Home Depot and at: www.ecoforestfirewood.com
Rustic Barn Ladder Bookshelf Salvaged rustic ladder turned into a bookshelf. The bookshelf measures 57 1/4” long, 15 7/8” wide and sits about 5 1/2” away from the wall. It has 4 rungs . It comes built with 3-4 L brackets with up to 16 screws to secure it to the wall (included). The ladder is rustic and worn, and very weathered. This ladder is weathered and aged looking, and has metal brackets on the sides. etsy.com (naturallycre8tive)
Maple Pot Maker Solid Maple Pot Maker, makes it easy and fun to create an endless supply of 2½ in. starter pots from old newspapers. An eco-conscious alternative to plastic or peat, they can be put right in the ground when it is time to transplant. seedsofchange.com 40
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April 2014
LWM TRENDS
SEX THERAPY IN DELAWARE Urbanfire With the turn of a valve and a flick of a lighter... you have a roaring fire. The Urbanfire has a modern star burner mounted to its firebowl to provide a perfectly dispersed flame. Covering the propane burner with either lava rock or fire glass is a great way to disperse the flame and add a customized touch (which is not included). A 10' length of flex-hose makes it easy to attach to your propane tank It is also possible to order a longer hose to store the tank further away. designpublic.com
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• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Sex therapy is a specialized area of psychotherapy that • Gestalt Therapy addresses specific sexual • Group Psychotherapy issues and concerns. • Body-Oriented Psychotherapy There is no physical contact between the therapist and • Erectile Dysfunction the client. The therapist is a licensed mental health • Negative Body Image professional, trained • Low Sex Drive to provide in-depth psychotherapy with a • Postpartum Depression specialization in clinical • Relationships human sexuality. • Fertility Concerns sextherapyindelaware.com
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www.finestrauss.com www.livingwellmagazine.net
April 2014
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LW M
style files
by:dc fine
Which comes first; Vanity, comfort or both?
I usually opt to be comfortable in clothes but sometimes I will put on four inch heels to enhance an outfit and appear taller (I’m 5’2”). Ladies, you know what I’m talking about!
Is your wardrobe based on current fashion trends? Are you comfortable sporting your own style, regardless of what is “in style” at the time? I usually like some of the fashions trends but mix it up with a bit of vintage flair. I own a few key vintage pieces and I’m always on the lookout for something that stands out from the crowd. I get lots of inspiration from fashion blogs and Pinterest but if I don’t love it, I won’t buy it.
Does a designer name mean anything to you? If so, who are your favorite designers? I’d love to be able to wear certain designers but on a budget that’s not always possible. Chanel, Prada, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Versace, Gucci, and D&G--only in my Pinterest closet! Jessica Jenkins
Jessica Jenkins is the Manager of Marketing and Public Relations at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington. She has a background in illustration and design and serves on the Board for the Chris White Community Development Corporation (non-profit organization supporting the Wilmington’s Shipley Artist Lofts) and the Mid-Atlantic Association for Museums.
Do you look for a bargain or is price not an issue if you love it? I usually shop with a budget in mind but sometimes some pieces are worth the splurge. I usually spend a bit more on base pieces that I will wear a lot and can build any outfit around.
If you had endless amounts of money, what would you buy? (Does not have to be an article of clothing)
A trip to Europe and a pair of Louboutins!
What is the best piece of style advice you would like to share with our readers?
How would you define your own sense of style, and how it exemplifies your personality? Classic with a twist. I like pieces that have a classic, tailored fit. I also like interesting details and adding pops of bright color. As we ease into Spring and Summer I’m looking forward to playing around with bold prints and patterns.
Fit is everything. Whether you are a size 2 petite or 12 tall, fit is the most important part of an outfit. Fashion blogs are great for tips and tricks on dressing any body type. Fashion is fun! Experiment with different styles and find what makes you feel comfortable and confident. — continued on next page
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— continued from previous page
What are your favorite local and online shopping spots?
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I like to browse small boutiques and local shops to find unique pieces. I’ve recently became obsessed with Rags to Riches upscale resale boutique. I bought a vintage 1980s sequin and beaded cocktail dress for an event and it’s my new favorite Little Black Dress. I also have a vintage peplum dress from the ‘60s I can’t wait to wear! My other go-to shopping spots are Ann Taylor, J. Crew, H&M, Modcloth, DSW, Banana Republic, and Gap.
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What wardrobe essentials do you think are vital to pull off the perfect look for you? I could not live without a few things in my closet: the LBD, skinny jeans in a dark wash, a fitted blazer, classic black pumps, and heeled booties. The LBD and skinny jeans can be dressed up and down for any occasion depending on the shoes and accessories. From work to happy hour to the weekend, these pieces transition perfectly.
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April 2014
43
Jurdy Green
by Jenifer Jurden. Jurdy focuses on engaging humans worldwide on the topic of green and helping them to “get grinning, get greening.� See Jurdy now at two websites!: www.jurdygreen.com and www.jurdy.com
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April 2014
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