Doctor, Doctor!

You probably know how often you can go between pedicures, haircuts, and hair color, but it’s harder to remember when you’re due for certain health screenings. Yet I can’t think of a healthier habit than getting regular check ups so that you can become aware of any problems or concerns in the early stages when they are easily treated.

I thought I’d share the current guidelines.

Note: guidelines aren't set in stone. You and your doctor can make the best decision about scheduling certain tests more or less frequently than recommended. What tests, procedures and check ups that would benefit you will be based on the guidelines, but also on your personal medical history, family history, and lifestyle and behavior choices (For example because I have already had 2 instances of skin cancer I need a full body skin check every 6 months). If you have a worrisome symptom, do NOT delay having it checked. Early detection can be key to protecting overall health. 

So am I really going to make you go to the doctor as part of our 2o26 Healthy Living Challenge? Yes. Our challenge for this week it is to SCHEDULE a needed medical or dental exam. I realize that with co-pays or lack of insurance these exams can be expensive and some doctors are booking several weeks out so I’m not requiring you to GET an exam or procedure this week. But to earn the 35 bonus points for this next week you need to make a list of what appointments and procedures you are due for and actually schedule at least one of them. It is amazing to me how it can seem like just a few months since I've seen a doctor but when I pull out the info to check it has been 4 YEARS (yes this actually happened to me.) So yes I am OK with you scheduling an appointment for 6 months from now but call the Doctor now and get on the books. And if you are current on all of your medical and dental check ups pat yourself on the back and claim your 35 points- good job without having to do anything special this week. No I am not going to require you to have EVERY check up that you may be due for, but please be prayerful about what is most important for you to take care of rather than just scheduling the easiest appointment. 

So now are you wondering what recommended screenings you might be due for? Here are the guidelines.

MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS

In your 20s and older:

1. Primary care physician, trained in either family or internal medicine: Once a year (at minimum every other year). Checkup should include reading and fecal occult blood test to screen for problems including gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. You should also get a fasting blood sugar test every two years or so to screen for diabetes. 

2. Gynecologist: Once a year. Includes Pap smear, pelvic exam, clinical breast exam.

3. Dentist: Every six months for teeth cleaning and oral exam. 

4. Dermatologist: If you're fair-skinned or have a family history of skin cancer, you'll want an annual appointment. Otherwise, go if you have any suspicious moles or skin problems. 

5. Vaccinations: Make an appointment if: (a) it's time for your tetanus booster (required every ten years and especially important for Grandparents- we just updated ours last month); (b) you're not immune to chickenpox (you need the shot if you've never had the disease or the vaccine); you're not immune to measles, mumps, or rubella (if you were born after 1956, you may need to be inoculated for all three, usually in one shot). 

In your 30s, add:

6. Cholesterol screening: You need one every five years if your last test was normal. Some experts say you can wait until your 40s to start unless you're at increased risk for heart disease because of smoking, family history, obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes. 

In your 40s, add: 

7. Mammogram: The rigorous and evidence-based U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended starting annual screenings at 40; other guidelines suggest beginning at 50. Use your intuition and common sense based on your health and family history, and discuss your decision with your doctor.

8. Stress echocardiogram: Get a baseline analysis of how your heart is holding up. 

9. Ophthalmologist: Many doctors advise going annually, although others recommend every two to four years until age 65, then annually. The visit should include an intraocular pressure measurement for glaucoma. 

In your 50s and above, add: 

10. Colonoscopy: Every five years unless family history or past results dictate more often. 

11. Bone density scan: Start routine testing at menopause—earlier if you're small-framed, your weight is very low, you have a mother with osteoporosis, or you've had fractures (other than in a freak accident) after age 45. Some experts recommend waiting until you are 65, unless there are risk factors. 

Note if you have big pile of birthday or inheritance cash burning a whole in your pocket I also recommend a new DNA test called 23 and me (order at 23andme.com) It's expensive (around $200) but provides you with a wealth of information on everything from what diseases your may be most prone to experience to what nutrients your body does a poor job of up-taking.

So that's it for this week ladies. To earn your weekly bonus points-Make a detailed list of what check ups you are due for and schedule at least one. Let's be healthy together for many decades to come. 

You should eat bugs every day for the rest of your life

I have a new little grandbaby! Warren who was born premature at 34 weeks. It's been a tricky journey as he has had to learn to do all the baby things he was born a little early to master. 

One of his issues is he is suffering from acid reflux. This is when the milk comes back up into the esophagus and can cause burning in the throat, pain and irritation.  

Adults also suffer from acid reflux which can sometimes lead to esophageal cancer (my Aunt died from this).

We took baby Warren to a oral-maxillofacial pediatric physical therapist and it was so interesting. As far as his acid reflux she said part of the problem was anatomical and she could work on that (with massage and manipulation) and the other remedy would be chemical. So baby Warren needs to have his poop tested and that will show us what probiotics and supplements he may need to heal his gut microbiome (which will stop the acid reflux).

Baby Warren's gut microbiome was compromised by being born C-section (not coming in contact with the vaginal canal and the beneficial bacteria that facilitate the seeding of his microbiome) and the antibiotics and steroids given him in the NICU. 

I could write pages about baby Warren's journey to a healthy gut but let's look at our own situation, 

You may have guessed it. Once again I am going to challenge you to eat some bugs. You’ll be relieved to know I’m not referring to the creepy crawly, and maybe even leggy and crunchy roaches, ants or crickets-- I’m talking about microscopic bugs—the beneficial bacteria that are naturally present in foods like yogurt or kefir. 

According to one of my favorite nutrition bloggers Monica Reinagel M.S.,L.D./N. from NutritionDiva.com  “Every traditional cuisine has developed some sort of naturally fermented or cultured food. There’s Japanese miso, Bulgarian yogurt, Polish sauerkraut, Indian lassi, and Korean kim-chee. And each of these plays a central role in that culture’s cuisine … and for good reason. All of these foods contain lactobacillus bacteria, which are extremely beneficial to your health. In the days before antibiotics and other drugs, cultured and fermented foods were critical to staying healthy.”

Monica goes on to explain that “The friendly bacteria found in these foods actually set up housekeeping in your gut, where they do all kinds of good things for you: They help digest your food and produce certain vitamins for you. They keep the lining of your intestines slick and shiny. Most of all, they make it harder for unfriendly bacteria to take hold and make you sick.”

In other words if we have a basic population of beneficial bacteria in our gut our digestive system will work better and our body will be healthier and better able to fight off disease.

Monica goes on to explain that “Unfortunately, the traditional methods of fermenting cabbage in stoneware crocks, or burying salted vegetables in pits in the back yard, or culturing warm goat’s milk on the hearth are just not as common as they used to be. Instead, we have ultra-pasteurized milk that keeps for six weeks. Let me assure you that no beneficial bacteria survive the ultra-pasteurization process.”

Our microbiome can be negatively affected by eating processed food, stress, alcohol, pharmaceuticals,  smoking, infections, environmental toxins and pollutants, sedentary lifestyle, Aging and antibacterial soap. Just exposure to antibiotics can take your body 6-12 months to recover.

Fermented foods can be a huge blessing to help heal your microbiome. Ideally you should try to eat 2 different fermented foods each day. 

Personally I love kimchi (I had a Kimchi taco last week- yum)  and Kefir (Kefir is a fermented milk drink made with grains and is believed to have its origins in the Caucasus Mountains. It is available in health food and many grocery stores and it tastes like a yogurt drink but almost like it has a bit of carbonation. My sons love it) but probably the easiest way to get our daily lactobacillus fix is to eat yogurt regularly 

Which brand of yogurt should you buy? Look for brands that advertise “living cultures” (Recent studies show Stonyfield to be the brand with the most active and live cultures).

It’s pretty easy to work some yogurt into your daily diet. Besides eating it as a breakfast or snack you can easily add it to smoothies or soups or use it in dips or spreads .

And I’m a step ahead of you ladies in your day dreaming. Does frozen yogurt (one of my all time favorite treats) contain live active yogurt bacteria and qualify as “eating yogurt’?  Maybe and maybe not. It seems that while the freezing process does NOT kill the yogurt bacteria some frozen yogurts use heat-treated yogurt, which does kill the live and active cultures. The best way to find out is to ask at your local frozen yogurt shop or look for the NYA Live & Active Cultures seal. What you want is live active yogurt bacteria. And remember if you find a frozen yogurt which contains live culture but also has sugar it DOES count as a treat for your sugar day! You might enjoy plain or unsweetened yogurt with some fresh fruit or non-caloric sweetener added. 

For every day that you eat at least 1 serving of a fermented food: kombucha, tempeh, pickles, (look for naturally fermented- Bubbles is a good brand) some brands of cottage cheese (Good culture, Good and Gather  Nancy's, Daisy, Westby and Organic Valley) sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, kefir, kim-chee, sourdough bread etc.)  containing live and active cultures or take a probiotic supplement you earn the daily 5 bonus points. Happy yogurt eating ladies! 

Avoiding Plastic

One of my favorite PHD researchers is Dr. Rhonda Patrick. In a recent post she shared her concern over our intake of micro-plastics. The average person ingests 5 grams of plastic every week — that's the size of a credit card. Over a lifetime, that adds up to 44 pounds of plastic inside your body. These are linked to health risks like:

• Hormone disruption
• Inflammation
• Cellular damage

And while we can't eliminate plastic from our life we can take steps to lessen our exposure. Dr. Patrick advises 
Key Areas to Reduce Plastic Exposure:

    •    Food & Drink:

    ◦    Avoid heating food in plastic containers; use glass or ceramic instead.

    ◦    Ditch plastic water bottles; use stainless steel or glass, and avoid plastic lids.

    ◦    Reduce canned foods and drinks due to plastic linings (BPA/BPS).

    ◦    Where possible avoid takeout containers, especially black plastic ones. NEVER reheat food in plastic but especially not in a black plastic take out container. These are the worst for leaching plastic. 

    •    Kitchenware:

    ◦    Use wood, metal, or glass utensils instead of plastic. (I recently threw out my plastic cutting boards and switched to wood for fruits and vegetables and metal to cut meat) 

    ◦    Avoid non-stick pans due to "forever chemicals"

          • Ditch single-use plastics — opt for reusable bags, bottles, and containers (My daughter has switched ziplocks for reusable silicone bags available at Trader Joe's or on amazon)

    •    Clothing & Home:

    ◦    Choose natural fibers (cotton, wool) over synthetics (polyester, nylon) to reduce microfiber shedding. It's especially beneficial if your work out clothes are natural fibers 

    ◦    Use HEPA filters for air and washing machine filters for laundry.

    •    Detoxification Support:

    ◦    Eat cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli sprouts) for sulforaphane to help detoxify chemicals. 

Why It Matters:

    •    Health Risks: Microplastics accumulate in organs and are linked to inflammation, immune issues, and potential cancer risks (phthalates).

    •    Ubiquity: Plastics shed microparticles into food, water, and air, making complete avoidance difficult but reduction crucial. 

I don't expect you to take on monumental changes but for every day that you make some effort to avoid plastic you can claim our daily bonus points, It can be as simple as stirring supper with a wooden spoon instead of plastic or storing your leftovers in a mason jar instead of Tupperware or drinking from a metal bottle or glass instead of plastic.  Baby steps! 

You REALLY matter

I imagine many of you are in the same situation I am in. The Christmas season was wonderful. But in many instances what made it over the top wonderful was extra imagination, extra love, extra effort and extra time coming from you. 

Then January hits and your thoughts turn to resolutions and improvements. And I am hoping some of that enthusiasm for change revolves around taking time for your health and fitness.

You won’t always be a priority for others,

            And thats why you have to be a priority to yourself.

                            Love yourself, Respect yourself,

               Care for yourself, Be your own support system,

               Be mindful about how you sleep, what you eat and drink, how you move throughout the day... just all the aspects of how you care for your physical mind and body.

1. Stop doing things which cost your tranquillity of mind, composure or happiness-

Make the hard decision to choose kindness for yourself. This might seem inconvenient at times because you need to say no to some (often good) things to say yes to caring for yourself. But just like the oxygen bag on an airplane you must take care of yourself in order to better safeguard and love others.

2. Listen to your body-

Definitely the most principal point in prioritizing yourself is listening to your own body. It always gives signal. That is first baby step towards self-care. Pushing yourself above limits is not a great idea. I bet by now you know the signals your body sends you. For me I break out in fever blisters or get an ocular migraine if I let my stress level get too high. And my kidneys actually start to ache if I don't make hydrating a priority. DON'T IGNORE YOUR BODY'S SIGNALS.     

3. Foster positivity-

Observe in which direction your thoughts are flowing? Are they positive? Or negative? Nuture, feed and train them in a positive way and that will exceptionally help you enter a healthy state. Gratitude blesses your mind and body- take time for it daily. 

4. Don’t overlook your needs for the needs of others-

Don’t be afraid of meeting your own needs or working harder to attain them in your life. If you're like me you can always think of a dozen ways you can give more care and service to family and friends. But don't forget it is vitally important to prioritize yourself as well.

5. Don’t overdo-

Be honest and loyal to yourself. Resist the urge to constantly push yourself harder. It’s okay to set limits for yourself.. Boundaries will make it easier for you to be yourself. Don’t over do, don’t over exhaust your resources, don’t over care, don’t over love, don’t over share yourself, don’t over work. You will find as you set limits and prioritize your self care you will have a deeper reserve for 0thers- a more patient heart, more gracious tone, more loving reach. 

6. Ask for what you need and want-

 Be straight, direct and open about your needs, likes and choices. Allow your family and friends to love you as they step up with to assist. Receiving is as bonding as giving service. Take your turn to receive. 

Remember, loving yourself is the greatest revolution. Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Don’t just do it for others, do it for yourself. And lastly, there is no shortcut, it takes time to build a better and stronger version of yourself for yourself.

And so for our weekly bonus points you can claim 5 points each day that you do one thing to make your own well being a priority and share what you did with your partner.