When You Think You Can’t…
…Know That You Can. Stay...
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Live Well…Always! Tools That Can Help
Personal Training If you want to see real results from your work out, then train with a personal trainer. Strengthen muscles to prevent or ease a physical injury, or work out to look great. These trainers help educate and motivate you through your transformation. 30-minute session: $55 Muscle Toning Classes Build a stronger, healthier body using light weights, bands, and fitness balls to strengthen, tone, and firm muscles. Meets twice a week. Eight, one-hour sessions:$55, Mondays and Wednesdays – 5:15 to 6:15 pm. Yoga and Simple Yoga Classes Combine stretching exercises with deep breathing and meditation. Experience increased energy, relaxation, flexibility, and strength. In Simple Yoga, use modified yoga poses that accommodate beginners and those with physical limitations. Meets once a week at the Positive Choice Integrative Wellness Center. Eight, one-hour sessions:$72 Simple Yoga ─ Mondays or Wednesdays – 2 to 3 pm. Yoga ─ Mondays or Wednesdays – 6:30 to 7:30 pm....
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Preventing Falls—It’s a Balancing Act!
Afraid of falling? There are things you can do that greatly minimizes your risk. Attend this seminar, free to Kaiser Permanente members, that will help you become aware of the common causes and and major risks for falling. You’ll learn how to prepare yourself, your home, and your surroundings to avoid or prevent falls. Learn strategies of improving strength, balance and flexibility and how this can make a difference. Several Preventing Falls classes are scheduled for March. San Diego Mission Road (off Mission Gorge, near the hospital at Zion) March 1 at 1:30 to 3:30 pm San Marcos Medical Office: March 11th at 1:30 to 3:30 pm Otay Mesa Medical Office: March 24th at 1:30 to 3:30 pm Call Kaiser Permanente’s Health Education Department to schedule:...
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Looking to Lose
Positive Choice Integrative Wellness Center Weight Loss Programs Healthy Balance- Full Food Program This 14-week program helps you lose weight eating mostly fresh, organic, whole foods. Each group session is 1½ hours and includes healthy lifestyle education, flexibility/strength training exercise, mindful eating and relaxation strategies. Programs are offered at the La Mesa, Otay Mesa, Clairemont Mesa, and San Marcos medical facilities. The price is $140 plus a one-time materials fee of $50. Call anytime to enroll. Full or Partial Fasting Weight Management Programs The Full or Partial Fasting Weight Management Programs help you lose weight with the aid of liquid meal replacements. On a full fast you consume five liquid meal replacements each day. On a partial fast you consume four liquid meal replacements each day and then have one sensible meal. The rate of weight loss is typically between two to five pounds a week. The length of the program is determined by individual need. The weekly group meetings are two hours and include information and discussion on coping strategies, stress management, communication, and interpersonal relationship skills. The maintenance phase is for 12 months after you have lost your weight and focuses on developing a healthy lifestyle, nutrition, and exercise. The weekly cost for the weight loss phase, which includes medical supervision, group meetings, and your meal replacements is $125. Programs are available at the Bostonia, Clairemont Mesa, Otay Mesa, and San Marcos medical facilities. Medical appointments are required to begin these programs. Call to schedule a free information session where you can get program details, have your questions answered, and enroll. (You may also download program details online at positivechoice.org.) No matter which weight management program you participate in, you can expect to achieve positive health outcomes. In particular, here are some of the benefits typically experienced by those in the fasting program: Blood Pressure: 40% of participants with high blood pressure are able to discontinue medications and an additional 30% greatly reduce the amount of their needed blood pressure medication. Type 2 Diabetes: 74% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are able to completely discontinue medications within the first few weeks on a full fast, recover normal blood sugar levels by the end of the...
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Let Go and Breathe
Nothing is worth losing your inner peace. Take action as circumstances require, but never surrender your inner peace. Stop. Breathe deeply. Close your eyes and breathe deeply again. Then and only then, take action from a peaceful...
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A Thought-Full Life
Article pdf Finding Your Missing Peace Did you know that you have about 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts every day? That’s nearly 50 thoughts per minute, more than one per second. You would think (pun intended) that with all that activity you would have a tremendously productive life, but research indicates that you repeat about 98% of the same thoughts every day. If you are like the average person your inner world and productivity is further hindered by the fact that as much as 80% of your thoughts are critical and negative. Whether your mind is over-crowded with positive or negative thoughts, all that repeated mental activity leaves little room to breathe, feel, and experience life. Too many random thoughts not only crowds out meaningful contact with yourself, it crowds out contact with the important people in your life. The result is you’re left feeling alone, exhausted, out of balance, and longing for an inner peace that seems elusive. Human beings instinctively strive to maintain a peaceful inner world; it is the glue that holds us together mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Unfortunately, if you are like most, you may allow your thoughts to come and go without much awareness (or dare we say without much thought!) When you leave your thoughts unchallenged, you tend to accept your thoughts as truth, unconsciously giving them permission to shape your beliefs about yourself, about others, and your life. What can happen when you unconsciously accept random negative thoughts? Remember that you are connected as a whole in mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Our culture looks for physical causes when you experience pain or sickness; yet we know that physical symptoms do have a connection to your perceptions, emotions, and experiences. When you are emotionally, mentally, or spiritually out of balance, you may experience it as physical distress. When the pendulum of your lifestyle swings too far to one side, it will inevitably swing equally far to the other side. A lack of inner peace and balance will eventually lead to an unbalanced, unhealthy lifestyle. Too much work, too little rest, grief, unmet needs, no play, excessive stress, and not enough meaningful time with loved ones or in activities you enjoy can easily cause...
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Keeping It Off
Winning Strategies for Long-term Weight Loss Maintenance Weight loss is hard , but the true challenge is maintaining a weight loss. Some studies estimate that as many as two-thirds of people who lose weight gain a majority of it back within three years. If you have ever struggled with your weight you may have already experienced this. As depressing as these statistics are, remember that there are people out there who are defying the odds, long-term weight maintenance is achievable. In the Positive Choice Integrative Weight Management Programs we have been able to better the odds for most people. Three years after losing weight, 50% of our participants are maintaining all or most of their weight loss, another 25% are maintaining two-thirds or more of their weight loss. We work to improve our programs every year, employing the strategies that have been proven successful. Our goal is to provide the support and tools to help people lose weight and help them build a lifestyle that will give them every chance for long-term success. Although more research needs to be done to fully understand the challenges to weight maintenance there are a few things that have been clearly documented. The health of your intestinal tract is important. Certain bacteria in our intestinal tract produce hormones that can effect appetite and metabolism. Up to two years post-weight loss, fluctuating levels of grehlin/leptin hormone levels can create increased feelings of hunger. People who have lost weight are hungrier for at least two years. Most people spend money on losing the weight, but direct very little resources towards to their maintenance efforts. When seeking to lose weight, it is extremely important that you participate in support that can help you for at least two years of your post-weight loss. One of the biggest mistakes people make in our Weight Management Programs is not taking advantage of our long-term weight maintenance programs. During a weight loss phase and also following in the maintenance phase your routine should include foods that help promote healthy gut bacteria and perhaps probiotics to help adjust your intestinal tract bacteria. Maintaining a weight loss eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and legumes should help promote the growth of...
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Unravel The Common Cold
Herbal Remedies for the Common Cold Echinacea: Echinacea may help some people reduce their risk of getting a cold as well as reduce the duration of their colds significantly. Eucalyptus: Steam inhalations using a few drops of eucalyptus oil in hot water can help loosen phlegm and reduce a sore throat and congestion. If you suffer with asthma or allergies check with your physician before trying this remedy. Peppermint: Peppermint contains menthol, which works as a decongestant, expectorant and helps thin mucus and cures a cough. Peppermint oil should be used with another neutral oil, and should never be used directly on the skin or ingested. Other popular home remedies: Gargle with hot water and salt to relieve a sore or hoarse throat. Drink ginger tea with a squeeze of lemon throughout the day. Ginger acts as a natural decongestant and also helps with pain relief. Lemon provides vitamin C and helps kill bacteria in the throat. Sip on a cup of warm milk mixed with a pinch of turmeric and honey to soothe a bad throat and other cold symptoms. Feed a Cold Include foods that are high in antioxidants and vitamin C such as fresh fruit and vegetables to boost your immunity. This will not only help fight a cold but may also prevent it from recurring. Foods high in vitamin B complex can also help relieve symptoms of a cold. Avoid heavy foods that are high in starch, and foods that are spicy, oily, deep-fried and processed. Food rich in zinc such as oysters, pork, crab, nuts, yogurt and milk also help reduce the intensity of cold symptoms. Drink plenty of fluids to keep your body hydrated and help flush out the toxins. In addition to at least eight to ten glasses of water daily, you should have fresh fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups or broths. Stay away from alcohol and caffeine as they work as diuretics and dehydrate the body further. Lemons should be consumed in the form of lemon juice mixed with hot water and honey to soothe a sore throat and boost your vitamin C intake. Peppers, mustard, onions, and horseradish that make your nose run and your eyes water are good...
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Take a Stand, Straighten-up Your Day
Exercises to Fix Your Posture These days most of us spend too much time hunched over computers and looking down at handheld devices. The results …rounded shoulders, tight chest muscles, and rounded backs. Try these exercises to straighten up and fly right! Prone Breast Stroke Start in a face down/prone position on a mat, elbows bent, and your forehead resting on hands. Stabilize your core by drawing your belly button toward your spine. Extend your spine and lift your chest off the mat while reaching your arms forward. Maintain a neutral neck position, keeping your ears between your biceps, and your shoulder blades retracted and away from your ears. Breast stroke by circling your arms to your hips while lifting your chest slightly higher; return to the start position. Perform 2–3 sets or 8–12 repetitions. Wall Sit with Snow Angel Arms Sit cross legged with your back up against a wall. Pull up from pelvic floor, lifting your ribs away from hips to grow taller; lift your chest and roll your shoulders back and down. Aim to have three points of the spine in contact with the wall (head, shoulders, and tail bone). Reach your arms out overhead, with your palms touching. Draw your elbows back to touch the wall. Close your eyes and allow your breath to be your guide. Perform snow-angel arms 4-8...
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Put Your Feet Up and Re-Flax!
Flax seed may be one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. Flax seeds help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Although flax seed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its primary healthy reputation to omega-3 essential fatty acids. Each tablespoon of ground flax seed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3’s. The lignins in flax seeds are a powerful antioxidant. One tablespoon of flax seeds a day has been shown to protect against estrogen/progesterone driven breast cancers and work as well as Tamoxifin and other estrogen blockers....
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