on Mar 12, 2017 in Fitness, Inspiration
A strong body is a healthy body. The benefits of building muscle mass or strength are many; decreased aging, better posture, better balance and endurance, increased energy, mood elevation, burn more calories, better weight control, increased immunity, greater self-esteem. How to get stronger: If you want to build muscles…you have to work your muscles until they’re tired. It is the principle of overload. When you work your muscles until they tire, your body sends signals for your muscle tissue to repair and build. Because your body is highly adaptable, if you train using the same amount of resistance over and over, you will maintain your strength, but not build muscle mass or strength. Instead you’ll need to increase the amount of resistance or weight you’re using every 2 to 4 weeks to keep pushing your body to build...
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on Mar 6, 2017 in General Wellness, Inspiration, Mindfulness
Sometimes it is not so much what you need to be doing, but what you need to stop doing that can lead to a happy life. Here are a few things to consider…not doing! Pleasing: All of us want to be loved, needed, and valued. But sometimes we can be so afraid of being rejected that we make ourselves needed. If they need us, they won’t leave us. But trying to please people to make ourselves happy and fulfilled, ultimately leads to disappointment and frustration. Happiness comes when we thoughtfully decide what we do and do not want to do. Then giving comes from a place of joy, with no expectation of return, no frustration in our efforts going unappreciated, no feelings of being a doormat. Let Your “No” be Heard: Some people find it hard to say no. They may have mental chatter that says things like, “You should!”, “You ought to!” or “What will happen if you don’t?” At times it may feel easier to say yes, than to deal with the fallout of saying no. But saying yes to things you know you don’t want to do is like giving a piece of your life away that you’ll never get back. You’ll get caught in the rut of spending all your energy coping with what life throws your way, and none of your energy will get focused on helping you build the life you want for yourself. Happiness comes only when you learn that saying “no” is about loving others as much as loving yourself. A reluctance or inability to say no is often accompanied by a reluctance to communicate difficult emotions and feelings. It is easy to avoid communicating fear, needs, frustration or anger. Thinking things like; “I should, ought to, need to” can make you try to bury these emotions, but these emotions are there to help you make better choices and find your own direction. You need to listen to these emotions and allow them to guide you into decisions and behaviors that help you create the life you want to live. Busy for the Sake of Being Busy: It’s a myth that being busy or having a packed schedule is equivalent to being a person of importance. Gaining...
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on Feb 27, 2017 in Cancer prevention, General Wellness, Nutrition, Uncategorized
THEY JUST CAN’T BE BEET!!!!!!!!!!!! Forget the old canned beets of your Grandparents day… slowly roasted beets make culinary aficionados drool. These delicious root vegetables belong to a family of superfoods that include chard, spinach and quinoa. Like their cousins, beets pack a powerful punch for your health. Naturally high in disease-fighting phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and trace minerals. Beets are an excellent source of phytonutrients called betalains which function as beneficial antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules. Studies have shown that betalains help to protect the body from developing cancers such as lung, stomach, colon, and breast cancer, in addition to heart disease and many other illnesses too. The light or dark red, purple, crimson, or orange colors of beets is an excellent indicator of their high antioxidant content, similarly to how berries and other deeply colored fruits and vegetables provide the same disease-fighting molecules. Due to their antioxidants, beets are also very helpful in protecting eye health. Beets are a source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two carotenoid phytonutrients -also found in other similarly colored vegetables like carrots and squash- that play a role in protecting eyes from developing conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts. The highest supply of these antioxidants are actually found in the greens of the beets. Beet greens contain more leutein and zeaxanthin than the purple beet roots themselves, but even the roots provide a good source, especially golden (orange or yellow colored) beets. The Betaine and choline in beets help regulate inflammation in the cardiovascular system, bring cholesterol levels to a healthy balance, and reduce high blood pressure. Beets are known to be natural “blood cleansers”. They cleanse the blood of toxins, heavy metals, and waste due to their compounds called glutathiones, which are essential for detoxification within the liver and other digestive organs. Additionally, the fiber in beets helps to “sweep” the digestive tract of waste and toxins while restoring healthy and regular bowel movements. Catch the Beet and Have a Healthful Day!!!!...
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on Feb 13, 2017 in Relaxation, Stress Management
Massage therapy at the Positive Choice Integrative Wellness Center combines multiple massage therapies to best suit the needs of each individual. Our massage therapists specialize in the following types of massage: Eastern Massage: Includes Shiatsu, Thai and Acupressure techniques. These modalities use a blend of finger pressure, compression, pulling, stretching, and rocking to facilitate relaxation in the body. Passive yoga poses will also be a part of this massage for a very restorative experience Relaxation Massage: Combines Swedish and Eastern techniques (rubbing, long gliding strokes, circular pressure by hands, kneading, bending, stretching) that promotes total body relaxation, improved circulation, decreased stress hormones, increased flexibility. Deep Tissue Massage: Blends traditional Swedish Massage, deep tissue, and sports massage techniques (deep finger pressure and slow, firm strokes, pressure on knotted muscles, works on deeper tissues) provides relief from muscle tension, aids in recovery from injuries, decreases scar tissue, aids blood pressure. $60 for a 50 minute massage. Call to schedule,...
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on Feb 1, 2017 in Cancer prevention, General Wellness, Nutrition
Magnesium is the 4th most abundant mineral in your body and it is vital for over three hundred different metabolic functions that your body needs to perform every day. Magnesium is an electrolyte that helps with blood glucose and blood pressure control, regulates protein synthesis and Vitamin D metabolism in addition to many other functions including sleep, digestion, bone health and heart function. It is estimated that 75% of the U.S. population does not meet the recommended daily intake of 310 to 420 mg. Low levels of magnesium in your diet can create a wide variety of symptoms throughout your body, making diagnosis and treatment elusive. Depression Chronic fatigue syndrome ADHD Epilepsy Parkinson’s disease Sleep problems Migraine Cluster headaches Osteoporosis Premenstrual syndrome Chest pain (angina) Cardiac arrhythmias Coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis Hypertension Type II diabetes Asthma Here are the top magnesium rich foods, try to eat 2 or 3 of them everyday. Spinach — 1 cup: 157 milligrams (40% DV) Chard — 1 cup: 154 milligrams (38% DV) Pumpkin seeds — 1/8 cup: 92 milligrams (23% DV) Yogurt or Kefir — 1 cup: 50 milligrams (13% DV) Almonds — 1 ounce: 80 milligrams (20% DV) Black Beans — ½ cup: 60 milligrams (15% DV) Avocado — 1 medium: 58 milligrams (15% DV) Figs — ½ cup: 50 milligrams (13% DV) Dark Chocolate — 1 square: 95 milligrams (24% DV) Banana — 1 medium: 32 milligrams (8%...
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on Jan 30, 2017 in Weight Loss
Need Help Losing? You’re welcome any time at one of our Weight Program Information Sessions. At these information sessions we provide information regarding the many weight loss support options available at the Positive Choice Integrative Wellness Center. These services are available to everyone, you do not need to be a Kaiser Permanente member. There is no-fee and no obligation to join, just an opportunity for you to ask questions and learn about what is available. The Positive Choice Integrative Wellness Center at 7035 Convoy Court, San Diego CA 92111, Room...
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on Jan 23, 2017 in General Wellness, Wellness Blog
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE FOR HEART-BURN/GASTRIC REFLUX Suffer from gastric reflux? There are some alternative therapies that may help you avoid dependence on medication. Our Integrative physicians, Dr. Heidi Meyer and Dr. Raymond Lane list a few suggestions to try. Aloe Juice or Ginger Root for Inflammation: Aloe and ginger are powerful anti-inflammatories. Drink 1/2 cup of aloe vera juice or ginger tea before meals. To make ginger tea add two or three slices of fresh ginger root to two cups of hot water. Let steep for about half an hour. Drink about 20 minutes or so before your meal. Chamomile Tea: One to two hours before bed, try a cup of chamomile tea, it soothes stomach inflammation and will help you sleep. Vitamin D: You need Vitamin D to help fight infections. If your vitamin D is low take an oral vitamin D3 supplement with vitamin K2. Astaxanthin: This exceptionally potent herb reduces symptoms of acid reflux, particularly in those that have a helicobacter pylori infection. Best results are obtained at a daily dose of 40 mg. Slippery Elm: Slippery elm coats and soothes the skin throughout your digestive tract and it stimulates the nerves in your GI tract which results in a thicker mucus secretion; protecting your GI tract against excess acidity. Pour two cups boiling water over two tablespoons of powdered bark, steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Drink 3 times per day; or take capsules, 400-500 mg 3 to 4 times daily for 4 to 8 weeks. Avoid taking slippery elm within two-hours of any other prescribed medication as it will interfere with absorption. Glutamine: Helps correct damage caused by H. pylori. Found in many foods, including beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products, and some fruits and vegetables. L-glutamine is also widely available as a supplement. Folate and other B Vitamins: High folic acid intake reduces risk of acid reflux by 40% and vitamin B2 and B6 levels are also important for recovery. Eat vitamin-B rich foods, such as dark leafy greens, asparagus, spinach, okra, and beans. Eat Foods that Promote Gut Health: Lots of fiber and fermented foods help feed healthy bacteria in your gut. Cabbage and cabbage juice in particular help promote healthy stomach acid....
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on Jan 16, 2017 in Cancer prevention, General Wellness, Nutrition
Imagine if you left the water running in your house for years. Even if it started as just a trickle, over time it would create a lot of damage and the repair bills would be devastating! An unhealthy lifestyle is a lot like leaving the water running in your body, flooding it with a diet high in processed and refined foods, bombarding it with everyday pollutants, pesticides, and toxins, and taxing it with too little sleep and chronic stress. These unhealthy lifestyle factors cause inflammation in your tissues and, over years, can spread throughout your body causing all kinds of damage. Unchecked inflammation can lead to health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and auto-immune diseases. Treating these conditions with medication is like trying to clean up your flooding household with a small bucket. Medications help control the damage, but they won’t stop the flood. Cholesterol medications slow the progression of heart disease, but they don’t help people recover. Diabetes medications help scoop away some of the damage of high blood sugars, but no one recovers from diabetes by taking diabetes medication. Real health and recovery requires changing your lifestyle to stop the flood of inflammation. The best way to turn off the faucet is by eating a diet rich in plant foods. Plant foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds are treasure-chests full of healing properties. It is true that these foods are your major source of essential vitamins and minerals, and they give you so much more. Plants are full of colorful pigments called phyto (plant)-nutrients that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors; the bright ruby red found in pomegranates, sapphire blue in berries, amethyst purple in eggplant, and emerald green in dark leafy salads, to name a few. read more…Turn-Off-the-Faucet-Eat-More-Plants...
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on Jan 9, 2017 in General Wellness, Mindfulness, Stress Management
We have a new MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION PROGRAM (MBSR) beginning January 19th In this program, you learn and have the opportunity to practice mindfulness — a skill of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. When practiced, even for just a few weeks, mindfulness can boost immune function and decrease negative thoughts and emotions. People may experience greater focus and concentration, reduced anxiety, improved sleep, enhanced satisfaction in relationships, and relief from self-defeating behaviors like overeating. Call to...
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on Jan 2, 2017 in Cancer prevention, General Wellness, Nutrition
Talk with Our INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIANS LIVE on FACEBOOK™ January 17th at 1 to 2:00 pm This is a great opportunity to ask questions of our Integrative team, Dr. Meyer and Dr. Lane. Learn how an integrative approach to healing can help you. Simply friend us on FACEBOOK™ or if you aren’t on Facebook connect using the link on our webpage, here.....
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