Tag: women’s health

Creating An Epic Life: “Careful the Tale You Tell”

Posted on by Dr. Diane Sanford in Self-Care

When I was on retreat in June at Feathered Pipe Ranch with Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, we shared our stories of the different life passages we’d journeyed through and how these experiences shaped our growth and change. Since then, I’ve wanted to discuss how this relates to leading a mindful life but didn’t know what to say until now. The late Carl Sagan remarked in his series, Cosmos,“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”

If you believe that we are spiritual beings having a human existence, then you may think that what we do in this lifetime matters, especially when human existence ( and that of all sentient beings and our planet) may not survive if we choose poorly. In one of my favorite stories, “Into the Woods” the witch warns the villagers, “Careful the tale you tell, that is the spell. Children will listen.” Although we may not consciously be aware of our “stories” and how they are affecting us, we can learn.

Mindfulness teaches us that “with awareness we can respond with choice” instead of “reacting on auto-pilot.” The starting point is to become aware of the automatic thoughts, feelings, and sensations which trigger our bodies and minds without us even knowing. After a month of tuning into her “automatic thoughts,” one of my clients “noticed” that she kept having negative thoughts about herself and when she did start to feel good, felt undeserving of it and resumed her self-criticism.

Recently the same client told me,”I was my worst critic. Now I know that I’m the only person who can change my life. I’m in charge of what I choose to tell myself and my destiny.” Because our habitual “stories” like my client’s “I’m no good” keep playing in our heads, they often happen outside our awareness. When we choose to “pay attention,” to our automatic thoughts and “stories,” we free ourselves to experience the moment we’re in, rather than worrying about the future or regretting the past.

This week, pay attention to your self-talk and your “stories.” Practice the mindfulness exercise which follows (yes, it’s here this week) to help “Stay in the Moment.” I you are in STL and want to learn more, I will be teaching my “Mindfulness in 5 Simple Steps: How to Stress Less and Live Better” at my practice, Midwest Mind Body Health Center on Saturday August 29 from 10-12:30 am. Click here to “Like” us on Facebook to find out more about this and upcoming events.

Have a good week. Namaste.

Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body

Posted on by Dr. Diane Sanford in August Tips, Monday Musings
By Kim Wolterman
By Kim Wolterman

If you’re anything like I am, you spend a lot of time in your head-thinking, imagining, obsessing, over-analyzing, etc. What I continue to learn, lately, is that to have greater peace of mind, I need to get back in my body and feel what’s going on there.

As I’m sitting on my porch responding to friends via e-mail, I can smell the hickory chips of our smoker burning in the backyard. I breathe deeply and savor the aroma. I look up from my keyboard and soak in the plush greenery across the road. I hear the birds chirping-so many different sounds and melodies. I feel the wind brushing my cheek. It’s a sensory buffet.

I’m back in my body and out of my mind. Living, breathing, sensing, feeling. It doesn’t last long until thoughts return. I “note” them and let them go lovingly, returning my attention to my senses and my body. Inhaling the moment one breath at a time, again and again.

To help you practice staying in your body and getting out of your head, click on this link to my mindfulness video, the body scan relaxation-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km42VBea9oc. Try it and let me know what you think.

Until next time remember, “Life is a journey. Stress less. Live better.”

Battling the Bulge While Embracing Equilibrium

Posted on by Dr. Diane Sanford in May Tips

We all have our battle scars when it comes to our bodies and losing weight. I’m living proof of someone who often turned herself into a guinea pig – all in the name of getting healthy…and possibly finding balance.

“Hi, my name is Mollee and I’ve struggled with my weight for over 15 years. I am a self-admitted foodie who historically has had a hedonistic relationship with food.” While saying that “out loud” doesn’t magically make the pounds disappear, acknowledgment and transparency does at some point.

Frustrated at having tried just about everything, I came across a picture of my friend and she looked fabulous. I immediately contacted her and said, “Hey, you look amazing. What are you doing?” Turns out she took HCG drops. This controversial lifestyle changer has some people thinking it’s worse than Darth Vader, and others proclaiming their lives transformed because of it. I’m in the later camp.

I did my exhaustive research and decided that the only thing I had to lose were my bulges. I went by the book, didn’t cheat, made sure I had plenty of protein, vitamins and vegetables and by the end of my first round, 45 days later, I was 27 pounds lighter, with 28 inches melted off my body.  It sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

I became acutely aware of how much I was overeating, and learned how to make more intelligent food and lifestyle choices. I am enjoying being more aware of how my body works, too. But it’s not all about me.

What I want you to walk away with is the fact that if you put your mind to what you want, be it a project, mission, way of doing something, you are 100 percent capable of doing so. The only thing getting in the way is you. If you’re committed to yourself, change happens.

I found and embraced my equilibrium, will you?

Today’s author is Mollee Bauer, founder of pregnancy.org and one of next week’s challenge champions. Join us May 21-25 as we challenge and support each other to make self-care part of our daily lives.

Women, Hormones and Mood

Posted on by Dr. Diane Sanford in Monday Musings

Did you know that women experience twice as much depression as men? Would that be because we’re more sensitive? I think not. The explanation which best fits is that we are more affected by hormonal shifts which influence our brain chemistry, particulary around times when our lives change dramatically-like pregnancy and post-birth.

In fact, 1 in 8 women will experience a clinical episode of depression, anxiety, etc. during pregnancy, postpartum and menopause, which is greater than the occurence of most health conditions. So, what will it take for emotional health to become an integral part of women’s health? Why aren’t women being routinely screened for mood and anxiety conditions? How can health conditions which have such a profound impact on developing families continue to be ignored?

I was having this conversation Friday with a local journalist and told him that women must lead the charge like we’ve done with breast cancer. We must come forward and share our stories to support each other in getting the help we need and deserve. We must be prepared to educate our health providers and make it clear that we expect to be cared for-body, mind, heart and soul. We must challenge our own biases about anxiety and depression, and accept them as “health conditions” just like heart disease or diabetes.

Ghandi said, “Become the change you want to see in the world.”

To learn more about hormones and mood, read Women’s Moods about pregnancy and postpartum, The Wisdom of Menopause, and visit www.womenshealth.gov.

“Mommy Entrepeneur’s Recipe for Divalysscious Success”-Part 1

Posted on by Dr. Diane Sanford in Thursday "Words of Wisdom"

As the owner of Divalysscious Moms, a luxury lifestyle company for mothers and families, and the mother of two young children (Jackson, 7, and Oliver, 4), I am frequently asked how I balance motherhood, owning/operating my own business and making “me” time.  While every successful mother and business owner has a unique routine that works for her, I like to give other mothers my “Divalysscious Tips,” the ingredients I recommend for “Mommy Entrepreneur Success.”

1. Your Children Come First. That means that any email and phone call can wait until the children are happy and settled. With today’s technology, everything seems urgent; however, it’s not. When your children feel secure, everything works better.

2. Prioritize. Start your work before your children wake up even if it means rising at 4:30am to answer e-mails, approve designs and do research. Lessen your pain with a jumbo cup of coffee!

3. Have a routine.  Having breakfast with my boys and taking them to school  crucial aspects of my daily life. Most nights, I put my Blackberry down so I can eat with them, bathe them, read to them and snuggle before bedtime. After they’re sleeping, I can finish up my work.

Follow these tips — adapting them to your life and family — and you will be an uber Divalysscious Mom. Remember, making yourself a priority is not something to feel guilty about! Happy moms make happy kids.

Today’s guest author is Lyss Stern, Founder and CEO of Divalysscious Moms. For more, follow her on Facebook and Twitter.