Women Inspiring Women Panelist

I was invited to be a panelist for an event sponsored by Women Inspiring Women (WIW).  The President of WIW is Leslie Sturgeon.  

I didnt know what to expect but was excited about the opportunity to discuss naturopathic healthcare.  There were three other women on the panel, Kim Dorval a very talented dietician, Amy Gebo the Wellness Coordinator at Concord Hospital and Gina McGuire a nurse and fitness instructor from The Bod Squad.  

The event took place in Concord on the evening of July 30th and was a great success! 

We talked about all things health, from meditation to Vitamin D.  All four of us had our own top ten list and had a round table discussion regarding these items.

I was inspired after leaving the event.  It was uplifting and left me feeling recharged.  It was just another night reinforcing how much I love my profession and  how much I enjoy educating the public and hearing their concerns. 

I have included my top ten list below.  Of course this was just the tip of the iceberg, as we had an evolving conversation between the audience and all 4 healthcare practitioners. 

 I have also been told that the discussion will appear on youtube under wiwhealthpanel.  

1)    Understand what your blood work means

Normal or not, it is important to understand what all those little letters and acronyms mean on your blood work.  Do not accept a letter that states everything was normal.  Get a copy of your blood work for your own records, understand the reference range and understand what was tested and what your values are.

 

2)    Practice preventive care

I have enclosed a list of preventive tests that should be performed at certain milestones.  These are imperative to catch disease early in its progression.  Also, have a positive, trusting partnership with your healthcare provider.

 

3)    You know yourself the best

If, despite a full workup, you still don’t feel right, continue to search for an answer.  Don’t accept “we can’t find anything wrong with you” as the final word.

 

4)    Get checked for 25 OH Vitamin D levels

Living in the Northeast, we all run a high risk of being deficient in Vitamin D.

Clinically, I have tested 90% of my clients.  Of these patients, approximately 90% are deficient in Vitamin D.   Such deficiency can affect our bones, immune system, skin, cardiovascular health, risk for certain cancers and autoimmune disease.

 

 

 

5)    Understand the health benefits of Essential Fatty Acids

For this lecture, I am focusing on Omega 3 Fatty Acids.  These are found in cold water fish (salmon, anchovies, sardines, cod), walnuts, hemp and chia seeds.  Omega 3 Fatty Acids are anti-inflammatory and are useful for issues like joint pain, cardiovascular disease, skin conditions, asthma, allergies, irritable bowel, depression, mental illness.

 

6)    Stay hydrated

Dehydration can create a sense of hunger, inhibit weight loss and cause fatigue.  It also inhibits excretion of waste, increases recovery time from illness/exercise, increases risk of musculoskeletal injury, makes our skin age prematurely and leads to constipation.

 

7)    Make sure to have a healthy intake of fiber

Fiber is critical to stabilizing blood sugar, creating a sense of fullness and is a great aide in weight loss.  It decreases the risk of certain cancers, helps us to eliminate toxins, decrease cholesterol and feeds our healthy gut bacteria.

 

8)    Get enough sleep

Enough sleep is a minimum of 8 hours a night, uninterrupted.  Poor sleep patterns can lead to hormone irregularities (estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, thyroid, serotonin, etc.) Insomnia can also lead to weight gain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, lowered pain threshold, and worsening of most chronic illnesses.

 

9)    De-stress

Chronic stress creates a chronic release of many hormones, ones that negatively affect our mood, blood sugar, sleep and appetite.  It also increases inflammation and hastens the onset of illness or will worsen present illness.

 

10) Probiotics

Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that live in our gastrointestinal tract.  They are responsible for immune surveillance, making certain vitamins and nutrients, crowding out bad bacteria and yeast, helping to break down toxins, digestion and assimilation of nutrients.  They are imperative to take post-antibiotic treatment to replenish what was wiped out.  I always suggest probiotics to clients with digestive complaints, skin issues, autoimmune disorders, allergies, asthma and food sensitivities.