Healthy Looks Great on You

Overcoming Jet Lag

You've booked your flight, reserved your hotel and packed your bags. So don't let jet lag, keep you from enjoying all the wonders on your itinerary. In this episode, you'll learn how to phase shift your circadian rhythm. So you can make memories that last forever. 
It's kind of fascinating to think about jetting around the globe. We can hop on a plane and be on the other side of the world by tomorrow. Or is it today? What time is it again?  The problem is that our internal clocks. can't keep up. And it knocks the circadian rhythm for a loop. When your internal clock gets out of sync, it causes jet lag. Which can make us sleepy when we're supposed to be awake and enjoying our wonderful vacation or lying awake when it's bedtime in our dream destination. Either way, there are things you can do to lessen the effects.  
Jet lag causes insomnia by the de synchronization of the circadian rhythm. Well, that was enough 25 cent words to cut into your vacation budget, but don't worry. We'll go to mini medical school in a bit and learn more. But jet lag causes more than insomnia during the night and drowsiness during the day. It also causes GI upset, brain fog., bad mood and just feeling ick, in general.  And even if you don't change time zones, it's hard enough to sleep in an unfamiliar place where there's light noise to contend with. And it can be made worse if the pillow is too flat or too thick. 
On the other end of the spectrum is daytime sleepiness. You've planned all those amazing excursions. And now you're struggling to stay awake and actually enjoy your trip. Jeez. And don't forget GI upset.  Mostly it's decreased appetite and constipation due to eating at times you're normally sleeping, but some people get diarrhea and that's never a good travel companion. On top of that brain fog sets in which can make you and everyone around you and a bad mood. Decisions about where to go and what to eat, seem harder. And emotions get the best of you and sabotage your trip.  
So let the adventures begin.  Whether you've personally experienced jet lag, have an upcoming trip, Or, just want to live vicariously.
 It's time to go to mini medical school.  I always like to get started with a definition. Let's start with circadian rhythm. It's the 24 hour process that helps our bodies react appropriately to day and night, light and dark as the earth spins on its axis. Normally melatonin levels start to increase when light starts to decrease. 
Ideally, this happens about two hours before bedtime. And the term for this is dim light melatonin onset, or DLMO. This secretion in melatonin causes a drop in core body temperature, which in turn makes us a little groggy.  This signals our body that it's time to get tucked in beneath the covers and get some shut eye.  The rise in melatonin continues and it hits its max level after about seven hours. This peak coincides with the lowest level of core body temperature. And these two things happen about three hours Prior to wake up time. In the morning, the melatonin levels drop to zero and our core body temperature starts to warm up, and this starts the wake cycle, which lasts about 16 hours. The sleep wake cycle can be modified and the internal clock can be reset.
Guess what the most powerful tool that resets the circadian rhythm is?  It's bright light. In the natural order of things, the sun comes up, the rooster says cock a doodle doo, the farmer gets out of bed, works 16 hours, and everyone goes to sleep. The cycle starts over the next morning. But then we invented all kinds of things that screwed it up from light bulbs to night shifts, to screens that emit blue light. And that has a huge impact on melatonin secretion, which is what gets this whole ball rolling.
When it comes to light, timing is everything. Let me introduce another term, entrainment. This is our ability to synchronize our internal clock based on external input from the environment.
This makes your body's physical functions line up with your daily routines to coincide with day and night. And that's why typically people don't have the urge to empty their bowels during the night. It's also why your gastrointestinal tract can be all messed up when you travel.  But other things besides light can help entrain circadian rhythm too, like exercise, meals, and social contact. Think about it. How many times have you stayed up late talking to friends? And then falling asleep when you're home alone or bored.  Get out your notebook now because here's the science you need to know about jet lag. It's all about phase shifting. Either delaying or advancing depending on which direction you're traveling.
Bright light packs the biggest punch when it shines during what should be night time. Because that's when melatonin is secreted, remember?
In normal people, the lowest core body temperature is in the evening. So bright light after the low core body temperature, moves that circadian rhythm forward. That's called a phase advance. Bright light after the DLMO, the dim light melatonin onset, and before the lowest core body temperature in the evening,  moves the sleep wake  cycle backwards.
That's called a phase delay. Got it? No? Okay. One more time.
Bright light after the body cools down moves the internal clock forward. And bright light after the dim light melatonin onset, but before the body cool down. You moves the clock backward. The problem is that even though bright light shifts the internal clock, this effect is delayed.
So when you fly to a different time zone, your body needs several days to adjust. The more time zones you cross, the more time it takes for your body to naturally reset. And all this talk about melatonin just might make you wonder, Can I take melatonin to help shift the internal clock? I'm so glad you asked.
The answer is  yes, but the action depends on the timing. Melatonin is a phase shifter.  What time of day it's taken can affect the sleep wake cycle. So, if you take it late in the afternoon or early in the evening, it That causes a phase advance and if you take it in the morning, it causes phase delay. 
Melatonin can also be sedating. The power of sedation and phase shifting is greater when melatonin is taken at a time when the body's pineal gland is not normally secreting it. That's why melatonin is more effective for jet lag than it is for sleep at bedtime. 
 We'll talk more specifics about melatonin doses in a minute. 
   Even without treatment, your circadian rhythm will adjust on its own. Hopefully, that happens before your trip is over. How long will it take? Well, that depends on how many time zones you cross and which direction you travel.  People who jet set around the globe for a living may experience more long term health effects than those of us who occasionally take a big trip.
Typically, it takes about one day to to adjust for one time zone if you're traveling eastward. So, if you cross more, it takes longer. Westward travel is a little easier and your body can compensate for 1. 5 time zones per day.  Your body's less confused when you travel west because the days are lengthened rather than shortened like they are when traveling east.
And if you're wondering why that matters, it's because Your internal clock is not exactly 24 hours, it's just a tad more. So stretching out a day more closely matches the natural rhythm. Go west young man, you'll feel better. 
Now, if you can sleep on the plane, you'll get a head start, but most of us just nap and wake up with a stiff neck. So, let's transition to treatment. The goal is to sleep at night and stay awake during the day. So, your internal clock needs to align with where you are instead of where you've been. It will happen naturally, but wouldn't it be nice if you could speed up the process and hit the ground running in paradise. 
Then go straight back to work when you get home. If your trip is shorter than three days, then forget it. You'll have less jet lag when you get home if you just stay on your home time zone so you don't miss a beat when you get back. You can try to take a sleep aid at night then power through the day with caffeine but of course there are risks with that. 
But let's assume you're traveling for more than three days and you want to treat or prevent jet lag. Treatment depends on which direction you're going. We will start by focusing on eastward travel, and remember that's the one that's more challenging. West is best and east is a beast when it comes to jet lag.
So you've booked your flight, hotel, maybe even some dinner reservations in advance,
And now it's time to prepare to reset your internal clock. For eastward travel, your circadian rhythm needs to advance to the new time zone. Remember, it's all about timing of light and melatonin. During the times you need to avoid light, you might try a sleep mask. Start three days prior to your scheduled departure, and I recommend just put it on your calendar.
There are even apps you can use. But here's the prescription. Three days before takeoff, set your alarm one hour earlier than you normally wake up. Get up. Get some bright light exposure. If the sun isn't up yet, you really want to maximize the effect, you could use a light box.
But try to mimic the time you'll wake up in your destination by getting maximum light exposure at that time. Then, darken the room and go to bed one hour early. and get that dim light exposure one hour before your new sleep time. Then each day move it up another hour. When you arrive at your destination, be intentional about light.
If you're crossing three to five time zones, avoid sunlight early in the morning,  but soak it up when you're up and around. If you're crossing more than five time zones.
Avoid bright morning light altogether and wait until afternoon to get out in the sun. The idea is to ease into the new time zone. Having said that once your phone changes to the new time zone, don't think about it. Don't even talk about what time it is at home. When in Rome, do as Romans do and live in their time zones without saying, okay.
Well, back home, it's 3 a. m.  Food is important too. Eat a hearty breakfast about 30 minutes after your new wake up time. If you do want to use melatonin, I recommend 3 milligrams. Pack it in your suitcase and don't take it until the evening after you get there.   I am not a big fan of taking benzodiazepines or sleeping pills, but if you do, Don't take melatonin with them because it might cause over sedation and impaired ability to think or drive.
 And you might want to skip that glass of wine on the plane too. Because that just compounds the problem. If you're like me and you're addicted to  caffeine, you'll need a jolt  to get you going in the morning. Don't overdo it, but a couple of cups of coffee or tea when you get up will help you feel more alert.
And if you're going far, far away and crossing eight or more time zones, then just try to delay rather than advance your sleep wake cycle. Get up and get sunlight first thing in the morning, and start dimming the lights in the early evening.  Let's talk about going west, and remember, traveling west is easier.
I'll say it again so you can remember, west is best and east is a beast. The goal with traveling west is to delay the circadian phase. Just try and stay up later and use light to cue your body that it's daytime and not bedtime. Keep the lights on and get as much sunlight as you can in the afternoon and the early evening.
Keep the lights on until about an hour before you get under the covers and then only dim light. After the new bedtime, avoid bright light. And melatonin doesn't really help much with westward travel unless you're going to the ends of the earth on the far side. Then you can take three milligrams at bedtime.
Always try and balance naps and caffeine for optimal effects. And as far as breakfast, the same rules apply. Eat a hearty breakfast within 30 to 45 minutes after wake up time. Eat a complex carbohydrate rich diet two to three hours before the new sleep time. And when you get back home, Melatonin may help you recover.
You can take 0. 25 mg about 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. If about an hour before you're trying to sleep you're still wide awake, repeat. 0. 25 milligrams.  This is a lot of information on top of your itinerary and your packing list, so I've tried to make it easy with two free downloadable graphics. One for eastward travel and one for westward travel.
This has been a lot of information and you may be thinking, well, that's really interesting, but would you just tell me what to do? Okay. Here's what's on the guide. If you're traveling east, remember east is a beast. So you might want to prepare about three days in advance, go to bed and wake up 30 minutes early or an hour early. 
If you can do that avoid light in the evening. But get bright light exposure. As soon as you get up. And when you travel, set your clock to your destination time, nap and rest on the plane and be sure and stay hydrated. Then sleep during the destination sleep time when you arrive, you want to avoid early morning light and get that sunlight exposure late in the morning. 
We're in the early afternoon, you can take melatonin at bedtime. If you need it short naps and caffeine in the morning may help. And while you're up, stay active. Okay. Remember west is best.
But again, about three days before your trip,  you can delay your bedtime as well as your wake. Time by about 30 minutes. Get your light exposure in the evening, not the morning. Again, set your clock to the destination time and avoid light and screens during what is going to be nighttime. Stay up when it's wake time, be sure and stay hydrated. 
Stay active. And have a cup of coffee to help you wake up if you need it.
Make sure your passport is up to date and most of all, enjoy your trip. Stay safe and stay healthy because healthy looks great on you.
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Unwinding Pain with Bonnie Lester

Unwinding Pain with Bonnie Lester. Episode 134
Chronic pain is not only debilitating, but also isolating. It can cause depression, feelings of hopelessness, and can be very difficult to treat.  Often, doctors only try to manage the symptoms. But Bonnie Lester came up with a process to unwind the pain through neuroplasticity.
 When you've experienced something, there's a there's a huge difference and I often hear from the clients I have my doctor doesn't know what it's like to live every day in pain If they'd only know and then when I meet doctors who have had bad backs or bad necks or some other challenge They are more empathetic And more understanding, that's for sure.
So what initially led to your issue with chronic pain?
Well, I was a 33 year old mom. I was newly remarried. I had a great relationship with my ex husband. We were co parenting, and my new husband was a great stepdad. I just purchased a house in California, driving home one night, a stop in traffic, and a drunk driver plowed into me and shook up my body.
And that my life changed in the blink of an eye.  Yeah, I developed something called complex regional pain syndrome a few months later. That's a trauma to the nervous system. They at the time back in 1986, they had no idea of what to do with it. They did experiments on me, including surgery that spread the condition and the condition is agony and pain and burning and your skin texture changes.
You have temperature changes where my left hand, my dominant hand was icy cold.  And even though it didn't feel cold to me, if anyone touched it, it would be icy cold. It would turn red and it swelled. And they did some surgery on me thinking they were going to cure the pain. And it spread that same condition throughout my body, um, all the way down to my left foot.
So what I had at that time was a wonderful doctor who looked at me and said, Bonnie, my mom has ALS and she has to have courage to live with it. And I'm telling you with complex regional pain syndrome, you're going to need the same type of courage. And that was the best thing he could tell me. You know, because that's what kept me going.
And it's only recently that the American Pain Association identified what pain is and it can have an emotional and psychological basis. Not that it's generating the pain, but it affects all parts of you that way. And when people say, Oh, it's all in your head, they get insulted that I'm making it up.
But actually, the brain is in the head part of the nervous system, your spinal column and your brain. So in a way, yes, it's in your head because the actual pain sensations are in your head. You're not imagining it. So I always tell people, your pain is real.  And that's, that's what people say to me. I wish people would understand that it's real.
 had things like old fashioned tricyclics, which are antidepressants, and that was for the nerve pain. And then I also had muscle relaxants. None of that touched the pain. But in 2006,  they said, come on in, Bonnie, you're a good candidate for high levels of fentanyl. which you hear about nowadays, and Norco, and I was living on six different things like that.
And that's what I was living on, but it was prescribed, um, it was legal, and thank goodness I had great medical insurance because it's very, very expensive.  And so I was on it for nine years. And that's why I say, look at me and say that I look alive because when people hear, you know, most people die, you know, after a year or two, it's a very dangerous medication to be used the way they wanted me to use it. 
And so the way I understand it is, does it even really relieve your pain or do you just have Well, that's the ironic thing. Even when they, they kept upping the dose to see what would help the pain. It helped low back from, you know, I used to have, I did have back surgery years before I had my car accident.
And so I'd always get kind of spasms. They took care of those spasms quite nicely. but not the CRPS symptoms at all. And it came with a host of other horrendous side effects. Um, you know, hyperhidrosis, which is over sweating in the body. And of course, having to live on laxatives. And then always worried about getting the prescription refilled when holidays would come around and they couldn't give me, you know, refilled like two or three months in a row.
I had to go to the clinic every month. And then if I couldn't get it, then I'd start going into withdrawals because, gosh, you know, darn it, uh, Thanksgiving came and the clinic was closed for three days in a row and I was supposed to get my script three days, you know, before. So I was at the mercy of the medications, which really weren't helping me at all.
I've been off of all medications since 2015. I'm hearing many stories because the laws have changed and how doctors view prescribing that and they're all really suffering trying to, because they were, some people would do well on opiates. I have to say that I can't say nobody's going to do well.
That's between a doctor and a patient, not the legislator, I think has my personal view.  If someone's on opioids, their family members and their caregivers should know about Narcan in case there is an unintentional overdose. And that's really important.
How did it make you feel to be in pain 24 seven as a mom, as a wife, as a member of society?
I felt like I wasn't part of society. I couldn't, I had lost the use of my dominant hand. So I couldn't be involved on the computer and all this new thing called social media. Yeah. I couldn't participate while the rest of the world was going on. And I think the best way I can describe it is my sister, who's very active and 10 years younger than me would come and visit me.
And I'd look at, at her car and it would have a bike hooked up on top and then some other equipment. And she was coming to see me on her way to go to a music show. And then they were going to go bike riding up the mountain. And then they were going to go to the beach. And I was like, I felt like I was 90 years old.
 Being a mom in pain is very difficult. But I do have to say that my son and then my eventual stepkids have a lot more empathy and understanding and compassion because they had me in their life when I was in such terrible pain. So even though I felt like a failure as a mom, they're, they're all three are doing really well, but I really judged myself.
And I want to point out something about people who have chronic pain. We're often people with really perfectionist attitude. We have to be the best. 
And so what I do now is give myself grace. And if I make mistakes and if I don't reach that high level, I wanted to, that's all right. And that's letting go. And that's the mind stuff that you have to start working on when you have chronic pain. 
Now, neuroplasticity is this wonderful big long word that everyone's talking about. I discovered neuroplasticity in 2010 when my husband had a medical event. he had transient global amnesia. Now the mind through neuroplasticity is rebooting itself, getting back his memory. 
Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability at any age to rewire itself as if you're a highway, picture a highway and you have all these freeways going in your head, but you do a sensory stimulation and you create healthier, more vibrant freeways.
And then the old ones that are transmitting the pain, when we're talking in context of chronic pain, then they're not going to be used. So suddenly your pain is going to be going down. And that's how neuroplasticity needs to be applied to any good program with pain management. 
But  it's far more complex than mind over matter. It's not a matter of saying, I'm not going to pay attention to this terrible spasm on my back. No, no. You've got to start retraining your body for chronic pain. You have a sensitization  going on, meaning it's overstimulated.
And when people hear neuroplasticity, they immediately say, what's the easy way? What do I do? And it's a daily thing that you start giving input into your body using all your five senses. I started inventing ways for myself because I couldn't find any a practitioner who was going to help me.
I got off all six pain related medications including Very high dose of fentanyl the Norco and all the tricyclics and plus that does the Prozac I got off of all of that I don't have any medications that I take for pain now So  that is incredible and it does offer such amazing hope for people who are living with chronic pain So if you have someone face to face who's at the very beginning of their journey, maybe they've thought that they were relegated to a life of chronic pain.
I'm going to talk to you and give you hope and seeds of hope and seeds of faith. Hope is yes. You're going to be able to feel better and faith in yourself that you have the skills within yourself to work on yourself to feel better. You don't have to spend a lot of money.
Time to go ahead and talk about the five senses. My first day out when I told my body, okay, this is it. You've got to change. Here's what you're going to do. I was walking my neighbor's dog at the time. Because I needed some activity, some movement. 
And besides my doctor saying to me, courage is going to get you through this. Is that my training back in the day was in what they call lifestyle medicine, which now has six pillars. Back in the day in the 1970s when I was in public health, there were only four pillars. It was physical, mental, social, and spiritual.
So I was doing movement under physical. That was my little bit of walking, which was very difficult. So that very first day I grabbed some sugar free mints.  I put them in my pocket, and I was wearing a TENS unit at that time.
So that day I changed the side of the electrodes, popped a mint in my mouth, and I would not listen to that voice in my head. And instead I said, Oh, this mint is cold. And I move it around with my time. Oh, it's sharp now. And Oh, it's melting. When I suck in the air through my nose, Oh, it feels cool. And that was, and then, you know, the pain would keep shouting, but I, I'd say, I don't hear you.
And I kept, you know, responding to that. And the, the test came when I had to bend down to clean up after the dog and I put another mint in my mouth and I bent down and I didn't feel any pain cause I was talking to myself about the mint. And then I almost forgot to throw the bag into a receptacle. I was so amazed.
And so that was the very beginning of, Oh my goodness. I can make a difference with my pain. And so, you know, the five senses, you know, visual, sensation, taste, smell, hearing, so I put special music in the next day. Every day, I kept adding every couple days another thing. But throughout the day I did other things besides just the neuroplasticity.
You cannot be grateful and angry at the same time, but it almost seems like you can't hurt and enjoy a pleasant smell, a pleasant taste, a pleasant sound. 
I teach people how to do the neuroplasticity and change their thinking patterns. It's not magic and it's not science fiction. It works, it's neurochemical. When you think about things, it's like a cat, you can have a release of neurochemicals that change your mood, which can change your perception of pain.
I talk to my clients and in the book I have something called D. O. S. E., which stands for dopamine, oxytocin,  serotonin, and endorphins.  And it's to remind yourself throughout the day to build in things that are going to stimulate, I call them the happy chemicals. Endorphins, endorphins, endorphins.
And I call it baking your cake in the morning. Before you get out of bed in the morning, you make layers in your head. These activities are going to improve my day. So you don't live randomly of saying, Oh, I'm in so much pain. I can't move. You can't, you got to get in the head of the pain.  You take charge of it.
Well, let's talk about your book. It's called Unwinding Pain and I love the title because to me, it paints a picture of many, many years of neural pathways that are going towards that pain and back and forth. If you have pain in your arm, that pain is getting sent to your brain and then re stimulated back and forth.
50 percent of the proceeds from the book will be donated to animal rescue organizations in the name of my neighbor's dog Jingles. Who walked with me every day, and because of jingles, I peeled myself off the bed, even when I felt really bad because she had gotten used to me walking her,  and I knew she'd wag her tail. 50 percent of the proceeds from the book will be donated to animal rescue organizations in the name of my neighbor's dog Jingles. Who walked with me every day, and because of jingles, I peeled myself off the bed, even when I felt really bad because she had gotten used to me walking her,  and I knew she'd wag her tail.
Up until that point in time, I had allergies to dogs. So it was a providential thing that suddenly I didn't have allergies and my neighbor needed someone to be involved with his dog and I was the right person at the right time. So that was a blessing. 
that's cool because you didn't have all the tools you needed if you needed to be outside walking a dog, and you didn't have a dog, and you did not need the responsibility of caring for a dog, because cats will take care of themselves. But yet, A neighbor who had a need and you were meeting his need and the dog's need.
I want to circle back to another important thing about, when you said when someone comes to talk to me and how can I make them feel better is that having purpose is really important. Having purpose and go beyond a diagnosis label that you don't introduce yourself. Hi, I'm so and so with, with whatever fibromyalgia, neuromotor arthritis, lupus, that's just part of what you're dealing with. And help people find a purpose. And that makes all the difference in the world.  That is so important. And that is something that I teach in lifestyle medicine, to have purpose, to have social connectedness, to manage your stress and even nature.
And the reason Dr. Vickie keeps talking about lifestyle medicine is in my book, the two things that I really harp on is neuroplasticity and all the six pillars of lifestyle medicine in conjunction with  cognitive behavioral therapy and some of the other strategies that will really help you. More people are understanding about it and adopting a healthier food plan to cut down on the inflammation in their body. They're learning about the importance of movement. And social connection is so important and sleep. I have a huge, huge chapter on sleep, which really can amplify your pain.
And even though you have chronic pain, believe me, you can learn how to sleep as you start lowering your pain levels anyway. So please remember that whether you buy my book or not, learn about sleep. 
Cause it's so essential. Like we can't do without sleep and yet we have to educate ourself and train ourself. And so I have an episode on sleep, but I have an upcoming episode just on insomnia.  Well, I'm so excited about your book. I'm excited to share this hope with our listeners. And, you really have a step by step process that I think people who read the book can go through.
Oh, definitely. Okay. I, you, because your audio and you're not watching this, but I'm holding up my, a long, a long paper chip or a long paper clip chain.
This is to learn a new behavior. And when I started doing my dog walking, I was starting from zero, you know, challenging my body, but I put a nail on the wall. In my kitchen. And I started putting paperclip in and added another paperclip and added another paperclip. So I got a chain and I knew by seventh paperclip, I was going to feel better.
And so I've used that ever since with many clients and they send me pictures. I have hundreds of pictures that come in, people's paperclip chain. And they'll tell me I did this new pain management behavior. Thank you for the paperclip chain, you know, idea. And so people really sparkle about that. And so I have them in different colors.
One gentleman started doing his in different colors.  Oh, and a neat thing, because he said, well, Bonnie, I have green to do this one. And then I have, you know, that's my food. And then I have purple for my movement one. And then because I'm doing that sleep thing, how many hours a night in, but I'm making sure to down regulate my body.
So I fall asleep. So every time I remember that I give myself a paper clip. So you need,  I think  value and marking the journey. And I've heard it referred to as an Ebenezer stone that you pile up those stones and say, this is the place where. Things change, and I know in programs like, um, Alcoholics Anonymous or Celebrate Recovery, you get a reward token to say, you know, it's a mile marker.
It's a, I've come this far, and even if you relapse,  you can say, I did it. Yeah, I actually, I saw the clients I work with, I, they consider the work with me as, 12 step enhancement. And I know about their chips. They're very proud. They call them the chips. And someone wrote to me, said, I just got my 25th year chip.
I mean, hallelujah, you know, so I know the term chip for that. And it is so true. And it's a dopamine release too. You've achieved something, you know, it's a wonderful celebration. Exactly.  Yeah. Celebrate success is for sure.
Well, anything else about the book or about neuroplasticity? Well, I have no financial interest in a company called Trainpain and they, Connected with me, uh, for pain coaching, and they have a targeted app for, um, neuroplasticity training, which I wish I had in 2010.
It's a small device with wires and you tape it onto different parts of your body and you start identifying different sensations. And then there's a, it's a gamification where you, on your phone, you download a game and you progress through it, and what you're doing is getting concentration in your brain to start thinking different about the neural pathways that are giving you the messages.
 And then I'm at bonnielester. com if you want to go on and find out more information about me. And if you're interested in pre ordering the book, you could go to Amazon or any of your favorite book selling places.
Plus I have an online store at unwindingpain. com. So that's another way you could do it. And I'm on Instagram and people love my Instagram postings because I show my exotic birds and I have a famous garden and some, I'm very quirky. I make my own jewelry so that it resonates with some people. I'm at Bon Bon Lester. So follow me on Instagram.
 I like it. Well,  I will be sure and put all the links in the show notes so that my listeners know how to find you. Uh, there is a lot of you were through the book and I appreciate that. And, and I've, I look forward to my listeners getting to follow you on Instagram and especially if anyone does have chronic pain knows that there is hope.
And to get started moving forward and, and attaching paperclips together and celebrating once in a while. Yes. It's, it's been great. Yeah. Well, so much for sharing your wisdom with me. This has been delightful connecting with you and chatting to your audience. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.  It was great talking to you too.
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Top ten things that will kill you

All of 10 at the deadliest conditions that affect Americans can be influenced by lifestyle choices. Every single one. Stay tuned to learn more about the 10 things, most likely to kill you. And what you can do about it.
Are you one of those people who are proactive and health conscious. Or does it take a wake-up call for you to get serious about taking care of this one bag of flesh and bones that you're going to live out all of your days in.
the number one disease that claims the most American lives is heart disease with a grand total of over 700,000 deaths per year, a whopping 20% of all deaths are attributable to the old ticker. 
 if you did not answer heart disease for the number one cause of death. You probably answered with the number two cause. Cancer. Cancer retained its number two spot on the list, but there is some bad news. Unfortunately cancer deaths are increasing. And cancer is affecting younger people at an increasing rate.  Here's what the research suggests lifestyle especially increasing alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation, sugar, sweetened beverages, sedentary, lifestyle, and eating ultra processed foods. And other than alcohol. All of this starts in childhood.  Cancer is a dreadful disease that causes 17% of all deaths in this country claiming over 600,000 lives.  And there've been so many great advances in the treatment of cancer, as well as early detection. 
And yet. It remains in the number two spot.  
Next on the list is stroke, there are two types of stroke, hemorrhagic and embolic, and let's camp here for just a minute and go back to mini medical school to learn a little more because the death rates from stroke are decreasing due to educational efforts to recognize symptoms early. 
And the development of effective treatments. In medicine, we say time is brain because every minute that the brain is without blood flow and oxygen results in more damage.
 If you only remember one thing from the podcast today, remember. Be fast. B stands for balance. 
E stands for eye F stands for face. A stands for arm S stands for speech and T stands for Thunderclap. You heard that right? Thunderclap. Well, let me break it all down for emphasis. Remember strokes happen pretty quickly and the damage is done pretty quickly too. So be on your toes, be fast, B balanced. 
This is when someone suddenly loses their sense of balance. E. Is for eyes sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes F is for face. You can see the side of the face drooping. A is for arm and the arm may be weak or even hanging down, but it can also affect the leg. I guess be flast was just too hard to say.  S is for slurred speech or confusion and back to T for Thunderclap. 
This is a sudden severe headache that people describe as the worst headache of my life. Fortunately hospitals participate in stroke accreditation programs that give them access to experts, buy telemedicine, even in remote areas. So if someone you love is experiencing symptoms of stroke, call 9 1 1 and let the ambulance take them to the nearest hospital because. Time is brain. 
Some things kill you fast and others are slow. Coming in at number five is chronic lower respiratory disease.
This includes COPD, asthma, emphysema, and pulmonary hypertension. Chronic respiratory disease takes the life of a hundred and forty thousand people a year. Mostly over the age of 65. Five times more adults die of asthma than kids. But of course, it's especially tragic in children.
Access to adequate treatment is important. And listen, some of these medications are really expensive.
next up is Alzheimer's.
 If it seems like more and more people are being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, it's true. Like cancer, the rates are increasing. Currently, 120, 000 adults die from brain failure every year. Most people die within 8 years of diagnosis, but some people live up to 20.
Over the last 20 years, deaths from Alzheimer's have increased by 55%.  You heard that correctly. In this country, there are 6. 5 million people living with Alzheimer's. Although there is no cure, lots of research is being done and there are new treatments. Contributing genetic factors have been identified, as well as early diagnostic tests. But here's the good news. Just because you have a gene for Alzheimer's does not mean you can't modify your risk with Lifestyle changes.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death, claiming 100, 000 lives a year in the United States. And it's not just us. In 2021, there were 6. 7 million deaths worldwide attributed to diabetes.
That totals 12 percent of all deaths in the world. And it's probably underestimated because it's the underlying disease that causes the other diseases that kill you. In fact, on this top ten list, at least four of them can be pretty closely linked to diabetes and maybe more. Some people even call dementia type 3 diabetes.
Finishing at number 8 on the list is kidney disease, which is directly impacted by both diabetes as well as hypertension. Total lives lost is about 58, 000. 
Barely trailing is number 9, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis,  Mostly caused by an increase in alcohol consumption, accounting for a loss of nearly 55, 000 lives per year. Not to mention the toll on relationships, jobs, life fulfillment, and productivity.  
And number 10, which used to be number four, is COVID 19. In 2021, it was number three, then it moved to number four, then it fell to number ten. The mortality of COVID has plummeted due to immunity, but don't discount the fact that it still holds the number ten spot.
 Sometimes disease just sneaks up on us, and there's not much we can do. But let's talk about the things we have the power to change by walking through the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and their impact on the leading causes of death. Heart disease, cancer, accidents, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, and COVID. 
Getting healthy and staying healthy is hard. But it's so worth the effort because healthy looks great on you.
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Breaking Anxiety's Grip with Dr. Michelle Bengston

Do you ever struggle with anxiety and thoughts that just spin out of control? Today we're going to hear from someone who is an expert in the field of anxiety and depression. Please welcome my very special guest on the podcast,  Dr. Michelle Bengston. She's a clinical  neuropsychologist, speaker, author,  coach, and she hosts her very own podcast, "Your Hope Filled Perspective." And she understands anxiety and depression from personal experience. 
Dr. Michelle - I've been a board certified clinical neuropsychologist for over 30 years now. The field has changed a lot since I got into it. But what I've had the pleasure of doing is walking alongside patients who have had any kind of brain dysfunction, whether we're talking ADHD or learning disabilities, depression, anxiety after they've had a stroke or a head injury, or even in the senior years when  there's a question of, are we dealing with dementia or  are we dealing with depression? So it's been my pleasure to evaluate patients, figure out what's going on with their brain functioning, and then get them on the path to optimal wellness. In terms of their cognitive health.  that's given me the opportunity also to speak into their lives in terms of things like stress management. Where are your thoughts and what are you focusing on and how does that impact for better or for worse your daily functioning? 
Anxiety has gotten more pervasive over time. Because 30 years ago, when we didn't have the internet, which could relay the news in a split second or be there live, we had to wait until the six o'clock or 11 o'clock news. And if we missed it, we missed what was going on in the world and we'd have to catch  it the next day in the headlines. Today is  so in our face and it's in our face when we don't get together or go to the event that all of our friends are and then they post online. And then we've got this angst about the fact that we weren't there, but we had other things that we needed to do. So, this has increased the anxiety.
Anxiety has not only increased, but it has  across the age span, whereas we didn't used to see it in the elderly, nearly as much or in our young children. Now we're diagnosing it earlier and earlier. Pseudo increased social connectedness because of social media that doesn't really build that innate longing that we have for social interaction and the older our  seniors are living, the less social  interaction they're getting. And I think that's contributing to their anxiety, the fear of loneliness, fear of how I'm going to live out my last days, fear of what diagnoses I'm going to be.
Anxiety often does run in families, just like depression does or many other mental health disorders. But it's not all because there's a genetic component. There  is a genetic component. And we can see from the  research that if you have a 1st degree family member, like a parent who has struggled with depression or anxiety, there is an increased likelihood that that you will contend with depression or anxiety, but it's not just because of the genetic link.  There's also the factor of modeling. 
Some people are more predisposed, predisposed to anxiety, to worry, to get anxious, to become fearful. But it's not a weakness. God knew that we would struggle with this because his number one command in scripture is do not worry. Do not be afraid. Be anxious for nothing. It's in the Bible over 300 times. And I thank God who created us.  So  he wasn't chastising us, but he was saying, hold on just a second, don't go down that path.
Dr. Vickie - I love the beauty of your background in neurobiology and how that has obviously impacted your faith and your faith has impacted. Your professional life with that background in neurobiology and in lifestyle medicine,  the component of gratitude, the power of that is widely recognized in people who are believers in Christianity and people who are members of other faiths. There is no question about the benefit of gratitude. 
Dr. Michelle: Anxiety rewires our brain. We can get stuck in a rut, going down a certain  path,  being a complainer, for example,  are always seeing the negative of a situation.
But when we will stop in the middle of that, And we will think, no,  can I look at this differently? And we can look at it through a lens of gratitude. It actually does rewire the brain. And the more we do  that, the more that becomes our  lifestyle and the more we reap the benefits from it. That's why scripture tells us to take every thought captive.  can't afford to just think and not pay attention to what we're thinking because scripture says that out of. The heart, the mouth speaks  and scripture also says that our  words have the power of life or death.  That's a lot of power. So we have to be observant and pay attention to what it is that we're thinking  then determine whether or not that aligns with the word of God or someplace else.  
Anxiety is really a misappropriation of our attentional resources. Now, what do I mean by that? When we become anxious, we're focusing on what we lack or our perceived lack instead of focusing on God and the fact that he promises his mercies are new every morning. He promises he will be our provider.  And when we fall into the trap of worry,  fear and anxiety, it's usually  because we're forecasting a future that doesn't have God in it. So one of the biggest things that I can recommend  trust,  specifically trusting in God. Now, what does that look like? I developed a trust acronym because it was.  At a time when I was really struggling with anxiety that I needed to get a handle on this. And as I was praying about it, I felt like God really impressed upon my  heart.  Michelle, if you don't trust me in the small things, you  don't trust me at all.  was kind of a wake up call. I'm like, but I do trust you. And he's like,  you?  if you really trusted me, you wouldn't worry. You would know that I've got this handled. So the trust acronym is
T to take God at his word. We either trust that the word of God is true, or we don't.  And if we don't, then we've got nothing to stand on  when those situations arise that tempt us to become  worried, fearful, or anxious. 
R is rest in God's presence  his promises.  has never gone back on a promise. Yet, and we can rest that his promises are yes and amen and trust that he's going to bring them about 
U -understand  that the outcome doesn't depend on  us. Those  of us who tend to be driven and somewhat type A and we like to be in control, we have the misconception that if we do everything in our power, then the outcome that we want is going to happen. When in actuality, God doesn't hold us responsible for the outcome as long as we're obedient to him. So if I will do what I know God has called me to do, then Then I can trust that the ultimate  outcome is his responsibility, and that  takes a huge weight.
S is accept that God is sovereign. Either he's in control or he's not.  if he's in control, then we don't need to worry or fear. And then the last T is turn to the testimony of previous experiences. I've gone through a lot of difficult circumstances in my life.   But when I look back, I realize   that I made it through every difficult circumstance a hundred percent of the time. So if God has been faithful through every other difficult circumstance,  would I not trust that he's going to continue to be faithful to get me through what I am or will go through?
T is taking God at his word, resting in his presence and his promises. Understanding   that the outcome doesn't depend on us except   that God is sovereign and then remember the testimony of previous experiences.  we will put that into practice,  will do so much towards lessening our worry, fear and anxiety, and we'll be more aware when that starts to crop up. So we can either decide in the moment, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and worry about that, or I'm going to trust that God's going to get me through it.  
Dr. Michelle Bengston
Website includes links to: 
Your Hope Filled Perspective Podcast
Sacred Scars
Hem of His Garment. 
Today is going to be a good day
Breaking Anxiety's Grip
Hope Prevails Book, Bible Study, and Bible Study Resources
 
 
 
 

8 Healthy Habit Hacks

Are you ready to change?  I mean, are you really ready to make a change? Sidney Harris says, "Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it all at the same time. And what we really want is for things to remain the same, but get better."
We want to call apple pie, a serving of fruit and be thin. We want to dump salt on our food and have normal blood pressure. 
We want to watch TV and have big muscles, and we want to scroll through Instagram reels for an hour before bed and then sleep good and feel rested. We want to let our minds spin with anxiety and have peace. We want to wave a magic wand and poof, all of our stress disappears. We want to have several drinks and not feel hung over. We want to nurse a grudge and be included with our friends. We want to live long, healthy, and happy, but we also want to have our cake and eat it too.  So again, the question is, do you really want to change?  Tony Robbins says, "Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change."
Change is painful.
Today in mini medical school, we're going to a short class in psychology and it actually starts with a test to figure out if you're ready to make a change, to get healthier and change your lifestyle. So, which of these statements describes you?  
1. Nope. I'm not doing it.  
This means you're just not really ready to make a change in your life now. And if this is the stage you're in. That's okay. What you mainly need is more information because you need to understand the consequences of changing versus not changing. So keep listening to this podcast so you can learn more about the impact of lifestyle medicine on your health.. Now we call this the pre-contemplative stage. You're not planning to make any changes in the next six months. 
2. Yes, I want to change.
You're the type of person who knows that you're going to make a change within the next few months. And you understand it's not going to be easy, but you don't really have a specific plan yet. You're just kind of gearing up. We call this the contemplative stage. You're thinking about making a change soon.  
3. My mind is made up.
You're determined you're going to make a change and you're planning to start soon. You believe you need to make a change. And so you're taking small steps to prepare. We call this the preparation stage. You're going to take action in the next 30 days. 
4. I'm doing it.
You've recently taken those first steps and made some changes. It's all still new to you, but you're gaining ground. We call this the action stage. It's where you're taking small steps in a new direction.
5. I did it.
You succeeded at making a change, but you're guarding against going back to your old ways. You understand you're vulnerable to relapse. We call this the maintenance stage.  This is where you've sustained change for at least six months.
6. Stick a fork in me. You're done.
You're confident that the change you made will last. And the temptation to go back to your old ways doesn't pull you in anymore. We called this the termination stage. Where you have no desire to return to your old ways.
The problem is sometimes we want to change on the one hand, but on the other hand, there are some benefits to staying put. That's called ambivalence. And it's important to work through that. So let's get it out in the open so you can deal with it.   In order to do that. I think you should think about all of the positive reasons for staying the same. I mean, we all probably enjoy things that are not good for us. For example, if you love a bowl of ice cream after dinner, watching shows on TV, drinking a cocktail, being alone and staying up late.  There are some benefits of staying the same because you obviously enjoy those things.  So list them out. Let's put them out in the open. 
Maybe what you really need is a reason to change. Your core values affect your choices in life.  Let's explore your why? Why do you want to change? 
Maybe it's because you've seen the parent grow old and not be able to get up out of a chair. And you don't want to be like that. Or maybe you looked in the mirror and said, who is that? I don't want to be that person. Or maybe you're going to the pharmacy and picking up a sack full of medications and they're expensive and they have side effects. And you're wondering if you made some changes,
if maybe you could get off of some of that stuff.  Or maybe you look outside and you see your kids or grandkids playing. And you wish you could participate. Or go on a hike with your family. Explore what matters most to you? And that will help you identify your pain point. And think about your, why. What gets you up every morning? I mean, we all need purpose in our lives and purpose often drives us.  It may be meaningful relationships or a fulfilling job or a calling to serve others. You need to explore your strengths values, and maybe even write out a personal mission statement, then you can tap into your gifts and strengths and determine your reasons for making a change. Good reasons to change include better health because it's a valuable asset. 
If you lose your health, you lose your ability to do anything else. 
Until you identify a specific problem, it's hard to tap into that pain point that drives successful change. And most of us just have this vague idea when it comes to health, we want to be healthy, but that's really an abstract concept. It's not a fully formed plan.
And that is why most attempts fail.
 Maybe it would help if you filled in these blanks because I have______. I am at risk for _____, or if I don't change _______. I can't do ______. 
 
Okay, this is a little hard on a podcast. 
I actually have a course called seven day prescriptions for change. It's completely free. It has a downloadable workbook where you can fill in these blanks on paper. If that's easier for you, I'll put a link in the show notes seven day prescription for change, or you can find it on my website. 
But let's get started with those eight healthy habit hacks.
1. Identify your goals and you need to be specific. And on top of a specific goal, you need a specific plan. Make SMART goals. Write it down.
2. Start small, think big.
I don't think we necessarily have to start small. We just have to identify what the steps are that move us from point A to point B. But we could start big in one department and that's our identity. Start viewing yourself as a healthy person.
3. Create a routine. 
4. Use associations and do habit stacking. I recommend James Clear's book, "Atomic Habits."
5. Track your progress.
6. Have an accountability partner. 
7. Learn from your mistakes when you relapse. Don't let failure define you. 
8. Celebrate milestones because I know you're going to get there. It won't be easy, but you're getting the tools you need to make changes that make a difference.
Say goodbye to quick fixes and embrace a personalized plan for longterm health. Because healthy looks great on you. 
RESOURCES (may contain affiliate links)
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The secret to staying on a diet

The secret to staying on a diet. Here's how to fool proof your diet.
Have you ever started a diet only to be derailed by the feeling that you're going to starve? Hunger will sideline the best diet plans and willpower usually isn't enough to overcome it. So, what is the secret? I'll give you a hint. It's not drinking more water. Stay tuned. So you can learn how to stick to a diet and not get hungry.
Whatever diet you decide is right for you. Hunger is your worst enemy. If only you could eat until you feel full and stay feeling full. Wait. You can. I'll let you in on a little secret. The key is fiber.  Every year 45 million Americans go on a diet, whether it's to lose weight or get healthy, most people are lucky to last six months.  And if it's a strict diet, it's even less than that.  There are a lot of good reasons to diet besides losing weight. Like managing high blood pressure, controlling diabetes, lowering cholesterol, and preventing dementia and cancer.
Not only does fiber keep your belly feeling full. 
It keeps your bowels regular and promotes a healthy gut microbiome which can influence auto-immune and allergic responses as well as help maintain a healthy weight.
Soluble means it's going to dissolve in liquid, either water or bodily fluids. And this type of fiber  is found in foods like fruit, oats, and beans. It's made up of carbohydrates, but your body can't digest it. On the other hand, insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and other bodily fluids. It's found in the cell walls of plants like wheat and other grains think bran. And your body can't digest it either. 
Instead it stays in the colon and does its job. 
since one of the biggest things that will derail your efforts to stick to a diet is hunger. I have some great news for you. If you're hungry, you should eat. That's right. Starving yourself. It's not necessary. 
RESOURCES (may contain affiliate links)
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Keep moving to maintain flexibility

Keep moving to maintain flexiblity as you age with Brian Murphy, Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Pinnacle Physical Therapy
Physical therapists are capable of really helping patients avoid surgery, avoid the need for medication. We are going to discuss the need to invest in the body's ability to move and to be strong and to allow people to do the things they really enjoy. 
People are on devices and social media so much now that positions where your head is forward and rounding of your upper back. What's interesting about the human body is that there are alternating patterns of joints that are supposed to be very mobile. And joints that are supposed to be very stable. So when you think about your back, your neck is a mobile joint. It's supposed to be able to rotate. a lot. In those circumstances with those prolonged positions, unfortunately we we lose the mobility because we're only working in one plane of motion.
We're working in the sagittal plane. Our head stays still. We don't ever work in the frontal plane and we don't ever work in the transverse plane  we don't have to.  That is a particular area that I see a lot of patients who are having neck pain complications with neck pain, headaches. And then also low back is another great example. The low back is a very stable joint. It's only meant to bend forward and extend,  but the areas above it, the thoracic spine and your hips are both very mobile joints, or at least they should be.  I have seen clinically numerous times patients will come in complaining of pain in their low back. But the problem is arising from the stiffness in their hips and in their thoracic spine, from base of your neck, kind of down to the lower back. If you lose mobility in those two areas,  your low back has to do a lot more work. It's doing some things that it's not meant to do. So Instead of just treating where the pain is located, we've got to get those ball and socket joints moving again.
Motion is lotion.
We've got to keep mobility in our hips. We've got to keep rotation in our thoracic spine.  got to get out of these rounded postures  flexed postures and work on the opposite motions. A lot of times we have to work on extension.  So  some of this stuff isn't rocket science, but unfortunately patients just don't realize that. Once again, the human body is meant to have this beauty of variety of movement, and when we relegate ourselves to very stringent movements,  we lose those capabilities that are inherent,  that is going to be problematic.
Learn more about Pinnacle Physical Therapy

Which Diet is Healthiest?

Which diet is healthiest? Diet has a huge impact on health, but it's hard to know which diet is best. There are a lot of conflicting opinions. Should you eat fruits and vegetables, or meat? In this episode, Dr. Vickie discusses the Mediterranean diet, anti-inflammatory, Keto, Carnivore, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian and intermittent fasting. Whether you want to protect your heart, your brain or lose weight, examine the evidence to make informed choices when it comes to eating. And get practical steps for clean eating. 
Resources (*may contain affiliate links)
https://healthylooksgreatonyou.com
Https://equilibriumtelehealth.com
The Power Foods Diet
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How Not to Die by Michael Gregor

What causes obesity?

What causes obesity? Is it genetic? Is it lifestyle. And what about choices? You've probably heard that weight gain occurs when someone ingest more calories than they burn, but that's certainly not the whole story.
Genetic factors contribute to the risk of obesity. But, many people who carry obesity genes do not become overweight and healthy lifestyles can counteract these genetic effects. It's hard for some individuals who have addiction to sugar. Dopamine levels are involved and it's just hard because of the way our society is wired. But let's look at recent upward trends of obesity. Our genes really haven't changed enough to explain that. So what has changed? Our food, which is a subject for another day, but also our activity level and our social eating patterns. Since the 1970s, the average caloric intake has increased by 500 kilocalories per day. Tracking rod, along with the increase in obesity. The standard American diet contains more fat, more sugar, more protein, more grains, and less fruits and vegetables. We've replaced nutrient packed foods with fast convenient food. And sweetened drinks. 
There's a big study called the nurses health study. And for every two hours women in this study watched TV, the risk of obesity was increased by 25%. Now do the math. If you watch four hours of TV a day, your chances of being obese are increased by 50%.  
You will never reach a place where you can slack up and eat whatever you want and not gain weight. It's not going to happen. So here are some practical tips. Replace your couch time with something you enjoy that's active. Get up and march or dance or do squats. And eat more fiber. It fills you up, keeps your gut healthy and suppresses your appetite.  Eliminate ultra processed foods from your diet as much as possible. They're loaded with fat and sugar to bring you back for more. Lastly, eat at home. Portions at restaurants are out of control and healthy choices are harder to make. 

You Took the Shot, Now What?

You got a prescription for the shot and now you've replenished your wardrobe with smaller clothes then comes the bad news. Either your insurance no longer wants to cover your medication for weight loss. Or you have side effects that make it intolerable. Without making changes, you will gain all that weight back. You lost weight with the shot, now what?
Lifestyle modifications with healthy diet and exercise are important. It even says so on the package inserts. There are differing opinions about what constitutes a healthy diet. The bottom line is avoid ultra-processed foods and eat whole food. Low fat diets are not associated with weight gain and are healthier for your heart and lower the incidence of breast cancer. 
Everyone is different. Some people can lose weight with lifestyle changes, others need help from surgery or medications. The GLP - 1 agonist generally help people lose 5-22% of their BMI. They aren't without side effects and they are expensive. Obesity is a chronic disease that puts your health at risk. Lifelong treatment is required. Healthy Looks Great on You, lifestyle medicine podcast tackles this tough issue. 
https://healthylooksgreatonyou.com
Https://equilibriumtelehealth.com
The Power Foods Diet
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