Kerry Ogden, M.A. » Wellness 101

Get Your Daily D

Kerry — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:45:22 +0000

Vitamin D is a true ounce of prevention, says Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. “It boosts immunity and protects the heart, and those with the highest levels have the lowest rates of multiple sclerosis, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer of all sorts,” says Northrup.

While 15 minutes of sunshine on exposed skin (no sunscreen) can provide a healthy dose of D during warmer months, Northrup also recommends taking 1,000 IU in supplement form (discuss with your doctor). You may feel the payoff immediately, she says, with more vitality, better sleep and more resilience.

Courtesy of body+soul

Get to Know Yourself

Kerry — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:00:32 +0000

“In my years in medicine, I’ve seen a lot of people who are ill and unhappy because they don’t know who they are, what they want or where they’re going,” says Tierona Low Dog, M.D., director of the Fellowship at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. With so much of our attention focused externally, we lose touch with ourselves. The remedy? Make time to be alone with your thoughts. “You don’t have to go to a mountaintop, a temple, or a meditation room. It can be your time in the shower,” she says. “Enjoy the solitude and ask yourself, ‘What do I need for me?’ You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you know your own heart and mind.”

Eat Whole Foods

Kerry — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:26:48 +0000

As chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, Walter Willett, M.D. has seen health trends come and go. Asked to make sense of it all, he hews to a simple message: “One of the most important things you can do? Put more whole foods in your diet,” he says. The more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts you eat, the less room there is for processed foods and beverages – which undermine your health.

“The biggest health problem Americans face maybe too many refined carbohydrates,” says Willet. “They add empty calories and contribute to the risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.” The more slowly absorbed carbohydrates in whole foods, as well as the many minerals and vitamins, have the opposite effect on your physiology, he explains. “They’ll reduce your health risks.”

Power Up Your Breakfast

Kerry — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:31:39 +0000

To keep your energy up, improve your mood and rev up your metabolism, eat protein for breakfast, says Mark Hyman, M.D., author of Ultra-Metabolism. “Most people start off in a way that sets them up for disaster. When you eat only carbs, you don’t have the amino acids needed to feel focused, alert and happy. You don’t have the ability to modulate your blood sugar. Appetite increases and you find yourself seeking out more sugar and caffeine.”

Skip the cereal and instead serve up a plate of eggs, whole-grain toast with nut butter, scrambled tofu, or a protein shake. Your body will thank you for it.

Get Moving

Kerry — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:24:02 +0000

For naturopathic doctor Tori Hudson, daily exercise trumps all other habits. “There’s nothing else you can do with so many benefits,” from weight control to fending off high blood pressure, arthritis and certain types of cancer. If her recommendation of an hour each day sounds daunting, keep working at it. “It doesn’t have to be fancy, formal or done all at once,” she says. “Walking is perfect.”

Practice Forgiveness

Kerry — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:04:33 +0000

For better overall health, let go of the past, advises Brent Bauer director of the Complimentary and Integrative Medicine Program at May Clinic. “It’s amazing how many studies are bearing out the benefits of forgiveness.”

“When we cling to regrets and resentments, we remain stuck in the lower limbic brain, the very basest part. Every time you replay an offense, it’s as if you live it again,” he explains. “For better health, you want to be in the prefrontal cortex, where most of our higher functions take place and where we can choose to cultivate love and compassion.”

Practice forgiveness through ritual or meditation, or simply keep your attention focused on what’s happening right now. “Mindfulness is counterintuitive to resentment,” says Bauer.

Lean on Your Friends

Kerry — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:40:46 +0000

Friendship is key to staying well, says Alice Domar Ph.D., founder of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health. “People who have inadequate social support are as likely to die early as people who smoke or have high cholesterol.”

She recommends keeping two kinds of relationships going. “You need your foxhole friends, who will be there for you at 2 am and your party friends, you make you laugh,” she says. What you don’t need? Unhealthy relationships. These can prove as bad for you as total isolation. “If there are people in your life who suck you dry, break up with them,” says Domar. “There is nothing wrong with that.”

Listen to Your Body

Kerry — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:39:26 +0000

“Our bodies are talking to us all the time, but unless we make an effort to listen we don’t hear them until they scream,” says Tracey Goudet, M.D., executive director of Duke Integrative Medicine and author of Consciously Female.Committing to a daily listening practice, ideally in the morning, can transform your health and might catch imbalances before they develop into illness.

Start by taking a breath and bringing your attention to the present, she says. Then ask, ‘How does my body feel? What does it need from me today? Do I have any discomfort or pain? How is my energy?’ This practice can shift the “me-versus-you attitude we often have toward our bodies, where we get mad when it’s tired and frustrated when it’s sick,” says Gaudet. “Open a dialogue and you have a chance to form a real partnership. It’s simple, it’s fast, it’s free – and it will redefine how you think about your health.”

Have Some Fun

Kerry — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:14:06 +0000

Whether you are trying to eat better, exercise more or connect with loved ones, be sure to prioritize enjoyment, says Joan Borysenko, author of Inner Peace for Busy Women. “When I’m forming a new health habit, it doesn’t work for me unless it brings me pleasure,” she says. “If it feels like duty, I just let it go after a while. So I try to find a way to have fun getting healthy. To get exercise, I go outside and romp around with my dogs.”

Remember, being creative is part of the fun.

Count Your Blessings

Kerry — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:36:04 +0000

Shifting away from negative emotional patterns can directly benefit your health, says practicing cardiologist Mimi Guarneri, M.D., medical director at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. Anger, for instance, floods the system with stress hormones that suppress the immune system, raise blood pressure, create arrhythmia, and even increase the risk of cancer.

Changing your ways isn’t simple. “The hardest journey to make is the 18 inches from your head to your heart,” notes Gaurneri. But it’s easier when you let gratitude be your guide. “Every night before bed, list 10 things that you have to be thankful for,” she says. “You’ll quickly realize that though your life is not perfect, you have a lot. And you’ll gain a real sense of wellness.”