Many women are both mothers, wives, and daughters and perform vital duties that help keep America free. Men who are fathers, husbands, and sons also should be celebrated and both genders deserve our prayers and gratitude.

So on this holiday weekend as we celebrate with family and friends over grills, pools, and picnic tables piled high with both healthy and not so healthy foods may we remember why we celebrate this holiday. Take time this weekend to explain the purpose of the holiday to your children and include some history. It is a great time to remember the battles fought here in America including the Civil War and the wars that most cannot forget including  WWI, WWII, Viet Nam, Desert Storm, and of course Iraq.

God Bless America and Thank you to the men and women who sacrifice so much for our freedom. We appreciate what you do for us and the sacrifice you make to be a part of our Military.

Be safe, Be healthy, Be grateful, and Celebrate

Women today have more responsibilities and more stresses then any other time. The economy may contribute to depression as does being a single parent, additional health problems, family dysfunction, marital problems, aging family members with health issues, pain, money issues, and any number of crisis that a woman must deal with daily. A family history of mental illness and depression may increase the risk even more. Here are a few tips to help you determine if you need further medical assistance with your blues.

If your feelings of sadness and depression last more than 2 weeks, consider seeking outside medical assistance.

If you cry easily for no apparent reason, are having trouble making decisions, or are missing days of work due to feeling down, seek a complete physical and discuss these symptoms with your doctor.

If you cannot take care of activities of daily living like brushing your teeth, washing your hair, puting on clean clothing for more than a day or two, seek the advice of a physician.

If you are experiencing depression and sadness without a stressor or cause that you can identify, seek a medical opinion. Other medical conditions including Thyroid problems and Diabetes can cause changes in mood.

And if you are relying on alcohol, drugs, or other substances to get you through your day or you have feelings of suicide or worthlessness you may need professional help. Seek a physician or healthcare provider that is experienced in dealing with depression and discuss your feelings. There are p0sitive ways to start feeling better and there is no better time than now. Your health is the most important part of your life so take care of your mental health as well as your physical symptoms.

The trick is to keep a healthy routine and to do everything in moderation. Your diet must be balanced and sweets should be consumed in moderation. Alcohol, pain medications, exercise, sleep, candy treats…. all in moderation. If you want a beer have one beer. If you have a headache or back pain take a pain pill and not the whole bottle and not with alcohol. You get the idea. And if you need a sugary treat, have one not ten.

Our bodies need food for fuel, our minds need exercise as do our bodies, and our emotional health may need that candy bar once in a while, BUT in moderation. Make sure that when you feed your tummy that you are not mistaking that need for a sweet or a drink or a pill for a deep emotional issue that is not being tended.

Physical well being means a healthy weight, a healthy diet, a regular exercise routine or activity, and a healthy way to cope with the stress of life. Maintaining this balance will help to lower your risk for hypertension and heart disease, diabetes and depression. What do you do to maintain a healthy lifestyle in this changing world? Leave a comment and share your tips.

BMI stands for Body Mass Index. The formula designed by fitness guru’s is based on an individual’s height and weight and is believed to give the most accurate measure of how much you are at risk for heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes based on your individual weight.

A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is considered to be a normal and healthy weight. A BMI number over 25 is considered to be proportionately over weight. You can calculate your own BMI here:    www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes website. There is tons reliable information there so look around.

Obesity and being over weight can lead to numerous health issues. It puts you at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Other risk factors for these diseases are a history of smoking, a family history of heart disease, and a current additional medical problem.

Another easy screening tool is your waist measurement.If your waist is measuring 35 inches or more it may indicate your risk for type 2 diabetes is higher than a female with a waist less than 35.

 Understanding BMI is only part of the health picture. Discussing your concerns about your weight and your health should include BMI but also other health risks and alternatives. Share your concerns with your health care provider include this in  your health plan.

The general answer is yes if your physician is following the national standard of care for each diagnosis. For instance, if you have blood in your urine the first test will be a urinalysis to test for infection.

If there is no infection, then an ultrasound of the bladder may be ordered, next a Cat Scan of the abdomen, pelvis, and bladder followed by cytology examinations of the urine and a scope or look at the tissue lining of the bladder.

As a patient you do not always have to agree to each of the tests and you are well within your rights to ask for explainations of each of the examinations. Never agree or refuse a test until you are educated about the procedure and you understand why your physician is ordering it.

National Standards of Health care are in place so that generally you can expect similar diagnosis and treatment options no matter where you live for the complaint that you are presenting with. Insurance companies expect a certain chain of events to occur with each complaint and reimbursement is regulated around what is reasonable care. But there are always individual circumstances and finances, state of health, and personal choices are some of those.

Discuss your concerns with your physician and together you can make the best choice for diagnosis and tests that you need for your symptoms.

If you are disciplined with your budget and your money sense, if you have a savings account and are on the road to becoming debt free, and if you have an overall healthy look at your financial picture you are also probably right at your goal weight and you find that eating healthy is part of your lifestyle. Another words you are disciplined in both areas of your life.

Why do the two go hand in hand? Because money and how you view and handle it are directly related to your stress and emotional well being. Obesity and weight are also related to your emotions and the level of stress in your life. If you have a handle on your money, you generally have a handle on your emotions and you don’t over eat due to emotional stress and stress over finances on a regular basis.

So take a good look at which areas of your life you need to re-evaluate and become more disciplined. Groups like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig can help you learn to eat healthy and become disciplined with your diet. Finanacial guru Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman can help you to get financially fit. There are other reliable resources for both diets and money online, in your book stores, or your local library.

Search your heart for your relationship to money and your relationship to food. There is a real connection between the two that affects your health.

Disguising fruits and veggies has become big business. They put vegetables in spaggeti o’s, add veggies to fruit juices in the little boxes, and add 100 percent fruit juice to fruit snacks that look and taste like candy. The key is to consider the amount of sugar added to these products before making them you daily dose of vegetables.

Juicing fruits and vegetables is a legitimate way to get your fruits and veggies. The sweetness from the fruit can balance the bitterness of some of the veggies and it can make a wonderful addition to your diet. Disguising the veggie that you don’t like often can go unnoticed when you add the fruits you do like. V-8 has been doing it for years with much success and their newer fruit/veggie combinations are down right tasty when chilled.

So when juicing at home or buying premade juices at the market look at your labels and watch for this:
1. Sugar content
2. Actual vegetable and fruit content
3. Chemical additives or preservatives ( there shouldn’t be any artificial sweeteners or dyes)
4. Vitamin content
5. Calorie count. ( A juice box that has 300 calories might not be a good choice, water and an apple would make more health sense.

With planning and a bit of disguise, fruits and veggies can be added to every diet. And don’t forget the veggie pastas that are available. More on that at a later date. Happy Juicing.

One of the things to consider are the diseases and the prevention and detection for these diseases for women. Breast cancer is at the forefront of advertisements and the media but there are several other diseases particular to women that deserve our attention and consideration.
1. Ovarian cancer-difficult to diagnose unless you are aware of the warning signs
2. Thyroid disease- often over looked as a source of fatigue and weight, irritability and insomnia in women
3. Heart disease- another overlooked disease because the symtoms of heart problems including myocardial infarction or heart attack are so different in women then in men. Women don’t always have chest pain!
4. Breast cancer- early detection is the key to treatment and surviving.
5 Other cancers including colon, cervical, and skin cancer.
6. Autoimmune conditions- vague symptoms initially and often not diagnosed until the disease is flaring and the woman feels extremely ill.
7. Diabetes- a health issue for women especially those with obesity.
8. Obesity, hypertension, and depression. All common conditions that are misdiagnosed or ignored because women tend to not complain or seek treatment unless it interferes with their lifestyle.

During the week celebrate National Women’s Health and take time to seek information on these conditions common to women. Also, make your appointment for a general physical and conversation with your physician or healthcare provider to get on track to wellness and health.

Instead of failing before you get out of the dieting gate, consider looking at your weight and your health a different way. No crash diets, no expensive gym memberships, no expensive prepackaged foods…. instead work on balance. Balance your activities and increase your movement. Note I didn’t say exercise, at least not yet.

Balance in all things about your life will increase your chances of making healthy changes especially if you make them consistently. Begin by eating more fruits and vegetables. Summer is the best time to get started on snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables. Cut them up ahead of time and keep them handy in your fridge. Grab a water and a plate of grapes or apple slices instead of a soda and chips. Gradually start removing the unhealthy snacks from your kitchen and replace them with the healthy fruits and vegetables.

Balance your activity with more walking and less sitting. If you start an exercise program, do it with wisdom. Go slow so you don’t burn yourself out before you get started. Slow and gradual builds up to more strenuous exercises and the need to keep moving.

Swim suit weather is just around the corner but you can start now feeling and looking your best. Balance, replacing fruits and veggies with unhealthy snacks, and increase your movement. Take a walk in the spring sunshine. Think less about the pounds you want to lose and more about the good feeling you want to have at being active and healthy. Together we can work towards a healthier and better looking you, ( and me.)

Here are some quick ideas to fit every budget.

1. Gift certificate for a spa day. Every mom could use a massage, herbal facial, or mud mask treatment to feel fresh. Prices can range from 25 dollars to 250.00 dollars for a few hours of magic.

2.  Fruit bouquet instead of flowers. A healthy alternative to candies or sweets.

3. Treadmill, excercise bike, exercise ball, exercise CD or DVD, exercise matt, or new exercise duds. Any mom would appreciate support in her efforts towards fitness and health.

4. Herb plants or window herb garden. Having fresh herbs at your fingertips can increase the enjoyment of planning healthy meals. And the scent of fresh herbs improves mood.

5. Recycled notecards, stationary, or journal. Any gift that is made of recycled material is not only a great idea it is healthy for the environment.

6. Plush robe and lotions for her enjoyment after a long day.

7. A new book, something she is interested in whether it is a romance, mystery, or craft book pick something special for her to read on her special day.

8. Kids can make pictures, write notes, or make an easy craft to give. Homemade gifts from kids are the best.

9. Take mom to her favorite place to eat for a healthy meal she didn’t have to make.

10. Take a walk, whether on a beach, in the woods, or around the block, walking is one of the best exercises for health and can be done easily and without a cost.

Whatever you choose for your mom this day, remember to thank her for all she has done for you. And for those who may not have a good relationship with mom, take time to take care of yourself so you can be the woman you were meant to be. Be grateful and be healthy. Happy Mother’s Day to all our readers no matter who you mother or nurture in your life.