“So, Leslie, by when are you going to take some time for self-care.”

Ouch!

I could SEE the incredulous look on her face, despite the fact that she was actually on the telephone!

Two things were immediately obvious:

• She was right. I need to get back to my self-care routines.
• How her friend felt and what was going on for her were more important than making that next sale soon.
  Thanks, Jen.

I knew full well that I wasn’t going to get out for a bicycle ride, my #1 go-to for exercise (it was too late in the day), so I replied,

“Well, I could go for a short hike up Broderson before I go pick up my Talley Farms veggie box this afternoon.”

So I did.

Truth be told, my personal life has been fraught with a ton of changes and turmoil lately.
We recently sold the house that I my X and I shared for nearly 30 years and I’ve been looking for housing in the current environment, amidst clearing out 30 years’ worth of stuff.
That’s stressful enough on its own.
And I recently moved into a shared living situation tentatively. But I only planned to be here for a few months.

Now, because of the current market, I will likely be here longer than I originally anticipated. While the place isn’t terrible, it’s far from ideal for me.

I have had some other changes going on in my life and relationships as well.

Of course, when you’re self-employed there are always changes in business.

In short, It’s been a lot.

Suffice it to say that so much has been going on and I’ve gotten out of many of my routines.

Yes, even me.

The “in your face” reminder was exactly what I needed.

And I’m grateful.

So, I hung up the phone and completed a couple of other quick tasks. Then I got in the car and drove up to the Broderson trailhead. I was about 2 minutes into the walk when I realized I had left my phone in the car. Knowing full well I’d be tempted to just get back in the car if I returned to it, I just kept walking. So I can’t even tell you how far or how long I hiked.

All I know is it was short enough that it wasn’t dark when I got done and long enough that I felt about 50% better. The exercise had helped.

And the veggies also led me to have a decent meal for dinner. I did a quick stir fry of shishito peppers, broccoli & garlic, made a simple salad & added a little leftover braised tofu. I had a plate filled with delicious greens; another thing that hadn’t happened in several days.

Now, I know both from science and from my experience that greens really help clear your head. And I know the power of self-care. But I was too “in my head” to be present to that recently. Well, it did its magic.

I woke up this morning feeling significantly better.

I still don’t have all “the answers” to all the various dilemmas in my life.

But today I’m grateful for the opportunity to be in the learning & discovery stages about all of it.

And oh yeah, and I’m also grateful for the opportunity to show you that as a coach, I’m not very different from you.

Only that, I am usually more able to pick myself up quickly & get back on my feet (till the next time). And I usually know what to do to bring about the change in what I want to see & feel in both my mind and body. But I still do stumble and fall and I always will. It’s part of the human experience.

My self-care routines leave me feeling at peace in spite of life swirling around me. That can happen for you too.

I’d love to hear how you resonate with this little authenticity reveal.

And, if you mention my name when signing up for a Talley Farms veggie box, we each get $5 off our box. https://talleyfarmsfreshharvest.com/

The post Grudgingly Accepting My Own Medicine appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

New discoveries on how to slow and even reverse aging.

The article on reversing aging, from experiments done on mice, sits in my inbox awaiting my attention.

Today I want to concentrate on the one on slowing aging.

The summary in Medical News Today put it this way:

“As a result of its proven ability to prevent and treat several chronic diseases at low cost, doctors have called exercise a drug-free “polypill” that can benefit nearly everyone.”

Now I’m sure this doesn’t really surprise you, or me. 

This is not to say that what you eat doesn’t matter. We intuitively know they go hand in hand. (Another topic for another time.) 

The article goes on to say that starting to exercise at any age can make a difference. 

Genetics plays a role in how long people live. But, all you need to do is look at the lifestyle of any 90+ year old you know and you will see your own future and your choices. 

I have the honor of having 4 such people in my life and 3 of the 4 are doing amazingly well. 

I will highlight my aunt & my uncle (both siblings of my mom) as 2 examples.

My Aunt Jeanie, caught the fitness bug back in the 60’s when Jack Lalane was on TV. By the time the 70’s came around, she had a gym membership that kept her fit most of her life. She will turn 93, if my calculations are correct, next month.

Though she no longer goes to the gym regularly, (knee replacements in her 80’s put a dampener on that,) she remains active. She still “works” (actually volunteers) several times a week at the performing arts center near her home. She also still lives independently.

Her older brother, my Uncle Irving, 18 months her senior, will turn 95 in June. Though he moved in with my cousin and his family a few years ago when his wife passed, he continued to work out at the gym and travel until Covid hit. He remains active and mentally fit as well.

Throughout their life, he and his wife continued playing tennis well into their 70’s. And although his wife has now passed, I have little doubt that it made a huge difference in her life as well. Normally a disease that strikes in the 45-55 year time span, she didn’t develop ALS until her late 70’s and almost made it to 80. 

On the other hand, a local friend who was inactive for much of her life and remained so suffers from extreme pain. Though she still has all her mental facilities, she has a life I would not wish on anyone. 

These people exemplify what the journals say and what we intuitively know. Those who remain active throughout life, for the most part, can bypass much of the pain and disability that appears to come with aging.

The article also explains that getting active even late in life can help build muscle and avoid falls and disability. 

So, what’s it going to be for you? To a large extent, the choice is yours.

The post How to Slow and Reverse Aging appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

By the time Monday came around (my birthday was on a Thursday), I was feeling just a bit bloated and sluggish.

So I returned my clean whole food plant-based eating.  In a couple of days I felt much better.

And I realized I should probably do a little cleanse before the holidays.

That got me thinking about you. And getting you to join me.

Many people throw their healthy eating habits out the window over the holidays.

The average American gains 7 or more lbs. Between Thanksgiving and New Years!

All that effort all year, wasted! Back to square #1.

You can change that for yourself this year by joining my 30-Day Wellness Challenge for the month of October.

Up the ‘ante’ on that healthy eating habit. Or, at least, take the first step.

Maybe you want to: 

• get a handle on that salt or sugar craving    
• address the mood swings    
• reduce your blood pressure or HbA1C    
• find simple answers to hot flashes  
• get some resolve with an ever-expanding midline 

The 30-Day Wellness Challenge will help you go into the holiday season with a fresh lease on your health. You’ll have a new level of awareness & confidence. It’ll be far easier to keep a healthy attitude through the holidays.

You’ll be much more likely to bring that yummy but healthy artichoke dip to the party instead of the cheese and mayo one!

And I’ll provide you with the recipe! It’s not on my website. ; )

30 Days of healthy eating. Simple clean whole food, cleansing smoothies, and tasty salad recipes in my e-book.

Learn the basic what and why of cleansing. 4 short lessons (audios) covering food, exercise, gut health, and your environment over the first week.

Get your questions answered. Meet other health conscious women. Live group Zoom meetings in the Facebook private group weekly. 

Challenges! Weekly workout challenges (competitive and noncompetitive divisions)!

Stay motivated. My texting service  will deliver diet, exercise & inspirational messages to you 3 times per week. 

And more.

The program runs October 4-November 3.

Registration starts on September 15, 2021. Guarantee your spot by contacting me now. 

The post Birthday Celebrations followed by Wellness Challenge appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

You know, one of THOSE birthdays where you look back & wonder, “How did I get here?” Where you look ahead and wonder, “What does the future hold in store?” and “What do I have left that I’m still committed to doing?”

Those who know me well know I’m not slowing down any time soon.

I did a 620 mile un-assisted bicycle tour this summer.

I’m still running a health coaching practice & contributing to the world that way.

I’m still an active member of Rotary International; giving back to the world in other ways.

I’m a Board Member of our local NAWBO (National Association of Woman Business Owners); giving back to women in business both locally and nationally.

And more.

All of that is to point out that life is what you make of it.

When you take good care of yourself, you have the energy and the audacity to continue to look ahead with anticipation.

So, for me, I still anticipate my long delayed European Bicycle Tour.

I still plan many firsts & I’m still adding items to my bucket list.

So, how does one take care of themselves in order to live healthfully till the end?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Remember that it’s a marathon. Actually it’s an Ultra! (Me… I’m committed to another 40 years!)
2. Take care of your emotional wellbeing: relax, play, meditiate, love, do meaningful things.
3. Remember there are 4 kinds of exercise: strength, endurance (aerobic), flexibility (stretching) and balance. Be sure to work ALL of these multiple times per week. You need to keep flexible, balanced and stong. 
4. Eat a predominantly whole food plant-based diet.
5. Remember that God (or Nature) made FOOD for nutrition, not pills.

Understand that the body is self-healing and self-correcting. If you’re not well, find the source of the dis-ease and correct it so you can heal. (The source of the problem is never a shortage of medication!) 

Be cautious about allowing doctors to do standard tests on you solely because you are a certain age or certain gender (or combination). Sometimes these tests can cause complications or injury and not yield valuable data. 

Continue to contribute to others and society.

Set and achieve new goals until the day you die.

You can, indeed, continue to live powerfully throughout life. However, like everything else, it only happens with intention and planning.

If you have concerns that your health & your body won’t support you to get there, let’s talk.

The post Live Fully Till the Day You Die appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

I can’t deny the chronology. I’m at an age where most of my peers are on medications. Complaints of pain, infirmary, disability and more occupy their minds, their conversations and their time.

But I’ve spent most of the past 30 years ‘walking my talk’ in terms of my health. And it’s paid off. I’d like to help you do the same.

I just completed a 3 week, approximately 600-mile self-supported bicycle trip. I thought I might discern the most important aspects of refusing to grow old.

1. Mental Attitude: Stay young at heart. Sometimes you will be the oldest person at the party. Sometimes people will talk about ideas you’re not familiar with or technology you don’t understand. Always make it a point to be continually learning and growing,
2. Eat properly: A diet heavy on fruits & vegetables, beans and more and light on animal foods, junk food and added oil will give you the nutrition you need to maintain your youthful vigor.
3. Aerobic workouts: Constant and never-ending improvement in terms of your aerobic capacity. There is NOTHING that makes you feel younger and more alive than having great aerobic capacity. So if you can ride 30+ miles on a bike, run several miles, or kayak for an hour or more at a clip; the power is an indescribable high.
4. Stretching: As we get older, some of our muscles tend to shorten and this can cause injuries if you don’t stretch properly and consistently.
5. Consistency: Staying young requires a type of consistency that many don’t have. You can’t do it with the ‘weekend warrior’ attitude you had in your 40’s. 

It’s when we get past our 50’s that we start to see the consistency that’s required. 

The consistency that makes me feel like I’m going to regret it when I don’t SOME form of serious aerobic workout at least twice and usually 3 times a week. 

You might think this is burdensome but it’s actually just the opposite. It’s freeing. Freeing because I know that when I’m consistently ‘on my game’ with my workouts, I feel like I’m ‘aging backwards.’ I feel more youthful with each workout.

I hope this inspires you to begin pursuing a more consistent level of fitness as you get older.

Need some more tips? Get in touch.

The post Fitness – The Best Anti-Aging “Medicine” on the Planet appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

It’s all about living my best life.

So the obvious/sometimes not-so-obvious connection comes in.
You know, the one where people say, “You’re so lucky you’re still healthy enough to do that.” 

And I gently say, “No, it’s not luck, it’s 60+ years of mostly taking good care of myself. 

But we all learn lessons the difficult way and I’ve had my health challenges too. Perhaps the “luck” was learning my lesson when I had some serious health challenges in my 30’s.

Where’s this going?

Just like myself and my clients, you can accept the challenge part of your health challenge and change.

The fact of the matter is that diet and lifestyle account for 7 of the top 8 causes of death in the U.S. but we all have the power to choose to change.
Stats show genetics cause less than 15% of all diseases and death.

Disease reversal can often come with lifestyle changes. Diabetes and heart disease are 2 prime examples.

So, I won’t be-labor the point any further.

My philosophy is that we all can strive to be able to do whatever it is that we love until the day we die. Put the pieces in place. If you need some help, here are some ways to work with me.

You can also keep track of my postings about my journey on my Vibrant Health Over 40 Facebook Page.
And donate to my fundraiser for Dig Deep. Pedal on!

The post Live Your Best Life Regardless of Age appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

Sometimes it seems like the simplest things are a struggle. 

It happened to me a few days ago. 
“Why did I come into this room?”
“Ok, I got sidetracked again,” as I pulled myself out of the social media tunnel.
For several hours.

Then I realized. . .my routine morning routine was off.
And I had let my meditation practice go.
And my usual exercise routine had gotten interrupted.
In addition, I wasn’t eating as well or as regularly as I do when I’m more active. 

So, a couple hours later, some healthy food in me, a little exercise, 5 minute of meditation and I was back on my game.

As we age, the little things can add up and affect our ability to function.

So with that in mind, here are 7 simple habits to get your brain back on an even keel.

1. Make sure you’re getting enough regularly scheduled sleep. Even if you don’t feel you need it, your body and mind will benefit from getting at least 7hours/night.
2. Get consistent exercise. It brings fresh blood flow into your brain.
3. Meditate. Meditation is about training your brain. Just as your muscles need training, your brain also needs training. There are numerous apps, YouTube videos, and more that can help you get started.
4. Get fresh air and sunshine: Vitamin D is not a vitamin! It’s a hormone made by your skin in response to sunshine. And as a hormone, it functions in many ways, including in our brain’s processing centers.
   Getting out in the early morning light helps all this and helps regulate Melatonin levels as well. (Reference the connection to regular sleep mentioned above.)
5. Eat greens daily. Green vegetables are used by gut bacteria and your endothelium (the cells that line your veins and arteries) to make nitric oxide. This is the chemical that allows your arteries to expand, increasing blood flow to your brain and other vital organs. That brings fresh nutrients to your brain. See the connection?
6. Eat more antioxidant-rich berries; specifically blueberries. Studies show that blueberries, eaten consistently, increase brain function & memory in older adults. 
7. Stay social and conversational. Communicating with other humans regularly helps us make sense of everything around us. It also exercises our ability to synthesize and process information.

Need more help? Let’s talk.

The post Clear Thinking at Any Age appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

Your hormones are likely playing a pivotal role whether you’re perimenopausal (or even female) or not. But there’s a lot more you can do about it than you think.

Though the graphic is highly over-simplified, from it you can get a sense that there are things you can do to make a difference.

But where do you start?

Today I’ll suggest 5 things:

1. Eat more whole food:

WHole food helps to feed the good guys of your microbiome. They’re the ones that favor appropriate concentrations of dopamine and other neurotransmitters. They help you feel good and think clearly. They actually make the stuff. If you don’t have the right ones, you’re screwed (unless you can entice them to grow. More on that another time soon.)

2. Eat more greens:

Greens, more specifically, also contain nitrates. They are converted by your gut bugs to nitric oxide which helps dilate your blood vessels. This can lead to a reduction in blood pressure and better blood perfusion throughout your body, including your brain. So, you are favoring clearer thinking.

3. Breathe!

I’m talking about a specific type of relation breathing here.

Before you begin each meal, take a couple of minutes and take 10 deep breaths, in through your nose (to a count of 4) and out through your mouth (to a count of 8). This intensional relaxation breathing can help reduce stress and cortisol levels. That calms you down and helps your food digest easier.

4. Get some exercise!

Aerobic exercise helps your body in innumerable ways.

The 2 things I want to mention here:

Exercise helps balance many of your neurotransmitters and

helps bring fresh blood supply to the brain. Both of those things help you think clearer.

5. Cut back on animal product consumption:

You don’t need to “go vegan,” but at least start by decreasing dairy consumption. 2 reasons:

Decreasing animal food consumption will help balance your hormones (because you’re not consuming as much hormone-laden foods).

Decreasing saturated fat consumption will help blood flow; including blood flow to the brain.

So, taken together, these things can get you started on the road to balancing your hormones and to clearer thinking.

Tune in next time for more. . .

The post Think Clearer: Hormonal Influences on Your Brain Resolved Simply appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

And I was SO convinced I was fat that I spent most of the time I was in college dieting and running; getting down to 103 lbs. on my 5’4” body and STILL thinking I was fat!

I know many of you can relate to this.
We’re conditioned, as women.

You must look right. Not too fat. Not too thin. You mustn’t have an ass.
Oh, yeah, and your boobs. . .they’re for men’s pleasure, not their intended natural purpose. 
You must be thin but you must have SOME curves. Huh? 
Above all, you must look good to men!

Bullshit! To put it bluntly.
How about: It’s not about what you look like!
How about this: a healthy body attitude is about having a body that you can use as an instrument to do what you choose to do . . . throughout life.

An idea that’s easily lost in our society. Lost amid the skinny models, the multi-million dollar diet industry, and the contrast and contradiction between what “they” (men and corporate culture) say we “should” look like and what’s healthy.

Back to the ‘story.’ . . 
Somewhere, somehow amidst all the BS, I developed a love of bicycling.

Truth be told, a lot of it was originally to spend time with a boy I had a crush on.
A boy, who, looking back now, I think may actually have been gay!

But then I found the exhilaration of propelling down a hill on a bike and I was hooked.
The faster the better.

That was my turning point. The point at which I stopped worrying about “fat Leslie” and learned a healthy respect for fueling my body with nutritious food and staying fit enough to do what I want to do.

Now “being in shape” became about having the strength and endurance to get up that hill.

Later, it even became about having the strength and endurance to carry everything I needed (indeed almost everything I owned) on a 3 month long 3,000 mile bicycle tour from Billings, Montana to the Oregon Coast and then south to the Mexican Border.

Circling back around to the years of body shaming:
Some years later, I found a picture of myself. You know, one of those pictures that Mom & Dad took on the front steps on the first day of school. I was shocked! 

I saw a little girl who definitely was NOT overweight, let alone “fat.”

Yet all these years later. I STILL constantly have to reframe it ALL THE TIME!

The idea that my body is my own. . .  that women’s bodies are their own.

That our bodies are for OUR use and pleasure; for how we choose.

And then we need to fuel them in a way that’s consistent with allowing us to continue to do the things we want to do till the day we die.

So what kinds of things do you want to be able to do?

It might be as simple as going for a walk on the beach with your family. It could be as complex as taking an extended bicycle tour, hiking the Appalachian Trail, or mountain climbing.

Whatever it is, it’s essential to both fuel your body and strengthen your muscles in a way that’s consistent with your goals, both short and long-term.

So when you look in the mirror and you’re not pleased with what you see, choose to reframe it.

Ask yourself, “How can I fuel my body (nutrition) and what actions (exercise) can I take today to make all my tomorrows days when my body can support the things I choose to do?”

A healthy body attitude is about having a body that you can use as an instrument to do what you choose to do.

It’s a life-long process. Let me know if I can help.

The post Weight Loss Attitudes: Body Shaming vs. Health & Fitness appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

One quarter (25%) of those over 65 living in the U.S. will fall this year. My client’s results could’ve been far worse; every 19 minutes a senior dies as the result of a fall. The vast majority of the time, medications are a major contributing factor.

Loss of balance, blood pressure and blood sugar issues are just 3 reasons why seniors have increased tendency to fall. Medications play an integral role.

Medications to control blood pressure and blood sugar keep those parameters within very narrow ranges that may not allow the body to respond appropriately to the situation at hand such as what happened to my client. Addressing these issues through diet & lifestyle changes can frequently allow one to work with their doctor to decrease or eliminate the meds altogether. Thus eliminating a major contributor to falls. I can offer assistance and coaching for this.

But blood pressure and blood sugar meds are only a very small fraction of drugs that affect seniors adversely. Most affect balance and mental clarity more directly and can contribute to both dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The problem is so pervasive that there are well-written & documented criteria for evaluating the appropriateness of medication in seniors and getting them on less dangerous drugs, if your doctor uses them.

The Beers’ Criteria is not about alcohol-containing drinks made from hops! Dr. Beers was a gerontologist who put together an extensive list of drugs known to contribute to problems in the elderly. The list involves entire classes of drugs that can be problematic in the elderly. Reasons can go far beyond balance and mental clarity issues (some drugs cannot be metabolized as readily due to impairment in kidney function, for example, that can be quite common in older people.) However, many classes of drugs are on the list primarily because of balance issues. Many also contribute to dementia.

Are you taking sleeping pills? Most are on the list. Sedating anti-histamines, like Benadryl? On the list. (many people take these before bed thinking they are safer than sleeping pills.) What about anti-anxiety meds, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics or PM versions of over-the-counter pain relievers? Also on the list. Drug to address asthma, nerve pain (especially shingles), over-active bladder, diarrhea, nausea and itching; again; on the list. All these drugs affect balance, sometimes for days after the effect of the medication has worn off. Many also affect mental clarity and contribute to dementia & Alzheimer’s.

In addition to this list; there is also another set of criteria that is more in depth called the STOPP/START criteria. STOPP is: Screening Tool for Older People’s Potentially inappropriate meds. START is Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatments. The ‘right treatments’ here are safer drug choices; not lifestyle changes. Again, many conditions can be addressed through diet and lifestyle changes thus allowing people to get off the medication and frequently reversing the condition.

Were I someone that was on ANY medication (OTC or prescription) I would check in with my doctor to find out (1) Do any of my meds appear on the list? (2) If so, is there a safer medication we can look at instead? You might also decide to make lifestyle and diet changes that could result in you no longer needing medication. Again; I’m available to help teach you about such options.

Note: The above is intended only as education. It is not to be misconstrued as medical recommendations. Always check with a medical practitioner before stopping your medication.

The post It’s a Balancing Act: A Quick Primer on Drugs & Falls for the Over-55 Gang appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.