Sure, there are the issues almost all of us have to deal with; from the hot flashes to the temper flairs to feeling like you left your brain somewhere outside your body.

There’s the bloating and weight gain.

And a myriad of other things. 

They can usually be mitigated and it doesn’t necessarily require medication. (more on that later.)

Society tells us menopause means we’re old and it’s now downhill from there.

We are steeped in that view so much that it affects everything; from our sense of what it means to be women to our willingness to keep showing up and striving in our work, relationships, communities, and more.

I want to call BULLSHIT on all of it!

Who’s with me?

It seems like I woke up one day, in my late 50’s, looked around the room, and found a (now X-) spouse who was retired and had the attitude to go with it. Yawn.
I looked around networking meetings and found I was suddenly the oldest woman. WHAT???

I looked at people my age and found all they were talking about was their next doctor’s appointment, procedure, the side effects of their meds or not being able to take a crap! Yawn & GAG!

Suddenly, I was one of the few people my age participating in LIFE. 

One of the few who gets regular vigorous exercise, eats healthfully and creates new goals and a vibrant future. 

As you can see from the photo, my early 50s hadn’t started that way.

I could go on & on but you get the point.

Here’s the thing: chronology isn’t optional but what we make it mean about what we can do certainly is. 

And ultimately, we will create what our attitude dictates. It will affect every aspect of our life; physical, mental-emotional, and even spiritual. 

Change is hard. Yes. You can read more about my change here and here.

But staying the same is impossible. 

Time stands still for none of us. If we don’t advance, we will deteriorate.

So, maybe you’re peri-menopausal. Let’s ask a tough question:
What do you want your life to look like at 70? Paint the picture. What about 80?!

And don’t forget to include your sex life in the picture either! (I recently added some libido formulas to my store!)

What if you could wake up every morning at 80 and say, “I LOVE my life.” What would THAT look like?

Do you want to get to 80 by intention or by default? Intention will make all the difference in the world. And remember, you don’t get to choose if you make it to 80 (or way beyond, for that matter).

5 sense-orize it. Choose what you want it to look, smell, taste, feel, and sound like.

Here’s the good news. You have a lot more control over all that than you think.

And it doesn’t require you to be a tea-totaling, card-carrying vegan monk.

Like everything else in life, 20% of what you do will dictate 80% of your results.

Let me help you discover and tweak that 20%.

I’ve got new programs starting soon.

Let’s talk. Set up a time here.

The post Peri-Menopause and Getting Old: They Don’t Have to Go Hand in Hand appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

However,  I can’t help but notice that there’s still much missing in the discussion.
This article exemplifies it. It details a writer’s frustration and shame as she has a meltdown followed by a hot flash when put on the spot in public.  Then there’s her answer, which, typical for our society is a medication.

I’m hearing that a lot.

Here’s how horrendous it all is; the hot flashes, the night sweats, that brain that refuses to process a succinct thought, and more. It’s affecting women’s lives and well-being.
The attention is timely and valid.  The solution, in our society, is obvious: a magic pill (or a variation thereof.)

Not everybody wants to take medication   Not everybody can take medication. Still missing from the discussion is what can you do besides take medication or just suffer?

Oh, yes people will talk about breathing and acceptance. I can’t help but wonder what good that does when you’re standing in the front of a room with sweat dripping down your body. At that point, you can barely remember your name, let alone what you’re there to talk about. I’ve been there.

Fortunately, there are answers beyond medication that work. Because, like it or not, medication, by its very nature ALWAYS leaves you open to adverse effects (those effects may be more or less likely but they always exist.).

Natural approaches, (the ones that involve diet and lifestyle, that is,) seldom do. But they are more likely to need dialing in.  and so they become much like the numbers in a combination lock; a very precise solution to a very individual problem.

But the answers, when you find them, help make your life healthier. What a refreshing concept. A solution that can help make you healthier; not subject you to more issues.

Diet and lifestyle changes allow your body to heal itself.  Thus the change often addresses several symptoms and can help you live a healthier life.

Well, all that sounds great, you say but what do I do and how do I get started? The answers are somewhat individualized. But, there is an overarching theme.

Eat more real whole plant food. Get more movement. Live more in alignment with your body’s rhythms and the way God & nature intended. Decrease stress.

Now, eliminate some offending foods (let’s start with processed foods). And add some therapeutic foods (like broccoli and soy). That’s a good start and may begin to make a real difference.

Want more info beyond the generalities? Let’s talk.

The post Menopause: Getting Time in the Lime Light appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

“Given the current trajectory of your health and your habits, what do you think your life will be like in 30 years if you don’t change anything?”

It was not uncommon for a 50 year old to look me square in the eye and say, “I don’t want to live that long, Doc.”

My response: “Do you get the choice?”

“Unless you’re going to ‘off yourself,’ you will live however long you live. You may be able to have an idea of your genetic tendency but that’s about it. The difference you can make with your habits is how much you will suffer in the last 10 years of life.”

“You need only look at medical stats and the older folks you know to understand this.”

Here’s the thing:

Most of us live our lives on autopilot.

Not only do we not think about the future, we live as though we think we can get a ‘do-over’ when things start to go sour. Intellectually, we know that’s not true but it doesn’t change our behavior.

Then, when things start to go awry, it’s often too late to reverse the damage.

My goal as a health coach is to help you to be able to do the things you love till the day you die. And of course, defying the odds!

With that in mind, here are my 5 not-so-secret secrets for defying the odds:

1. Eat mostly plants. It’s not necessary to be vegan but the healthiest cultures in the world (like the Okinawans, 7th Day Adventists and other Blue Zone cultures) eat diets that are about 90% plant-based whole food: fruit, vegetables, legumes and some grains. Statistically, 7th Day Adventists represent the largest group of independently living Centenarians. Doesn’t it just make inherent sense to do what others have done that works?
2. If it comes in a prepared package, for the most part, leave it on the shelf. Sure, there are times when we need convenience. I’m not saying don’t ever buy anything in a package. But DO be more discerning. Look at the ingredients. Do you know what they all are? There’s a tremendous difference between a frozen dinner made mostly with whole food and one that has an ingredient list that takes up the entire side of the package. I often refer to these as “food-like substance.” You know the difference between chemicals and food. Eat FOOD!
3. Rebuild your gut. We now know that our gut bacteria (AKA our microbiome) makes about 80% of our hormones. But it can’t make the right things when it’s been damaged. Have you eaten animal food almost daily, eaten processed foods regularly, been on antibiotics and more like most Americans? Then your gut needs help. More help than just eating some fermented foods. This is easy when you know how. Let’s talk today.
4. Get some exercise. Let’s remember: the human body has over 600 muscles. It was made for movement. There are estimates that our hunter-gatherer cave dwelling ancestors moved up to 20 hours per day & used as much as 5000 calories daily just gathering & hunting for survival! THIS is the life your body was designed to lead. The more active you are, the better it works. PERIOD. FULL STOP.
5. Pay attention to your mental-emotional well-being. Put the distracting electronics down & communicate with real people. Spend time in nature. Stop listening to the mass media mellow-drama. I’m not advocating that you live in a cave; only that you turn the dinge off long enough to remember what is really important to you; your friends & family and your primary relationships. Ask yourself if watching another 30 minutes of pre-digested news is helping anyone? Take that time & spend it doing something meaningful for yourself or others.

So there you have it.

A few simple things you can begin today to increase the odds that you can live a healthier life & defying the odds.

Need more or more specific help? Let’s set up a time to talk.

The post Aging & Longevity: Defying the Odds appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

• If you have 40 (or especially if you have 100 pounds to lose), you certainly don’t want a healthy weight coach telling you to eat carrots and go for a 6-mile run! 
• If you’re taking meds for a condition and just having an awful time with the side effects, you certainly don’t want someone telling you it’s easy to change your life, become a whole food plant-eater and get off all your meds in 6 weeks!
• And if you’re in throws of peri-menopause, you don’t want someone who is already beyond that telling you how easy it is to get through because it’s not. (You also don’t have to “just live with it.” But that’s another conversation for another time.)

So today I want to talk about some simple routines that can easily become habits. Routines that will benefit your overall wellness whether you’re in the prime of life, you’re 90, or anywhere in between.

Now whether you adopt these simple routines or others is on you. I’ll tell you why I’ve adopted them and that may spur you on.

These are 5 simple routines, parts of my morning ritual. I adopted them because they give me a routine in the morning that I can easily knock out without even thinking about it. A routine that isn’t difficult or long. It gets me up and moving, just a little. So, no matter how sedentary the rest of the day turns out, I’ve gotten in both some stretching and some strengthening.

It gets some important nutrients & anti-inflammatory foods into me. So it starts my day out right before I can ruin it by deciding to eat something I’d be better off without. 

So what are these 5 simple routines? And more importantly, how do I adopt into my day in a way that’s simple and effective at making them routine?

1. Water: More than any other habit, drinking enough water is one that I’ve always struggled with. Lately, I’ve adopted the routine suggested by a friend (who is NOT a health care person, go figure!) that really works for me.
   In the evening before bed every night, I fill a jar (mine is 1.5 quarts but if you’re buying one, I suggest 2 quarts) with water & I throw in a lemon sliced up. And it goes in the frig. In the morning, the first thing I do when I go to the kitchen pulls that out of the frig., pour a full glass & down it. Then I leave the jar on the counter. My “job” is to finish that by 3 pm. And preferably refill it & continue drinking.
2. Maca: Maca is a root plant, native to the Andes Mountains, that has some adaptogenic properties to it. An adaptogen is a naturally occurring substance that provides a wide array of nutrients that help your body’s overall balance. Maca is thought to help the reproductive organs of older people balance. After my water, I add 2 teaspoons of maca powder to a small amount of diluted pomegranate juice (it has additional nutrients) along with #3 below.
3. Ginger & turmeric: These are both anti-inflammatory & have an array of antioxidants & other nutrients. I keep a container mixed 50:50 of these powders on the counter. Everyday, I add a ½ teaspoon to my juice/water/maca mix & whisk it to dissolve. I drink this & take my other morning supplements with it.
4. Stretching: I have a routine that involves 4 different hip stretches (all directions to get all muscles) and a couple of torso stretches. These, when done daily, really help me feel like I am much more youthful, limber, and energetic than what my chronological age would usually indicate.
5. Strengthening: Now I don’t do a lot of strengthening! Most who know me know I HATE exercising indoors. I don’t have a gym membership. But I know core strength is one key to balance. And I know that balance becomes an issue as we age. (though the truth is, most often seniors fall because the drugs they are on affect their balance) So, I do 25 crutches and am starting to add other core work to that. I also do some push-ups. I literally started with 10; on my knees; not even full push-ups. I tell you this because the point is you start with what you can do. Can’t do crunches? Start by just lifting your head & shoulders as high as you can & doing 10-15 of them. It’s still engaging your core. Then build from there.

The point here is simple:

Whether it’s with your diet, exercise, or any other aspect of your well-being, simply begin by doing a little better each day.

Thinking that someone to guide you & hold you accountable might be helpful?
You can take the first small step with 30 days of my inspirational texting service for FREE!

Simply text the word “wellness” to 41259 from your phone and follow the prompts.

Or if you know you need more, set up a time to talk.

The post Simple Routines to Promote Wellness appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

Let’s face it, there are too many shouldn’ts that are pushed on us all the time about our food choices: shouldn’t eat this, shouldn’t eat that. 

What about a new attitude of what you can eat?

Adding a little bit of inventive deliciousness?

Some foods that work magically in your system?

Foods that feed your body; your brain and your gut (AKA your second brain) what they need to keep you happy and thinking straight!?

Are you pre-menopausal and known to have PMS?

Or are you peri- or post menopause and having mood issues?

Maybe you’re a guy concerned about your own issues.

You might benefit from some intentional eating. 

All these issues are related to hormones. And the foods we eat can have remarkably positive effects, if we eat the right foods more often. 

The addition of medicinal foods can make a huge difference.

Now this isn’t a magic pill, it’s not going to cure a thing because regardless of what the issue is, it’s not caused by just one thing! Make sense?

Good.

But it can help. It can put you on a better path..

Looking at foods as medicinal means eating good-for-you foods regularly, like you’d take a pill. 

So you’ll need a few recipes. Ones that you can use often. 

Here’s one. 

Do you like barbecued food?

Use you favorite barbecue sauce here:

This is a great one to add if you want to balance your estrogens; if you’ve got PMS, mood swings or hot flashes for example. (It also could help, especially when combined with decreasing dairy if you’re a guy who is losing his hair!) It would be more helpful if you ladies cut back on the cheese too. Just so you know.

Barbecued braised tofu
Ingredients: 1 lb. organic tofu & your favorite barbecue sauce.

Place the tofu on a cutting board and put a heavy object on top of it to squeeze out the excess water. (A cast iron frying pan works really well for this.) Let it sit for 10-20 minutes. (Check it and rebalance the weighted object if necessary) Then drain it & discard the water. 

Slice the tofu into slices ¼-½ inch thick. Cover the bottom of a glass container with barbecue sauce and then a layer of tofu. Layer with more sauce & continue layering. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Overnight is better.)

Put the tofu directly on a rack in a preheated 375 degree oven. Place a drip pan under it. Bake for up to an hour; turning after 30 minutes. (Be very gentle when turning it. It will have a tendency to break or stick. You can also brush the rack with oil first if desired) Add additional sauce when you turn it if desired. The longer you bake, the chewier it will get. It will also get even chewier if you let it cool. 

You can serve this as part of meal, or as a snack or appetizer. So, I’m not telling you to replace your steak; just add this for now. 

I find it makes a great mid afternoon snack when my concentration is waning. I just eat cold straight out of the frig.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be featuring more medicinal foods. Over time, decreasing animal foods and other pro-inflammatory foods would be great additional steps. 

You’ll want at least 2 or 3 more recipes with high phytonutrient foods.

You can find more recipes here

Need more help or want quicker results?
I’m starting to open a few spots for both my Private Coaching programs and my “Buddy-up for Health” programs (you and you partner or BFF) for 2022. Set up a time to talk here: 

Let’s get you on my calendar.

The post Medicinal Foods and Intentional Eating appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

Ever find yourself thinking, saying that? As you literally watched your mind wander off, despite trying to pay attention.

This is a User’s Guide through the Menopause Cloud.

Or “I know I came in here to do something! Now, what was it?”

“When was the last time I had my keys?” You frantically ask yourself while searching.

Oh, and let’s not forget calling your son by your brother’s name!

Maybe you have Menopause! (Or Perimenopause)

Symptoms include forgetting why you walked into a room, interspersed with bouts of hot flashes and temper flares. Side effects include dark thick chin hairs that appear out of nowhere, blowing up at the kids over dumb stuff, being awake from 2:30-5:30 AM and a rounding belly.

Ask your doctor about. . . no on second thought, DON’T! At least not yet. The answers you get may be worse than the symptoms.

Ok. So you’re starting to realize that’s where you are. NOW what?

It’s not as hopeless as it seems. You’ll get to the other side of this just like everything else; one day at a time. But there are things you can do to ease the pain.

Let’s look at 5 things:

First things first:

1. Simplify life: Take a survey of what you do and ask yourself, “DO I really need to do this?” “I” is the operative noun here. From cleaning the kitchen sink to preparing dinner to putting away laundry, there are many mundane chores we take on as women that could be, or SHOULD be relegated to the kids.
   Heck, your kids need to learn how to do the basics of taking care of meals, cleaning, and more by the time they’re 18 anyway!
2. Basic structure: Are you getting consistent sleep? If not, develop a good routine that includes shutting off electronics earlier and winding down with a cup of herbal tea. (I’ll address more about sleep in another article soon).
3. Get regular exercise. Getting your heart rate up into your conditioning zone every other day will help reduce stress. It will also make you physically tired so you’ll sleep better. With better sleep will come better thought processes.
4. Meditate: I like to think of meditation as structuring and taming my brain. Take just 5 minutes a day to sit quietly and train your brain.  Concentrate on one thing, observing your breath. It will make a tremendous difference over time.
5. Eat the right foods:
   Yes, I’m writing this. You knew I’d get to this sooner or later.
   • Eat fewer animal foods. High protein, high-fat animal foods contribute to plaque formation in both the arteries and the brain tissue itself.
   • Eat more greens: The nitrates in greens are converted to nitric oxide by the good bacteria in your gut. Nitric oxide allows your arteries, including the arteries in your brain to expand and bring in fresh blood flow.
   • Eat more fruit, especially berries: Blueberries are an amazing superfood. Studies show blueberries help memory in dementia patients; so they can certainly help you.

Ok. So there you have it. Some basic things you can control and actions you can take to make a difference in your life today.

Need more help? Schedule a call & let’s talk.

The post Where Did My Brain Go? A User’s Guide Through the Menopause Cloud appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

But this time it was different.

For weeks before it was almost routine; 2:30 to nearly 6:00 am lying awake, agitated and profusely sweating. Knowing how exhausted I’d be all day because I couldn’t sleep. . .Every. . . single. . . night.

But all that had ended when I started on the bioidentical hormone creams weeks ago.

Indeed it was one of the main reasons I had consented to the hormones . . . 

Hormones that my medical doctor and colleague had convinced me were safe. . . 

Hormones that my research would later tell a different story about. . . 

Yet, here I was, wide awake again. But I wasn’t profusely sweating and I wasn’t agitated. Though I was anxious and scared.  . . at least I knew why. . . 

Over the past several weeks, the hormones had done the trick . . .the hot flashes were gone. . . I felt more even-keeled. . .I wasn’t blowing up at the kids over little things as much.

My brain & my memory were even working better. Gosh, I could even remember why I walked into a room!  

But now there was a new problem. . .the one that had me anxious and scared.

. . .I had gained 20 lbs. in the past 2 months! The result of the hormone cream I was using. 20 lbs. on my petite 5’4” body! At this rate, I’d weigh 200lbs. by year’s end. 

Images of ‘fat Leslie’ danced in my head. I know that sounds vain. But as someone who struggled, mostly successfully with her weight for her entire life; this was NOT an option I was willing to entertain! 

Add to that, the sluggishness I already felt and how much worse it would be. . .

And the joint aches I didn’t want. . .  the result of the excess weight. . . 

And the negative health consequences I knew being nearly double my ideal weight would likely bring. . .

There HAD to be a way I could resolve this without drugs. I resolved to start doing my research the next day. 

That research, over the next several weeks, led me to an understanding of the relationship between food, the gut and hormone balance. Then, as I instituted diet changes, and increased my exercise, the weight began to come off.

. . .My research revealed much. . .a lot of that, I won’t get into right now. . .

Just to say, it turns out that ‘minor side effects’ like weight gain are NOT less common with bioidentical hormones creams.

So eventually, I resolved the issues and put together a food & lifestyle-based approach to balancing hormones and addressing weight and chronic disease. 

A simple approach that’s easily adaptable to multiple health issues and body types.

Now I’m bringing that simple approach to my new Empowered Wellness Membership Program.

The new program is free till February 1st with no obligation. Check it out here:

The post Resolve Menopause Madness appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

“If only the hot flashes didn’t come at the most ridiculous times! Right in the middle of an important presentation . . . Again! This Peri-menopause stuff just makes me feel so out of control!

”The mood swings; I’m so short-tempered with my kids! My poor son, I blew up him again yesterday over something really stupid! … And I just can’t think straight anymore. Sometimes it’s really scary! … ” She went on.

I could feel her pain & frustration.

This had been going for what seemed like forever to her. Really, it had been about 6 months. That’s a significant amount of time in anyone’s world; especially when you don’t know how to make it go away; you feel so out of control. Now she was thinking the only choice she had was medication; either ‘traditional drugs’ or ‘bio-identical hormones.’

Sally (not her real name) had consulted with me to learn how safe or not safe the choices were (and if there were other choices she didn’t know about). Over the years she had made other healthcare decisions that she is now questioning. She knew, like most of us, that she wasn’t being pro-active “enough” (her words) in other areas of her health too (diet, exercise, stress reduction, maybe more).

Peri-menopause; the hot flashes, short temper, and brain fog; it was all just “one more thing,” as she put it. But it was having a profound and devastating effect on her life. She thought peri-menopause and the symptoms from it weren’t related to anything accept her ‘age and her cycles’ but she was about to learn differently.

First, after I listened to how out of control she felt things were, I gave her some much-needed information about ‘traditional’ hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Studies show it DOES increase cancer rates and is associated with an increased rate of death from a few different conditions.

And I explained that studies DON’T show bio-identical hormones are significantly better in many ways. (set up your consultation here.)

I also told her my own personal story and why I love working with women in this stage of life so much.

“I’ve been there.” I let her know. I had gone on bio-identical hormones, assuming they were safer because I, too, had felt so out of control. Then I gained nearly 20 lbs. in 2 months! We tried adjusting the dose and I was still gaining weight. Finally, I just said enough is enough. At that rate, I’d weigh 200 lbs. in just a few months! (more about me another time.)

That’s when I started really researching facts vs. hype.

Hype: Bio-identical hormones are ‘safer.’

Fact: The research I’ve done; actually reading studies; NOT looking at doctor’s or interest group’s websites, shows differently. For some side effects there is a statistically significant decrease (a small one) but for many side effects of hormone use, either the jury is still out or there’s no difference.

Hype: Organic dairy is ‘better’ than soy for women.

Fact: Even organic dairy comes from a (usually pregnant) and nursing cow and is loaded with hormones. Fact: the genistein in soy has LESS hormonal activity than estrogen but it binds to your cells like estrogen; thereby allowing your body to excrete excess estrogen (IF you eat enough fiber to move it out of your system before it gets resorbed!) Fact: Societies that eat little or no dairy and more fiber than we do (traditional Japanese, Chinese, Okinawan, and others) don’t suffer like we do.

Hype: If you don’t go on hormones in some form, your symptoms will be out of control and how much you’ll suffer for how long will be anyone’s guess.

Fact: There are specific foods, like Cole-plants (broccoli, kale, etc) and others that help your liver metabolize & excrete estrogens. Fact: there are some foods that societies who don’t suffer like we do consume and there are foods we eat and they don’t. Fact: when these women move to the Western World, if they adopt a Western Diet, they have more symptoms.  

Hype: Weight gain is a part of the process and the only way around that is a paleo or keto diet.

Fact: Your metabolism does naturally slow some as you age. Fact: There are hundreds of hidden calories in the Standard American Diet (SAD) and even for those of us who think we are eating healthier than SAD, we are still quite SAD. (Really check the labels, you’ll be shocked.)

To bring this back around to Sally.

She thought she was doing pretty well with her diet. She was trying to keep mostly to a keto diet. When she first started it, she had lost 20 lbs. in just a couple of months. Then the weight loss slowed to almost a standstill.  When I inquired closer, she’d sometimes have things like a commercial yogurt or a piece of fruit if she was in a hurry or hadn’t prepared.

When I explained that doing that keto really requires you be much stricter and it has an increased mortality rate of 12-25% in studies, she was shocked.

Then we went on to talk about how her diet, her lifestyle, her history (just normal stuff), underlying inflammation, and more were effecting her hormone balance, memory and brain fog issues, her temper and other perimenopause symptoms as well as her weight. She never understood, until now, that it all tied in together.

“Medicine and Western philosophy has done women a great disservice,” I told her.

“We’ve separated ourselves so much from our bodies that we’ve lost sense of how integrated we really are. Our mind affects our body; our body affects our mind. They both affect what we eat; that affects our gut, our microbiome, and more which, in turn, affects all our systems and our entire being.

Just like we’re beginning to see the big picture of how EVERYTHING we do on this planet affects the earth and its health (our environment), we must realize that everything WE do personally affects our health (our internal environment) and that it’s all inter-related.

Now that she understood all that, she was more willing to re-take control. From there, we went on to craft her plan and her program.

If you have a health concern you’d like to discuss,  set up a consultation here.

The post Your Hormones & Peri-Menopause: It Doesn’t Have to be Out of Control appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

A lot of times, I talk to people about the things they know they need to do for their health and they make such a big deal out of the cacophony of things they ‘should’ do that they never seem to get started. Sound familiar?

I’d like to offer an alternative approach: Don’t commit to never eating a chocolate chip cookie ever again! Don’t tell yourself, “This is gonna be it.”

Just simply take a first simple step: before you go to bed, TONIGHT make sure you have a healthy breakfast available in the morning. I suggest oatmeal. You can even do overnight refrigerator oatmeal. Mix it all up before bed, toss it in the frig & viola! It’s done in the morning!

Now you’ve had a good nutritious breakfast and you can pat yourself on the back for having done something good for yourself (Hint: you CAN eat this if you’re diabetic, and it’s GOOD for you! I’ll explain it all later). Now take it a step further and have a healthy salad for lunch (No, don’t load it up a couple ounces of high fat dressing; just a sprinkle of a high quality of balsamic vinegar.) Pat yourself on the back again and continue your progress.

Maybe you need to clean all the junk that calls your name out of cupboards, dig the walking or running shoes out from the back of the closet or more. Acknowledge what you ARE doing, put plans in place and let that be the fuel for your progress.

And I’ll help you out!

Maybe you know (or suspect) your hormones are off balance, maybe you’re overweight or your out of shape or all of the above.

Beginning October 7^th, I’m offering a FREE 5-DAY Jump-Start Your Weight-Loss & Hormone Balance Program. Here’s how it works: When you register, you’ll get a little booklet that will detail a shopping & stocking up guide to help you prepare. Then before the event starts, I’ll also send you out some simple recipes. On October 7^th, we hit the ground running, literally and figuratively. Each day, you’ll get a video in your email in-box where I’ll address a key area about balancing hormones without pills and potions, how the world’s healthiest people eat, starting an exercise program and more.

There will also be a private Facebook group where you can get support & ask questions.

This is a plant-based program that is modeled after the way the World’s healthiest cultures eat; a program that is supported by the best science. No, we won’t balance your hormones or reverse disease in 5 days, but we;ll get you’on the road’ and give you ideas and options about where to go from there.

I hope you’ll join me!

In addition, for those of you who are local & want to add a short outdoor aerobic workout to your routine, you can join me for 2 morning hikes & 2 morning bicycle rides in the Los Osos/Morro Bay area, October 7-10. These will be quick 40-50 minute hikes or rides that will start at a designated meeting place promptly at 7:30AM and get you started for your day.

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The post Start Simply or Simply Start appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

It had been a solution that seemed easy; I was having physical symptoms of menopause (hot flashes, night sweats, etc.); mental-emotional symptoms too (feeling stressed, flying ‘off the handle’ at insignificant things, etc.). Bio-identicals, I reasoned, should be less dangerous than commercial preparations, should have less side-effects, should keep me more even-keeled and handle the physical symptoms as well. A local M.D. who is into “Anti-Aging Medicine” concurred that this was a good choice. 

But truth be told, I hadn’t done the research I now recommend my clients routinely do (or hire me to do) to get all the facts on the table before making a decision about medications or procedures. When I later DID the research I found that (1) There is some limited information that suggests bio-identical hormone creams MAY be less hazardous but there are no large research studies proving it is so. (2) There is little or no science to support what is considered to be a ‘therapeutic level.’ (The levels are really only a guess, based on blood tests. However, there is NO level that could be considered correct since  peri-menopausal and menopausal women have naturally occurring hormone levels that are far lower than what doctors are trying to achieve to control symptoms.). Thus the amount I was getting MAY have been too high but there was no way to know if lowering it would make a difference or if I’d maybe even continue to gain weight and have the symptoms return too! (3) Research indicates that many of the “minor side effects,” such as the 20 lb. weight gain I experienced, also happen with bio-identical hormone creams.

Long story short, I stopped the therapy. It was also during this time that I made the decision to stop eating poultry and dairy and convert to the whole-food plant-based eating I now recommend to others. Over the next several weeks, my symptoms initially returned when I went off the hormones but then abated, for the most part and I began losing the weight I had gained and my hormone balance began to return.

I also had more “side-effects” of my new diet: (1) My cholesterol level decreased from 205 to 137 in just about 6 weeks. (2) Chronic congestion & post-nasal drip was eliminated when I went off of dairy. (3) The natural hormone balancing effects of being off of dairy and almost all animal feeds (all of which have naturally occurring estrogens) also helped relieve some of the mental-emotional symptoms I was having. (A large portion of this was also related to family & business stressors. This needed to be, and was addressed in other ways.)

I can’t say that losing the weight was easy but I can say it worked. Here are the bullet points of what got me through and what I now recommend and coach others in:

1. Whole food plant-based eating with emphasis of minimal fats.
2. Increasing exercise.
3. Working to restore gut microbiome (thus the hormone balance it brings).
4. Working on the causes of mental-emotional stress along with the use of meditation or mindfulness strategies.
5. Eating some specific foods to naturally balance hormones.
6. Specific tweaks to the diet to keep it low calorie, high energy.

The great thing about all this is that this way of eating is far easier to maintain than a diet like Keto or ultra-low calorie where you’re either starving yourself or changing your diet so much that you can never maintain it. People typically can only sustain keto or other diets over a finite period and often regain the weight afterward. In contrast, this way of eating can become a way of life that is far easier to maintain. At this point, I’ve been eating this way for more than 8 years and have not regained significant weight.

Intrigued about all this? Would you jump in & try it for just 5 DAYS?? NOW; before the holidays & get yourself set up to look FABULOUS this holiday season?! Join my FREE “Jumpstart Your Weight Loss & Hormone Balance” 5 day program October 7-11! You can do ANYTHING for 5 days. Give it a try. Watch for more upcoming info here on my blog and on social media SOON!

The post “How Did THAT Happen?” A Story of Weight-Control appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.