What Are Blue Zones?

Blue Zones are regions identified by researchers where people live significantly longer and healthier lives compared to the global average. The five well-documented Blue Zones are:

1. Okinawa, Japan
2. Sardinia, Italy
3. Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
4. Ikaria, Greece
5. Loma Linda, California, USA

These regions are home to some of the world’s longest-living individuals, and their dietary habits play a crucial role in their health and longevity.

Common Dietary Practices in Blue Zones

Despite geographical and cultural differences, the diets in Blue Zones share several key characteristics that contribute to their residents’ remarkable health and longevity:

1. Plant-Based Focus

Blue Zone diets are predominantly plant-based. The majority of their calories come from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. This emphasis on plant-based foods provides essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants that support overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

2. Minimal Animal Protein

While not strictly vegan, Blue Zone diets include very little animal protein. Typically, animal products make up less than 10% of their diet. When animal protein is consumed, it often comes from fish or lean meats and is eaten in small portions.

3. Legumes as a Staple

Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas, are a dietary staple in all Blue Zones. They are an excellent source of plant-based protein, fiber, and essential nutrients like iron and folate.

4. Whole Grains and Nuts

Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, and whole wheat, are regularly consumed. Nuts and seeds also play a significant role, providing healthy fats, protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.

5. Fresh and Locally Sourced Foods

Blue Zone residents tend to eat fresh, locally sourced, and seasonal foods. This practice ensures the highest nutritional value and reduces the intake of processed and packaged foods, which are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium.

Specific Blue Zone Diets

Let’s take a closer look at the dietary practices in a few specific Blue Zones:

Okinawa, Japan

• Diet Composition: Rich in sweet potatoes, soy-based foods (like tofu and miso), green leafy vegetables, and a variety of other vegetables and fruits.
• Animal Protein: Minimal, often from fish and occasionally pork, typically in small quantities. Little or no dairy products are consumed.
• Unique Practices: Okinawans follow the principle of “Hara Hachi Bu,” which means eating until you are 80% full, promoting calorie restriction and avoiding overeating. This practice typically results in Okinawans eating about 600 Calories less per day than those in other cultures.
  

Sardinia, Italy

• Diet Composition: Focus on whole grains (like barley), beans, vegetables, fruits, and olive oil.
• Animal Protein: Mostly from sheep’s milk products (like pecorino cheese) and occasional meat (in far smaller quantities than traditional Italian or American food.)
• Unique Practices: Regular consumption of wine, particularly red wine rich in antioxidants, and a tradition of eating sourdough bread.

Note that there’s been much written lately on whether or not wine and oil are really healthy or if the diet is so healthy otherwise that it compensates. This is an idea I may tackle in a later article; something I address more thoroughly in my programs.

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

• Diet Composition: Rich in beans, corn, squash, and tropical fruits.
• Animal Protein: Small amounts, usually from fish and lean meats.
• Unique Practices: High intake of calcium-rich foods and water with a high mineral content, contributing to bone health and longevity.

The Health Benefits of Blue Zone Diets

The dietary habits of Blue Zone populations contribute to numerous health benefits, including:

• Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases: The plant-based, nutrient-rich diets lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
• Enhanced Longevity: Balanced, low-calorie diets with minimal animal protein are associated with longer lifespans.
• Better Mental Health: Nutrient-dense foods support brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

Personally, over the past 10+ years, I’ve incorporated Hara Hachi Bu into my diet and lifestyle. It’s allowed me to maintain my weight more easily in my 60s than it was in my 30s or 40s. I’ve found I get up from the table feeling satisfied but never overly full. I’ve also discovered great strength in consciously not going back for more food when my mind says ‘yes’ but my body says ‘no.’

Incorporating Blue Zone dietary practices into your own life can lead to better health and longevity. Remember you can start by merely substituting beans or other plant protein sources just one meal a week. Focus on minimizing animal protein and prioritizing whole, fresh, locally sourced foods. By doing so, you can enjoy the benefits of a healthier and more vibrant life.

In closing today, it’s worth mentioning that diet is only a part of why Blue Zone cultures are the world’s longest-living people. Their lifestyle also involves active living, family and community ties, and much more, including their appreciation of their elderly citizens and their contribution to society. But it is also worth noting that recent evidence has noted that many of these cultures are losing their edge on longevity as the younger generations adopt a more Westernized diet.

Check out some recipes on my recipe page for ideas.

Current Blog Series

This article is the second in a series of five blog posts exploring dietary choices and their impact on health. Each post can stand alone but will build upon the previous discussions:

1. I’m NOT a Vegan: What Does That Mean?
2. Exploring Blue Zones: Diet Secrets of the Longest-Living People
3. The Truth About Animal Products: Nutrition vs. Health Risks
4. Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): What You Need to Know
5. Building a Balanced Diet: Practical Tips for Everyday Eating

Stay tuned for the next installment, where we’ll delve deeper into the dietary secrets of the Blue Zones and learn how to incorporate their practices into our lives.

The post Exploring Blue Zones: Diet Secrets of the Longest-Living People appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

What was I going to blog on today? Oh Yeah. . . brain fog, memory loss & cognitive decline!
-Yes, that WAS intentional. As if you didn’t know
.
We all want to actively GROW our brain power, not just preserve it. And this series of articles will address that as well as the unfortunate other side: brain fog, cognitive decline and memory loss that may be the first signs of developing dementia.

To ensure we’re using the same terminology: Dementia is a generalized term for loss of cognitive functions: thinking, remembering, and reasoning. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common, most well-known, and most feared type of dementia.

The brain shrinkage that precedes a dementia diagnosis can begin many years earlier. This is one reason why prevention and early diagnosis are key. We’ll discuss both.

While there’s no cure for dementia, numerous studies suggest that early intervention and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of developing cognitive decline. In this blog series, we’ll explore various strategies to maintain brain health, starting with an overview of prevention techniques.

Neuroplasticity

“Neuroplasticity” is the brain’s remarkable ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. This adaptability is crucial for learning, memory, and recovery from brain injuries. Originally recognized in the adult brain in the 1960s, it wasn’t commonly understood by the general public until the 1990s.

As we age, promoting neuroplasticity becomes vital in preserving cognitive function and preventing mental decline.

Various studies highlight how activities that challenge the brain, like learning a new skill or engaging in complex tasks, can enhance neuroplasticity and cognitive resilience. These activities become more and more vital to our well-being as we age.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and the Role of Exercise

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a protein crucial for brain health. It supports the survival and growth of neurons and is essential for learning, memory, and cognitive resilience. High levels of BDNF are associated with improved cognitive function and protection against neurodegenerative diseases.

Exercise is one of the most effective ways to increase BDNF levels in the brain. Both aerobic exercises, like running or swimming, and resistance training can boost BDNF, supporting brain health and enhancing neuroplasticity. A meta-analysis published in Neuroscience documents numerous articles showing regular exercise led to significant increases in BDNF levels. The increase improves cognitive performance and protects against age-related decline.

Incorporating regular exercise into your routine is a powerful way to support overall brain health. The best evidence says we should all aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Add strength training exercises twice a week for the best results.

Good Nutrition

What we eat significantly impacts our brain health. A balanced diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals provides the brain with the necessary resources to function optimally. Foods like leafy greens, berries, nuts, soy, and fatty fish support cognitive health.

Research published in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society emphasizes the link between nutrition and brain function, highlighting the importance of a diet that supports brain health throughout life.

Appropriate Amounts of Sleep

Sleep plays a critical role in memory consolidation and brain detoxification. During sleep, the brain processes information from the day and clears out harmful waste products. Lack of sleep can impair cognitive function and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine outlines how sleep quality and duration are crucial for maintaining cognitive performance and preventing decline.

Brain Exercises

Just like our bodies, our brains need regular exercise to stay fit. Engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as puzzles, reading, or learning a new language, can strengthen cognitive abilities and promote neuroplasticity.

Studies suggest that consistent brain exercises can enhance cognitive reserve and delay the onset of dementia-related symptoms.

Preventing cognitive decline and memory loss is a multifaceted approach that involves nurturing the brain through neuroplasticity, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, regular mental challenges, and physical exercise. By incorporating these habits into our daily lives, we can empower ourselves to maintain cognitive health and reduce the risk of dementia.

I’ll go deeper into each of these aspects and how they can affect your future in the upcoming series.

The post Preventing Cognitive Decline and Memory Loss- An Overview  appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

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.

I’m wondering, how are you doing?

I mean how are you REALLY doing?

Are you taking the steps that mean your health will be better next year than it is today?

Unfortunately, in this country, people often wait till a crisis happens to change. 

Crises that are often indicated ahead of time by our diet, our lifestyle and the medications we take if we are honest enough to look at it.

So, today I want to talk about someone who decided NOT to wait for a crisis.

Lorna W. is a client that’s unlike most for many reasons.

She had polio as a young child and it left her partially paralyzed. She walks with crutches. This means she can’t exercise very much, making it that much harder to maintain her weight. (And, at the same time, she is starting to exercise a little more. That’s what true commitment will do.)

So, additional weight for her is not about looks. It’s about mobility and longevity.

Together, we tweaked Lorna’s diet enough that she lost the few pounds she wanted to.

But it was more than that.

Lorna’s new plan brought about a change she had never seen before. You see, Lorna always had a sweet tooth. To make matters worse, her husband would often bring home tasty temptations she knew she was better off without.  Previously, she would eat them.

And Lorna had another issue too. . .Her husband does a lot of the cooking. And he is a traditional American eater who cooks what he likes.

When she took on this new commitment, it was about weight and mobility at first. Then we dug deeper and discerned it was more than that. It was about being well and relatively pain-free. It was about the self-assurance that the changes she was making now would keep her in sound body & mind; able to do the things she wants for the foreseeable future. At her age, that means a lot.

This newfound commitment to wellness gave her the edge she needed to start saying “no” to all the things that were not investing in her wellness.

The sweets. . .”No thanks.”

The meat on the plate. “I’ll take ⅓ to ½ of that. And none of the creamy sauce.
No, I don’t want the white bread.
No butter on my baked potato, Thank You. But a little salsa would be good.”

She started adding simply prepared veggies, salads, and healthy starches like beans and squash.

Then, several weeks into our working together she said this during one of our sessions: 

“. . . I feel empowered to make (food) choices that serve me. I really don’t want to eat the things that aren’t good for me (anymore).”

Then, moving forward through the holiday season she posted on my Vibrant Health Over 40 Facebook Page: (click the link to join the free group)

“I’m excited. I happily got through the holidays. I made lots of good and better choices and didn’t feel like I was missing out.
This is BIG for me. I’ve always struggled with sugar.
Holiday goodies just made it worse.

This year was different. I’ve been using the whole food, plant-based approach to wellness with Dr. Leslie’s guidance for 4 months and found I wasn’t even interested in most of goodies and when I was, I ate VERY moderately.”

So, all this is to say that change doesn’t necessarily need to be radical . . . IF. . .

If you do it before the crisis hits.

If it’s time for you to make that commitment, maybe I can help.

I have a few openings in my schedule for no-cost consultations to help you discern your goals & how to move forward.

The post Waiting for a Crisis Before You Change? appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

Well, today, I’m giving you the 5 essential steps to make your efforts count.

Have you gained weight or been diagnosed with a chronic disease like diabetes,  high blood pressure, an auto-immune disorder or cancer?

Have you tried to make changes on your own but you can’t seem to get the traction to stick with it? Have you thought, ”It’s age, my metabolism, hormones, or (lack of) willpower.”?

While that last statement is partially true, it‘s almost like the opposite side of the “rose colored glasses” syndrome.
It’s that pessimistic view like waiting for the other shoe to drop. When that’s where you are, you can’t clearly see to discern what to do next.

And you’re likely not doing what you know (if you’re being really honest) works consistently or monitoring your actions here and now.

Recently, my client, Suzy (not her real name) shared her breakthrough:

“It wasn’t until I figured out that it was about (what) wellness (really meant to me) that I recommitted to change.” She told me.

She is now eating more whole food consistently and has lost 7 lbs after not being able to lose any weight for many months.

With this in mind, here are the 5 steps that can help you begin your journey:

1. Discern your goal:

What is the end-game? It needs to be bigger than fitting into the size 6 jeans sitting in the closet.
It needs to be more meaningful than what you will look like at the reunion.

What is that thing that you enjoy doing that you want to STILL be able to do . . . at age 80?!

Now I know I’m talking to some people that are only half that age. I’m asking anyway!

Expand your horizons and think about it.
Stark reality flash: You don’t get to choose when or how you’ll leave this earth.

Far too many people spend the last 5-15 years of life in pain and disabled. That could mean your kids changing your diapers or feeding you! How embarrassing!

But if you keep fit, eat right and exercise your brain, you’ll likely evade disability.
If you don’t want to think about life at 80 (or even 90!) that’s all the more reason to do it.

2. Discern your bigger why:

This is tied into but may not be directly related to #1 above.
Do you want to be able to go places & do things with the grandkids or great grandkids you don’t have yet?
What is that thing that, if you could do it then, would make the difference to you? Is it really about leaving ‘a legacy’ (money) to the kids & grandkids?

Or is it more about doing something meaningful while you’re still here? Travel? A humanitarian project? Something meaningful you could do WITH the grandkids or other family members? What is it that would speak to you on the deepest level?

You may need help to dig deep to discern these things. The answers to these questions don’t come easy. Continue to ponder these questions and expand your mind. The answers will come as you engage and define the questions better. A coaching conversation can help you discern your deepest desires.

Now that these first 2 questions are at least out there. . . you can look at some of the physical things that can begin to shift things.
The 3 things I’m going to mention are only a very basic starting point.

They each require long-term effort with constant monitoring to discern what’s working and what’s not. Then tweaking  and re-tweaking  to perfect the changes and keep progress going in the right direction. Again, where coaching can come in in a meaningful way.

3. Begin eating more whole food:

Fruits, veggies, grains, legumes. Whole food is the one thing that seems to be the common factor in areas of the world where people continue to live vibrantly as they age.

Whole food feeds both OUR bodies and our gut microbiome that makes most of the chemicals and hormones we need to thrive. Find some recipes here

4. Begin eating less animal products and processed foods:

How much change you have to make or how little you can get away with depends on many factors:
your age, current health status, genetics and more.

Often, if you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition, this change requires that you be extremely strict with it until you give your body a good chance to work at healing the problem.

You may be able to be less strict at some point in the future.

But you may need to look at it like dialing in the numbers of combination lock; (requiring that you be very exacting and strict) at least for now. Constant upgrading & tweaking to dial that last number in takes some work.

5. Move more:

With over 600 muscles in your body, it is designed for movement.

There is evidence to suggest that our hunter-gatherer ancestors spent as much as 16-20 hours per day hunting and gathering. They may have used up to 5,000 calories per day in the process. Compare this to your current lifestyle and you’ll see pretty plainly why we are so overweight.

But like everything else in life: recognize WHERE you are, SET your goal, and MOVE FORWARD each & every day.

Note that due to injuries and other issues you may have to adopt modified fitness goals, but you likely can do more than you think you can. (Be sure to check with your healthcare provider before starting).

So here you have a basic prescription for beginning to put some changes in place.

Keep asking the questions and keep digging to get to the important stuff.

It’s especially difficult to do this digging on your own. Until you discern the correct answers for you, you’re likely to continue to struggle.

Need some assistance? Set up a time to talk.

The post Wellness: The 5 Essential Steps to Make Your Efforts Count 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.

My purpose with this blog article is simple: Asking, what you can do to minimize the risk for both yourself and your family?

I don’t necessarily mean the risk of CONTRACTING CoVid19 but the risk of getting a serious case of it.

After all, we know that this disease can be so mild as to be asymptomatic for many (perhaps the vast majority). Yet it can kill.

The more data we see, the more conclusions we can draw. Recent journal articles discuss that there is essentially a dose-dependent risk for a serious case of CoVid19.

But this dose is NOT how much of the virus you are exposed to (though that also does matter).

The dose I’m speaking of has to do with the dosage of poor lifestyle habits.

A study of over 387,000 people in the UK showed that the number of adverse lifestyle habits and risk factors a person had was directly proportional to the severity of the illness in those who acquired it.

So, this is going to be harsh for some of you, but if you’re obese, your risk factor is higher than if you’re (just) overweight. If you have diabetes, your risk factor is higher than if you don’t. The same can be said for high blood pressure, lack of physical exercise, chronic inflammation, and more. If you have more than one risk factor, your risk of a serious case is proportionately higher. Actually, there is about a 4-fold increase for those most at risk compared to those least at risk.

Similarly, U.S. physicians and scholars have used data out of Wuhan and other areas to extrapolate to the U.S. population and estimate that 45.1% of those under 65 in the States are at increased risk for a serious case of CoVid19 due to diet and lifestyle factors!

But there’s a huge silver lining in this evaluation and that’s what I want to talk about. . . your ability to control all of this!

Here’s the amazing thing about it:

As I said: Your ability to change your risk with CoVid19 is on the end of your fork and in your feet!

Most importantly, you can improve it in a single day!

Science shows us that decreasing inflammation can begin with a single healthy meal.

-EAT YOUR VEGGIES!!! Get out and start walking or getting some other form of exercise and tie that single meal to MORE healthy meals and you can make a substantial difference in just days.

CoVid19 has brought our chronic health problems to the forefront and now is the time to address them.

That’s why I’ve chosen now to start my group health coaching program “Journey to Wellness.” By expanding my coaching to a group format, I’m making it more accessible for a more reasonable fee so more people can take advantage of it during this time.

The Beta-Launch of this program will begin on June 24, 2020, and will go for 8 sessions over Zoom.

It will include group coaching on diet, lifestyle, exercise, hormone balance, your gut microbiome, environmental factors and more. I’ll even help you do a pantry clean-out over Zoom!

You can find a full description & registration info here. You can get $100 off the fee by registering with the code “EarlyBird” by Sunday June 24^th at midnight.

I’m also opening up a couple of limited scholarships for those whose financial situation has been majorly impacted by CoVid19. Email me to set up a call regarding this if appropriate.

I look forward to serving you and helping you succeed on this journey.

The post CoVid19 Risk: On Your Fork and In Your Feet appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

Would you like some quick, succinct no-nonsense tips that can decrease the likelihood of you or a loved one getting a serious case of CoVid19?

Let’s lay a basic foundation here:

The good news: I’ve spent some time reading journal articles and listening to people who are apolitical. People like John Ioannidis, Stanford epidemiologist, and researcher. People like David Katz MD, Epidemiologist, Preventative Medicine Specialist & author of over 200 peer-reviewed Journal articles. Both are using data to suggest that the fatality rate is significantly lower than what we originally thought.

In addition, other data has also revealed that there is a definite pattern that can be discerned about who is more likely to have a significant case of this disease. And here is more good news:

Most of the conditions that leave people more susceptible are conditions that we can control and even reverse through diet and lifestyle changes! More health, more wealth.

So, what conditions are we talking about? Most people who come down with a more serious case have Type 2 diabetes, are overweight or obese, have cardiovascular disease, or have asthma or COPD. The unfortunate thing is that because our country is so over-fed, this represents about 45% of the general public under 65 years old!

So losing weight and eating more healthfully can literally save your life!

To help address this issue, I will be starting a group coaching program soon.

Watch for my upcoming announcements about my program “Journey to Wellness.”

The post Your Health is Your Wealth: Controlling What You Can in Uncertain Times appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

I think much of the fear has moved beyond healthy respect, normal avoidance and prevention all the way into a full panic mode.

A couple of things about panic:

1. We don’t make good decisions when we are operating out of panic. This is how our brains are wired. When we go into ‘fight or flight’ response, our frontal cortex is essentially shut down & overpowered by the more primitive part of our brain that can’t see anything more than the two options of either running away or fighting back. Since we are being told there IS no ammunition to fight back, we’re all in fear mode dutifully panicking inside the 4 walls of our homes. I’m not necessarily saying this is wrong, but I AM saying it’s very difficult for us to look at the problem and bring sane science to bear here. (more on what some experts are saying next time).
2. The hormones racing through your system when you’re in ‘fight or flight’ are damaging to your body in multiple ways.
   • These hormones adversely affect the very immune system you want and need to be strong to fight this invader.
   • These hormones also adversely affect multiple other systems in our bodies, most notably our cardiovascular system and our digestive system.

How your body behaves differently in “Fight or Flight” response:

We all have heard about highly stressed executives and how much more prone they are to a heart attack.

But did you know that the same hormones that are active in fight or flight also cause digestive issues and a tendency to lay down extra fat!? Yup! It’s true; when Cortisol levels are high, we gain weight easier, our blood sugar levels are adversely affected and our hormones that regulate hunger and appetite are impacted as well. In addition to all that, the digestive system basically shunts everything you take in either for immediate use, raising your blood sugar levels or for immediate storage, laying down extra fat. Yeah, so basically, forget intermediate functions like glycogen storage, general repair, growth, immune function and more. By evolutionary standards, this makes sense; get through the crisis and then worry about repair. But when stress is chronic, it has devastating results.

So what are some basic mechanisms to get us out of the loop?

1. Limit your exposure to amped-up coverage. Do you really need to listen to the news, the President or local news conferences daily? Be selective.
2. Get some aerobic exercise. The hormones our body secretes in fight or flight are designed for us to have the capacity to run or fight back. Aerobic exercise mimics that; thus using up the hormones. This gets us back into a healthier state.
3. Meditate, do yoga, self-hypnosis, EFT tapping or use other methods. Most are working via video call) to bring your brain and nervous system back into alignment. (Contact me for a referral to a practitioner if needed)
4. Get a chiropractic adjustment. It also helps normalize nervous system function & helps the connection between your Nervous System and your Immune System
5. Eat your fruits & veggies: Keeping your diet balanced positively impacts all your systems. Just start here.
6. Breathe: If you’re not someone who has ever adopted meditation, yoga or other things, just the simple act of taking 10 long slow deep breaths several times daily can be a big help. Try it before you sit down to eat a meal. It will bring the hormone levels down a little and will help your digestive system do a better job of processing your food properly.

So, what this about CoVid 19 and it being an ‘equal opportunity invader?’

We’ve heard some amazing things over the past month: over a million cases of the infection, 100,000 deaths world-wide and tragic stories.

We’ve heard that most cases of death are in older people with weakened immune systems, but we’ve also heard of the tragic cases of healthcare providers and younger people dying. Let’s look a little closer: Much of the data is still being calculated and interpreted. However, a study undertaken by the Kaiser Foundation has concluded the following:

1. About 4 in 10 of ALL adults over 18 are at risk for more serious infection.
2. Just over ½ of those in #1 above are age 65 and older. (Therefore, a little less than 2 in 10 under 65 are at increased risk)
3. The adults between 18 and 64 that are most at risk have these co-morbidities: heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), uncontrolled asthma, diabetes, or a BMI greater than 40.

Note: They did not track cancer or immune system compromise as a co-morbidity (they chose to not track that so that it wouldn’t falsely elevate the stats).

Further research on the rates of the above conditions in the US indicates that in adults 18-64, about 9.4% have diabetes, about 8.2% of those living in rural areas have COPD and about 4.7% of those in metro areas have COPD. About 7.1% of adults in the U.S. have asthma and about 60% of that is uncontrolled. I was unable to find data that distinguished adults 18-64 from the rest of the population regarding morbid obesity but 18% of the general public is considered morbidly obese. (All found by simple google search)

Given all these factors together, a picture emerges of the ‘at risk’ adult under 65 which basically suggests that while there could be a very rare exception, almost all the people developing serious disease have one or more conditions that pre-disposes them to the disease.

Here’s the thing that most others won’t say: too many people with the conditions listed above (and other diagnosed health conditions as well) don’t really think of themselves as being chronically ill and so don’t want to recognize that they are more susceptible than others to this and other infections.

Add this to the fact that the media reports deaths by age and generally doesn’t mention mitigating factors and we can begin to see some of the reasons the public is so spun up about this infection.

Yes, it is theoretically possible for an otherwise healthy person to get Covid 19 and die of it, just as it’s theoretically possible for them to get some other infection they could die of. There are no guarantees in life.

Part of what I’m attempting to distinguish here is that too many of us who have chronic conditions and take medication to mitigate symptoms ignore our problems and consider ourselves ‘healthy’ or fool ourselves into believing we are invincible when the data clearly shows otherwise. These health conditions make people more susceptible to death from ALL causes. Considering that and in light of these stats, I’d like to suggest that it’s time that if you have any health condition, you take an honest look at it and make a choice to do something about it. Most chronic conditions can essentially be reversed with the right diet and lifestyle.

So while you’re stuck at home, you might give some thought to some questions like:

1. Am I going to use this time to begin to address some of my health issues that may make me more susceptible to other problems (including CoVid19)?
2. Are the health conditions I have amenable to being resolved with diet and lifestyle?  (the answer is likely ‘yes’ but you may need assistance)
3. Am I willing to put a plan in place that can help me reverse these conditions?
4. If you’re on any medication: Do I understand the long-term effects of the drugs and other conditions they are likely to cause?

And perhaps most importantly: Am I willing to accept the consequences of my inaction?

I’m happy to offer a Free Consultation about your condition.

The post CoVid 19-An Equal Opportunity Invader? appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.

Every October we are accosted by pink ribbons, pink buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken, pink M & M’s and more! We are urged to get “our mammograms.” But preventing breast cancer is not about pink ribbons. and mammograms. No one ever brings up prevention!  A healthy diet & lifestyle IS primary prevention; regardless of your genetics.  It is NOT as though all you can do is is get your breasts irradiated (with cancer-causing radiation) to find out if you have cancer and them get them lopped off!

I know that last sentence may come off as vulgar & radical but ladies, there is much you CAN do! And maybe the shock of a ‘respectable doctor’ talking about it this way will wake up some folks! I can only hope!

So, How do you prevent cancer and cause it at the same time???

You can’t. The facts are clear: a high-fat diet, like the Standard American Diet, is a Class 1 (Proven), Cancer-causing agent. And the radiation in a mammogram (especially a 3D digital one) is also a contributor to breast cancer.

But no one talks about ANY strategies to PREVENT BREAST CANCER; it’s all just about “early detection.”

Let’s look at what the Medical-Industrial Complex calls ‘prevention:’

Some facts about mammography:

A Canadian study of 44,910 women ages 40-59 who had routine mammography found that 22% of breast cancers (106 of 484 positives) were over-diagnosed. This means 106 women were subjected to surgery and some to chemo and/or radiation who DID NOT HAVE INVASIVE CANCER!

Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health (England) published findings that said in part, “. . . to prevent 1 death, about 250 women need to be screened and 11-19% OVER-DIAGNOSED.”

The UK department detailed, in the above-cited document, that if 10,000 women were invited for screening, 681 cases would be diagnosed, of which 129 would represent over-diagnosis  (almost 1 in 5 cases!).

A study in the Netherlands estimated that screening decreased the death rate by 1-2% while increasing over-diagnosis by 32%!

Over -Diagnosis

Part of the problem with ‘over-diagnosis’ is that women don’t know they were (are) part of this statistic.

Let me explain: Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the most common form of ‘breast cancer’ diagnosed by mammography.

Autopsy studies show large numbers of women die WITH DCIS but don’t die OF it. DCIS is, by definition, not invasive. It plays no role in causing death according to at least 14 separate studies. Some in the medical community feel that DCIS shouldn’t even be considered ‘cancer.’

Increasing Cancer Detection Rates at what price?

Now here’s the real kicker: when mammography was instituted as a regular screening procedure, the rate of diagnosis of breast cancer in the United States went from 1:9.5 to 1:8. This represents thousands of more diagnosed yearly. However, the rate of breast cancer DEATHS has not decreased! So, we are diagnosing more, we are treating more but we are not saving more lives! This, by definition, means we are needlessly screening, diagnosing and treating more women (who have non-invasive conditions).

Did the TEST Find the Cancer?

Now, I understand there are women out there that feel their life was saved by a mammogram and that could be true. Many (perhaps most) of those are cases were cases where the woman found the lump herself and the mammogram confirmed it.  Cases of invasive cancers found first by mammography are extremely rare. And, as mentioned previously, the most common kind of cancer found by mammography is DCIS.

What happens during a mammogram & the potential harm

Now, let’s look at the mammography procedure. The breast tissue is smashed and squished between 2 plates of inflexible material; a physical action that CAN disrupt the tissue enough to cause bleeding under the skin (bruising) and then the breast is exposed to ionizing radiation (which can cause mutation).

The nature of bruising is such that it stimulates white blood cells to flow into the area which stimulates increased circulation to the area. Pressure can also disrupt the capsule the body forms to wall off a cancer mass. So, now, in someone with DCIS, you have damaged the (formerly contained) cancer mass and increased the circulation in the are making it more likely that those cancer cells can be spread.

Then you’ve applied ionizing radiation to the area; potentially stimulating the growth of the cancer cells! So, if the mass was DCIS you have just injured it enough that the cells could be picked up & spread by the circulation to distant body sites. This is something that typically wouldn’t happen with DCIS! And if the cancer is a more invasive form, you have also stimulated possible spread.

A Suspicious Result: What’s Next?

Then, if the mammogram comes back suspicious, a needle biopsy is used to extract cells. The process of puncturing the mass and extracting cells can, again, cause cancer to spread. Then, if you do surgery, the same thing again! (Now I’m not telling you “don’t do any of this.” I’m admonishing you to be aware of what you’re doing and weigh the potential risks and benefits.)

Can You Do Something Else? 

For those that feel they MUST have a procedure for “early detection,” an option is to educate yourself about thermography, which is non-diagnostic but capable of showing inflammation and see if that makes sense to you. Alternatively, you could adopt a healthier lifestyle and understand that there are no guarantees in life.

What About Prevention?

Now that you know all that, how about taking concrete steps to prevent breast cancer in the first place?

First: the absolute best primary prevention comes from diet & lifestyle. A low-fat, plant-centered diet and regular exercise will do more to prevent cancer than any other tool regardless of genetics!

My colleagues at Wellness Forum Health and The Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine have teamed up to put forth a 4-point pledge that WILL diminish the likelihood that you’ll get breast cancer. These 4 actions (choosing more whole plant foods, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake and maintaining a healthy weight) have all been positively correlated with decreasing the rate of ALL cancers.) So, sign the attached form & send it back to me & I can get you a gift certificate for $100 off a course through Wellness Forum Health. Their science-based approach will teach you to be pro-active and make choices that will result in better outcomes and longer life. 

Disclaimer: The information about the diagnostic procedure in this article is intended to educate and inform only. It does not represent recommendations.

The post Preventing Breast Cancer Pink Ribbons = False Hope appeared first on Dr Leslie K. Empowered Wellness.