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6/9/10 Springhill Physical Therapy
Sheri asked me to share my perspective of the difference between health management versus disease management. At their upcoming staff meeting, I will discuss my departure from the hospital-based disease management health care model to the HeartMatters model of optimal health and well-being through intention, mindfulness, and healthful behavior strategies. Quieting the mind, eating well, and routine physical activity benefits all of us; even the “patient” mired in conventional disease management can and will move toward their own optimal health when supported in a small-step behavior change program, such as that provided by HeartMatters.
I am looking forward to sharing the exciting science of behavior change and mindfulness with the staff of Springhill PT.
Gone Green: hot tub-top gardening
You’ve heard of a roof-top garden–here’s our version–a hot tub-top garden! We’ve given up the hot tub to ecologize as well as economize, and ended up with a perfect space for a small garden. John and I are growing our own for the second summer season and having learned from last year’s first attempt garden, we planted this week, after June 1st, as the “old-timers” suggest.
Living in the Sierra Foothills brings all sorts of blessings: four stunning seasons to enjoy, fresh air, clean water from the ground, and plenty of sunshine. There is also a lot of wildlife, many of which would eat up a traditional garden. Not to mention that we just don’t have a flat, sunny piece of dirt that would support a garden. Getting the veggie boxes off the ground and high enough up in the air to minimize having to bend over was desirous. Wanting to enhance our sense of self-sustainability, our garden is an effective and very pleasant way to supplement the fabulous organic produce I can bring home from Briarpatch Co-op or the grower’s markets in town.
John and I were more ambitious this year than last, now that we have some experience–we are looking forward to harvesting a variety of tomatoes, 2 types of lettuce, rainbow chard, cucumber, purple long beans, 2 types of eggplant, zucchini (I know, not easy on a hot tub-top garden), 3 types of peppers, celery, and a variety of herbs. Yum!
Increasingly, we are all hearing about the surge in home gardens–not only are people interested in eating more healthfully, but many aspire to maximize their self-sufficiency. Besides, there is that rich, relaxed, and connected-to-the-earth feeling that comes from digging in the dirt, tenderly placing seedlings and seeds into the planter boxes and pots, followed by the gentle watering that takes place in the first few days.
I bestow gratitude on our little plants that will soon be sustaining us at the table. 
7/1/10 Milk and Honey
I’m honored to speak to this group of women about mindfulness, taking care of emotional and physical health and well-being, and staying balanced in the face of all things motherhood. Milk and Honey meets on most Thursdays from 12:30 – 1:30 PM at In the Kitchen in Nevada City.
About Milk and Honey: “We are a group of local mothers who believe that healthy babies lead to happy families, community and a better world. Our group aims to provide support, encouragement, resources, education and friendship for breastfeeding and aspiring mothers, babies, pregnant women and families. A professional specializing in Mamas and Babies will lead brief talks and be available for questions during our weekly drop in hours. Connect with other parents, learn, and share your joys, questions and concerns.” For more information and to connect with Milk and Honey, visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Milk.and.Honey.Cafe.NC?ref=ts.
Eat Well, Plan Ahead, Nourish Your Body and Mind
The demanding schedule of the busy professional may not include foods that support optimal health. Eating well does not take an excessive amount of time and can be realistically incorporated into even the busiest calendar.
Real food nourishes the body and the mind, benefiting physical and emotional health and well-being. Processed and fast foods do not support optimal health and are associated with an increased risk for diabetes, coronary disease, and cancer—just the opposite of real foods. Planning ahead to increase your access to real food takes about an hour per week and is a totally worthwhile endeavor!
Begin in the grocery store. If you are not already doing so, stock up on whole foods, which are real foods that have not been processed in a laboratory. Real food does not have high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils or food coloring added. If the food contains grains, they are whole grains as opposed to refined grains. Knock yourself out on fresh fruit and veggies, bring home new grains such as quinoa or barley and unusual beans like cannelloni or garbanzo, and consider feta cheese, pine nuts, red peppers and eggplant… Give yourself at least 4 weeks of subtle change in your grocery store purchases to become familiar and comfortable with the unlimited possibilities!
Next, identify a time during the week that you can set aside one hour. Dial in your favorite classical music station. Now the preparation begins. Put up a pot of boiling water for the grain of the week, and another for the beans or legumes. A disclaimer here: I am a big fan of canned beans—they are easy to use, there is a huge variety to choose from, and they can be purchased with low salt or no salt content. Slice the peppers and eggplant, brush with garlic infused olive oil, and broil for a few minutes on each side. You can broil all sorts of veggies using this method, by the way; zucchini, asparagus, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, beets, and many more! After the veggies have cooled, place them into a storage container where they will last several days in the fridge. Store the cooked grains and/or beans the same way.
You are ready to move on to raw vegetables. Chop up broccoli, cauliflower, purple and green cabbage, carrots, and celery; wash, dry, and tear up good quality lettuce, arugula and spinach (or buy it bagged and pre-washed). All of this can be stored in the fridge and at a moment’s notice can be thrown together for a salad or a stir fry. Add a chicken breast, sliced tempeh, or piece of grilled ahi, and you’ve got a yummy and healthy lunch or dinner!
Wisdom…
I am still processing the experiences from the Wisdom 2.0 conference last month—it was all about bringing mindfulness to technology. One of the organizations who supported the conference, Between Four Eyes left a wonderful take-away card, on which were pearls of wisdom that I want to share with you.
Tips for mindful living from their team around the world:
- Rest in bed for one extra minute and be thankful for another day.
- Onwards, upwards, and inwards.
- Shhhhh! Listen to nature – it’s talking to you!
- Savor the aroma of your coffee.
- Pause when perplexed, breathe when tense, rest when tired.
- Switch from ego-centric to eco-centric.
- Observe your food before you take the first bite.
- Gaze into the sky and admire the wonder and beauty of Creation.
- Put your phone down.
- Listen to your body, respect its wisdom.
- Lean on your dreams as you sway back and forth in the hardships of life.
- Less is the new more.
- Slow down and enjoy.
- Practice gratitude as an antidote to greed.
- Be aware of your fears and listen to their secrets.
Simple but true.
Between Four Eyes teaches strategies and skill-sets to enhance social-emotional competence, character development, and overall well-being among healthcare providers, educators, students and their parents.
The Natural Professional shares EasyTask Manager
Shawn Tuttle, of Project Simplify fame, offered a workshop last evening demonstrating the use of a task management program that will change my ToDo list-making forever!
Shawn’s “Let it be easy” approach to professional success has helped millions of Nevada County-ites, not to mention the masses across the globe, to create organizational systems that invite simplicity, ease, and efficiency. To this end, she searched high and low to find the best available task management program, decided upon EasyTask Manager, and became familiar with it by integrating into her own workday. She then put together this hands-on workshop to share the opportunity for effective project execution for the rest of us.
In just two hours, I learned how to list my projects (big and often intimidating), and break them down into specific categories including “office”, “call”, “computer”, “1:1”, etc. I then assigned subcategories of prioritization by due date or by my sense of their importance. Shawn shares her expertise in a very pleasant and relaxed manner, able to answer the “what-if” questions that arose, while keeping the information light and easy to understand.
Here’s the plan: On Sunday evenings, I will check the upcoming week allowing me to efficiently and effectively understand the big picture schedule. Each evening I will spend a few moments looking into the next day short list of tasks that will bring me closer to project fruition. I can and will check by my “call” list, “email” list, and other subcategories to better plan my in-office work versus my in-person work. Oh, think of the enhanced effectiveness I will be enjoying!
Yes, I have some dinking around with EasyTask Manager in the days ahead so that I become more familiar and comfortable with the program nuances, but I have no doubt that I will fall into a pleasant routine that will serve me, my clients, and my projects. Onward!
Posted in Thanks, Updates | 
Tags: EasyTask Manager, project simplify, Shawn Tuttle, the Natural Professional | 
No Comments »5/19/10 Eskaton, Nevada County
Speaking to a mixed audience, the staff and residents of Eskaton, was a rich experience for me because they were all so savvy! As we exchanged ideas, challenges, and successes related to Living Healthfully In A Busy Life, the dialogue transcended age, touching the group with a special connectedness. Intriguing questions, suggestions, and anecdotes were appreciated by those in attendance.
