Tag: lifestyle

Live for today…..and pay tomorrow?

On By jodietitianIn Uncategorized2 Comments

My husband left for the gym a few days ago, and a few minutes after he left, he was back. He said he walked in, the place was packed, so he walked out. For weeks he had been going at a certain time and it had been empty. He was confused….I was not.

I reminded him of the date: January 2nd. I am guessing most of those new people made a New Year’s Commitment to go to the gym. I am also guessing in a few weeks it will be quiet again.

This post is not about New Year’s Commitments. I started this post months ago, and, clearly I never finished it! What happened, you might ask? Why is this taking so long? Well, I came to the conclusion that while I was working full time with families and individuals dealing with eating issues I would encounter situations at least weekly that would fuel my fire. Something inevitably would happen or someone would say something that made me truly motivated to help clear up some misconception regarding food, eating and nutrition or weight. Now, being retired, I miss these inspirations. I realize the issues I think about now tend to be more personal. Which is why I started writing this post. Maybe it was going on Medicare that made me think (I was not happy when I had to pay 197 dollars for my first shingles shot! If you are under 65 and have insurance, don’t postpone it!). Anyway, it has been on my mind that paying attention to health gets even more important as we age.

The other excuse for taking so long is that I tend to go down rabbit holes when I am researching for a post. Now that I don’t have to get up to go to work, I can take my time and read everything I feel like. Nutrition is fascinating in these times, and if you love reading the most recent research, it takes time to find it. I had to leave things out, they will have to wait for another time. But I hope this post at least gets you thinking.

So here you go, the original post I started months ago:

Do you think being 80 years old is, well, old? I didn’t think it was THAT old when my dad turned 80. Maybe because he projected joy and warmth whenever he was around. He was just so thankful for everything. He enjoyed simple things, like watching UCONN basketball, especially the women’s games, Sunday dinners with family, making up silly jokes, and playing with the grandkids. He also had a passion for making videos, and would walk around with his gigantic video camera at all family gatherings (and with Italian families, trust me, there were lots of them). And he was funny…..really funny. He had a wonderful life before dying of esophageal cancer at the age of 85.

He never went to the doctor in his life…..until he fell, broke his hip and had to. This is also the time they discovered the cancer in his bones. The doctors told him he actually probably fell because his hip broke merely from walking, which apparently happens often with the elderly who have weakened bones. They think they broke a bone due to the fall, but it is the other way around. Anyway, he ended up doing really well with the cancer treatments and had a few more good years…..until he was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. That he just could not fight for long.

For a long time my mom blamed the microwave popcorn. She believed something was in the wrapping that causes cancer. He had a bag almost every night. She would mumble out loud to herself “you had to eat popcorn? Why did you have to eat that popcorn?!” It turns out that certain chemicals used earlier in packaging actually may be linked to some cancers, however companies stopped using these years ago (so your popcorn package now does not contain it). Check out this short article on Microwave Popcorn and Cancer (the first rabbit hole I went down).

Even so, it is not likely that popcorn was the cause of my dad’s death. My mom also told us he smoked cigarettes starting when he was ten years old. Whether he did or not, they BOTH smoked for many years until they finally quit in their 50’s I believe. (Now she likes to complain out loud, “You had to smoke at ten years old?!!” She often says this ten times a day due to her dementia but that is another story). I am guessing it was a combination of lifestyle, genetics and just plain old age that played a role. But I do wonder, if my dad had gone for regular checkups, would they have detected the cancer earlier, and been able to treat it so that if maybe would have never spread? Maybe his last years would have been a lot more joyful.

As I get older and I see health issues among elderly people I know and love, I can’t help but reflect on myself, and question if I am doing everything I can to live the longest and healthiest life possible. Of course, having worked in a health field for so many years, I am well aware of the basics of living a healthy life. Unfortunately, knowing what we need to do does not mean we are going to do it! Plus, if you know me at all, you know I am a firm believer in enjoying life to the fullest, which does not mean eating the perfect diet or having the ideal exercise regime. Attempting to accomplish that feels way too stressful to me, and the way I look at it, too much stress surely does not lengthen your life, or contribute to health, quite the opposite.

But where is the balance? How do we do both, enjoy life but also live a healthy one?

I wish I had the perfect answer. I am still searching for it myself. I believe it is a personal and individual choice, probably based on our unique experiences in life. For example, losing someone who smoked two packs of cigarettes a day to lung cancer or heart disease may motivate you to never smoke, or to quit. If heart disease runs in your family, you may be more likely to stay aware of your cholesterol and blood pressure, etc. Maybe osteoporosis runs in your family (my issue). Does that mean you should force yourself to drink 4 glasses of milk every day so you don’t get osteoporosis (which is still no guarantee)? The answer to that one is probably no, not for someone like me who is not a big fan of milk. Even though I recently found out I have osteopenia (bone loss but not osteoporosis yet, which is what my mom has) I am struggling with how to address it. Medications have side affects, I don’t like milk, calcium supplements make me nauseous. Thankfully, I have figured out how to remember my vitamin D (I keep it with my toothbrush, finally I have made it into a habit). I am good with yogurt every day, even some ice cream but the dietitian in me knows that is not nearly enough. I just bought some gummy calcium chews which I am able to tolerate a half at a time. Let’s see how this goes.

Anyway, the point is, knowing your family genetics is one place to start. At least it gives us something to think about. Besides that, I think there are 2 questions to ask:

  1. what kinds of things can we control that can contribute to a healthier life, and
  2. what changes can I make that are doable, without contributing a great amount of stress to my life so that I feel I am still enjoying life yet moving in the right direction?

There are so many factors that may contribute to health and longevity that we do have a say in, unlike genetics, which we can’t control. It is often not easy, however, to control other factors, such as environment and lifestyle. You can’t always up and move just because there is lots of pollution where you live, and you can’t just quit a job immediately because it is stressing you out. We know being active and sleeping well are important, as well as having healthy relationships. But let’s stick to food and diet.

As it turns out, in the process of researching diet and longevity, a few themes pop up. The most predominant “diet”, or eating style studied (and recommended) is the Mediterranean Diet. The other theme that I found was a calorie restrictive diet, however this was newer, not as researched and mixed findings. I also have a strong opinion about any eating style that is overly restrictive because the risk for damage, both physically and psychologically is just too risky. Yes, I went down this rabbit hole also, and read a lot of articles, and maybe will do another post on this since I am guessing it is going to get more mainstream eventually (intermittent fast already is, and I hope to do a post on this in the future). But lets focus on the Mediterranean Diet since this is the most researched and most proven diet for health. This eating style has been around for awhile, and this recent review (Nutrients,2021) spells out the history, multiple studies and conclusions over the years scientists and researchers have discovered regarding “MedDiet” as it is referred to.

According to the article sited above:

“MedDiet comprises dietary choices but also lifestyle, as well as historical knowledge,
traditions, abilities, and practices, which have been passed down through the generations,
extending from the countryside and food production to the ways of cooking, which provide a feeling of belonging and permanency to the community. Mediterranean traditional
cuisines are rich in aromas, colors, and memories, highlighting the taste and the synchronization with nature, and emphasizing the significance of preparing and consuming foods
jointly with family and friends. The traditional MedDiet was shaped by the environment,
the flora, as well as by hardship. The production of food at the time of first MedDiet
description by Ancel Keys was not industrial and involved a conspicuous physical effort,
which is crucial in the context of the multiple benefits derived from combining dietary with
lifestyle factors”

The article makes a point of explaining that it is not just the actual food that is important, but the feeling of belonging, enjoying food with family and friends (being social and connected to others) as well as pure enjoyment of the aromas, colors (think fruits and veggies) and the memories created with meals together. The other point is the “conspicuous phyiscal effort” preparing meals requires which clearly contributes to health and well-being. I wonder if trekking to the grocery store and lugging multiple bags of heavy groceries and then having to put them all away counts toward physical effort? Sometimes, I feel like it certainly does! And THEN, you still have to find a recipe, chop, cook and clean it all up! That takes lots of energy!

You probably know lots of the basics already. Here is the chart published in the article:
Table 1. Traditional MedDiet and Lifestyle Features
• Daily consumption of various fresh vegetables and fruit; nuts, seeds.
• Grain products (bread, pasta, rice), mostly whole.
• Consumption of legumes several times per week.
• Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil for cooking and for seasoning as the main source of fat.
• Herbs and spices, adding flavor to dishes.
• Fresh fruit daily as dessert; infrequent consumption of sweets, cakes, and dairy desserts.
• Fish and seafood (2 to 3 times weekly).
• Daily consumption of dairy, in particular yogurt (small portions of cheese less frequently).
• Eggs, source of high-quality proteins, 2 to 4 times weekly.
• Infrequent consumption of red/processed meat, in small portions (1 to 2 times per month) *.
• Water as the main beverage.
• Drinking moderate amounts of wine always with meals (for women: ≤1 drink/day; for men: 1 to 2 drinks/day) **.
• Preferring fresh, locally produced foods, which have been minimally processed.
• Connection and respect with nature.
• Flavorsome cooking.
• Moderate portion sizes.
• Moderate physical active every day.
• Preparing and consuming meals in the company of other people.
• Have an appropriate rest (enough time and quality of night-sleep and eventually sleeping for a short period of time during the day if necessary [siesta]).

*preferably as a part of stews and other recipes. ** respecting former habits and beliefs.

One of the reasons this diet appears to promote health, according to scientists, is due to it’s affect on the processes of “inflammation”. That is a buzzword these days. You may also have heard of the word “antioxidant”, and know that it is something in fruits and veggies that is healthy. “Oxidative stress” is what contributes to “Inflammation” which contributes to disease, so if we want to decrease oxidative stress we need to consume more antioxidants.

Antioxidant sounds like one thing in food, right? It actually encompasses many “bioactive components” in foods that act to decrease oxidation and inflammation. You may have heard the terms “phytochemicals” and “flavonoids”, or “resveratrol”. In fact, there are so many antioxidants, I thought it would be an eye-opener to include this chart from the article mentioned above. As you can see, it is complicated!

You might wonder if taking an antioxidant supplement would be easier than eating more fruits and vegetables. You should talk to your doctor before taking any supplements. According to this review from the National Institute of Health Antioxidants: In Depth the answer is that supplements may not be the best thing to do. But do talk to your doctor before taking anything.

The other rabbit hole I went down was reading about the DII or dietary inflammatory index. The DII categorizes foods according to ability to contribute to inflammation. It takes into account many factors too complicated to go into here, and has been modified over the years. It is used mainly in research, but the bottom line is fruits and vegetables still come out on top. (I can’t believe after all the hours I spent reading about the DII, I ended up writing only 4 lines).

I also spent hours looking for some magical perfect list of high antioxidant foods. Although I liked this article the best from Medical News Today on Top Antioxidant Food because it was a short list, the reality is that any fruit or vegetable that you are actually going to consume is what counts. Yes, artichokes, beets and spinach are great, but if they make you gag, well, that won’t work. As I said in the beginning, whatever you decide to do to be healthier has to be doable.

There are so many changes you may be thinking you should be making. It can feel overwhelming. Only YOU can decide what you want to do, or even if you want to change anything in your life. You may have been told by your doctor to decrease saturated fat in your diet. Maybe you need to quit smoking or be more active because of health issues. Maybe stress is getting to you and you don’t know how to change it. From what I learned just from my rabbit hole reading these past few months is that merely focusing on adding in some antioxidants to your diet can truly help improve your health and the functioning of the protective mechanisms in your body despite everything else. Yes, you really shouldn’t stop working on quitting smoking. But in the meantime, maybe one doable thing is adding some grapes to your lunch. Some ideas to get your started:

  • Make a list of every fruit and vegetable you actually like and can afford and find in your supermarket. Then, add to your grocery list.
  • Reflect on your eating habits: do you eat 3 meals a day? do you skip meals and snack? Being consistent with eating regular meals and snacks makes it easier to make a habit out of eating fruits and vegetables (it is easier to add a fruit to your lunch for school or work if you actually eat lunch).
  • If you are a grazer or someone who snacks often, remove foods like crackers, chips, cookies, etc. from counter tops and refrigerators and store them in a cabinet or closet. Instead, leave your fruit or nuts on the counter. That way, if you are mindlessly looking for something to munch on, it will be easier to grab the snacks with antioxidants.
  • If you like raw veggies like carrot and cucumber sticks but don’t want to take time to prepare them, consider chopping up a batch on a weekend when you may have more time and keeping in a Tupperware or container in your fridge. That way, they are ready whenever you want. Using a little dressing for a dip makes it even yummier.
  • You eat what is available. Bring extra fruit to leave at work (if you don’t have a fridge consider long lasting fruits like apples or dried fruits). Or some dark chocolate, which never gets old!
  • Buying salad fixings and eating them are two different things. I have found if I wash my giant head of kale (or romaine or whatever) when I get home from the Farmer’s Market or grocery store right away, it makes it easier to just grab and eat with a meal. I wash then dry it so it doesn’t wilt (never had a salad spinner, so when I finally got one, don’t know how I lived without it), and tear it apart then store in a large container. Sometimes I take the time to add diced red onion, leftover celery, carrots, etc. which makes it even better.
  • If you find you don’t use your fresh veggies fast enough so they get thrown out (I hate when that happens), try frozen ones. The bags of frozen veggies are great because you can just make what you need.
  • Add extra veggies to soups and stews. Even if it is canned soup, you can always throw in some frozen green beans or carrots, corn, etc.
  • Try new fruits and vegetables whenever you get the chance. Remember, your tastes may have changed over the year, plus, it takes many tries (at least 20 or more) before you really know if you like something. You might also try different ways to prepare vegetables. I am not a fan of steamed carrots but roasted carrots are my favorites. I use parchment paper and spray olive oil to make it easy then season with a bit of garlic salt or whatever. You can pretty much roast any vegetable at 400-450 degrees for 10 minutes or longer (depending how you like it) and this always makes them sweeter and yummier. And they are great as leftovers!

So there you have it. I feel relieved to get out of those rabbit holes I went down. I clearly have an issue of feeling like it is not enough information, and that I should cover every base. It is a lesson for me. And I hope it is a lesson for you.

Sometimes, when we try to do too much, when we try to do it all……we end up doing nothing. So, with this new year, I hope you don’t fall into that trap. I hope you bite off just what you can chew…..and know that even doing something as little as adding an apple to your lunch is a step in the right direction. Yes, Live for Today……but eating your fruits and veggies might be one thing you can actually do to decrease your chances of paying tomorrow ; )

Happy New Year!!!

Lifestyle Advice on How to Live a Long and Meaningful Life: From Elsa,102 Years Young and Going Strong

On By jodietitianIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, sitting and indoor
The “Dignified”Ms. Elsa

We were all (slowly) scrambling to get changed into bathing suits and pack up some towels to go to the pool. Being in vacation mode makes everything less urgent. But I was all ready, obnoxious gaudy pink flower flip flops and all, and Elsa was ready, too. Being away for a few weeks on vacation in Florida has not given me much time to write, but when I heard she was going to be down here too, I knew what I wanted to write about. Elsa is our friend’s mother who just happens to be celebrating her 102 birthday next week. We went to her 100 year celebration 2 years ago, and when the dust settled the next day I remember popping in to her apartment (attached to my friend’s home) to take advantage of the time to chat. To me, anyone older than me is a rich source of knowledge and experience just waiting to be tapped….it you take the time. I feel many of us are so busy with our own lives and problems that we forget that older people who have been around a lot longer than we have, probably have experienced what you may be struggling with today. They often have the answers you may have never considered just because they have “been there, done that”. They have learned priceless lessons (we may be blessed to learn ourselves if we live long enough)….but I want to know now!

Anyway, back then, 2 years ago, we did sit and chat as she sipped her tea and ate a few Milano cookies (which mean cookies are ok if you ask me, Elsa would know). The problem is that I was so mesmerized by her stories of family, passion, love and the changes in her life and how she coped that I did not write down anything. So here I was again, with a bit of time with Elsa, and although I did not want to bother her as she was relaxing in her comfy chair overlooking a peaceful lake, I knelt down beside her to chat. Her hearing is not as good as it used to be apparently but she had no problem hearing any of my questions and answering me in her straightforward, honest and crystal clear way.

Elsa has been through a lot in her life. Early on she married, then after having had 4 children, through unfortunate circumstances, had to raise them on her own. Back then, it was an unusual woman who could do this, but being the strong woman that she is, she did. She also was unusual in that she had a career: she was a nurse. She worked during the war and because of her passion for her work, the doctors all sent their patients to Elsa’s ward. Elsa worked on all areas of medicine and loved it all. When she talks about nursing, you can feel her pride. “I have never given it up” she tells me. “I will always be a nurse”. She explained that in her daily life she is always aware of people in need. If she sees someone struggling with groceries or their jacket, even a complete stranger, she will offer help. This gives her great joy and really touched me. Helping others. That definitely is going on the Live a Long Life lifestyle list. In fact, some of the words that came out of her mouth yesterday were so simple yet so profound….advice she had because of what she lived through. Easy to say, not easy to do.

Eventually, Elsa met an Italian man that stepped into her life and changed it forever. She says “he was the love of my life”. When she talks about him you can still feel her love for him. Her eyes well up and so do mine as she describes their lives together. This love clearly nourished her and fulfilled her in a way that she still feels. Love. It should go on the list if you ask me.

Anyway, there is no way to truly capture all the details, however here are the golden nuggets of advice I heard from Elsa. Her daughter-in-law used one word to describe her: “dignified”and it certainly does. Remember, these are Elsa’s answers to my simple question: what advice do you have for a happy and healthy life?

  • Eat Well: by eating well, Elsa means “eat everything”. Her sister was a picky eater according to Elsa, but everyone loved Elsa because she would eat anything that was put in front of her. She did explain that she also eats healthy however it seems to me, in my few experiences with her and food, that she chooses a wide variety of foods. At the pool that day (which was a bit cool and breezy for a Florida day) she ordered a clam chowder from the restaurant. It was thick and creamy, and yummy and I did not hear Elsa make one comment about calories or fat. Savoring a variety of good food is eating well.
  • Stay active: Elsa walks. She used to walk longer and now, although she still does short walks, she “does not do anything strenuous”. She does not want to hurt herself. To me, this is wise advice. How many of us think nothing is good enough unless it gets our heart rate up to a certain point, or makes us sweat, or burns X amount of calories? And so we never start moving because it is just too NOT fun. Instead, why not take Elsa’s advice and simply “be active”. Skip the ridiculous criteria we place on ourselves and just move and have fun. Elsa also dances. Oh, and she sings in the church choir, too. Singing counts.
  • When it comes to drinking alcohol, Elsa is “moderate”: Elsa says “I avoid extremes”. She may have a glass of wine with dinner, but other than that it sounds like smart advice. This is a hard one for those of us on vacation!
  • Forgive others: Elsa told me she has learned not to hold on to anything, especially if someone hurts you. Holding a grudge only hurts you, and you should try to let go of it. I have always believed forgiveness is really for yourself. Being angry and holding on to a anger affects your body in all kinds of negative ways. When you truly forgive, YOU get the gift of feeling better. The other person really does not matter, and is not the reason to forgive. It is for yourself. It is amazing to me that of all the lessons learned over 102 years of life, this is one she felt so important that she mentioned it (I remember 2 years ago she mentioned the same thing). Must be important.
  • Have a passion: Elsa’s was nursing. To this day, when she talks about it, you can see her light up. I don’t think it matters what your passion is, but if you don’t have one, if there is nothing in your life that lights your soul it might be something to reflect on.
  • Help others: this goes hand in hand with Elsa’s passion. It could be why she went into nursing in the first place, because she enjoys helping others. Although it is even more than that, more than simple “enjoyment”. You can tell it is part of who she is, it fulfills her. I don’t think we need to be a nurse or change our professions to reap this benefit. You can start today to help others, even in the simplest of ways. Open a door, pick up a bag, hold the elevator. Help someone and see how it feels. Feeling joy is definitely good for your body.
  • Accept what God gives you in life: Elsa emphasized that we are not in control of everything and it is important to learn to accept our circumstances and make the best of it. She certainly did. We all know people who have been dealt some difficult hands and yet they remain joyful and thankful, with energy to spare. And then there are those who blow up the simplest of problems into giant size issues in their own minds, negatively affecting those around them, and even their own health. From Elsa I have learned you can either complain and stay stuck, or you can move on and make the best of it. It is our choice (although for some with depression or other mental health issues, we can’t always do it on our own). I always say, if you find yourself miserable and truly can’t get out of it, get professional help. It is not your fault.
  • Faith: although Elsa did not come out and use the word “faith”, she told me that for her entire life, as long as she can remember she has said the same prayer every single morning. She was able to tell me the prayer, which I am including with her permission at the end. Clearly, from the words, she relied on her faith every single day of her long life.

Obviously, genetics plays a role in how long you live, but how you live is a choice we all make daily. How we think, our feelings that we choose to have all affect our body’s and health even more than the food we put in (and we all know people who fret about food but not about how they treat others). With the New Year approaching, and resolutions coming to mind, I hope you consider shifting your focus off of changing your body to changing your mind and heart.

Elsa’s Morning Prayer

“Good Morning Lord,

You’ve ushered in a brand new day untouched and freshly new,

And here I come and ask you God if You’ll renew me, too.

Forget the many errors that I made yesterday, and let me try again dear Lord to walk closer in your way.

But Father, I am well aware I can’t make it on my own,

so take my hand and hold it tight for I can’t walk alone.

Amen”.

Remembering a Day That Changed My Life

On By jodietitianIn Uncategorized1 Comment

321602_278316702194454_4244576_n
Your future is in your hands

It was a cold and drizzly fall day,the year was 1976. I had agreed to meet my friend Joe outside in the parking lot of the condominium where we lived off-campus at The University of Connecticut. At the very last minute, I found myself changing my mind. I did not want to do this. What if I couldn’t do this? I was feeling insecure and afraid, but yet, when I agree to something I hate backing down. My motto is “you never know until you try”. For instance, I tried golfing once, I tried to get on a horse, and I tried skiing. People seem to love these things, and I wanted to understand why. After getting kicked by the horse and breaking my leg in two places as well as my ankle on the bunny slope, well, I can say I tried. Golf didn’t work out either. It was kind of like baseball for me, I just could not hit the darn ball.

So there I stood in the drizzle, waiting in my new Nike sneakers and windbreaker. He finally shows up and starts talking, giving me such encouraging words, describing what we are going to do and how we are going to do it. Joe was a physical fitness major and he knew what he was talking about. I had recently quit smoking cigarettes, and I needed something else to help me deal with life in general. After chatting with him the days before, I agreed to give running a shot. He was here to help me, and to guide me on my very first “run”. He had mapped out our route, which simply was a half mile to the end of the street and back, totally an entire mile. He guided me through some simple stretches, and then we started. Can I do this?

I literally felt like a fish out of water. Just a few months ago, I could barely walk to class without running out of breath (and would light up a cigarette once I finally got to sit down and catch my breath). It had been awhile since I smoked, and I actually was feeling so much better (I did not realize how bad I felt until after the fact…..when I had much more energy and realized this is how I am supposed to feel! this is how people who don’t smoke feel very single day).  I also need to share that my roommate Marion at the time was my inspiration to even consider this. She was a runner, and loved it, and although I did not understand why, I wanted to be like her! So Joe and I started out on this country road, and I started to run as fast as I could (isn’t that what you are supposed to do?) but he stopped me. He showed me how to pace myself, and trust me, it was VERY SLOW! So slow, in fact, that it actually felt GOOD. I could breathe. My legs felt strong. I could do this.

We made it to the end of the country street and turned around. I will NEVER FORGET how I felt when we got close to the end of our “run” and I could see our condo complex. I am going to make it, I thought. We reached the parking lot and I felt something shift inside of me that changed me forever. I loved that feeling so much, that feeling of success and accomplishment, it changed my “definition” of who I was, and who I wanted to be. I think we all have our own self-dialogues going on in our heads, thoughts nobody else can see about ourselves that eventually create who we actually are. Sometimes the thoughts are self-deprecating. “You are so lazy! You can’t do that!”

Yes, I can. And I did.

After that, I looked at myself in a very different light. I loved the idea of feeling good, and being healthy and fit. THAT is who I wanted to be. NOT someone using cigarettes to deal with stress. But, I definitely needed something, and the reality is, when we give up a “habit” it is almost always necessary to substitute something else. In my case, it was running. It became my new “habit”. It stuck. For years. Over time, I increased my distance and my usual runs became 2 or 3 miles. I did not run fast, but I loved running longer. It gave me time to think and meditate, solve problems, plan and dream. As I got more fit, running was just as relaxing as sleeping. I started to do road races and loved the camaraderie of other friends who had discovered the same joy I had.

Over the years, my running habit has shifted along with my life. It is funny, but I think because I always ran after classes (4-5 pm), that is the time my body seemed to crave movement throughout my life. To this day, after work, I just can’t wait to move. My body just craves it. I went through phases of running longer distances, but now prefer walking and slow jogging. I can day dream on a track, on the side walk or even on a treadmill. It doesn’t matter to me, just let me move. It can be kayaking on a local reservoir or mowing the lawn. I just need to move. If you have ever taken a few minutes to watch young children outside, they usually can’t stop moving. I think it is innate in us to move our bodies in ways that are fun and enjoyable. When we put unrealistic goals and numbers and expectations on it all, well, to me the fun is gone. Maybe that is why people “hate exercise”?

The benefits to my life thanks to Marion and Joe are too many to count. Because of this life-changing experience, I can enjoy vacations as much now, at my (older) age as I did in my 20’s. I can hike up Red Rock in Sedona, or down the Grand Canyon. I can walk for miles up and down the cobblestone streets of Cinque Terre in Italy. I can walk almost the entire town of Venice, never tiring. I can enjoy all of the bike trails on Cape Cod, explore the cliffs of Gay Head, garden for hours, walk all over the lively North end of Boston and still dance the night away. Yes, that day changed my life.

Since that day, I also became passionate about promoting health. I felt it, the way this simple act changed my life and my identity, and I wanted everyone to feel it, too. With every patient I have ever worked with, this has been my goal. So many people focus on how they look, and not on how they feel. They focus on the number on the scale, they judge themselves for that, and the self-talk and dialogue in their minds do nothing to help them be who they are supposed to be. People “try” but unfortunately, not everyone has a “Marion” for inspiration, or a “Joe” in their lives who can guide them in such a gentle and self-loving way to be the best they can be. To just start. One foot in front of the other. One pedal around the block. Dancing to even one favorite song.

Unfortunately, not every has the physical ability to enjoy all kinds of fun movement. I know many with joint issues, back pain, muscle issues, and other ailments that will always impact them. I am so grateful to be blessed with a body free of pain, and know that many do suffer. If you can move without pain, you definitely are blessed.

As I was writing this blog, my husband walked in and asked me to read what I had written so far. So I did, but as I started to read the 4th paragraph (“We made it…..”) I could not continue. I got choked up. That is how powerful that experience was, that is how important to my life. It took me by surprise, how strongly I felt, but then again, life-changing shifts in self-identity can do that.

I hope you take a minute to stop and reflect on your own self-thoughts and the dialogue in your head. Do you have unrealistic expectations when it comes to “exercise”? Do you call yourself names? Use the “L” word? When it comes to moving, to be clear, I definitely do not think everyone should be running! I have absolutely no advice on what anyone should do as far as physical activity. YOU are the expert on that. YOU know what you love. Some people absolutely love competition, enjoy running fast, getting stronger and stronger, keeping track of times, and amounts of weights they can lift, how many reps they can do, etc. The bottom line is, they enjoy it. It makes them happy. If what you are doing is not enjoyable, or does not make you happy, that is a different story. I just hope you look at moving in a different light. If you look at it as a means to an end, it may be hard to enjoy. If you instead can find something that has the capacity to be one more thing to enjoy in your day, a fun way to move your body (think kids, think hula-hoop, think fun, think freedom), well, that may be something you keep in your life for as long as you live.

So, that is the story. A day that changed my life, who I am and is part of why I have a passion to help people be healthy. Not perfect. Just healthy. I don’t want to be the only one on the dance floor when I’m 80.