If You See A Pink Bow, It is for Breast Cancer Awareness month
One of the most common types of cancer is breast cancer. It is also one of the most common types of cancer in women. This disease develops in the breast due to cells that are not working correctly, get out of control, and start forming tumors in one or both breasts. If left untreated, the disease can spread to other parts of the body and become fatal.
According toPlanned Parenthood, 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer, which equates to over 240,000 people diagnosed in the U.S. alone, and around 40,000 people die from it. Many advances in pre-screening and treatment have been made in the last 20 years. Early detection and knowledge are imperative to advanced care, be proactive. Catch the signs early and increase the chances of living a long, fruitful life.
Lumps are the most common cancer signs found. It is important to learn how to perform a self-exam and understand changes that may be a common indication for concern. You can watch thisvideo, which will walk you through the steps to perform a self-exam. We also found, Dr. Traci Johnson MD provides a written step-by-step document that helps educate you on how to check your armpit and breast for lumps. It’s important to know that some women have naturally lumpy breasts, the more familiar you are with changes that occur over time the better. Anytime a lump is found, you should get it checked out!
Irregular discharge or blood oozing from the nipple
Pain in nipple or breast
The best-case scenario is to catch them early so that it’s easier to treat
Some of these signs may not develop until the disease is further along. Breast Cancer Screening can help reduce the risk of disease spreading. Every year at your wellness exam, ask for a breast check-up! If you are over the age of 40, consider getting a mammogram every year. If you have breast cancer or ovarian cancer in your family history, it is a good idea to speak to your doctor as you are at a higher risk.
Developing healthy habits can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer
The best thing we can do is develop healthy habits to reduce your risk before breast cancer even becomes a thought. There are many clinics in the Williamson County area that offer preventative health care, including pregnancy tests, STI testing, and treatment, cholesterol testing, diabetes testing, referral mammograms, and information about birth control. We are fortunate to live in an area that provides so many great options.
Take advantage of these resources, and enjoy a healthier life!
The Breast Cancer Resource Center, #BCRC, has made available a wonderful website with virtual webinars to help educate people on different topics concerning Breast Cancer. The webinars are October 5-7th you can find out more at this link
At Wilco Wellness, we believe that health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. It infuses positive energy into the body, mind, and spirit. The best journey is living to support a complete state of harmony.
We take this moment to remind you it is essential to discuss any changes in your diet or exercise routine with your primary care doctor. While our information is necessary, every individual must be responsible for their due diligence concerning their health routine and guidelines.
If you do not have a primary care doctor or are looking for a clinician, please feel free to contact and schedule an appointment with one of the health clinicians on our directory website.
Why detoxification may be the reboot your mind and body need
Cellular toxins are harmful substances that can cause disease when introduced to body tissues. They may be produced by a plant or animal or they can be man-made. For example, mycotoxins, which are natural compounds made by certain types of mold, are well known to cause toxic biological responses in certain cases. And who hasn’t heard of the recent lawsuits involving the pharmaceutical giant Bayer, who acquired Monsanto, the company that makes the glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer, which has been implicated in the development of blood cancer
But not all “toxins” are potentially harmful depending on the particular substance or exposure to the agent.
Remember the mycotoxins mentioned above? Well, some of these mold-produced substances have had a positive effect on our health, as well. Penicillin, the mycotoxin produced by Penicillium molds, is a well-known and commonly-used antibiotic for a variety of infections.
While our bodies have natural detoxification mechanisms, which include the lungs, liver, kidneys, colon, and skin, it’s important to understand that these systems can become overburdened and their efficiency at detoxifying our bodies can be reduced significantly. Let’s face it. We live in a toxic world. From the lotions we put on our skin, to the fast foods we put in our bodies and even the air that we breathe, we are constantly exposed to potentially harmful agents that can wreak havoc on our body systems and cells.
We should also realize that almost anything has the potential to be toxic depending on the amount and length of exposure. Even water can be toxic if over-consumed, causing a condition known as hypernatremia where electrolytes become dangerously low.
When our bodies’ innate ability to detoxify becomes so overwhelmed by the many toxins we encounter daily, our cells get bogged down
Their ability to perform crucial functions like energy metabolism or gene expression can become severely compromised, potentially leading to serious illness and disease.
How do we know if we have been exposed to high levels of toxic materials? And if we have, what are some measures we can take to reduce our risk and reverse the effects?
Signs you may need Detoxification
While there are many effects of cellular toxicity, some of the most common early warning signs may involve longer-than-usual bouts of general fatigue, low energy, allergies and/or new rashes, brain fog or memory loss, depression, or a general feeling of blah, and insomnia. These chronic issues are not normal in a well-functioning body with a healthy detoxification system and may indicate that your body needs additional support.
Developing one or more of these conditions can be alarming, especially when you’ve been otherwise historically healthy. Did you know something as simple as cleaning up your diet may be the answer to mitigating many, if not all, of your symptoms? It’s well-established that diets high in overly processed foods and sugar can cause many of the mental and physical issues associated with cellular toxicity. By eliminating these items, you should notice a huge improvement (assuming that these were the only things causing your issues).
Interestingly, there is even an association between vitamin D production and its effect on the liver detoxification system. There’s also work being done on how vitamin D may play a role in preventing the accumulation of toxic proteins that have been linked with many common age-related diseases.
Who knew that getting more sunlight might be the answer to some of our toxification issues?
But other times the toxicity in the body is at a level where additional intervention is necessary. When this happens, incorporating cellular detoxification strategies into your routine will help to alleviate these symptoms and get you back on track to optimal physical and mental health. Before you can truly begin to heal, you need to determine what is causing the toxicity in the first place.
Identifying the toxin is key
It’s one thing to suspect that you may be suffering from toxicity. It’s quite another to pinpoint the actual culprit that’s making you sick. Some situations may be more obvious, like a recent flood due to a pipe bursting may lead you to suspect -and confirm- mold contamination in your home. Other cases may not be as straightforward, and a more comprehensive approach to identifying what is making you ill may be necessary.
Think about the home cleaning products you’re using. Most commercially available cleaners contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde or harsh fragrances that can cause symptoms of cellular toxicity like fatigue, brain fog, and headaches. You can check your household goods’ environmental score here to get a good idea of their ingredients, or better yet, make your own!
If there isn’t an obvious answer to what is causing your symptoms, a series of blood, urine, fecal, or other tests may be the next step to help identify and confirm the type(s) and level of toxicity. If you see elevated levels of lead in your urine, for example, you may want to get your water tested for heavy metals.
Once you know the source, you can work to remove it from your environment.
Living a toxic-free(ish) life
These days, living a life completely free of toxins is pretty much impossible. But working hard to mitigate the risk of illness by reducing our exposure to toxic agents is one of the best things we can do for our health and well-being. We may never be able to rid our environments of toxins, we can sure go a long way to reducing them in our lives. By taking inventory of the items we come in contact with every day, we can better evaluate -and hopefully control- how they may be causing us harm.
To learn more about this topic
Contact Tammy Stewart, CHC – founder of Health for a Purpose. Mrs. Stewart is a Certified Cellular Detoxification and Health Practitioner offering customized detoxification and healing protocols to reduce cellular inflammation and improve cellular function by removing interference such as heavy metal toxicity, bio-toxins, and poor nutrition.
Tammy will also be hosting a detox seminar on September 15th from 6:30-8:00 pm in Georgetown, TX. Click here for more details.
At Wilco Wellness, we believe that health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. It infuses positive energy into the body, mind, and spirit. The best journey is living to support a complete state of harmony. Learn more about your immune system at What is the Immune system
As always, it is essential to discuss any changes in your diet or exercise routine with your primary care doctor. While our information is necessary, every individual must be responsible for their due diligence concerning their health routine and guidelines.
Our speaker today is Tammy Stewart, Certified Health Coach in Georgetown, Texas
Deborah Price the Creator of WilcoWellness health and wellness is interviewing Mrs. Stewart and discussing a little about what a Certified Health Coach is and what to expect when you visit with this type of coach.
Tammy also has a Certification in Cellular toxification and will be discussing what that means and the importance of addressing a variety of sources of toxins we encounter in our daily lives. Her programs help guide clients towards safely eliminating these toxins and how to move forward and experience the best of a healthy lifestyle. Be sure to CLICK Here FOR tickets and attend her speaking event on September 15th, 2021 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. Tammy will be available to answer health questions, discuss nutrition, menopausal issues, common health complaints about difficulty sleeping, weight gain, and lack of daily energy.
Deborah: Hello and welcome, everyone, to WilcoWellness, your # 1 source of Health, Nutrition, and exercise in Central Texas. Today on the airwaves, we are visiting with Tammy Stewart, Certified Health Coach, and Certified Cellular Detoxification and Health Practioner. Good morning,
Tammy: Good morning. It’s a beautiful morning here in Georgetown.
Deborah: You are a Certified Health Coach.
I looked up a little bit about that and it was kind of vague when you look online. The information I found is a summary that describes a Certified Health Coach as a mentor who helps to support your health and create a healthier version of yourself, what really do you do as a certified health coach?
Tammy: I got my certified health coach certification after I became a certified cellular detoxification specialist. Now, see, people understand certified health coaches. That makes sense. Certified cellular detoxification specialists 14 years ago, nobody knew what that was. And so, I had to do something that people could understand. My specialty is cellular health.
Now, as a health coach, it’s very common to focus on environment and exercise, and nutrition, and we all have to eat a healthy diet. The thing I love to say about diet is “food by God, for the body by God”. That’s the first thing if you just learned one thing about diet, that’s the most important thing.
The second thing we teach is diet variation. Ketosis is so popular right now. Fasting is popular, but those are not the only two options. So as a health coach, a lot of people can teach you that. And that is necessary for health. As cellular detoxification specialists, we take it a step further and talk about detoxifying the cell, which is completely different. So those are my two focuses.
Deborah: You shared with me a journey you traveled down that led to you becoming a Certified Health Coach which involved your family.
You were a working mom in a different career field when health problems began to affect your family’s ability to function in everyday activities. Your husband and each of your children began having small but significant issues that you just didn’t quite understand. Your family went to a medical doctor; however, you felt your questions concerning what was the root cause of the problems were never significantly dealt with.
I think this is part of what really gives you the passion for what you do and where people can really relate in their own lives. Can you share with us a small portion of the story and what was happening to your family?
Tammy: Yes, and I think so many times when clinicians begin to think a little bit outside the mainstream, there was something personal that made that happen.
We thought we were healthy. I was healthier than all my friends. But then our son, when was he was a junior in high school, started to feel depressed. He came to us, thank God he came to us because he’s the quiet one, he tends to suffer silently. But he came to us, and said, Mom, I’m feeling depressed. So, we prayed about that, which is the most important thing, it’s always the first thing we should do. And he came back to us several months later and said, I still feel depressed.
We did the only thing we knew to do which took him to the doctor. The doctor did the only thing the doctor can do. Your doctor has to stay inside the standard of care box. He can run a test to give you a diagnosis based on that test. He can give you drugs or surgery. Those are pretty much his only tools. You can say go eat the right diet, but that’s outside of his time commitment. So, the doctor gave him medication.
He felt a little better the next month. We went to a follow-up visit and the Doctor gave him a little more medicine. The whole time I was screaming at our primary care physician, our chiropractor who was both our health care advisor and our friend. I literally grabbed his face in my hand and said, “why? Why is this happening?” Because the mad cow momma in me was coming out.
I grew up on a ranch. If any of you have ever seen a momma cow when you are working with her baby, you know the kind of power behind what I was feeling. When a calf is lifted into the back of the pickup truck, and we’re treating the calf and the calf is crying. Sweet momma cow transforms and behaves as if she is going to eat us. That’s how I felt, because the doctors are not trained, or equipped to answer the question of why. What is the root cause?
But, Deborah, no matter what the problem is, don’t we have to find the cause of the problem to try to solve the problem?
Deborah: Yes, really get down to what is the root of the cause, not just throw something out there that’s going to kind of cover it up and hope it goes away.
Tammy: Sure. If if the light comes on in your car dash, you don’t cover it with black tape. You figure out what’s the cause.
So, our chiropractor said, I’ve been going to toxicity classes with Dr. Daniel Pompa, who I believe is the nation’s leading expert in cellular toxicity. Observing your family and listening to your concerns, I think there’s a toxicity problem somewhere. So long story short, I knew a mold specialist and he said, Tammy, I don’t do that anymore because it made me sick. But I’ll come and test your house for you. And we found mold in our house.
Mold releases toxins, which carry poison. You breathe that toxin in day after day, and it’s in your body. Some people can naturally get rid of it, and some people couldn’t and we couldn’t. I didn’t know anybody to tell us or teach us how to do that. In the meantime, I had eight mercury fillings. Well, Duh, we knew that was toxic. Why was mercury used by dentists and put in the mouth? That’s not a question that I can answer today.
I had to become a Cellular Detox Specialist to save my family.
And it took a lot of effort, at that time my kids were in elementary, middle school, and high school. We had to make significant diet changes. I learned that if that was the only thing we had done, we would not have gotten better. We had to use a multi-therapeutic approach to get rid of the toxin from the body and heal the body at the cellular level. We also got rid of the toxins in the environment, and we got better. Every single one of us recovered.
At that point, I could have said, OK, I’ve invested in my family and they are better. I was working three jobs at the time and in my 40’s. If you had told me I was going to go back to school, I would have said, no, I’m too busy. I can’t do that. But God empowers us to accomplish amazing things when we are called.
God called me to go back to school and then share. Back then, 14 years ago, cellular healing was not a popular message. Nobody knew what cellular toxicity was. But that’s the job God called me to do, is to speak the truth.
God designed your body to heal. When we remove the interference and we give it what it means and it happens every single time
Deborah: it does, it does. I think as humans we forget we’ve been around for a very long time. We have gone from healing with just mushrooms provided by witch doctors to more modern functional medicine, still using the same all-natural products to address the root cause of the problem.
I think it’s important also for people to realize that you didn’t break overnight. Using your mold issue in your home as an example; people who have mold in their home may have been exposed for five, six, seven years, or more without knowing. They thought they had allergies. They get sick and this is a way their body is saying, enough is enough. Your son became depressed and your daughter had difficulty attending school regularly. You discovered that an accumulation of toxins in their body had occurred and it took perseverance and time to completely rid the body of ill health. One small step at a time, one little thing at a time helps guide the body along to healing itself.
When working with clients, you discuss removing roadblocks one step at a time
In my field, working in a hospital, I worry about people who are taking seven, eight, nine pharmaceutical medications, on a daily basis. Could it be that though there are one or two medications that are important, are the excess of medications just stacking on road blockers?
Tammy: They are. And they’re interacting with each other. I’m working with a client like that right now. And my feeling is this is a stupid question, but how many medications does a healthy body need? Non, right. Non. You should need none. My clients, after they’ve worked with me a period of time, they’re able to get off of most of their medications if not all, with their doctor’s guidance and help. You have to do it correctly at the right time. But a healthy body doesn’t need medication. We don’t get sick because of a lack of medications in our diet. And we heal, Deborah. We heal faster than we got sick. That’s the good news! Yes, it’s always faster.
Deborah: Recovery is faster where when we get down to the very root of what is causing or caused the initial health complaint.
There are a variety of programs you have available on your website Health For a Purpose. It is beautifully put together, by the way, easy to find information and use as a tool. A person first coming to your website can search around and say to themselves, where do I start? What program can I afford and what best suits my needs for where I am today in my health journey. Do I want one day at a time or one week at a time? Would I like to talk with someone daily or work through a group to get started? You’ve got, I think, a seven-week program and all the way up to a “health Academy”.
Please elaborate more on what people can expect to get as they go through coaching and find the groups that you have and what’s available.
Tammy: Perfect. Thank you. I can walk you through the evolution. When I started as a practitioner, I was only working with people one on one. I was working with very, very sick people who felt like they had been everywhere and done everything. They had been through the testing and the medications, and they were just getting worse and worse.
My passion goes back to my grandmother who got Alzheimer’s, as for myself, I’m willing to do whatever it takes not to be there. I want to retire to a cruise ship, not a nursing home. I am 170,000,000 % committed to doing whatever it takes to help clients get better, that’s what I love doing, the one-to-one coaching. Yet at that level, I am only reaching a very small percentage of the population.
So the last couple of years, what we’ve done is created our Forever Young Academy to help more people.
This enables clients to take the journey of help with us at whatever level they want. If they just want to change their diet, we have two different courses for that. One is just food, God for the body by God. The other one is our seven-week stem cell program that teaches you fasting, diet, variation, ketosis, all of the things that help your body to kill bad cells and then grow new stem cells to keep you forever young feeling.
Then if someone wants to take the next step and get rid of toxins in their environment, see if you really want to be healthy, you have to get rid of the toxins that you’re eating and breathing every day. You are in complete control of that. You could, in theory, do it immediately. Where when we start looking at mold and co-infections and lime and mercury and lead, that’s a lot more work. That takes a lot more time.
So, we start with foods and the environment. And then if you want to take the next step, there’s another course about how to how to promote healing in your gut, because the gut is the foundation of the body, you can do the whole academy and get all of those things. Plus, in our monthly Q&A call, we have a monthly expert people can question and learn from.
Our programs are all online. People can take them at their own pace. They can do as little or as much as they want while they’re in that process.
If they choose to, then get promoted. At this point they may choose a custom one on one program with us, then they’ve already spent time and laying a foundation that they can then build on. So that lets us reach people wherever they are. And in those programs, we have clients from all over the world.
Deborah: What a great benefit, all your step-by-step programs are online. I find I shocking that even today when I talk with individuals about nutrition who are diabetic, they say “I am very careful and I don’t have sugars in my diet”. This may be true, but then I watch them pour two to three packets of sweet n low into their drink.
Tammy: Yes, drinking poison.
Toxins/poisons are the number one cause of cellular inflammation, which is the cause of diabetes. Diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Alzheimer’s is the diabetes of the brain. And those things are not caused by sugars. They’re caused by toxins. And people simply don’t know. Doctors address the issue with medications and some lifestyle changes.
Deborah: medication, and a quick, 15-minute visit once a month. What can we do in fifteen minutes and see you next visit to address any changes? A different uneducated, pill-popping lifestyle is being created for the patient. You cannot just pop a pill, that doesn’t solve the problem. If someone wants to step outside that box and take responsibility for themselves and do something that requires more effort but will resolve the problem, that’s where Health For a Purpose comes in.
Let’s get back to the very basics of the body. A hot topic in the health and wellness industry right now is inflammation.
What is it? What does it do to our body? I understand what inflammation after surgery is, say, after a knee replacement. As Physical therapists, we use massage, range of motion, exercise, cooling modalities, and time to resolve the pain. We reduce and alleviate the inflammation. You address inflammation on an even deeper level. On that cellular level by addressing toxicity in the body. Can you explain what that really means?
Tammy: Great. Thanks for asking, thing I love doing is teaching about health. That’s why this is so much fun for me right here with you. Thank you for giving me that outlet.
So I would ask people who knew what cellular inflammation is? Nobody, nobody, nobody knew 14 years ago.
Today people know a little more. Here’s what inflammation is like. Inflammation of your body is oxidation on your car. Oxidation is visible. It is rust on your car. So when people start getting more and more symptoms and they’re feeling older and they hurt and they can’t hold a thought and maybe their gut is not working or their adrenals, their feeling stressed all the time, they begin to feel symptoms of inflammation, maybe in their heart or their lungs or their immune system.
That’s really powerful. That inflammation at the cellular level causes dysfunction in a variety of places and organs of the body. It makes the organs break down just like the car body parts would start breaking down. So that’s what cellular inflammation looks like and feels like. At the cellular level. Well, let’s think about this. Which organs are made up of cells?
Deborah: Your whole body is made up of cells.
Tammy: Yes, every organ, every tissue is made up of cells. Let’s go back in the other direction. There are three things that cause cellular inflammation in the things we eat every day.
Number 1 – sugars and grains turn to sugar in four seconds. In your body, diabetics are taught to eat whole-grain bread that will raise your blood sugar faster than a can of soda.
Number 2- fats that you’ll get at health food stores or in food. The prepared foods section of health food stores, they’re using bad fats.
Number 3 – packaged food made of non-food. Read the label of many boxed items in the grocery store. Toxins are the number one cause of cellular inflammation, and that is every building block of the whole body.
So, let’s think then about what are toxins. My daughter was so young and she grew up repeating “toxins, toxins, toxins”. And one day I said: well, I’m not going to eat that because it’s poisonous. She said: it’s what?
I said: it’s poison.
She said: that’s not poison.
It dawned on me then that she had not made the connection tying the toxins to poison.
So poison. Let’s think about what those poisons are. Heavy Metals and Biotoxins in our environment
Number 1 – Mercury. If you’ve ever received a vaccination: if you’ve ever had a mercury filling in your mouth then you’ve got mercury stored in your brain. Even if you got that amalgam filling removed.
Number 2 – Lead. Any of us born before about nineteen eighty-seven had lived in an environment that had the lead in the things we touched and breathed. We grew up with the lead and that passes the blood barrier and is carried for four generations from mother to child. Mercury, lead, and aluminum.
Number 3 – Aluminum. We used to think aluminum was the primary cause of Alzheimer’s. Then studies showed it was mercury. And now we know it’s autoimmune, it’s inflammation of the brain.
Number 4 – would be biotoxins like mold, Lyme infections, H. Pylori, long-term infections in the body, not acute, immediate, but chronic long-term storing of chemicals in the body. Lyme is diagnosed so much better now. We have accurate tests now that we didn’t have 10 years ago. And so now we’re more able to target our therapies when we know what the problem is.
Number 5: would be environmental. With all those toxins in the environment, the average American woman is exposed to over 500 chemicals every day.
Now we say women, the test was done on women, which in general use more stuff on a face in our hair than most men. And so over five hundred a day, over two hundred of them proven to cause cancer. None of them tested together. So that’s a lot of chemicals. And studies today state that in umbilical cords today, they’re are finding hundreds of chemicals. Here is one example. So, for some of our young women listening to us today, there is a toxin in the feminine product that women use every month. This same toxin is only released naturally in the body during pregnancy. By using this feminine hygiene product with this toxin in it every month you are exposing yourself to a toxin that’s similar to Agent Orange. If women can make one change today that requires no effort, buy organic, feminine care products. Is that shocking?
Deborah: It is, it really is. And we want to believe that the studies are done, and these toxins would be removed from the product. In fact, without extensive research and searching on the internet, this information is not available. The public has no way of finding out unless they spend hours looking for the truth. It is wonderful that we have dedicated individuals like yourself to help us. That’s what you study. In fact, you have written several blogs on different helpful topics like this for people to read and learn. This type of information is available on your website. Helping to make finding health information simpler.
Tammy: I was so thrilled when I found your website
I recently moved to Georgetown and I found your website, which you had advertised in the Georgetown View Magazine. I thought this is so exciting. I ran to my computer literally, and I looked on there and there’s just this long list of natural health care practitioners. And I was so thrilled that someone had invested so much effort finding and listing professionals, respected in the community, all of them focused on true healing. And that, for me, is a priceless resource. Saves me so much time. And as a layperson researching, you could probably find articles online that said Hitler was wonderful and. Mother Teresa was horrible. So it’s really hard to find the truth online. And you went through that and did the work for us and put it together on your Web site, and that’s powerful. I’m so grateful to you for that.
Deborah: Thank you. I am truly blessed to have my team behind me and the website WilcoWellness. So
You have a presentation coming up on September 15. At the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce at 6:30 pm.
Your flyer advertises: Discover how to reverse the clock. You grab people right there because it is possible. We don’t have to retire and do anything. I hope most people want to retire and actually enjoy life spending time with their grandkids, travel to different and new places, and experience all the different things on our beautiful planet.
You will be available to answer questions about health, you will also talk about the toxicities in and around us. You will also be available to answer questions and help people understand why they have brain fog. Why they’re unable to have a child. Also questions about menopause, weight gain, or just general fatigue and lack of umph. Can you give us tell us more? What are some of the things you can answer?
Tammy: Great question. The title of this talk is Anti Aging because all of us want that.
So in our talk, we’ll share with people a few things that they can go make changes right now. We’ll also give them some ideas of how they can move forward and the different coaching avenues we provide. Whether it is just using our step-by-step videos on the website or through one-to-one coaching. My goal as a coach is for people to come alongside us and walk the journey towards a healthy lifestyle. We have several ways that we offer community so that you’re doing this with someone, not by yourself. That’s encouraging and motivational. That’s the purpose of our talk to share the truth with people, the information.
I have clients that say, why, why, why? Why can I not have children? They had spent tens of thousands of dollars. They came to us and started focusing on cellular health, got rid of the toxins, gave the body what it needs, and got pregnant. Think about life-changing, that’s a whole new definition of life-changing, so infertility, brain fog, chronic pain, diseases that just automobile that just keeps on piling up and up and up.
A person has gone to the doctor. Maybe he says their test is normal. We’ll talk about that.
Maybe they’ve taken medication. Maybe it helped it first and it doesn’t help anymore. We’ll talk about that. That’s a lot to cram into one hour. So I’ll be talking really fast.
Deborah: OK, this speaking event can help so many variations of health concerns and people.
I have friends whose husbands have Alzheimer’s and not expecting that their last 15, 20 years of life to be going the way it is. So when you’re talking about brain fog, brain toxicities, things that are going on with your family member that you love in your life, there are answers that you can give. Start with something very simple like diet and food choices.
Tammy: prevention is so much easier. I just listened to a talk with a doctor who’s running one of the tests that we use. And in his clinic, he’s testing people in their 30s. And not every single one of them has an early marker for a dementia condition in their 30s. They don’t have symptoms of that. But it’s happening in their 30s,
Deborah: in their 30s and we are seeing people in the hospital, younger and younger and younger, coming in with things they shouldn’t be dealing with at that age. Prevention is a good way to start when you are young!
Your Event is on September 15, 2021, at the Georgetown Event Center.
Tammy: so people can go to our website, Health For a Purpose and they can find the links right there, Facebook, Instagram video, YouTube, all of that. We have some of our talks are recorded on our website. If someone listens or reads one of our Posts and you have a friend it might benefit, please, people please share because there are people out there looking very hard for us to get the truth out. They can listen to a recording that talks about our academy. We’ve got a video that talks about our STEM anomic eating program. So the website is a great source for information. And can be for anyone across the world.
Deborah: It truly is. And even your Facebook site, you’re on two or three times a week sharing even small things like what we substitute for.
One thing could be for substitute another and trying to learn how to work their way to the grocery store, maybe baby steps
Tammy: that most of us eat every day. So that’s an area where I can make a big difference for someone wonderful.
Deborah: Wonderful. Well, thank you so much. We’re going to add all of the information on how people can find you at the inside of the blog that will follow up with this podcast. And we look forward to seeing you on September 15th. That’s going to be a really wonderful hour of information.
Tammy: Yes, great. Thanks, Deborah.
Deborah: I appreciate you. Thank you. It’s so good to see you today.
Thank you to everyone watching. Social media is just that, social. Please share the link with a friend or two. We all have friends that may be going through a few health problems and could use a little help finding the right answers to a happier, healthier life.
The bones are creaky and you’re feeling a little stiff
There are approximately 44 million people living with osteoporosis in the United States—a condition that causes bones to be so brittle they can fracture from even the most innocuous of events. A fall, a sneeze, a book falling from the shelf; even these can cause painful fractures that can leave some elderly people permanently disabled. Other Osteoporetic conditions can cause chronic pain in the joints and limit ease of movement.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the five common conditions that affect the bones and joints. We will also discuss natural ways to protect against the condition before concluding with strategies you can take to help manage pain and build and maintain strong, healthy bones.
Common Health Conditions of the Bones and Joints
Osteoporosis
The most common bone condition by far, and it is most prevalent among post-menopausal women. Most people with osteoporosis begin to experience symptoms of the condition around the age of 40-55. Symptoms may include back or neck pain, bones that fracture easily, a hunched posture, and loss of height. Over time, the fear of breaking a bone causes people immense anxiety, and this can ultimately affect a person’s mental health and quality of life.
Osteoarthritis
A degenerative disease, meaning that it worsens over time. The condition is characterized by a gradual breakdown of the cartilage that protects bones from rubbing against each other, resulting in chronic joint pain. An estimated 32.5 million adults have osteoarthritis in the U.S. and the condition most commonly affects the knees, hips, neck, lower back, and hands. Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are new treatments that can help. New research in a variety of types of stem cell regeneration is demonstrating wonderful outcomes. Still, protecting your bones in the first place is the best way to prevent the condition’s development.
Gout
Another common condition that may come in the form of episodic attacks of one or more joints at night. This condition is actually caused by a buildup of uric acid from certain foods and drinks that many people consume. Most notably, alcohol drinks of any kind contain uric acid, along with certain types of fish, including shellfish, anchovies, sardines, mussels, and codfish. Bacon, turkey, veal, and venison are also known sources of uric acid that can contribute to gout. This condition causes people to have painful, red, and inflamed joints, especially the big toe. The best way to prevent gout is to eliminate foods and stress which can elevate an acidic environment in the joint capsules.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term, chronic auto-immune disease that can happen at any age. For the most part, the diagnosis is usually noted in middle-aged people. Those who have rheumatoid arthritis experience pain and inflammation in their joints and the tissues surrounding them. It is common for people with RA to wake up in the morning with painful, stiff joints that they must carefully stretch before beginning the day. The hands, feet, and wrists, in particular, are known to be affected. Unfortunately, experts have yet to pinpoint a cause, and many medications for RA are controversial due to severe side effects.
Bursitis
The bursa is a fluid-filled sac that provides a cushion between your joints, muscles, and tendons. These sacs are all over the body, but when they can become swollen and irritated due to overuse, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, infection, and sometimes another unknown cause. Unlike several other bone and joint conditions, bursitis can resolve over time with rest, ice, pain relievers. The key to preventing it from developing is taking care to reduce pressure on your joints, have a proper technique for sports and exercise activities, and stretch often.
Natural Ways to Promote Bone and Joint Health
Some conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are believed to have a genetic component. In other words, sometimes you cannot completely prevent a condition from developing. However, regardless of any genetic vulnerabilities, there are additional ways to protect your bones and joints and manage pain naturally.
Eat a healthy diet
A diverse, nutritional diet is essential. Make sure to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and calcium-rich foods. Dairy products like milk and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium. If you are lactose sensitive, dark leafy greens, white beans, chia seeds, are nice alternatives rich in calcium.
Studies have found that Osteoporosis, Gout, and RA may be related to an acidic environment. Learn more about Alkaline diets at https://draxe.com/nutrition/alkaline-diet/
Venture into the sun
The sun is our critical source of vitamin D. Oh, and here’s a fun fact: vitamin D isn’t actually a vitamin. It’s a hormone that is synthesized in your skin when you come in contact with the sun. Without vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium and maintain healthy bones. Children who don’t get enough vitamin D can end up with rickets, whereas adults can have brittle, miss-shapen bones (osteomalacia).
Detox from alcohol and tobacco
The National Osteoporosis Foundation advises against consuming more than 2-3 drinks per week, as alcohol decreases bone density and impairs calcium absorption. Smoking also impairs calcium absorption and restricts oxygen from reaching and repairing your bones.
Exercise Regularly
Although bone is living tissue, we don’t always think of it that way. When we are younger, exercise is essential for building strong bones. As we age, it’s important for us to keep exercising to maintain our strength. The more we exercise, the denser our bones are, and the more we can protect our bones from growing brittle over time. Regular exercise also improves our balance and flexibility. Falls happen in an instant and regular exercise helps the proprioceptors in our body be more in tune with sudden slips and balance recovery. Aquatic therapy is a great way to benefit from balance and flexibility exercises while reducing the chance of injury due to falls. A good place to find a class would be your local YMCA.
Massage with Essential Oils
Reduce Inflammation with Lemongrass. The combination of Peppermint and Thyme reduces inflammation and cools warm joints.
Marjoram is often used for spasms and stiffness. A blend of marjoram, lavender, and mandarin helps to relax muscles and improves relaxation for a good night’s sleep.
Simply mix 10 drops of the essential oil with 1 teaspoon of coconut, jojoba, or olive oil to get a safe mixture for a wonderfully soothing massage just before going to sleep or the next day before a morning stretching routine.
Discover more wonderful blends and information about essential oils and pain relief at Nourished Essentials.
Local Businesses in Wilco that Promote Bone Health
If you’re not sure how to reform your diet, we recommend scheduling an appointment with one of the many, wonderful dieticians or holistic practitioners nearby. Learn about nutrition counseling with Terri at Eat 4 Health, and for young moms look to Fuel For Life to start your diet transformation.
No matter your age, it’s never too late to begin exercising. If you are looking to begin working out for the first time in a long time, consider scheduling a visit with your doctor for a physician to ensure there are no health issues that could impede progress. Your Doctor may advise starting with a medical health professional such as Physical Therapy or Occupational therapy. These licensed health care providers can help educate you on a range of motion and weight-bearing safe exercise programs. They can also assist with ADL items to help with everyday activities. Find a great professional team at and Reavis Rehab in Round Rock.
Continue on your routine exercise program with a physical training professional such as MVP Transformation Fitness in Hutto.
Here in Williamson County, we have a number of yoga and pilates studios, opportunities for cycling both indoors and outdoors, and even Tia Chi and walking groups for encouragement. Wherever you are on your health journey, it is always helpful to find a supportive community to motivate and encourage you. Fortunately, there’s no better community than ours for keeping fit, eating nutritious, and meeting like-minded individuals along your health journey.
An estimated 1 in 10 adults in the United States has chronic kidney disease (CKD)
This means that their kidney’s ability to filter toxins from the body has been impaired for more than three months. Despite the prevalence of kidney disease, many people are unaware that they even have it. Unfortunately, kidney disease does not simply go away; left untreated, unhealthy kidneys can lead to a buildup of toxins in the blood and bodily tissues. Ultimately, this can increase one’s risk of heart disease and stroke—among other conditions.
Chronic kidney disease generally does not happen in a vacuum. More often than not it develops as a secondary condition due to another underlying disease, either kidney-related or not. For this reason, the key to a healthy kidney is maintaining the overall health of the entire bodily system. The pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease is multifactorial. In this article, we will break down the risk factors involved and discuss the many sorts of holistic care tactics that can help you reduce your risk and identify the symptoms while the disease is in its early stages.
What is chronic kidney disease?
To understand how kidney disease develops, we begin by clarifying the function of the kidneys. Simply put, the kidneys act as a filter through which approximately 150 quarts of blood are filtered each day. Toxins removed from the blood are then excreted through the urinary tract, while other vital substances, like essential minerals and vitamins, amino acids, and hormones, are given the go-ahead to continue circulating in the blood.
Kidney disease develops when an underlying condition or infection impairs kidney filters, thus, deterring the kidneys from doing their job. Over time, these filters can slowly shut down as toxins build up in the blood, resulting in sepsis and kidney failure. Furthermore, failing kidneys cannot support other bodily organs as they should. End-stage renal failure finally occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to function on their own, and dialysis or a full kidney transplant is necessary to save a person’s life.
What causes chronic kidney disease?
Several risk factors make some people more vulnerable than others to the development of kidney disease. Some are unavoidable, some are not. Consider the following key points:
People with diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), and cardiovascular disease are more vulnerable. The risk of developing CKD also increases with age.
Diseases and infections that cause CKD include glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis, polycystic kidney disease, kidney stones, enlarged prostate, vesicoureteral reflux, and recurrent kidney infection.
Women are at a greater risk of CKD, as women are more likely to have urinary tract infections. Problems with pregnancy, such as hypertension and preeclampsia, can also lead to kidney damage.
More than 1 in 3 people who have CKD are African American. Experts believe this is because 11.7% of African Americans have diabetes (compared to 7.5% of Caucasians), and diabetes is the #1 cause of CKD. The #2 cause of kidney failure is hypertension, which also affects an estimated 42% of African American adults.
Having a family history of kidney disease places a person at a greater risk of kidney disease. Genetics are believed to play a role in predisposing a person to CKD, and those who have CKD in their family history are encouraged to be routinely tested for kidney disease.
People who binge drink or drink heavily regularly are twice as likely to develop chronic kidney disease. Cigarette smoking is another major risk factor.
Obesity is a well-established risk factor for hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, each of which plays into the development of CKD.
What are the symptoms of kidney disease?
As stated, many people do not realize they have kidney disease. At least, not until it reaches its later stages. Early detection is critical to slowing the disease down and preventing it from affecting other bodily functions. Those who are at a greater risk of developing CKD should have a blood test done routinely. The National Institutes of Health recommends that those with diabetes get tested for kidney disease once a year.
Swelling of the extremities, particularly the feet and ankles
Excessive, persistent itching
Chest pain
High blood pressure
Protecting Your Kidneys with Diet, Exercise, and Lifestyle Changes
When it comes to CKD, prevention is key. Protecting your kidneys begins with living a healthy lifestyle. Remember, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease are major risk factors. Thus, striving to prevent these conditions is one of the best things you can do to simultaneously prevent CKD.
If you have diabetes, you already know how important it is to keep your blood sugar levels under control. Doing so is also critical to lowering your risk of developing CKD.
For those who have high blood pressure, it’s important to choose hypertension medication that protects your kidneys and prevents the loss of amino acids in your urine. Talk to your doctor about such hypertension medications as ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, or alpha-blockers.
Do you smoke cigarettes? If so, there are innumerous reasons why you should cut them out once and for all. Understandably, this is far easier said than done; counseling and medications can be especially beneficial for helping you quit. Your kidneys will thank you.
Choose a heart-healthy diet. Many staples of the Meditteranean diet are known to boost heart health. Eat plenty of vegetables, and steer clear of saturated fats and animal fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are also well known among the scientific community for their cardiovascular benefits. Opt for olive oil instead of butter, and avoid foods that are pre-packed, processed, or high in salt.
Finding Help for Chronic Kidney Disease in Williamson County, Texas
If you are struggling to make good dietary choices that benefit your heart (and as a result, your kidneys), consider meeting with a dietitian or nutrition counselor nearby. Remember, a healthy heart is critical to the overall health and wellness of your mind, body, and spirit. Without a healthy heart, your kidneys will suffer. While you can’t prevent certain vulnerabilities, such as your gender, ethnicity, or other genetic predispositions, you can eat right, exercise often, and make lifestyle modifications to reduce toxicity in the body.
Last but not least, be sure to save the date on June 17, 2021, for World Kidney Cancer Day. Join patients, survivors, families, friends, caregivers, health professionals, researchers, and local (and global) kidney cancer organizations in raising awareness to reduce the burden of kidney cancer. Thank you for stopping by our blog. It means the world to us that you’ve joined our family. To find additional health resources, visit our directory.
This tool does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you read on our site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.
Best in Brain Health: Ultimate Guide to a Healthy Brain
No matter your age or how sharp your memory is, it can’t hurt to incorporate more ways to keep your brain healthy into your daily life. You might just find that some brain health exercises are fun, while other foods that are healthy for your brain are also utterly delicious. It’s never too soon or too late to get started. You only have one brain, after all.
Unlike our fingers or our skin, we can’t detect when something is wrong with our brain by examining it in our hands. If your mind feels foggy, your memory loss is worsening, or you just feel something is off, don’t fret. There are many options out there to improve brain health, from Neurotherapy exercises to supplements. And for those of you who are wondering, how can I improve my brain health naturally? There are several options for you too.
The Best Defense is a Good Offense
When Amanda Kirton arrived at Georgetown Hospital in 2017, she was complaining about stomach pain. As it turns out, Kirton had had a massive stroke that would change her life forever. After spending six months in hospitals and surviving two cardiac arrests (among other things), she bravely details her frightening and yet inspiring journey on her blog.
Certainly, Kirton could never have imagined that she would go through what she did. Her story is a reminder to us all about the importance of being proactive about our brain health, as events like these can be next to impossible to predict. That’s why we will be taking a close look at the 6 pillars of brain health in this article, which may help you prevent stroke, dementia, and other conditions that affect brain health.
The 6 Pillars of Brain Health
Remember how we were talking about being more proactive? If you don’t remember, you’re in the right place. Each pillar is something you can do every day (and night) to prevent memory loss and promote healthy brain function. The best part is, by following these six pillars you can actually bring improvements to many areas of your life.
Pillar #1: Exercise Regularly
It should come as no surprise that exercising regularly is good for you. Something as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day can significantly boost heart health. As for your brain? Regular exercise has been shown to reduce stress, boost your mood, improve your memory, and increase your energy. Add a few knee-ups or side steps while walking and your brain and sensory proprioception get a workout too.
Experts recommend 30 minutes of walking, swimming, or another aerobic activity at least five days a week. You can also improve your balance to reduce your risk of falling and bonking your head, an incident that can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s. There are some great places in Wilco to improve your balance and better your brain. Including:
Don’t forget your brain! Enjoy speech therapy with Reavisrehab.
Pillar #2: Eat Wisely
More specifically, eat foods that reduce inflammation in your whole body-brain included. Here’s what you can do:
Follow a Mediterranean diet that includes fish, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, and lots of fresh produce from the local farmer’s market. Every now and then, a glass of red wine and a square of dark chocolate is A-OK as well.
Avoid trans fats and saturated fats like the plague. Seriously, these are no good; full-dairy products, red meat, fast food, fried food, packaged and processed food items have all got to go.
Stock up on omega-3 fatty acids in the form of supplements or foods, such as salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, and sardines. If this is all sounding very heart-healthy to you, keep in mind that what’s good for your heart is great for your brain.
Eat 4-6 smaller meals each day rather than three big meals to keep your blood sugar consistent and minimize inflammation.
The more colorful the merrier; different fruits and vegetables serve different health benefits. Eat across the rainbow with a variety of leafy greens and berries to benefit from a full spectrum of antioxidants and vitamins.
Pillar #3: Stimulate Your Mind Often
In the same way, we exercise our bodies to maintain our muscles, we have to regularly put in the effort to exercise our brains. When was the last time you memorized a set of digits that was longer than a telephone number? Can you name all fifty states? Have you ever tried Sudoku? Warning: it’s not easy, but that’s the point!
A good session of puzzles, riddles, strategy games, and memorizationcan make your mind feel overworked. Just remember, sore muscles are a sign the workout is working. A little training each day can keep you mentally sharp, and it can be a great way to socialize too. This leads us to our next point…
Pillar #4: Be Social
This one might come as a surprise, but as humans, we are wired to socialize and be part of a community. In fact, studies show that the more healthy connections people have, the better they perform on memory and cognition tests. And it makes sense, seeing as there’s no one to tell you that you’re talking in circles when your only friend is the wall.
For some of us, it’s easy to become completely isolated and not even realize it. Don’t let yourself be lonely; visit people you care about, make new friends, volunteer, take group classes, and get to know your neighbors. It takes a village to raise a healthy brain.
Pillar #5: Catch Lots of Quality Sleep
Adults need at least eight hours of sleep every night. It’s critical for memory formation, problem-solving, recalling information, thinking clearly, and a whole lot more. Sure, sleep deprivation makes you feel cranky, but a lack of sleep puts more than your mood at risk. If you regularly miss out on sleep, you may be increasing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. At the very least, sleep deprivation can make it harder for you to do…well, just about everything. You can improve the quality of your sleep by:
Following a consistent sleep schedule
Eliminating late afternoon naps
Cutting out caffeine past 3 PM (don’t forget that tea has caffeine too!)
Banning phones, computers, and other screens from your bed
Creating a bedtime ritual like reading or relaxing in a hot bath
Pillar #6: Be Stress-Free
Both acute and prolonged stress can be extremely detrimental to the brain and the body as a whole. When your body’s stress response—or, the “fight or flight response”—is triggered, stress hormones like cortisol run amok through the body. If that stress continues over a long period of time, stress hormones can increase your risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and even cancer.
A bad day here and there won’t kill you (that’s our hope, anyway), but you shouldn’t let small stress or even large stress hamper your overall happiness. It’s not worth it! The next time you are feeling stressed and you’re not sure what to do about it:
Treat yourself to a massage. All Care Therapies in Georgetown offers massages as well as therapies for improving cognitive function.
Laugh and party with friends from around the world, while watching a Comedy Special with friends on Netflix. Your brain is going to love it!
Eat a piece of chocolate from Srsly Chocolate. Just one square, of course.
Looking for the Best in Brain Health?
Look to your plate, your pillow, and the people who make you smile. Our brains are inconceivably complex organs that even the most whip-smart of scientists can’t wrap their minds around. But despite everything the brain is capable of, it still can’t predict how the future will unfold. The best we can do to promote a healthy brain is to be proactive. So eat well, sleep plenty, walk more, and enjoy every step of the journey. And don’t forget to stop by our directory often for more health and wellness guides.
Pollinators, like bees and birds, help pollinate the very plants that feed our communities
According to National Geographic, “Pollination occurs when pollen is moved within flowers or carried from flower to flower by pollinating animals such as birds, bees, butterflies, moths, or other animals, or by the wind.” When pollen is carried between flowers of and in the same species, it leads to fertilization. In terms of plants, this means it’s possible for seed and fruit products to occur. The pollination process ensures that full-bodied fruit and a full set of viable seeds will happen.
Pollinators are in trouble
Scientist suggest evidence reveal there’s a world-wide disturbance amongst pollinators who have suffered from the following:
Loss of habitat
Chemical misuse
Introduced and invasive plant and animal species
Disease and parasites
Like bats and bees, many pollinators are now listed on the federally “listed species,” which shows a significant disappearance of that species in natural areas. In Fact, the US has lost well over 50% of its managed honeybee colonies over the past ten years. Unfortunately, due to a lack of research, we don’t know too much about our pollen-passing-friends. In contrast, European countries have set aside over $20 million investigating the status of pollinators in Europe.
It’s essential to do our research, understand, and share some of the key players in our neck of the woods. And fortunately for you, we’ve gathered up a few key-pollinator members to introduce to you:
Meet a few of them now and what puts them at risk:
Bees:
With more than 250 species, bumblebee bees like to fill the baskets on their legs with pollen and bring it back to their hives. Inadvertently, these busybodies carry pollen on their soft abdomens from one flower to another.
A sweet honey treat from the Farmer’s Market most likely began with the help of a honey bee. Did you know that commercial honey bees are transported thousands of miles to help create some of our favorite snacks? Some take the long journey to pollinate for Michigan’s cherry trees or California’s almond trees. Honey bees help grow kidney beans, coffee, strawberries, avocados, and walnuts.
In the past twenty years, managed-honey bee numbers have crashed, partly due to colony collapse disorder which occurs to the sudden loss of colony worker bees. These busybodies are necessary to keep the colony alive. Meanwhile, scientists claim bumble bees in Northern America and Europe are dwindling rapidly. While the reason for the loss of bees is complicated, climate change, insufficient nesting resources, food supply, pesticides, disease, and parasites are likely contributors.
Butterflies:
As ambassadors of nature, these fluttering favorites are tiny yet mighty! Making a significant migratory journey from Mexico to Candida, Monarchs are quite legendary, even here in Texas. Gulf fritillary butterflies use nectar from many native Texan flowers, such as the passionflower. This familiar flower is hung beautifully on display in Georgetown, TX. “Bee” sure to check it out while grabbing lunch at Monument Cafe.
Whether it’s promoting pollinators by taking Winged pictures in Leander or putting colorful plants in the backyard, these beauties need our help. Our butterfly’s pollinators’ survival stands threatened due to loss of habitat and plant diversity, climate change, agrochemical pollutants, and invasive species.
Birds:
From hummingbirds to honeycreepers, the United States relies on colorful crooners to help spread pollen in our wildflowers. Soaring from brightly colored flowers to the next, these “tweeters” help stabilize our ecosystem while enjoying red, yellow, and orange colors.
Climate change, pesticides, and glass window strikes from tall buildings are on the list because birds are not making it as they once would. Especially if outdoor house cats find entertainment in our pollinator bird friends, they tend to raise their mortality rate by ruffling more than a few feathers.
Bats:
Bats are often misunderstood and tend to get a bad rap for carrying disease, but they’re mostly harmless to humans. In fact, many people favor bat feces as fertilizer! They’re naturals at pest control, consuming large amounts of harmful agricultural insects and bugs each year. Not only do bats keep pests off plants, but they also help pollinate and spread seeds. Many Texan bats, like the Mexican Free-tail bat, love bright white or light-colored flowers.
Recently, millions of bats have died due to a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome in bats who live in caves during winter.
What can you do today to protect and promote pollinators?
Go native!
Pollinators are more attracted to and can “best” adapt to local, native plants, which often need less water anyways. When planting at home or in the community garden, look for Texas native plants that help produce nectar and larval food for pollinators. Not sure what to plant in Central Texas? Check here at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Make a day of it and stroll through the beautiful gardens and discover which plants would best be suited for your little garden slice of pollinator heaven.
Here are a few other suggestions on where to buy flowering plants in Williamson County:
To “buzz” up a conversation, tell them about the article you’re reading and help spread the word!
Welcome bees home by making Bee Hotels: Bees don’t know where to live, can you help? Most of them are spending their time trying to make a home in ground nests, while others live in grass or tree limbs.
Here are some fun DIY videos to get you started:
If you want to start small and easy, include the kiddos on a weekend build for the bees, check out the video link below.
Purchase local, organic food and reduce your consumption by reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Supply mineral licks for butterflies
Attract magic to the garden by providing a salt lick for butterflies and bees. You’ll want to mix a small amount of sea salt or wood ashes and place them in a shallow puddle in the garden (or sheltered area). This provides valuable minerals to our free-flying friends!
Splish, splash! Let’s make a bath
No matter what Pinterest says, don’t use glass in the garden to make a birdbath. We’ve all seen this, right? Place sea-salted sponges in birdbaths to provide additional food sources and freshwater to our pollinators—Brownie points for keeping the water clean by changing the water often.
Ditch the lawn, plant flowers
Make the most of the lawn by planting more flower beds and veggie gardens. If you want to keep it cool, maybe try it mullet style. Business in the front, party in the back if you don’t want the neighbors to see your wild side!
Whatever you do, do something!
Bees and other pollinators help define our entire ecosystem. Without them, the ecosystem would be substantially different or cease to exist altogether. Pollinators are vital to global economies and food supply.
Get to know people within our community who care
It might be through local conservation groups, community gardens, or volunteering at the Farmer’s market. With the dramatic decline in insects and other pollinators, it’s essential we do our part as a community. Be sure to spread the word about pollinators and why they matter.
It’s overwhelming to think there are 100,000 people waiting on the transplant list in the United States
There are 107,938 people on the transplant waiting list in Texas and, thankfully, 12,960,232 registered donors.
Unfortunately, most of those waiting patients will never get a call saying that a suitable donor can help save their lives.
Nearly 20 people die each day without hearing that call. It might be challenging to think about what will happen to your body after you pass, but tissue and organ donation are generous and worthwhile! Your gift is life-saving.
If you’ve never considered or delayed becoming a donor, possibly because of inaccurate information, read on! This article will discuss the basics of organ donation and bust urban legends that might be holding you back.
What is organ donation and transplantation?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Organ donation is the process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from one person (the organ donor) and placing it into another person (the recipient). Transplantation is necessary because the recipient’s organ has failed or has been damaged by disease or injury.” It’s common for organ donation to occur after the organ donor passes away.
The organs and tissues that can be transplanted as the following:
Intestine
Lung
Heart
Pancreas
Kidney
Liver
Cornea
Middle ear
Skin
Bone
Bone marrow
Heart valve
Connective tissue
Vascularized composite allografts
Who can be a donor?
There’s no age limit to being a donor. When an individual dies, their age and medical information are evaluated for suitability. The Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), like Donate Life Texas, determines medical suitability for donation.
How can I become an organ donor in Texas?
If you’re a Texan who wishes to become an organ donor, consider jumping over to DonateLifeTexas.org to complete the registry form to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor.
Donate Life Texas registry does not cover the following:
Living organ donation
Living bone marrow,
Blood
Whole-body donation
They suggest checking resources Donate Texas.org for more information about living donations in Texas.
Consenting is COOL.
Consenting to a donation registry is more than an expression of interest. It’s a legal document. When you’re registered, you legally give your consent for organ, eye, and tissue donation after death. As Donate Life Texas suggests, we feel it’s a compassionate step that you can take as an individual to relieve some of the pressure from your loved ones, should you pass.
Get online to register!
When you visit this site to become registered, you will be asked to complete a few simple questions like name, phone, and address.
When you enter your email address, it allows you to receive a registration confirmation and lets you log on anytime you’d like to their site to see updates or change your record.
Head to the DMV:
Another option is to go to a local Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), where you can choose to give an anatomical gift. Once you’ve signed up, your driver’s license will have a little heart in the corner, which makes it easy for emergency medical services to identify your decision right away. Due to organs’ vitality, there’s a small window of time when donation can occur after passing. By carrying your decision with you at all times, you could potentially save a life.
Who should I tell about my decision to become an organ donor?
Your decision to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor is very personal. But it could potentially affect the lives of those you love. It’s essential to share with family members and loved ones that you desire to be a donor. It lets them know your wishes before your passing. Additionally, you might want to share with other key players in your life, like a lawyer, healthcare provider, or religious leader.
Avoid Potential Confusion:
Whether your death comes as a shock or not to your family and loved ones, it’s a good idea to keep confusion out of an emotionally sensitive time as they deal with your loss. Speaking with them about your desire or decision will simplify their responsibilities and provide a bit of comfort in your decisions. Not only do you get your wishes carried out, but a conversation with loved ones allows for an opportunity to answer potential questions. Death and dying are not an easy conversation, making for an uneasy talk. However, an open discussion about how it works can correct inaccurate information about donation and possibly relieve any tension about the subject.
Urban Myths & Stubbornly Persistent Myths:
There are several urban legends and stubbornly persistent myths about organ donation in circulation. Sharissa Stewart, the former Organ Donation Procurement Coordinator, touches on a few of these myths :
Sharissa: Has there been a time when someone granted permission, but the family did not want to? Maybe you could comment here?
“I have been a part of many conversations when a potential donor is registered, but their family objects. This could be caused by grief, thinking they registered a long time ago and changed their mind, religious concerns, or other reasons. Usually, after lengthy discussions with family and the funeral home, everyone is able to come to an agreement and honor the deceased wishes to be a donor.”
Myth: I will receive inadequate health care because I am an organ donor.
Doctors and emergency personnel will do everything possible to save a life regardless of registration status. Many times staff doesn’t even look at donation status until they pass away or have no chance of survival of injuries. Even if the donation is moving forward, you will still receive the best care to ensure the best chance of organ transplant success.
Myth: It’s expensive to become an organ donor. My family will be charged if I donate my organs, eye, or tissues.
“If you choose to save lives and donate, your OPO will work with the funeral home to keep costs from going to the family. Any additional time costs associated in the hospital, transportation, etc. will not go to the family”.
Myth: Organ donation will disfigure my body.
“Many people are concerned about donation affecting their funeral plans. What people should know is that funeral home staff is phenomenal at reconstruction. I have seen patients pass from severe injuries be able to donate every possible tissue and still have an open-casket viewing funeral. Prior to donation occurring, the chosen funeral home is contacted to coordinate a plan”.
Myth: If I donate my organs, I will not contribute my body to research.
“Every research opportunity is different, and many changes over time. I have seen organ and tissue donors still are able to participate in research. Anatomical whole body donation may not allow certain tissue donations, but that will be discussed with the family, and they will have the decision on which route to take. Donation staff wants to honor your and your family’s wishes first and foremost”.
Myth: An open-casket funeral isn’t an option for people who have donated organs.
“Upon donation, the OPO will also provide funeral home staff with supplies to aid in their reconstruction process. If certain tissues could impact the viewing (ex: short sleeve shirt viewing), then upper extremity donation will be avoided to allow funeral plans to proceed”.
Myth: If I’m in an accident and the health care professional knows I’m a donor, they won’t try to save my life.
“When you are in an accident, emergency personnel don’t worry about donation. They are working to save your life. Only once you pass or you won’t have a good survival would the doctors notify donation experts to evaluate. Think of it this way, if a doctor wanted to proceed with a donation, they would want the healthiest organ to be able to transplant. In order to do this, they would need your body to be working as best it is able. If they do everything medically to save you and your body won’t fully recover, only then will donation potentially occurs”.
Myth: Mental Illness on my medical record will prevent me from becoming an organ donor.
“Almost everyone is troubled by illness and disease, mental or otherwise. In no way does this prevent all donations from occurring. If your wish is to be a donor, the donation staff will work with your physicians to do what they can to make it happen. I have seen patients with cancer or types of dementia still be able to donate certain tissues”.
Myth: I am too old to donate my organs, eyes, or tissue.
“Advances in medicine are constantly happening and changing what we thought was possible. Each tissue may have requirements in age or health, but this evolves. The important thing is to register and then trained staff with evaluation to maximize your ability to save lives. I personally have seen donors over 100 years of age be able to give certain tissues and leave an impact”.
Be an inspiration!
Become an organ, eye, and tissue donor and show how your selfless decision might change another’s perspective. Even if your loved ones do not initially agree, it might inspire them to do more research about the subject. Perhaps, over time they might consider registering themselves. If you’re already registered, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It’s a very selfless act that could potentially save someone’s life.
Again, we want to thank Sharissa for her input into this article. It’s inspiring to have a friend like you. Thank you for all that you do to save lives in this field of work.
Truth: Autism in girls and we want to talk about it.
I give you permission to be a bit stereotypical. In fact, I want you to be a bit, well, judgy for a moment. When I previously thought about Autism, I would picture the stereotypical white male child.
Studies suggest that at least three males will receive an autistic diagnosis for every one female. It seems as though there are more autistic boys than there are girls. Here are three reasons why Autism might be misrepresented:
Misrepresentation may have to do with how well Autism is portrayed in the media. There is not a whole lot of representation for girls, especially in persons of color. Look up “autistic characters on tv” in Google: Dr. Shaun Murphy, Max Braverman, Sheldon Cooper, Jerry Espenson, and Spencer Reid can be found. I’d like to assume women and persons of color as underrepresented as they have been for centuries.
It is possible girls go undiagnosed for ASD due to the fact that the current diagnostic criteria do not meet the expression of Autism (or traits) in girls. The diagnostic criteria for Autism are fundamentally based on research performed in boys with Autism rather than girls. The criteria for the diagnosis of Autism are based on pre-existing concepts of what Autism may “look like,” which poses a huge problem for behavioral maskers. As a result, many gals are not diagnosed until later in life, typically in their teen years.
It’s difficult to diagnose Autism in girls girls
Diagnostic criteria call for individuals who lack the capacity to communicate and interact socially. As a result, many girls are being left undiagnosed with Autism and are diagnosed with other mental health disorders, like manic bipolar disorder or depression.
According to Autism in Girls, “The main issue with the current diagnostic criteria is that behavioral maskers that are used as criteria for diagnosing autism are based on pre-existing conceptions of what autism “looks like.” As suggested, the research took samples for their research based on predominantly male populations to diagnose Autism-It’s common for girls to be able to “mask” their autistic traits, and the behavior maskers used as diagnosis criteria are therefore not so transparent, but what can this mean for girls?
Many women find themselves questioning if they are Autistic (or on the spectrum) later in life. This especially happens in teenagers and in their twenties when the need for complex social interaction capacity has heightened. Girls are not being diagnosed properly and miss out on early intervention up into age three. When these girls do receive early intervention, the results show better health outcomes. However, no matter what the reason for the underrepresentation of girls with Autism, the facts are girls are being misdiagnosed and not taken as seriously as males.
Challenges for Autistic Girls
Keep in mind that Autism is a spectrum and presents differently from person to person. The spectrum includes different types of Autism, from severe or low functioning to high functioning. It’s easier to diagnose low-functioning because the signs and symptoms are more prevalent. However, this list can help offer some insight into some common difficulties girls with autism deal with:
Communication and social skills
A classic symptom of Autism is difficulty involving social interactions. This is much easier to spot in males because females tend to adapt to social situations more naturally than males.
When socially interacting, girls with Autism may find it difficult to maintain eye contact (to a point where it’s been described as “hurting” to attempt to do so). Some girls find it hard to concentrate on the interaction at hand and will escape difficult situations through mental processing or daydreaming.
Other social and communicable examples:
Take things literally; struggle to understand sarcasm.
Find it challenging to form an intimate bond or interact intimately.
May have lower levels of verbal cognitive ability.
Language and communication issues
It needs more time to process to engage and interact.
Conversations seem “scripted.”
Sensory:
Girls with Autism tend to have sensory processing issues, which include struggling to process intense sound, lighting, or touch.
For someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder, there are sensory inputs that increase the desire or need for self-regulation. Some ways include having meltdowns, stimming, or in more extreme situations, self-harming behaviors. Some examples of stimming may include biting nails, waving hands, or tapping.
Headbanging is a common example for children to self-soothe themselves and helps communicate their needs as a result of severe anxiety. The desire to self-soothe can come from an individual being in physical pain, seeking attention, sensory issues, or attempting to communicate.
Behavior:
Sometimes, we find it hard to communicate. Sometimes described as: “When we know what we WANT to say in our head, but it doesn’t come out of our mouths properly, it becomes frustrating.” And sometimes, it creates aggressive feelings.
Girls with Autism can sometimes become aggressive or act out due to these feelings of difficulty communicating. Additionally, sometimes the aggression is put on due to an issue with trying to regulate over-stimulation. For example, if there is a constant tick-tock of a clock that is over-stimulating occurring at the same time an intense conversation is happening, aggression may occur.
Physiological or health relative problems may be related to these behavior issues. It’s essential to remember everyone is different.
Thinking Visually:
Instead of thinking in language, people with ASD tend to think more in pictures. To process information, they see things in their mind or need to see them physically to better understand.
For some, it means having the ability to solve complex problems or conceptualize patterns in their mind. According to The Place for Children with Autism, “Additionally, once the images are associated with a specific train of thought, the words and images become associated and banked as memory.” Visual thinkers might have photographic or near photographic memories. In addition, linear thought processes do not come hand-in-hand with visual thinking.
It’s interesting enough! Neurotypicals can become quickly confused by visual thinkers, like people with ADS, because they might recall an image that’s tied to memory and associate it with something completely off-topic and unrelated but can make perfect sense in their mind! Add another struggle to the “communication and social skill” box – why don’t you?
Obsessions and special interests: A Classic Stereotype
Boy, will you see the light in their eyes when speaking about their special interests or obsessions! Girls on the spectrum tend to limit interests and often narrow down what they enjoy.
One of the reasons girls are misdiagnosed may be that their special interests are more socially acceptable than boys with ASD. For example, a female teen may obsess over celebrities or boys. These girls may do so because they have a strong desire to “fit in” with their friends by “masking” their autistic traits.
How do girls on the spectrum mask?
Girls with autism spectrum disorder are rock-star ninjas, basically. They know how to blend in and hide, known as camouflaging or masking – a real diagnostic issue!
Masking happens due to cultural pressure to act normal. However, it comes naturally for girls to mimic the behavior of others. They spend a great deal of energy to hide their autistic “quirks,” almost as if they’re in a play.
Some examples of mimicking include forcing eye contact (regardless of the internal discomfort or anxiety may induce) and mimicking facial expressions. Based on current studies and clinical experiences, other signs of Masking might include suppressing “quirks” or stimming behaviors such as “Flappy Happy Hands” or giving scripted responses.
They learn to adapt to their environment by utilizing these strategies to avoid standing out or to “fit in” with their given situation. Masking is learned through observing or mimicking. Girls with Autism might learn this ability by watching television or movies, from neurotypical peers, or from day-to-day observation.
Why Masking has Consequences?
Masking might seem like a super-power, but it has its consequences. It’s exhausting! One study suggests Masking can cause detrimental effects such as an emotional, physical, and mental drain. This occurs because Masking means constantly monitoring what is or what is not deemed as socially acceptable. Additionally, Masking is related to feeling like an outcast and a higher rate of depression.
What are the psychological impacts of being diagnosed late in girls?
Autistic girls don’t often “get it,” so they strive to do what other people are doing, and it wears them out. Oftentimes, girls with Autism start wondering what is “wrong” with them. In some social situations, they’ll start to obsess over every little detail of the past conversation.
Examples of obsessive thoughts that may occur are:
Why did I say something so stupid?
Did they think I was funny or inappropriate?
What did I do wrong?
How can I make this better?
How can I be better next time?
Constantly questioning yourself and monitoring your behavior is exhausting and can take a toll on mental illness
In fact, girls with less severe cases of Autism will often first be flagged because of depression or social issues. Girls come into the doctor’s office for something like anxiety, depression, or school performance. It’s not until later that physicians may discover social communication issues and restricted interests.
As mentioned previously, another impact of a diagnosis going overlooked is missing out on early intervention and support for skill-building. For example, It’s hard to focus on subjects that do not spark interest for individuals with ADHD, but especially with Autism. Academically, this can be detrimental when proper support is not available—resulting in poor performance and frustration (for the whole family).
Earlier diagnosis means getting the proper resources and access to therapies earlier in life. It means a girl and her family have more time to learn how to manage the diagnosis properly. Early intervention is crucial to development, but a later in life diagnosis is better than none at all.
Playing catch-up on learning proper social skills and coping mechanisms often happens in those who become diagnosed later in life. However, after a proper adjustment period, most females find comfort in their diagnosis. In fact, Netflix Comedian Hannah Gadsby explains her diagnosis as being handed the “key to her own city,” as while growing up, she always felt different.
After diagnosis, an individual with Autism can start to meet with autism experts, psychiatrists, or occupational therapists, or other trained professionals. They can help with answering questions and help give guidance or support in ways to build a better quality of life.
Whether the reasoning is difficult during diagnosing or not, ask for a second opinion by a practitioner. We highly recommend connecting with someone reputable within Williamson County for more questions. It’s time to open up a conversation about Autism in girls and women as early as possible.
Find Support in Williamson County, TX:
Revolutionary Wellness, PLLC (Georgetown, TX)
High School Social Skills Group (Austin, TX)
ABA Connect: Wise Owls Social Group (South Austin, TX)
Autism Society: Improving the Lives of All Affected by Autism
We often hear the expression, “listen to your heart,” and the sentiment is one that resonates across most domains of our lives- from difficult decisions we make at work to the people we choose to love. A healthy heart is a healthy life. The body has 78 organs, and while you would be hard-pressed to find someone who can point to them all, most everyone can point to their heart without thinking. Where would we be without our hearts? And what function does the heart serve, exactly?
What is the Heart?
Clench your fist, then hold it against your chest. Your fist is about the same size as your heart, and it is this mighty organ that pumps and circulates blood throughout our entire bodies. The heart is located at the circulatory center of the body and is closer to the brain as the two work closely together.
The heart is composed of four chambers– two upper chambers and two lower chambers. Its wall comprises three layers, with the middle layer being the Myocardium- a muscle layer that helps push blood from the heart’s four valves. Veins and arteries depart from the heart to transport blood to various parts of our bodies, while the heart’s ventricles relax and contract- playing an important role in causing the heart to beat.
The Function of the Heart
In most basic terms, the heart’s role is to pump blood and oxygen to the brain and throughout the body. You can only live for two minutes without a heartbeat, as the brain cannot function without oxygen any longer than this. Every day, the heart beats approximately 100,000 times and pumps about eight liters of blood throughout the body. In addition to circulating blood, the heart also filters the blood and helps remove waste from other organs, like the liver.
The Importance of Living a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
It’s never too late to start taking better care of your heart. The heart is the center of the cardiovascular system, which is responsible for transporting nutrients throughout the body and removing metabolic waste. The heart plays an integral part in maintaining a healthy immune system, protecting the body from infection, and keeping the body warm.
In the United States, heart disease causes more deaths than all other forms of cancer combined. Those are some staggering statistics, so you can never do too much to improve your heart health.
Types of Heart Disease and Heart-Related Illnesses
When you adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle, you help protect your heart from disease caused by damage to the heart as a whole and each of its components. Heart disease and illnesses that result from an unhealthy heart include:
Stroke
Coronary artery disease
Heart attack and heart failure
Arrhythmia
Aortic Aneurysms
Heart infections
Valvular heart disease
How to Live a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
Fortunately, many preventative measures are fairly simple and can be incorporated into everyday life. To keep your heart happy and healthy, consider the following:
Eat healthy fats rather than trans fats
Trans fat clogs the arteries and raises your bad cholesterol levels, thereby hampering blood flow throughout the body. Trans fats are plentiful in junk food and fast food. To avoid them, cut out packaged baked goods, margarine, and fried fast foods. Be sure to check the labels of everything you eat. Look for trans fats and hydrogenated oils and avoid them at all costs!
Practice good dental hygiene and floss…a lot!
Studies show that bacteria that cause gum disease can move into the bloodstream and create inflammation in the blood vessels, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. In addition to brushing our teeth at least twice a day, we should also be flossing at least once a day, or even better, after each meal, especially if you’re dealing with gum disease or frequently have cavities.
Sleep more!
Your heart is the perfect excuse to go to bed early and sleep in late. A study of 3,000 adults over the age of 45 found that adults who sleep less than 6 hours a night are twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as adults who catch more shut-eye regularly. A theory for this is that sleep helps reduce inflammation throughout the body and improve circulation and that a lack of sleep disrupts the body’s natural biological processes for keeping blood pressure under control. The more sleep, the merrier!
Try not to sit so much
A lot of jobs are going remote nowadays, which means a whole lot more people have to sit in front of their computers for eight or more hours a day. A sedentary lifestyle is terrible for your health, and it’s estimated that people who spend most of their days sitting are at a 147% greater risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke. If you are working remotely or have a stationary desk job, do your best to get up and take a few shorter walks throughout the day. Even better, walk to work when possible, and do your best to exercise most days of the week.
Minimize stress wherever possible
High levels of stress lead to high blood pressure and cholesterol, hypertension, arrhythmias, and artery damage. Furthermore, people who are under a lot of stress are more likely to binge eat or use substances like alcohol or cigarettes. Rather than turning to these devices, other ways to minimize stress include taking a walk or meditating for ten minutes a day. And if comfort foods are your go-to, don’t stress about that either. There are healthy alternatives to many common favorites that are every bit as tasty.
Wellness in Williamson County
Researchers at UCLA found that acupuncture significantly lowers stress and improves heart function in individuals suffering from heart disease. Several acupuncture specialists are available in Williamson County, most notably the professionals at Lakeline Wellness Center in Cedar Park. Of course, one can’t go wrong with a massage. We are fortunate to have some wonderful massage therapists as our neighbors here in Wilco as well.
What is Considered a Heart-Healthy Diet
Speaking of heart-healthy superfoods, what exactly does a heart-healthy diet include? Add a little Mediterranean flair to your meal or keep it simple by incorporating more of the following into yourheart-healthy recipes:
Leafy green vegetables
Whole grains
Berries
Avocados
Fatty fish and fish oil
Walnuts
Beans
Dark Chocolate
Tomatoes
Almonds
Seeds
Garlic
Olive oil
Green tea
Locating Heart-Healthy Food in Williamson County
Wilco is a wellspring of healthy food, thanks to the many farmers, farmers markets, and even farm-to-table restaurants that call the area home. Farmer’s markets take place many days of the week, including the Savory Farmers Market at Travisso and the Taylor Heritage Square Farmers Market in Taylor. We’ve listed those farmer’s markets and more right here.
Protecting your Heart with Exercise
There are all kinds of different exercise classes and options available nowadays, from rowing to tennis and pilates. In strengthening your heart and preventing heart disease, there’s no need to get too crazy! Some of the most heart-healthy exercises are also some of the simplest. Here’s some you might enjoy:
Taking a walk:
Experts emphasize that walking for 30 minutes a day or striving to hit 10,000 steps daily is ideal in preventing heart disease. Wondering where to walk in Wilco? Luckily for us, walking paths are abundant in Williamson County.
Going for a bike ride:
For many people, walking or running is harsh on the knees or the lower back. If that’s you, there are some healthy alternatives, like biking! Whether pedaling through nature trails or on a stationary bike at home, biking provides excellent aerobic exercise. There are some stunning bike trails in Wilco. Find them here.
Swimming:
This total body exercise promotes a healthy heart and lungs, all the while putting less stress on the body’s bones and joints. Just 2.5 hours of swimming each week can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. We’ve got plenty of swimming pools in Wilco, and there are many opportunities to swim in nature as well.
Since heart disease is the number one threat we face,
practicing a heart-healthy lifestyle is arguably the most important thing we can do to live an overall healthy life.
We often refer to the heart when speaking about our emotions, and it’s certainly true that a heart-healthy lifestyle can bring us immense joy. Through walking or swimming in nature, enjoying massages, stressing less, and eating healthier foods, we do more than living healthily. We live happily! #healthyheart
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