Confession #12: Social Media, Apples, and Trees.

I know one thing for sure — I am my father’s child. I’ve heard the phrase “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” my whole life. And now, I know it to be true.

My dad was the original computer nerd. When my family moved from Ruston to Baton Rouge in 1983 for my dad’s return to school, he knew he would be writing the oh-so-long dissertation, a requirement for earning a doctorate degree. The dissertation is a massive research paper and, in pre-computer days, one big pain to type and re-type! As a result, my family became owners of one of the first home computers.

My dad encouraged me to “figure things out” on the computer. In those days, there wasn’t a lot to understand. A home computer primarly functioned as a fancy typewriter, allowing the user to make edits to a document and save them. When you are writing a book (e.g. a dissertation) or even a history paper (me – while in high school), you can see how this would come in handy!

My familiarity and comfort with computers has grown as the computer age has blossomed. And now, I seem to be the resident guru with my friends and family on computers, software and the application of technology to your lifestyle. My hunger for technology-as-applied-to-life began with a smartphone (a phone that can receive emails), followed by an iPhone (emails, internet, and lots of great tools and games called apps), and, most recently, a MacBookPro (Apple’s version of the laptop).

And so my friends, today’s column is for my friends who didn’t have a visionary, computer geek dad who saw the benefits of technology. Today’s lesson? Social media can make life simpler, more connected, and more informed. How? You’ve heard of the world wide web (www). Social media is becoming THE web ON the world wide web. Social media creates the connections that bind people and businesses together online.

Facebook. Fun? Useful? Yes. It’s that and much more. The most fun I’ve had on a computer in the last 25 years has been on Facebook. Facebook is like a class reunion, email, the newspaper, and your long-lost best friend all rolled into one. It’s a fantastic place to find people and become reaquainted. I found one of my best friends from elementary school, whom I had not seen in over 25 years. We’ve had a blast catching up with each other and seeing pictures of our kids — all through Facebook.

But Facebook is much more than just friends. Facebook is news. Facebook is news about your favorite businesses. The Minute Magazine is on Facebook (they’re giving away free tickets to Sci-Port). Seasons, where I serve as marketing director, is also on Facebook. Seasons and The Minute Magazine use their fan pages to create a conversation between business and consumer. On the Seasons page, you’ll find links to health & wellness articles, information about our services, information about local events that we support, special offers and discounts only available to Facebook fans, previews of upcoming specials, and much more. Even if you’ve never been to Seasons, check us out. You’ll learn a lot about health and wellness just by reading the many articles we post.

If you are nervous about jumping into the world of Facebook or any other social media for that matter, start simple. Visit Facebook, set up your account using an email address, and go straight to the Help Center. Stay there. Read about privacy settings and much more. Don’t do anything else on Facebook until you spend a little time learning about it. Then you can join the over 400 million people who are already using it.

Twitter. Twitter’s usefulness is growing by leaps and bounds. It has become my primary source for news. Posting a comment on twitter is called a “tweet”. Tweets must be 140 characters or less. So Twitter is comprised of little short messages to those who “follow” you.

Here’s an example of a “tweet” I posted this week: Coming soon to @seasonswc, Sunlighten Infrared Sauna. Watch @theellenshow TODAY to find out more about it! I posted this tweet to let my followers know the breaking news — a segment of The Ellen Show that day would be devoted to the Sunlighten Infrared Sauna which Seasons – The Spa is scheduled to receive in August of 2010.

If you are looking for breaking news, Twitter is THE place to find it. (Today that included the death of actor Gary Coleman). You can follow stars (Ashton Kutcher @aplusk has nearly 5 million followers). You can follow events like the Squire Creek LA Peach Festival. And you can even follow me, Dr. Goodyear, AND Seasons.

Foursquare. One of the most interesting and new forms of social media, Foursquare, is predicted by the social media/marketing community to be the next big thing. By “checking in” at your destinations around town, you can know where your friends are and what they’re up to. Today, I know that my friend Sarah was at Seasons – The Spa because she checked in on Foursquare and Blair was at Seasons Wellness Clinic. Many businesses, including favorite coffee spot Starbucks as well as Seasons, are already offering promotions via Foursquare. So check it out. You might get a free coffee or $5 off your next massage!

YouTube. By now, I think everyone with access to a computer has watched a video on YouTube. But did you ever think of YouTube as a tool? It has become a great place to research information on that blender you wanted to purchase or even a destination for vacation. Try it. At Seasons, we use our YouTube channel to give additional information about our services and also link to news reports about services such as food sensitivity testing. You can find Seasons on YouTube by clicking here.

Diigo. Diigo is one of my favorite social media services. It allows the user to bookmark anything interesting online. You can then share those bookmarks with your friends, your family, your co-workers, or any other group or list that you want to create.

So, for example, let’s say you are researching a trip to the San Juan Islands. You find 10 articles and/or videos that are interesting and you want your spouse and your kids to read them to help you determine your vacation itinerary. You can save each of those with just a click to your Diigo account. At the end of the day, Diigo will send an email to anyone on your group list with a summary and link to each of those 10 articles. You might have your spouse, your teenage son, and your mother-in-law on that list. And now, they can easily read all the same information about your possible vacation itinerary. Cool, isn’t it? I just love Diigo!

Diigo also monitors the most popular bookmarked spots on the web. One article I discovered has helped me plan summer activities for my kids. It was entitled “The Best Online Games for Gifted Kids.” I would never have found this article had it not been for my use of Diigo.

How do I use Diigo? Go to the Seasons Diigo Page by clicking here. You’ll find a list of health and wellness articles. Seasons offers its Diigo list as a service to the general public and we will continue to bookmark articles that we think are pertinent to today’s health and wellness conversation. Follow along. You will definitely learn something!

The apple and the tree.

While there are dozens of other social media sites out there, these are the most popular and most useful that I’ve found. If you are nervous about privacy issues, don’t fret. The great thing about all types of social media is that you don’t have to be friends with anyone you don’t want. Your privacy is always yours as long as you hang on to it!

You know, I wish my dad were around to see all of the latest advancements in computers and the information available to us. But, sadly, he died seven years ago.

He would have loved Facebook and, by now, would have more friends than I do on his Facebook page. He would be using Diigo to send me interesting links and info about education, his passion. He would be experimenting with Twitter and it’s usefulness. He would Check-In at my house on Foursquare. And if he had an iPhone, he would have been giddy with excitement. A computer/phone in his hands? And only the size of his palm?

One thing is for certain: I’m pretty sure he’s smiling at me from heaven. His encouragement of my interest in technology was worthwhile, trendsetting, and invaluable to my future.

Thanks, Daddy, for giving me curiousity and courage, and for making sure that this apple fell very close to your tree!

-Adapted from Confessions of a Hormonal Woman, a bi-monthly column published in The Minute Magazine and written by Elizabeth Haynes Drewett.

Social Media, Medicine, and a Great Story!

At Seasons, we love social media. Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, You Tube — they are all great tools to help us communicate with our patients/clients and for our patients/clients to communicate with us. Seasons has been using social media for well over a year. That process began with a blog-based website, introduced over two years ago.

While this approach to communicating in the medical industry is rare, it is working. Case in point? Watch this video which tells a great story about a woman who had a misdiagnosed wrist injury. Twitter helped her find a correct diagnosis and then treatment and recovery from her injury.

Our thoughts? This is super cool and we will continue to use social media to interact and educate our patients and clients about the pursuit of wellness!

Confession #11: Goals, Progress And A Non-Runner’s Venture Into The Running World

I’m a big fan of goal-setting. My mother cultivated this idea in my brain from childhood. She always said, “Elizabeth, you’ll always do better if you are shooting for a goal.”

So from my earliest remembrances, I have had a goal. And it’s when I haven’t had a goal in mind that my life becomes a little derailed. When my mom notices my derailment, she will always ask, “So what’s your goal?” Sometimes I had no answer.

One thing I love about getting older is gaining wisdom. And I now truly appreciate the wisdom of my mother’s words. And in November of last year, I decided to set a goal. When spring rolled around in 2010, I wanted to wear the clothes that stayed in the back of the closet last year. However, one thing I’ve learned about myself over the years is that I cannot diet. It won’t last. For me, it’s about a healthy lifestyle.

I am a healthy eater. But the big issue for me (and most women my age) is the exercise issue. I love to walk. But it just wasn’t enough. I have always wanted to be a runner (there’s nothing more beautiful than a lean runner’s body) but one ache from a knee was all I needed to quit.

And then….the opportunity arose to have THE GOAL.

I am on the advisory council for Healthy Woman at Northern LA Medical Center in Ruston, Louisiana. During a meeting with the Healthy Woman Coordinator, Audrey Buskirk, we were brainstorming ideas to help women become more educated on being healthy. With the new year rapidly approaching (our meeting was in November 2009), we were seeking to create some sort of event or series of events that would help motivate women to pursue their fitness and nutrition resolutions they might make at the beginning of the new year. You know. THE RESOLUTION. I think I have made that resolution every year for the last 20 years. The lose weight resolution. Ugh. I said it out loud. I HATE the words lose weight.

And so, the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge was born. Who knew it would end up changing my life. The one thing I’d been looking for was THE GOAL — a reason to take that first step. As I worked on putting together tools for women to become healthier such as nutrition presentations (by Valerie Costanza, RD, and staff member at Seasons) and customized fitness programs (by Sharon Jackson, CPT and owner of Sharon’s Slammin’ Boot Camps), I found myself in therapy. Yes. What I was creating for others would end up helping me as much or even more than those who have attended!

The Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge began in January with a kickoff party. Every good event begins and ends with a party, right? Then every three weeks was another session which included healthy food (with recipe cards for each menu item), and a nutrition and fitness presentation. As I write this column, I am preparing for the fourth and final wellness session. However, the real life-changer of the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge is the final event — a fitness goal for me and all my friends — the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge 5K Run/Walk.

One of my greatest pet peeves in the whole world is a hypocrite — say one thing, do another. And so my own hypocrisy immediately convicted me. I CANNOT RUN A 5K. I cannot even run to my mailbox.

There you go. The beginning of the journey.

And here I am. The non-runner. I now own my first pair of running shoes purchased from Sport Spectrum in Shreveport. I love that place! Great customer service! They even watch how you walk to make sure that you are fit with the proper pair of shoes. I bought 2 running outfits. Every girl needs the right outfit for the occasion! And I downloaded the Couch-to-5K running program for my iPod. If you’ve never run before, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this program. In 9 weeks, you can go from couch potato to running a 5K.

It hasn’t been easy. I have had to make myself get out of my warm , cozy bed and run in 27 degree weather. I have posted my running status on Facebook to force myself into accountability. And it’s working. It’s not an overnight-wake-up-the-next-morning-and-your-skinny sort of solution. It’s a life change. And that’s what it takes for a 40-something to be healthy into her 50’s, 60’s, and beyond.

I WILL RUN that 5K on Saturday, April 24th. (Actually, since I’m in charge of the race, I may have to run it the afternoon before so I can work during the race!) I may lay down on the ground after I cross the finish line, but I will cross the finish line.

If you can’t run, then come join us and walk. The point is this: everyone needs a goal. I know. My mother said so! And just for the record, I AM wearing one of those outfits that hung in the back of the closet last spring. Oh happy day!

Click here for more information about the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge 5K Run/Walk, Saturday, April 24, Lincoln Parish Park, Ruston, LA at 8 a.m.  Train Hard. Live Well.

Confession #10: Inspired by Courage

Note: This confession has nothing to do with health or any of my usual topics. But it does have a thing or two to do with WELLNESS. Being inspired can surely lead to a healthier mental existence, don’t you think? This confession was featured in the February/March edition of The Minute Magazine.

Writing topics don’t always come easy. I’m always looking for inspiration. Sometimes I use the calendar. I’m writing this column in January, so there are the typical New Year topics: resolutions, weight loss, save more, spend less. But none of those inspired me to write.

So what has inspired me lately? Well, there are lots of things that might provide a moment of happiness: a good story, a good song, a good joke, a good hair day (don’t laugh…you know it’s true), finding the perfect shirt on the 75% off rack (better yet the perfect pair of shoes and the perfect handbag to match), the perfect shade of lipstick. But if we evaluate the truthfulness of an inspiration, I find that many inspirations just fizzle out. We’ll disregard those and say that maybe they weren’t truly inspirational. They were just happy moments.

True inspiration is rare. And the times that we are truly inspired cause life to look differently the next day. They are the kinds of inspirations that stick with the soul long after the moment passes. I have had true inspiration at various junctions in life. Each time, that inspiration has moved me to a new place in my heart. Two of those moments came recently. One was at the movie theater. The other was sitting at my desk.

Movie theater inspiration

My son turned 11 on December 16. His birthday usually falls during the last week of school, so it’s always a tough time to plan a party due to the chaos of class parties, Christmas shopping, and holiday insanity. So each year for the last 4 years, instead of a big party, my son and I opt for a movie day with friends as his birthday celebration. This year, Nicholas, Henry, Austin, Langdon (my son), and I had lunch and hit the theater to see the latest, greatest movie.

Because I had a crew of 11-year old boys, the movie du jour was The Blind Side – a football movie, or so I thought. While I enjoyed the movie, I was unprepared for the inspiration that poured over me as I watched the unfolding story destined to become a classic.

The movie is set in Memphis, Tennessee, a city which I think embodies the soul of the south. The look and feel of the movie were very familiar to me as a native southerner. It gave a piercing glimpse into the darkest parts of American culture – the poverty and abandonment that many children in “that part of town” deal with on a daily basis. That poverty and neglect was then contrasted with the private school-attending, BMW-driving lifestyle of the Touhy family.

The great inspiration of this movie was the courage of its characters. They were real people stepping out of their comfort zones and embracing the plight of others, no matter the cost. Sean and Leigh Ann Touhy had courage when they asked Michael Oher, a virtually homeless African-American teenager who attended their children’s private school on a scholarship, to stay the night on their living room couch because he had no place to go. And Michael Oher had the courage to work hard, think and learn when he must have been overwhelmed by his new circumstances of living with the Touhy family. There was even courage to be found in the Touhy children. Collins Touhy, the older daughter of the Touhy family, had courage to embrace Michael Oher as a sibling, even though he was a different race and not her brother by blood. Imagine the sneers of her peers she must have endured.

Michael Oher played football and eventually graduated from that private school. He went on to play college football at the University of Mississippi (even making the honor roll) and later became the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft.

The Blind Side is an amazing story on so many levels. The happy ending certainly helps. But in this case, it was the heart-felt courage to step outside of normalcy and into the realm of persecution that stayed with me after the movie. Their internal character proved a more powerful force than the criticism and persecution of others. Now that is inspiring. And that is courage.

Courage is a wonderful thing. We know it when we see it. But what exactly is courage? And where does it come from? By definition, courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, or pain. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the overwhelming presence of bravery.

No one can have courage without heart. It’s when our heart can’t bear the current conditions around us that courage wells up inside of us and explodes into action. For the Touhy family, courage was defined by crossing racial and socio-economic barriers and helping a young man who needed an opportunity and a whole lot of unconditional love. For Michael Oher, courage was defined by hard work against seemingly insurmountable odds as he regained years of education that had been lost due to his unstable home life. He also courageously dropped the internal walls that surely had became a fortress around his heart and let a family love him. And in return, he loved them back.

For Michael Oher, courage was overcoming himself and his situation. And I think that is where we begin to see the true meaning of courage. When we overcome ourselves and our situation or obstacle – whatever that might be – we have shown courage.

Following my afternoon at the movies with my boy and his buddies and two hours of free-flowing tears (“when you’re a parent, you’ll understand,” I said to him), I knew that courage inspired me.

You Tube inspiration.

I was working at my desk earlier this week and received an email. In the email was a link to a YouTube video. The message from my friend was this: “This video motivated me this Sunday morning. The only thing that limits us is ourselves.”

Intrigued, I clicked the link. The next thing I knew, I was watching a humble cell-phone salesman shuffle onto a stage in front of three judges and a huge audience. This man, when asked what he was going to do, said, “I’m going to sing opera.” Eyes rolling, the three judges waited with the look of am-I-going-to-fall-out-of-my-chair-laughing-or-is-he-going-to-be-good on their faces.

The music began and he opened his mouth to sing. The sound that emerged from his humble lips brought me to tears within a matter of seconds. This humble man was motivated to enter a talent contest with the hope of saving he and his wife from the brink of bankruptcy. He seemingly had no self-confidence yet stood in front of those judges, those television cameras, and an at-times-hostile crowd and sang his heart out.

His courage moved me. He overcame himself. He overcame his circumstances. Courage welled up inside of him and gushed out of his mouth with abandon. And what a great performance it was. Paul Potts has become a YouTube sensation, with over 74 million hits on that video of his initial audition for Britain’s Got Talent. His first album went multiplatinum. He has just released his second album.

I love happy endings. But happy endings are endings. Courage, on the other hand, stays with us. So my question is this: when was the last time you overcame your personal insecurities and stepped out in courage to change your life or someone else’s?  We are surrounded by opportunities to be courageous. But our heart must be open and our ears listening. We need to see the needs of others and act when the heart is moved.

February is the month of the heart (it’s Valentine’s Day) and March is the beginning of renewal (it’s spring time). So it seems the right time to start fresh with the heart. Be inspiring. Have courage.

• To watch Paul Potts amazing audition for Britain’s Got Talent, click here.

• To see the movie The Blind Side, catch it at your local theater. If it’s not showing at your theater anymore, don’t hesitate to rent or buy it when it become available. It’s a must-see movie.

Confession #9: C’mon girls! Let’s do this!

It’s here. 2010. For the xxth time, I have made that New Year’s resolution. You know the one. To lose the extra that’s following you around on your backside.

Seasons, in collaboration with Northern Louisiana Medical Center’s Healthy Woman and Sharon Jackson’s Slammin’ Boot Camp, is bringing you the tools you need to accomplish the goal you resolve every New Year. But we’re not going to say the “d” word. This isn’t about a diet. We’re going to do this the right way. We are going to pursue WELLNESS. Do you hear me? Wellness. That means make good food choices. And that means get off your booty and get busy!

With some great seminars from Sharon Jackson, CPT (that’s certified personal trainer), and Valerie Costanza, RD (that’s Registered Dietician), we are going to gain the knowledge, the tools, the motivation, and the inspiration to do this together.

The kickoff party is coming up soon…Tuesday, January 12, 2010 from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Community Trust Bank Community Room. It’s in the rear of the CTB Financial Center located at 1511 N. Trenton St. in Ruston. Look for the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge signs and you’ll find it! At the kickoff party, we’ll learn the ropes of what we’re about to undertake. You need to let us know you’re coming. So register by calling 318-255-3223.

We’ll hear from Sharon and Valerie and from wellness advocate and local physician, Dr. Nathan Goodyear. There will be yummy, HEALTHY food for all to munch on and tons of fabulous door prizes (for everything from Botox to Best Buy). Sharon will even be doing some baseline measuring and weighing if you are interested in tracking your progress throughout this journey.

You’ll leave armed with a fitness training guide to begin a running/walking program to prepare for our final event – the Fitness Challenge – to be held Saturday, April 28. Sharon has put together a day-by-day training regimen to help guide you towards running a 5K. And in addition, Sharon will be hosting weekend group runs to prepare for this event most every weekend until April 28. I love Sharon Jackson! And you will, too!

In addition, you’ll take home recipes from every event and a nutrition guide from each event. Valerie is going to teach us how to make better choices when we cook, grocery shop, and meal plan.

So what are you waiting for? I have NEVER been a runner…I’ve always been a walking treadmill kind of girl. So if I can do this, you can too! And it will be much more fun if we do it together.

So…c’mon girls! Let’s do this!

For more information about the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge, click here.

Confession #8: Hair Today. Gone Tomorrow.

I love a good birthday card. Maxine cards are my favorites — you know, the little old lady with the purple hair. I even have some Maxine slippers with purple hair that my sister-in-law gave me when I turned 40. My kids think they are hilarious. 

Well, I found another hilarious birthday card at the Beehive the other day. I just have to share it with you. It’s not a Maxine card, but it shares the same sarcastic view of life-as-an-aging-woman. “These aren’t chin hairs…they’re stray eyebrows!” is the comment on the front of the card. Those words are decoratively written on a sign held by an obviously-more-mature-but-trying-to-look-younger lady wearing a sash that says “Miss Optimistic.” Inside the card are the words “Happy Birthday to an ageless beauty.”

What is ageless beauty? And how about those stray eyebrows? I’ll save the ageless beauty column for a rainy day, but sister, we are going to talk about those stray eyebrows.

One of the most difficult parts of growing older is hair. And hair is one of those outside garnishments which envelopes the self-esteem of every self-respecting, card-carrying Southern woman! You know, we already have the challenges of heat and humidity around here. But there are also internal challenges that wreak havoc on our pursuit of a “good hair day”.

Did you know that hormones, the body’s communication system, can greatly affect your hair? Two years ago, I was suffering from a great amount of hair loss due to an undiscovered thyroid issue. Handfuls of hair, I’m telling you! Clean out my hairbrush every day kind of hair loss. And to make matters worse, I was growing hair in places I didn’t want it — my ears, my face, my chin, etc.! That was due to an elevated testosterone level. After having my hormones tested and discovering how out-of-whack my hormone levels were, I tried bioidentical hormones, achieved a better hormone balance and the hair started staying on my head instead of jumping off my head and into my hairbrush! Plus, the random hair growth in unwanted places decreased dramatically!

So why am I bringing up a subject we’d rather not talk about? Especially in the holiday/New Year issue of The Minute Magazine? Well, here’s my answer. ‘Tis the season! We’ve got to look good for our holiday parties. And then there’s that whole issue of “New Year/New You” for 2010. With holidays and New Year resolutions approaching, there’s no time like the present to talk about hair!

Hair Tip #1: Hormone Balance

It doesn’t matter what you do, if you don’t solve your body’s mysteries, you will just have to continually deal with this problem. So let’s start with hormone testing. If your doctor doesn’t test hormones, then find one who does. And make sure that you are retested on a periodic basis. Hormones can become unbalanced again due to stress or other events in your body. So this is a constant monitoring process. You and your doctor should have an ongoing dialogue about your hormone levels. And moms, this can affect your teenagers, too. As their hormones fluctuate, hair growth can result. Hormone testing can  be beneficial for teenagers, too.

Hair Tip #2: Waxing

Waxing is a method of semi-permanent hair removal which removes the hair from the root cause. Almost any area of the body can be waxed, including eyebrows, face, bikini area, legs, arms, back, abdomen and feet. New hairs will not grow back in the waxed area for two to eight weeks. I’ve used this method of hair removal since I was a teenager for my brows and lip. It works well, is relatively inexpensive, and available at most salons.

Hair Tip #3: Waxing with Epilar Treatment

This treatment begins with waxing, followed by application of an inhibitor gel and an activator gel. This treatment works on all skin and hair types and can be used on all body parts. The procedure targets hair follicles left empty after waxing, specifically hairs that are active and in the growth phase. Epilar application will also increase the intervals for depilation and leave skin smooth and soft between treatments. I haven’t personally tried this, but I know it is very effective for women who might have a lot of hair on their cheeks and would just prefer to have smoother skin.

Hair Tip #4: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

FDA approved for permanent hair reduction, intense pulsed light is fast and very effective in eliminating large areas of unwanted hair. Light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair and converted to heat in the follicle. The heat damages the follicle and disables it from growing new hair. IPL is excellent for areas such as the lip, under arms, or even the bikini area. This treatment lasts only 10 to 15 minutes, works best on darker hair, and is usually recommended in a series of four to six treatments. I have had IPL treatments under my arms. And yes, I rarely have to shave there anymore. This is truly one of my small joys in life! No more itchy, scratchy, five-o’clock shadow in my pits!

Hair Tip #5: Electrolysis

FDA approved for permanent hair removal, electrolysis is a procedure in which individual follicles are destroyed with chemical or heat energy. The hair is then removed with tweezers. Once the follicle is destroyed, it can never reproduce hair. Electrolysis can only be performed by a Licensed Electrologist. Electrolysis works on all hair and skin colors and is great for small areas that can’t be treated with IPL like ears, eyebrows, and for white-blonde, red or gray hair. Many factors influence hair growth, so the number of sessions needed to remove hair permanently from an area will vary. Treatments typically occur once a week and last 15 minutes to one hour. Electrolysis is on my list of things to do. I’d like to never again see a hair on my big toe again! Can anyone relate to that? This is also great for those “stray eyebrow hairs” that show up on your chin!

Whew! That’s it. Five tips for hair! And none of them involved cutting, highlighting, styling, weaving, extensions, horse shampoo, or other strange products. While this conversation has been geared towards my lady friends, it applies to our men as well. The ear hair that you would like to see disappear from your honey’s ears (this will help him actually hear the honey-do list you so lovingly give him) can be permanently gone, not to mention the nose hair. I do recommend that you LOVINGLY and DELICATELY talk to your honey about getting his coiffure in order PRIOR to the company’s Christmas party! After all, guys are as sensitive about their hair as we girls are. They just use fewer products — hair gels, straighteners, hairspray, to name a few. This is the moment when you can educate your man about hair removal. And after you make your own appointment, make him an appointment, too!

So if you, like me, would like to reduce or eliminate the hair issues in your life, then join me on the appointment calendar at my favorite two places for hair reduction and removal: Seasons Medical Aesthetics and It’s Permanent. You can find Seasons Medical Aesthetics & Spa in Ruston at 411 E. Vaughn Ave., Suite 201. You can find Seasons Medical Aesthetics in association with It’s Permanent in Monroe at 1033 N. 6th Street. And to make an appointment or get more information about any of these procedures, contact our Ruston office at 318-255-3223 or in Monroe at 318-340-1778. In the meantime, girls, let’s put our best hair (and hair removed) forward!

Confession #7: The Pursuit of Happiness and The Words of Benjamin Franklin

I’ve had a paradigm shift. Ever had one? I looked at life, health and happiness the way I’ve been raised to look at it. And then, after a life-changing situation rocked my world, I saw everything differently.

Actually, I’ve had several life-changing, rock-my-world situations over the years. I don’t think I’m unique in that regard, but I want to share with you the silver lining that illuminated my most recent cloud.

Most of my life, I believed the prescription for good health was this: get sick, go to the doctor, take all prescribed medications, get well, and go on with life. I guess you could call it a “treatment-focused” way of thinking.

Now that I’m a little older and have two children for whom I am responsible, I find myself wondering, “What can I do to PREVENT my children from being sick?” And with the looming threat of the worst flu season in decades, that curiousity about prevention is echoing loudly inside of my head.

I lived in Phoenix for nearly 15 years. One thing unique about living out west was the embrace of naturopathic and a holistic approach to medicine. If these terms are new for you, let me give you some simple definitions. Naturopathic: try a natural remedy first. Holistic: consider the whole body when prescribing treatment. For example, some research shows that honey is a very effective cough suppressant. A physician in Arizona advised me to try that with my child first before trying an over-the-counter medication. It worked. This would be a naturopathic (honey is a naturally derived substance) and holistic (a natural solution is less dangerous with no side effects, in this case) solution for a cough.

I’m certainly not in favor of abandoning all prescription medication, but I am guilty of rushing to the pediatrician in hopes of getting my child well as quickly as possible because of some upcoming committment instead of letting a cold run it’s course. Aren’t we clamoring for any pill that can end the misery in 24 hours or less? It’s a symptom of the world we live in. We’re all in a hurry to be somewhere. I am guilty of this more times than I ever want to admit.

An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth A Pound of Cure.

Benjamin Franklin said it best when he coined the phrase that’s been repeated for generations, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Former Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona echoed Franklin’s advice in an opinion published by the Arizona Daily Star.

“Sadly,” says Dr. Carmona, “in the United States spending to treat preventable chronic diseases accounts for more than 75 percent of the approximately $2 trillion we spend each year on health care. Americans spend more money on health care than any other nation, yet rank 42nd in life expectancy worldwide, down from 11th two decades ago. While our federal and state governments spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on treating diseases, they spend less than $10 per person per year to prevent diseases. We are a treatment-focused society, when the real benefits to health and happiness come from preventing diseases before they ever occur.”

Startling, isn’t it. Reading Dr. Carmona’s words reminded me that my pursuit of wellness is worth sharing. We need to jump off the bandwagon of a treatment-focused society and jump in to the pursuit of wellness.

So here we go–five suggestions for the pursuit of wellness. Are you ready to jump in?

Evaluate Your Diet.

Do you make good food choices? Are you overweight? The latest statistics indicate that 58 million Americans are overweight, 40 million are obese, and 4 million are morbidly obese. The vast majority of illness is caused or complicated by being overweight.

Evaluate Your Activity.

Do you exercise? I confess. I don’t exercise as much as I’d like. It’s really hard during this season of my life to have time for myself. But I’m learning to incorporate physical fitness into my life in different ways. I park further from the grocery store entry and WALK. I take the stairs, much to the chagrin of my kids who LOVE the elevator. I stop working at the computer for 5 minutes and do 50 situps. All these little bits of activity add up and encourage me to pursue bigger bits of activity like an hour of tennis or a bike ride with the kids.

Have A Wellness Checkup.

When is the last time you saw your physician for an annual physical? It’s easy to procrastinate. Who likes to get stuck by a needle? Annual bloodwork and screenings are an important part of pursuing wellness. Ladies, get a mammogram and do monthly breast self-exams. And men, turn your head and cough. A healthy prostate will save you a lot of heartache (and groin-ache) in the future.

Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D.

More and more studies are indicating the importance of Vitamin D in disease prevention. Our generation doesn’t get as much sun, the best source of Vitamin D, as generations before us. The level of cold and flu increases in the winter largely due to the decrease of Vitamin D in our system. If your physician doesn’t evaluate your Vitamin D level, go to one who will. A supplement might not be enough to boost your Vitamin D to an adequate level, so seek the advice of a doctor. Medical research even suggests that Vitamin D is the BEST prevention for flu–even better than the vaccine. To learn more about Vitamin D, check out other posts on our website.

Decrease Your Stress.

Stress is the enemy. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Take time to smell the flowers. My best de-stresser is weekly Bible Study. Yours might be different, but I promise my method works! I also love to read. I don’t have a lot of time for reading, but I carry a book around with me just in case.

Good luck with your pursuit. And with any luck, you and I will pursue wellness and find happiness.

Confession #6: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 3 of 3.

This is the third of three posts in response to a Newsweek headline, “Crazy Talk,” and the accompanying article, “Best Life or Risky Advice?” which blasted talk-show host Oprah Winfrey for many things, including her support and use of bioidentical hormones.

A quick recap. Read the Newsweek article for yourself. Second, make medical decisions based on medical research and evidence. Third, the right approach to bioidentical hormones is balance. Fourth, there is no blanket prescription for womanhood.

Individualized Treatment Results in Balanced Hormones.

In my last post, I talked about the blanket prescription for womanhood that seems to prevail in the medical world out there. But for me, the right answer was a treatment plan that balanced my hormones.

At Seasons, my hormones were tested and found to be terribly out of whack. Dr. Goodyear developed a therapy plan which included several varieties of bioidentical hormones according to my individual needs and life changes like proper nutrition and exercise. After a period of time, they retested my hormones and adjusted my prescriptions. This cycle continues until the body returns to normal hormone levels with no bioidentical hormone support.

My course of treatment will soon come to an end. It has been nearly a two year journey marked by gradual and noticeable improvement. I feel so much better now. And girl has it been interesting! I am so much more educated about my body and how it works.

I also have more courage. I stood up to “hearsay” with scientific evidence. I feel comfortable researching medical issues. I am aware that there are multiple sides to any story. I am confident I made the right choice for me.

Give Kudos To Courageous Women.

Right or wrong, Oprah and Suzanne Somers said, “Hey…traditional medicine isn’t working for us! Is somebody listening?” Many of us echo that sentiment. I’ve had multiple conversations with multiple doctors in different states about my health problems. No one seemed to have an answer other than those treatments du jour I mentioned in Confession #5.

The fact is, Mr. Kosova and Mr. Wingert (authors of the Newsweek article), women listen to Oprah because they identify with her. She listened to us. She is one of us. She came from nothing, worked hard, made her dreams come true, and now helps her viewers and listeners accomplish their goals. She has challenged us to run marathons, read books, and ask questions. We listen when she asks questions! And we listen when she offers solutions.

And this time, she found the same health solution that I did.

Confession #5: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 2 of 3.

This is the second of three posts in response to a Newsweek headline, “Crazy Talk,” and the accompanying article “Best Life or Risky Advice?” which blasted talk-show host Oprah Winfrey for many things, including her support and use of bioidentical hormones.

A quick recap. First, read the Newsweek article for yourself. Second, make medical decisions based on medical research and evidence.

Bioidentical hormones are not the “solution of the week.” They are not a trend. Many out there are claiming bioidentical hormones are the cure for all that ails you. Seasons doesn’t make that claim. They are, however, a great solution for many women.

The Seasons Approach to Bioidentical Hormones is Balance.

The key to weathering the hormonal storms of womanhood is balance: balance between what we eat and how much exercise we get; balance between work and play; balance between rest and activity.

We also need balance on the inside. Balance between estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid, and melatonin. When these hormones became imbalanced (as mine did), we develop symptoms: hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, mental fog, weight gain, just to name a few. This may or may not have anything at all to do with menopause (mine was stress and pregnancy related). But once these hormones are back in balance, the symptoms diminish or disappear.

And, oh, the bliss when the symptoms disappear! Don’t underestimate the value of just plain old “feeling good.” (Ladies, feel free to chime in with an Amen here!)

There Is No Blanket Prescription for Womanhood.

We can’t just take three pills and feel better (and if that doesn’t work, just do a hysterectomy). But that seems to be how modern medicine treats us. Think about it. We all have different bodies, different levels of hormones. These hormones are affected by environment, genetics, stress, pregnancy, etc. There’s no way my hormones and yours could be the same. Our lives are different. Our genetics are different. It just doesn’t make sense that our solutions should be the same.

So why is it that many physicians want to prescribe the same treatment for all of us? Birth control pills and anti-depressants are the prescription du jour for women between 30 and menopause. And for the those approaching/in/completing the BIG change of seasons (menopause), the prescription du jour is synthetic hormones and (yes) anti-depressants. Don’t get me wrong, here. There are some who need an anti-depressant for true symptoms of depression. But as a blanket prescription for womanhood, anti-depressants are a bad idea.

In fact, my husband told me a few years ago that I was the only wife he knew who wasn’t taking an anti-depressant – he and his friends actually had this conversation. That’s not to say I wasn’t having mood-swings. I just flat-out refused to take an anti-depressant even though my physician at the time offered it as an option. I knew depression was not my issue. It was something else. I just couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

You know, when the solutions you are offered in life just don’t work, you have to keep searching, especially when you just don’t feel good and you want your life back. I did keep searching. And I found a solution that worked. In my next post, I’ll complete my comments and share with you my solution.

See you there.

Confession #4: Evidence and Crazy Talk. Part 1 of 3.

Crazy Talk.

I’ve heard that expression before. But when I heard the Newsweek headline about Oprah was entitled “Crazy Talk,” I was scared to read the article.

Why was I scared? You see my own personal experience with bioidentical hormones has made me a huge advocate. When Oprah revealed on national TV that bioidentical hormone therapy had worked for her, I was thrilled! “Maybe Oprah’s support will encourage her viewers to learn more about them,” I thought. “Maybe her media power will help open the closed minds of many traditional doctors…give them a reason to listen when their patients ask questions…”

A week after it was published, I finally mustered up enough courage to read the article. It wasn’t as bad as I anticipated. The article certainly had a negative tone, but it was more about Oprah’s power than bioidentical hormones.

Read the Newsweek Article For Yourself.

The most important thing we can do is think for ourselves. To read the article at Newsweek’s website (“Best Life or Risky Advice?”, Newsweek, published 6/30/09), click here.

The authors, Weston Kosova and Pat Wingert, point a finger at one major issue: Oprah has an unopposed platform to air her views and give credibility to whatever she chooses. That’s true. Oprah’s greatest accomplishment is her media power, through television, radio, print and her website. With that great power comes great responsibility. Mr. Kosova and Mr. Wingert work on the assumption here that Oprah has missed the boat on the responsibility part. And while I might agree with some (or even much) of what they said, I think they “threw the (bioidentical hormone) baby out with the bath water.”

Make Medical Decisions Based On Medical Research and Evidence.

There is definitely controversy on the topic of bioidentical hormones, and plenty of it: controversy between traditional medicine and a more progressive approach to medicine; controversy between drug companies and compounding pharmacists; even controversy between doctors and their patients.

But there is also plenty of research and evidence that supports the use of bioidentical hormones. Loads of it, actually. Spend a little time exploring the Seasons website and you will find numerous links to research articles. I encourage you to read for yourself!

In my next post, I’ll continue with more thoughts on the “Crazy Talk” article.

See you there.

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