You’ll have better success if you eat with a focus on lowering inflammation, detoxifying the system, and meeting your nutritional needs. Many people take on anti-inflammatory diets to manage constant pain, digestive complaints, skin rashes such as eczema or psoriasis, an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and other chronic health problems.

People are surprised to find that not only do their symptoms fade but they also lose unwanted pounds. This is because excess weight can be a symptom of health imbalances, such as chronic inflammation, stress or leaky gut, a condition in which the lining of the gut becomes inflamed and porous.

Weight loss through better health

An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on whole foods and is free of inflammatory foods. Although it may cut out many of your favorite foods, it does not require you to be hungry. In fact, hunger can work against you by causing low blood sugar. Certain herbs and supplements that cleanse and detoxify the body can boost the anti-inflammatory and weight-loss benefits of the diet.

Anti-inflammatory diet basics that can lead to weight loss

Although anti-inflammatory diets vary, here are some basics:
• Eliminate all processed foods, fast foods, desserts, coffee drinks, sodas, etc. These foods are designed to be addictive. Your anti-inflammatory diet should consist mainly of whole foods found in the produce and meat sections of the grocery store, with an emphasis on plenty of vegetables. Also eliminate processed vegetable oils and hydrogenated oils. Stick with natural oils such as coconut oil and olive oil.
• Eliminate common inflammatory foods. The most common culprit is gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other wheat-like grains. Many people enjoy weight loss simply by going on a gluten-free diet. However, you may have developed an intolerance to other foods, including dairy, eggs, soy, and nuts. Eliminate these foods for about a month to see whether you react upon reintroducing them one at a time.
• Eliminate sweets. Sugars and sweeteners are inflammatory and a major culprit in excess weight. On the anti-inflammatory diet you will avoid all sweeteners, including natural ones such as honey and maple syrup. This helps curb cravings, stabilize blood sugar, lower inflammation, and eliminate excess fat. Enjoy fruit instead, such as berries.
• Some people may need to follow stricter versions of this diet, such as eliminating grains, foods with lectins, or nightshades. An anti-inflammatory diet can be tailored to individual needs, but the focus is on clearing out the junk and getting back to foods in their most natural state, with an emphasis on plenty of leafy green vegetables.
• Eat to satisfaction, but do not overeat. Overeating even healthy foods stresses the system and causes blood sugar problems. If you have an eating disorder or food addiction, you may need additional support for that.
• Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep promotes hunger, stress, and inflammation and is linked with obesity in studies. Sufficient sleep is a major inflammation-buster. And, of course, get regular physical activity, not to burn calories but because it is vital to good health. Overtraining, however, can cause inflammation and actually counteract your weight loss efforts.

Boost success with gut repair and detoxification

I have found adding in nutritional compounds to help repair a damaged gut, lower inflammation, support the liver, and gently detoxify the system is a wonderful way to boost weight loss on the anti-inflammatory diet. Ask me for more information about a detoxification and gut-repair program – nina@ninaprice.com

In functional medicine, we have long known certain diet and lifestyle practices, as well as various nutritional and botanical compounds, can reduce the risk of cancer. Not only can nutritional therapy help prevent cancer, but it also can aid in the management of chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disorders so common today.

Cancer risk factors also increase risks for common diseases today

Many of the same factors that raise the risk of cancer are also linked with many chronic immune disorders common today:
• Neurological disorders—memory loss, Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s
• Autoimmune disease—Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Graves’ disease, vitiligo, type 1 diabetes
• Mood disorders—Anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorders
• Other health issues—Chronic pain, migraines, fatigue, obesity, type 2 diabetes

Peoples’ diet and lifestyle choices significantly influence their chance of getting cancer or one of the other immune disorders listed above. For instance, smoking alone is a responsible for 30 percent of cancers (and 75 percent of lung cancer) in the United States, and obesity for another 20 percent.

Cancer prevention falling on deaf ears

Although an enormous amount of data on the causes and preventability of cancer already exist, little of it has been put into practice on a larger scale, according to researchers. Instead, people, and their doctors, remain skeptical that cancer can be prevented.

Obstacles to more widespread cancer prevention cited by the researchers include:
• The short-term focus of cancer research. The benefits of preventions take decades to be realized.
• Intervening too late. It may be too late to implement preventive strategies after a lifetime of cancer-causing habits.
• The focus of research on treatment instead of prevention. Research focuses on a single organ affected. Focusing on behavioral changes to prevent cancer might save more lives.
• Societal factors that affect health. Many of the factors that increase the risk of cancer and other diseases, such as fast foods, high-carb diets, and addictions to sedentary forms of entertainment (television, video games, the Internet), are accepted as normal in our society.

Cancer education and awareness are still possible

It’s possible to change social norms and affect health, say the researchers. Anti-smoking campaigns have led to a decline in lung cancer rates. Media attention on the dangers of trans fats has led to more awareness and less use of hydrogenated oils in food processing and the restaurant industry.

Unfortunately, we often don’t see people willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes until the “pain of the problem is worse than the pain of the solution.” Adopting a healthier diet and incorporating herbal and nutritional supplements into daily life can be challenging at first, but such changes significantly ease symptoms, restore well-being, and reduce the risk of cancer for many people.

If you’re ready to change some eating habits, I’m inviting you to join my annual Spring Cleanse – write to me nina@ninaprice.com and tell me that you’re ready to join the group.

Why constipation is hard on the body

Regular bowel movements eliminate toxins, metabolized hormones, and waste from your body. When you’re constipated these compounds sit idle in the intestines and are absorbed back into the bloodstream. This can sap energy, make you more cranky, hinder the ability of your body to function optimally, and increase health risks such as for heart disease.

Fecal matter sitting immobile in the digestive tract promotes an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and yeast. This creates inflammation in the gut and other digestive symptoms, such as gas, bloating, pain, allergies, and food sensitivities. Yeast overgrowths also promote itchy skin, vaginal yeast infections, fungal infections, and more.

Constipation is also uncomfortable, if not painful. It makes people feel heavy and bloated, sometimes causing abdominal cramps, hemorrhoids, or anal fissures.

Nutrition and constipation

For some people, the cause of constipation is easy to address. They simply need to eat a whole foods diet rich in fiber and stay sufficiently hydrated. For people used to eating a diet heavy in fast foods, consuming plenty of vegetables and fruit can significantly improve bowel function.

Nutritional support, such as with essential fatty acids, vitamin D, and quality vitamins and minerals, can also help.

Probiotics are another powerful tool. Many people suffer from an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and not enough beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can contribute to constipation. Often boosting beneficial bacteria with probiotics or fermented and cultured foods can support healthy elimination.

Food intolerances, leaky gut, and constipation

Sometimes the root cause of constipation requires more sleuthing. The best place to start is with gut health and hidden sources of inflammation, as constipation can be a symptom of inflammation in the gut. Finding a food intolerance, such as to gluten, dairy, corn, or egg, is all it takes to relieve constipation for some. For instance, many people have found eliminating gluten from their diet significantly improves gut health and bowel function. After removing inflammatory foods from your diet, you may also need to dampen gut inflammation and repair a leaky gut with the support of clinical nutrition.

Hypothyroidism and constipation

Constipation is a very common symptom of hypothyroidism, which slows down the body’s metabolism. Because conventional lab ranges to diagnose hypothyroidism are so broad, many people with low thyroid function are misdiagnosed. If you have thyroid symptoms, you should screen for hypothyroidism from a functional blood chemistry perspective, which includes evaluating for Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune thyroid disease that attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of hypothyroidism today and requires autoimmune management.

Brain health and constipation

The digestive tract has a nervous system much like the brain’s, and the gut and the brain are very intimately connected. Many people suffer from an imbalance in neurotransmitters, chemicals that relay messages between neurons. These imbalances can not only affect mood, memory, and well-being, but also digestive functions and can play a role in constipation. Whenever a gut issue becomes chronic, one should take steps to investigate and support brain health.

Need some advice about natural remedies for dealing with constipation? Drop me a line nina@ninaprice.com

If you have been following conventional advice, then you’ve been told to avoid fats to prevent heart disease. Turns out if you want to maintain a healthy vascular system and prevent heart disease, sugar is the target you want to seek out and eliminate.

Research has found people who get at least 25 percent of their daily calories from added sugars of any kind were more than three times more likely to have low levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol in their bloodstream, a risk factor for heart disease, than people who got less than 5 percent of their calories from sweeteners. The high sugar consumers were also found to have higher triglycerides than normal, another risk factor for heart disease.

For a person who eats 2,000 calories a day, 25 percent is 500 calories, or 125 grams of sugar. To give you an idea, a medium white chocolate mocha has about 60 grams of sugar while a pecan roll has about 50. And that’s just breakfast. While most people worry about weight gain from sugar, they should also consider heart disease.

Metabolic syndrome from eating too much sugar raises risk of heart disease

Researchers turned their microscopes on sugar when it became clear during the explosion of obesity and diabetes over the last 20 to 30 years that metabolic syndrome is the leading risk factor for heart disease.

Metabolic syndrome is a condition brought on by a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates that eventually causes insulin resistance. Eating a diet high in sugars and starchy carbs—pastas, pastries, breads—causes your body to pump out high amounts of insulin. Eventually the body’s cells, overwhelmed by the demands of insulin, become insulin resistant. Also, the pancreas becomes overwhelmed by pumping out so much insulin and becomes exhausted. As a result, blood sugar levels skyrocket. Many people with insulin resistance go on to develop Type 2 diabetes.

It’s the chronically high insulin and blood sugar levels that are so hard on the vascular system and increase the risk of heart disease precipitously. In addition to increased belly fat, metabolic syndrome also brings with it high triglycerides (fats circulating in the bloodstream), high blood pressure, lower HDL (the good cholesterol) and higher LDL (bad) cholesterol, high inflammation, and a long list of other chronic health conditions. If scientists want to induce metabolic syndrome in lab animals, they simply feed them a diet high in sugar. Even when sugar comprises just 20 percent of calories it induces insulin resistance.

In humans, regularly consuming soft drinks, sweetened juices and bakery products are sufficient to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and heart disease. Junk fats, such as processed vegetable oils and hydrogenated oils—fries, chips, and processed foods made with trans fats and soybean oils—fuel the damage to the body.

How sugar damages arteries

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease because high levels of sugar circulating in the bloodstream inflames and damages the lining of the arteries. The body uses cholesterol to patch the damaged areas contributing to the formation of plaque within the arteries—a process known as “atherosclerosis.” Although an effective short-term fix, this eventually leads to the creation of artery-clogging plaque, and drives up the risk of a heart attack.

How much sugar should you eat?

The answer is fairy straightforward, none. The human body operates wonderfully on carbohydrates derived from fresh vegetables and fruit. However, the American Heart Association suggests no more than 5 percent of calories come from sugar. On a 2,000 calorie diet, that’s 24 grams, or the equivalent of six teaspoons.

To put it in perspective, a can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar; a regular size frozen yogurt has 40 grams; a 16 ounce mocha drink with whipped cream has 47 grams; and a bag of Skittles has 47 grams; 8 ounces of bottled ice tea has 23 grams; and a Clif Bar has 21 grams. It is very easy to quickly exceed safe limits of sugar consumption and thus increase your risk of heart disease.

Did your blood test for a health problem say you’re fine even though you suffer from fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, digestive issues, joint pain, or other symptoms? Does your doctor give you a prescription for antidepressants because your problems “don’t exist.”

Many doctors dismiss health complaints because of an incomplete blood test that only looks for diseases instead of trends toward disease. In functional medicine, however, we use a blood test for assessing risk of disease before it develops. This way you can do something about it before it’s too late. For instance, you can identify a risk for diabetes long before a diagnosis, or explain hypothyroid symptoms despite “normal” lab results.

A functional blood test for a return to health

Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of symptoms instead of overriding them with drugs or surgery. One tool we use to accomplish this is to interpret blood tests using functional ranges, which outline the parameters of good health.

In contrast, the ranges most doctors use are based on a bell-curve analysis of all the people who visited that lab over a certain period of time, many of whom are very sick. These lab ranges have broadened over the last few decades as health of the American population has declined. As a result, many people with real health problems are told they’re ok because their results fall within these ranges.

Do you really want to evaluate your health in comparison to all the sick people who visited your lab, or do you want to look at a blood test for what constitutes good health?

Looking for blood test patterns 

Because functional medicine is based on an in-depth knowledge of human physiology and how various systems in the body work together, we also look at a blood test for patterns instead of just looking at individual markers. By doing this, we see how these different systems influence one another to cause a constellation of symptoms.

For instance, looking at different white blood cells reveals whether an immune reaction is chronic or acute, and whether a virus, a bacterial infection, allergies, or parasite may be causing it. Other patterns can help us identify fatty liver, leaky gut, different types of anemia, or even a possible autoimmune disorder.

Blood test for functional medicine is more thorough

Because we look at a more complete picture, a blood test for functional medicine also includes more markers that standard blood tests. For instance, many doctors only look at TSH, a basic thyroid marker, when running a blood test for hypothyroidism. In functional medicine, however, we know that Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the thyroid gland, is responsible for 90 percent of hypothyroid cases in the United States. Therefore we also test thyroid antibodies to screen for autoimmunity along with other thyroid markers for more information.

A blood test for a functional medicine approach can also help us know what other tests may be necessary, such as a gastrointestinal panel or further testing for anemia.

Principles of functional medicine

Once the potential problems or risks have been assessed, a functional medicine practitioner uses a variety of science-backed, non-pharmaceutical approaches to restore health. These include:

• Adjustments to the diet
• Lifestyle changes (such as eating breakfast, proper sleep hygiene, physical activity, or reduction of stress)
• The use of botanicals or nutritional compounds to improve physiological function
• Other natural medicine approaches customized for the patient based on lab testing

If you’re interested in a functional medicine approach to lab testing – send me an email nina@ninaprice.com and let me know what you would like help with. Wishing you good health in the New Year!

Suffering from anxiety is like being held prisoner in a place where worry infuses every thought, your heart pounds, and the world seems jarring and disorienting. With anti-anxiety medications among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States, Americans are clearly suffering. Though medications relieve the symptoms, they don’t address the cause.

Some causes of anxiety are obvious: stimulants such as caffeine, weight loss pills, energy drinks, or supplements that increase energy. Psychological or emotional stressors, such as having to speak in public or prepare for a major exam, can also bring on bouts of anxiety.

However, chronic anxiety can have lesser-known causes that, if managed, can relieve symptoms and negate the need for medication. Although the cause of anxiety can sometimes be neurologically complex, other times it can be as simple as making some changes to your diet and lifestyle. Here are a few lesser-known causes of anxiety.

GAD autoimmunity and anxiety

GAD stands for glutamic acid decarboxylase, an enzyme that triggers production of the brain’s primary calming chemical, called GABA. Some people develop an autoimmune reaction to GAD, which means their immune system erroneously attacks and destroys it. As a result, they can’t make enough GABA to calm the brain and anxiety goes up. GAD autoimmunity is also linked to obsessive compulsive disorder, motion sickness, vertigo, facial tics, and other symptoms. GAD autoimmunity is more common in those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease and a gluten-free diet can alleviate symptoms.

Gluten and anxiety

Gluten has other links to anxiety. It’s hard to believe something as innocent as your morning toast or a bowl of spaghetti could cause anxiety, but recent research shows that is the case for many people. Gluten has been shown to trigger inflammation in the brain and autoimmune attacks against brain tissue, which can cause anxiety. Although a gluten-free diet is an important first step, many people find they also need to eliminate other foods such as dairy, eggs, or other grains to prevent anxiety. An anti-inflammatory diet is a good beginning to address brain health.

Blood sugar imbalances and anxiety

It’s amazing how many chronic health issues stem from a blood sugar imbalance caused by eating a high-carbohydrate diet. Every time you eat too many carbs in the way of breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, desserts, pastries, soda or sweet coffee drinks you send blood sugar and insulin surging and crashing. When this happens daily it can create a multitude of neurological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability, and fatigue. Skipping meals and drinking too much coffee also feeds this cycle. A lower-carb, whole foods diet with enough healthy proteins and fats can keep energy on an even keel and tame anxiety.

Unmanaged Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism

The majority of cases of hypothyroidism in this country are autoimmune, meaning the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. When an autoimmune attack flares, damage to the gland spills thyroid hormone into the bloodstream, which can amp up metabolism and cause symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and heart palpitations. In this case proper management of the autoimmune thyroid condition can help subdue anxiety.

These are just a handful of possible causes of anxiety typically overlooked in the standard health care model. If you would like to find out more about strategies for managing anxiety using natural means and my Midlife Mood Reboot, drop me a line nina@ninaprice.com and let’s talk!

Wishing a healthy,happy, anxiety-free holiday season!

Skipping breakfast makes you more prone to overeating or poor food choices

Breakfast is the easiest meal to skip—mornings are rushed and many people don’t have an appetite when they wake up. Some people even feel nauseous in the morning (which indicates a blood sugar disorder). But if you skip breakfast you may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts, increasing your risk of obesity and blood sugar disorders, and robbing your brain of energy.

Skipping breakfast associated with obesity

Numerous studies show skipping breakfast is associated with higher rates of obesity in both children and adults. Some people erroneously think that by skipping breakfast they consume fewer calories and thus aid weight loss. However, skipping breakfast can set into motion an unhealthy metabolic cascade that eventually leads to excess fat.

Breakfast is the first meal after a long night of fasting. In the absence of food, the body must release stored glucose to fuel the brain or create glucose by breaking down muscle tissue. This process is made possible by stress hormones.

Skipping breakfast when your brain and body are starved for energy exaggerates this stress response, forcing the body to continually pump out stress hormones to fuel the brain. These stress hormones also explain why some people wake up feeling nauseous. Although it seems counter-intuitive, eating can actually relieve that morning nausea by inhibiting the stress response.

The habitual stress response caused by skipping breakfast and other meals promotes weight gain, upsets hormonal balance, causes inflammation, hinders brain function, and can lead to symptoms such as migraines, depression, mood swings, shakiness, lightheadedness, brain fog, sleep disorders, and more. Eating meals high in sugar and carbohydrates also contributes to this problem by causing energy to continually spike and crash throughout the day.

Eating breakfast is an important strategy when it comes to preventing weight gain and fatigue.

Skipping breakfast can increase your chances of overindulging or making poor food choices later in the day. When your energy is crashing and your brain is starving for fuel, downing a caramel latte or package of mini donuts suddenly seems unavoidable. A well-fueled brain is better equipped to make healthier choices and not succumb to a mad grab for the nearest source of quick energy (for which the American food industry seems to be designed).

A recent study validated this tendency, showing participants who skipped breakfast were more likely to seek out high-calorie junk foods and that dieters who skip meals are more prone to gain weight over the long run. Their brain scans showed skipping meals stimulated the brain in a way that made high-calorie foods seem more appealing. Those who skipped breakfast also ate about 20 percent more at lunch.

Breakfast keeps body and brain on an even keel

Breakfast should emphasize healthy proteins and fat (avoid sugary, starchy breakfasts) to start the day on an even keel and maximize brain function. Eat frequently enough to avoid blood sugar crashes, and include protein, healthy fat, and fiber (vegetables) with every meal to sustain energy and prevent fatigue throughout the day.

In my coaching practice, I see a lot of women in midlife struggling to maintain their footing in the work world. They realize their skills are out-of-date, but they don’t know what to do about it. They say they have a “sinking feeling” that they are no longer as sharp, as valued or as relevant as they used to be.

Perhaps you, too, have had this feeling. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

• You are returning to the workforce after years, even decades, of raising your kids. You don’t want to just get a J.O.B.; you want something that has meaning for you. Yet, you find your choices are limited based on what you can show on your resume. You know you need new skills and training (not to mention a boost in your confidence), but have no idea where to start.

• Perhaps you’ve been successful in the corporate world, but now, like so many others, you’ve been laid off. You may have no trouble finding job prospects, but  wait a minute—suddenly employers are offering you a lower salary to do the same work you’ve always done. You’re used to earning a lot more money, and you now realize you may have to take a big pay cut just to stay employed. Where before you had the income to travel, buy yourself nice things and pursue your creative or spiritual side, now you worry how you’ll pay your bills or that you’ll outlive your retirement.

• Or let’s say you’re one of the “lucky ones”. You haven’t been laid off, but you are increasingly put off by the long hours and high-stress lifestyle of your current job. It’s too much for your body to handle anymore. You are burned out—tired of the schedule, tired of working for someone else. You’re ready for something new, something that matters to you—be it launch your own business, or advocate for a cause you care about. But you’re terrified to make a change, telling yourself over and over, “I’m lucky to have a job at all!”

No matter which of these scenarios rings true to you, there’s one thing all women (and men) in midlife need to know: In order to stay marketable and employable, you have to keep up with your skills. This is one of the only ways to counter the unpleasant realities of ageism in the workplace.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Skills? I’ve got enough skills—why do I need more?

I know the feeling. By the time most of us get to midlife, we feel we’ve paid our dues.

You may have invested a lot into your education in your early 20s or 30s, but somehow after that, you lost the urgency to continue learning. Either that, or you got too busy.

Unless you had an employer who was willing to pay for your professional development, your own training took a backseat to what you needed to get done on any particular day. Now in midlife, you’re ready to sit back and reap the rewards of near-retirement. You’re ready to relax.

This attitude may have worked in the days of pensions and fat 401K accounts, but it doesn’t work anymore. Being a lifelong learner is no longer an option—it’s a necessity.

Whether you have a job now, have been canned from your job—or want to quit the job you have, it’s critical to keep your skills up-to-date.

Ask yourself:

• Do I have the skills people are paying top dollar for?
• What baseline or specialty skills are employers looking for?
• What skills are required for someone in my area of expertise?
• How often do I actively upgrade my skills?

It may not be easy to answer these questions. You might need to do some research. If you’re wondering how to find out what skills employers are paying for—the skills you need to learn, try this:

• Ask your colleagues
• Talk with recruiters
• Request informational interviews with people doing what you want to be doing
• Scan job postings
• Join online groups, such as Yahoo groups, Google groups, LinkedIn groups
• Read professional publications, magazines, journals

Don’t wait until you’re looking for a job to find out what skills you need. Stay in touch with the skills your market values—and be sure you learn them!

BONUS EXERCISE

Are you ready to get intentional about cultivating your skills? Here are three steps to creating a plan.

1. Start with self-reflection.

Take some time to yourself to answer the following questions (preferably in writing):

• What parts of your current (or desired) job give you the most energy and satisfaction?
• What areas tend to drain your energy?
• Of the new and recent developments in your field, what interests you the most?
• What are your current strengths and skills for pursuing these interests?
• What skills do you need or want to work on?
• At what times (if any) do you feel confused, unsure or overwhelmed on the job?
• Where could you use support?
• What is most important to you in your work and your life?
• How do you typically learn best—by reading, listening, watching a video, attending a class with an instructor, attending a self-paced class, or engaging in conversation with others?

Tip: It may help to talk with a trusted colleague, friend or family member about your strengths and desired skills. Sometimes other people are better able to identify the areas where you can best improve, and point you to opportunities and resources you may not know about.

2. Set your goals for skill-building.

Given your answers to the above questions, how would you summarize the additional training and skills you need to succeed? What connections do you hope to make? What is the first thing you can do to update your skills that will have the highest payback—in the next month, and in the next year?

3. Identify opportunities.

What opportunities are there for developing new expertise and skills, or strengthening those you already have? This is your chance to locate the continuing education you need—perhaps conferences you would like to attend, classes or teleclasses you want to take, people you want to meet and projects you would like to work on. You might want to start an electronic and/or a paper file to keep track of upcoming events and learning opportunities.

For more on keeping your skills relevant and valued, read my book: 5 Strategies for Staying Employed in Today’s Economy.

ARE YOU READY TO GET SOME NEW SKILLS?

You’re in luck!

My signature program Turn Heads After 50 program is for women like you who are ready to WOW the WORLD in a whole new way. You’ll learn how to build a magnetic personal style, appearance and attitude—and create a better, bolder version of you. We’ll look at the skills you need to stay marketable and employable in today’s economy AND get paid what you’re worth.

If you didn’t catch my free sneak preview for Turn Heads After 50 with my co-host Cinder Ernst , you can listen to our conversation here. To find out more and sign up, go to the Turn Heads After 50 site. Don’t miss out—Turn Heads After 50 starts next week, and I only have a few slots left. Click here to join me

BE SEEN. BE HEARD. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Turn Heads After 50

Although insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes get pinned on diet and lifestyle choices, in some cases these disorders could be associated with an autoimmune reaction, which is the mechanism behind type 1 diabetes. If so, this changes the diet for diabetes to manage the autoimmune condition. It is estimated that 20 percent of people with type 2 diabetes also have an autoimmune reaction against the cells of their pancreas, prompting researchers to dub this “type 1.5 diabetes.” Type 1.5 diabetes may be even more prevalent than type 1 diabetes.

Insulin resistance (pre-diabetes) and diabetes are typically linked with a long-standing diet heavy in sweet, starchy foods and processed fats, as well as overeating and a lack of exercise. This is often referred to as “adult-onset diabetes,” although it’s becoming more common in younger people as their obesity rates rise. In these cases a diet for diabetes would involve managing blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes, referred to as “juvenile diabetes,” is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys pancreatic beta cells, which produce insulin.

A person with type 1.5 diabetes may have aspects of both: diet and lifestyle affect pancreatic function, as does an autoimmune reaction which may or may not have been identified. In this case a diet for diabetes would address blood sugar and autoimmune management.

Are you a slender, healthy diabetic or pre-diabetic? Consider type 1.5

Some individuals are at a healthy body weight, exercise regularly, and eat a healthy diet yet can’t seem to control their consistently high blood sugar levels. With type 1.5 diabetes an autoimmune reaction destroys cells of the pancreas, but the pancreas still secretes insulin—autoimmune damage is not advanced enough to shut down insulin function. In type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, more than 90 percent of the insulin-producing cells have been destroyed. Because a person with type 1.5 diabetes has not sustained pancreatic damage to such a great degree he or she is often misdiagnosed.

Identifying type 1.5 diabetes

If a diet for diabetes that is lower in carbohydrates begins moving blood sugar toward a normal range, it may be that your insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes does not have an autoimmune component. However, if insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes are stubborn despite a diet for diabetes, or if you are slender and active, it’s worth screening for antibodies against pancreatic beta and islet cells. Additionally, some people have antibodies against the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) enzyme, which is involved in the release of insulin from the pancreas. GAD is also found in areas of the brain, and an autoimmune reaction to GAD may be associated not only with a blood sugar disorder but also with such neurological symptoms as obsessive-compulsive disorder, dizziness, or problems with balance.

A diet for type 1.5 diabetes

Because type 1.5 diabetes is autoimmune, these individuals will want to go beyond a diet for diabetes that manages blood sugar to include managing the immune system. This means strictly avoiding immune-reactive foods, which for most people includes gluten and dairy. The GAD enzyme may cross-react with gluten so that eating gluten can stimulate an immune attack against GAD. Additional foods that trigger autoimmune reactions can be ferreted out by adhering to an autoimmune diet for a period of time. With type 1.5 diabetes, a diet for diabetes should be an autoimmune diet that also manages blood sugar.

Beyond a diet for diabetes, a number of nutritional compounds have been shown to regulate the immune system and dampen autoimmunity. If you need advice on managing autoimmunity – let’s talk.

Maybe you’ve seen your career derail or your investments devastated. You’ve grown restless or burned out in your business or profession, and are ready to start something new. You find yourself having to look for a job, afraid you won’t get paid what you’re worth. Or you want to start or grow your own business, network with new people, sell your skills or your products.

Perhaps the changes have happened at home: Your kids are grown and gone, or you’ve lost a spouse or a parent. For the first time, it’s you—alone—in your empty nest. And you’re wondering Who Am I? outside of your roles and relationships.

My clients and friends in midlife tell me they feel unfulfilled and undervalued. They say they feel stuck, like something is missing—but they’re not sure what it is. They have a new uncertainty about what’s to come, and their confidence in themselves (their bodies, their looks and their life) has taken a nosedive.

Whichever of these feelings are true for you, the challenge is the same: What Now?

When I was in my mid-40s, this question hit me head-on.

At the time, I had worked for 20 years in the computer industry in Silicon Valley. It was a fast-paced, high-stress and exciting lifestyle, and for the most part I loved it: I got to be creative, I got to be technical, and I got to be part of some cutting edge moments.

Over time, however, I noticed that my body wasn’t keeping up. I worked way too many hours, I burned the candle at both ends, and I ate way too irregularly and inconsistently. I was doing the same things I had always done, but I was getting different results (my definition of midlife).

Then the dot-com bust came. My working environment changed, and I became increasingly frustrated with my job. I felt stuck—downright unhappy, and I knew something had to give. One day I found myself asking: If you could do anything you wanted to make a living, what would you do? I sat with this question for a while, and I was shocked at what I heard.

“You’re done. It’s time to do something else.”

Something else? But what else? I had no idea what to do next.

I pondered it for a while, and during that time I trained to be a life coach. I also went to massage school—something I had always wanted to do, but never had the time for. After practicing these new disciplines for a while I realized that if I wanted to really help midlife women like me, I needed to be a board certified healthcare practitioner. So I went to acupuncture school. Through this whole process I learned to take much better care of myself.

My point in telling you my story is this: If I can change, anybody can. You can too.

The first step is to figure out what isn’t working, and change that. Sounds easier said than done, right? But mark my words—there are specific tools you can use that give you the confidence and know-how to make your most important changes, simple and soon. (To learn these incredible tools, join my Turn Heads After 50 program—scroll down for more info.)

One of these tools is to envision yourself doing and being the magnetic and meaningful self you want to be.

If you’re like many women, in your 20s or 30s you chose a career, partner or personal life based on what you thought was practical, socially acceptable or financially sound. You made logical and safe decisions, and you did well for yourself this way. Only now, in midlife, you have a stirring inside—a longing to feel fulfilled and inspired again, to rediscover an identity and purpose all your own.

This is one of the amazing things about midlife—it gives you the space, the awareness and the power to rewrite your own story. To give yourself a second chance to be successful. What will your Second Act look like?

Here are some questions to help guide you:

• If you could do anything with your time, how would you spend it?
• What in your current life lights you up?
• What do you feel is blocking you?
• What causes have passion for you? What boils your blood, or tears at your heart?
• What do you consider the MOST important thing in this world?
• What is it that you dream of accomplishing?

If you’re anything like the other women who are joining me for Turn Heads After 50, I know you are ready to feel alive again—to pursue your passions and your purpose, and get back to the YOU that you’ve long forgotten.

So when you’re not busy being somebody’s mother, somebody’s wife, somebody’s daughter and somebody’s employee—who are you?

This time, you get to decide.

ARE YOU READY TO REINVENT YOUR LIFE?

If so, you’re in luck!

My signature program Turn Heads After 50 program is for women like you who are ready to WOW the WORLD in a whole new way. You’ll learn how to build a magnetic personal style, appearance and attitude—and create a better, bolder, healthier, more vibrant version of you.

If you didn’t catch my free sneak preview for Turn Heads After 50 with my co-host Cinder Ernst, you can listen to our conversation here. To find out more and sign up, go to the Turn Heads After 50 site. Don’t miss out—Turn Heads After 50 starts this week, and I only have a few slots left. Click here to join me.