Have you ever paid attention to your breathing?  I know we all have when we get active and realize we are out of breath.  But I want to know if you pay attention to your breathing when you are just breathing.  We are a busy society running ourselves all over the place while we multi-task.  Can you put down your phone or not check your email or text messages?  It’s hard.  We have become wired to our society.  This constant barrage of information can take a toll on us.  Many people complain about how stressed out they become during the day.  This daily stress can then lead to sleepless nights, anxious moments, increased irritability, a change in our diet or lifestyles.  Stress can have a profound effect on not only our health but also our personal relationships.  We can become mindless of things happening around us because we are caught up in everything we were supposed to do or things that are waiting for us to do.  Life can get pretty busy.  So what can we do?  Breathe.  That’s right, breathe. 

Take a moment to sit down and get comfortable.  Now, breathe and notice your breath.  Notice how your body responds to the steady inhalation and exhalation of a bodily function that happens without us thinking about it.  What happens when we start to think about it?  Changes occur!  While you are breathing, don’t try to control your breath, just let the body do what it is designed to do.  All you have to do is notice how your body changes, notice how your muscles respond, how your shoulders and belly move.  While you are breathing, other thoughts may enter into your mind.  Don’t worry about them.  Notice them and let them flow out just like your breath flows out.  Return to noticing your breath.  As you breathe, you can repeat this great poem from Thich Nhat Hanh:

“Breathing in I calm my body.  Breathing out I smile.  Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment.”

Taking a few minutes each day to practice breathing can help you become more aware, more present in the current moment and may help to bring you a bit of calmness and peacefulness to our crazy days.  Remember, your breath is always with you.  All you have to do is stop and notice it for a few minutes.  Practice that everyday for a week and see what happens.  I’ll be interested in hearing if you notice any changes!

Happy Friday, enjoy!

~John

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Love the quote in the title!  That quote applies to more than just overweight and obese kids.  It applies to all of us.  The quote was a comment by Dr. Katz, the director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, on a study that was recently reported on December 17th, 2013.  The meta-analysis, reported in the article, Metformin causes modest weight loss,  evaluated previous weight loss studies and the use of Metformin (Glucophage) given to overweight children, without diabetes, to help with weight loss efforts.  Metformin is a drug used in those with Type 2 Diabetes to help reduce the incidence of insulin resistance.  Insulin resistance occurs when the body does not recognize insulin and it cannot lower blood sugar levels adequately.

Results of the analysis did show a small amount of weight loss seen with the children using the medication.  However, the difference in weight loss between those using Metformin and those changing only lifestyle behaviors was minimal.  Once again, we see that the best results come from us making changes not with us relying on medications to make those changes.  The other benefit of not relying on medication is that we reduce costs and do not have to fear the potential side effects that come with any medication.

Start improving your health today by going for a short walk, or by reducing the number of sodas or sweet tea you drink.  Add a piece of fresh fruit to your meals, increase the amount of vegetables, or fix more meals at home.  We have the opportunity each day to make changes that will improve our health.  Remember, each one of us holds the keys to bettering our health.  Medications are not something that needs to be avoided.  But, we do need to commit to a healthier lifestyle and be responsible for our own care. 

Make today the day you start something new…..

It’s Your Life. It’s Your Health. Make That Change!

~John

Interesting article from CBS News.com looking at prescription drug spending in the United States in 2012.  For the first time since spending trends have been monitored, Americans spent less.  Is that good news?  Analysis of the trend points to a variety of reasons, according to IMS Institute of Healthcare Informatics, who maintains study of the spending trends.  One of the reasons for the decrease in spending comes form the fact that more people can not afford medications and decided to not fill prescriptions.  The decision to not buy combined with the availability of cheaper generic drug choices has helped to decrease spending.  However, drug costs have not decreased and those costs are expected to continue to rise as more bio-diverse medications are made available. Nutrition Pair would love to see a continued decline in drug spending….associated with an increase in spending on fresh fruits and vegetables!  Remember, it was Hippocrates, around 400 B.C., that stated, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."  That, my friends, is a definite call to action!  Make a pact with yourself to start eating more fruits and vegetables, being more active and enjoying life.  Let’s see if we can reduce prescription drug spending even more!

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~John

It is here! Time to ring in the New Year. Our kids have been asking us why there are so many TV commercials and radio ads touting the latest diet plans. Because, it’s here!  Time to lose the holiday weight!  Members of our local Y have been discussing how busy it will be for the next 2 months as everybody tries to restart their New Year Resolutions.  It’s here!

Make this year your year!  If you plan to start a new exercise program or meal plan, truly set up a plan.  You must plan for success.  The problem that’s universally noted with our resolutions to start each year is that they are short-lived.  This year, launch your resolution with a contingency plan.  Plan for barriers and for methods on how you will overcome those barriers.  You know life will throw you a curve that could sabotage your plans.  You may have already experienced this in the past.  So get ready for it.   How do we do that?

1. Make yourself accountable.  Write down your goals and how you will go after them.  Simply saying you want to lose weight by exercising more may not get it done.  Instead, pick the days of the week and times that will fit your schedule.  Set up an exercise routine.  Schedule it on your calendar just as you would any other important task or appointment.  AND, set up a back up plan just in case your first choices don’t work or life happens and you can’t exercise that day or time.

2. Set goals that you can reach but will also challenge you.  Setting goals too difficult to reach may set you up for failure.  Setting goals too easy to reach will not force you to change.  If you have never cooked before, are you going to be able to set a cooking goal to improve your diet?  Evaluate your diet, or schedule an appointment with a Registered Dietitian to get some ideas on what you may need to change to better meet those meal planning goals.  For instance, you may only need to add a piece of fruit to your meals everyday.  Sounds easy but if you are not into eating fruit, you may find it difficult.  Pick a fruit, make sure you have enough on hand and plan the meals to which it will be added. 

3. Regularly evaluate your progress.  If something’s not working the way you want it to, change it up and try a new approach.  Don’t give up on it.  Businesses follow this model routinely.  The Plan-Do-Check-Act set allows them to evaluate their goals and see how it is moving along.  It’s not an all or nothing approach.  Remember, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got!” .  Change is about trying new things.  In effect, we are experimenting with ourselves.  We have the rest of our lives to integrate changes.  It doesn’t have to be today!

4. Stay Positive! Our wish for each of you is to be able to experience what successful change is all about.  One of the best ways to do that is to keep an upbeat approach.  We know that we are not living in an overly optimistic time period right now.  With the problems we face on a day to day basis, it can make it hard to find the good that life has to offer.  One of our favorite quotes, which is credited to  Patricia Neal, addresses this: “A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.”  Life will bring us good days and bad, sunshine and rain, laughter and tears.  We can’t always control the happenings in life but we can control how we react to them.  Smile often and make that part of your daily routine!  No matter how bad off we feel or think we have it, there is always somebody else out there worse off than us.  We all need to extend our hands and our hearts to help others!

We want to wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year!  This is your year to shine.  Don’t let anything stand in your way!

~It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~Angie & John

Sharing a really cool article from the Virginian-Pilot….

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/dogs-help-bring-comfort-regions-hospitals

Dan Warren, President of Guardian Angel Service Dogs will be partnering with the University of Virginia this fall to research the impact that dogs have on improving blood glucose levels in people who have diabetes.  It is hoped that the results will help bring about insurance coverage for people with diabetes who may be in need of diabetes alert dogs.   

~ Angie

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“The time for action is now. It’s never too late to do something”.     ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French aviator and writer

Do you ever find yourself saying, “I know what I should do to improve my health, I just need help doing it”?  If so, then Integrative Health Coaching is for you! 

Working with a personal health coach is increasingly recognized as an effective strategy for achieving health goals and improving overall well-being. Specifically, an Integrative Health Coach uses a client-centered approach to empower you to achieve your highest level of health.  Additionally, an integrative approach acknowledges that your good health is about the whole of you (your personal values, goals, work, balance, fulfillment and life purpose).   

Integrative Health Coaching (IHC) is about you achieving your goals for optimal health and well-being.  It helps you identify your health values and your individual goals and take decisive, active steps to achieve those goals. IHC was developed at Duke University’s Integrative Medicine Center following the realization that the need is not just to help people follow their doctor’s orders – the actual need is pro-active self care and support for self-directed change.  

Through the coaching process, you will articulate your vision of optimal health and develop your own personalized health plan. You will reach your goals, improve your performance and enhance your quality of life.

Angie Lamberson is a graduate of Duke University’s Integrative Health Coach Professional Training Program. Make 2012 your most fantastic year yet!  Partner with her to discover, achieve and maintain your optimal state of health and wellness. A variety of coaching packages are available to suit your individual needs. 

Angie and her husband, John, are Registered Dietitians & Certified Diabetes Educators. Contact Nutrition Pair today at 252-335-WELL, www.nutritionpair.com, or www.facebook.com/Nutritionpair and schedule your initial Integrative Health Coaching Session today! 

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~ Angie

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One in three American babies born today will have Type 2 Diabetes in their lifetime.  That is, if current trends continue. 

Today is World Diabetes Day.  In the past 25 years, the rate of diabetes in the United States has more than tripled. Currently, over 26 million Americans have Diabetes.  Another 79 million have a condition known as “Prediabetes” and are at a high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes.  The current prevalence of diabetes could double or even triple over the next 40 years if exercise and eating habits do not improve (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

One out of every 5 health care dollars is spent on the treatment of Diabetes.  Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and is triggered by both controllable and uncontrollable factors which include: 

• Age over 45
• Overweight or Obese Status
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Family history of Diabetes
• African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latina or Hispanic Ethnicity
• Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or were diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

The good news is that diabetes is a controllable and, sometimes, preventable disease. We can’t control our genetics, ethnicity or age, but we can control unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Complications are decreased when blood sugar control is managed through healthy eating and physical activity. For every 1% reduction in Hemoglobin A1C (average blood sugar over the previous three months) the risk of developing eye, kidney, and nerve disease is reduced by 40%.

If you have diabetes, pre-diabetes or are at high risk of developing diabetes, find a Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE). A CDE is a health care professional that teaches people with diabetes to manage their condition. Formal education, years of practical experience, and a Board Examination are required. CDE’s provide tools, skills and emotional support to help control blood sugars and decrease the risk of complications.

Let’s reverse these trends and take care of ourselves!  Stay active.  Eat well.  Most importantly, let’s be positive role models for children. 

~ Angie

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change! ™

We are Angie and John Lamberson, Registered Dietitians, CDE’s and owners of Nutrition Pair, LLC. Because John has Type 1 Diabetes, we know what it is like to manage a chronic disease on a daily basis. We often personal experience when educating on and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Nutrition Pair ™ offers the following services:

• Nutrition Therapy
• Duke Integrative Health Coaching
• Group Presentations
• Consulting Services for Health Care Facilities and Corporations

Contact us at 252-335-WELL. Visit our website at www.nutritionpair.com & become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/Nutritionpair.

This past August, I celebrated my 20th year of living with Diabetes.  That’s right, Celebrated!  I’m excited to have accomplished all that I have because of Diabetes.  Is being diagnosed with Diabetes hard?  Yeah, sometimes.  But life, in general, is hard sometimes.  Barriers are barriers only if we let them be.  We hold the keys to our own happiness and health.  We can’t control others or control all events in our life BUT, we can control how we respond to those events. Every challenge and difficulty we face gives us the opportunity to find out more about ourselves and to discover new ways to succeed. 

Since November is American Diabetes Month, we want to encourage everybody to get checked for Diabetes.  In the United States today, there are over 26 million Americans with Diabetes and another 79 million have a condition known as “Prediabetes” and are at a high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. One out of every 5 health care dollars is spent on Diabetes!  (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

You are considered high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes if you:

• Over the age of 45
• Are Overweight or Obese
• Have a Sedentary Lifestyle
• Have a family history of Diabetes
• Are African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latina or Hispanic
• Gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or were diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

Check out the American Diabetes Association site to help calculate your risk of Diabetes. If you have Diabetes, work with your health care team to make sure you are in control.  If you have been diagnosed or told that you have Pre-Diabetes, work with your health care team to control your risk factors.  It has been predicted that by the year 2050, 1 out of every 3 Americans will have Diabetes.  Don’t wait to be told you have Diabetes, take control of your health now!  Join the Stop Diabetes effort.

Remember, you control your health.  It will take effort, sacrifice, commitment and hard work, but you’re worth it!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

Two recent studies have just come out detailing findings on the use of vitamins and supplements and their impact on health. There has long been a controversy regarding the impact supplements.  It has been difficult to find any definitive outcomes on the subject.  The new studies released this week do not offer a clear answer either.  But, they do provide a reason to stop and think about what we are doing.  In the first study, researchers looked at the use of Vitamin E by men.  The study found that those taking high doses (400 units/day) had an increased risk of prostate cancer by about 17%. Vitamin E joins the list of other supplements that have an inconclusive status. In 2005, studies surfaced that looked at the risk/benefit of using Vitamin E to help against heart disease. There was no significant benefit noted. In fact, those in the cohort taking a higher dose actually increased their risk of death.

The other recent study looked at the use of multivitamins, folic acid, iron and copper by older women.   The report of findings from those researchers found that women taking the vitamins and supplements had a higher risk of death as compared to those not taking them.  Before jumping to any conclusions, however, there are some things to question in this study. The average age of admission to the study in 1986 was over 61 years old. It is reported that by 2008, over 40% of the participants had died. That is a long 22 year span to follow participants. The strength of the study may be questioned, as it should. The headlines, “Dietary Supplements Linked to Higher Death Risk”, can be seen as alarmist.

My point is not to analyze the studies. Instead, I want to encourage you once again to look at what you are eating. Dietary supplement use in the United States is a huge business with reported sales of over $9 million dollars a year. Combine that with the heavy reliance on pharmaceuticals and you can see what a pill happy society we’ve become. The challenge is to make changes to your lifestyle to prevent having to use pills. Diet and exercise play a huge role in our health. A very interesting report just recently came out on the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.  The report looks at the genetic expression of the 9p21 chromosome. The 9p21 variant has been implicated in heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that those with a genetic predisposition of developing cardiovascular disease could alter gene expression by increasing intake of fruits and vegetables. While there are still many questions to answer concerning this study, it is interesting when we start discussing how our genetic code can be influenced by our diet.  (Original Source)

If you are looking for better health, start with your lifestyle. Increasing fruits and vegetables has long been seen as a deterrent to poor health. Make a true commitment to change. If I had a dollar for the number of times I’ve been told by clients, “I know what I should be doing, I just can’t/don’t want to do it!”, I could retire. We’ve let our health get away from us and we put too large a reliance on medications to help us instead of helping ourselves. Become responsible for your own health.  I know lifestyle changes are difficult but the road to better health is not an easy one.  If it were, we would not have as much sickness in our country. You have the power to change. You hold the key to better health!  As we always say here at Nutrition Pair:

“It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!”

~John

"If I had only one wish in this world, I would wish for Daddy’s diabetes to go away".   – Jonathan Lamberson, age 10 ½

I cannot express how proud I am of my son. He took on the role of a parent the other night and helped his father treat an extremely low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia is rare for John, but it does occur. Often when it happens, it is sudden and with very little warning.

I was home Saturday night, but Jonathan stepped in while I was in the other room locating glucose gel. He did exactly what we have taught him. What surprised me was how very calm and consoling he was to John. Jonathan is a ten year old who does not always show responsibility and does not always think of others. However, he really surprised me and stepped up to the plate that night.

Sometimes I worry about exposing our children to the really ugly side of diabetes—hypoglycemia. I hate that they have to witness their father in such a vulnerable, bizarre state. I know how much it scares them. But, I do hope that it in some way, it will help them grow into considerate, responsible adults. This is life, after all.

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~ Angie