Gail Ericson, MS, PT, of the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing shares the pros and cons of using a fitness tracker to meet your health goals at Healthy Set Go.
They will be offering the same great, wellness and prevention expertise with a holistic twist at Allina Health’s new digital destination Healthy Set Go.
This new digital hub offers health advice, tips, recipes and inspiration from Allina Health experts, including Penny George Institute practitioners, along with other primary care doctors, specialists, physical therapists, nurses and more. Healthy Set Go covers these topics:
Nourish: Tips and recipes for healthy eating.
Move: Inspiration and how-to articles to get moving.
Thrive: Support and insight for mental and emotional well-being.
Heal: Knowledge to deal with illness.
Prevent: Information to prevent illness and injury.
Care: Advice to care for yourself and others at life’s unique stages.
Here are just a few new stories by Penny George Institute practitioners that you can find on Healthy Set Go:
February is a time when many people find their New Year’s resolutions are waning. If you are one of these people, you aren’t alone. The vast majority of resolutions fail.
Too often, it can feel like the obstacles you face to accomplishing a resolution are insurmountable. But there things you can do to break down these barriers.
Here are some tips for busting barriers:
Have a plan and a backup plan.
Create SMART goals (specific, measurable, action oriented, realistic and time dependent). If your goal is simply to “eat better,” dig into what that means by creating a SMART goal.
Plan ahead. Maybe that means putting meditation time on your scheduler, keeping your gym clothes handy, or taking time each week to draw up a healthier meal plan. This takes a few extra moments on the front end, but will save you frustration on the back end.
Know your backup plan. For example, keep healthy snacks on hand in case you don’t have time for lunch. If you exercise outside, have an indoor workout in mind for when the weather is bad.
Know your barriers and break them down. To figure out what your barriers are, fill in the blank: “I’m too _______________ to exercise/manage stress/eat right, etc.”One common answer is, “I’m too busy.” If this is the case:
Look at your schedule for a week. Does it reflect your values? Is there time anywhere to fit in your health goal?
What is the least amount you could do to meet your goal? Perhaps 10 minutes of walking? 5 minutes of meditation? Bringing a healthy lunch 3 days a week?
Consider if you been able to accomplish your healthy change in the past. If you have, think about how you did it. What support did you have? What else enabled you to meet this goal?
Resist “all or nothing” thinking. This kind of thinking can cripple the best intentions. You may be succumbing to this if you hear yourself saying things like, “I blew my diet at lunch, so I’ll just start again tomorrow,” or “I can’t get to the gym today, so I’ll just skip my workout today.”If you are prone to this kind of thinking:
Envision what it will feel like to take a step in the right direction. What would that do for your confidence?
Remind yourself that every little bit counts. Repeat that phrase as often as necessary.
Consider what happens when you do too much too soon? Could you sustain it?
Don’t feel like you have to do it alone. We are a society that values independence, but when it comes to lifestyle changes, going it alone can be a recipe for failure. To deal with this, consider what good support would look like for you: a buddy? a class? a coach? an online community?
Regardless of the barriers you face, tackling them with intention and honesty will pay big rewards.
When resolving to change a habit, take it one step at a time. Set a goal and break it down into smaller goals that are more sustainable.
If your New Year’s resolutions have already begun to wane, maybe it’s time to rethink your approach.
Sometimes New Year’s resolutions are set for the wrong reasons. Are you trying to make changes for yourself, or because of society’s or someone else’s expectations of you? “If we don’t take time to reflect on where we are in life, what is working and what is not, the goals we set can reflect more of a superficial layer than our authentic self,” explained Lana Abboud, integrative psychologist and acupuncturist with the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing. “This is the time to think about what you are ready to let go of and what you want to step in to.”
If you are trying to change habits, think about what is contributing to the behavior you want to change. Unhealthy habits can sometimes be a reflection of something deeper.
For example, if your goal is to rein in poor eating habits, Abboud suggests taking some time to consider what makes you eat unwisely. “Maybe it’s because of loneliness, stress or because your relationships are not going well,” she said. Accessing and addressing the root cause will help you make lasting change.
“It’s kind of like trying to fill a void in your life with buying new clothes or a red Mercedes. You buy those things thinking they will make you happy, but you still feel like something’s not quite right. That’s because you are trying to fill the void with external things when the work is more internal.”
Another reason that resolutions don’t stick is because we take on too much all at once. “What you want to focus on is building mastery,” said Abboud. “Think about it like steps on a staircase.”
Instead of making a resolution to lose 50 pounds, break it down into smaller goals that are more sustainable. Skip sweets during the week and enjoy a small treat during the weekend. If exercising every day proves impossible, walk three times a week. As you achieve these smaller goals, move on to the next level.
As you build mastery, your self-confidence and sense of empowerment will increase. That means you’ll be less likely to give up when you experience minor set-backs.
Tips to make resolutions stick
Focus on adding positives rather than removing negatives. For example, instead of eliminating all sweets from your diet, find ways to add more protein, or choose more foods with naturally occurring simple sugars (fruits, vegetables and dairy products) instead of processed sugars.
Choose resolutions better tailored to your own environment and capacities. Don’t commit to going to the gym six times a week when the nearest gym is an hour away.
Surround yourself with circumstances, people and images that support you and that feel good to be around.
Provide yourself with gentle reminders of the benefits of accomplishing your resolutions to boost your motivation.
Remember, New Year’s resolutions offer an opportunity for change. You are not broken, yet what is an area that could use more refinement in your life? What potential have you yet to evoke? Even if you’ve been locked into the same pattern for years, begin to welcome change.
Each day brings a myriad of potential and opportunities for wonder.
What was on your mind during the holiday season? Did you have visions of sugar plums dancing, or were you preoccupied with making lists and checking them twice? As a mother and as a health care provider in a busy hospital, it was imperative for me to make lists and check them twice. However, my 9-year-old son reminded me of another way to be.
One of our holiday traditions is to use an Advent calendar to celebrate the marvels of the world in expectation of Christmas Day. Passed on to me by my mother, I remember loving it as a child. Now, as an adult witnessing my son’s experience, I see it as an important lesson to carry with me beyond the holiday season.
Daily treasures
Every morning during December, there was a small gift magically waiting for him in the shallow pocket of the calendar. Unlike the drowsy mornings in November when I practically had to pull my son out of bed, on those December mornings, he popped out of bed immediately to see what lay in store. No matter what he found – chocolate toffee almonds, a stone from the North Shore, or something he would normally find mundane, like a pair of wool socks – he received it as something special and treasured it.
Watching my son’s excitement and seeing his eyes widen with possibilities brought my own attention to the bounty of each new day. I saw that each day presents us with a myriad of potential. This wonder naturally leads to a sense of fascination. When the gift is revealed, its marvelous qualities are also brought to the surface.
Starting the day like this set the tone for the rest of the day. Rushed mornings smoothed out into a sense of luxurious peace from which we were able to float off to school and work, as if being carried by a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Over the month of December, the anticipation of the night before built up into the next day, providing a wonder-filled cumulative effect. Since this tradition has been repeated for generations in my family, it is like my ancestors carved a path for us. If I pay attention, it can be easy to move into this state of wonder.
It’s a wonder-filled life
As a parent and a professional, I am in a world that I think I control and understand, one in which I have expectations and deadlines. Though that can result in the satisfaction of lists checked off, there is something wonderful about living in anticipation of the unknown. What if I lived as if something magnificent was coming my way every day? That would change everything. The waiting becomes magical rather than the means to the end. It slows me down, allowing me to see things I hadn’t before. It opens my mind, making me curious about what is to come.
As adults, how often do we create this for ourselves? I wonder how I could extend this state of awe further into the new year. What about you? Any ideas?
Zena Kocher, LAc, MaOM, is an integrative health practitioner with the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing and provides integrative health therapies to inpatients at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.
After the rush of the holiday season, the first few weeks of the New Year can feel like the slate has been wiped clean. As winter deepens, life in the natural world slows down, too.
Better yet, find a way to bring that calming stillness into your everyday life.
LIVING IN THE PRESENT
One way to do that is to practice mindfulness. “Mindfulness is simply paying attention and being present. It’s not thinking about the past or what might happen in the future. It’s living in the here and now,” Lardizabal explained.
For many of us, living in the present is surprisingly difficult. “Increasingly, we are overscheduled and don’t have time to relax and reflect,” she said.
Technology may be partly to blame. “Endlessly checking your email or social media newsfeed becomes a conditioned habit. You end up missing out on everything else going on around you.” Patterns like this become automatic. “Until you become aware, you can’t interrupt the pattern,” said Lardizabal.
“It’s like unconsciously eating. We keep walking to the refrigerator without thinking about it. Once we catch ourselves, we can make decisions about the behavior.”
HOW MINDFULNESS HELPS
But practicing mindfulness can have an even deeper impact on our lives.
“Self-acceptance and self-compassion is an important part of mindfulness and being self-aware. In this culture, we always want to be more than what we are without really accepting who we are right now,” said Lardizabal. “It’s good to strive for improvement, but if the motivation is because you dislike yourself, it’s a set-up for failure.”
Research confirms the value of mindfulness, said Jeff Dusek, PhD, director of Research at the Penny George Institute. “People who practice mindfulness see normal life events such as illness as a challenge to overcome rather than a roadblock to good health. They also experience a greater sense of self-control in their lives, have increased commitment to daily life, and believe the world is comprehensible, manageable and meaningful.”
The Penny George Institute offers a variety of programs to help you explore mindfulness and put it to use in your daily life. To learn more, call 612-863-3333.
Program
Best suited for:
Resilience Training– Eight-week intensive program that teaches mindfulness-based coping skills in combination with an individualized program of exercise and nutrition.
Individuals who have experienced depression, anxiety or other stress-related mental health conditions and are currently in recovery or wish to prevent relapse.
Mindfulness Training– Four-week experiential program offering tools to help manage stress and achieve a higher state of well-being.
Individuals who wish to explore new ways to manage stress and optimize their health and well-being.
Guided imagery MP3 albums – Three guided imagery albums focusing on pregnancy, stress management and pain management.
Individuals who would like to learn how to benefit from the mind-body connection using electronic tools to improve health and well-being.
Resiliency, a concept that is rooted in psychology, is gaining ground as an important component of overall health.
Resiliency and its connection to good health was highlighted in a Star Tribune article earlier this year. It explained that resiliency, the ability to bounce back despite life’s challenges, is being embraced for its role in promoting wellness through the mind-body connection.
In the article, Jeff Dusek, PhD, Research director at the Penny George Institute, said that resiliency is becoming more popular “as people are looking to accentuate the positive and improve resiliency as opposed to just reducing depression, anxiety or stress.”
The article also described the experiences of Deb Hitt, whose struggle with chronic pain led her to enroll in the Penny George Institute’s Resilience Training program. The program helped her gain a new perspective and learn new ways to deal with her pain. As Hitt explained in the article, “For a long time I focused on what I couldn’t do and what was hard for me. Today, I define my life by the positives that exist within me — my strengths, my talents and most importantly my resilience.”
The eight-week Resilience Training program is offered regularly at several locations in the Twin Cities. The next session begins Monday, Jan. 19. Call 612-863-0041 to register, or check the Resilience Training schedule for additional sessions.
As you go about your day, notice and acknowledge the many reasons you are fortunate. Be grateful to be where you are.
By Pauline Marie Buller, BS, NCTMB, CMLDT, CPMT, CIMT
Gratitude takes practice, but we do get better at it over time. Building it into our daily routine is important because thankfulness is one of the many components of a healthy spirit, mind and body. As the research studies below demonstrate, there is an association between gratitude and well-being.
A 2007 study published in the Journal of Research in Personality found that there is a relationship between gratitude and well-being and stated that “gratitude is uniquely important to well-being and social life.”
A 2012 study from a group of Chinese researchers looked at the combined effects of gratitude and sleep quality on symptoms of anxiety and depression. They found that higher levels of gratitude were associated with better sleep and lower levels of anxiety and depression.
At the University of Connecticut, researchers found that gratitude has a protective effect against heart attacks.
According to psychologist and author Robert Emmons of the University of California-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, gratitude strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces symptoms of illness, increases resistance to pain, correlates with better exercise habits, and encourages us to take better care of our health.
Gratitude can also aid in recovering more quickly when you have health issues. In a study of organ recipients, scholars from the University of California-Davis and the Mississippi University for Women found that patients who journal about their appreciation scored better on measures of mental health, general health and vitality than those who keep only routine notes about their days.
Techniques for enhancing gratitude are relatively simple to incorporate into your routine. November is an especially good time to practice being thankful. As we move toward the holidays, extend your thanks-giving with these simple techniques for gratitude and well-being.
How to incorporate gratitude into your routines:
As you wake each day, be grateful for lessons learned and mindful as you go about your day.
While you are eating a meal, be grateful for your food by savoring each piece with all your senses.
Each time you exercise, be conscious of and grateful for what your muscles allow you to do.
As you go about your day, whether at work or at home, notice and acknowledge the many reasons you are fortunate. Be grateful to be where you are.
When you’ve completed a challenging task in your day, be grateful by treating yourself to a simple foot massage or a few minutes of relaxation and quiet.
Say thank you to those around you more often.
At the end of each day, journal all the things for which you are grateful and celebrate being just who you are.
This is part five in a LiveWell blog series on happiness that launched with “Live well, live happy” in January.
I am excited to share more great news about happiness. As noted previously, most happiness comes not from our circumstances, but from how we think and what we do given our circumstances.
Recently my mother has experienced joint inflammation and pain. She had to cut back on activities, including running around with her grandchildren. I was able to recommend to her a supervised, gentle exercise program. After just a few weeks, she is moving better and is also experiencing a shift in her mood. Her confidence has grown, she feels more hopeful and optimistic, and the return of her joyous laughter makes everyone around her smile.
My mother is experiencing what Sonja Lyubomirsky describes in her seminal publication, “The How of Happiness.” She says “exercise is the single best thing that you can do to improve your happiness.”
Documented benefits of activity include:
Enhanced ability to manage stress—Exercise releases norepinephrine, a chemical that moderates the body’s stress response.
A boost in “happy chemicals”—Exercise releases endorphins, which produce a feeling of happiness and euphoria. Additionally, exercise can alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety and can sometimes be just as effective as anti-depressants in treating depression.
A profound positive effect on your brain—Exercise helps create new brain cells and protects certain brain structures, thereby sharpening memory and focus, and preventing cognitive decline.
Improved self-confidence and self-esteem.
Increased focus, creativity and energy.
Despite these benefits, you may still have obstacles to building more movement into your life. These tips may help.
Fill in the blank: “I’m too ________ to exercise.” Is it busy? Tired? Old? Overwhelmed? Understanding your primary barrier will help you to work through it.
If you are too busy, what is the smallest amount that you could do?
If you are tired, experiment with just a bit of activity and see if you get an energy boost.
If you are prone to black and white thinking, i.e. “unless I am running, I may as well not bother,” know that research overwhelmingly shows the benefit of even a small amount of movement.
Understand your exercise personality and preferences.
Do you love the great outdoors or prefer the climate-controlled comfort of your home?
Do you crave time alone or do you do best when with others?
Do you prefer joining a class or sports team, or is it easiest to weave in movement during your day?
Work with an expert and get some support. An exercise physiologist or physical therapist can assess your fitness level and offer individualized exercise programming. The Penny George Institute and its LiveWell Fitness Center can offer exactly that.
Even if it has been a while since you’ve been active, it is never too late to start, or restart. Here’s to happiness through movement!
When your circumstances and expectations don’t match up, take time to pause, breathe and set aside preconceptions. This can help you gain perspective and take a fresh approach to your situation.
Two stories have been on my mind in the last few days.
The first is a Chinese folktale I recently told to my kids at bedtime: A farmer relies on his horse for his living. The horse runs away, and the farmer’s neighbors all come to console him. “Bad luck!” they cry, and “So sorry!”
“We’ll see,” says the farmer.
A few weeks later the horse returns with a second horse, a beautiful nomad stallion.
The neighbors come again, saying “Good luck! Congratulations!”
“We’ll see,” says the farmer.
The farmer’s son loves to ride the new stallion, but one day he is thrown from the saddle and breaks his hip. “Bad luck! So sorry,” cry the townspeople.
“We’ll see,” says the farmer. “How do you know this isn’t a blessing?”
A few months later soldiers come to the farmer’s village, enlisting every able-bodied man to fight the invading nomad hordes. The story goes that nine of every 10 soldiers are killed in the conflict. The farmer being old and his son being lame, both remained behind to care for each other and their families, so their lives were spared.
How quickly we judge the events in our lives. We are culturally trained to look at life through a lens of preconceived notions. “A” is good or desirable. “B” is bad or undesirable. In my work, I’m increasingly called to not think of situations as “good” or “bad.” This allows me to suspend my preconceptions and inquire more honestly into a situation as it actually is.
The second story on my mind is from my own life. Yesterday I went to drop off my 5 year-old at her dance class. The class, the setting, and the teacher were familiar to both of us from several years of attendance. My plan was to quickly make the drop-off and head to an important meeting where, I imagined, my timely presence was desperately needed. Alas, it was not to be.
We found the classroom, saw the smiling, welcoming, familiar teacher who I know my daughter loves, and exchanged a sweet goodbye. I turned to go, but found my daughter clinging to my leg. Was she shy of the new students? Who can fathom the workings of the five year-old heart? I tried “patiently” for several minutes to convince her to join the group. Even the teacher joined in ― all in vain.
Finally, I decided to sit down with my daughter by the door. She watched the class from my lap, processing. Soon she joined in, casting a nervous glance my way every few seconds.
“I’m going to go,” I mouthed, catching her eye and pointing to the door.
“Not yet,” she mouthed back, shaking her head. Dancing over to me, she leaned in and whispered: “Just another little bit, OK? I’ll be more comfortable. I’ll tell you when you can go.”
So I sat down and waited, chagrined, delighted, impatient, and relieved. Inside of a minute I got the nod that I could go, but by then I’d relaxed enough to realize my meeting wasn’t all that important. I watched for another minute, waved, and went out into the crisp fall day.
When you find your expectations are not matching what is happening in your life, set aside a minute or two to try this:
Consider the uncomfortable, or less-than-perfect circumstance, that is bothering you.
Notice whether and how you are pulled to adjust, fix, rationalize or resolve the problem.
Then, if necessary, pause, take 10 complete breaths, and just sit with the situation.
Consider how this changes your perspective on the situation and helps to clarify what you intend to do.
When we get stressed or lose perspective, it’s easy to feel like the walls are crumbling around us. Pausing for a minute and simply sitting with what’s going on helps remind us that we are bigger than the problem. Then, creativity and curiosity can take root, and we can start to have a bit of fun.
Chandler Yorkhall, BA, NCTMB, AOBTA, is a massage therapist with thePenny George Institute. He works with hospitalized patients.
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