Garma On Health » Emotion/Psych.

Among the Hills and Dales — A Multi-day Mood Enhancer

Joe Garma — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:38:19 +0000

A mood-altering simple walk between hill and dale lasts for days.

HOW ‘BOUT a quickie, feel good post for a change? Seth Godin does them, and he’s among the top bloggers in the world.

This one is triggered by a simple thing I did yesterday that produced a feeling good enough to sustain me now. This one act was, in effect, a multi-day mood enhancer.

Yesterday, here in southern Marin County — the first landmass north of the Golden Gate Bridge — was a splendid day. T’was so warm that some, like me, risked ridicule as we bared our sun-deprived, Lille-white torsos to the world.

In my case, I grabbed a book (which I’ll review here someday) by Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman, M.D. called Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever. I then drove a short distance to Tennessee Valley, named after the SS Tennessee, a ship that sunk right off the coast where this valley ends.

There’s a loop you can walk in Tennessee Valley, or if fit enough, jog… or if a true athlete, run around, up and down. I don’t know the distance, but there’s enough altitude to make a walk, jog or run challenging enough to leg and lung.

In my youth, I jogged. Yesterday, I walked. Within my fanciful self, someday I’ll jog again. Running… well, thinking that I’ll actually run this loop makes me think of that old distinction between neurotics and psychotics:

A neurotic builds sand castles in the sky, and a psychotic lives in them.

I was breathing pretty deeply at the first apex of the loop, a place that faces the ocean and has several tempting spots for repose. That was the idea. I chose one and settled in with my book.

From time to time, a fellow bare-chested fella (the women were more modest) huffed by, and we glanced at one another and nodded approvingly.

I read about the importance of eating alkalizing food and water. I read about addiction to the simple carbohydrates that are taking a toll on people’s health, weight and is an instigating factor in creating Type 2 diabetes. I read about the glycemic index and glycemic load.

[Read The Seriously Serious Problems of Obesity, Diabetes and Obesity, The Diabesity Epidemic – It May Be Coming to You, and How Sugary is Your Blood?]

But what I was reading is irrelevant to the point of this story, which perhaps by now I should get to.

You see, all along the way, the vistas of hill and dale, and of the shimmering, beckoning ocean conspired to inspire me to love life more, despite my problems.

The negative ionization that the ocean puts in the air, along with the rhythm of my breath, the flow of my blood, the simple connections with those passing by, the sweet smells – all this was a mood elevator and, as I mentioned, remains with me today.

And so if there is a lesson to this tale, it is this:

Move, cover yourself with natural beauty, connect with nature and others, read a book that deepens your knowledge… do it enough that it all strings together and conspires to inspire you to cultivate gratitude for your life. Grab a book, or grab a friend, but do take the first step. The rest will follow.

Indeed.

P.S. Hmmm… well, this wasn’t like Seth Godin’s posts after all. Too long. But then, and I say this ruefully; I’m not Seth Godin.

A Mega-Pastor and Three Famous Doctors Hatch “The Daniel Plan”

Joe Garma — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:50:44 +0000

Three famous doctors and one mega-Pastor have hatched a health plan. It’s called “The Daniel Plan” and thousands at the Saddleback Church are losing weight and just plain getting healthier. Here’s what’s happening at The Daniel Plan.

WHAT DO you get when you create a health team with a plan devoted to educating and encouraging people to improve their health, and the players are Dr. Oz, Dr. Hyman, Dr. Amen and Pastor Rick Warren, among others?

Answer: The Daniel Plan.

Well, unless you’re a member Pastor Rick’s Saddleback Church, that answer begs the question:

“What’s the Daniel Plan?”

Answer: A health strategy with the medical input of heart surgeon Doctor Oz, functional medicine specialist Dr. Hyman and brain health expert Dr. Amen… and the spiritual guidance and community backing of Rick Warren, Pastor of one of the largest churches in the Nation, the Saddleback Church.

You may have heard about Rick Warren from his national best seller, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?. Rick Warren has, and continues to sell, so many copies of this book that he not only does not take a salary from the church, but also donates most of his earnings to charity.

So, I would venture to suggest, that the man’s heart is in the right place, even if I can’t bend my mind to his religiosity.

(No, I don’t really think it’s “God’s Prescription for Your Health” as one particular byline states, nor do I think anything humans can do would “glorify God” as the byline on the web site suggests. But, right down here on earth, The Daniel Plan sure could be your prescription to improve your health!)

Why The Daniel Plan?

The reason I’m writing about the Daniel Plan is because several thousand adherents to the plan are losing weight and getting healthier.

It’s obvious that the plan’s methodology is working, and that should be no surprise given the input of those aforementioned doctors, as well as the ability of Pastor Rick to exhort his flock to follow the righteous health path.

And it’s that last point, I think, that’s the real key to success – having a “flock” and a “path”. The flock is a group of like-minded, connected individuals who support each other along a proven path that leads to health.

This approach has a statistically higher chance of success than trying any behavior modification program by yourself and of your own construction.

The Daniel Plan embraces “The Simple Six” Core Principles:

CONNECT for Success – Get in touch with your health and with others!
RELY on God’s Power – Willpower is not enough. You need God’s power.
EAT Delicious Whole Foods – Imagine the Garden of Eden as your food source.
MOVE Your Way to Health – Get going. The more exercise, the more energy!
THINK Sharper and Smarter – Better brain health = better life!
HEAL for Life – Make a game plan for permanent changes that heal.

Given that this plan speaks to church-going folks and is animated by a church pastor, the agnostics and atheists among you might allow the Plan its principle #2. Certainly, it can’t hurt to believe that a power greater than yours is guiding you past the fridge at midnight.

Check out the success stories, and this video full of testimonials which looks like this —->

(Suggest you allow the stream to load before playing the video otherwise it may be choppy.)

And here’s a success story about Chef Jenny Ross.

UPDATE: Dr. Hyman in the HuffPost today (1/31/12) reports the following Daniel Plan results:

“Not only were there estimated weight reductions of 250,000 pounds but also equal reductions in medication use, hospitalizations and doctors visits. And it was free.

In a survey after 10 months of the program, participants reported the following:

An average weight loss of 13.5 pounds (and 18 pounds for those who said they followed the program closely)
72 percent of those who wanted to lose weight did
53 percent reported increased energy levels
34 percent reported better sleep
27 percent improvement in blood work
20 percent reported improvement in blood pressure
11 percent reported reduction in medications
31 percent reported improvement in mood

Those who did the plan together lost twice as much weight as those who did it alone.”

There’s a rich amount of information at The Daniel Plan site. The program is comprised of Eat, Move, Think, Heal and Connect, each with all the component parts necessary to get healthy.

For example:

Eat delves into nutrition, recipes, budgets and Superfoods.

Move gets into motivation and fitness programs for an individual and family.

Think presents the information helpful to understand behavior modification and brain health.

Heal speaks to mental health, hormones, energy, weight, skin, etc.

Connect ties in success stories, God and community.

The search function also brings up lots of information for a particular query. For instance, I searched at the site for “weight loss” and got these results:

The Daniel Plan Conquer Your Cravings
Studies show that people who maintain weight loss eat a healthy breakfast. Add
a dash of cinnamon. This fragrant spice has been found to help regulate blood …

The Daniel Plan Eating Out Rules
I’m going to order a salad to lose weight and be healthy. Because I’m … Often we fool ourselves into thinking that, “if I eat a salad, I’ll lose weight and be healthy.

The Daniel Plan – Food Groups
Calories, Hyman · Calories Count, Amen · Get Dunked · Why Most Diets Don’t Work ·

The Daniel Plan Shopping List
National Weight Control Registry · Why Most Diets Don’t Work

The Daniel Plan Vitamin Supplements
Sleep more soundly, lose weight and improve your overall health and vitality.

The Daniel Plan Recommended Foods
Calories Count, Amen · Get Dunked · National Weight Control Registry · Why Most Diets Don’t Work

The Daniel Plan – Get Your Kids Involved Early
7 Tips to Lose Weight · Calories, Hyman · Calories Count, Amen · Get Dunked · National Weight Control Registry · Why Most Diets Don’t Work

The Daniel Plan Main Dishes
Two bricks, individually wrapped in aluminum foil, make the best heavy weight for pressing …

If you’ve gotten this far without clicking over to The Daniel Plan, might as well fulfill your curiosity now. Here’s the link.

The “Miracle” Supplement for Depression, Arthritis and Liver Health

Joe Garma — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:36:22 +0000

ProHealth’s Rich Carson calls it, “almost a miracle drug”. I call SAM-e the “triple threat”, for it threatens to vanquish depression, arthritis and liver dysfunction. SAM-e is a powerful, natural supplement that can be superior to antidepressants and as effective as NSAIDs for osteoarthritis, without the negative side effects. Watch the video. Learn how to use it and where to get it below.

IN THIS post, Rich Carson and Karen Lee Richards team up to laud the multiple powers of the natural supplement, SAM-e. If you’d like to improve the health of your joints or liver, or could use a healthy mood enhancer, read Ms. Richards’ summary of the SAM-e research, and watch Rich Carson’s interview.

Rich Carson is my long-time friend, an expert on supplements and the founder of ProHealth, Inc. Karen Lee Richards is Lead Expert specializing in Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, for HealthCentral’s ChronicPainConnection.

You couldn’t find two better people to tell you about how SAM-e helps promote a natural improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis, depression and liver disease.

I call SAM-e the triple threat supplement – relief from joint pain, blue moods and liver ills. I take 400 milligrams every morning.

Here, Rich Carson introduces you to the substantial benefits of SAM-e:

OK, now that you’ve absorbed the basics, I’d like to summarize some of Karen Lee Richard’s research on SAM-e from her article, SAM-e: a Hard-Working Molecule that May Help Ease Pain & Brighten Mood. (Thanks to ProHealth for reprint permission.)

Let’s start out by quoting Ms. Richard’s lead paragraph to set the stage:

“Clinical trials have shown SAM-e to be comparable to prescription antidepressants for depression and as effective as NSAIDs for osteoarthritis. But, as SAM-e supports the body’s natural mood and inflammation modulating functions, it doesn’t have all the negative side effects associated with those drugs.”

[I’d argue that SAM-e might be superior to prescription antidepressant, cause they’re ineffective for many users with mild to moderate depression, as Dr. Andrew Weil discusses in this post, Dr. Weil’s Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs.]

Unlike most supplements, SAM-e (S-adenosyl methionine) is not an herb or a vitamin, but rather a molecule naturally produced in all living cells. It is sold as a dietary supplement in the U.S, although it is powerful enough to be designated as a drug, as it is in at least 14 countries.

Thousands of research studies have been conducted all around the world on SAM-e, investigating its supportive effect in those with many different diseases and conditions, including depression, osteoarthritis, chronic liver disease, fibromyalgia, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Let’s delve a bit into how SAM-e can help with each of these diseases and conditions.

SAM-e and Depression

Significant Improvement Seen in Major Depression with SAM-e

Based on my readings and simple, non-scientific self-experimentation, I’ve argued in Dr. Weil’s Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs and A Little Depressed? 10 Actions That Help Me that antidepressant drugs are NOT the way to go for treating mild to moderate depression. (Get your doctor to weigh in here, cause I’m not one for sure!)

Consider three points that Ms. Richards presents about SAM-e’s value to helping with depression (and then note my comment right after):

• SAM-e has been studied extensively over three decades as a possible option for those with depression, perhaps because 29% to 46% of patients with major depressive disorder have no response or only a partial response to pharmaceutical antidepressants. At this point, there’s an impressive body of literature suggesting the mood-supporting efficacy of SAM-e.

• In an open trial, 20 outpatients with major depression were given SAM-e, beginning with 400 mg/day and gradually increasing to 1600 mg/day by day 12. Nine of the participants had a prior history of not responding to traditional antidepressant treatment. All 20 patients showed significant improvement with SAM-e, including seven of the non-treatment resistant and two of the treatment-resistant patients who experienced a full antidepressant response.

• A double-blind randomized trial compared the efficacy of supplemental SAM-e with the antidepressant desipramine in 26 patients with major depression. At the end of four weeks, 62% of those given SAM-e had significant improvement compared to 50% of those taking desipramine.

OK, here’s my note about the above three bullet points: The studies cited indicate what they indicate, but, frankly, I’d feel uncomfortable to suggest that people experiencing anything but mild to moderate depression trash their doctor prescribed antidepressants in favor of SAM-e. If you’ve been diagnosed as having strong/severe depression or other psychiatric issues, DO NOT trash your prescribed drugs in favor of SAM-e; rather, take counsel with your doctor!

SAM-e and Joints

Impressive Results in Osteoarthritis Patients Using SAM-e

In her article, Ms. Richards continues with her review of SAM-e, citing how it can benefit those suffering from Osteoarthritis.

She reports that an estimated 27 million people have osteoarthritis, making it the most common form of arthritis.

(Below, I reprint Ms. Richards words; the bold words are my emphasis…)

The pharmaceutical treatment for osteoarthritis is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – either over-the-counter medications like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, or prescription medications like Celebrex, Relafen, Daypro, etc.

While NSAIDs can be effective pain relievers, their regular use can result in some devastating side effects such as ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems, increased blood pressure and kidney damage.

Notwithstanding the side effects, in the long run NSAIDs may actually worsen joint problems because they slow the production of collagen and proteoglycans, which help to make cartilage an effective shock absorber.

By contrast, SAM-e seems to support an anti-inflammatory response equivalent to the effect of NSAIDs, but without the toxic side effects. SAM-e does not harm the digestive tract, nor does it contribute to the breakdown of cartilage. Instead, one study shows it may actually help the body restore damaged cartilage.

• A meta-analysis of 11 clinical trials involving 1,142 patients was done looking at SAM-e for support of osteoarthritis symptom relief. The study authors concluded, “SAM-e appears to be as effective as NSAIDs in reducing pain and improving functional limitation in patients with OA without the adverse effects often associated with NSAID therapies.”

• A randomized double-blind cross-over study of 56 patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee compared SAM-e (1200 mg) with the prescription drug celecoxib (Celebrex 200 mg). The results showed no significant difference between the two – both patient cohorts demonstrated significant improvements in pain and joint function – leading the researchers to conclude that SAM-e was as effective as celecoxib in managing the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

• In a German study, 21 patients with finger osteoarthritis were given SAM-e for three months. MRI scans done on their hands both before and after the treatment period revealed significant structural improvement in the cartilage.

SAM-e and the Liver

SAM-e Supports the Prevention and Improvement of Liver Disease

I’m still amazed when I think about how unique is the liver. The liver is unique because it is the only internal human organ capable of regenerating itself. Did you know that a liver reduced to 25% of its normal size could regenerate into a whole liver again?

SAM-e plays a leading role in that regeneration.

SAM-e is thought to be beneficial for those with liver disease by acting as a precursor of antioxidant glutathione; repairing the mitochondrial glutathione transport system; inhibiting the toxic effects of proinflammatory cytokines; and increasing DNA methylation.

There are nearly a thousand published studies documenting SAM-e’s ability to support prevention and improvement in liver disease. Back to Ms. Richards:

• In a study of hepatic glutathione levels in patients with liver disease, participants were divided into four groups. Nine patients with alcoholic liver disease were given SAM-e; seven patients with non-alcoholic liver disease were given SAM-e; 8 patients with alcoholic liver disease were given a placebo; and 15 normal subjects served as a control group. Prior to beginning treatment, all patients had very low hepatic glutathione levels compared to controls. Following treatment, patients receiving the SAM-e had a significant increase in their hepatic glutathione levels compared with both the placebo-treated group and controls.

• When SAM-e was given to 62 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis in a clinical trial, they were significantly less likely to die or require a liver transplant within the next two years, compared with 61 patients who had received a placebo.

SAM-e and Fibromyaliga

SAM-e Is Promising for Fibromyalgia Patients

Although SAM-e has not been studied yet as much for support of fibromyalgia patients as for those with some other illnesses, the results thus far are encouraging. In one double-blind study of 44 patients with primary fibromyalgia, improvements were seen in the areas of clinical disease activity, pain, fatigue, morning stiffness and mood.

SAM-e and Alzheimer’s Disease

SAM-e May Help Prevent or Delay Alzheimer’s Disease

Since extremely low levels of SAM-e were found in the cerebrodpinal fluid and brain regions of Alzheimer’s patients in a 1996 study, researchers are examining the potential benefits of supplemental SAM-e in Alzheimer’s.(11) A recent study stated, “…our findings suggest that dietary supplementation with SAM… holds promise as a therapeutic approach to prevent or delay AD. A preliminary study indicates that SAM can provide some cognitive improvement in AD patients.”

How to Use SAM-e

Facts About SAM-e You Need to Know

Dosage: Recommended therapeutic doses usually range between 400 – 1600 mg a day, although some individuals may require higher doses. Studies suggest that 400 mg per day may be adequate for osteoarthritis patients, while up to 1600 mg a day is often needed for mood support. The usual dose for those with liver disorders has been 1600 mg a day. (As with any addition to your health support regimen, supplementation with SAM-e should be considered only with the approval of your professional healthcare team.)

How to Take SAM-e: SAM-e works best when taken on an empty stomach. Because it is absorbed mainly in the intestine, enteric-coated tablets that allow it to pass through the stomach intact are preferable. Leave tablets in their foil or foil blister packs until you are ready to take them in order to maintain their stability.

Adverse Effects: There seem to be few adverse effects with SAM-e, even at high doses. Occasionally mild gastrointestinal distress has been reported. Since SAM-e can sometimes lead to insomnia, it is usually best to take it early in the morning. Because it plays a role in mood support, SAM-e may trigger manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder.

Contraindications: While there are no confirmed drug interactions with SAM-e, individuals using prescribed medications such as antidepressants, including serotonin re-uptake Inhibitors and MAO inhibitors, should consult a physician before using. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease, bipolar disorder or manic depression should not take SAM-e.

Some Final Words About SAM-e

The Data

The assertions reproduced here are footnoted by Karen Lee Richards’ article her from which they’re extracted. If you’re interested in the studies she cites, please go to her article, SAM-e: a Hard-Working Molecule that May Help Ease Pain & Brighten Mood.

You’ll discover that more than three decades of solid research support the use of SAM-e to help promote natural improvement in symptoms of osteoarthritis, depression and liver disease.

Where to Buy SAM-e

I suggest you get it at ProHealth, where I get mine. SAM-e has been one of the cornerstone supplements offered by ProHealth for many years because it’s useful for so many chronic aliments.

This is how I present it in the Products section of this site:

ProSAMe This supplement is a wunderkind – it helps to stabilize moods, support healthy joints AND liver function. It’s an important part of my arsenal, but I refrain from taking it all the time, as I like to check in, unadulterated, to see how my natural emotional well being is doing.

Note: I have an affiliate marketing arrangement with ProHealth, which means if you buy SAM-e from the above link, I will get a commission from them. This does not at all affect the price you pay. If you don’t wish for me to get a commission, simply go to ProHealth, search for SAM-e and buy it there.

Well, lots to digest with this post. If you have comments or questions, please submit them in the Comments section below.

Get Relief from Depression with Rumi

Joe Garma — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:01:28 +0000

Using antidepressants are not the only way give relief to mild from moderate depression. Dr. Weil has four suggestions, I’ve written about 10. Here’s how a little walk with Rumi can help relieve the blues.

BEFORE I go amend a post I wrote a while back suggesting some actions to help alleviate depression (or the moody blues), I want to more fully explore a simple but wonderful act with you right here.

Late last November, I wrote a post I named, A Little Depressed? 10 Actions That Help Me. As I wrote it, I knew that over time I’d keep adding to it as new “acts” arose in my life that I found were worthwhile behaviors that can clearly shifts one’s (or at least my) mind set.

It all began with finding the iPod that I thought was lost forever. Not one to listen much to music on iPods, I was, nevertheless, so pleased to find it that I affixed the ear plugs, grabbed my walking shoes and went for a jaunt.

I wasn’t in a foul mood at all, but it soon occurred to me that the walking combined with the music – a particular kind (in fact, not music per se at all) – carried me to a place that cradled me with sweet endorphins that swept all my cares away.

Now, readers of my various posts on depression, such as Dr. Weil’s Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs (great pod cast interview there with Dr. Weil), know that I believe (as does Dr. Weil) that many people with mild to moderate depression may be able to control it without antidepressants (go to the above link for more on this).

Dr. Weil has his “four alternatives” and I have my “10 (now 11) actions”, and if you throw them in a shaker jar and shake, shake, shake… just maybe those antidepressant pills can be shaken from the pill box into the garbage.

A Music Recommendation (not quite)

Yeah, whatever moves you, whatever can shift you to a better mental state… that’s the recommendation. But for me today, the music itself was a minor, background harp plucking here and there. What was front and center, and largely responsible for my shift in consciousness, was Rumi.

For those of you who don’t know, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī was a brilliant and revolutionary Persian Sufi, mystic, poet and philosopher of the 13th Century. He’s considered one of the best poets of all time.

It was Rumi’s poetry, as translated and spoken by the wonderfully erudite Coleman Barks, that made that walk great, and inspired this post.

Check it out. Go here and you can listen to the Coleman Barks album, What Was Said to the Rose. Start with the first selection, What Was Told and keep going till you’re mesmerized. For your own happy walk, download What Was Said to the Rose on whatever device will play it and go outside and take a walk, particularly the next time you’re blue.

P.S. I’d really enjoy it if you’d share your favorite poem in the Comments section below.

Six Tools To Make Your New Year Resolutions Come True

Joe Garma — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:19:41 +0000

Here comes 2012! Will you achieve your New Year Resolutions? How will you make those goals a reality? Begin with a conception, move to a process and then use these six practical tools to attain your goals.

SO, I’M sitting here on New Year’s Eve morning getting a wee bit nervous. By now, I figure, I should have thought out my New Year’s Resolutions and be contemplating the plan to make them happen, an interesting compulsion given my erratic track record.

Well, “why not write about something I haven’t yet done to put me in the right head space?”, I suggest to myself. Yeah, that’s right, tell people what and how to do what I haven’t even done myself… but, of course, intend to.

Lucky you. For herewith are my thoughts on the matter, with ample help from HuffPost and Linda Eisenstadt.

Lisa Eisenstadt of the The Daily Muse

My take on their approach, as amended by my own brain twist is to begin with a conception, move to a process and then suggest actual goals along the health side of things.

Why bother? Well, if you spend any time and effort at all at resolution making and goal-attaining, you might as well put yourself in a space to succeed. Because the stats are not on your side.

As many as 100 million Americans make New Year’s resolutions, CNN reports. Only 40 to 45 percent of those people stick to their resolutions six months later. And that doesn’t mean these goals were attained, as the next set of statistics presented below affirm.

The Conception

The concept is to take small bites that are easily chewable or digestible. Or an even better analogy is the snowball. Apply this to each goal (resolution), particularly if it has eluded you in the past.

Start small and roll down the hill.

Think of what happens to a small fist-size snowball that’s rolled down a hill. Yep, get’s pretty big and gains momentum. (It’s how billionaire Warren Buffet explains how his wealth grew).

If you bumped into a gigantic 10 foot diameter snowball and were challenged to make it, you might turn around and run away, or you might brace yourself and sign a wavering signature to the contract figuring you’d find a way to meet this goal.

Or, you could simply say,

“My goal is to make a fist size snowball and each day move it further down the hill.”

Let it be small, but challenging. The one great reason to begin this way is because the data is clear: Only 12 percent of resolution-makers succeed in attaining their goals.

The Process

The process whereby you determine and manage your resolutions comes to us via Lisa Eisenstadt of the The Daily Muse. In her post, New Year’s Resolutions, How to Actually Keep Them, Ms. Eisendtadt refers to author and psychologist Richard Wiseman’s research which finds that 52 percent of resolution-makers are basically self-deceptive; they were confident their goals would be met, yet only 12 percent succeeded.

Those transcendent 12 percent that shamed the rest of us succeeded due to employing a better process that helped ensure that they crossed the goal line.

They set up step-by-step goals and they shared their goals with friends and family, thus making their commitments public.

There are six practical tools that Eisendtadt’s presents, which, naturally, I mix up with my own suggestions. You may find them to be a good process to incorporate into your goal making and goal doing.

Six Practical Tools to Attain Your Goals

1. Get Specific

Rather than say, “I’ll be healthier”, get more specific, such as, “I will eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, starting with three servings in week one, four in week two, and five in week three”.

Your resolution needs to be a tangible, achievable outcome. When you focus on that goal, when you visualize it, it needs to make you feel good to you, and it needs to be a positive outcome to you and perhaps others as well.

A good aide for this is a mantra. Make a mantra addressing your goal and repeat it during your visualization and throughout the day.

2. Write it Down

Write down your goals! Right down the steps to achieve them. Date the projected day of attainment and each step along the way. Without a step-by-step plan, the goal can appear overwhelming and trigger frustration or negative thoughts that get in the way of your success. But by planning and accomplishing one small thing at a time, you’ll stay on track, focused, and positive.

3. Make Time

Be sure to set aside ample time for yourself to achieve your goals. If you want to exercise more, plot out time in your weekly schedule for runs and time at the gym.

4. Move Past Doubt

Monitor how you undermine your goals with your thoughts. Pay attention to self-sabotaging mind chatter, like: “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do it.” Every thought you have is an intention. It’s normal to feel fear, doubt, or worry — but to make progress, it’s important to move past those negative feelings.

If you find negative thoughts surfacing, don’t criticize yourself, but stay in control. If your thoughts don’t support you or your goals, let them go — they’re not doing you any good. Replace them with your positive mantra, instead. Remember that self-doubt thoughts are often misleading and downright wrong, and should be ignored.

5. Get a Partner

Having a group, partner, friend, or professional to encourage you can be a great way to keep you going. Try finding a friend who has a similar resolution, and check in with each other every week to talk about your progress and challenges. Or, ask a family member or significant other to keep you accountable — just make sure they’re supportive and positive.

You can also seek professional help, whether that’s a personal trainer to help you meet your fitness goals or a counselor who can help you tackle larger, looming issues such as low self-confidence or a lack of direction. If you are dealing with issues of self-doubt, these can seriously get in the way of you meeting your other goals — so do yourself a favor, and address such issues head on.

6. Be Still

Have you heard the saying, “Be Still, Know God”? My interpretation of this is that only when you’re your body and mind are still can you let in impressions/thoughts not spawned by the altered ego. How can lofty thoughts penetrate the constant mind chatter unless you quiet them? Be still.

You’re more likely to slip on your goals when you’re stressed or overwhelmed, so spend time every day to getting out of your thoughts and reconnecting with yourself. Try a breathing exercise, meditation, yoga, or just going for a walk. The more practice you have being still and calm, the more present you’ll be for each step of achieving your goals.

[Read: Are Your Thoughts Yours?]

Setting and reaching goals isn’t about willpower, it’s about the power of your intention. Once you’ve mastered these few steps, you’ll be well equipped to follow through on your resolutions — this time, for good.

The Goals

OK, so here let’s consider applying some of the above tips to health goals. These are examples that may guide you in determining health-oriented goals of your own. I’m guided here by a HuffPost article entitled, New Year’s Resolutions: How to Make Your Healthy Goals Stick.

Get Fit

WebMD reports that about 15 percent of people who make resolutions for the New Year cite getting in shape as their top priority, WebMD reports. But by some estimates, as many as 60 percent of people let those new gym memberships deplete their bank accounts without anything to show for it, according to Time.com.

Improve Your Chances: “Fitness” is not a goal, as it’s not specific enough. Pick a specific goal like being able to do more pushups, jump rope longer, or walk up that tall hill outside your home faster. This way, you’re being specific and can track your progress. Another idea along the vein of the snowball is to write down a goal of going to the gym twice a week for the first month, thrice the second, etc.

[Have five minutes to spare? Watch Meg Hoffman’s five minute exercise routine.]

Lose Weight

It’s the perennial favorite. Year after year, losing weight is among the most popular New Year’s resolutions. And yet more Americans are overweight and obese than ever before. It takes cutting or burning off 3,500 calories to lose a pound a week (that’s 500 a day)!

Improve Your Chances: Again, as implied above in “Get Fit”, god is in the details. Writing down “lose weight” in your goal journal is useless. Need specifics. You need a weight goal (which always has a time-line) and a map (plan) to get there.

One idea is start a food journal to track what you eat and how much of it, making plans with an exercise buddy or personal trainer to keep you accountable to a fitness regimen, or even simply weighing yourself every day. (Note: There can be variance up and down, day to day, so make sure you focus on the weekly average.)

[Read 10 Unusual (Need to Know) Tips About Losing Weight for many weight loss tips, including food journaling.]

Eat Healthier

You know when you make an unhealthy food choice. But which unhealthy food choice do you habitually make? It might be serving size, fast food, sodium, or sugar, etc. (Read Sugar Lover? Which Type Are You.). Again, specificity matters in goal making and attaining.

Improve Your Chances: Make a list of what you’re willing to do to eat healthier. Then choose one or two items on that list and make a plan to incorporate them, or delete them from your pantry, sorta speak.

At first, it might be an easier transition to determine what foods or food groups you aren’t getting enough of and focus on adding these to your diet, and gradually delete the bad stuff later. Example: Eating more fruits and veggies, replacing refined grains with whole grains or choosing lean, fresh meat over fattier, processed meats.

[Would a blueprint be helpful? Here is mine: A Blueprint for Eating Right.]

And that’s it for now, except to underscore that achieving your goals is not mainly about willpower, but about intention and process.

You can think that someday you’d love to visit Croatia, but it’s unlikely to happen unless you truly intend to do so, you have a plan to get there, and each week you’ve taken one additional step to getting on that plane.

Happy New Year!

Dr. Weil’s Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs

Joe Garma — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:18:59 +0000

ONE OF my favorite doctors in the public arena is Dr. Andrew Weil. Among the many reasons that I like him is that he’s joyful, smart, articulate, iconoclastic, has debunked many myths and misrepresentations in the health field, written insightful books, and has promoted “functional medicine”, which seeks to understand and treat a person’s entire body as it relates to the root causes of disease or dysfunction, not simply wrestle with symptoms. (Whew!)

So, when I heard that the good doctor was to be interviewed by Ira Flatow on Talk of the Nation about his new book, Spontaneous Happiness: How to Discover and Embrace Your Body’s Natural Ability to Maintain and Heal Itself, I tuned my dial to KQED and opened my mind to be educated.

Mr. Flatow set the stage before introducing Dr. Weil by citing some ugly statistics: In America, use of medications are up by over 400% since 1988, and one in ten people over the age of 12 take antidepressant drugs according to the CDC.

(Listen to the podcast here.)

For Most, Antidepressant Drugs Don’t Work

Dr. Weil is not the only health practitioner who thinks that this state of affairs is ridiculous. He and others (notably, Dr. Mark Hyman) point out that not only can antidepressant pharmaceutical drugs cause dangerous side effects, but that for mild to moderate depression, they do not work any better than placebos.

The common antidepressant drugs are of a drug classification called “Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors”, or “SSRI”. Over the years, the pharmaceutical companies with their ubiquitous TV ads have done a good job of convincing too many of us that normal, cyclical (like with the onset of winter) bouts of mild to moderate depression is a big problem that you better not cope with all by yourself, so take this drug.

Problem is, antidepressant drugs don’t work for mild to moderate depression* – you’ll do as well with a sugar pill, on average, but (adding injury to insult), they can cause pernicious side effects, such as:

Nausea
Dry mouth
Headache
Diarrhea
Nervousness, agitation or restlessness
Reduced sexual desire or difficulty reaching orgasm
Inability to maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction)
Rash
Increased sweating
Weight gain
Drowsiness
Insomnia

(*Bi-polar and severe depression is in a completely different category, and those with these conditions need to stay on their meds.)

And there’s another pretty whomping problem with the SSRI class of antidepressant drugs… with long-term use SSRIs can produce the very same problem – depression – that they’re made to alleviate. This situation is described by the “homeostasis effect”, whereby a system, like the body, endeavors to bring itself back to the norm when an outside or unnatural agent is introduced into the system.

Although not often described as such, we hear about this all the time when a doctor or news report describes that some bacteria has become resistant to inoculants, and as such are called, “drug-resistant bacteria”. This also is common with allergy or acid reflex drugs, wherein for some people the more they’re used, the less effective they become.

The Role of Inflammation on Depression

Over the past few years, scientists have been isolating inflammation as a root cause of many degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and others. I just got 162,000,000 results from a Google search for “inflammation-based diseases”. Naturally, given this growing understanding of the linkage of inflammation and disease, the marketplace now offers us “Inflammation Diets”, including the spot-on inflammation-reducing tips from Dr. Weil himself.

Inflammation is a prevalent physical and mental health problem because of the poor food choices we make. In the Talk of the Nation radio interview, Dr. Weil briefly describes how processed and manufactured food can cause inflammation, in part by disrupting the right balance between Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as by dominating the banquet of food choices which consists of poorly grown meat (animals fed grains not grass), simple carbohydrates (white flours, rice, food in boxes) and fats (saturated, trans fat, hydrogenated).

The first clue about the causal link between inflammation markers in the body and depression happened on farms in the 1950s. Farmers recognized that when their cows, sheep and pigs were sick because they exhibited a specific behaviors: they became anti-social, maintained distance from the herd, were listless.

In the 1970s, scientists discovered inflammation markers in the blood supply of sick animals that they termed, “Blood Factor X”. They soon understood that much of the sickness exhibited by farm animals had to do with inflammation. In people, the researchers discovered that inflammation could induce changes in the brain that could instigate depression, leading some very few in the medical field to treat mild to moderate depression via anti-inflammatory foods and treatments.

Four Steps to Reduce Depression

Back now to Dr. Weil’s new book, Spontaneous Happiness. This book presents a step-by-step, week-by-week , scientifically-based road map for improving, or eliminating mild to moderate depression. (There’s a link to it below.)

I have not read the book, but from Dr. Weil’s radio interview, I can summarize what I’ll call “four steps to reduce depression”. Step one is to avoid foods that cause inflammation — those processed, manufactured foods — and to eat instead anti-inflammatory foods. Step two is to take certain, proven supplements proven to reduce mild to moderate depression. Step three is to exercise. Step four is to change one’s perception, a cognitive behavioral shift, if you will.

Step 1 – Eat Anti-inflammatory Foods

Feed animals that eat grass rather than grain (like corn) have substantially more omega-3 fatty acids in their meat. Flaxseed oil, pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil and fish oil are rich in omega-3 fatty acids; wherein corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed oil, and olive oil (olive oil being a perfectly good oil in moderation and appropriate for cooking) contain omega-6 fatty acids.

A healthy diet should consist of roughly 2 – 4 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 – 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, and many researchers believe this imbalance is a significant factor in the rising rate of inflammatory disorders in the United States.

[Want to learn more about healthy and unhealthy fats? Read Eating Fat is Good… Maybe…Could Be… Sometimes.]

Recently, the FDA established a new food pyramid that is no longer a pyramid, but a plate. I describe it in Yes, Choose My Food Plate and The New Food Pyramid is a Plate. Dr. Weil responded by creating a plate of his own, but ahhh, kept it as a pyramid. Confused? Don’t be… be it plate or pyramid, the point is to know what foods to eat, and Dr. Weil conscientiously chooses inflammation-fighting foods.

What is Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid?

It is a practical eating guide that consumers of all ages can use, with tips on how to reduce risks of age-related diseases and improve overall health through diet.
It is an interactive educational graphic to help today’s families prevent disease while eating well.
It is a simple tool that promotes optimum health and healthy aging by providing dietary advice that addresses inflammation.

Learn more about it here.

As mentioned, the key foods to avoid are those that are processed and manufactured (in boxes, cans and plastic); grain-fed meat and dairy as opposed to animals raised on grass; simple carbs such as white bread, white rice, potatoes; and unhealthy fats, such as trans fats, saturated fats and partially hydrogenated oils.

Here’s a list of Dr. Weil’s recommended food choices

Step 2 – Take Antidepressant Supplements

The proven supplements to help ameliorate mild to moderate depression include fish oil, vitamin D3, vitamin B12 and SAMe.

I’ve written about SAMe and a powerful type of fish oil called, “krill oil” in Emotional Wellbeing (Chemistry Helps!), and about Vitamin D3 here and here.

Dr. Weil recommends two to four grams of fish oil per day.

Don’t worry about contaminant in your fish oil supplement if manufactured from a reliable brand, as typically they are molecularly distilled and thus free from PCBs and mercury, etc.

Step 3 – Exercise!

Exercise is a proven method to improve mild to moderate depression. Whether you’re doing an aerobic or anaerobic exercise, it does a body, and a mind good. One reason is that exercise decreases the stress hormones such as cortisol, and increases those “feel-good” endorphins, such as epinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.

I have two rules for beginner exercisers:

1. Recruit a buddy to do it with you, and

2. Begin with an exercise routine that you’re willing to consistently do.

If you’re completely out of shape, walk, and walk quickly. When this becomes comfortable, walk up hills. If you can, begin jogging. In between walking days, learn and do yoga or some strength-producing exercises, such as push-ups and squats. Begin on your knees if you need to for the push-ups, and hold on to a chair for the squats.

Step 4 – Change Your Perception

A teacher once told me and the rest of the class, “Attitude is everything!”. The near-miracle is being able to change it, cause for most of us our attitude is cemented in place, and perhaps it’s not a very good place.

But for those of you that are willing to work on shifting your mind set to improve your mental well being, consider the following information gleaned from Dr. Weil, with a healthy (hopefully) dose of my interpretation.

First, it’s helpful to know that some amount of depression is quite normal. What would be abnormal for all except Buddhist monks is to be always happy. Getting a bit depressed is common during specific times of your life and in seasons of the year. Common times to feel low in life are after child birth, when the kids fly the nest, during menopause, during a career shift, when middle age first hits, during illness, etc. The onset of winter, with its cold and reduced light, can also ignite depression.

Know that when mild to moderate depression happens – the kind that DOES NOT bring you to the highest bridge or building in the neighborhood – there are better methods to combat it than drugs, as this post has been imploring. Along with the three steps already described, working on changing your perception could be very helpful.

Dr. Weil suggests to begin improving your perception/cognition with shutting off the things that make your mind flutter, meaning things that distract you from being present, from being focused on one thing at a time.

Turns out, whether you believe it true for you or not, humans are not good at multi-tasking. This has been studied exhaustively. The brain doesn’t multi-task well, so what it does is shift back and forth between the things you’re doing, trying to focus individually on each thing, and not doing it well. This does not produce calmness – just the opposite.

So, the first thing to awaken to is how you manage your day. If too much multi-tasking is happening, try to simply focus on one thing at a time till it’s as complete as you need it to be for the day. Improve your well-being by turning off the TV and all the electronics that compete for your attention, like every time that “ping” sound happens on your cell phone to alert you to a new text message. That sound and inevitable reaction, takes you from your focus. On a subtle level, it’s stressful if frequently repeated.

There are two things to practice in order to shift perception and improve mild to moderate depression, says Dr. Weil in this radio interview: Meditation and Gratitude.

Meditation takes practice. No one’s good at it immediately. But it’s worth trying because meditation helps you change your reaction to things. As the saying goes, “You can’t change what happens to you, but you can change your reaction to it”.

One basic method to learn to meditate is simply to sit comfortably in a place where there’ll be no distractions for 15 minutes (to start), close your eyes and follow your breath. “Follow your breath” means to stay focused on it, allowing the breath to come in and go out as it will. Soon, just by focusing on it, the inhalation and exhalation will become longer and deeper. When your mind drifts, gently bring it back. If silently reciting some mantra, or affirmation helps, add that. If focusing on an object in your mind’s eye helps, do that. But first get used to following your breath. Over time, you’ll realize that every stress point in your life is being handled with greater ease.

Be grateful. Even those of us in very bad situations can find something day to day to be grateful about. Try… you will find something. The key for this to improve your mindset is to recognize those things for which you’re grateful, and express it. This can be done each evening before bed when you write down the things for which you have gratitude that happened, or were recognized that day.

I close this post with the admonition that all that’s written may be considered helpful tips to help reduce mild to moderate depression, not severe depression. If you’re on a doctor-prescribed antidepressant, you will need to work with your doctor to wean yourself from the drug as you incorporate the suggestions here reported.

Many blessings to you.

A Little Depressed? 10 Actions That Help Me

Joe Garma — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:23:41 +0000

I know you’re human, because no other creatures can read, and you’re reading this, so you’re human. Since you’re human, you get depressed from time to time. Me too! Here are 10 11 actions to beat your depression into submission. Collectively, they address the dimensions within which we live our lives.

I HAPPEN to have a high tolerance for pain, or so it seems. I’ve gone years without work, a “significant other” and – what I feel is worse – without creating much of value. Anyone with normal pain receptors would have been compelled to do something dramatic to change the channel. I, however, sit still and stare out from various windows in my home at the sailboats cruising by in the bay below.

(A sweet picture, yes?)

Fortunately, these latent periods have been appreciatively disrupted by work and love and all the stuff concomitant with them. So, I’m not terminally flirting with pain, or… as it might better be known… with depression. And, to be fair, the depression I’m speaking of is not the kind that is so debilitating that the “flirting” is with prospects of leaping from tall building and bridges. Rather, here the wrestling match is with that type of depression that is normative for most of us: small doses of depression, but substantial enough to categorize a week here and there as very sub-par.

From what I’ve read, many of us so disdain these depressed periods that we reflexively grab some pharmaceutical or another – Lexapro, Effexor, Cymbalta, Zoloft, Paxil – take your pick; certainly, the TV commercials will tell you that there’s no need to be down, just drug up to get up.

The commercials must machine gun the “cover-their-ass” pronouncements of the ill effects that might accompany your drug of choice, but what is not said is that depression drugs may not work at all. This sad fact I report in Do Depression Drugs Work? which points to evidence that antidepressants, on average, may be little more effective than sugar pills in treating depression.

So, what should we sometimes depressed humans to do?

10 11 Depression-beating Actions

[UPDATE: Check out Dr. Weil's Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs.]

This is what I’ve done to help myself reset, punch back, ignore, take leave of, evaporate my bouts of depression. Disclaimer: These suggestions are not for the really strong type of depression that may sink you into an oblivion from which you may not reappear.

1. Implement a daily schedule that you can adhere to. This means that as soon as you awaken, you have something to do that you’re willing to do.

2. Upon arising, take a shower and make it hot and cold to revitalize your body and stimulate your mind

3. Dress yourself… not in the afternoon, but in the morning, and dress as if you have something to do, somewhere to go, even if you don’t; however, if you follow #1, you should have something scheduled.

4. Listen to music, the kind that makes you feel good. You can dial in what you need in the moment. (Read how music helps health: Lost and Found Radio and Music’s Affect on Health.)

5. Take supplements known to be useful to ameliorate depression. Krill Oil has a phospholipid form of omega-3 which is absorbed faster and more efficiently than the triglyceride form typically found in fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are reputed to help with stress, promote heart health and lubricate joints. (Read this on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and the London Cabbie study.) SAM-e helps balance Dopamine & serotonin are neurotransmitters that control mood and pain. But that’s just for starters — SAM-e also helps support cartilage-producing cells, and produces glutathione for detoxification, while replenishing the liver’s own SAMe supply. I’ve written about both these supplements here, and suggest you take look.

6. Recruit a Buddy, someone in whom you can entrust your innermost self and will help lift you up when way down low.

7. Exercise! Grab that buddy, or give him/her permission to grab you, and go exercise. Walk, jog, yoga, push-ups – just do it, and if you want to know why, read what the Mayo Clinic has to say about how exercise eases the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Yes, it gets that dopamine and endorphins flowing – all feel-good chemicals that can help.

8. Smile in front of a mirror. Yes, this may be horrifying at first as that reflection reveals that sad, sorry, self-indulgent face, but stay with it and something deep within you may arise and shout “fuck this!”. After that, a smile may begin to shimmer on the horizon, and this will shift things for the better.

9. Meditate. Yeah, like all of these suggestions, frankly, getting yourself to mediate when depressed has about as much a chance of success as to chant, “I am not depressed” ten times whilst hopping in a circle in on one foot. That’s why #6 is so important. Remember, you gave Buddy permission to be a pain in the ass, so he/she will come over, get your sorry self off the couch and out of the bon bon box. Sit on a cushion, make up a feel-good mantra to focus on, and just follow your breath for ten minutes. Couldn’t hurt. Extra points: Make that mantra about three things for which you’re grateful. One of them could be gratitude that you’re sitting in meditation.

10. Read a biography. Choose a biography about someone who arose from the ashes, someone perhaps with whom you can relate. Could be inspiring!

11. Walk with Rumi. When you’re down, you need ventilation and inspiration, a potent combo. The walk with take care of the first, and the Sufi mystic poet, Rumi will be the inspiration. Whatever your view is of a higher power, ole Rumi will take you one step closer. For more on this, read Relief from Depression with Rumi.

I’ve done all these things, here and there, when I remember and am not so depressed to do something. Yeah, that’s the catch, so remember #6.

Hey, do you do something that helps with your moments of depression, other than drugs? If so, please tell us in the Comments section below.

Lost and Found Radio and Music’s Affect on Health

Joe Garma — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:30:27 +0000

How do you make driving 350 miles in hard rain actually pleasurable? Well, it’s in the music. What’s more, music can have a positive affect on your health in numerous ways.

I’M SITTING in front of a café alongside of the main drag through this little hamlet in Northern California, Sausalito. Am thinking about the long but pleasant ride home from Santa Barbara yesterday. Although it rained hard much of the 350 miles along Highway 101, the driving experience was enhanced by one Luke Crampton, host of Santa Barbara radio station Lost and Found Radio, The Best Music You’ve Never Heard, states the byline.

Indeed it was.

Not one to seek out music on a day-to-day basis, I was, nevertheless, delighted not only by Mr. Crampton’s selection of music, but his insightful banter about the artists and their place in time and space.

Song after song held my attention and helped the endorphins flow as rain pelted the car and I passed three accidents. Sadly, by the time I passed Paso Robles, the radio signal no longer could keep up with my speedy car. For awhile, I let my space be punctuated with silence, just to let the marvelous time I had set in.

I really wanted to share my listening experience with you, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that Lost and Found radio has an Internet stream. Rather, the link above takes you to what appears to be a marketing site for iTunes; meaning, you can see the songs that Luke Crampton plays and then listen to fragments of them at iTunes, or buy them there. Even if that’s fine with you, what’s missed is Mr. Crampton’s insightful commentary, as well as his British(?) inflection. UPDATE 11/28/11: Thanks to “russfrac” in the Comments below, I’ve been apprised that I dimwittingly, unwittingly didn’t realize that you can listen to Lost and Found Radio on iTunes, as well as buy the songs there heard. Simply, go to lostandfound.com and click on the “Podcast” banner which will take you to iTunes where you can listen to your heart’s content.

Music’s Affect on Your Health

Now, if you’ve skipped around this blog before, it’s no surprise to you that I sometimes write about things unrelated to health matters, the purported focus of this blog. But I can concoct a relationship between just about any topic and health – music being no exception.

The reason we choose to do most things is for the experience of it, I’d argue, and listening to music is no exception. It can inspire, focus, delight and make you weepy, among an assortment of other stuff. To the extent it amplifies positive emotions and thoughts, well, this can have a decidedly physically positive result.

As eMedExpert reports in How Music Affects Us and Promotes Health:

“Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and can have surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development.”

The article goes on to describe how music can be effective for pain control, reduce blood pressure, speed post-stroke recovery, boost immunity, increase productivity, athletic performance and relaxation.

With a list like that, what doesn’t music do? Well, my house up the hill needs cleaning, so I’m going to see if my 26 year-old Bang & Olufsen can still crank a tune substantial enough to spur me on.

P.S. Hey, if anyone can find a stream to Lost and Found Radio, Santa Barbara, with Luke Crampton, please let us know in the Comments below.

Inspirational Alice – Dancing Under the Gallows at 107

The “Pleasure Camp” Way to Flatten Your Belly

Joe Garma — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:57:36 +0000

Jena la Flamme of Pleasure Camp

GIVEN THAT you’re reading this, a post on a health blog, it’s likely that you’re interested in health matters, and get health information from the Web. I do too, of course. I spend many hours each week exploring what’s new in the health world and how people producing information, guidance, product and the like communicate with their visitors.

Last night I listened to a webcast about dealing with weight issues. It was presented by angelic-looking, sweet talking Jena la Flamme. (Yes, that’s her name.) The topic: “5 Unexpected Ways To Flatten Your Belly“.

The Pleasure Camp program is intended for women only. And as I listened to the presentation, I immediately realized how artful the approach was in appealing to women, for it was all about creating a nurturing, safe environment.

The stories were personal and easy to relate to for women. As a man, I found almost nothing presented that I would need to hear before joining the “Pleasure Camp” (yes, a name appealing, I guess, to women). A “camp” that women, presumably overweight, can attend for nearly $1,000.

My intent here is not to jam a wedge between the respective decision-making matrix of men and women, but to show that men and women may respond to very different pitches before parting with their money when it comes to something that has emotional overtones.

Like fat.

Assuming that Jena la Flamme successfully fills her Pleasure Camp by the various messages, appeals and pitches I’ve watched, heard and read – and I think she does – her marketing approach to women tells an insightful tale.

Women and men respond to very different appeals.

I know, this conclusion is not particularly insightful, but I’ve never really experienced such a dramatically different approach then what Jena la Flamme uses to get women to part with their money.

During her webinar last night, she did not do what I would think any person would want to hear before deciding to sign-up for such a weight loss camp:

-No statistics were offered related to the success rates of former attendees.

-No details of the weight loss process were outlined.

-No details of the agenda were offered.

Like me, most men would want these details, and before last night’s experience, along with various marketing emails from la Flamme, I would have thought that an approach largely devoid of such details could NOT sell women either. Perhaps that’s true for some women, but I now believe that la Flamme’s approach works for enough women to make her businesses thrive.

Here’s my summary of what she told her audience last night:

1. You need to alleviate stress… can’t accomplish (build) something good under stress. Find out what stresses you and change the situation and/or reaction. Tune into this before every meal.

2. Get your mind and body in harmony. The mind is the rider, the body the horse. The rider can rule the horse but why do this by overpowering the steed, who will then be unruly and rebellious? Rather, the rider should be one with the horse, moving in harmony.

3. The excess weight on your body has a message and you must find out what it is. Like a note in a bottle, the message must be extracted and read. Yes, bad eating, not moving contributes, but there’s a deeper reason a woman is willing to let the weight pile on. There’s a message there and it needs to be decoded… think of it as an exciting journey. Oftentimes this is the issue that a personal coach most has to focus on. A good question for yourself: What might you lose that you value if you were to lose the weight? Keep going deeper with this question. Thin equals sexy and being sexy might be threatening, unsafe. Does getting attention mean danger?

4. Create healthy pleasure “ecology” where good choices happen. Fill your fridge and pantry with superfoods. Green veggies will provide nutrition and energy. Chia seeds… soak them overnight and add milk, nuts and fruit for your breakfast. Chia is nutritious and has lots of fiber. Brown rice is good and easy to make with a rice cooker. Make sure you have healthy staples in the house so you select them for snacks rather than the unhealthy ones.

That’s the message delivered, along with some authentic-feeling testimonials. This is the stuff, we were told, that will be delved deeper into at the Pleasure Camp. To my mind, this info is spot on… but is it enough to compel someone to sign-on for $1,000?

Apparently so…

The next day, today, the attendees of last night’s presentation got two follow-up emails. The information they contained included very positive feedback emailed to Jena from some listeners, and a list of people, such as artist, doctor, “emerging” actor, etc., that are attending.

Here’s what one person wrote:

“May I tell you, that was spectacular! Your voice was like music…so
natural, conveyed real “knowing” & warmth…beautiful job! And as
always…jam packed with insights that truly inspire!”

And to those who missed the presentation, la Flamme writes:

“Learn how to make slimming down more pleasurable than you’ve
ever known it to be–come on, don’t knock pleasure as a weight loss
approach until you try it, Jo–I’ll show you how.

Go here to access your teleseminar replay for the steps.”

My final thoughts

I learned something from Jena la Flamme. Not about weight loss but about what women respond to. Or some women. For these women, the key is not to overload them with data and techniques, but to speak to the emotion behind their weight. To share things about which they can identify. To present others like them who have succeeded. To underscore the nurturing approach. In effect, to invite them to join a loving family of sisters.

My final word on this topic is to underscore that I am not making a judgment about the effectiveness of la Flamme’s program. It might be fantastic. You women who are curious can click the link above and enter her world. Let us know in the Comments section below what you think.

Yep