There’s More To It Than Taking A Pill To Lower High Cholesterol

There’s More To It Than Taking A Pill To Lower High Cholesterol

I had one of those strange new client calls today. She wanted to lower high cholesterol with supplements.  She also has type I Diabetes.

As the conversation went, it was a fantastic complimentary consult. We hit it off. She was ready to make changes in her life and work with a Health Coach. We’ll call this lady Alice.

Naturally lower high cholesterollower high cholesterol

Alice asked about supplements to help lower high cholesterol. She has a cousin who has successfully worked with me for the same health issue. While her cousin doesn’t have Diabetes I, this chronic illness is part of the whole healthcare dynamic. Autoimmune disease is something other qualified health coaches or I can help with. Her cardiovascular issue is part of the health problem too.

You learn a lot about people just on the phone. I do anyway.

The following week, she phoned me before most people are up and moving around. It was the day before her first scheduled appointment with me.

Forming a connectionhealth coach

“I haven’t done my paperwork because I don’t have a printer. I also can’t download it or anything,” Alice said. Every good relationship in health and wellness begins with some information. Paperwork is a conversation starter. It helps a health coach or practitioner create a connection with you.

“I just want you to tell me what supplement will lower high cholesterol, so I don’t think I need to tell you more about me or do paperwork.” she went on.

My reply, “Alice, I need to know what you eat. I would like to know what you ate yesterday and today if possible. It will help me help you feel better.”  I paused and heard her breathing speed up.

“Also, the information lets me know if you have other problems or what all your health symptoms are. I can’t just say take this supplement without knowing more.” I continued.

Lowering LDL is more than taking a supplement

After another pause, Alice said, “I don’t feel that’s necessary, I only want you to fix my LDL which is too high. “My cousin said you can fix that with a supplement. “

I went on to explain to Alice that this problem didn’t happen overnight and knowing more about her helps me to coach her. She didn’t buy it.lower high cholesterol

Alice explained she had a support group for diabetics and didn’t want to make any changes. My goal wasn’t to change your existing support but to add my support to her and her goals!

It was clear Alice was a professional story-teller. She likely wasn’t eating and exercising like she was reporting to her group. Now with me. I presented a threat.

She would need to let me know what she ate for 7 days after her first visit. We’d do some brainstorming around fitness. Discover what she is currently doing which in our first call she told me was a lot. Now she didn’t want to ‘admit’ to doing anything specific.

There’s More To It Than Taking A Pill To Lower High Cholesterol

Alice wasn’t ready to really feel better or lower high cholesterol. It might change any joint pain she was experiencing. It might help her diabetes. Working with a health coach meant she has to take care of herself. “I just thought I could talk with you and you’d give me a supplement to fix the problem. You know like my medical doctor does.” This sounds like I have to do something other than pop a pill. I’m not ready for that!”health coaching, Functional Medicine

How many times have people shied away from taking responsibility for their own health? Many people do. I feel for Alice.

Change is hard. She knows that the solution is more than a pill. Alice isn’t honest with herself and her support group.

From my first conversation with her she talked about how good she ate and the fitness she does. Then when it came down to sharing details is was scary. Was what she doing right or enough?  We’ll never know.

Alice likely called her doctor asking for a ‘pill’ to lower high cholesterol.

 

 

 

Photos by BigStock, Icons8 team  Pavan Trikutam on Unsplash 

2 Tips For Losing Weight After Menopause

2 Tips For Losing Weight After Menopause

It hit Susan like a train wreck she said. “I seemed to gain weight overnight, and I need help for losing weight after menopause.”Losing weight after menopause

She is a regular for pain related acupuncture but  we’ve never talked about menopause or weight gain. “My butt is as big as a caboose don’t you think?” Susan asked me turning around to show me where the fat had deposited itself. Like many women, her body had betrayed her. Why? Simple.

Menopause means a change. That’s what my mother called it. It’s right – a change in hormones. A change in your lifestyle. Particularly food and fitness.

Handing my patient a tissue I explained this.

Start Before It Happens

First thing is don’t wait until you notice symptoms. Start in your 40’s by being proactive. Use acupuncture for wellness care. In my office, we can do acupuncture through health insurance even when you don’t have acupuncture as a covered benefit. Acupuncture is one of the leading ways to reduce stress a major factor in weight gain.

Vary your exercise from walking to cycling. Do weight lifting and some yoga.

Start removing grains, pseudo-grains if you haven’t already.

Losing Weight After Menopause

Susan like many other women I work with in my practice had done an exercise routine for years. She explained that she did these videos at home and then walked every lunch hour for 10 minutes. Yet her belly and butt got bigger. The scale showed a gain too.

Two sizes bigger she felt that losing weight after menopause would be impossible. Not true!

As an acupuncturist, I know that acupuncture will boost the metabolism. I know as a functional medicine practitioner that certain supplements, food, and exercise will help you with losing weight after menopause.

Change Up Your Eating and Exercise

 

  1. Begin a move toward a Paleo eating lifestyle if you haven’t already. Remove grains, sugar, and dairy from your diet for a while. Work with someone like myself who is an acupuncturist and a health coach.You’ll need to plan the changes in your eating habits. Cleaning out the kitchen, learning to cook or new ways to prepare tasty yet easy meals. You don’t have to do this alone.‘ Food is the most abused anxiety drug. Exercise is the most underutilized antidepressant.’ Unknown
  2. Exercise[1] is about to change. Yes, you can still walk daily but the 10 minutes is now 45-60 minutes – daily. If you’re open to it, try other forms of cardio. Going to a spin class or a dance class for women. acupuncture and weight lossFor Susan, we needed to add strength training. I suggested weightlifting. She preferred to try Yoga and Pilates. It all works.

The point is you have to change some things up. What worked when you were 40 doesn’t work when you’re 50. It will not work when you’re 60 either. You may move from high-impact to lower impact.

Mix it up at any age Susan did. She found a “spin room” on her way home from work and a Yoga place nearby. She still walks just further outside for longer.

She donated her exercise videos and bought a few light weights. On some days, she lifts weight in front of a mirror in her home.

Expected The Unexpected

Let it be fun. Your acupuncture treatment should be relaxing and a special time for you. Enjoy it. If you get your nails or hair done professionally then invest in your wellness and longevity through acupuncture care too.

Think about finding new recipes with our website.. Aren’t you tired of the same old thing?  It’s exciting to eat new flavors and try old favorites with a new approach.  A lot of women have gotten away from cooking. Using a health coach helps you find what fits your professional and personal lifestyle.Health Coach

Susan resisted the idea of anything other than walking. Her busy schedule interfered with fitness classes. Deciding to give it a try she chose the “Spin room”. Indoor cycling helped to relieve stress more than walking. She began to sleep better. Losing weight after menopause became easier.

‘Let exercise be your stress reliever, not food.’ Unknown

Not everyone will have Susan’s amazing results of returning to her old dress size and have a shapelier body yet it’s possible for you too.

Losing weight after menopause always works if you apply my 2 tips. Susan latest comments about her body to me this past week, “Look! My butt looks better than it did when I was 40!”

 

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296386/

Photo by Abraham Elworo  Dan Gold on Unsplash

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