It is reported that 80-85% of all physician visits are due to the effect of stress upon our bodies. I have come to believe that we have lived with stress for so long that we don’t perceive our lives to be that stressful until the bucket is full and we start have very unpleasant symptoms such as sleeplessness, digestive issues, palpitations or extreme fatigue.

Where to start with our self-care for this stress? The 1st and best place to start is with the breath. Dr. Andrew Weil says that the breath is “The Master Key to Self Healing”.   In fact, it can save your life.

3 reasons this breathing technique will save your life!

1. This breathing technique is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. When practiced for a month, our nervous system can calm down.
2. This technique can help us go back to sleep.  I use this technique to help me go back to sleep when my mind is awake in the night.
3. The technique is not a tranquilizing drug with side effects. It gains power with repetition and practice.

I say, “why wouldn’t everyone use this technique!!”. The technique empowers us to heal ourselves.

Let me share with you the 4/7/8 Breathing technique:

• Sit up straight while learning the technique.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
• Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
• This is 1 breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle 3 more times for a total of 4 breaths.
• Do 4 breath cycles twice a day. In 30 days, you will notice a difference in your body. You can extend the practice to 8 breaths. Use it whenever anything is unsettling – before you react.

This is just one example of the power we have to heal ourselves. If you are feeling the effects of stress in your life, call me for a Free Discovery conversation to learn more stress relieving practices. Reducing stress can add quality years to your life. 

Click to learn more information on My Seven Pillars of Aging.                   ​

​October is “Breast Cancer Awareness Month”. Early Detection is the Best Prevention” is what everyone is being told.
5 Ways to Decrease Our Risks of Breast Cancer!
There are risk factors that cannot be changed such as family history, early start to periods, late stop of periods, and having the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene. But there are many changes that can be made in our lives to decrease our risk of breast cancer.
Breast cancer risks we can change are:

1. Exercise- studies show that exercise decreases our risk of breast cancer and other cancers.
2. Cut back on our consumption of sugar and simple carbohydrates
3. Increase our consumption of organic fruits and vegetables. Cruciferous vegetable such as broccoli and cabbage are breast protective.
4. Get restorative sleep.
5. Eliminate toxins from our environment.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

We can do many things to turn off breast cancer and change our gene expression. While we are making these changes to decrease our risk of breast cancer, we will also be healthier, feel better, sleep better and have an optimal life.                                                                                                                                                
Grab a couple friends. Schedule a group hour session with me to see how you can greatly reduce your risk of any and all cancers. When you work to improve your health through prevention, you improve your future health for years to come. I will show you fast and easy habits you can incorporate that will make a big difference in your overall health. 

What is the one thing that you can do to decrease your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes? You may think that could not be possible. One thing? How simple can that be? But it isn’t simple because sugar is addictive and our world is full of sugar.

Sugar has been hidden in many foods and under many names, over 50 names, by our manufacturers. We have bought into the myth that carbohydrates are needed for life and fat is our enemy.  Dr. Ancil Keys told the science community in 1970s, that fat was the villain, causing heart disease. This information has changed our eating habit for 48+ years.

Dr. Robert Atkins, was a pioneer in 1972, when his 1st book came out promoting “low carbohydrate diets, Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution”.  Was he entirely correct with his information? Not exactly, but was a move in the best interest of good health and decreasing carbohydrate intake.

Let’s take a moment to exam our health after 40+ years of believing that fat was causing cardiovascular disease.  We have created the perfect storm for chronic illness; heart disease, diabetes, cancer and auto-immune diseases to name just a few by eating processed snack foods, trans fats, chemical-laden foods and added sugar to all kinds of food. 

There are many reasons to evict sugar from our lives, but the top 3 are:

1. Sugar causes insulin resistance, diabetes and weight gain.
2. Sugar damages and decreases your immune system.
3. Increases your risk of cardiovascular diseases and risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer.

It is not possible to eliminate all sugar from our daily intake but eating low glycemic foods including mixed salads and fruits such as berries adds good fiber and taste but doesn’t raise blood sugar.

Become a label reader, to know you are eating good quality food and nothing your grandmother won’t recognize. It’s OK to use Stevia and erythritol for sweeteners, because usually neither of these natural products raise blood sugar.    
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If you are struggling with weight loss, fatigue, sugar addition or chronic illness then call me today at 502-295-6251 or email me at betty@healinghealthconcepts.com to schedule a free discovery call. I will teach you how to reduce your sugar intake and cravings, plus how to make healthy eating doable and even fun. 

Are you clinging to the myth that aging is all a downhill trip? Do you think it’s impossible to lead a fun, entertaining and enjoyable life after 50? Do you feel like you’ve been put out to pasture?

The good news is, you don’t have to buy into the myth of the downhill trip with aging. There are many things that can be done to increase our energy and vitality as we age.

Here are the top 3 ways to help you age gracefully:

1. Stay physically active with movement and regular exercise. A new study reports that a sedentary lifestyle is worse for your health than smoking, leading to diabetes, cancer and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of regular exercise. So what does that mean to you? If you are not exercising, start slowly with being more active and increase as you can tolerant. There are many options. 
2. Stay socially active with friends and family improves life satisfaction and has physiologic benefits such as decreasing inflammation in your body. How does one stay socially active? There are many options. If you need to establish a social network of real people, not just on social media. Volunteer at churches, library, retirement homes or organizations. If you are bored, get a job. 
3. Eat healthy, whole, clean food. The best quality you can afford in your budget. Any food made at home is better than chemical-laden, sugar filled processed food. Start slow, add recipes to your collection and increase your ability slowly. Start with breakfast. 

These top three ways to age gracefully are under our control and are life changing when applied. What can you do today to give yourself more energy and vitality? I challenge you to increase your movement 10 minutes each day and you will feel a gradual increase in your energy level. You have to move to lose the blues!

If you are struggling with low energy, loneliness or health issues, email me to schedule a free Discovery Call. It’s time to start adding enjoyment to your life again and get yourself moving in the direction of improved health. Healthy Aging with Betty. 502-295-6251 or bgreaver@gmail.com.   

​Here’s a great example of Healthy aging!  The couple in this Humana video gives us some good pointers.  They decide on a recreation that will give them pleasure. They look at the challenges or obstacles they might encounter. Climbing the stairs. Perhaps, one of them has a chronic illness that make the stairs a real challenge or perhaps, they haven’t been exercising and believe they have loss strength. 

The couple then sets a goal, they give themselves 30 days to exercise and get stronger, so they can enjoy their goal. And, they have fun, getting to their goal, exercising together.  This is smart! The couple gets to the game, climb the stairs and are all smiles!
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This is a great example of healthy aging! Keeping your strength up to enjoy life and going for activity that give us pleasure. Very smart!

If you have accepted the myth that you are too old to have fun on your journey and want to enjoy life again, travel and accomplish new things (even in your 70s and 80s) then call me today! Together we will look at your life and come up with an action plan that will give you more vitality, so you can get yourself back into the game.
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Betty
Your Healthy Aging Coach

Integrative Oncologist. We do not have to believe the stereotypes of old age that means we just have to sit down and grow old. We are not doomed to be lonely, sick and unproductive. We do not have to have a steady decline but can have positive changes. We aging people can continue to learn, be productive and lead a full life. We do not have to gain weight, we can exercise and continue to dance!
 
Are you ready to plan for the rest of your life? To have more energy, less chronic pain experience better sleep and improved mental clarity. 
 
Several lifestyle changes will do all of the above.
1) Eat whole, real and clean food.   
2) Eliminate chemical-laden, processed, gluten/wheat, sugar and dairy foods.
3) Add movement, play/creativity and daily prayer/meditation. 
4) Have good sleep. 
 
I started on this journey more than 20 years ago. I was overweight, hurting and not happy. I was always hungry and craving food. I had no energy. I was taking tons of Ibuprofen. I was aging with chronic illnesses. 
 
Fast forward to today. I eat whole, fresh, real food. I do not not feel like I'm 70 years old. I have reduced my stress. I am now a massage therapist and a Holistic Health Coach. I love where I am and I love my life. 
 
Come along with me on this  aging journey and I will share the magic with you. It's not a magic pill, but a magic life.
Hugs and love,
Betty Greaver
Your Healthy Aging Coach