I have been avoiding this blog, I suppose. My excuse is that I don't know what to write about, but that's just an excuse. I do know what to write about. I've been waning. Eating more unconsciously like eating nuts or nut butter handful after handful without pre-measuring. While at the computer doing useless stuff on Facebook. Right before bed. Too late. Compromising my sleep. Avoiding something. Something that is causing me internal stress: some emotion, some problem that I would rather not acknowledge.
So, I confessed this to Keri Glassman and instead of playing archeologist/therapist she suggested that I engage in a very simple process. Identify my unconscious eating trigger. In my case it is unconscious stress: a subliminal sense that something is not quite right. It comes on at times when I don't have time to deeply analyze things like right before bed or in-between patients. Keri suggested that I come up with a list of "Controls," things I can do to combat these triggers without eating extra calories. She suggests: "A food control could be something like cucumber salad or celery sticks with paprika (something that has virtually no calories), assuming you are eating with no hunger and it is all emotional but need the crunch." She also suggested non-food controls if there isn't hunger to channel the stress into something constructive.
So here are my Controls:
Food Controls: keep plenty of baby bell peppers and cukes and premeasured bags of nuts on hand.
Non Food Controls: take 5 minutes to do one thing I have been procrastinating on: a work comp report, a phone call, a blog entry, clean out my closet for 5 minutes, brush my teeth and drink a big glass of water.
Let's see how this goes.....
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Vertigo and Dizziness Relief
I have had so many patients come in complaining of vertigo and dizziness this spring!
Vertigo is the false feeling that you or your environment are moving or spinning. It arises because of muscle tightness and vertebral misalignment of the neck, inflammation of the inner ear (allergy/infection), or, more rarely, damage or dysfunction of the vestibular nerve or brainstem from things like a bleed or a tumor.
Neck and or head trauma can cause a benign form of vertigo. A whiplash injury is a classic cause. But sometimes people have tightened neck muscles and misaligned vertebrae, and this may be the cause of vertigo. For this problem, we do trigger point release work, active release technique and gentle vertebral adjustments with 80% effectiveness!
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of vertigo and comes on with sudden head movements in a certain direction. This type of vertigo is rarely serious and can be treated in the chiropractic office. For this, we do the Epley maneuver. You can also do it at home. Check out this link: Epley Maneuver Video.
Vertigo may also be caused by inflammation--usually due to viral infection or allergy-- within the inner ear (labyrinthitis). You will feel a sudden onset of vertigo and might experience hearing loss. This is hard to diagnose definitively because your doctor cannot see into your inner ear with an otoscope (one can only see the middle ear with this tool. The middle ear, just past the eardrum, is where the painful ear infections without vertigo occur.) You can try a decongestant or a drug like Claritin. If this clears up the problem, then the fluid from the infection or allergy was causing the problem. Using a neti pot rinse could be a drug free and extremely effective solution.
If you have episodes of this triad of symptoms, you could have Meniere's disease: vertigo, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. People have the abrupt onset of severe vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, as well as periods in which they are symptom-free. This is very difficult to treat, but getting regular chiropractic care and avoiding sodium like the plague can help.
Acoustic neuroma is a type of tumor that can cause vertigo. You would feel vertigo with one-sided ringing in the ear and hearing loss. This tumor is usually benign and is removed surgically.
If you have these symptoms, call 911 or have someone take you to the emergency room immediately: vertigo, splitting headache, extreme difficulty walking, and inability to look toward one side. This means you could be bleeding into your cerebellum and or brainstem.
Sometimes Multiple Sclerosis is the cause of vertigo. Usually other symptoms will be present like numbness or weakness of the arms and or legs on either or both sides, constipation, urinary difficulties, or blurry vision.
Migraine, a severe form of headache, may also cause vertigo. The vertigo is usually followed by a headache. There is often a prior history of similar episodes but no lasting problems.
If you want us to check out your vertigo to see if we can help, don't hesitate to call!
Hugs and health!
Dr. Lisa Stein
Vertigo is the false feeling that you or your environment are moving or spinning. It arises because of muscle tightness and vertebral misalignment of the neck, inflammation of the inner ear (allergy/infection), or, more rarely, damage or dysfunction of the vestibular nerve or brainstem from things like a bleed or a tumor.
Neck and or head trauma can cause a benign form of vertigo. A whiplash injury is a classic cause. But sometimes people have tightened neck muscles and misaligned vertebrae, and this may be the cause of vertigo. For this problem, we do trigger point release work, active release technique and gentle vertebral adjustments with 80% effectiveness!
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of vertigo and comes on with sudden head movements in a certain direction. This type of vertigo is rarely serious and can be treated in the chiropractic office. For this, we do the Epley maneuver. You can also do it at home. Check out this link: Epley Maneuver Video.
Vertigo may also be caused by inflammation--usually due to viral infection or allergy-- within the inner ear (labyrinthitis). You will feel a sudden onset of vertigo and might experience hearing loss. This is hard to diagnose definitively because your doctor cannot see into your inner ear with an otoscope (one can only see the middle ear with this tool. The middle ear, just past the eardrum, is where the painful ear infections without vertigo occur.) You can try a decongestant or a drug like Claritin. If this clears up the problem, then the fluid from the infection or allergy was causing the problem. Using a neti pot rinse could be a drug free and extremely effective solution.
If you have episodes of this triad of symptoms, you could have Meniere's disease: vertigo, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. People have the abrupt onset of severe vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, as well as periods in which they are symptom-free. This is very difficult to treat, but getting regular chiropractic care and avoiding sodium like the plague can help.
Acoustic neuroma is a type of tumor that can cause vertigo. You would feel vertigo with one-sided ringing in the ear and hearing loss. This tumor is usually benign and is removed surgically.
If you have these symptoms, call 911 or have someone take you to the emergency room immediately: vertigo, splitting headache, extreme difficulty walking, and inability to look toward one side. This means you could be bleeding into your cerebellum and or brainstem.
Sometimes Multiple Sclerosis is the cause of vertigo. Usually other symptoms will be present like numbness or weakness of the arms and or legs on either or both sides, constipation, urinary difficulties, or blurry vision.
Migraine, a severe form of headache, may also cause vertigo. The vertigo is usually followed by a headache. There is often a prior history of similar episodes but no lasting problems.
If you want us to check out your vertigo to see if we can help, don't hesitate to call!
Hugs and health!
Dr. Lisa Stein
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Chocolate Nut Berry Crumble
Preheat oven for 375 degrees
2 cups berries: Pick whatever is freshest and SWEETEST. you could also use thawed frozen berries (unsweetened).
Place berries in a small 8x8 casserole dish and sprinkle with 3 T orange or pomegranate juice. sprinkle with 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Cover with lid
Bake for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile:
1 cup walnuts and or macadamia nuts ground so the biggest pieces are the size of split peas
2 T dried blueberries (again no sugar added), ground up as fine as you can get them
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
(Hint: I use a blender or spice grinder to grind the nuts and blueberries--separately. PULSE, don't grind continuously to get even size pieces)
mix these together thoroughly
toast lightly in dry skillet over medium heat until you smell a little toasting. remove from heat IMMEDIATELY and pour onto glass plate or paper towel
Melt 4 oz very dark chocolate (72% or darker) over double boiler or in microwave
Stir nut/spice mixture into chocolate
Open oven, spoon chocolate/nut mixture over top of fruit. Do NOT cover
Bake for 2-3 more minutes but don't let it burn! Smile your sniffer!
Feel free to top with fresh whipped cream. I make it 1/2 oz amaretto and 1 tsp vanilla without sugar!
2 cups berries: Pick whatever is freshest and SWEETEST. you could also use thawed frozen berries (unsweetened).
Place berries in a small 8x8 casserole dish and sprinkle with 3 T orange or pomegranate juice. sprinkle with 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Cover with lid
Bake for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile:
1 cup walnuts and or macadamia nuts ground so the biggest pieces are the size of split peas
2 T dried blueberries (again no sugar added), ground up as fine as you can get them
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
(Hint: I use a blender or spice grinder to grind the nuts and blueberries--separately. PULSE, don't grind continuously to get even size pieces)
mix these together thoroughly
toast lightly in dry skillet over medium heat until you smell a little toasting. remove from heat IMMEDIATELY and pour onto glass plate or paper towel
Melt 4 oz very dark chocolate (72% or darker) over double boiler or in microwave
Stir nut/spice mixture into chocolate
Open oven, spoon chocolate/nut mixture over top of fruit. Do NOT cover
Bake for 2-3 more minutes but don't let it burn! Smile your sniffer!
Feel free to top with fresh whipped cream. I make it 1/2 oz amaretto and 1 tsp vanilla without sugar!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Armpit Fat and Thai yumminess
I am maintaining my 12 lb weight loss with ease. I have not been this skinny since college, and I was not overweight to start with! For me to lose 12 lbs and keep it off has been truly unbelievable. As for my flat butt, my trainer has me convinced that by kicking my gluteal routine up a notch (so to speak), I can get more "lift" without needing to regain the weight that is also noticeably absent from my belly and armpit area. Only once in my life have a been happy to learn that I had gained some "armpit fat", and that was from my mammographer/radiologist. She required several additional and freaking painful views of the area which scared the be-jesus out of me until she told me she'd had to basically mash my fat better to make sure there were no bad spots in the newly fattened region! I digress...
I've been getting away with having one night of feasting per week: out to dinner or at a party with two glasses of wine, lots of tasting of yummy foods, what I call my moments of "Unconscious Indulgence". I also take my daily Conscious Indulgences of dark chocolate--always between 1/2 ounce and 1 ounce. Keri Glassman recommends one Conscious Indulgence per week. NO way could I do that. Guess I am super lucky, but then again, I am active: chiropractic has me moving all day AND I exercise 6 days per week.
Last night I had one of my food fests: out to Thai food with friends. For those of you who live near Morgan Hill, CA and like Thai food, you MUST go to House of Siam. It is one of the best Thai restaurants around. The owners are so sweet and the food is truly awesome. Anyway, after the vegetarian Tom Yum soup, the Spicy Beef with vegetables, the cashew chicken and the Sea Bass with Thai basil and bell peppers, all accompanied by some Creekview Chardonnay, I shared a plate of Sticky Rice and Mango. Yummm! This morning, I was inspired to create a breakfast based on that dessert while sticking within the O2 Diet guidelines. Check the recipe out at the right!
I've been getting away with having one night of feasting per week: out to dinner or at a party with two glasses of wine, lots of tasting of yummy foods, what I call my moments of "Unconscious Indulgence". I also take my daily Conscious Indulgences of dark chocolate--always between 1/2 ounce and 1 ounce. Keri Glassman recommends one Conscious Indulgence per week. NO way could I do that. Guess I am super lucky, but then again, I am active: chiropractic has me moving all day AND I exercise 6 days per week.
Last night I had one of my food fests: out to Thai food with friends. For those of you who live near Morgan Hill, CA and like Thai food, you MUST go to House of Siam. It is one of the best Thai restaurants around. The owners are so sweet and the food is truly awesome. Anyway, after the vegetarian Tom Yum soup, the Spicy Beef with vegetables, the cashew chicken and the Sea Bass with Thai basil and bell peppers, all accompanied by some Creekview Chardonnay, I shared a plate of Sticky Rice and Mango. Yummm! This morning, I was inspired to create a breakfast based on that dessert while sticking within the O2 Diet guidelines. Check the recipe out at the right!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Bad Booty Building
I am thinking about a way to spark up this blog. Maybe I should start cooking my way through The O2 Diet Recipes? Oh! That was done with Julie and Julia. Hmmm. Confess more of my foibles?
Here's a good one: On Friday night after having decided my butt is waaaayyyy too flat and after having two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc at Huntington Station in Morgan Hill, CA, I commenced to solve my "little" (OK, freakin, flat) problem. So I helped my friend Jaime with his mini prawn tacos AND his fried calamari. Then I ordered my own not to be shared meal: the AMAZING skirt steak salad (skirt steak, marinated and grilled to medium rare perfection, grilled cherry tomatoes, grilled bell peppers, carmelized onions and shrooms atop a bed of organic greens, fresh avo with a dusting of blue cheese and the perfect amount of balsamic vinaigrette. Thanks Marley, you are a rocking good cook!). Clearly, a little ole salad was not adequate booty building nutrition. My Wine-Mind (along with the thoughtful advise of Sherry) came up with a plan: the best way to pack my fanny would be to order some creme brulee. Brilliant. Oh, and when the check came, accompanying it were some little chocolate thin mints. Perfect after the creme brulee. Then, on the way home I had to stop at the grocery for catfood. There, I saw some huge chocolate covered peanut butter malted milk balls in the bins. Why, those would certainly give me a bigger a*@. So I gobbled those up on the way home. Eight of them. They were huge. Needless to say, I passed out in a sugar-wine coma without pampering my face with a Keri Glassman yogurt avocado raspberry facial. Nor a tooth brushing. I did manage to get my shoes off.
OK. So maybe the seven days leading up to tax day (and yes, I owe far more than I had feared) is not a good time for trying to wisely add calories to my established O2 Diet. I'll just stick with Phase III where it is safe and easy. Me and my 52 year old flat butt just need to remember to make that dreaded trip to the Post Office on April 15. After that, we'll tackle the project of Building Booty WISELY!
L
Here's a good one: On Friday night after having decided my butt is waaaayyyy too flat and after having two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc at Huntington Station in Morgan Hill, CA, I commenced to solve my "little" (OK, freakin, flat) problem. So I helped my friend Jaime with his mini prawn tacos AND his fried calamari. Then I ordered my own not to be shared meal: the AMAZING skirt steak salad (skirt steak, marinated and grilled to medium rare perfection, grilled cherry tomatoes, grilled bell peppers, carmelized onions and shrooms atop a bed of organic greens, fresh avo with a dusting of blue cheese and the perfect amount of balsamic vinaigrette. Thanks Marley, you are a rocking good cook!). Clearly, a little ole salad was not adequate booty building nutrition. My Wine-Mind (along with the thoughtful advise of Sherry) came up with a plan: the best way to pack my fanny would be to order some creme brulee. Brilliant. Oh, and when the check came, accompanying it were some little chocolate thin mints. Perfect after the creme brulee. Then, on the way home I had to stop at the grocery for catfood. There, I saw some huge chocolate covered peanut butter malted milk balls in the bins. Why, those would certainly give me a bigger a*@. So I gobbled those up on the way home. Eight of them. They were huge. Needless to say, I passed out in a sugar-wine coma without pampering my face with a Keri Glassman yogurt avocado raspberry facial. Nor a tooth brushing. I did manage to get my shoes off.
OK. So maybe the seven days leading up to tax day (and yes, I owe far more than I had feared) is not a good time for trying to wisely add calories to my established O2 Diet. I'll just stick with Phase III where it is safe and easy. Me and my 52 year old flat butt just need to remember to make that dreaded trip to the Post Office on April 15. After that, we'll tackle the project of Building Booty WISELY!
L
Friday, April 9, 2010
OK. Now I wanna GAIN BACK 5 lbs!
I am still hanging at 130 lbs and I have decided I am just too skinny! What a weird dilemna. So now the challenge is to gain 5 lbs very carefully while eating very healthfully without resuming bad habits. I want to build muscle and not just deposit fat on my belly and back, so my plan is to add 3-4 oz protein at breakfast. I can't eat eggs often without getting sick, so I'm going with non fat organic plain yogurt, chicken, fish and eggs and whey powder on a rotational basis.
We'll see how that works.
I am still working on remembering to drink my water! so easy to forget and yet so important.
And those SNACKS! so important. I must ALWAYS remember to pack them with me AND eat them!!! If not, I get into trouble with wanting to eat stuff that is not healthy.
I have been a VERY GOOD girl about avoid baked goods and treats. Just keep that dark chocolate coming! REad the menu at right. The Chocolate nut fruit crumble is sooooo yummy!
L
We'll see how that works.
I am still working on remembering to drink my water! so easy to forget and yet so important.
And those SNACKS! so important. I must ALWAYS remember to pack them with me AND eat them!!! If not, I get into trouble with wanting to eat stuff that is not healthy.
I have been a VERY GOOD girl about avoid baked goods and treats. Just keep that dark chocolate coming! REad the menu at right. The Chocolate nut fruit crumble is sooooo yummy!
L
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