March 5, 2009, Vol. 7 Issue 3

Dear Friends,

Purple and yellow crocuses are bursting through the ground in my yard, and I saw my first Camellia blossom yesterday – these simple, intensely pink flowers with their bright yellow centers on big, shiny-leaved bushes, bring a smile to my face. For those of you who have snow on the ground, I wanted to give you a glimpse and some hope that spring is coming!  Hope springs eternal, as they say, and I think that is where we all need to dwell these days. Yes, there’s stuff going on in the world, and there’s always been stuff going on; programs come and go, economies ebb and flow and we figure it out – how to survive and, how to thrive. The Speak Well Being Group offers an awesome roster of speakers who bring the gift of hope, lift spirits, and deliver the tools to help us cope.

Now, thanks to the internet, we have more convenient ways than ever to show and tell, and share the inspiration. I’m excited on two fronts. One, on Feb. 14 I went back to my favorite fitness practice – Nia. I’m moving my body, my spirit and my soul —  dancing again! Yahoo!  More on that later in this issue.  If you don’t know about the joy of movement through the wonderful practice of Nia, now thanks to the internet, there’s a way to introduce you to it and put video to my words. That leads me to my other excitement.

You see, not only have I posted video for most of our speakers on our website in the past two weeks, I created my own YouTube Channel,  and in my FAVORITES, there are two Nia videos. There is the Nia Technique Promotion Video or you can check out  a Nia demo where everyone is simply having fun, dancing a Nia routine at a United Way street fair.

Video Demos On Line and YouTube, too

Back to our website —  for every speaker with a video piece, you’ll see an Icon on their speaker page that says “See a Video.” Just click on it and Voila, it comes alive.  Some of these are full speaker demo videos, some are short clips, and some may be interviews from news programs. So, you may get education, motivation, inspiration and entertainment. If you need more information about any speaker, please ask.  I may have more clips stored on my You Tube FAVORITES or QUICKLIST, and I will also be sharing PLAYLISTS with you in the future.  Also, some of our speakers have videos or DVD’s, but they’re not in web friendly format yet; so it’s going to take some extra time to get those posted. If you do not have web access at work, we are always happy to mail you DVD’s and videos.

I’ll let you know as I learn more about how we can use these tools to make selecting a speaker easier than ever. Meantime, have fun checking it out, and please let me know if you run into any glitches. In the process, I hope you’ll notice all of the great speakers we’ve been adding in a wide spread of fee ranges, and there are many more to come.  If your budget’s been slashed, let us help you hook up with the perfect speaker for your event at an affordable fee. Just pick up the phone or email me and I’ll be happy to give you exact fees for your event.

HRT and Bio-Identical Hormones in the Headlines Again

Thanks to the Oprah Show and other news media, HRT and bio-identical hormones are in the news again.   Back in Sept. 2007, we published an article by our speaker and medical expert Marie Savard, MD, regarding developments in hormone replacement therapy at that time. That issue stirred up a response from one of our other medical expert speakers, Silvia Jimenez, MD, who objected to Dr. Savard’s conclusions and pointed out that bio-identical hormones are an option for women seeking relief from menopause symptoms. In the end, the two surprised me by coming to agreement, and I shared that dialogue in this past issue of For Your Well Being.

Today I am pleased to introduce Dr. Savard’s newest blog post on the topic where she dives into the questions being raised about HRT and bio-identical hormones. While the headlines about HRT have been confusing, the most recent evidence shows that there can be great benefit from hormones — at least in the short term — and that the risks vary significantly for women in different situations. In other words, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. A number of studies looking at timing of hormones, dose and method of delivery will help get a handle on what is best for each individual woman.

 

The Skinny on Bio-Identical Hormones

By Dr. Marie Savard

The results of the Women’s Health Initiative study in 2002 suggesting that the risks of hormones may outweigh the benefits had millions of women stopping their hormones overnight. And just as quickly, hot flashes returned, thermostat settings were lowered, and bedcovers were thrown off in homes everywhere.

Yet two recent segments on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” touting the benefits of hormones have women scrambling to get prescriptions again from their doctors. The hormones Oprah’s guests were applauding, called bio-identicals, are shelved under “natural” menopausal hormones and are often made to order and compounded at a pharmacy.

So can the body tell the difference? Are some hormones safe and others not?

Getting to the Bottom of Bio-Identicals

I am intrigued by the interest in bio-identicals, and I find myself asking if there is something special about hormones that are made in the laboratory from plants and compounded by a pharmacy. Or is it the laying on of the pharmacist’s hands, by personally mixing the hormone mixture, that makes the difference, much like physicians did less than a century ago?

Or is it the good feeling that comes from believing the cream is being made “just for you” to match your hormones precisely that maybe makes a difference?  . . . To read the rest of the article go to Dr. Savard’s blog.

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Dr. Marie Savard is an ABC News medical contributor. To learn more about her health management system, download free forms and a sample letter to your doctor, visit Dr. Marie Savard’s website.

Dr. Savard and Dr. Jimenez are both available to discuss this and other women’s health issues at your women’s health events. Dr. Jimenez is also a strong draw for Hispanic audiences.

To bring their expertise to your community, please give me a call at 503-699-5031 or email Barbara@speakwellbeing.com

Dancing with Joy

I knew my body would tell me when it was time to go back to Nia and two notices arrived in my email to prompt me.  Debbie Rosas, co-founder of Nia, held a special Valentine’s Day class, and Nia trainer Liz Ganz was offering a weekend workshop, “Dance Your Inner Lover” scheduled later in the month. I’m happy to say I did both and danced at a couple of early morning classes in the weeks between.  I can’t begin to tell you how my spirit soared and my body reawakened to the sounds and familiar movements of Nia. How could it have been over a year and half since I had to quit dancing because of the knee pain and subsequent knee replacements? It was familiar and yet all new again. It was like I had never been gone and it was like coming home to my body. The workshop was incredibly healing. I actually had the sensation of no pain in my knees while dancing in the last part of the workshop on Sunday.  Now that I’ve had the feeling, I know I can have it again. The body knows and I know that I’m dancing myself back into wellness. Oh, what a feeling! Can you feel the joy?

Liz will be offering the “Dance Your Inner Lover” workshop around the country – and around the world, we hope!  I know she has it scheduled in Ventura, CA, Vancouver, B.C., Lansing, MI, and Hendersonville, NC. “Our body holds the truth of our experience in our blood, our bones, our cells and our dance. Our body wants and needs to speak.”

Until next time, take care of yourself, dance a little or a lot, for your well being, and that of those you love.

Gratefully,
Barbara

PLEASE NOTE: The information shared in this e-news is designed to help you make informed decisions about speakers and the programs they offer. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment prescribed by a doctor. If you suspect you have a medical problem, seek competent medical help.