May 28, 2015

Vol. 13, Issue 6

In Mid-May I was invited by the New York City chapter of the National Speakers Association, to be on a panel of experts for their Professional Showcase and Industry Expert Panel. First of all, I was truly flattered and honored to be invited as an expert. Being the motivational speaker junkie that I am, it was great fun to immerse myself in all that speaker energy for a day. And a trip to New York was a great way to get out of the office, and make a long weekend of it in the City.

Whenever I’m around professional speakers who are so dedicated to their messages, to developing their skills, and to building their businesses, I’m struck by the commitment and investment they make in themselves so that they can speak their passions. These folks were curious, gracious and welcoming, as I shared what I know about working with speakers bureaus and meeting planners. Their energy energized me and I came back feeling rejuvenated.

Today I have a short little speaker story that I hope you’ll enjoy. It rang true for me.

 

Rebecca Katz

The Healthy Mind Cookbook —

Sharing from the Heart

Sometimes, quite unexpectedly, all the energy and expertise put into writing books and speaking on a beloved topic leads all the way to Capitol Hill. That was the case in April when our speaker, Rebecca Katz, was asked to speak in front of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) meeting of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services, in preparation for the White House Conference on Aging and Dementia. She was, she said, excited, honored and a bit intimidated.

The topic, you see, is personal. Her beloved father, Jay, died of dementia in his eighties, after struggling with the disease for a decade. He was the inspiration for her most recent book, The Healthy Mind Cookbook. In this book, she not only presents tasty, fabulous food for your brain, but also includes peer-reviewed scientific studies backing the claims for every ingredient in the book.

I’m sure that her thorough research had a lot to do with her invitation to Capitol Hill. And, of course, when the day arrived she was well prepared. Nonetheless, she was a little apprehensive about whether her 30 minutes at the microphone could really make a difference. And then the magic happened . . .

Right before she spoke, a handsome, silver-haired doctor with early-onset Alzheimer’s generously shared his experience with the disease. His major point was that people with dementia are still living, and still cherish their day-to-day experiences.

“As I listened,” she said, “I was able to drop into the bigger picture — that the message of food is love — a BIG quality of life issue, the great equalizer, the ultimate nourishment. My message was so much bigger than myself, and I became a vessel for that message.

“The fact that I came prepared with fresh mint leaves to awaken the brains of the panelists and chocolate cherry walnut truffles rolled in shredded coconut to bring on the yum was smart. 🙂 But the feeling and focus of what I delivered was straight from the heart.”

That’s the kind of awareness, passion and commitment that transcends knowledge and ultimately brings any message home, and a big reason why I love speakers so much. You can bet that Rebecca’s message landed.

If you’d like to learn more about bringing Rebecca’s expertise and passion to your community or conference, give me a call at 503-699-5031 or email barbara@speakwellbeing.com

 

Dollops for your Brain

While we’re on the topic of food that’s good for your brain, here’s a quick little dollop Rebecca created that I’ve recently made myself for my husband and me and fallen in love with. This takes simply prepared fish to new levels. As she explains in The Healthy Mind Cookbook, “dollops are snazzy surprises, acting as high notes on dishes ranging from fish to chicken, salads to soups, and more.” She adds, however, that there’s more than taste at work here. Many of the dollops contain healthy fats, which work to make brain-boosting vitamins and minerals more bioavailable.

And as summer rolls in, fresh herbs are becoming readily available, so now’s the time to put that basil plant to work.

Parsley Pistou

1 cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons garlic

Sea salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.

Combine the parsley, basil, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 tsp of salt and olive oil in a food processor and process until well blended. For a thinner drizzle, add a tablespoon of water and briefly process again. Taste; add salt if desired.

NOTE: I have substituted cilantro for parsley and it’s just as yummy — just a different flavor.

Until next time, take care of yourself, and feed your brain some good food for your well being and those you love.

Yours truly,

Barbara
For Your Well Being is published bi-weekly. We bring you insider speaker reports, exclusive stories about special events around the country, meeting planner tips, and fun stuff from the worlds of health and well being. Be well and be in the know!

The Speak Well Being Group is a specialized speakers bureau, focusing on speakers for hospital-sponsored community events, healthcare organizations, nurses, conferences and women’s groups. Our speakers are hand-selected. They are not only experts in their fields, they connect with their audiences while bringing them life-changing information, smiles of recognition and ultimately a sense of well being and hope.

Finding the perfect keynote speaker for your special event or conference is my personal passion, not just once, but year after year. It brings me great joy to know that your audience was delighted and moved by the speaker we selected together. I’m committed to making the process easy, pleasant and fun.