Mar 6, 2008, Vol. 6 Issue 5

It’s been long winter, eh? Many of you have been inundated by unusually heavy snow and bitter cold. It always feels a little indulgent to talk about the early spring flowers we get to enjoy here in the Northwest, yet I like to share the joy and give you hope! We’ve had purple and yellow crocuses up in the yard for a couple of weeks, and the daffodils are just starting to burst. That and some welcome rays of sunshine are enough encouragement for me to indulge in thoughts of warm summer days. Bring ‘em on!

Due to my gimpy knees, I’ve missed my regular Nia classes and dog walking this winter, so I’m sure that’s contributed to my doldrums. We’re about 30 days out (April 7) from my first (left) knee replacement so I’m starting to get excited about getting my mobility (and my life) back. It’s amazing how jealous one can be just watching other people casually walking their dogs. As the song says, “You don’t know what you got, ‘til they take it away.”

Spring events are starting up this month, so we’ll have more to report on in upcoming issues. Meantime, I’ve been spending a lot of time getting ready for a website re-vamp, adding fee ranges, geographical regions, and video, as well as more speakers. Coming soon . . . Meantime, today we have just a few updates.

Zonya Foco
Back from the Tour

It’s National Nutrition Month and Zonya Foco,RD, CSP, just got off the bus from a 4-week trip on a giant Best Life bus with Bob Greene, for “Oprah & Bob’s Best Life Challenge” Tour. They traveled the nation from grocery store to grocery store, signing people up to live their Best Life.

She said the experience was, “Totally awesome! I especially enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life, in all stages of the weight struggle, including many who have won the battle the right way with permanent healthy eating habits and regular exercise.”

So what exactly did she do on the tour? She said her job was to entertain and educate with fun, interactive presentations of Best Life recipes from smoothies and muesli to soup and salad. Knowing Zonya, we know she was up for that challenge. “Hundreds of fans joined us at each location, to meet the ‘Best Life’ team and sign their ‘Best Life Contract,’” she said. “It was so fun and rewarding. You really get to hear what a difference you can make in people’s lives.”

And, if you’re in the Detroit area, be sure to turn into PBS, Monday, March 10 from 1:30 – 2:30 on WTVS, Channel 56. Zonya will be supporting Detroit Public Television and all the great programming it offers during their March pledge drive. She’ll be the pledge drive hostess for that hour, and it will be a busy one. In addition to talking about the great-tasting health benefits found in dark chocolate and fish, she will be preparing her delicious Chocolate No-Bakes, Cocoa Lava Kisses and Salmon Marsala recipes. (Do you think that means, “Eat the dessert first?”)

Her television show, “Zonya’s Health Bites,” has aired nationally as well as on WTVS in her home state of Michigan. If you like seeing “Zonya’s Health Bites” and other educational programs on public television, tell your friends to join you during Zonya’s special pledge program on March 10, 1:30-2:30 pm on channel 56. And don’t forget to support public television and pledge.

Rebecca Hulem:
Feelin’ Hot Solutions

The Women’s Health Initiative and HRT are in the news again stirring up questions about the effects of hormone replacement therapy. As you know, in 2002 the study involving women taking estrogen and progestin was abruptly halted when data indicated that long-term use of the hormones significantly increased a woman’s risk of breast cancer. In a follow-up study published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it was reported that researchers found that the elevated risk of breast cancer may persist for years after stopping hormone replacement therapy. Meanwhile, the study showed that most of the major risks linked to the therapy — coronary heart disease, stroke and blood clots – are no longer present 2 ½ years after women stopped treatment. (It is important to note that this information is not relevant in terms of a risk-benefit equation for women considering short-term use).

When it comes to risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy, there are no one-size-fits-all answers. Each woman’s symptoms, needs and risks must be weighed individually with her healthcare professional. Women may not all benefit from the same solutions but they do have similar problems from menopause symptoms and sometimes it helps to talk about it together, (as women do so well) . . . and commiserate . . . and laugh.

Rebecca Hulem, professional speaker and educator on menopause, brings extensive knowledge to the topic of women’s health and wellness. She is widely known as “The Menopause Expert”, for her book Feelin’ Hot? A Humorous and Informative Guide to Menopause. As a nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, certified menopause clinician and author, Rebecca brings over 30 years of experience to her professional speaking.

“What happened to my sex drive?”  “Should I take hormones?”  “Why am I gaining weight?”These are the questions that over 50 million women in the United States are asking now that they are in some phase of menopause. Women are being told that 50 is now the new “30” and this is the prime of their life. So why aren’t women feeling the power of this new “prime?” Because all of the physical changes that are happening to their body (brought on by the menopause transition) are leaving them feeling sexless, powerless, and discouraged.

As a program organizer, you can be a heroine when you bring Rebecca Hulem’s “The Sexy Woman’s Guide to Menopause” seminar to your location and watch the transformation begin. This fun, informative and interactive seminar will give each woman the knowledge and support she needs to regain her power, learn healthy new choices to manage her menopause symptoms and most of all create a life that she loves.

And, if you’d like to treat yourself, Rebecca is hosting the “Feelin’ Hot – Women’s Health & Wellness over 40” retreat, June 26 – 29, 2008 at The Miraval Resort in Catalina, Arizona. The 4-day conference will include 2 days of a CEU accreditation course along with the full benefits of the fabulous Miraval Resort & Spa.

Spring Flings

Beyond the spring flowers, I got the surest sign the season is changing when I heard knocking on the windows a couple of weeks ago. Well, it’s not exactly knocking, more like light banging – from robins flinging themselves at the house windows. When this happened last year, I called the experts at the local wild birdfeed store and they told me that the robins have decided our yard is desirable nesting territory. They see their reflection in the window, and thinking it is a competitive bird, they attack it. She said we should feel complimented. To dissuade them, she suggested we hang CD’s or other moving, reflective things outside the window.

This year, the knocking went away almost as quickly as it had begun. Then I went out to my car yesterday and discovered streaks of bird doo-dah running down the doors. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the telltale bird marks on the windshield – scratchy footprints and wing marks. When they hit the window, it sounds like their beak, but it’s really their feet and body force, and then they, ahem,  leave their mark. Now, if I figure out a lesson in this, I’ll let you know. Meantime, I hope your signs of spring are cleaner than mine.

Until next time, take care of yourself for your good health and those you love.

Yours truly,
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.