San Francisco Womens Journal » Women’s Health

Increase Your Energy by Check’n Out to Check Back In!

SFWJ — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:09:16 +0000

Nikki Anderson

This past week was one of ‘those’ weeks. I had to get a lot done in a short amount of time with less energy than ‘normal’. During these times, there are always two voices that speak to me.

by Nikki Anderson
Founding Partner and Coach at Think Feel Know

The first goes something like this, “Just push through it- get another cup of extra strength decaf so you won’t have to feel so tired. After all you need to get this done if you want to be successful.”

The second voice sounds like this, “If you want to do quality work, you need to take a rest and honor your health. Everything will be fine, EVEN if you take a break.” At different times both voices sound incredibly compelling. However, as of late the later has been more prevalent albeit a bit scary to trust.

Listen to What Your Body is Telling You

Sometimes as women, our energy level dips. At least mine sure does. And, I always have the choice to try and mask what my body is telling me with preservatives, caffeine, extra doses of vitamins, and I’m sure I could come up with more ‘additives’ to keep me going.

The thing is do I really want to do this to myself? Is ‘success’ or my ‘image’ so important that I’m willing to sacrifice my health?

Good Health AND Success at Work

Or perhaps I could have both – success and conviction around honoring my health and energy. I forget that this doesn’t necessarily have to be an ‘or’ decision – it’s this way OR that. I can make this an ‘AND’ decision.

That said, I am clear that honoring my health AND my work is not always the easiest or the most convenient choice. Sometimes this means I need to get an extra nap in my day or not stay after a work meeting for the after-work-dinner. Or call it a day at 5PM EVEN when there are a million more things to do.

But in the end, to my surprise, I’m finding that taking the time out for me and my health lets me re-fuel my tank. And it helps me get clearer and more concise about where and with whom I’m spending my energy. The bottom line, I become more efficient when I take time to check out!

Here’s to a time out for both of us! After all, we deserve it and so do our bodies!

Nikki
Nikki Anderson is a founding partner and a coach within Think Feel Know, USA. Her specialty is working with entrepreneurs, executive women, teams within small to medium sized businesses that are ready to grow to the next level. She is skilled at coaching individuals and groups and facilitating workshops, trainings and meetings to elicit connection, unity and clarity, resulting in forward action and bottom-line results.

Nikki is passionate about many things in her life although, at the core are health and wellness – her foundation. She is active in 12-step recovery work and is passionate about helping others to not only overcome their addictions but also to thrive in their life. You can learn more by visiting CoachNikki and ThinkFeelKnow.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

4 Keys to Balance Your Hormones Naturally!

SFWJ — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:45:12 +0000

Daniela Frieda

Are you ruled by your cycles? Do you have intense mood swings before your period- from sadness to anger and irritability? Do you have bloating, weight gain, and uncontrollable sugar cravings before your period?

There is a solution.

by Daniela Frieda, CA Licensed Acupuncturist
Specializing in Women’s Health

Balance Your Hormones

Hormonal balance is key to experiencing healthier and more balanced menstrual cycles. How do you balance hormones? You start by being healthy in your everyday life.

These four recommendations will help you feel overall healthier and will support you to balance your hormones.

1. Eat Fresh, Whole foods

Packaged foods are heavily processed and devoid of the nutrients our body needs to heal and function optimally. To get the essential nutrients your body needs, I recommend eating fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, healthy fats, fish, meat, eggs, and dairy.

Be sure that you are not adding unhealthy hormones and chemicals into your body through your food.

I recommend choosing all organic foods, and choosing dairy, eggs, and meat that are hormone-free.

2. Move Your Body

Regular moderate exercise is vital to health. Exercise can relieve or prevent symptoms of PMS such as depression, mood swings, bloating and weight gain.

I recommend finding a form of exercise that is joyful and fun for you.

Some ideas include dancing, running, walking, resistance training, kickboxing or pilates. I especially recommend yoga at least once per week for whole body balance. Yoga is a powerful way to connect inward, decrease stress, and balance your mood.

3. Breathe Deeply

Have you ever delayed your period or even skipped a period due to stress? This shows that stress management is essential for healthy menstrual cycles. Breathing offers powerful relief.

Take slow, deep breaths into your belly whenever you find a moment in order to calm your spirit, relax your body, and ease tension.

For even greater benefits, schedule a regular breathing or meditation practice into your daily life.

4. Sleep Well

Getting good quality sleep is crucial for the balanced production of hormones. Sleep is key to maintain a healthy weight, curb carbohydrate and sugar cravings, and enjoy a balanced mood.

Aim for 8 hours of sleep per night, and try to go to bed by 10:30PM.

To promote restful sleep, create a dark, quiet, comfortable bedroom environment.

Because this is not an overnight solution, these changes may take time to show significant results. But if you stick with it, you will feel healthier, happier, and experience more energy.

Daniela Freda is a California Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist. She holds a Master’s in Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In her private practice in San Francisco, Daniela integrates acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine and nutrition to address women’s health concerns. She offers a natural approach for women’s health isssues including easing PMS and menstrual cramps, regulating cycles, preparing for pregnancy, and migraine. To learn more about Daniela’s practice, please visit DanielaFreda.com.

Healthy Living: How Much Water do You Need?

SFWJ — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:30:34 +0000

You’ve heard all the advice: Drink eight glasses of water a day. Stay properly hydrated while exercising. Sports drinks aren’t just for professional athletes.

Yet you’re still unsure whether you’re drinking the right amount for good health.
How much fluid should you really be taking in daily? Do you need to add extra when you’re physically active? And is too much water dangerous?

How Much Water Do You Need?

Everyone’s body needs water. We lose it by sweating, excretion, or simply not taking in enough through foods—like fruits and vegetables—and drinks. Mild dehydration (losing less than two percent of your body weight due to inadequate fluids) can cause health problems, including dizziness and headache.

To keep your body supplied with the fluid it needs, especially when exercising, follow these tips:

Get the basics. Most women need eight to nine cups of total fluids a day, including all beverages and the water in foods.

Increase according to the weather. High temperatures or humidity outside, heated indoor air and high altitudes all cause you to need more fluids.

Add when exercising. Drink one cup of fluids every 15 minutes during physical activity, advises Werner W.K. Hoeger, Ed.D., FACSM, professor of kinesiology and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Boise State University. He recommends sports drinks over water when exercising because they contain electrolytes—important to provide the minerals necessary for proper cellular metabolism—which is disrupted during physical exertion. Electrolyte replacement also helps maintain proper muscle contraction and cardiac function.

Add more for big events. If you’re going to be in a race or charity walk, make sure you drink enough to be well-hydrated the day before, Hoeger adds. Also, drink a glass of fluids an hour before the event.

Drinking for two? Pregnant and nursing women need additional fluids. Talk with your health care professional about what’s best for you.

Still thirsty? If drinking fluids doesn’t relieve your thirst, you may have a health condition such as diabetes. See your health care professional right away.

Too much of a good thing. In very rare cases—chiefly among marathon runners—drinking too much fluid leads to a life-threatening illness, hyponatremia. This occurs when sodium levels in the blood fall too low. It happens chiefly to athletes who have run for more than four hours and gained a lot of weight during the race from drinking.

This article was contributed by our content partner- the National Women’s Health Resource Center. For more information on this topic please visit the HealthyWomen website!

Kick Your Smoking Habit with Hypnosis!

SFWJ — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:19:19 +0000

Jane Ransom

In February, a friend of a friend telephoned asking for help quitting cigarettes. Sheila had been smoking since age 16. The habit felt like such a part of her that she was willing to give it up only for one very good reason: She was pregnant.

byJane Ransom, Certified Hypnotherapist

Can Hypnosis Help You Quit Smoking?

Sheila wanted to know if hypnosis helps people to quit smoking. Numerous studies have found hypnotherapy to be the most effective way to kick the habit, the reason being that it works to change a client’s subconscious programming.

Like most smokers, Sheila felt that smoking relaxed her, and that she needed cigarettes to get through times of stress. “I know this sounds weird,” she added, “but I sort of feel like smoking is my friend. It’s just always been there for me.”

Nictoin IS Poison

I reassured her that many smokers see cigarettes as their “friend,” even though they know logically that nicotine is a poison (drinking even a thimbleful can kill you) and that a real friend doesn’t poison you!

Most smokers also feel smoking relaxes them, even though this is just as illogical: Nicotine is not only a neurotoxin, it is also a stimulant. Nicotine cannot relax anyone.

So why do smokers have the impression that their “friend” nicotine relaxes them? It is because throughout the years, they have created an association in the brain between cigarettes and moments of relaxation: smoking while taking work breaks, socializing with friends, relaxing after a meal, or with a drink, and so on.

Moreover, usually when a smoker first lights up, she inhales deeply and exhales slowly.

The truth is, anytime you inhale deeply and exhale slowly, you will relax your own physiology. (That is why so often you see public speakers and entertainers taking a moment to breathe before they perform, to calm their nerves.)

You Have Trained Your Brain to Believe that Smoking Relaxes You

Thus, over the years, a smoker’s brain learns to subconsciously associate smoking with relaxation. Once that neural association is created, then whenever the smoker reaches for a cigarette, the brain releases hormones and neurotransmitters connected with calmness.

So it is not that smokers are imagining the relaxation they experience when they smoke. It is just that it’s their brain, and not the cigarette, that is actually creating the calming effect.

Like most of my smoking-cessation clients, Sheila was able to quit during her first session. Through hypnosis, we dislodged her subconscious association between smoking and relaxation, and we created healthier tools she can use to calm herself in the future. The session lasted nearly three hours, because we took time to “desensitize” her to all the old triggers, all those times in the past when she used to reach for a cigarette: with coffee, after meals, having a drink, etc.

Hypnosis Helps You Quit Smoking

It has been more than four months now since Sheila quit. Her recent sonogram came out well. She and her husband Steve are thrilled to be expecting their first child, and they are both ecstatic that Sheila is smoke-free. She will be a wonderful mother, and she already has a great start.

Jane Ransom, MA, C.Ht., conducts hypnotherapy sessions in her downtown San Francisco office, as well as by phone and online web-cam. She helps clients with a multitude of health issues, including weight loss, chronic pain and smoking cessation, and she also leads clients to achieve career, sports and artistic success.

As a public speaker, Jane offers talks and workshops on how to boost self-confidence and motivation, improve relationships and invite inspiration. For more information, please visit Jane’s website, HypnotherapyThatWorks.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Your Diet: Going Gluten-Free

SFWJ — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:42:34 +0000

What’s up with gluten? You might not have even heard of gluten until recently when foods without this grain protein started being promoted on store shelves.

Watch Out for Gluten

People with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, suffer difficult gastrointestinal symptoms that are triggered by gluten. Those individuals must avoid eating or drinking any gluten, which isn’t easy.

Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and spelt. (Never heard of spelt either? It’s a grain from ancient times that’s highly nutritious.) Gluten occurs in a wide range of foods. Some of these you might expect, such as baked goods and pizza, and some you might not, like ice cream (gluten is commonly used as a thickening ingredient). Food labels now must state if a product contains gluten or was made in a facility that processes wheat.

In addition to those with celiac disease—which is being diagnosed more frequently as doctors become more aware of the condition—others don’t have celiac but do have a heightened sensitivity to digesting gluten. They, too, are helped by avoiding gluten foods.

Consider these Gluten-Free Foods

Fortunately, there are many naturally gluten-free foods, such as fruits, vegetables, poultry, eggs and more. Grains and starches that can be eaten on a gluten-free diet include corn, amaranth, flax, buckwheat (not a wheat), rice, quinoa, potatoes, soy and teff (an Ethiopian grain used for flour).

When eating gluten-free, it’s helpful to consult a registered dietitian to achieve a good nutritional balance in your food selections. Your healthcare provider or a local hospital’s nutrition counseling department should be able to refer you.

This article was contributed by our content partner- the National Women’s Health Resource Center. For more information on this topic please visit the HealthyWomen website!

References

Harvard Medical School, “Getting Out the Gluten” Harvard Health Letter.
American Dietetic Association. “Do I Need to Follow a Gluten-Free Diet for Life?”
American Dietetic Association. “Celiac Disease.”
American Dietetic Association. “If You Have Celiac Disease: Grains and Plant Foods to Include on Your Grocery List.”
Purdue University Center for New Crops and Plant Products.

Spring Detoxification: Cleansing In Your Everyday Life

SFWJ — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:22:42 +0000

Spring is a time of renewal, regrowth, regeneration…and a perfect time to cleanse your body and move out stagnant energy, gently clearing out toxins from the winter.

by Kristin Hoppe
BS, NC, Certified Nutrition Consultant

Detoxification, the cleansing of the inner self, has been around for centuries. But what does detoxification really mean for us today?

What is Your Toxic Load?

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with toxins: the food we eat, the air we breathe, the products we use in our homes. Even thoughts can produce negative effects in the body. And let’s not forget stress! Stress can wreak havoc on your body, depleting vital nutrients that regulate your weight, your mood, and your health.

All these toxins sum up to what is called your “toxic load”. When detoxifying, it is important to identify all the areas in your life that contribute to your toxic load and then look to reduce those toxic inputs as much as possible. All while supporting your body’s own natural ability to detoxify.

Our organs are detoxifying all the time – the liver, for example, being the primary cleansing organ. Often times the liver can become overworked, which could result in: fatigue, poor skin, constipation and other digestive issues, inconsistent mood, brain fog, insomnia, joint pain, and weight loss resistance.

Support Your Body’s Natural Detoxification Process

The good news is there are simple things you can do in your everyday life to support your body’s natural detoxification process.

Eat Clean Whole Foods

By eating whole foods, which are not processed or packaged, you avoid ingesting food additives, chemicals, fillers, and foods devoid of nutrients. Fresh vegetables and fruits are loaded with enzymes and packed with phytonutrients (aka: antioxidants). These help our bodies combat any damage caused by stress, environmental toxins, and less than healthy eating habits.

If you don’t know the farming practices from where your produce was grown, be sure to visit the Environmental Working Group’s website. The non-profit organization publishes a shopper’s guide to pesticides so you will know what produce you should buy organically and which conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables are acceptable when organic is not available.

Eat Fiber

Fiber is essential for detoxification. Soluble fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains binds to toxins and provides the bulk that allows digested food and toxins to move out easily. Aim for 50 grams per day.

Drink Water

Dehydration causes the accumulation of waste in the body. Water will help flush toxins and ease elimination. And add lemon to your water. The lemon alkalizes your body and stimulates liver cleansing activities and digestion. Aim for 2 liters per day.

A Note on Structured Detoxification Programs

There are many cleanses and detoxification programs out there, all of varying qualities and intensities. Many are helpful and some are potentially harmful. A professionally designed and facilitated detoxification program can enhance and accelerate the cleansing process giving amazing results.

Before stepping into a program, get clear on your desired outcomes and seek the help of a health care professional to help navigate you through the process.

Kristin Hoppe, BS, NC, is a Certified Nutrition Consultant, Educator, and Natural Chef. She received her nutrition and culinary training from Bauman College, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Lafayette College.

Her practice, Food Therapy, is dedicated to improving people’s health through an inspiring and comprehensive nutritional approach that celebrates food. Kristin takes a holistic approach to health, providing clients with coaching and nutrition programs designed to facilitate healing with lasting results. She specializes in weight management, food allergies, digestive disorders, fatigue, depression & anxiety, and detoxification & cleansing. Please visit FoodTherapySF to learn more.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Colon Cancer Screening: Don’t Delay It

SFWJ — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:21:28 +0000

“It was no big deal. I don’t understand why people stress over it.” “The procedure itself was totally painless and relatively easy.” “It was a piece of cake.” No, we didn’t pay these 50-something women to give us these comments about their first colonoscopy.

provided by National Women’s Health Resource Center

All we did was ask them to tell us honestly what it was like. Given the negative perception about colonoscopy, their responses might catch a few readers by surprise.

Think Twice Before You Skip Your Colorectal Screening Test

It should also make you think twice about skipping your colorectal screening test. Because the reality is that colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer among women.

Since it’s also one of the few cancers we can stop before it even gets started (by removing precancerous polyps found during screening colonoscopies), the idea of missing something so clearly helpful has more than a few experts scratching their proverbial heads. And you don’t have to get a colonoscopy. Other tests are available, although they, too, are underutilized.

The main reason women don’t get recommended colorectal cancer screenings? Their health care professional never suggests it.

The Statistics are Amazing

You’ll never find David Stein, MD, neglecting to mention colorectal screening to a patient. The colorectal surgeon at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia sees all too often what happens when people neglect their screenings. That’s why Dr. Stein is a big believer in colonoscopy.

The statistics are amazing, he says. “About two percent of all colonoscopies pick up a cancer at the time of the test and about 15 percent pick up polyps,” he says. So 17 percent of patients undergoing a colonoscopy—about one in five—will have a finding that will save them from cancer in the first place or a bad outcome if they have cancer.

“Colonoscopy probably detects true cancers about one centimeter or larger about 90 to 93 percent of the time,” he says. And it’s extremely safe.

The Worst Part is Prep…but that Has Improved

The worst part of the colonoscopy, many agree, is the prep. For years, that meant drinking a large quantity of a nasty tasting liquid (even though it came in several flavors), designed to “empty you out.” Today, however, depending on the recommendation from your colonoscopist, you may only need to take a handful of pills. You’ll still spend a few hours in the bathroom, but at least you don’t have to choke down that awful liquid.

Plus, two of the other three screening tests for colon cancer (flexible sigmoidoscopy and double contrast barium enema) also require a bowel prep and neither is as sensitive as the colonoscopy. And here’s the irony: If they show polyps or cancers, you’ll still need a colonoscopy to evaluate and/or remove them for evaluation.

The one test that doesn’t require prep is a fecal occult blood test. With this test, you collect stool samples, which are tested for breakdown products of blood in stool. You have to abstain from iron pills, red meat or broccoli before the test, and it still has a high rate of false positives.

Plus, you have to do it three times. “Fecal occult blood tests probably pick up problems 50 to 60 percent of the time,” says Dr. Stein, which, of course, means it misses about half of all cancers. And if it’s positive, you still need a colonoscopy.

A newer stool test evaluates the stool for DNA from the most common mutations found in colon cancer and large polyps. That test, Dr. Stein says, is about 85 percent effective. However, it’s still considered experimental and most insurances do not cover it.

Future Testing Options

One day, Dr. Stein predicts, colonoscopy will take a back seat to an improved DNA fecal occult blood test, or to a virtual colonoscopy, in which your colon is examined via a CT or MRI. Right now, however, you still have to do a colon prep for an MRI or CT, and they’re not covered by insurance either unless you cannot undergo colonoscopy for some reason.

And you face the same issue with the virtual colonoscopy as you do with any other non-colonoscopy test: If it finds something suspicious, you still need a colonoscopy to remove the “something” for testing.

This article was contributed by our content partner- the National Women’s Health Resource Center. For more information on colon cancer, please visit the Healthy Women website. © 2010 HealthyWomen. All rights reserved.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Use Hypnotherapy to Make Surgery Safer and Recovery Faster!

SFWJ — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:10:52 +0000

Last week, as we were wrapping up her hypnotherapy session, my client announced that she carries the so-called “female cancer gene,” and was advised more than a year ago to have her ovaries removed.

by Jane Ransom, Certified Hypnotherapist

Jane Ransom

Susan told me that her mother, sister and two aunts had all died young of ovarian cancer. At 53, Susan is past child-bearing age, and several doctors have urged her to undergo the procedure to greatly reduce her own risk.

I’m Terrified of Surgery

“So why haven’t you?” I asked.

“I’m terrified of any surgery. You know my fear of being unconscious!”

At that we both laughed. Susan had first come to see me about insomnia, a problem directly related to her fear of being unconscious. Indeed, she had only agreed to let me treat her once I promised that she would remain conscious while under hypnosis.

Several sessions later, after dispatching her insomnia, we had moved on to other goals involving her marketing career. Now here we were back at the fear issue.

Hypnotherapy Helps YOU Gain Power Over YOUR Life!

“Are you sure you’re still afraid of being unconscious? You say you’re sleeping very well lately.”

She rolled her eyes. “In surgery they invade your body! How are you going to make me unafraid of that?”

“Well first of all, you know I can’t make you do, or be, anything.” We had talked about this before, because originally she had worried hypnotherapy might take away her control, when in fact it does the opposite.

“Hypnotherapy helps you gain power over your own life. That’s why you’ve been able to achieve so much in these sessions already.”

She nodded, so I continued,

“Would it help if I told you that scientific research shows that surgery—almost any kind of surgery—is safer and more comfortable when combined with hypnotherapy?

That by using hypnosis, you can experience less blood loss, fewer complications or infections, and faster healing? Dozens upon dozens of clinical studies have found this to be true.”

Studies Show the Power of Combining Surgery with Hypnotherapy

Susan eyed me skeptically. I asked her not to take my word for it, but to do her own research on the use of hypnosis to prepare for surgery. I told her she would discover that leading health institutions such as Harvard Medical School have embraced the practice because so many studies have produced such dramatic results.

Two days later she emailed: “The evidence is impressive. I want to live a long time. Let’s move forward.”

Soon we will begin preparing Susan to undergo the procedure that may greatly extend her life. Following are a series of steps that we will use to get her ready for surgery:

1. First we will reduce her fears around surgery in general.

2. Then, we will ready her for the specific operation.

3. We will spend several sessions creating tools for her to remain more relaxed and comfortable.

4. We will condition her subconscious mind to maintain her in a positive physiological state during and after the operation.

5. And she will learn to use self-hypnosis “hypno-anesthesia” to increase comfort while healing.

Because of her commitment and our work together, her experience will be safer, more pleasant—and a lot less scary.Jane Ransom, MA, C.Ht., conducts hypnotherapy sessions in her downtown San Francisco office, as well as by phone and online web-cam. She helps clients with a multitude of health issues, including weight loss, chronic pain and smoking cessation, and she also leads clients to achieve career, sports and artistic success.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Improving Women’s Healthcare with a Smile…Dr. Sondra Altman Delivers!

SFWJ — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:35:12 +0000

Dr. Sandi Altman

She’s known around Contra Costa County as the Menopause Maven. Now Dr. Sondra Altman, who for years has focused her gynecology practice on the health issues of older women, has a new title.

by Deborah Burstyn-Staff Writer, SF Bay Area Women’s Journal

She has been appointed to be the Medical Director of the newly opened John Muir Women’s Center for Continence and Pelvic Health in Walnut Creek!

Medical Center is Unique to the Bay Area

Presenting a mix of treatment options, including biofeedback and physical therapy, the Center is the first of its kind in the area.

Dr. Altman, 57, will oversee a dream team that includes urologists, colorectal surgeons, gynecologists and nurse practitioners to offer women individualized testing and analysis.

A Conversation with “Dr. Sandi”

“Dr. Sandi” as she is fondly known to her patients recently sat down with the SF Bay Area Women’s Journal to share her thoughts and unique brand of humor regarding her new role in uro-gynocolgy, her life and calling of the past 30 years.

On Women’s Incontinence – Childbirth is not kind to the pelvic floor. Incontinence typically starts in the childbearing years then accelerates through menopause and the Medicare years. Of the 13 million Americans with urinary incontinence, 85% are women.

Women think they’re stuck wearing Poise pads. They’re not. It’s fixable.

On Influences - I was studying to be a preschool teacher at Tufts. Sesame Street was new and exciting. My roommate was pre-med. Whoa. I didn’t know women could be doctors. It was Boston in the early 70s. The first “Our Bodies, Ourselves” had just been published.

A doctor was arrested at Boston University for presenting a lecture on birth control to co-eds. The idea that women could receive health information and take control of their bodies was radical. I had found my calling.

On Geography – At Boston University Medical School, I had to get up an hour earlier just to dig out my car after a snowstorm. I arranged to do my internship and residency at Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Oakland and never went back.

On Life/Work Choices – When I had two kids in diapers at home, I gave up obstetrics. My former husband also was a doctor and worked long hours. I was having to leave the house before the sitter got there because I had to go deliver babies.

Doing only gynecology was going to be short-term until my kids were older but as my patients aged, a funny thing happened.

I had to learn about menopausal issues and hormones on my own. Menopause as a field of interest did not exist. I had found a new calling.

On Hormone Replacement Therapy – All the data point to risk of cancer increasing after five years of hormone replacement therapy. Two to three years is usually what is helpful for women when they are going through menopause and there is no increased risk associated with that.

So you don’t have to choose between being crazy now or getting cancer later. The publicity around this has done a great disservice to women.

On a Typical Day – Last Thursday I removed 17 fibroids from a patient’s uterus. That’s like the equivalent of three babies’ heads. She was a lot thinner afterwards. I also do DNCs and hysterectomies. There’s paperwork and seeing patients in my office.

I also practice what I preach and exercise every day; a spinning class or pilates. I eat lunch at my desk with People magazine, my guilty pleasure.

On Patients - Most of my patients are over 40. But I also get some of the kids I delivered. They are all grown up now and in law school.

I love what I do. I have the nicest patients. I am so lucky.

On Being a Doctor – In spite of all the changes in medicine it always comes down to the doctor and the patient. That is where the passion and the joy come in.

At the end of the day that’s what you’ve got – that you made a difference in someone’s life.

On Taking on New Responsibilities – Periodically you need to reset and refresh. I am excited about the new field of uro-gynecology and learning more about it. This is my new calling.

For the many smiles that you have brought from delivering babies to making us laugh at the experience of menopause and now incontinence… (does it ever end)…we say thank-you Dr. Sandi!

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Chinese Medicine Helps in Recovery from Eating Disorders

SFWJ — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:13:23 +0000

Did you know that Traditional Chinese Medicine offers holistic treatments that support the long term recovery of eating disorders?

by Jamie Lieber, CA Board Certiﬁed Acupuncturist

Jamie Lieber

The awareness and treatment of eating disorders has improved dramatically in recent years. There’s an increased understanding that the behaviors associated with this diagnosis are often a desperate attempt to deal with different pressures of daily life. The internal and external pressures that a patient experiences are caused in part by unrealistic expectations and the stress of living in a highly developed society.

Eating Disorders are Complex

Left undiagnosed and untreated, chronic eating disorders can easily lead to more severe medical and emotional issues. Due to their complex nature, they tend to be a real challenge for our managed health care system to adequately address. Eating disorders include patterns such as yo-yo dieting, binge eating, anorexia (withholding of food), and bulimia (purging) as well as obsessive thoughts about food.

It’s really important to note that “on the surface”, these behaviors and thoughts may cause minimal disruption in a person’s life. But eating disorders can lead to severe and life threatening mental and physical health concerns.

Traditional Chinese Medicine for Recovery and Maintenance

Once the primary destructive behavior has been resolved, acupuncture and herbal therapies are often helpful in addressing these digestive complaints. Many of the common physiological symptoms that result from eating disorders can be treated by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Symptoms most often associated with eating disorders are digestive disruptions and discomforts. These include abdominal bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and acid reflux.

Headaches, gynecological disorders, sleep disturbances, and emotional imbalances are often additional side effects of eating disorders. And these can be addressed through appropriate TCM treatments as well.

The Role of TCM in Emotional Healing

Long lasting recovery from eating disorders also includes emotional healing.

One cannot underestimate the importance of the healing power of the direct “touch” aspect of TCM treatments.

Touch not only conveys connection and warmth but validates the patients’ need to learn how to love and nurture themselves again. Trust and the feeling of safety between the practitioner and patient are crucial to recovery. It’s an important element to emotional healing…and must take place to develop the confidence and positive energy necessary to become more proactive and empowered in the patients’ journey toward recovery.

A Complementary Approach is the Foundation to Long Term Well-Being

In more severe and life threatening cases conventional western medicine clearly has a crucial and primary role in addressing organic and systemic failures and overloads. However once the patient has moved into the “recovery” and maintenance phases, TCM is invaluable in providing the kind of holistic treatments necessary for a successful long term recovery.

A true complementary approach where allopathic physicians (western medicine), TCM practitioners and other health care professionals (nutritionists, therapists etc.) team up together is an ideal paradigm. This approach provides the foundation for the ultimate resolution of emotional and physical issues and for the long term health and well-being of the patient!

Jamie Lieber is a California board certiﬁed acupuncturist, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and a Shiatsu massage therapist. She received her BA in Kinesiology at the University of Colorado and her MS in Chinese Medicine at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM) in San Francisco. She has also visited Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hangzhou, China which helped solidify her professional goals and approach.

Jamie currently has a private practice in the Marina District of San Francisco. She individualizes treatment for healing and health maintenance, focusing on: chronic illness, pain management and women’s health. Jamie also provides care at a community acupuncture clinic in the Mission District. You can learn more or contact Jamie by visiting her website at JamieLieber.com.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!