The Power of Health and Happiness

Pilar GerasimoEditor in Chief, Experience Life MagazineSenior VP, Education, Life Time Fitness

Where does personal power come from?

Renewable power sources

3 Reasons

1) Without optimal health and vitality,

everything else becomes tougher.

2) Day-to-day opportunities for

reflection, action, feedback.

3) Whatever is interfering with your health and fitness are the same things holding you back

in other areas.

Like what?

Like … Weak or unclear boundaries Accepting status-quo as normal Making self a low priority Low self-esteem/self-image Willingness to face fears/discomfort/ask for

help Fear of achieving full potential Resistance to leaving comfort zone Not knowing/acknowledging true desires Inability to direct focus, pursue goals

How do you change THAT

stuff?

Daily awareness, daily choices …

Where my learning path took me …

The landscape of personal change …

Most of us have changes we’d like to make …

.Woo hoo!

I’m going to change my life!

…and challenges we’d like to overcome.

BIG HILL

.Uh oh!

I’m gonna need to do some work!

Cycle of Personal Change

Commitment

What am I ready and willing to do

about it?

Assessment

What is calling? What next?

Follow-ThroughAdjustments required?

How can I get the support or info I need

to keep going?

FeedbackHave I taken action?

Am I running into trouble?

Do I need help?

It starts with a vision … and the goals that will take you there.

And it never stops.

Mystory …

My (earth)mother …

Two friends with a dream…

Ah, 1970 …

Our hippy commune

No help at all …

A new breed of healthy-livingmagazine was born …

And then the real work began …

My cautionary tale(s) Taking it on the chin … and the foot

My top health tip …

Notice and respect your natural rhythms.

Activity

Level

Top Performance

Arousal

Stress

Ultradian

Healing Respons

e

Top Performance

Stress

Ultradian

Healing Respons

e

90 Minutes

20 Minutes

90 Minutes

20 Minutes

Adapted from Rossi, E.L.: The 20 Minute Break. Tarcher-Putnam, New York, 1991 p. 12

The Ultradian Performance Rhythm

What happens during “downtime” Neurological sorting/filing Restoration of mental focus, thinking capacity Creative connections and “aha” moments Energy (ATP) generation and

blood-sugar/insulin balancing Cellular repair, healing, anti-inflammatory

action Detoxification of metabolic waste Immune boosting Endocrine rebalancing (stress and sex

hormones) Mood regulation Pleasure/receptivity and pro-social triggers …

and more

What do we value instead? Unadulterated, constant productivity Long-suffering endurance Busier-than-thou relating

AMPM

Result: Stress Systemic effects

– Biochemical– Neurological– Genetic– Structural/skeletal– Mental– Emotional– Spiritual

Signs of excess stress Disrupted daily patterns (food, sleep, bathroom habits) Skin, digestive ailments Irritability, depressed mood Impaired memory, “scatter-brained” thinking Weight gain or loss, cravings or loss of appetite Fatigue, headache, muscle tension Hormonal imbalance, hair loss, night sweats Loss of sex drive Frequent colds or flu Feeling overwhelmed vs. excited, energized

Things we do to cope Fuel with sugar, carbs, caffeine Rush meals Work harder, longer Skip workouts and yoga classes Sleep less Spend less time with family, friends Watch TV to “tune out” Self-medicate to relax Take pharmaceutical drugs to deal with

symptoms

Scary statistic:

85-90%(percent of doctors’ office visits

thought to be at least in part attributable to

stress) Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

More scary statistics More than two-thirds of the U.S. population

overweight Only about 30 percent of Americans report

getting any kind of regular exercise One in two adult Americans suffers a chronic

illness More than half of U.S. adults on one or more

prescription drugs Percentage of U.S. children with chronic health

conditions has nearly quadrupled in the past 40 years

1 in 2 men, 1 in 3 women, will be diagnosed with cancer

Embracing a better alternative …

“101 Revolutionary Ways to Be Healthy” Mobile app Interactive Web feature Poster

– Printed– Downloadable