Texas Conference for Women



Moderator: Dr. Marjorie Jenkins

Panelists: Daniel Kellman, Dr. Shelena Lalji, and JJ Virgin

Dr. Shel’s Eight Steps to Wellness:

1.      Thorough History & Evaluation – By self and provider

2.       Nutritional Balance – Nutritional Testing & Supplementation

3.       Hormonal Balance – Saliva or blood testing and balance

4.       Healthy Eating – Organic foods / Food Sensitivity Testing and rotation program

5.       Regular Exercise – include cardio and resistance

6.       Stress Management – Yoga and/or meditation

7.       Adequate Sleep – 7 to 8 hours per night minimum

8. Adequate Hydration / Detoxification – 64 to 80 oz of water daily; (See JJ Virgin’s “Are You Hazardous to Your Health” download)

Forming a Healthcare Team That’s Right For You

• Healthcare provider that listens to you and more importantly talks with you

• Healthcare provider who thinks out of the box: Health is more than physical Consider working with a provider who will work with you to establish a healthcare team such as a Naturopathic Doctor, Acupuncturist, Chiropractor, Nutritionist, Massage Therapist, Psychologist, etc.

• Be proactive with your insurance company

Know what complementary and alternative medicine is offered under plan; it is becoming more common for acupuncture and preventative visits to be covered.

• Utilizing a Health Savings Account

Useful for those that stay healthy and use prevention in lifestyle

Sometimes flexible spending accounts can pay for supplements

Be Prepared to Get the Most Out of Your Visit

• Taking responsibility for your own healthcare

✓ Keep journals of symptoms / conditions / medications/ supplements

✓ Know yourself!  Don’t rely on doctor’s chart to know you better

✓ Have a list of questions / concerns / goals written to share with healthcare provider

✓ If you feel that they are not listening to YOU and honoring YOU – find someone else.  You deserve better!

✓ Your health care provider has a “body of knowledge”.  YOU have “knowledge of your body”

✓ Find a “partner” for your health and wellness.  Know what you need and want before you make your first appointment.

Practice Prevention!

Lack of Sleep Prevents Wellness and Can Cause Illness

• Studies show that 20 to 40% of women have sleep disorders

• Sleep disorders increase as we mature

• Sleep disturbances increase especially during peri and post-menopause

• Insomnia can be a message from our bodies: Something is not balanced and functioning well

• Inability to sleep well may be a result of hormonal imbalance, excessive stress, anxiety, depression, poor blood sugar regulation.

• Insufficient sleep increases stress hormones that over time will cause weight gain, hormonal imbalances, depressed immune function, depression, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, lack of concentration, poor judgment, and more.

Tips for better sleep:

✓ Cool

✓ Eat for better sleep – Eat a small snack high in protein and low in carbs / sugar

✓ Avoid caffeine – it disrupts sleep and irritates the bladder

✓ Avoid Alcohol

✓ Regular exercise

✓ Environment – dark room, no TV, no disturbing shows, discussions, music 1 hour before bed

✓ Bedtime Ritual – soft music, meditation, yoga, bath, etc

✓ Stop thinking and planning – write it down so you don’t think about your to-do-list all night long

✓ Cool your hot flashes / night sweats

Natural Sleep Aids:

✓ Valerian

✓ Melatonin; (Prescription levels recommended of 3-6 mg; Dr. Kellman uses up to 20 mg)

✓ 5-HTP

✓ Chamomille

✓ Natural progesterone

✓ Try to avoid prescription sleep aids but sometimes that is not an option

Vitamin D How Much is Too Much?

• Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk for many cancers, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus.

• Blood test needed: Provider should order a 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D level.

• What’s the right level of Vitamin D level (in ng/ml)

✓ Desirable:  greater than 40

✓ Hypovitaminosis:  20 to 40

✓ Insufficient:  10 to 20

✓ Deficient:  less than 10

✓ Note: The vitamin D3 supplementation necessary to achieve a 25(OH)D increment of 32 nmol/L may be at least 5000 IU/day.

o Dose range: 2000 -10,000 +  international units daily

o Cautions: hypercalcemia if overuse >60,000  IU vitamin D daily over a period of years

Fitness for the Multitasking Woman

• Wear a pedometer to “move more” throughout the day.

o This provides great biofeedback.

• Burst to blast fat (see JJ Virgin’s “Burst to Blast Fat” download)

o Improve your stress resilience and raise growth hormone by incorporating 4 total minutes of all-out bursting in 30-60 second increments 3 days a week.  Easy ways to burst are jumping rope, climb stairs, bike or run.  Be sure to take twice as long between bursts for active recovery like walking.

Hormone Therapy

• Right Hormone Right Dose Right Rime Right Reason In the Right Woman: choose a provider who knows how to evaluate and formulate a regimen that is unique to you – every woman is unique!

Steps to Surgical Healing and Rehabilitation

(See JJ Virgin’s “Pre and Post Surgery Protocol” download)

Other Take Away TIPS:

• Only use professional-grade multi-vitamins

• If feasible for you request a Vitamin Panel to determine specific vitamin deficiencies and supplement accordingly

• Try prescription-strength Melatonin as sleep aid instead of prescription or over-the –counter sleep aids

• Request Thyroid labs; TSH, T4, Free T3, Reverse T3

• Thyroid Goal: TSH: .4-1.5

• Feeling Tired and Wired: May need Adrenal Salivary Index (ASI)

YOU ARE THE CEO OF YOUR HEALTH

IT’S TIME TO TAKE CHARGE

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This information does not form a Doctor/Patient relationship or reflect the views of the Texas Conference for Women, but represents the opinions of the panel specialists.

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