Lifestyle change is such a difficult and emotional struggle for most. Many people avoid healthy lifestyle changes because they have a fear of failure. They hold a deep-seated belief that they will ultimately fail, so, as a result, they don’t even try to create healthy changes. I have seen the struggles of my patients and I want so badly to be able to spend the time with them, to pump them up, to educate them, and to lead them into a healthier lifestyle. But, as you know, it is not easy to change a lifetime of behaviors in one office visit. The best advice can often be forgotten once the patient leaves my office.

For this reason, I am so excited about what Preventative Health Sciences has to offer for my patients. PHS has designed a treatment plan for diet and exercise that goes beyond what I can offer my patients in a single visit. PHS will help to combine interactive education for diet and exercise with the guidance of highly trained and educated individuals. Most importantly, PHS will be able to assist me in managing my patients! It will be a collaborative management. This is a wonderful concept that I have never been able to successfully incorporate due to lack of time with each patient.

Even more significant, is the fact that there are not any of those so called “fad diets.” As you are aware, fad diets come and go. We want people to be provided with sound nutritional advice that will help them in making choices for maintaining good health for the long term.

As for the exercise component of the program, benefits occur independently of weight loss. Exercise has demonstrated health benefits, including lowering blood glucose levels, increasing insulin sensitivity, and improving cardiovascular risk factors.

I am so excited about this program. I have always promoted preventative medicine and now I see the opportunity to provide it to my patients. Better yet, it is physician directed and patient managed. The patient is in total control of their lifestyle. The patient learns to recognize that their actions reflect their beliefs, and it is what they do that demonstrates what they believe. By taking even the smallest steps, they are communicating that they want to make changes. This is so awesome!

Let’s get busy making some changes today and remember, change begins with knowledge and understanding. Then, we can incorporate what we learn into a long-term lifestyle!

If you would like to learn more about PHS and the programs we offer, contact either myself at Urbandale Family Physicians (276-3406), or my co-worker, Jake Velie at 559-7140.

My dad came for a visit last week. He had a defibrillator check and is A-OK. He comes back to see the doctor next month. I love when he comes although he does not stay much more than one night and he has to get back. He is addicted to work.........imagine that!

This weekend I heard a sermon on inspiration......how I inspire others and how others inspire me. To be more specific, I learned about Deborah in the book of Judges and how she was viewed as a hero, a savior, and even a prophet--one who hears the word of God clearly and then inspires others to do amazing things. Deborah was a great judge, leader, and prophetess who rallied the Israelites against the Canaanites, to overcome their enemies in a period of discouragement and defeat.

Who in your life has inspired you? Who strengthens you? Sees your potential? Who wants for you to achieve what God calls you to be? There has to be someone that fits the discription. Or maybe, YOU, have been the one that inspires, the one who strengthens, the one who sees and calls others to keep eyes of faith and pursue their dreams. The point is this.........people who are inspired, are inspiring to others.

One thing is for sure........God desires to be your inspiration. He will work through you to inspire others and likewise, He will work through others to inspire you!

Two entries in one day.............whoa! I just received this email from a doc in Michigan regarding Juice Plus+. I have been taking this supplement per recommendations from Dave Palumbo. I have found it to be very worthyand I have prescibed it for my clients as well. Read the following email I received and if you want to give it a try, contact Dave Palumbo at Huge285@aol.com. This is who I purchase my product from.

I understand that you've recently started to take Juice Plus+. I wanted to let you know what an important decision I think that is. As a practicing physician of over 25 years, I see people every day who have suffered from degenerative diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer, or lost family members to them. Medical science has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can improve your odds of avoiding diseases like that. Leading health advocacy organizations like the National Cancer Institute and the American Heart Association all recommend eating 7-13 servings of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables a day. But I know my patients don't (and won't) eat nearly enough fresh, raw, fruits and vegetables. I don't. That's why I recommend Juice Plus+ to anyone who will listen, because it's such an easy way to make sure they get more nutrition from fresh fruits and vegetables into their diets every single day. Good health is the result of lots of things, including a good diet,exercise, even getting a proper amount of sleep. But one of the simplest things anyone can do is take two Orchard Blend capsules and two Garden Blend capsules every day. You're improving your odds every time you do. Dr. Shirley RobertsonFamily PracticeEast Lansing, Michigan

Hey there everyone! Good morning! I am doing a peer to peer educational conference today. I am sharing my wealth of knowledge with other docs regarding blood pressure and high cholesterol. It is actually a great day to be away from the office. I need a day off from the clinic. The past two weeks we have been preparing to go live with electronic medical records. I am not sure who is more frustrated--me, the doctor learning to use the computer, or the patient, having to "watch" me learn to use the computer. Ughhhh!

I want to mention the Olympia just briefly. As you know, it was history observed this past weekend as Jay Cutler beat Ronnie Coleman. More importantly, however, two of my good freinds had the opportunity to compete for the first time in an Olympia. I remember gabbing hours with Colette about our future in bb. Six years ago we were saying one of us was going to be on that stage some day. Last weekend was Colette's day. I was so happy for her. Wow, what an achievement. "Way to go, buddy!" Patience is a virtue!

No training today. I might jump on the stairmaster when I get home to get the blood flowing, but I will be ready to make dancing pecs in the morning. A day of rest is good for the mind, body, and soul!

Happy Wednesday!

YOUR IronLadyDoc

Don't worry, I have not disappered. I simply have had so much going on that I have not taken the time to tell you all about it. Let me start by telling you that I witnessed one of nature's most magnificent things yesterday. My friends, Jake and Suzanne, came over to my house because I needed help planting a few perenials. I shall say that Jake is amazing at getting his hands dirty while his wife and I watched. Simply amazing! hee hee. Anyway, the plants are planted and I scooped up some bizarre looking poop in my back yard. These were definitely calculated droppings as they were dropped in one corner of my yard. I have decided to get myself a tent and proceed with a stealth stake-out in order to find the perpetrator. I am expecting one of those weiner dogs, but I shall not jump to conclusions just yet. I initially thought it was a canadian goose as I woke the other morning to a flock in my backyard. Don't ask me what the heck they were doing there. I have no standing water and don't think I am sharing my food with them! Bodybuilders can be really stingy! Just ask my buddy, Colette. I would have to be on death bed and dehydrated for her to give me a bite of her egg dish!

That is all I have for now. Workouts are good as long as I don't lift anything with my arms. Yea, my shoulders are pretty banged up. Now, my good wing is my bad wing, and my bad wing is my good wing! Confusing? No, simply stated, both my shoulders are in recovery stages! I am heading to the Olympia this weekend to cheer my buddy on. She is so jacked and I am in her corner. I am so proud of colette Nelson! Yeah!

OK, have a great day everyone.

your IronLadyDoc!

Today I received an email from my cousin. It could not have been better timing for me as I have been struggling with a lot of decisions. I thought I would share with all of you because I think we all need to realize each and every day is the "Best day of our lives." Read it and see if it does not tug at your soul like it did mine. Here goes...............

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever. There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did!

And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger.

I will go through this day with my head held high and a happy heart.

I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds.

Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people.

I'll make someone smile.

I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.

Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down.

I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for them and how much they mean to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures. As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

That was awesome. Everyone sleep tight tonight because tomorrow is a new day and an opportunity to make it the best day of your life!

YOUR Ironladydoc

I was prepared to have a wonderful prayer for all the families who suffered losses during the 9/11 tagedy, but I wanted to give it some thought today. I was reading Psalm 9:11-12 and it encourages us to sing out our praises to God and tell of His unforgettable deeds. It also states in verse 12 that he who avenges murder has an open ear to those to cry to Him for justice. WE must all have faith that if we ask the Lord to handle this tragedy, He will. We should not try to do it without His help. As hard as it may seem, we need to lean on the Lord for help at all times!

I worked late last night. I was thinking that it would be slow since there were two football games on and the one was in Washington, D.C. I heard it was quite a site during the national anthem. Needless to say, I was swamped in the urgent care clinic!

It has really been cool here in Des Moines the past week or so. We have had a nice blanketing of rain to go with it. The grass is actually starting to green up again. I love it!

Three weeks till Olympia time. My buddy Colette is primed and ready to go! I am so proud of her! Yea, buddy, as Ronnie Coleman would say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As we all know, humans are very regimented and get stuck in ruts way too often—and they usually don’t even realize it. A slight change is powerful medicine for the mind and body. It can refresh and revitalize.

Today was quadzilla day and Mark had this crazy idea to do heavy walking DB lunges and then follow that with 5 minutes of BB squats. I said, "Mark, are you serious?" He gets this look on his face and says, "uh huh!" I looked at him and said, "OK, you go first!" hee hee! Well, we got through the walking lunges. Mind you, we went heeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaVY. He made me do what he did. OK, so when we got to the 100 lb. dumbells, I said enough is enough. I took the first step and the right db banged into my quad. OUCH!!! I thought I cracked my femur, but, no, just a deep bruise.

Then, came squats. Once again, I said, "Mark, are you sure you want to do this?" Still "uh huh!" OK buddy, go get em. I will watch the clock. Well, let me just say, he tried his hardest and believe me, there was no giving up in his mind. After two minutes and 50 reps, he racked it. I was proud of him nonetheless! Don't think I did not do my 50 reps to match him, but no way was I going to try to squat for 5 minutes.

Here's my pointer of the day.............while growth and change will not occur unless you push past your comfort zone, pushing too hard and too fast may increase your liklihood of giving up. It is far better to experience success at each step of a progressive process...........all the while building confidence to fuel the persistence to pursue more challenging changes.

Change requires moving beyond your comfort zone, but it is best initiated in small and manageable increments. Next time we set out for a course uncharted in the quad department, I will suggest going 2 1/2 minutes or 60 reps.

Bye for now,
YOUR ironladydoc!