Saturday, August 22, 2009

We've Moved!

Check out the new blog at

http://realwomenonhealth.wordpress.com

Monday, August 17, 2009

Baby, Body and Beyond: Mid-Life Mammas with Michelle Segar, PhD


Pop Quiz!

What does Celine Dion have in common with a rising number of American women today?

(besides beauty and brains...)

More women are becoming moms later in life than ever before and the rate of women over 40 having children continues to rise. This show is designed just for mid-life mammas...to give you some perspective on how to address body image and weight challenges.

Join me Real Women on Health! in a new series, Mid-Life Mammas, which will take place on Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm - the first one will be on September 17th called "Baby, Body and Beyond".

This on-line health salon and radio show is for women over 40 who've just had their first or second baby and will be led by a top flight women's wellness coach, Michelle Segar, PhD.

During the on-line and live show, we'll focus on taking time for self-care and how it can relate to improved weight management. You'll also gain access to your own inner wellspring that holds the key to your well-being.


So, plop down on the couch with a glass of refreshing water with lemon or your favorite light wine, your cell phone and come prepared to ask questions and share your own successes as a mid-life mamma.






Tell us how you balance baby and body...and beyond! Or not!




Michelle, a health and fitness blogger at MORE.com, will provide her insights on how and why coaching works, who is most successful in achieving results and engage in conversation with you about how you can best insert your own needs into your life and manage your weight.





You won't be disappointed.





This top notch women's health researcher at the University of Michigan has interesting research results to share, and knows women's weight issues intimately, both as an academic researcher and women over 40 herself.


Michelle Segar is America's leading expert on exercise motivation for women over 40. She is the founder of the National Center for Women and Wellness and a Psychology Researcher at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan. She has a doctorate in Psychology and master's degrees in Health Behavior-Health Education and Kinesiology from The University of Michigan.


Her coaching service, EssentialSteps®, is sought after by women and companies nationwide.


To join our conversation and learn more about how you can balance baby, body and beyond as a mid-life mamma, please go to www.blogtalkradio.com/realwomenonhealth. We look forward to hearing your voice on September 17th at 7:30 pm EST.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Sharon Blynne: Bald is Beautiful

Check out this interview with Sharon Blynne -- just as good and inspiring today as it was three years ago.

Sometimes I go for the "oldies but goodies" because women like Sharon represent a "real woman on health". Her fresh view point and beautiful way opens up a new perspective you might really appreciate.

First, view her commercial reel, with the Bristol Myers Squibb "Prevail" commercial, and her beautifully sweet plug for the advocacy group she founded -- “Bald is Beautiful”.

“I started Bald Is Beautiful in 2003 after what, at the time, I hoped was my final surgery.

I was inspired by my cancer journey and the people I met along the way/throughout to start Bald Is Beautiful, which is a women’s wholeness/cancer awareness organization through which I do spokesperson/advocacy work and as an actor/writer am dedicated to activating the media industry to expand and redefine notions of beauty and femininity -- especially for those women whose appearances may drastically change as part of a health journey, and promoting the idea that our femininity is undiminished by the effects of cancer.

As such (an actor and cancer survivor), I auditioned for the BMS commercial last summer and booked the job based on what they found interesting or inspiring about my particular journey and what I told them about my Bald Is Beautiful work in the initial audition interview. The words in those spots are derived from that initial interview which was the basis on which they created my specific commercial copy.

What is so beautiful about the spots is that we (the actor/survivors) are not “pitching” for BMS. We never had to say Bristol-Myers Squibb or name the drugs that were part of our treatment regimen. They (BMS) made the bold and beautiful decision to create very simple, powerful, touching, inspiring vignettes from real survivors that stand alone as messages of hope, positivity, support, and encouragement.

That’s why I was so excited to be considered and ultimately participate in this campaign; because it’s not a pharmaceutical pitching more drugs and making people feel bad about themselves or that their lives are incomplete without their products. It’s the opposite and very much in tune with my Bald Is Beautiful work to support, encourage, and share joy with others. I had the opportunity, as did all of us in the 4 spots, to express our personal journeys in ways that, as far as I’ve seen on TV, hadn’t really been done.

They don’t focus on illness or medicine or treatment – the commercials are really made to speak to people’s hearts and spirits and to uplift them.”

Read more on the Bristol Myers Web Site to learn more about Sharon.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Lessons from Hillary: co-existing with modern medicine

In my work as a women's heath advocate, I meet men and women from all walks of life who handle chronic disease, like diabetes and fibromyalgia for example, as "best they can". This leaves me with a feeling that there are great compromises made. On the other hand, it could mean "acceptance" on a much deeper level that helps in creating a more positive mindset.

Many times, though, I sense a feeling a helplessness, futility and depression - and I have much empathy for this situation, one I can only imagine.

Now, I really hope I am not coming across as a Pollyanna here - but I am surprised by how a person with a serious chronic condition is capable of re-framing their entire life. Turning their life on its head, finding the crown jewel in the feet. That's how it was with Hillary..


Here's an excerpt from her Huffington Post blog:


Each day I am still amazed to see that my diagnosis of MS has offered me numerous gifts, teachings and blessings in every area of my life. Back in the doctor's office, where my life shifted when I roared NO, I learned a powerful teaching that I always have a choice. My choice to be involved with my process of healing was going to take more than doctors, medicine and relying on the world outside of me. What brought me even closer to myself were teachers that showed up in many forms -- self-help books, healers, yoga teachers, meditation and life itself being the greatest of them all.

I found my home in this "new" world that co-existed with modern medicine. And it never made much sense to me then why they functioned more like parallel universes. It was powerful for me to learn that our thoughts are food and that they have a direct effect on the state of our health. For me Health means more than the food we eat, it contains everything including our thoughts, environment, lifestyle, and relationships.

The list keeps growing and ultimately brings us back to the question, What are you working on? And the answer is still -- ME!
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