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.

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!

Hillary Rubin Speaks Out

Have you met Hillary Rubin yet? She is our featured "real woman" who has committed her professional and personal life to empowering others to be their own best health and wellness advocate.

It all started in in 1996, when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis while working in the fashion industry.

Despite the odds, today she is symptom-free, medication-free and inspiring people around the world with her uplifting personal story and a progressive paradigm for wellness empowerment. Hillary changed her life by repositioning her diagnosis as a platform for transformation and growth.

She even has one of the top yoga podcasts -- and leads a movement teaching others how to turn their deepest challenges into opportunities to achieve optimal health and happiness.

Here is an excerpt from her recent blog that will give you a sneak preview as to her context.

The tingling started in her left foot. Then it continued to her left arm and left breastplate. This was followed by weakness in the legs and numbness in both feet. These physical symptoms turned the simple act of walking into a trial, the discomfort akin to moving on pins and needles. At the time, Hillary Rubin didn’t know what was happening to her.

Being diagnosed in 1996 with multiple sclerosis (MS) initially left Rubin feeling angry, as if she’d been “given a sentence.” But she had two choices—either to be proactive or let her illness control her life. She embraced the former.

Rubin says she “took the invitation” and made a choice to learn more about her diagnosis, explore treatment options and live healthier. She began frequenting health food stores and talking to the vitamin specialists there; they recommended books on nutritional healing. Rubin says this led to a more internal journey: “I organically listened and [decided], OK, now I get to dive in and educate myself.”

To read more, click here.

In More.com: Reinventing Myself After 40

My 5 foot ten inch frame and long legs have always seemed more naturally "built" for basketball, yoga and running but I found a sport two years ago that is absolutely perfect for me at this point in my life.

I'm not saying that I'm headed for the Olympics by any means, but the sport of sculling, or rowing is one which grabs you by surprise and has triggered a competitive streak I didn't know I had - ever!

Just to share something here, that may help you get engaged in a new activity and stick with it, I believe my interest in rowing is accelerating, row by row for these reasons:

1) I'm going to be turning the big five-oh 50 in October, and I started preparing for "IT" two years ago by getting into the sport of sculling. While enrolled in a learn to row program at Craftsbury Rowing Center in Vermont that summer, my husband and I started to enjoy this sport together, one that he has loved and enjoyed regularly since competing in college. We learned to row a "double" together, in the silence of the Vermont lake mornings.

Finding a new activity that we could both enjoy is still really fun for us both. We have even competed in Masters races together in a double, and found it exhilirating! Our first race together was in Derby Connecticut in June 2008, a hot steamy June day. We competed against top athletes and just really enjoyed the thrill of it all.

An added bonus, I also found out that my husband is a great coach! Unless we tried this sport together, I'm not sure I would have recognized that quality.

2) I lost 30 pounds my first year rowing by joining a nearby river club ( in Norwalk Connecticut) and learned to row with other women in my community, practicing two to four early mornings each week.

Part of the reason for weight loss is the fact that I row for at least a half hour at moderate intensity and my heart rate goes up to 150 -155-160 during that time. An hour of rowing might burn 400 - 600 calories. Compare this to yoga which burns from 150 to 400 calories an hour depending on level of intensity. While you may not participate in sports for weight loss, the "Happy Hormone" is increased and does help improve your mood. I find the effects last all day long, and improve my work productivity.

When I first started, I rowed in a "quad" where four women row together - each with two oars. With my long arms, I was frequently asked by our coach to be in the first seat which is the stroke seat. It's fun to be in the lead but it also means there is no one to follow! All the other rowers are following the stroke so you need to focus and concentrate. You also need to relax.

3) Speaking of relaxing, my yoga routine was soon replaced by rowing because in order to do well with rowing you must balance "drive" with "recovery". These two opposites work well with me, because I use yoga breathing on the recovery, and find that this breathing mechanism simply reduces the feeling of stress in my body. This is true during and after the row. I don't think you can appreciate how important recovery is in our lives today unless you start rowing. The recovery allows your body to relax and the boat "runs" underneath you, effortlessly.

At least that's the goal. Of course, all that depends on your rowing technique which I'm told is like perfecting a golf swing. But, learning to row at 48 was so much fun for me, I would recommend it to any one interested in making friends, weight management and stress management.

Doesn't that include just about anybody?

RealWomen on Health! On-line Community & Radio Show

It's official...RealWomen on Health! on-line community is expanding!

Over the last few months, hundreds of women have enthusiastically joined RealWomen on Health! as our network expands through the top social media sites for women such as Divine Caroline, MORE.com, and Vibrant Nation.

Since the response to join our community has been so positive, we are expanding the community's offering by partnering with leading women's health advocacy organizations and health publishers to create an online radio show and health salon also called Real Women on Health!

This online radio show has already been produced with the assistance of advocacy groups such as The Women's Sexual Health Foundation, Red Hot Mamas, the Women's Health Foundation, and the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health. Soon, we will also include the National Association of Baby Boomer Women and the National Women's Health Resource Center to create high quality content that is credible, candid and conversational.

What makes our show unique is not only the conversational approach, but that it is on-line, credible and always respectful of womens time-constraints. We know that fun is important too, and as one of our first guests concluded "It was like the View...but without the fighting!".

The radio shows are 30 minutes on Saturday mornings at 9:30am EST. However, we also host frequent on-line health salons (a girls' night out!) on Thursday evenings for an hour, allowing for much more experience-sharing and interactions with other real women like us.

If you would like to know more about our past shows, how to participate and listen in as well as join our health salons, please review our past blog posts here on this site. You will meet the experts we have piloted the concept with in preparation for this official launch.

For information about the show and how to dial in this Saturday, July 11th, please go to www.blogtalkradio.com/realwomenonhealth

I hope I hear you on the show this Saturday with best-selling author, Janis Spring, Ph.D. for the show "Daughters Caring for Their Aging Dads".

Detox to Dog Walks: Sharing Well Care Tips with Real Women!

Last night's RealWomen on Health! Show was a veritable bonanza of well care tips for women of all life stages. It all started when Jasmine, the wellness coach, shared how she cured herself of her migraines with the help of a naturopath and a single allergy test .

"After doing a scan, my naturopath found that gluten was my primary trigger, secondarily it was soy and third it was dairy. She advised me to rid it out of my diet. Desperate for relief, I went cold turkey and thus began my journey for inner healing. I found complete relief in six weeks. In fact, if I eat gluten, I will get a migraine within 24 hours. I am no longer fatigued, fall asleep at the wheel or an hour after I eat breakfast," explains Jasmine.

Migraines are a women's health issue. Women outnumber men 3 to 1 suffering from migraine headaches. Jasmine was one of them, however, thanks to her resolve and determination to deal with the pain and fatigue, she no longer suffers.

By the way, there are many reasons why women suffer more than men from migraines. While ovulation and menstruation may be one reason, pharmacologic triggers and dietary triggers are others to consider. Stress can be the final "straw" but usually not the only factor.




"Mainstream medicine failed to help me, I took charge of my health and as a woman, that feels good. I learned in Chinese medicine, the stomach and head are on the same chi line. The fact that whatever I was eating gave me acid reflux, then triggered my migraine was fascinating to me"explained Jasmine.

Once Jasmine told her story, several women on the show revealed their own fabulous well care tips:

1. My PR partner, Deborah, a high achieving exec in Fairfield County Connecticut, told us about her 15 year regimen of regular elimination detoxing that has kept her energy levels high. She said that it's best to do any detox in partnership with a doctor or naturopath who knows your clinical status. Since Deb rarely passes up a new biz pitch or a chance to competitive golf...the proof is in the pudding. She has more energy than a twenty year old!

2. Margo is a entrepreneur with a passion for helping patients become empowered, and savvy, working with their healthcare professionals. Her well care tip was two-fold: cook from scratch with natural ingredients and 2) learn how to partner with your doctor. In fact, to help you, she has written a book and tool kit on how to be a savvy patient.

3. My friend, Ann, couldn't say enough about her love for the girls' weekend away as a well care tip. On a monthly basis, she plans weekends with her girlfriends - shopping, eating and the occasional well-deserved glass(es) of wine - the boost of mental and psychic energy that allows her to tackle the pressing business issues she's confronted with daily. In addition, it's been proven that social support is a necessity for women's health and wellness. And, it has nothing to do with the red wine:)) Did I mention Artemis Woman? She's the co-founder of this five year old women's wellness company, one of 2009's Inc 500 fastest growing companies.

4. My spunky sister, Kara, jumped on the line from San Francisco with a really fun tip: get a dog. She recently buckled under the weight of her young daughter's demands for a yellow retriever, and...well, the rest is history. She's in love! The dog, Sandy, requires daily walks or runs, for 20 minutes to an hour or more. Kara says that caring for a dog helps her stay fit, and brings her in touch with people and places you might not otherwise ever meet or see! Going on a bike ride with the dog is demanding, too - I've been with her when the dog has chosen a swampy bird reserve over the well-travelled and dry bike paths!

Finally, I've taken to the sport of rowing or sculling.

I just started to learn the sport two years ago, and I'm addicted. The upper body and stomach work out is great, but what I most enjoy is getting my heart rate up to 60% - 70% target zone without high impact!

For me that means 155-165 beats a minute for 20 min daily. I measure the beats a minute with a heart monitor and, if I can't get to the rowing club on any given day, I substitute on-the-water time with a run, with intermittent walking. You'd be surprised how fast your heart rate can get in the zone...but, if you don't have the stamina to sustain that level for 20 min, you can try interval training. The important point is to sustain target heart zone for 20 min daily, whether you walk or run.

With Women's Health Week in full swing, our RealWomen on Health! show community created a sense that no matter what our age, lifestyle or health, we need to support each other with wellness practices that give us a sense of well-being, and vitality through what's most important to us - whether as a mom, a working woman or a caregiver.

Join us in September with the National Women's Health Resource Center as we discuss healthcare reform and what it means for women. I'll keep you up to date on the timing, just follow us here or subscribe through the feed on the right!

Join Our April 11th On-line Radio Show: Feeling Sexy at any Age (yes, mid-life!)

Want a flatter tummy, control over your bladder and increased sex drive?

It sounds too good to be true but it really is possible!. Think power center...it’s all related to your pelvis. According to Missy Lavender, founder of the Women’s Health Foundation, the pelvis is “the very core of your body.” The intricate system of muscles, tissues and nerves keeps your pelvic organs in place, bears the weight of childbirth and includes the primary muscles engaged during sex. With that kind of workload, your pelvis needs to be strong and healthy. Heard of kegels? That’s just the tip of the pyramid.

Women’s Health Foundation focuses on bladder issues that keep women from enjoying life. Have you ever scheduled your day around toilet location? Incontinence can affect your self-esteem and, as a result, your sex life and your self-esteem (after all, they’re connected!).

Thankfully, incontinence can be prevented in approximately 80% of people who suffer. Let Missy Lavender introduce you to your levator ani muscles to get fit, get sexy and stay in control! No matter what your age, if you have bladder control problems, the Women’s Health Foundation can help.

Join our health salon, and on-line radio show on Saturday, April 11th at 9:30 am EST and hear how Missy Lavender and the Women's Health Foundation can help you get fit, sexy and in control!