Healthy Women Leaders

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Comment by Elizabeth Asahi Rising-Sun Sato on August 21, 2009 at 6:44pm

Dearest Sisters at the White House Project. I found this great article from Women's Health. I have found this magazine contains lots of good information.
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EAT TO BEAT STRESS (WOMEN’S HEALTH MAGAZINE)
Nine foods that will keep you calm

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts
When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins, which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a year's membership to Match.com as a present). About a quarter cup every day is all you need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional PB to almond butter on high-tension days. (We like All Natural Barney Butter Almond Butter, $7, barneybutter.com.)
Sick of almonds? Shell pistachios or crack walnuts. Both will help keep your heart from racing when things heat up. "We experience immediate cardiovascular responses to stress because of the 'fight or flight' response," says Sheila G. West, M.D., associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. When stress strikes, the hormone adrenaline raises blood pressure to boost energy -- so you're prepared to run like hell if you need to. But because we seldom need to fight or flee (dodging your annoying aunt doesn't count), it's better to blunt the strain on your heart. A 2007 Penn State study led by Dr. West found that eating one and a half ounces (about a handful) of pistachios a day lowers blood pressure so your heart doesn't have to work overtime. Walnuts have also been found to lower blood pressure, both at rest and under stress, West says. Add about an ounce to salads, cereal, or oatmeal.
Avocados
The next time stress has you hankering for a high-fat, creamy treat, skip the ice cream and try some homemade guacamole -- the thick, rich texture can satisfy your craving and reduce those frantic feelings. Plus, the green wonders' double whammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure. (For a healthy recipe favorites in under 20 minutes, check out the WH Recipes homepage.) One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is to get enough potassium -- and just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you'll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, puree a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne.
Skim Milk
Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, Ph.D., professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo juice (preferably skim or 1 percent) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per day had a 46 percent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than one serving per week.
Oatmeal
Carbohydrates make the brain produce more serotonin, the same relaxing brain chemical released when you eat dark chocolate. The more slowly your body absorbs carbs, the more steadily serotonin flows, according to Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a former MIT research scientist and co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet. The result: a less-likely-to-snap you. Because thick, hearty oatmeal is high in fiber, few things take longer for your stomach to digest, says Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Food & Mood. Wurtman also recommends topping it with a swirl of jam for a quicker release of serotonin. When you know it's going to be a doozy of a day, avoid heavily processed varieties (e.g., the sugary kind that come in packets meant for the microwave), which are digested more quickly, and take the time to make thick-cut old-fashioned oats, like McCann's Original Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal ($6 for 28 oz, amazon.com). But if two minutes for breakfast is all you have, you can still do your mood a favor by opting for instant oatmeal over Cocoa Puffs.
Oranges
Fretting over a job interview or presentation at work? Pour yourself a glass of Florida's famous juice or peel yourself an orange. The magic nutrient here is vitamin C. In a study in Psychopharmacology, German researchers subjected 120 people to a public-speaking task plus a series of math problems. Those who took 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C reported that they felt less stressed, and their blood pressure and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) returned to normal faster. "Vitamin C is also a well-known immune system booster," says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. So don't be bummed that you got a fruit-of-the-month-club gift instead of the video Nano -- you're going to need all those oranges and grapefruits.
Salmon
Stress hormones have an archenemy: omega-3 fatty acids. A 2003 study from Diabetes & Metabolism found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids kept cortisol and adrenaline from geysering. Omega-3 fatty acids also protect against heart disease, according to a 2002 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Eat a three-ounce serving of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and light tuna, at least twice a week," Jamieson-Petonic says. Not a fish eater? For another omega-3 punch, buy foods fortified with DHA (you'll find this particular fatty acid in eggs, yogurt, milk, and soy products); but don't go out of your way for products that boast booming levels of ALA, another fatty acid, which may not work as well.
Spinach
Magnesium was made to calm holiday insanity. First, the mineral can help lower your stress levels, keeping your body in a state of relative ease as you kick off yet another round of small talk at the company party. Not getting enough magnesium may trigger migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued. (And almost seven out of 10 of us don't get enough of the stuff. No wonder we're cranky.) Just one cup of spinach provides 40 percent of your daily value -- so try subbing it for lettuce on sandwiches and salads. (And now you have an excuse to indulge in the spinach dip!)

Comment by Elizabeth Asahi Rising-Sun Sato on August 5, 2009 at 8:58pm

Did you start yet? If you have been procrastinating—get going today.
I just lost a dear colleague who was only 37 years old. She worked diligently with the Navajo and Dine people and had just finished her degree in ministry a few years back. She was healthy and vibrant—this was totally unexpected. The sweetest person I know and she succumbed to pneumonia of all things—I cannot believe it. I am in shock. We women do so many things and take on so much. It is my hope and prayer that in 2009-2010 that I will practice what I preach by getting my health back on track so that I can inspire and motivate you. I am back on track and I intend to stay there. It may take me a year or more to lose the excess weight and to get my exercise routine calibrated on a regular cycle but I am taking good care of myself.
I recall a sister at Women Rule! And TWHP recommending we do sim0le things: drink more water, walk 30 minutes a day, get plenty of sleep, stop drinking soda even diet, eating more fresh veggies and fruits, asking for lots of hugs (ok I threw that one in) LOL

Love to all. Elizabeth Asahi Rising Sun Sato

Comment by Elizabeth Asahi Rising-Sun Sato on July 17, 2009 at 11:20pm

Ok--I am done procrastinating and going back and forth. I just found out I have to very serious ailments that could shorten my life very quickly. I cannot begin to accomplish what I hope to accomplish or see my sons graduate from high school if I keep waffling back and forth. I do not have the resources of Oprah or the personal support like the gentleman who was recently featured on a documentary. I have to do this by myself so gurlfriends share with all of us your ideas, your solutions, your encouragement and if you have to kick me in the behind from time to time --I am all for it. It is time to be truly healthy.

Comment by Stacy Bayton on May 4, 2009 at 5:45pm

Wow, I think we all had a great start and then life overcame us and we got lost in the shuffle. I am sorry for all of the issues we have each faced this last year, but rejoice in all of our accomplishments no matter how small.

It is easy to stay motivated while we feel the support and love of those around us, when we feel comfortable because all is well in our world, and then when that changes we stumble and are forced to hang on for dear life. Hang in their sisters...keep your eye on the prize. If it has changed then so be it, but refocus and keep going or start anew. Whichever fits your situation, remember you are not alone. Even if you just have one minute in your day to jump on here and feel the support we have to share for one another, then I guarantee that one moment will not be wasted, and you will go away refreshed adn ready to take on the world.

Keep your chins up and keep moving forward!!!!

Comment by Elizabeth Asahi Rising-Sun Sato on May 4, 2009 at 1:22pm

Hi Rhonda: Good grief gurlfriend----talk about FALLING OFF THE WAGON. I not only fell--I ended up underneath it with significant tread marks called heart problems. Don't wait until you get as sick as me to set things straight with your body-mind-spirit. This is the killer. I had good intentions though—but unfortunately good intentions do not save your life or preserve your health. Remember those tee shirts we got in NYC at Women Rule!--the Oprah ones? The largest one they had (medium) was too small for me so I set a goal--a year later May 2009--I am going to be at my goal weight, eating healthy, resting healthy, playing healthy--just plain being healthy. There it hung-- on my wall collecting dust as I collected pounds, pain and pressure. It is no fun being sick but I am determined to be healthy come hell or high water and I am going to quit talking about it and just do it. I can’t believe I was researching gastric bypass and the band recently until my girlfriend reminded me I could not even tolerate the Mirena IUD for three weeks that my OBGYN recommended to help shrink my uterine tumors. Too sensitive to chemicals and devices—I guess. So if I do not want to end up with a heart ticker--what do they call those things???---I have got to get busy. Come back to TWHP and let’s connect. I know Facebook and Twitter is so much more “busy” flooded with millions of people but this is a quiet lovely spot just for us women--a place of solace, encouragement and support. I look forward to hearing from y'all.
XO Elizabeth Asahi Sato

Comment by Rhonda Priest on March 28, 2009 at 4:52pm

Your post is very timely for me. Since Women Rule, my position at the clinic ended unexpectedly shortly after I returned home from NYC and I have found myself reeling the past few months trying to figure out where I go from here. I had landed a grant-funded project for the state and successfully completed it. Unfortunately, a funding shortfall and a delay in the stimulus plan left me unemployed once again within the past month. As an emotional eater, I have "fallen of the wagon"--especially since my perceived self-worth has always been closely tied to my career successes.

Although it is spring in many parts of the country, winter continues to linger here in Wyoming. I am traveling south for Spring Break and have been packing for the trip. I am disappointed in myself for not taking better care of me! The last thing I want to see is my body in a swimsuit.....

Comment by Jan BenDor on March 28, 2009 at 3:36pm

Taking action to take care of yourself is a lot easier if you have first spent some time understanding why you haven't cared about yourself. As women, we all have absorbed deep and destructive cultural messages--that we are not worthwhile, that others' needs are more important, that we are responsible for everything, that we can never be good enough. Women are more often depressed, chronically tired, and self-medicating with food and other substances. True health? Starts with you loving you, and having a realistic view of yourself. If you can take a sheet of paper and list twice as many positive things about yourself as negative, then you are on the way!
Jan--LMSW

Comment by Deborah Levine on December 13, 2008 at 10:59am

Health and wellness are and should be daily issues for women. They have incredible work loads and they set the standard for their families. Yes, money does have a role to play. But even if you are not rich there is much you can do to maximize your health and that of your loved ones. This is why I include a section on Wellness for Leaders in my online magazine, the American Diversity Report. I am determined to share what I have learned about food and stress with others, particularly women. 'Step away from the Cookie!' Not just because of the unwanted calories but because of the preservatives, additives, food coloring, and chemicals that you can't even pronounce. Insist on real food!

Comment by JTawfilis@aol.com on November 3, 2008 at 5:44pm

Greetings from Egypt...it's really tough trying to build the 4th Pyramid....it will be he spirituality and inspiration from colleagues and the energy from Women Rule that will help me maintain my determination to paddle, wade, dig, sift through the muck and mire of bureacracy along the Nile and to the watery grave of Cleopatra to make it all happen...great progress...and all thanks to being regeneration of energy from Women Rule!

Comment by Rahama Wright on October 17, 2008 at 12:01am

How can I address being tired all the time? Even when I get enough sleep I still feel tired!

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