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My Health Journey: Laura Kim

If you want to see the picture of health and happiness, look at Laura Kim. Her radiant face and beautiful smile show us what happens when we commit to healing our body, mind, and soul.

Like many Americans, Laura’s struggle with food and weight began at a young age when she started sneaking junk food to feed her emotions. Despite remaining physically fit through competitive swimming, her eating habits didn’t change and additional health problems followed.

Add to this the fact that Laura is deaf. Not only did she deal with multiple prejudices, she also faced our challenging healthcare system, set up in a way that advantages hearing people. The Deaf Community, says Laura, tends to have higher cases of obesity and misdiagnoses because of the lack of access to good, thorough health information. This includes interpreters and captioned videos.

Laura hit rock bottom in 2018 after a serious car accident involving her parents. The stress from that accident worsened her eating habits and, eventually, she weighed more than 200 pounds. Laura decided to change her mental and physical relationship to food. She began to see good nutrition and exercise as ways to heal her body. It took time and commitment, and there’s daily work to do, but Laura is “in control and on a positive path.”

Visit the VRC to find out more about our free daily online classes, including yoga, strength training, mindfulness, and cooking classes.

Looking for healthy recipes? Check out these truly tasty bites created by the VRC’s Cooking & Nutrition experts.

6 Ways to Sleep Better Through a Pandemic

From Sharp Health News, a publication of Sharp HealthCare

If COVID-19 is keeping you up at night, you’re not alone. For many, news of the global pandemic is causing a great deal of mental stress, while changes in schedules are disrupting our natural sleep rhythms.

To help you sleep better during this troubling time, try the following six tips:

  1. Keep a schedule. Set a time to wake up and go to bed and stick with them. To help you stay consistent, set other times throughout the day, such as mealtimes and shower times.
  2. Avoid doing stressful things close to bedtime. If the news causes you stress, switch off the TV before bedtime. Do the tough things early in the day, such as planning your grocery buying or teaching your child geometry.
  3. Engage in relaxing activities close to bedtime. Turning your worries “off” before bed prepares your mind for a good night’s sleep. Read a book, write a letter, do yoga or find other ways to wind down.
  4. Designate a time for worry. Pick a time each day (not near bedtime) to make a to-do list and write down your current worries along with a next step or solution for each. Let yourself worry temporarily, and then put your list away.
  5. Exercise. Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, improving both quality and quantity of sleep. Even if the pandemic keeps you from your gym, there are many ways to stay physically active while at home.
  6. Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime. Your morning coffee can help as a pick-me-up, but caffeine at night can keep you up. And while alcohol may make you sleepy initially, it can dramatically reduce the quality of your sleep.

The VEBA Resource Center offers Yoga Nidra (Yoga for Sleep) Classes. Enjoy a session of guided meditation and mind-body therapy done in a comfortable lying down position to systemically reduce stress, increase circulation and promote better sleep. Check out our calendar to sign up for an upcoming class.

6 Formas de Dormir Mejor Durante la Pandemia

Por parte de Sharp Health News, una publicación de Sharp HealthCare

Si el COVID-19 lo mantiene despierto por la noche, no está solo. Para muchos, la noticia de la pandemia global está causando mucho estrés mental, mientras que los cambios en los horarios están interrumpiendo nuestros ritmos naturales de sueño.

Para ayudarlo a dormir mejor durante este momento problemático, pruebe los siguientes seis consejos:

  1. Mantenga un horario. Establezca una hora para levantarse y acostarse y apéguese a ellos. Para ayudarlo a mantenerse constante, establezca otros momentos a lo largo del día, como la hora de comer y la de bañarse.
  2. Evite hacer cosas estresantes cerca de la hora de acostarse. Si las noticias le causan estrés, apague la televisión antes de acostarse. Haga las cosas difíciles temprano en el día, como planificar la compra de comestibles o enseñarle geometría a su hijo.
  3. Participe en actividades relajantes cerca de la hora de acostarse. Apague sus preocupaciones antes de acostarse prepare su mente para una buena noche de sueño. Lea un libro, escriba una carta, haga yoga o encuentre otras formas de relajarse.
  4. Designe un tiempo para preocuparse. Elija un momento cada día (no cerca de la hora de acostarse) para hacer una lista de tareas pendientes y escriba sus preocupaciones actuales junto con el próximo paso o solución para cada una. Permítase preocuparse temporalmente y luego guarde su lista.
  5. Ejercicio. El ejercicio puede reducir el estrés y la ansiedad, mejorando tanto la calidad como la cantidad de sueño. Incluso si la pandemia le impide ir al gimnasio, hay muchas maneras de mantenerte físicamente activo en casa.
  6. Evite la cafeína y el alcohol cerca de la hora de acostarse. Su café de la mañana puede ayudar como un estimulante, pero la cafeína en la noche puede mantenerlo despierto. Y aunque el alcohol puede causarle sueño inicialmente, puede reducir drásticamente la calidad de su sueño.

VEBA Resource Center ofrece Clases de Yoga Nidra. Disfrute de una sesión de meditación guiada y terapia mente-cuerpo realizada en una posición cómoda acostada para reducir sistemáticamente el estrés, aumentar la circulación y promover mejor el sueño. Consulte nuestro calendario para inscribirse a una clase.

Emerging from COVID-19 with Confidence

Have you ever watched a butterfly emerge from its cocoon? It struggles against the hardened shell of the chrysalis — pushing and relaxing and pushing again — until finally breaking open and freeing itself from the shell.

Does that sound like something you might be feeling as we emerge from the isolation of COVID-19? For some of us, it, too, is a struggle. Even positive change can provoke anxiety, which is often driven by uncertainty, so “adjusting to our new normal” may be challenging.

Robert Cappuccio, VRC’s Director of Coaching, Cultural Development and Behavior Change, helped us put things in perspective.

“Our environment dramatically affects our mental state and therefore our behaviors. And when our environment becomes highly unpredictable due to factors outside of our control, that threatens one of our primal universal needs, which is, security, safety… we all want to feel a sense of safety.”

Robert and other experts agree that the key to taming uncertainty is to take a good look at our values: what is it that’s really important to each of us?

“Think about a time in your life where things were amazing. What were the emotions you were feeling, what activities were you consistently engaged in, who was there, and what was going on in your environment. There are a lot of clues as to what you value.”

Friends, family, and community members whom you trust can help you clarify your values, and so can the VEBA Resource Center (VRC).

“The VRC and I strongly agree that when you exercise your values and you express them out in the world, they are expressed as your unique signature strengths. Another question is, ‘Can you remember a time where things were unpredictable, where you were afraid, where you did feel threatened, yet you persevered?’ Well, if you look at what you did to get through that, a lot of times you’ll see that those were signature strengths that you’ve utilized in almost every challenging circumstance throughout your life, and you’ll see a pattern there, and those strengths emerge from what you value.”

Robert cautions that successfully emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be boiled down to a general list of tips. The journey is different for each of us. However, the ideas shared below help provide a strong foundation.

  1. Set realistic expectations: We have enough going on right now without adding pressure to get this done immediately. Think about your values like a stew. Put in some ingredients and let it simmer.
  2. Exercise: This will get you out of your head.
  3. Eat Well: Fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains (cut back on refined sugars) help fuel your comeback. Find a new recipe to try here.
  4. Sleep: Put away your electronics at least one hour before heading to bed and aim for at least seven (7) hours of real sleep. Here are some tips on sleep from the VRC.
  5. Community: Reach out to friends, family, groups you enjoy. Reconnecting with each other will help us feel supported.

“Think of the VRC kind of like a carpenter: the tools in the toolbox are not houses and the houses have no value until somebody moves in and says, ‘This is where I’m going to raise my family (a values-driven statement).’ It all starts with how we use this combination of tools to build what we truly want. The VRC gives you the tools so you can build whatever result you want in your life, not just related to health and wellness, but you as a whole person.”

Emerging wholly — like the butterfly — feels even more possible when you have the support you need. Learn more here about the VRC’s Care Navigation program and schedule your one-on-one session with a Care Navigator today.

4 Tips for Improving the Quality and Quantity of Sleep

Sleep is an important part of your overall physical and mental health. Depending on how well you sleep can determine how you feel during the day. It helps your body to recover after a workout, sickness or surgery. It helps your brain reset and create new pathways which helps you learn, make decisions easier and retain information better. Sleep deficiency, on the other hand, has been linked to obesity, heart and kidney disease, diabetes and even stroke. 

In order to get a good night’s sleep every night, consider these four tips from VEBA Resource Center’s Director of Coaching, Robert Cappuccio, to improve the quality and quantity of your nightly ZZZ’s. 

Tip #1: Stage Your Sleep Environment

Where you sleep can make a huge difference in how you sleep. About an hour before you are ready for bed, shut off the TV and electronic devices — including your phone! Then, when you are ready to hit the sack, make sure you make your room as dark as possible. Pull the shades, close the blinds and maybe get a sleep mask. 

Another tip to make your sleep sound is to keep your room cool. According to Chris Winter, MD, president of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine in Virginia, your room temperature should be set between 60 – 67 degrees Fahrenheit, with the ideal for improving sleep quality being 65 degrees. Helping your core temperature drop, which naturally happens during sleep, can help you fall asleep faster.

Tip #2: Stay Active

It may seem a little counter-intuitive — get active to sleep better. Daily movement, not too close to bedtime, helps promote better sleep. Just 30 minutes per day of moderate aerobic exercise can positively impact sleep quality, according to Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital. Pick an exercise you like and try to do it every day for better sleep.

Tip #3: Get Outside

It’s also important to soak up the sun! A Finnish study published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology found that when two groups of rats were exposed to the same amount of light, one group fluorescent, the other natural sunlight, after one week the group that was exposed to natural sunlight produced significantly more melatonin than the group exposed to artificial light. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the Pineal gland that among other things, helps to regulate sleep-wake cycles in the body. Try and get outside everyday to help your sleep journey.

Tip #4: Keep a Worry Journal

Do your worries or what you need to do the next day keep you awake at night? Before bedtime write down the most pressing worries of the day. Also, make a to-do list for the next day and prioritize the top 2-3 items. This way you can file your worries and priorities away for the next day, so they don’t take up any mental bandwidth in your mind at night.

As you embark on your health journey, be sure to include sleep as part of the equation. For more tips on a good night’s sleep, read How to Get Good, Quality Sleep or watch “How to Get Quality Sleep” to reinforce the importance of journaling before bed.

Adjust to Attain

Setting goals is a great way to create momentum for better performance, long-term vision and ultimately success. However, writing down a goal and actually following through to achievement are two different things. Instead of giving up on a goal, consider adjusting your approach so you are able to attain it. Here are some ways you can adjust your goals to make them happen.

Write down your goal. If you haven’t already, make sure you have written down your goal. Get specific. State the goal, spell out what achievement looks like and select a date by when you want to achieve it. Then, put it in a place where you can see it — tape it to your bathroom mirror, stick it in your journal, change your screensaver on your computer or phone. Seeing your goal every day will remind you of what you want to achieve.

Create a plan. After you write down your goal, think about how you are going to achieve it. Take some time to create a plan, and then take the first step toward your goal. Sometimes, even the best intentions can get thwarted. If you have a plan in place on how to achieve your goals, you can be prepared for situations that might take you off course. Each day, think about your plan and put it into action.

Set mini-goals. Be careful of an all-or-nothing approach when trying to reach your goals. Chances are as you set to reach your ultimate goal, you will need to try something new or swap out one habit for another. Create a list of milestones that will lead to achieving your ultimate goal and then set out to complete them. As you begin to check each of these mini-goals off your list, you will gain momentum, giving you a better chance of reaching your final destination.

Get your attitude in check. Sometimes the biggest obstacle in trying to achieve a goal is one’s self. If you are getting frustrated or feel like your goal is unattainable, it’s time to take a break, reassess and reset. Stay away from the negative phrases and focus on all of the positive elements of setting and achieving your goal.

For more tips and advice on achieving your goals this year, read these articles:

Get Organized to Achieve Your Goals

A new year is the perfect time to reset and create new goals. Some people vow to lose weight, eat better or get financially fit. Others focus on work, family or travel goals. Getting organized is one goal that usually makes it into the top 10 list of resolutions that can actually help you achieve other goals. Here are some reasons why getting and staying organized can help your overall well-being.

You Will Save Time. If you counted up all of the minutes in a day per year you spend looking for your keys, purse or sunglasses, you just might be surprised. According to a Lost and Found study done by Pixie, Americans spend, when added up, a total of 2.5 days a year looking for their stuff! Imagine what you could do with that extra time. If you basically had a spot for everything you owned, a spot that you would remember because it would be in an intuitive place, you could spend less time looking and more time doing — like working out, meal prepping or even traveling!

You Will Be Healthier. One of the first steps of getting organized is to get rid of clutter. Focus on keeping only the things that spark joy. Then, try to find a place for everything. Eliminating clutter helps eliminate dust which helps you breathe easier. Being organized isn’t just about putting stuff away, it’s also about creating plans, managing your time and not over-scheduling yourself. For example, if you take the time each week to meal plan, you are more likely to eat healthier which may support your goal of working out, getting fit or losing weight.  

You Will Be Less Stressed. When you have less clutter and everything has a place, you are less likely to be running around before you leave the house looking for your keys, hat, enter-said-item here. No clutter allows your mental capacity to grow. Instead of looking around at all of the stuff, what you need to put away or get rid of, your mind is able to focus more easily on the task at hand. 

You Will Create Confidence. It’s nerve-racking when you know where an item is just to find that it is not where you swore you put it. It’s a knock on your mental confidence. When you know where items are, you will not only save time but you’ll also save your sanity. You’ll feel good knowing where everything is stored, and confident the next time you say, “OH, I know where that is!” This new-found confidence may be just what you need to keep your new year’s resolution of starting a new hobby or joining a gym.

Just like with any new resolution or goal, be sure to take it start small and take it slow. Start with simply putting your keys in the same spot every time you come home. Then, move on to bigger projects like cleaning out your closet. Before you know it, you’ll have your entire home decluttered and organized! 

How to Meal Prep

Meal prepping has become increasingly popular over the last few years. To some it intimidates; to others it liberates. Meal prepping is simply the act of taking a few hours to prep several meals in advance. Some prepare meals for the upcoming week while others create meals that can be frozen and eaten at a later time. For the purpose of this article, we’ll be focusing on weekly meal prep to help take the guesswork out of what’s for lunch or dinner. Let’s begin!

Brainstorm Meal Ideas

The key to meal prepping is to have a plan. Start your meal prepping with ideas on what you want to make. If you are at a loss, start by Googling “meal prep ideas” or search on Pinterest for inspiration. You can even find a library of healthy recipes here on our website. Jot down ideas you like and categorize your list into breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don’t feel like you have to do all three — if you only want to prep lunch or dinner, go for it! Also, keep it simple. Try to plan for a well-rounded meal: protein, vegetables/fruit and a whole grain. By taking some time to write down what meals you are going to prep, you will take the guesswork out of your planning. 

Map Out Meals

Now that you know what you want to prep, take a look at the calendar. Each day during the week, write down what meal you’ll be eating. This will help you figure out quantities for your grocery shopping. Also, it will help you figure out what to cook and when. Remember, leftovers are a cook’s best friend! 

Make a List & Go Grocery Shopping

You have brainstormed and planned meals, now it’s time to get shopping! Look at the menu you have drafted and write down the ingredients you need. Create different columns for categories to help shorten your time at the grocery store. Start with these categories, adjust as needed and then go shopping:

  • Fresh Produce
  • Dairy
  • Meat/Poultry/Seafood
  • Deli
  • Frozen
  • Inner Aisles – Condiments, Canned, Bread

Tip: The following foods are great for meal prepping:

Carbs: Brown Rice, Quinoa, Lentils, Legumes, Whole Wheat Pasta

Protein: Chicken, Turkey, Lean Ground Beef/Steak, Tuna, Eggs, Fish

Veggies: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Spring Mix, Green Beans, Asparagus, Cucumbers, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Mushrooms, Carrots, Bell Peppers, Sweet Potato (Carb), Spaghetti Squash (Carb)

Prep for Preppin’

Cleaning out your refrigerator before you go to the grocery store is ideal. If you need to do it after, no worries — just do it before you start unloading.

Once you start unloading groceries, set aside the items you need for your meal prep. Wash and chop your produce as needed. Measure out ingredients. Get out your cooking appliances and supplies and get your meal prep containers ready.

Start Cooking!

You have a plan, your grocery shopping is done and you’re ready to get cooking! Set aside about three hours on your meal prep day — Saturday or Sunday suggested. Then, consider another 1.5 hours mid-week. Don’t forget to have fun! Turn on your favorite music channel or podcast and enjoy your ‘alone’ time. 

Don’t be afraid to mess up — sometimes the best meals are made when something didn’t go as planned. As you prep more and more, you’ll start to have favorite meals you rotate. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Slow cooker chicken for salad toppings, tacos, BBQ chicken sandwiches
  • Protein bowls: Roasted vegetables and your choice of protein with brown rice
  • Salads: Greens, chopped vegetables, protein of choice, hard-boiled eggs, black beans, dressing
  • Soups and chili

Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!” Start simple and grow your meal plans little by little. The more you meal prep, the easier it will be. Have fun while cooking and feel good about the fact that you are creating healthy, delicious meals for you and your loved ones.

For delicious, healthy recipes, visit our recipes page, and for more meal prepping tips, read “Meal Prep Like a Pro.”

Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions with Positive Self Talk

A new year is the perfect time to reset and refocus, which is why most people make resolutions. From huge habit-changing undertakings to small adjustments to your daily routine, resolutions can be life-changing — if you stick to them. But, according to Business Insider, 80% of people break their resolutions by the first week of February. Sound familiar?

If you strive to be among the 20% that plans on keeping your promise to yourself, it’s important to be your biggest cheerleader. You and only you can make (or break) your resolutions in 2021. Stick to your new year’s resolutions by maintaining positive talk — the thoughts and words you use to describe yourself and your goals.

Swap Out Negative for Positive

First, let’s distinguish the difference between positive talk and negative talk:

Negative Talk:

  • I can’t…
  • I’m not able to…
  • I’m not good enough to…

Now, think about how you can swap out these negative phrases to create positive statements:

Positive Talk:

  • I will learn how to…
  • I will do my best to…
  • I can try to…

Start creating goal-oriented habits by cutting out negative talk and replacing with positive talk.

Eliminate Negative Words From Your Thoughts

When making resolutions, it’s a common practice to say something like, “I’m not going to XXX,” where the “XXX” is the habit you want to break. But, did you know that by just saying those words, even though you say you are NOT going to do it, it still triggers your brain to associate your habits with the actual thing you want to stop doing? 

Instead of using negative words — not, no, never — turn your resolutions or new habits into positive “I Will” statements: 

Negative Talk:

  • I am not going to eat after 9 p.m.
  • I am never going to skip a workout.
  • I am not going to spend so much money on….

Positive Talk:

  • I will eat my last meal at 8 p.m.
  • I will workout 3 times a week.
  • I am going to create a realistic budget to help track my finances.

By making these small adjustments, you are subconsciously telling yourself what you will do versus depriving yourself of what you no longer want to do.

Go Easy on Yourself

Change is not easy. You are going to have good days and bad days, and that’s OK. Be realistic with your resolutions and know that change doesn’t normally happen overnight — it typically takes three weeks to form a new habit.

It’s important to give yourself grace and to be flexible while forming new habits. Avoid an all-or-nothing approach and instead focus on what you have done to make strides. Write these accomplishments down so you can revisit them if you need some motivation. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can. If you slip up, reset as soon as you can and get back on track. Don’t be a quitter, be a starter!

Think about this statement from Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.” It’s up to you. You set your resolutions. You want to make the change. You have committed yourself. Now, you just need to tell yourself that you can.

Using the GROW Model to Achieve Your Goals in the New Year

As seasons change, new opportunities, as well as challenges, may surface. The more clarity you have about where you are with your personal goals, ambitions and struggles, the better prepared you will be to move forward with confidence. As obstacles and unforeseen roadblocks arise, you can adjust and get back on track to move toward your desired destination. 

One way to help map out your personal journey is to use the GROW Model as explained by VEBA Resource Center’s Director of Coaching, Robert Cappuccio. Somewhat like a compass, the GROW Model will help you set your direction. Developed by Sir John Whitmore and Graham Alexander, this tool has been utilized by individuals and organizations across the world to identify what they want and to establish strategies to attain their goals.

GROW stands for:

  • Goal. Ask yourself what you want to achieve or experience over the next year. Do you want to read more books? Expand your skillset at work? Strengthen relationships with your friends or family? Once you are clear about what you want, examine the reality of that goal.
  • Reality. Consider your goal and ask yourself what in your life is preventing you from achieving it? Do you have any constraints, that if they didn’t exist, would pave the way for you to achieve your most important outcomes this year? Are there people standing in your way?
  • Options. Now that you have your goal in mind and have thought about your reality, brainstorm five strategies to help you overcome the constraints of success or jot down options you believe will help you achieve your desired outcome. Come up with your ideas quickly and without judgement — no idea is a bad idea!
  • Will. Take a specific and measurable action toward your goal. Ask yourself if any of the ideas resonated with you as a possible way forward. You aren’t obligated to use any of them —  you can come up with a different idea. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The momentum you gain from the lessons you learn from an imperfect idea offers far more value than a better, yet unexecuted, one.

Whatever idea you choose, make sure you are specific about what actions you’ll take, when you will take them and how you’ll measure success. 

For more from Robert Cappuccio on overcoming obstacles and creating better habits, check out his videos “You Got This” and “CORE Habits”.