Tag Archives: nutrition

7 Mistakes Made When Starting a New Wellness Regimen that can Actually Sabotage Your Efforts

Posted on by under health, natural health, Nutrition, Uncategorized, wellness

by Dr. Imani Ma’at Kynes

Starting a health regimen can offer numerous benefits, but without a holistic approach, focusing on only one or a few components can lead to challenges and may even sabotage your efforts. Here’s a breakdown of the potential issues associated with each of the seven points and the benefits of combining all components into an integrative health plan, especially with the guidance of an Integrative Health Practitioner (IHP):

1. Only Focusing on Exercise

  • Issue: While exercise is crucial for health, focusing only on physical activity can overlook the importance of proper nutrition, hydration, and recovery. Over-exercising without proper support may lead to injury or burnout.
  • Benefit of Integration: Combining exercise with proper nutrition, hydration, and rest can improve energy levels, muscle repair, and overall vitality.

2. Only Focusing on Diet

  • Issue: Relying solely on diet for health can lead to nutrient imbalances, muscle weakness, or metabolic slowdown if physical activity is neglected. You may lose out on the cardiovascular, mental, and metabolic benefits of exercise.
  • Benefit of Integration: A balanced approach that includes both diet and exercise promotes optimal weight management, cardiovascular health, and energy regulation.

3. Adding Supplements Without Testing the Body

  • Issue: Taking supplements without understanding your body’s specific needs can be ineffective or even harmful. Excessive intake of certain vitamins or minerals could lead to toxicity, and deficiencies may go unnoticed.
  • Benefit of Integration: Testing and professional advice ensure that supplements target your specific deficiencies, maximizing their effectiveness and enhancing your health regimen.

4. Starting Without Baseline Indicators

  • Issue: Without baseline health measurements (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol, body composition), it’s difficult to track progress or understand areas needing improvement. You may not know if you’re improving or worsening certain health metrics.
  • Benefit of Integration: Baseline indicators give you a clear starting point and allow you to measure progress over time. Incorporating regular check-ups or self-tracking can help fine-tune your regimen for maximum benefit.

5. Not Having the Proper Equipment

  • Issue: Lack of proper tools—whether it’s gym equipment, appropriate footwear, or kitchen tools—can limit the effectiveness of your workout or meal preparation. You may struggle to execute exercises or cook healthy meals properly.
  • Benefit of Integration: Having the right equipment makes it easier to stick to your regimen and reduces frustration. Investing in tools such as the proper blender, juicer, water purifier, enema equipment or exercise bands that support both exercise and diet enhances consistency and adherence.

6. Not Drinking Enough “Good Water”

  • Issue: Inadequate hydration or drinking poor-quality water can lead to fatigue, poor digestion, and compromised exercise performance. Water quality affects nutrient absorption and detoxification processes in the body.
  • Benefit of Integration: Proper hydration improves digestion, detoxification, and exercise performance. Drinking filtered, alkaline and mineral-rich water supports overall bodily functions and boosts the effectiveness of your health regimen.

7. Not Incorporating Detoxing and Cleansing

  • Issue: Toxins can accumulate in the body, affecting digestion, energy levels, and overall well-being. Neglecting detoxing can hinder progress, as the body may struggle to eliminate waste efficiently.
  • Benefit of Integration: Detoxing helps remove toxins and supports liver, kidney, and digestive function. When incorporated alongside a clean diet, exercise, and hydration, it leads to better absorption, digestion, clearer skin, and more energy.

Benefits of Putting It All Together

  • Comprehensive Approach: An integrative health plan ensures that all components of well-being (exercise, diet, hydration, detoxing, supplementation, and proper tools) work in harmony. When all aspects are addressed, your body can function optimally, leading to better physical, mental, and emotional health.
  • Sustainable Results: Focusing on only one or two areas may produce short-term gains, but a holistic approach leads to sustainable improvements in health, energy, and vitality.
  • Balanced Health: Integration reduces the risk of overemphasizing one area while neglecting others. For example, balancing intense exercise with proper hydration, nutrition, and rest prevents burnout or injury.
  • Customized and Flexible: While starting without an IHP might be more challenging, integrating self-research with a focus on multiple areas of health allows you to build a regimen that’s customized and adaptable to your specific needs. It may require more effort in the beginning, but over time, you’ll develop a well-rounded and balanced health routine.

By addressing all these elements in combination, you create a synergy where each component supports and amplifies the others, ultimately leading to better overall health

Haiku for Healthy Children and Teens: Healthy Eating to Prevent Obesity. A Resource for Mentors, Teachers and Parents

Posted on by under children's health, ELA, Healthy Haiku Poetry, Nutrition, Public Health, Teens

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So what do you know about Haiku anyway?  Okay let me remind you: Ancient Japanese form of poetry that uses 17 syllables (or beats) usually configured as 5~7~5 on three lines that makes a big or significant statement with few words. Ah, 3rd grade Language Arts class maybe?  I always thought it was fun and have been creating Haiku and other poetry since being introduced to it in the 3rd grade.  Yes, I know that not everyone learned about Haiku in school, but I wish they had! Haiku for Healthy Children and Teens is the 3rd in a series of books devoted to sharing important health issues with youth and people that care about the physical and emotional development of young people – with the assistance of Haiku and other creative literary forms. For me, the series is the perfect marriage of public health – the world in which I have worked for over 25 years and poetry- my first literary love!

The spotlight on Obesity in children has been shining brightly by our First Lady – Michelle Obama through the National Let’s Move Campaign. Eating healthy is a very important part of that platform that has reached most communities in the U.S. According to the First Lady:

“In the end, as First Lady, this isn’t just a policy issue for me. This is a passion.

This is  my mission I am determined to work with folks across this country to

change the way a generation of  kids think about food and nutrition.”

We are very much on the same page.  As a Harvard and Columbia University trained Health Scientist and Educator with 22 years of experience at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), I have seen entire communities at disproportionate risk for obesity and health complications related to obesity (diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and more). The old saying ~ we are what we eat~ is so simple, yet so overlooked. It also becomes environmentally complicated with “food deserts”  the absence of major grocery store chains in low-income communities, as well as health food stores and other providers that offer a rich variety of high quality natural and organic foods and supplements.

As we teach children the importance of healthy eating as well as the meaning of healthy eating – with real examples – and empower the parents to prepare healthier meals, we can in fact prepare to change the obesity profile of many families and communities.  The closer to natural – organic fruits, vegetables and some grains – the healthier the children will be.  Here is an example of a haiku that I wrote relating to fruit and a child’s wonder! Notice that the first line contains 5 syllables, the second line contains 7 syllables and the third line contains 5 syllables.

“Age 4 discovered

Mango’s sweet succulent taste

while in Jamaica!”

I remember little else as vividly about that first trip to the birthplace of my mother and 3 of my grandparent’s  than the taste of a mango and the lime tree which fell victim to my shaking and eating its  fruit until my body broke out in a cleansing frenzy.  Yes, I distinctly remember having little bumps all over me for a couple of hours. Instinctively, my body knew exactly what I needed.  In retrospect I recognize the itching and bumps as being a cleansing reaction – a natural body response to maintain health, protect and balance itself. When I conduct Healthy Haiku workshops with small children and I ask them to name foods that are good from them.  They invariably call out the names of fruits and vegetables. Do you think their little hearts do not know what is good for them instinctively?

“What would life be if

There were no Apples to eat?

My all-time best Treat!”

I am so delighted to continue this important series with this book that will come with training and webinars for mentors, teachers and parents in order to guide them on the use of this and the previous books in the series.  In researching for this manuscript, I discovered and became absorbed into the Haiku works of literary giants such as Richard Wright, author of Native Son, Black Boy and many other rich historical classics.

“As the sun goes down

A green melon splits open

And juice trickles out.”

                                           Richard Wright

Healthy Haiku merges the poetic arts with language literacy and competency. My goal is to contribute to the body of English Language Arts  (ELA) Common Core State Standards with a fun, creative and unique approach that can be used by teachers and families across the country.  This volume will be released initially as an Ebook for easy access at low cost in order for it be affordable for all. Stay tuned for the release in early October.  Please Like our Facebook page for updates: HealthyHaiku and visit our Web site.

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Puppy Litter Reminds Me of the Keys to Natural Health and Wellness

Posted on by under cancer, health, high blood pressure, hypertension, kidney failure, Life choices, natural health, Nutrition, obesity, puppies, reproduction, Uncategorized, wellness, wisdom

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Have you ever watched a dog deliver puppies? What an amazing experience! One of our soon-to-be 3 year old dogs had 7 beautiful puppies last night. Assisting and providing for her through the process was truly a privilege and a gift that I have never experienced in all of my years of raising dogs. I do mean privilege because I remember going through all-natural child birth 27 years ago as though it happened yesterday, Even though members of my family gathered around me, I kept feeling as though I wanted to be left alone and away from any on-lookers.

We have always received our dogs long after they have been weaned from their mothers. In preparation, she vomited prior to the delivery, but that signaled to me that she was almost ready deliver the puppies. She had labor contractions just like a woman and of course I recognized them right away. Her sides expanded and her body shook! She looked a little scarred and I could tell that she was in significant pain. However watching her dive in head first into pure instinct mode was simply amazing! After searching for a few minutes for a birthing location, she quickly decided upon the big dog house on the deck which provided sheltered space – a place where she could protect her puppies and deliver in semi-privacy. She delivered 7 healthy, beautiful puppies in the space of about 2 hours. Instinctively she released each from the birth sac and licked them clean for sanitation and to make sure that they were breathing and strong. After being cleaned, they latched on to her nipples immediately (or as soon as they could find their way to the spot). So yes, I was all engaged in wonder and amazement! What a beautiful natural process.

How close are you to being fit, healthy, and at your optimal weight? What if you are at the age of and ready to reproduce? Can you handle it? What would you need to do to prepare? I am not speaking of the obvious – suitable mate, husband, father, donor – no judgement – that part is on you. But what about your physical body? Have you been eating healthy, natural, organic foods rich with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs? Or have you been eating whatever your palate is yearning for at any given moment? Are you drinking a high quality of alkaline water to make sure that you are properly hydrated? We make life choices on a daily basis. Some support our highest good in terms of health and wellness and many do not.

In ancient cultures the term natural childbirth would have been considered an oxymoron! How else does one have a baby but through the natural process? Duh?? We are gradually getting back to a simple definition of natural health and wellness. One that includes a healthy diet, limited processed foods, limited dairy, limited wheat, limited meats, limited sugars. In fact the increased presence of these foods in our diets over the past 100 years, not to mention larger portion sizes, is directly correlated to present day trends of obesity, high blood pressure, cancer and kidney failure. A good rule of thumb with eating prepared food is to ask if it looked like that when it was growing? The further it looks from how it grew, the greater the chances are that it will not serve you well and may actually harm you.

During the labor, delivery and now nursing stage for the puppies, our dog ate very little and when she did take in nutrients she opted for water, our smoothie recipe loaded with nutrients and minerals and meat (no processed dog cereal).

In our community outside of Atlanta, Georgia, our neighbors are  95% African American. It is a predominantly middle-class area however the unsettling sound of blaring sirens – usually about 15-20 daily (I track them because our dogs howl at the sirens) continues to increase. As a Health Scientist who worked for many years to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I know that the leading cause of death of all Americans (including African Americans)  is hypertension, high blood pressure, and heart disease. We are talking about thick sluggish blood and clogged arteries. How did we get so sick? How did we get so far away from nature in how we eat and live?

We could take notes from the animals – who, no mater how domesticated we attempt to make them – they are guided by instinct. Instinctively We also know what to eat, how much exercise to get, how much water to drink.

The message here is simple, tap into your inner wisdom in terms of what is healthy for you. Tap in to discover the diet and lifestyle that will deliver you to optimal health and wellness and change your quality of life. Read and search for the information on line too. There is very little that is new under the sun! Get quiet and just think about it. Every time you take in something that is harmful to your health and well-being an internal alarm goes off. My challenge to you is to start taking notice – acknowledge the alarms – and make little adjustments by what you hear! It is not magic, but rather instinct and science all wrapped up in one.

Please come back and read some more.  I will be sharing free tips on how to achieve optimal health and wellness through diet, juicing, alkalizing, and so much more.  Also tune in on Wednesdays 10-11:00pm EST to the Stepping Into My Power Blog Talk Radio Show. Are you Stepping Into Your Power by being the healthiest you that you can be? Let’s continue the discussion.

Visit my web site to learn more about my health and wellness offerings and programs. Invite me to speak at your next event!

 

Love & Light!

Dr. Imani Ma’at

 

How to Make a Delicious Smoothie: (Part 2) Demonsrated by a 6-year old.

Posted on by under health, how to make a smoothie, Nutrition, obesity, smoothie, Smoothies

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http://youtu.be/fOt630CibHU

6- year old Angela demonstrates how to make a delicious smoothie. This is part 2 of a three part video. Make sure that you see all three parts!