by Kristi Jain | Jan 12, 2022 | Uncategorized
Here we are, deep in the thick of January. My mom used to say, “The best thing about January is it is half over.” So, being halfway through, have you stuck with your New Year “intentions?” I’m still on my “learning kick” and this week I’ve learned a little more. Allow me to share.
HEALTH
In my endless search of how to improve quality of life and keep this evolving body in the best health that I’m able, I delved into the benefits of yet another supplement. Last week, we learned about the benefits of collagen. This week let’s have a look at the benefits of magnesium.
MAGNESIUM
For years, John has put a magnesium tablet and a melatonin tablet at my bedside for me to take before we retire. Lately, I’ve found two tablets of magnesium. Apparently he had a visit with his physician and was reminded of the benefits of magnesium.
WHY?
I guess the next question might be, “Why do I need Magnesium?” Mayoclinic.org says that most Americans don’t’ get enough in their diets. Although it is possible to get enough through diet from foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, leafy veggies, milk, and yogurt, that may not be enough. Interestingly enough, some laxatives and antacids also contain magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that plays crucial roles in the body such as supporting muscle and nerve function and energy production. Chronically low levels can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, weight gain and osteoporosis.
NIGHTY NIGHT
Magnesium helps the body to relax which can reduce stress and help you sleep longer. In contrast, melatonin helps you get to sleep faster. Both magnesium and melatonin can be used in combination to help treat insomnia. Who can’t use a better night’s sleep? As usual, always consult with your healthcare provider before you start taking anything!
CHOICES
Rootfunctionalmedicine.com says that many forms of magnesium are available. Magnesium citrate is helpful for those ailing from constipation and has a mild laxative effect, while the magnesium glycinate (also called magnesium bisglycinate) form is more useful for conditions like anxiety, stress and inflammatory conditions.
HOW DO YOU KNOW?
If you are wondering how you would know if you were deficient in magnesium, the following are a few symptoms.
- Muscle cramping, pain
- Frequent headaches or migraines
- Mood changes like anxiety or depression
- Insulin resistance and craving sweets
- Low energy
- PMS
- Trouble sleeping
YOU KNOW BEST
You are the best judge of how your body is feeling and functioning. If something “feels off” make an appt with your healthcare provider and make sure you are functioning at the optimum level of health and fitness that you are able to.
HDD
Although diagnostic ultrasound can’t possibly see through your skin to see if you are magnesium deficient, it can see many other things such as reproductive organs, muscles, joints, tendons, bladder, thyroid, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, heart and blood vessels just to name a few. If we can help, call us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | Jan 5, 2022 | Uncategorized
Hello! We are a few days into 2022. How does it feel? Are the days following New Year’s Day any different than they were the past 365 days, or have you made new “intentions” to do things differently? Keep in mind that zero effort yields zero results. New year, new you.
ADD NOT SUBTRACT
This year, rather than berating myself for a few extra pounds or failures, I choose to add rather than subtract. That doesn’t mean I want to add a few more pounds. It means I want to add healthier choices. Rather than quit doing things, I want to start doing and learning new things, for instance…
COLLAGEN
What did I learn this week? I learned about collagen. Yes, we have all heard the term, but do we really understand? I did a bit of research and now I’m on the collagen bandwagon. Give me a few paragraphs to explain.
WHAT IS IT?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Healthline.com gave me the information that I share with you. It explains that collagen is the main component of connective tissue that make up several body parts including tendons, ligaments, skin and muscles. It provides your skin with structure and helps strengthen your bones.
AGE
John and I are not getting any younger yet there is no reason we have to feel our age. Supplements are an important part of our daily intake however collagen was not on the list till now.
BENEFITS
Collagen supplementation provides a variety of benefits including…
- Skin health. It strengthens skin and plays a role in elasticity and hydration, reducing wrinkles and dryness.
- Joint pain. It helps maintain your cartilage which is the rubber-like tissue that protects your joints.
- Bone loss. Your bones are made mostly of collagen, which gives them structure and strength. Our body deteriorates with age. So does bone mass. Collagen may inhibit bone breakdown that leads to osteoporosis.
- Muscle mass. Studies show that collagen supplements help boost muscle mass in those with sarcopenia which is the loss of muscle mass that happens with age.
- Heart health. Collagen provides structure to your arteries, which carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Without collagen, arteries can become less flexible possibly leading to atherosclerosis which is a disease characterized by the narrowing of the arteries. This could lead to heart attack or stroke.
- Hair and nails. It may increase the strength and help them grow longer and stronger.
- Gut health. Although there is no concrete evidence, some experts say it could help leaky gut syndrome.
CONS
Healthline says the collagen supplements may lead to mild side effects such as bloating and heartburn. If you have food allergies be certain the supplement doesn’t contain your allergens. Do your research, check with your healthcare provider then decide if this is something you’d like to incorporate.
HDD
As always, if we at HDD can help on your journey to better health, call us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | Dec 29, 2021 | Uncategorized
The 2021 holiday season is almost history. I hope it was happy and healthy. It can be hectic yet magical, for some it can also be a lonesome time. This was a happy yet hectic time for me. So hectic in fact that New Year’s Day crept up when I realized I don’t have a fresh 2022 blog. A recycle from last year will have to do. I hope it gives you some healthy reminders.
2022
Happy new year!!! How many of us made a new year resolution for 2022? I for one, will raise my hand. Interestingly enough, they sound like some I’ve made in the past. Seriously, who doesn’t want to drop a few pounds, save money, plan a trip, get a job you don’t hate, work out more, and get it better health? Do you have the courage it takes to make a change?
RESOLUTION VS INTENTION
After the meditation portion of a yoga class I attended, the Yogi gave her thoughts about the new year and the idea of resolutions. She said, she prefers not to say the word resolution. It implies, what you were doing was not good enough. She prefers the word intention.
NO ONE IS PERFECT
If you live a relatively healthy lifestyle, but occasionally fall off the wagon I’d say you have good intentions. Keep up the good work. If you are a junk food junkie, lazy, with an addiction or two, look on the bright side, there is always tomorrow. Remember, no one is perfect.
COURAGE
Since we are on the subject of “no one is perfect”, I’d venture to say many of us lack the courage to be imperfect. Chew on that one for a minute. I listened to Brene Brown on YouTube this week, she is a research professor at the University of Houston. She has spent many years studying courage, vulnerability, empathy and shame. A question she asks is,” Do you have the willingness to step into the arena of vulnerability?”
JUDGEMENT
I imagine each of us has been afraid of the judgment of others at one time or another. Heaven forbid, what if we aren’t good enough, smart enough, thin enough, successful enough, important enough or attractive enough? Are we busy judging others as well as ourselves?
NUMB
Brene Brown goes on to say that we are the most in debt, obese, over medicated and addicted society in US history. I get it. Life is hectic. Is it any wonder we need to numb ourselves a bit, then end up with an addiction to something that actually made us feel good for a time? The numbing effects of substance can be devastating on your mind, body and soul.
MAKE GOOD CHOICES
Make choices that will help make you happy, healthy and well. Not necessarily resolutions, but intention and courage could be the key a better and healthier you. Today is a great day to start!
If we at HDD can help, as always, call us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | Dec 22, 2021 | Uncategorized
It is finally here! Please allow each and every one of us at High Desert Doppler to wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali or just another joyous holiday season. Whatever this season holds for you, I hope you are able make it a happy memorable celebration in spite of the current health situation.
THIS TOO SHALL PASS
2020 and 2021 have been the most unusual and unstable years in recent memory. Holiday preparations and celebrations will be different. It isn’t good, bad, right, or wrong. It just is. Due to the fact that we have no other choice, go with it. Give and receive the gift of patience and understanding. Find some holiday cheer for as we all know, this too shall pass.
CHEERS
With Christmas coming to a close shortly, we have New Year’s Eve on the horizon. Big deal, right? In previous years, we fancied formal dinners and dancing with friends. Confetti, Auld Lang Syne, and noisemakers were the order of the evening as we toasted to the start of the new year. This year glitz and glitter of the past will definitely take a hiatus. Maybe we are just getting old. I imagine just the two of us having a quiet dinner, a nice bottle of wine, jammies, a movie and 9:00 bedtime will be the order of the day as we bid adieu to a difficult couple of years!
DON’T LET YOUR HEALTH SUFFER
The following suggestions from StayWell.com are not only good ideas to help you navigate this unusual holiday but for every day.
- Don’t let a busy season or a stressful life compromise your health. It is suggested that you take a few minutes each and every day just for you.
- Make time to prepare family meals at home. During the holidays, it is way easy to resort to Uber Eats, Grub Hub or other unhealthy fattening fast food.
- Schedule exercise. It doesn’t matter how you move. Just move.
- Don’t try some new fad diet post holidays to shed those 5 pounds. Be kind to yourself. Be sensible and healthy.
- Be sure to get 6-8 hours of sleep.
- Stay hydrated.
- Do less and enjoy more!
DON’T GET DISTRACTED
The holidays can keep us busy and can distract us from things that require attention. You are the best judge of your health and wellness. Once the holiday season has died down, take time to relax. Be still and do frequent body scans from head to toe. Assess how you are feeling. Don’t ignore it. If something concerns you or requires attention, make the call, schedule the appointment, get scanned, get tested. Get informed and get healthy.
HDD
At HDD, we celebrate Christmas. From the bottom of our hearts, John, myself and each one of the team thank you being an important part of an unusual year. Allow us to wish you the safest, happiest, healthiest, and very merriest Christmas ever. Good things are on the horizon. See you next year!
by Kristi Jain | Dec 15, 2021 | Uncategorized
Thank you for joining me for this week’s blog. As it occasionally happens, today I sit at the keyboard with a touch of writer’s block. I expect that within a few minutes, ideas will start ruminating so that you might come away with a bit of motivation and inspiration. The mid December 2021 blog will be born shortly. Wait for it…
EXPECTATIONS
Years ago, I worked for an extraordinary doctor and friend. He was kind, peaceful and unassuming. I hear his words of wisdom in my head often. He was the complete antithesis to a typical type A personality (guilty as charged) who tend to be overly active, busy, with high expectations. His words impact me to this very day. See what they might do for you.
CHANGE IS CONSTANT
His gentle words of advice to me were often, “Change is constant, growth is optional.” I recall bolting into his office with a frenetic list of things that needed attention now or yesterday. He would sit back, listen and smile at my energetic delivery of the tasks at hand then calmly remind me to breathe, slow down, and “Let go of things I can’t control.”
HOLIDAYS
With the holidays in our face, the expectations amp up a bazillion times higher than other times of the year. The self-imposed expectation of a heavily decorated home that would make Clark Griswald proud, the lengthy list of Christmas cards to produce, the line at the post office, the Christmas cookies to bake, a plethora of wrapped gifts nestled under a Pinterest worthy Christmas tree and attending or hosting parties each week are just the tip of the holiday iceberg. I’m exhausted just typing this paragraph. This reminds me of the pressure of holiday expectations.
LET IT GO
Consider what might happen if you didn’t expect. Then perhaps you won’t be disappointed. This year, I’m attempting a slightly different approach. What is the worst thing that can happen if I didn’t accomplish all of the above? The answer is nothing. The holidays will come and go as they always do. This year, try granting yourself a little more peace with a lower expectation. No one needs a stroke or heart attack from the stress the holidays bring. There is certainly something to be said for “Letting it go.”
QUOTE DU JOUR
“You are your own worst enemy. If you can learn to stop expecting impossible perfection, in yourself and others, you may find the happiness that has always eluded you.”
-Lisa Kleypas
HDD
We expect to wake up with a healthy functioning brain and a body that moves effortlessly from point A to point B. Although most of this is automatic to many of us, some are not so lucky. Take good care of yourself especially during this busy holiday season. Your health is the greatest gift you will ever receive. Lower your expectation, let go of things you can’t control and take really good care of you. If we at HDD can help with any of your diagnostic ultrasound needs, call us at 505-350-3397.
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