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.
by Kristi Jain | Dec 8, 2021 | Uncategorized
Today’s blog is one of those that has little to do with ultrasound or healthcare. Every now and again I allow myself to venture off track for the sake of a good old fashioned motivational inspirational blog that is good for the mind, spirit, soul and in turn the body. The following are bits taken from the great Denzel Washington.
FALL FORWARD
Denzel once gave a commencement speech that discussed a topic where he included the idea of falling forward not back. He says “Why would I want to go backward? Instead, I intend to move forward. If I fall, it’ll be in the right direction. Fall big. Fall hard. If you fail, at least you are going to see what you hit.”
WHAT’S YOUR GIFT?
Mr. Washington asks, “What is your gift and what are you going to do with what you have?” He said to look at some of the most famous faces from history and they’ll tell you the same thing. Talent without working hard is nothing.
- Michael Jordan said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”
- Maya Angelou said “Talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity. We use it.”
- Wolfgang von Goethe said, “The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness using it.”
- Nelson Mandela said, “There is no passion to be found playing small and in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
Falling back is settling. Falling forward is a risk. It takes a lot to dust yourself off and go again.
I’VE GOT NOTHING
I’ve chatted with many souls who don’t feel like they have a specific talent or much to contribute. Denzel’s speech included a few examples of some famous failures that turned out to be wins.
- Reggie Jackson struck out 2,600 times in his career, the most in the history of baseball, but you don’t hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs. Fall forward.
- Thomas Edison conducted one thousand failed experiments because the on thousand and first was the lightbulb. Fall forward.
Aspire to make a difference. The idea is that to succeed, you must first fail.
JUST DO IT
Mrs. Washington is quoted as saying, “To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.” Afterall, we regret the things we don’t do, instead of the ones we do.”
HDD
You’ll agree, today’s blog has nothing to do with diagnostic ultrasound, however I hope you found some value in it. At HDD, we have a talented, hardworking, experienced staff who prides themselves on teamwork to bring you the very best in diagnostic ultrasound. We aspire to fall forward and make a difference for you and your healthcare provider. If you require ultrasound, call us at 505-350-3397.
by Kristi Jain | Nov 30, 2021 | Uncategorized
Thanks for taking a few minutes to read the words that became this week’s blog. Speaking of words, that is exactly what we will touch on today. I got my inspiration from a TED talk I heard recently. BTW, did you know that TED stands for technology, entertainment and design? Just a little trivia for those who might be interested.
CELEBRITY THERAPIST?
This particular TED talk was by world famous author, motivational speaker, hypnotherapist and celebrity therapist, Marisa Peer. I guess I never thought much about a celebrity therapist before. If regular people need a therapist, I guess it would stand to reason that celebrities might as well. That being said, Marissa had some interesting thoughts on words.
HERE COME THE WORDS
Marissa tells us that what is expected tends to be realized. Watch your words, for they shape your reality. If you pick better words, you will have a better reality. Every word you say is a blue print that your mind and body will work to make real. Watch your inner dialogue. If it isn’t positive, you may want to change how you talk to yourself. Your mind will believe what you tell it.
WOULDA COULDA SHOULDA
There are a few words that can block you and your progress. Marissa says that the word should is a load of sh#t! Stop saying you should do something and actually do it. Wish is the same thing. Stop wishing and start doing. Have you ever invited someone to join you for something and the response you get is, “I’ll try.” Argh! As our old friend Yoda says, “Do or do not. There is no try.” Practice not using the word “but.” It negates what you just said. Try substituting the word “and.”
DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER
Don’t forget to remember that what is expected tends to be realized. Use your words to make a picture so you will believe what needs to be realized. Install empowering beliefs, habits and thought patterns into your existence. Expect great things.
THE BRAIN LIKES THINGS THAT ARE FAMILIAR
Familiar is safe. We have a mind that believes that familiar is safe and unfamiliar is scary. My hope in writing weekly blogs for High Desert Doppler is to familiarize you with what we do, why we do it and share messages of inspiration, motivation, health and wellness to make you familiar and comfortable with us.
ULTRASOUND
If you or your healthcare provider believe diagnostic ultrasound is indicated, we hope you think of us. Let’s face it. If you’ve never had an ultrasound done, it may be unfamiliar and can be scary. Rest assured it is an easy, painless, non-invasive, quick procedure that can be done in the comfort of you home, office or facility. Give us a call at 505-350-3397.
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