Some Police Work Stress

I've had a abnormally busy few weeks with a lot of work, overtime and nights with little sleep.  My first night of a long work-month opened with a gang shooting and a death (http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=128550735921901300).  This has led me to the topic of stress.  Obviously we all experience stress...work, death, arguments etc..  We've all experienced it.  I'm no expert on this topic but I believe that my job as a deputy sheriff allows me to witness some of the most stressful things that anyone will ever witness.  Here's an example:  this past summer I had a particulary stressful week with a huge number of calls at work that included a 4-year old that nearly drowned and seeing the upset family, pulling an injured suicidal transient out of the river and later that same day, trying to help a 14-year old live after he collapsed on the beach.  He died.  Then watching his mother touch her son and cry over his body.  Then thinking about my own family and worrying.  There were other incidents too but I think you get the picture.  This stress adds up.  Throw lack of sleep, irregular work hours, other activities etc. into the mix and you have a real stress volcano brewing.

Recently I spoke with a friend of mine that recently retired as a deputy sheriff.  He told me that ironically, upon his retirement, instead of feeling excited to enter a new chapter in his life, he actually felt a huge sense of loss and hopelessness.  He felt that he no longer had anything to contribute to society.  His life had no meaning.  Well, without going into too many details, he overcame this by getting a part-time job that he enjoys.  He likes helping others.  

After this hopelessness was lifted, he also felt something else lift.  The shackles of stress.  Strangely, he didn't even realize this stress was there until it was gone.  He said that it's a sad fact that he didn't know how much stress he carried on a daily basis until the stress was gone.  It was like an actual weight was lifted and he no longer had to carry it around.

I wish I could help you all reduce your stress, but honestly, I'm not sure I know how quite yet!  I'm still in the phase of recognizing it and trying to be aware of it.  I hope you all can too.  Obviously things like shifting your focus to doing things you like can help: taking a well-deserved mini-vacation or even 30 minutes of alone-time, doing your favorite hobby etc. is all nice but you ahve to make the time for it.  That's key.  Talking about what's stressing you out is helpful too.  Somtimes making a MoJoe blog and venting to cyberspace helps :).  

Another key is maintaing your own health.  If your body were a video game character this would be your "health points".  Too many hits and your body fades until it beeps...then oops, new life or dead.  Game over.  When a "life zinger" gets thrown at you, your body will expectedly become stressed and open you open to minor ailments or prolonged sickness.  

Bird Legs

This week I'll divert away from the TSFL (Take Shape for Life) book. Today's subject is "bird legs". My grandfather is 80-something years old. He's a thin guy and never had issues with being heavy. A couple of months ago he had trouble getting out of his favorite chair. He had a few falling episodes and couldn't stand up on his own. He went to the doctor expecting some kind of nerve damage or other complication. During the exam, the doctor poked, prodded and examined my grandfather. When the exam was complete he told my grandfather, "I think I know what the problem is....feel down here [gently grasping my grandfather's thigh]". The doctor continued..."there's no more muscle".

I've attached a photo of a friend's legs taken only 10 days after his knee surgery. He is flexing his legs, however you can see that his right leg (the one on the viewer's left) is smooth and lacks muscle definition. My friend said he lost this muscle after only 10 days of inactivity!

This is what can happen to us as our bodies grow older. Our muscles slowly deteriorate to the point that we can't do things for ourselves. I don't want someone to assist me in the bathroom when I'm an old man!

Yesterday I spoke w/ an elderly woman at work. She told me how she and her husband have felt increasingly vulnerable as they've gotten older...vulnerable to sickness and vulnerable to possible violence or muggings when they're in public. Sadly, today an 80-year old man, who's wife died 2 years ago, said, "I'm just waiting to die".

On the flip-side, I routinely talk w/ some "tough ol' guys" that are out fixing their wire fences and putting in new stove pipe at 80+ years old! What is it that separates these men (and women) from those others that are either "waiting to die" or simply don't care about their health? I think it's about living a healthy and productive life with purpose. To get out and use our minds and our bodies to their full potential. When we eat junk that clouds our minds and makes us tired, or when we give up and don't take care of ourselves after an injury, we aren't living up to our potential. TSFL (Take Shape for Life) is all about living up to our potential and it offers the tools to get us there. Of course there are many roads to the end. I believe that TSFL is one of those nice scenic "roads" that can extend our joyride.

For those of you that are at the phase of adding exercise into your routine, feel free to call or email me and I'd be glad to send TSFL clients a free copy of my MoJoe Fitness DVD, "122+ At-Home Exercises". You can see a preview of 8 of the exercises on YouTube (there's a link on the homepage of my website, http://www.mojoefitness.com/).

I know this week's update was a bit deep (and late). I just had a crazy day at work a few nights ago in downtown Portland w/ a gang shooting where one person died (I'm a deputy that responded to the scene). So it sort of got me into a contemplative spirit about the lives that we live.  Joe

Inflammation and Diet

This is a photo of Darby's smaller clothes that we retrieved from the attic after she lost 44lbs. with Take Shape for Life.  Her big-girl clothes just didn't fit her anymore.  Ok... some of the clothes were reminicent of the 80's but I didn't mind!  She looked cute in those little shorts!

 I tweaked by lower back this week at the gym and Ibuprofen became my new friend. This drug is used used to relieve minor aches and pains and it's also used as an anti-inflammatory. We all know that when you smash your finger with a hammer or tweak your back or shoulder while exercising, Ibuprofen is always an option.

However, did you know that aside from injuring ourselves on the outside (like with hammer), the food that we eat may also cause chronic inflammation throughout our bodies on the inside? This chronic inflammation is associated with two main killers: cardiovascular disease and cancer (yes, these are some bold killers...ok, bad joke). A link has been found between obesity, inflammation and disease. Page 35 of your "The Secret Is Out" book explains that ""visceral fat" is metabolically active tissue because it releases a variety of inflammatory molecules into our bloodstream". From here, the molecules target our various cells, body organs, joints and central nervous system. Mental illness can even become an issue! Basically every system in the body gets assaulted.

How do we fight this onslaught? Our diet. The foods that you choose to put into your mouth will either help or hinder. It's your choice. TSFL (Take Shape for Life) is about educating and reshaping the way we think about the foods we eat. The worst offenders are white flour food items, soft drinks, heavily sugar-sweetened items, processed meats and of course unhealthy fats. Next week we'll continue with a focus on the fats!  Joe, http://www.mojoefitness.com/
Take Shape for Life Health Coach, ID# 30174810

Don’t Eat Like a Goldfish

This might be my new way to sign out on these (mostly) weekly emails...."Don't Eat Like a Goldfish". Today my son Conner was peeking over my shoulder as I was looking at page 29 our your Medifast Program book "The Secret is Out". That page has a color scan of two brains. He asked what it all meant and I tried to explain the best I could by basically saying that if you eat too much you can get sick and die! Conner replied, "Ohhh, like a goldfish?". "Yes", I said, "like a goldfish".

One brain has larger portion of dopamine (pleasure) receptors than the other brain. Science explains that 30% of the general population has less dopamine receptors which causes us to eat more to feel that same sense of pleasure or fullness. However, about 50% of obese persons possess the brain scan image with less receptors. Less receptors= more eating. Does this mean that we are fat because of pure genetics? Not really, genetics is a definite factor, but as one doctor notes, "Genetics loads the gun, but environment [full of easily obtainable high-calorie foods and lacking access to physical activity] pulls the trigger" (p. 29). The following is taken from a section on page 30: certain foods that are high in sugar and fat stimulate the release of dopamine in a dose-dependent way, which means the more of these food you eat, the more the dopamine gets released. Eating more for satisfaction works to a point, but after that, there appears to be a threshold where pleasure receptors get blunted and no longer recognize the signal". In other words, "Your brain still thinks you're hungry, so you keep eating".

Fortunately, the pharmaceutical grade Medifast meals combined with the structure and support of the TSFL program does two things to help us (even those of us with less dopamine receptors) to avoid the above predicament: 1) the Medifast meals are portion controlled, provide structure, minimizes food choices, keeps you feeling full, and helps break the cycle of bad eating habits. 2) the TSFL (Take Shape for Life) program provides the information and support staff (the nutrition and nurse info lines and me!).

Unless I have a hot topic on my mind, I'll likely email weekly updates that progress through the "Secret is Out" book that came if you signed up under the BeSlim program. For those of you that don't have the book, no worries, you can order the book online just as you would order your meals. Otherwise, we'll slowly chip away and going through this book each week.  Joe, http://www.mojoefitness.com/

There's a Proper Way to Eat Fruit!

This is a neat email that I got regarding the eating of fruit. There really is a "proper" way to eat fruit. There are actually entire books out there on how to eat the proper combinations of food so that our bodies work efficiently. Just a reminder that fruit is not to be eaten during the "5 and 1" fat burning phase. This was one of those odd things that I didn't understand when I researched the TSFL (Take Shape for Life) program. However, I learned that the reason for avoiding fruit in this initial phase is because fruit has a very high glycemic index (lots of sugar). TSFL's fat burning phase is designed to rid your body of that extra nuclear pile-up of sugar and put your body into a fat burning state. Avoiding fruit will help put it into a fat burning state. Of course once you reach your goal weight, there is a "Transition and Maintenance" phase. This transition will allow you to slowly add those fruits, vegetables, dairy and starches that you had previously reduced or eliminated from your diet. I am currently in this phase and I could write a lot more about my positive learning experiences in this phase...but I'll save that for another email! Be sure to call or email when you've reached your goal weight and I'll continue to be there to help you as you transition.
Joe  http://www.mojoefitness.com/, TSFL Health Coach ID# 30174810

Dr. Andersen on Good Morning America

Below is a link to an inteview on Good Morning America with Dr. Wayne Andersen...one of the TSFL (Take Shape for Life) founders and the author of the book, "Dr. A's Habits of Health". I've read a lot of health and fitness books, but this is the book that convinced me that TSFL is the "way to go" when it comes to nutrition. This book and the TSFL program has allowed me to lose 20 lbs of belly fat in less than 2 months, and I'm currently "zeroing in" on getting more lean and fit. Have a great end to our summer!

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/keeping-weight-off-11368695

Below is an email from my own TSFL Health Coach, Ginger:

Fall is just around the corner. Are you looking forward to it? Maybe the routine of having the children back in school. Or just maybe the days getting a bit shorter and the weather a bit cooler. How about fitting back into your winter clothes? JEANS…… Does the thought of putting those things on make you feel uneasy? Are you in the size you want to be?

For most of us, summer is a hard time to eat healthy. Those dog days of summer lead to BBQ's, which brings overeating. Alcohol. Ice cream, desserts! Oh My! Our exercise routines are shot because we are not in a routine, or it is just too hot to exercise when we planned to. Are you ready for fall?  As I am sitting here, thinking about this past year. I ask myself, what have I learned. About myself, about the program, about others…….Here are just a few things just to encourage you.

Take Shape for Life works! I have personally seen at least a hundred people over the course of this past year get healthy. Lose weight, get off their meds, feel better then they have in years. Me included!  It is easy to jump back on the plan! Some people get on the program, lose the weight, just to get off the program and eat the way they have been before they started the program. Only to gain it all back. Dr. Anderson and his team at John's Hopkins University have spent years creating and perfecting Take Shape for Life. They have spent as much time, money and energy on the TRANSITION AND MAINTAINANCE program as the 5 and 1. What is the point of losing all that weight just to gain it back? This is your health, why wouldn't you put the time and energy into the maintenance and transition program that you put into losing the weight?

It takes 4 days of hard work to get back on the program! We can do anything for 4 days! We have done it before. I just restarted the program last week and I felt 200% better once I hit the 5th day! My tummy didn't hurt. Less bloated!, More energy! Sleeping better! Not hungry! Less cravings! In control!

When on the program, people are happier! I hear from people weekly telling me about their successes. They are excited because they have gotten off their meds, or have hit a goal they have not see in a while, or are wearing a size they have not see since their wedding. Are they sorry they didn't take a slice of the cake at the birthday party yesterday? NO. There will be a time for that. They are just happy, they were in control.

People need help losing weight! Most people are confused about what program works for losing weight. Look around, people are trying all kinds of pills, programs and other weight loss procedures. Take Shape for Life works and it is not complicated. My report card is my blood work numbers. This year I get an A+ and I can prove it.

If someone you love is struggling with getting healthy for any number of reasons, give them my information or contact me and I can send them some info.  This is your life, live it to the best you can!

If you need help going back on the program. Give me a call. I will make the time to come and see you or chat on the phone and we will get a plan set up for you.  

Joe Graziano

TSFL Health Coach, ID# 30174810

National Academy of Sports Medicine, Certified Personal Trainer

503-887-2939

http://www.mojoefitness.com/