by on

Diabetes. High blood pressure or hypertension.  Kidney disease.  What are these?  Is there a common denominator?  There can be.

Recently, the White House signed an executive order aimed at defraying the cost of kidney treatment; i.e. dialysis.

However, if you were to ask the casual observer or listener “how exactly do you wind up on dialysis?” few would know.  Unless they themselves or close relative or friend utilized dialysis, they would be hard pressed to answer.

Do you know?

For most of my nursing career, this was my specialty.  All apologies to those of you who’ve heard this story before.

Over the next couple of posts, I will be touching on the topics of diabetes, hypertension, and how they can be major players in kidney disease.  After all, it is a direct lead in to why I do what I do today.

So, if this is something that is of interest to you, or you have been diagnosed with any or all of these, stay tuned.  This ride, I promise won’t be as bumpy.  After all, if you are living with any of these, your ride is bumpy enough.

 

All for now.  Keep up and keep at it.

 

Questions? Comments? Contact me at serrenity.c@gmail.com

 

 

by on

What is the measure of how we see ourselves?

Mirror?  Opinions of those we trust?  Distrust? The scale?  An article of clothing?  Our five senses?  It is indeed all of these, even if we don’t realize it.  Now, this is not an indictment of how we see ourselves.  It is a “bringing to attention.”

If we look to the horizon on a body of water, that is our perception.  The setting sun sinking into the water.  Yet we soon outgrow that, once a parent or teacher tells explains what’s really happening.  Our eyes continue to testify to something different.  Yet if we were to swim out to try & touch this setting sun, it would be elusive. Why?  It is a perception not based in reality.  It is a vibratory interpretation–a mix of light & color being bounced, reflected & refracted to & through our eyes.

Think about this phenomenon as you make your way through your day.  How you see yourself, interpreted by the lens of what the world reflects & refracts back to you, may need a little alteration.  It is not meant to provide you with excuse or exoneration.  Nor is it meant for you to trust or distrust critiques or praise given to you.  What is it meant for?  That’s a good question.  And the answer for me at least, is to THINK.

 

Some of this will be part of my podcast series on SELF EFFICACY.

All for now.  Keep up and keep at it.

Questions?  Comments?  Contact me at serrenity.c@gmail.com

 

 

 

by on

So here we are again.  A few degrees on the thermometer, and many of you are trying to wiggle your way into a swimsuit or a pair of shorts.  Why?

Is this a right of passage for a change in seasons?  It shouldn’t be, but for women, it often is.  But really IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE; and not just in seasons.

I’ve often wondered, what keeps people from asking for help?  Fear of being perceived as a failure?  If it’s securing a personal trainer’s help, fear of how hard you will be asked to work?  Money? Time? Commitment?

As a nurse, I’ve seen people at their worst; and not just physically.  That part is often more fixable.  Sometimes it isn’t, if we’re talking what’s thought of as a chronic condition.  But even then, chronic doesn’t mean daily.  And it doesn’t mean the condition isn’t amenable to change. That being said, if you are struggling, what keeps you from asking for help?  This is where I need your help.

Tell me your fears are if you are struggling with a sense of what nutrition, or incorporating more activity into your life means to you.  I’d also like to hear from you if you just finished physical therapy or cardiac rehab, and want a little more supervised exercise.

A change of seasons needn’t only refer to weather conditions.  Seasons can also herald replacing old attitudes & behaviors with newer fresher ones.  And finding out how to do this, can start here & now.

Feedback needed.

 

Contact me at serrenity.c@gmail.com

by on

It’s beginning to look a lot like…no not Christmas.  That’s come & gone for the year.  No, this has to do with the ritualistic obsession we have with the NEW YEAR, NEW YOU premise.

We’ve all made them.  You know those resolutions we love to hate, & often negate 2 weeks into the new year.  From tidying up our lives, organizing our finances, to the ever continuing saga of weight, here we go again.

What is so beguiling about this ritual, that we keep doing it over & over, with limited or mixed results?  Is it the idea of a fresh start?  We begin a new day, each & every day.  But few of us see this as a new or fresh start.  We aerate our lungs 12-24 times per minute.  This is rarely seen as a shining beginning.  Yet it is, & if you have ever struggled with breathing or shortness of breath, this is something you really don’t take for granted.

If exercise, cognitive nutrition, or seeing the scale numbers descend instead of ascend are part of your goals, consider this:  What exactly will change?  Perhaps making a list before going to the grocery store?  Meal planning?  Keeping a food diary?  What types of exercise do you find appealing?  If the answer is none, we can talk.  How many times per week can you commit to an exercise routine?  For how long?  Lastly, are you caught up in the trends?  Gluten free?  Low carb, no carb, high protein?  Coconut oil? These are just a few.  I could easily go on for another paragraph, perhaps even another post.

Perhaps, this year IS the year; for whatever you wish to achieve, to finally take shape.  I can tell you this however, it takes more than a little commitment, and answering the above questions.  It takes a change.  Not just effort–change.  Well what does THAT MEAN?

It’s the motto which appears on my logo, as well as the signs on my JEEP.  CHANGE YOUR MIND, NOT JUST YOUR BODY.  For that to occur, SOMETHING has to rise up in you.  And not just rise up, SUSTAIN YOU.  That SOMETHING won’t care whether you ever make it into a size 4 jean, or get into a bikini.  That may be nice, or an added benefit, but it won’t sustain you; at least not in the long-term.  When that SOMETHING takes hold though, you will know it.

Perhaps, it may even prompt you to give me a call, or drop me an email.  After all, it’s what I do.

 

Like what you see?  Then you’ll love what you hear.  LIFE TRAINING WITH CRYSTAL will be going podcast.  I will still continue writing,  This is just another venue, as well as a new venture.  I hope to have it as part of this blog, for easy access.  More to come.

 

Questions?  Comments?  Contact me at serrenity.c@gmail.com

 

 

by on

This has been a series which for me, is personal.  When I decided to take my nursing expertise from the after thought of health, to the forefront, i.e. PREVENTATIVE, I’ve had little support.  There are those who see this as WHY DON’T YOU STAY IN YOUR LANE, AS A NURSE?  WELL, unless I’m driving, that advice for me does not apply.

Those of you who are struggling with what a sense of health, wellness, illness, exercise, or nutrition means to you, I can help.  However, I don’t do this alone,  If you like what you see, I will soon be adding a DONATE button.  More details to come.  Thank you