Welcome to United Holistic Practitioners Blog!
You and I are much alike. We have daily hopes and challenges, people we care about, bills to pay, teeth to brush, and demanding schedules that make it difficult to prioritize our health and happiness.
I tell you this because it is important for you to know that I am not a healthcare guru. I struggle with healthcare concerns just like anyone else, but I am lucky enough to be surrounded by a wealth of resources to help me find the best healthcare options for me and my family.
On this blog, I’ll be working through those options here with you, out loud, frankly sharing what it is like to explore an integrated healthcare model.
We’ll talk about the news, our environment, kids, parents, and share stories from all those thousands of people out there who have changed their lives just because they had the courage to say to their doctors – wait a minute, let me see what else is out there before I pop that pill or take that surgery.
I did that. Twenty-five years of life peppered with violence had turned me into one of those lab rats that shake in the corner of a cage, unable to make a decision because everything seemed to lead to a shock. I have a summary of that story listed in the About Us pages of our website. Choosing something other than a pill was a very good decision for me. It might or might not be a good decision for you. There may be some of you who would do better with pharmaceuticals, but you will feel better about that choice if you consider your less-invasive alternatives first. It’s so much better to choose pills or surgery from a position of knowing your alternatives, rather than feeling you have no choice. An informed consumer is an empowered one, and empowerment is a healthy place to be when making important decisions.
So, I am not a guru, but I am an empowered consumer. What’s next on my healthcare plate, now that my sleep is untroubled, my life is safe and happy, my kids are doing great, and I love my job?
My weight. Like many Americans, I carry more weight than what is good for my body. During my unhappy years, I hit a high of 222 pounds at only 5 feet 4 inches tall. I tried all kinds of diets, joined Bally’s, but nothing worked. Why? I was too unhappy. To reward myself and feel worthy, I really thought that I deserved that cheesecake or Cherry Garcia. As often as possible. One bite, slowly savored, transported me away from harsh reality and into a world of emotional bliss.
Now I know that an abundance of cheesecake is a punishment, not a reward. I don’t deserve to have my life shortened or to not have enough energy to keep up with my 9-year-old. Funny how happiness changes one’s definition of reward. As tasty as cheesecake is, I’d much rather have a spare hour with my fingers on a keyboard, weaving my great American novel with a steaming cup of jasmine tea scenting my efforts, rather than ten minutes with a dessert. I deserve time to write. I’ve earned it. Writing is my personal reward.
The discovery of who I am and what I want out of life has made a huge impact on the decisions I make every day. I dropped twenty pounds by doing nothing more than noticing what I really love to do, and rewarding myself with that reality rather than the temporary escapes. It took a year, but it was a permanent weight drop.
On this blog, I’ll share the other integrated health strategies I am using to reach my ideal weight, but for now it is most important to realize who you are and what you truly want out of life. How your personal stress level and happiness impacts your health and overall decision-making. Moreover, it impacts the people around you, too. The United HPA online directory includes many practitioners that can help you through personal discovery: psychologists, life coaches, social workers, hypnotherapists, and more. It's an important first step to weight loss, and to healthier living generally.
It is a rainy Sunday afternoon, and my Daisy has just brought me a poem. At 9, she is also taking the time to explore what it is she really likes to do, and on a rainy day, she likes to draw and write. So I’ll leave you with a Daisy Original, and wish you a healthy, happy rest of the day.
“Rain comes from the sky,
Sometimes makes you want to cry,
Pours to the ground,
And puddles all around.
It slowly comes down
And dissolves on the ground.
The grass has dew
But who creates this – you?
No, it’s Mother Nature.
She loves you
And you love her.
Mother Nature.”
Written by Daisy, July 15, 2007.
Be well, be wise, be ready,
Norreida
I tell you this because it is important for you to know that I am not a healthcare guru. I struggle with healthcare concerns just like anyone else, but I am lucky enough to be surrounded by a wealth of resources to help me find the best healthcare options for me and my family.
On this blog, I’ll be working through those options here with you, out loud, frankly sharing what it is like to explore an integrated healthcare model.
We’ll talk about the news, our environment, kids, parents, and share stories from all those thousands of people out there who have changed their lives just because they had the courage to say to their doctors – wait a minute, let me see what else is out there before I pop that pill or take that surgery.
I did that. Twenty-five years of life peppered with violence had turned me into one of those lab rats that shake in the corner of a cage, unable to make a decision because everything seemed to lead to a shock. I have a summary of that story listed in the About Us pages of our website. Choosing something other than a pill was a very good decision for me. It might or might not be a good decision for you. There may be some of you who would do better with pharmaceuticals, but you will feel better about that choice if you consider your less-invasive alternatives first. It’s so much better to choose pills or surgery from a position of knowing your alternatives, rather than feeling you have no choice. An informed consumer is an empowered one, and empowerment is a healthy place to be when making important decisions.
So, I am not a guru, but I am an empowered consumer. What’s next on my healthcare plate, now that my sleep is untroubled, my life is safe and happy, my kids are doing great, and I love my job?
My weight. Like many Americans, I carry more weight than what is good for my body. During my unhappy years, I hit a high of 222 pounds at only 5 feet 4 inches tall. I tried all kinds of diets, joined Bally’s, but nothing worked. Why? I was too unhappy. To reward myself and feel worthy, I really thought that I deserved that cheesecake or Cherry Garcia. As often as possible. One bite, slowly savored, transported me away from harsh reality and into a world of emotional bliss.
Now I know that an abundance of cheesecake is a punishment, not a reward. I don’t deserve to have my life shortened or to not have enough energy to keep up with my 9-year-old. Funny how happiness changes one’s definition of reward. As tasty as cheesecake is, I’d much rather have a spare hour with my fingers on a keyboard, weaving my great American novel with a steaming cup of jasmine tea scenting my efforts, rather than ten minutes with a dessert. I deserve time to write. I’ve earned it. Writing is my personal reward.
The discovery of who I am and what I want out of life has made a huge impact on the decisions I make every day. I dropped twenty pounds by doing nothing more than noticing what I really love to do, and rewarding myself with that reality rather than the temporary escapes. It took a year, but it was a permanent weight drop.
On this blog, I’ll share the other integrated health strategies I am using to reach my ideal weight, but for now it is most important to realize who you are and what you truly want out of life. How your personal stress level and happiness impacts your health and overall decision-making. Moreover, it impacts the people around you, too. The United HPA online directory includes many practitioners that can help you through personal discovery: psychologists, life coaches, social workers, hypnotherapists, and more. It's an important first step to weight loss, and to healthier living generally.
It is a rainy Sunday afternoon, and my Daisy has just brought me a poem. At 9, she is also taking the time to explore what it is she really likes to do, and on a rainy day, she likes to draw and write. So I’ll leave you with a Daisy Original, and wish you a healthy, happy rest of the day.
“Rain comes from the sky,
Sometimes makes you want to cry,
Pours to the ground,
And puddles all around.
It slowly comes down
And dissolves on the ground.
The grass has dew
But who creates this – you?
No, it’s Mother Nature.
She loves you
And you love her.
Mother Nature.”
Written by Daisy, July 15, 2007.
Be well, be wise, be ready,
Norreida
Labels: healthcare, holistic, integrated, psychology, weight loss
