Meditation
Meditation can help create a feeling of calmness when stress has you feeling anxious or tense.
Keep Your Mind Grounded
It is a daunting time as we are in the midst of a worldwide coronavirus pandemic and are listening to various news outlets, our local and federal government/agencies and various others all sharing the latest news related to COVID-19. The unknown can be a stressful time which can increase your anxiety and a fears. This video shares some ways in which you can keep your mind grounded when you need it most.
Creating a Positive Body Image by Stephanie Olsinski, MS, RDN
In learning about eating disorders and how they can affect everyone, it is important to care for not only those affected but for yourself to ensure that you are always taking care of your health, both mental and physical.
NEDA created a list of 10 Steps to Positive Body Image which is shared below:
- Appreciate all that your body can do. Every day your body carries you closer to your dreams. Celebrate all of the amazing things your body does for you like running, dancing, breathing, laughing, dreaming, etc.
- Keep a top 10 list of things you like about yourself such as things that aren’t related to how much you weigh or what you look like. Read your list often. Add to it as you become aware of more things to like about you.
- Remind yourself that “true beauty” is not simply skin-deep. When you feel good about yourself and who you are, you carry yourself with a sense of confidence, self-acceptance, and openness that makes you beautiful regardless of whether you physically look like a supermodel. Beauty is a state of mind, not a state of your body.
- Look at yourself as a whole person. When you see yourself in a mirror or in your mind, choose not to focus on specific body parts. See yourself as you want others to see you; as a whole person.
- Surround yourself with positive people. It is easier to feel good about yourself and your body when you are around others who are supportive and who recognize the importance of liking yourself just as you naturally are.
- Shut down those voices in your head that tell you your body is not “right” or that you are a “bad” person. You can overpower those negative thoughts with positive ones. The next time you start to tear yourself down, build yourself back up with a few quick affirmations that work for you.
- Wear clothes that are comfortable and that make you feel good about your body. Work with your body, not against it.
- Become a critical viewer of social and media messages. Pay attention to images, slogans, or attitudes that make you feel bad about yourself or your body. Protest these messages: write a letter to the advertiser or talk back to the image or message.
- Do something nice for yourself; something that lets your body know you appreciate it. Take a bubble bath, make time for a nap, find a peaceful place outside to relax.
- Use the time and energy that you might have spent worrying about food, calories, and your weight to do something to help others. Sometimes reaching out to other people can help you feel better about yourself and can make a positive change in our world.
Our Care Team at NOAH are here to help you create & manage your healthy lifestyle habits. Need help setting or sticking to your goals? Call 480-882-4545 today!
Signs of an Eating Disorder by Mina Goodman, RDN
“There are some signs and symptoms of disordered eating that can be a bigger problem such as an Eating Disorder.”
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Eating disorders are a serious mental and physical illness that can affect anyone. It’s important to know what to look for when it comes to signs and symptoms of an eating disorder so that you are able to get help as early as possible and begin the recovery process. Not everyone will display the same signs and symptoms at once. It’s also important to note that there are both emotional, behavioral and physical symptoms to be on the watch for.
Common symptoms include:
- Refusing to or discomfort with eating certain foods. This may lead to restrictions or food rules against whole categories of food (e.g., no carbohydrates).
- Preoccupation with tracking weight, food, calories, carbohydrates, fat, and other nutrients.
- Impaired immune functioning causing more frequent colds or illnesses.
- Maintaining an excessive or rigid exercise regime – despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury.
- Signs of stealing, hoarding food, disappearance of large amounts of food in a short time period or a lot of empty wrappers and containers indicating consumption of large amounts of food.
- Spending hours thinking about what food might be served at upcoming events.
- Intense anxiety, depression and/or distress if unable to exercise.
To learn more about eating disorders we recommend going to https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/warning-signs-and-symptoms. If you, or someone you know displays any of these symptoms, give us a call. At NOAH, we offer behavioral health consulting and traditional outpatient counseling programs where highly skilled and trained behavioral health staff work alongside our medical, nutrition and dental teams to assess, diagnose and effectively treat the core-symptoms of our patients.
What is an Eating Disorder? by Rhyan Geiger, RDN
An eating disorder is a mental and physical illness that can affect people of all genders, ages, and weight. An eating disorder is a psychological condition that causes unhealthy eating habits to develop. At times it may present as an obsession with food, body weight or body shape.
“20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.”
National Surveys
The symptoms of an eating disorder can vary but the most common include:
- A severe restriction of food.
- Food binges.
- Purging behaviors like vomiting or over-exercising.
In severe cases, eating disorders can cause serious health consequences and may even result in death if left untreated. At NOAH, we offer behavioral health consulting and traditional outpatient counseling programs and services where highly skilled and trained behavioral health staff work alongside our medical, nutrition and dental teams to assess, diagnose and effectively treat the core-symptoms of our patients.
Social Media and Healthy Weight by Mina Goodman, RDN
For social media users, do you ever find yourself in an unusual mood after scrolling through your Instagram feed and coming across thin bodies, tiny recommended serving sizes, or another tip to shed some extra weight? Just like magazines and television showing thin or “perfect” bodies can affect how we see our own bodies, so can social media. In celebration of healthy weight week and maintaining a healthy weight, I invite you to try expanding your ideals of body positivity, decreasing weight stigma, and gaining a healthier relationship with food.
A way to move toward this ideal would be to unfollow or stop looking at accounts that often feature smaller bodies or lack diversity. Next follow some of the following accounts that instead focus on inclusivity, diversity, and of course healthy weight!
• Dietitiananna
• Foodpeacedietitian
• I_weigh
• Chr1styharrison
• Hannahrdn
• Rebeccascritchfield
• Yourhappyhealthyrd
• Therdnutritionist
• Hgoodrichrd
• Themindfuldietitian
• Streetsmart.rd
• Gaudianiclinic
• Emilyfonnesbeck_rd
• Body_peace_liberation
• Trustyourbodyproject
• benourishedpdx
Our Care Team at NOAH are here to help you create & manage your #healthy #lifestyle #habits. Need help setting or sticking to your goals? Call 480-882-4545 today!
Relax and Take Time for You
By Stephanie Olzinski, MS | Registered Dietitian
While eating well and exercising can be helpful in maintaining a healthy weight, relaxing is just as important to rejuvenate and rid your body of stress. Stress can attribute to negative physical symptoms, such as headaches, anxiety or depression, high blood pressure, and much more. Starting today, take at least 10 minutes every day to do something special for yourself:
Take deep breaths/practice mindful breathing.
- Journal your feelings
- Practice meditation or yoga
- Do a puzzle or brain teaser
- Go for a walk
- Sketch or draw
- Drink hot tea
- Listen to music
Get into the habit of doing anything that allows you to unwind and clear your mind. Along with practicing mindful eating and tuning into your body, you will begin to feel more relaxed. Your NOAH Care Team is here to help you create and manage your healthy lifestyle habits. Need help setting or sticking to your goals? Schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian or counselor today.
Practice Mindful Eating and Tune into Your Body by Brandon Bolton, RDN
One healthy habit is to practice mindful eating to rediscover your body’s idea of normal eating. Mindful eating is eating with the intention of caring for yourself, while also eating with the attention necessary for noticing and enjoying food and the effect that your food has on your body! It’s important to tune in and listen to your body while eating the foods that you enjoy.
Here are some ways to practice mindful eating:
• Tune into and listen to your body – eat when hungry and stop when full and satisfied.
• Eating when your body tells you to eat (stomach growling, low energy).
• Eat foods that are nutritionally healthy.
• Eat with others at a set time and place.
• When eating, avoid multitasking and try to just eat without distractions.
• Connect with your food and consider where it comes from.
• Choose food for both enjoyment and nourishment.
Most importantly, love yourself and love your food! At NOAH, we’ll work with you and your #child to choose the best path for their overall #health and #wellness. Please call for an appt. at 480-882-4545. #gethealthy #nutrition
What is Body Positivity? by Mina Goodman, RDN
Body positivity is a celebration of all body types and sizes, accepting your body, appreciating all that your body does, and loving yourself. Some also see this as a focus inward on a person’s strengths, thoughts, and actions, instead of what they look like and how much they weigh. Body positivity is also a social movement which has effected:
- The way beauty competitions are run (removing bikini contests).
- The way magazine covers are written (no more language like “drop two sizes”).
- Even a change in modeling photography (less airbrushing).
How are some ways you can become more body positive? Many have found that encouraging one another, telling yourself that you are awesome, and healthy eating and fitness are all ways to promote body positivity. It is an individualized approach so each person should take the steps toward body positivity that make the most sense for them!
Every morning when you wake up and get ready for your day, tell yourself any or all of the following and be mindful about these words.
- I’m Awesome.
- I’m Pretty.
- I’m Healthy.
- I’m Beautiful.
- I Love Myself.
There may be moments when you need to tell yourself these positive sayings throughout your day, and that’s okay. Just say them with meaning. Believe them and others will see you the same way! At NOAH, we’ll work with you and your #child to choose the best path for their overall #health and #wellness. Please call for an appt. at 480-882-4545.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
For many of us, home is a place of comfort and love. Though for millions of others, home is anything but a refuge. “The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are victims of physical violence by a partner every year.” Join us in breaking the silence about #DomesticViolence. At NOAH, we’ll work with you and your #child to choose the best path for their overall #health and #wellness. Please call 480-882-4545.
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