May
17
Acupuncture for Labor Induction
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Acupuncture News, Inspired Wellness Center, News you can Use | Add a Comment
Imagine you’ve had a wonderful pregnancy and you’ve done all the right things to keep that baby in your belly so it can grow to be healthy and happy. You’ve thought good thoughts, eaten nutritious food, exercised often… all so you bring your baby to term. Maybe you’ve even had a few sleepless nights worrying about labor and what it will entail? Well, in my experience, something shifts about week 38 and you suddenly can’t wait to get that kid out of your tummy, and often it can’t come soon enough! Personally, I like this think this is Mother Nature’s gift to you, so you don’t care what you have to go thru during labor to get the prize on the other side.
So finally a friend, or even a midwife or OB doctor, says everything looks good and suggests you call an Acupuncturist for labor induction. This is one of my favorite days, when I get the call from one of my fertility patients saying, “you got this baby in there, now you get it out!” Whether you’ve used an Acupuncturist to get pregnant or during pregnancy, or this is your first time… here are a few things to know about using Acupuncture for labor induction:
- It is my opinion that a good Acupuncturist won’t even consider starting the induction process until your doctor clears you. If your baby is breech, which is also something that Acupuncture can help with, but that needs to be addressed before induction can be considered.
- It should be a comfortable, relaxing process! In my office in Arvada, we sit you in a comfortable chair, put some nice music on, turn the lights down low and then begin the Acupuncture. The most common area’s for induction are on the shoulders, hands and ankles. Be sure to dress so we can access these area’s.
- Don’t worry, once you start the induction treatment… you won’t spontaneously go into labor right in our office. It usually takes time! I ask patients to wait 24-36 hours before their next treatment so we can see how things are progressing.
- Chances are good it will take more than one treatment. In my experience 2-3 treatments are necessary to really get the ball rolling.
- In general, using Acupuncture for labor induction, not only starts the whole process but USUALLY makes the labor itself shorter and easier as well. For instance, one patient I recently worked with, her labor was 4 hours and 19 minutes… with only 8 minutes of pushing. WOW!
So there you go! Using Acupuncture for labor induction is an easy way to help “get the party started” and hopefully help to make it as easy as labor can be! And no matter what… the prize on the other end will ALWAYS be worth it!
For more information about Inspired Wellness Center you can join the conversation online on Facebook and Twitter. Inspired Wellness Center services Arvada and the entire Denver Metro Area.
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May
9
Losing weight is a Bi$#%!! 4.5 Pounds Lighter and I made it through week 1 with Eskew Fitness successfully. . . . kind of!
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Inspired Wellness Center, Jana's Journey to Wellness | Add a Comment
And the saga continues…
As promised I have partnered up with Stoney Eskew, of Eskew Fitness, and we’ve come up with a plan that if (WHEN!!!) followed will help me reach my fitness goals. This month or so is going to seem a little extreme as we have a big milestone/goal coming up. Me. In a two piece swimsuit. On the beaches of Hawaii!!!
Ok, my first week of the plan is known as “the Reset” phase. For 5 days I took my Usana supplements, drank 3 shakes per day, ate 2 bars and was allowed one piece of fruit and unlimited veggies. It is also encouraged that you do easy exercising for 30 minutes a day and drink lots of water. The point of Reset is to obviously hit the reset button on the body and start to un-do years of what my diet and lifestyle has done, screwing with my blood sugar and liver. Here’s the good, bad and ugly of my 5 days of Reset.
Day 1: successfully kept to the plan of my lemon water in the morning, my 3 shakes, 2 bars and got some exercise in too. When I got home from work that night, my husband had just started re-heating leftovers for his dinner so the house smelled of delicious pizza…my favorite! He was lucky I was only on day 1 and still had a bit of a sense of humor or this may have ended in his demise.
Day 2: started the day feeling good about this wonderful thing I was doing for my body and then the bottom fell out. My day turned into one of those days that ever thing goes wrong and the only solution for it becomes some comfort food and a drink(maybe 3!). But nope…my comfort was shakes and bars. I couldn’t believe I made it thru that day without cheating. Did I mention it was my first night of Kickball where jello shots and beers are mandatory?
Day 3: starting to think this program is a terrible idea. I stick to it all day but I find I can’t keep a thought in my head and I dont think even a million dollars would motivate me into finding the energy to get up and do anything…even the necessities like going to the bathroom seem to require energy than I am willing to part with.
Day 4: there is hope! I have been nearly perfect for 3 days and I am finally feeling a bit more clear headed and energetic. I am especially proud of myself when I make it thru 2hrs of volleyball without even a second look at the beers and other delicious drinks that are surrounding me. I am the picture of dedication!
Day 5: the final day. I have lost 4.5 pounds and that is very motivating. I feel good. I feel like the shakes and bars are habit and have actually made my life easier. I work a busy day, run some errands and then head to a Mammoth game (Colorado indoor lacrosse) where I make my first giant screw up of phase 1. During the game I let that voice in my head convince me that I have done SO well that I DESERVE to splurge. And so I do. I share nachos with my husband and have a beer. They both taste…ok. Not the heavenly experience I was prepared for, which was a bit disappointing.
And so ends phase 1. . . .The following day I allow myself some slack as I did do pretty well in my first week. I find that it will be easier to make mostly healthy decisions going forward as my digestive system seems to have MUCH stronger opinions about what I put in my body after the Reset. I now begin phase 2 which will be the next 28 days until I leave. I am almost 4 pounds lighter even after my “splurges” and feeling hopeful about reaching my goal of going to Hawaii 14 pounds lighter than I was at the beginning if this. If I reach that goal, I will officially be the same weight I was in high school and that sounds VERY nice!
For more information about Inspired Wellness Center you can join the conversation online on Facebook and Twitter. Inspired Wellness Center services Arvada and the entire Denver Metro Area.
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May
1
Getting Ready for Bikini Season. Hawaii here I come!
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Inspired Wellness Center, Jana's Journey to Wellness, News you can Use, Things on Jana's Mind | 1 Comment
I’ve taken the next step in my journey to lose the last of the weight I need to get off my body! As I mentioned in my last blog I met with my friend Stoney Eskew of Eskew Fitness for some testing and game planning. It’s nice to have access to some science so we can take the guess work out of losing weight.
First test was to test my resting metabolism. This test felt a lot like trying to breath thru a scuba mask for 14-20 minutes without the benefit of being able to see cool stuff underwater. But at the end of it we know exactly what my metabolism is and exactly how many calories I need to lose weight, maintain weight or (god forbid) gain weight. My magic number 1348. The next test was using the same uncomfortable scuba-like mask, but this time stepping up and down from a step bench. I was sure I was destined to fail this test by tripping and falling head first into all of Stoney’s fancy machinery . . .much to my surprise I got thru the whole test with out falling down! After this test we knew exactly how I need to exercise to burn fat (yay!) instead of just sugar (boo!).
Before Stoney left she went over the plan one more time, so here is what I’m in for for the next 32 days:
1. 3 days of strength training per week to rev up my metabolism.
2. 4-6 days of cardio (in my recommended heart rate intervals) to burn fat.
3. A 5 day “reset” program to start detoxing my liver to it can start pitching in again, even out my blood sugar levels, and start to heal the insulin receptor sites so my body is smarter.
4. EAT! I know if I eat much less than 1300 calories my body goes into starvation mode so I have to be clearing my 1300 PLUS any calories I burn thru exercise (and getting said calories from quality sources instead of candy, beer and pizza…dangit!). With my exercise plan and the upcoming summer fun of playing on a kickball, a volleyball and a softball team…I think I’m going to be doing A LOT of eating so I apologize in advance if you come to my office and I’m stuffing my face.
I know this all sounds a little intense but did I mention: I’M GOING TO HAWAII IN JUST ABOUT 6 WEEKS!!! It is my goal to be feeling good enough about myself to walk around in just a swimsuit for the first time in my life (no wraps no shorts). I don’t expect to look perfect and I know I still have a lot of work to do to lose these next 35-40 pounds, but I think it’s important to have measurable, short term goals.
Wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted on how things are going! Thanks for the support, y’all!
For more information about Inspired Wellness Center you can join the conversation online on Facebook and Twitter. Inspired Wellness Center services Arvada and the entire Denver Metro Area.
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Apr
7
Hitting the dreaded PLATEAU!
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Inspired Wellness Center, Jana's Journey to Wellness, News you can Use, Things on Jana's Mind | 4 Comments
Path to putting in the work with help, to get back in shape!
Written by: Jana Royer-Morian
Last year I wrote a blog about how easy I was finding it to lose weight, I just followed the “DUH diet” and I magically shrunk by about 25 pounds. Ahh, the good old days! I no longer think losing weight is easy and have reached the, “nothing I’m doing is working, so why try” phase. Maybe some of you have been in this place.
Well, after months (and months) of losing and gaining the same 5 pounds I have decided to take two very important pieces of information to heart.
- Enlist help
- Tell others what you’re doing
Enter my old friend Stoney Eskew. I met her years ago when I first went into private practice and was teaching at Colorado Free University. She is beautiful, fit, and most importantly a genuinely good person . . . oh yeah, and an amazing personal trainer. Stoney owns a company called Eskew Fitness and she specializes in metabolism testing and nutrition and fitness counseling. When we first met and worked together, she tested my metabolism and told me exactly what and how much to eat… and had I done what she told me to do, I am sure it would have worked. Maybe I wasn’t ready, maybe I was committed enough… maybe I was just too lazy. Knowing that she would have the answers to why I have plateaued and can’t seem to get any further with it, I called her again, but this time I am ready, I am willing and I have lots of reasons for wanting to be successful.
They always say that the best way to be successful and stay accountable is to tell other’s what you are doing, so here I am telling all 2000+ of you what I am doing, why I am doing it and how I plan to be successful. My hope is chronicling my journey will be a great way to reach out to any of you who have struggled with your weight and hopefully Inspire you to find a new way to approach your weight loss woes.
I meet with Stoney in two days and at that point we will do my metabolism testing, tell me how many calories my body needs and the best way to give it the fuel to keep up with my active lifestyle. More details to come!
For more information about Inspired Wellness Center you can join the conversation online on Facebook and Twitter. Inspired Wellness Center services Arvada and the entire Denver Metro Area.
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Mar
13
Inspired By Life: Survivors helping others become survivors
Posted by admin at 05:30 | Filed In Acupuncture News, Inspired Wellness Center | Add a Comment
This week’s edition of Inspired by Life is brought to you by an amazing story between survivors. I’ve recently had the pleasure of working with a new patient at the cancer center, we’ll call her Terri. Terri was diagnosed with Stage II Breast Cancer in December and was told to start her chemo right away and they will be doing surgery afterwards. The reason I met Terri was because of a former patient of mine, we’ll call her Betty. Betty also had Breast Cancer and has been a cancer free survivor for almost two years (YAY you, Betty!). Betty did acupuncture during the end of her chemo treatments and to get ready for her surgery and she feels that it REALLY helped her feel better during treatment and recover faster after surgery. When Terri got her diagnosis she told me that even though she didn’t know Betty very well, she emailed her right away to tell her the news and that since the email, they had become very close…brought together by some of the worse circumstances any of us could imagine.
What Inspired me about this situation is that I can remember talking to Betty while she was still going thru treatment and her asking the question everyone who has been dealt a tough hand asks, “why me?” I can remember thinking that there is no right answer to that question and telling her that hopefully some good could come of this someday. Once I met Terri, I knew the “someday” had come and this was how Betty could squeeze a little good out of what had been a terrible situation. She now had the opportunity to “pay it forward.” She is going to be the one person that Terri will lean on because she is the one person who has actually walked down the path that Terri has in front of her.
I hope that everyone realizes that they have an opportunity to help a “Terri” in their life. We all have a story that we can share with someone who can benefit from hearing it from someone who has been on the same road. Your story could be about living with a difficult disease, trying to get pregnant, growing a business, raising a family, or just being a human being. Even though this story is about cancer survivors, we all are survivors with the opportunity to help others become survivors too.
For more information about Inspired Wellness Center you can join the conversation online on Facebook and Twitter. Inspired Wellness Center services Arvada and the entire Denver Metro Area.
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