For Your Well Being 
Barbara Christenson, Publisher
The Speak Well Being Group
mailto:barbara@speakwellbeing.com

Published every other Thursday
February 16, 2006, Vol. IV Issue 4 

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          In this Issue: The Right Start
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Dear Friends,

We all know the drill. When the first of the year rolls 
around, it's time for a fresh start. It's time to lose 
weight, start an exercise program, etc. St. Francis 
Weight Loss Center had a better idea for an event 
emphasizing overall health. We share their ideas in 
this issue. 

The health headlines have been plentiful the last two
weeks. McDonald's fries have more trans fats than thought,
as well as wheat and dairy ingredients. A study reported
that less fat in the diet and more fruits and vegetables
may not substantially cut an older woman's risk for breast
cancer, colon cancer or heart disease. An estrogen study
said that the risks of using estrogen may not be so bad.
What's a person to believe? My advice would be to read 
past the headlines, between the lines and look for
multiple sources of interpretation, always.

Meantime, the Go Red for Women campaign has come up with
an online assessment tool well worth spreading the word
about. 

On the other hand, the "Death-Risk Quiz" that caught my
eye on yesterday's front page is another story.

Yours truly,
Barbara


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                    The Right Start
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On Saturday, Jan. 21, three weeks into the new year, 
just about the time the freshness of the new year is 
beginning to tarnish, St. Francis Weight Loss Center, 
in Indianapolis, IN, held their third annual "Start the
Year Off Right," motivational event. 

"We wanted to create a motivational seminar to encourage
participants to pursue overall health (as opposed to 
extreme New Year's resolutions) as we start the New 
Year," according to Rachel Nix, RD, CD, coordinator 
of the event. 

Associated with St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers,
the Weight Loss Center is in its third year of operation.
They offer group and individual weight loss programs/health
improvement, bariatric surgery, cooking classes, exercise
classes and have just started getting into corporate 
wellness and speaking.

The day started with breakfast and Eve Olson, MD, the 
medical director talking about "Mind Over Matter," 
followed by a cooking demonstration with samples. 
Then a panel of six successful weight loss patients 
took the stage, sharing their stories.

"We try to do something different every year, incorpor-
ating something interactive like the cooking demonstra-
tion or an exercise activity," Rachel said. "We wanted
our keynote speaker to be motivational, rather than 
diet- related." The audience of 160 was 99% women, 
25 -80 years old. 

They selected Barbara Badolati as their luncheon keynote
speaker, to share her ideas about "The Wellness Connec-
tion." 

"For so long in health promotion, we have looked at 
fixing people, trying to get them healthy once they're
sick," Barb says. "We've emphasized behavior modifica-
tionsas the answer: eat right, exercise, drink water, 
stop smoking, etc. These things are good, but research 
is showing there's something more that is at least 
equally important. I call it the happiness connection 
and it has to with humor, purpose, pleasure, connection
and gratitude." 

Barb didn't just talk about it. Her presentation was 
highly interactive from the hugs (she demonstrated the 
good, the bad and the not-so-good of hugs), to the props
she used to make her points and her audience laugh. "My 
mother lived to make people laugh," Barb says. "She was
fun and creative and used costumes and props to teach us
how to see things differently. I learned from that and 
take great joy in sharing it." 

It shows. "Barb was so much fun," Rachel said. "She had
an automatic rapport with our audience." 

It wasn't all fun and games, however. Barb recognizes 
that making the choice to give heartfelt hugs, laugh at
oneself and share our gifts, takes courage. "To live 
authentically and be a conduit of joy is a gift you 
choose to give yourself as well as others," she said.
"Oh, and by the way, you'll feel better, you'll beat
colds faster, and your immune system will be stronger." 

Following Barb's program, Rachel, along with Wayne Zinc,
a chocolate specialist, presented "Health Benefits of
Chocolate." The day also included wine tasting and a 
relaxation room where green tea was served along with 
free paraffin dip/hand massages and body massages accom-
panied by healing harpist music. Participants also 
received a bag full of food samples, coupons and 
brochures.

About our services, Rachel said, "Both Barbs (Badolati
and Christenson) were so great to work with in arranging
this event. Very helpful, organized and professional 
and also delightfully upbeat!" 

Barbara Badolati holds a Bachelors of Science Degree 
in health education and has earned certification and 
recognition in the arena of yoga, fitness, health and 
behavioral sciences. Her special interests in holistic
health, humor, mind-body medicine, and movement therapy,
along with a passionate and compassionate approach to 
life, have effectively guided her to assist thousands of
people in experiencing greater self-esteem, health, 
balance and wholeness.

To book her, mailto:Barbara@speakwellbeing.com or call 
me at 503-699-5031.


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    Go Red Heart Check: Getting Beyond the Numbers
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While the Go Red For Women campaign's original purpose 
was to raise awareness about heart disease as the #1 
killer of women, the emphasis is now shifting to taking 
action to fight women's heart disease. A recent study 
showed that one-third of women underestimate their per-
sonal risk of heart disease, and a majority don't know
what cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels
are healthy for them.

In our last issue, I noted that the Go Red for Women 
website is now an easy place to find those all-important
benchmark numbers for blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.
(if you're like me and you just can't remember them). 
I'm very excited to report that they have now taken 
this whole concept a giant step further, by creating 
a tool women can use to assess their personal risk for
heart disease. This is grass roots and it's really cool.

It's an online interactive assessment tool. You enter 
your own numbers for things like weight, blood pressure
and cholesterol levels as well as information about your
lifestyle such as frequency of exercise. This generates
a report that reveals your risk of having a heart attack
or suffering from cardiovascular disease in the next 
10 years.

Not only that, it also identifies the risk factors you
can change and provides a personalized action plan that
you can print out and discuss with your doctor. That 
might include suggestions such as losing weight, reducing
stress, stopping smoking, or managing blood pressure.

The tool was designed to help women take action. Previous-
ly, women were encouraged to know their numbers but inter-
preting them and determining what to do about any risk was
left up to them to figure out on their own. 

Don't know your numbers?  That's no excuse. You can simply
download the Blood Test Approval form found on the website
and take or fax it to your doctor to order a blood test.
Once the blood test determines your numbers, you can enter
them into the tool and get your personalized heart health
checkup.

The Go Red Heart Checkup is designed to motivate women 
to take action and to encourage them to talk with their 
doctors about their long-term heart health. It can be 
used by individuals or in a healthcare setting. 

I encourage you to try it out at: 
http://www.goredforwomen.com


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                Dying to Know Your Odds?
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"How much time do you have? Take the death-risk quiz," 
was the headline that caught my attention. This AP story,
which was based on serious research published in yester-
day's Journal of the American Medical Association, 
reported on it as a game where a low score is definitely
the goal. The actual study, however, is much more complex
and has other implications. In that sense the AP story 
is an over-simplification. The quiz is fun, though, and
taking it gives one an untraditional look at one's own
longevity chances.

The quiz is designed to give older people (over 50) a
reasonable idea of their survival chances. It could 
actually be used with doctors and families to help 
plan their healthcare. Rather than focus on traditional
indicators like cholesterol levels, it poses questions
about whether you can push a chair across the room and
keep track of family finances. 

Take the test at:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/295/7/801/JOC60006FBOX

Here's how to score it:
0-5 points   Dying risk: less than 4%
6 - 9 points             15%
10 - 13 points           42%
14+                      64%

For the full story, go to:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MORTALITY_TEST?SITE=FLMYR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Until next time, be good to yourself for your good health
and those you love.

Yours truly, 
Barbara

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                    ABOUT OUR SERVICES 
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The Speak Well Being Group specializes in providing 
exceptional speakers for health, wellness and women's 
events. Because we've worked with so many hospitals and
healthcare groups around the country, we speak your 
language. Our hand-picked speakers are attuned to your
needs and adept at addressing the issues while delivering
information in an entertaining way, or simply providing 
a good time with a light message when that's the ticket. 
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we going to top that?" speakers.

You'll find many of our speakers on our website. 
 click here 
Or please call anytime and let us assist you: 503-699-5031
The Speak Well Being Group, 4261 Collins Way, Lake Oswego, 
Oregon 97035
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