| Fall 2001 Volume III, Issue III |
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Walk Like an Egyptian
‚ by Martin
Collis, PhD / Trina Rickert
There's a fashionable new diet that's showing up in the popular press and the Wellness journals. It's been endorsed by our old friend Andrew Weil, by Oprah and by Deepak Chopra (If Oprah married Deepak she'd be Oprah Chopra.). In fact it's not so much a diet, as a lifestyle which is described in the best selling book "The Okinawa Program" by Bradley and Craig Wilcox and Makoto Suzuki. Okinawans reportedly have the longest disability-free life expectancy in the world, and the Japanese Ministry of Health has conducted a 25 year study to examine the secrets of their success. There are few surprises for people involved in high level wellness. The Okinawans studied ate a diet dominated by vegetables, fruits and grains.
72% of the diet is made up of fruit, vegetables and grains, 14% seaweed and soy, 11% fish and only 3% meat, poultry and eggs (Where's the beef?). Alcohol intake is very moderate. So no surprises. Dean Ornish would approve of the diet and it's very similar to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (D.A.S.H.) diet published in the New England Journal of Medicine and written up in the Berkley Wellness letter, May '99. One feature of the Okinawan eating style we found interesting is the cultural habit of 'hara hachi bu' where they eat until they feel 80% full. This differs so much from North America where diners tend to stuff themselves to get their 'money's worth' out of a meal. Younger Okinawans, who have a less traditional lifestyle,
and Okinawans who grow up in other countries are at a higher risk than
traditional Okinawans and at the same risk as those people in their adopted
country for heart disease, cancer and stroke, so we're not looking at
genetics. Mother really did know best. 'Eat your fruit and vegetables,
go out and play' (and maybe pray). You don't have to move to Japan to
live like an Okinawan, just have a low fat diet with plenty of complex
carbohydrates and plant based foods, keep moving, love this world and
the people around you and you too might enjoy a disease free 100 years
in this wonderful and challenging world.
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911 By Martin Collis Bertrand Russell said, "The problem with the World is that it's filled with fools and fanatics who are certain of themselves and their theories, while wiser people are so full of doubts." Our problem is how to be wise and yet still be decisive. I received a torrent of email, associated with September 11, much of which was thoughtful, and some very moving. I am including some of the highlights as links, and I'll offer one personal story. A few years back I stayed in New York (Brooklyn to be precise) with a unique and wonderful family comprising a mother, three sons (Roger, Pon and Ken) and a daughter. One always had to expect the unusual and surprising when staying with the Owens family. "It's the New York marathon tomorrow, let's do it" and they did, with zero training. Pon is a firefighter and the most unpredictable; his mother told me that she asked him to take out the garbage one day and he replied, "I can't, I'm going to Mongolia." and off he went. Roger is a cop and perhaps the only one of New York's finest to have a passionate interest in the poetry and music of Bob Dylan (that's my connection to him). The 3rd brother, Ken, was married to the personal assistant to Andy Warhol. Once I'd seen the Twin Towers fall and allowed my mind to focus on particulars I kept wondering whether Roger, the cop, and Pon, the firefighter, were involved and still alive. To my relief, joy and grief (part of the problem with this tragedy is you don't know what to feel) this bittersweet email was forwarded to me by a friend.
"Shoved together were four remarkable men who didn't much like being shoved around. One was publicist Mark Bingham, 31, who helped Cal. win the 1991 and '93 national collegiate rugby championships. He was a surfer, and in July he was carried on the horns of a bull in Pamplona. Six-foot-five, rowdy and fearless, he once wrestled a gun from a mugger's hand late at night on a San Francisco street." "In the heart of San Francisco's largest gay neighborhood, a makeshift memorial grew, bouquet by bouquet, to the rugby player who was unafraid. Yeah, Bingham was gay." Particularly poignant and apt in the light of Jerry Falwell's insensitive comments. So what's the wellness answer to all this. Don Ardell has some interesting thoughts (see the ELECTRONIC ARDELL WELLNESS REPORT (E-AWR) #94 -September 19, 2001 at www.wellnessweb.com I called family and friends, I called people I'd been meaning to call for months and years, and I held my new wife Nancy very, very close.
Our acronym for this issue was sent to us by Bill Dickerson. A World-Wide Tragedy A Traveling Essay Say It Better September Bulletin by Kare Anderson |
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Enjoy Canada's
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CD Release "Speak
through the earthquake, wind and fire Nancy Wardle, M.D.
When I was young girl, my mom often advised me to "calm down", hoping I suppose to curb my excited and restless nature. At the time, it felt like an admonishment, a lid on my enthusiasm. Now I recognize that in a restless, excited and challenging world, calming down is a way of preserving and focusing my enthusiasm for life. Daily practices of pausing, breathing deeply and responding, versus reacting, are part of living a creative, sustainable and balanced life. I am also easier to live with. "Calm Down’ is the title I have chosen for my new C.D. featuring a series of guided meditations and relaxation exercises (and one song) that use various mind/body breath techniques. Over the past twenty years, in private practice and in workshops, they have been used successfully with my patients dealing with medical crisis and other clients who need to enhance their stress resiliency. It is my hope that they afford you the opportunity to experience, be it for one and a half or twenty minutes, the voice of calm and repose within yourself. Calm Down 21 min A deep relaxation that includes an anchoring of peace, safety and serenity that can be accessed at any time throughout the day within seconds. I suggest listening to this meditation for several days sequentially to fully connect with the ‘calm beneath the waves’ that our breath can connect us with, whenever it is needed. Pain and Tension Release 6 min Our usual reaction to pain or tension is to contract or resist, which in the moment, and over time only increases our discomfort. In this meditation, the mind/body connection is used to facilitate a perception shift, opening and softening around pain or tension, allowing for release. It takes practice to "let be" what we fear or resent, so I suggest using this both when in discomfort and in more comfortable moments. Release and Renew 6 min This is a ‘condensed’ relaxation useful when time is short to focus on the breath’s ability to bring us into the precious present by inhaling and exhaling in a released and conscious way. Letting Go Breath 5 min Instruction on the importance of exhalation in the breath cycle. It is in fully letting go that we can most fully take in all that we need to live full, vital, loving lives.
Parable 3min A beautiful poem entitled "Letting Go" by Jamie Sexton Holmes that reminds us that change and letting go are essential if life is to continue, season after season. And that these necessary, though difficult lessons are ones we learn over and over. At the end of the poem, there is time to practice what needs to be let go of in your life in order to move on. Open Focusing 14 min A profoundly relaxing exercise where the power of the mind uses the breath to open and create spaciousness in parts of the body we normally sense as hard and closed. Very effective at night for sleep enhancement. Music for Meditation 14 min Gus Verstraten's beautiful and soothing composition "Calm Down" for use in practicing breathing and being. Blessing 1min 30 sec I have used this for years at the end of seminars and workshops, an acknowledgement of the infinite love, peace and energy that is available to us, in each moment, that can and will guide us home to ourselves and each other. Music by Victoria composer Gus Verstraten "I know this tape helped my mind, body and spirit
deal more effectively and easily with my medical interventions." "I love having the ability to connect to calmness
and peace at anytime…especially in the middle of demanding situations."
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The High Cost of Doing Nothing Martin Collis
"Bizaro" I sometimes wonder what it will take for governments, employers and insurance companies to put more focus and money into wellness. Just getting people reasonably active would save billions of dollars each year. In the January 2000 edition of Business and Health, Chenoweth and Pfohl, of Health Management Associates (www.hlthmgt.com), an econometrics and data analysis firm, reported their findings about the impact of sedentary lifestyle on medical and workers compensation costs in the State of North Carolina. Using a technique called Proportionate Risk Factor Cost Appraisal (PRFCA) they arrived at some staggering numbers. "Conservative" estimates add $600 million for circulatory conditions and $660 million on the musculoskeletal side, for a grand total of $1.83 billion annually, the bulk of which is absorbed by employers. H.M.A. was then asked to do a similar study in New York State where preliminary results show that physical inactivity costs at least $3 billion a year. The authors go on to note:
I remember talking to one C.E.O. who was concerned that his employees would have to see a physician before starting an employee fitness program. My response was that the employees that should see a physician were those that were going to remain sedentary, as they were the ones at risk.
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Workplace Wellness By Trina Rickert
In each issue of "Well", we include an article on workplace wellness and this issue will feature an organization that we feel is practicing high level wellness in the workplace. TELUS Mobility's National Wellness Program, has impressed us very much here at Speakwell. It is an organization whose vision of wellness extends well beyond employee fitness and nutritional counseling to include some spiritual, environmental, social, emotional and intellectual dimensions of wellness. WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? I recently had the opportunity to meet with Linda Lewis, TELUS Mobility National Wellness Manager and Jackie Riley, National Wellness National Coordinator to learn about their program. Linda and Jackie were in Vancouver interviewing for a Regional Wellness Coordinator position as part of their "Wellness in the West" expansion. They were excited that a Wellness Centre will open in October, 2001 in Burnaby, B.C. (The Wellness Center will be located next to the fitness facility which was set up by Martin and Dr. Colin Hardie nearly 20 years ago as a flagship program of employee fitness.) The fitness center will be run by trained TELUS employees and staff volunteers. Linda and Jackie want to share what they've done with others and encourage other organizations to embrace workplace wellness…one step at a time. They have a vision and don't always know how they’ll get there, but they keep working at it by taking small steps and continually building. This program also has had strong support from the executive and staff volunteers (high level administrative support is vital to the sustained success of any program). It has a national focus with regionalized content and it could become a model for other Canadian companies. Their programs are not incentive based (no collect and redeem points reward system here!). They believe that people don’t have to be coerced into wellness, that wellness is a value in itself. Programs are free, or nominally priced, and TELUS employees are benefiting from them. Employee feedback has been uniformly positive. The Wellness Program gives people many choices and educates them on different aspects of wellness. Their centers include health professionals such as: Registered massage therapists, naturopathic doctors, nutritionists, and chiropractors. HOW IT ALL STARTED Three years ago the program began as a pilot initiative with Clearnet having naturopathic and massage therapy services available to staff. From there, a walking club, running club, lunch and learn sessions, and 'stress busters' (a stress management program) were added. In January, 2000 Wellness became a national education campaign and Clearnet was approached by a number of organizations wishing to benefit from their experience and to share ideas (e.g. Husky Injection Moldings). TELUS Mobility Wellness forms partnerships with local businesses related to wellness and community partners such as the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Canadian Cancer Society. They now offer health fairs, a naturopathic dispensary, on-site holistic-based clinics, classes (yoga, tai chi, martial arts, meditation, Latin dancing), bike racks, sports teams, picnics, lifestyle coaching, lending libraries, workshops, a newsletter, stop-smoking on-line program, a healthy eating cookbook, and discounted fitness memberships. WALK-A-DOG @ LUNCH At Speakwell, we were introduced to the TELUS Mobility Wellness Program when we learned about their "Walk-a-Dog @ Lunch program." This program is run by volunteers and was an idea from a wellness program team member. An animal shelter is located a 10 minute walk from the head office in Scarborough, Ontario. Participating employees are given a lead by the shelter, select a dog and take it for a walk. It's win-win for shelter and the TELUS employees with improved health and fitness for the employee, dogs get walked and there's even been an increased adoption rate! WELLNESS MISSION AND VALUES The wellness mission at TELUS Mobility is to "take a holistic approach to personal and organizational wellness" and to "encourage positive movement toward optimal well-being through opportunities for awareness, education and growth." Their values include: embracing change and initiating opportunity, believing in spirited teamwork, having the courage to innovate and having a passion for growth. The Wellness Team is helping to increase employee satisfaction, energy, coping mechanisms, productivity and overall outlook. The team helps make employees aware of lifestyle choices and change health-risk behaviors. The prevention and reduction in absenteeism and disability result in cost savings for the company. The company gains decreased health care costs and absenteeism and increased employee loyalty, retention and attraction as a company. For more information on TELUS Mobility and their Wellness Program contact Linda Lewis, National Wellness Manager at Linda.Lewis@telus.com or Jackie Riley, National Wellness National Coordinator at jackie.riley@telus.com.
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Get Moving By Donald B. Ardell
Recent research suggests what everyone knows, namely, Americans engage in too little exercise, compounded by the fact that what little they do undertake is insufficient to do much good. Specifically, the level of exercise engaged in by most is not enough to reduce the risk of heart disease or to boost the level of life quality. Not a good situation–the Surgeon General should insist on having labels attached to sneakers warning that too little utilization of the product can be hazardous to health. Most surveys consistently indicate that about 25 percent of citizens engage in no physical activity and, of the rest, less than half exercise with enough regularity and intensity to protect their hearts, let alone waistlines and fitness levels. Put another way, 75 percent of all Americans are either sedentary or getting less exercise than is necessary for good health. No wonder the medical system keeps growing! Guidelines are available on the levels of exercise considered sufficient for lowering varied disease risks, such as risks of heart disease and heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. The American Heart Association, for example, offers such information at no charge as a public service. While the positive rewards of vigorous exercise are not emphasized enough by the AHA, it is clear that following these recommended levels of activity will help in many positive ways. For example, such levels of exercise will strengthen muscles and bones, boost energy, facilitate weight control and promote similar attractive outcomes more appealing, it seems to me, than simply lowering the chances of something awful NOT happening in the future (i.e., having your heart attack you!). A University of Florida study was part of a four-year "walking project" sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute designed to assess how often and how hard people should exercise to receive the greatest cardiovascular benefits. One curious finding from this project is that many people don’t realize how little activity they are getting or, put another way, they overestimate what they think they get. In the University of Florida study, participants were given physical examinations and stress tests, asked to exercise and, after a week, to recall the amount and level of their daily activity. When the reported information was compared with data taken from heart rate monitors and activity logs completed by the participants, the investigators found that only 15 percent of people reached the recommended moderate intensity levels. In fact, while only 11 percent reported exercising at the hard intensity level, the heart rate monitors revealed that fewer than 2 percent reached that level. The lead investigator concluded "we must use caution in interpreting what sedentary adults tell us about their exercise habits, since they commonly overestimate the intensity of moderate activity." The wider conclusion is that Americans need to use less caution in the frequency and intensity of the exercise they actually perform, for if they fail to step it up, they won’t last as long as they otherwise could or have nearly as much fun. The Florida study concluded with a recommendation that people should engage in intensity levels that increase their metabolism to six times their energy consumption during rest and do so four times a week for 30 minutes to one hour. They defined "moderate intensity" as being the equivalent of a brisk walk, whereas "hard intensity" was defined as a level equivalent to jogging. All the best. Stay well, work out and look on the bright side of life.
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Poetry I was thinking I needed to find a good poem for this issue when a poem found me, in the form of a letter from one of my former students, Karen Harper. Karen was a beautiful dancer who included being a Toronto Argonauts cheerleader on her resume. She wrote me one of those letters that teachers and professors love to receive… "You have taught me so much about holistic living, simple pleasures, the importance of laughter and good friends and the power of music and poetry. Dr. Collis, you taught me to love life and I am so grateful. This concept of loving life seems so simple, but it wasn't for me for a long time. You helped open my eyes."
My Shoes By Karen Harper You've helped me mold my shoes, Not the kind you buy from a department store, specialty shop or vintage market. The kind of shoes I'm talking about are only found in the rarest of places, they are truly one of a kind and only fit one person. They are so comfortable and easy to walk in, I can walk forwards, backwards and sideways in these shoes. I can even dance in them! Even though they are comfy and simple, they are truly diverse. The pair matches, compliments each other Because they are the same but different. They are plain but colourful, Boring but funky, For inside and outside, To be dressed up or down. Serving so many functions, These shoes are purposeful and I owe their creation to you! Thank You |
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Recommended Reading Five very different books for you to consider.
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Fall Quotes The reverse side also
has a reverse side. Suburbia is where the
developer bulldozes down the trees, then name streets after them. I shot an arrow in
the air and it stuck. A lot of people mistake
a short memory for a clear conscience. Don't let it end like
this. Tell them I said something. There's a big difference
between firing a bullet and throwing a bullet. Organized crime in
U.S.A. generates over 40 billion a year in income and spends very little
on office supplies. For every action there
is an equal and opposite government program. The wages of sin go
unreported. It is no measure of
health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. |
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A Few Lifestyle Sayings for Your Bulletin Boards or Newsletters.
The above sayings come from TriFit and the National Quality Institute |
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Speaking Engagements
Martin speaks to friends and family at his wedding on August 11th.
September 8 - Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management— Vancouver, BC September 11 - Healthy Schools Program — Victoria, BC September 19 - Disability Resource Centre AGM -Victoria, BC September 27 - Correctional Services Volunteers - Abbottsford, BC September 28 - Metro Valley Newspapers Conference - Richmond, BC September 30 - Canadian Association of Independent Schools - Victoria, BC October 3 - Ministry of Provincial Revenue Consumer Taxation Branch - Victoria, BC October 4 - International Clinical Nurse Specialists Conference - Vancouver, BC October 18 - Health Summit Alliance for Prevention of Chronic Diseases - Winnipeg, MN October 19 - Ft. Garry Physical Educators Conference - Ft. Garry, MN October 22 - International Health, Work & Wellness Conference - Calgary, AB October 29 - Workplace Health, Safety & Compensation Commission - Moncton, NB November 1 - Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Conference - Victoria, BC November 1 - Pension Board - Victoria, BC November 2 - Lifesaving Society Symposium - Richmond, BC November 7 - Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation Workshop - Beaverton, OR November 16 - Central Care Homes - Victoria, BC November 19 & 22 - Vancouver General Hospital Staff Education Days - Vancouver, BC November 23 - Terry Fox Secondary School Professional Development Day - Port Coquitlam, BC November 23 - Kwayhquitlum Middle School Professional Development Day - Port Coquitlam, BC November 27 - Awareness Conference - Vancouver, BC December 10 - Whistler 2001 Communicating Physical Activity & Health Messages International Conference - Whistler, BC December 17 - Ministry of Community & Social Services -Mississauga, ON January 26 - Residence Life Conference - Hamilton, ON February 7 - Regina Health District Staff Education Day - Regina, SK February 10 - B.C. Psychologists Association Conference -Vancouver, BC February 15 - School District #23 Support
Staff - Kelowna, BC February 26 - Center for Cirriculum, Transfer & Technology -Victoria, BC February 27 - BCIT Professional Development Day - Vancouver, BC March 18 - (on hold) Buksa Health Authorities Forum - Edmonton, AB March 20 - Cornell University Wellness Program - Ithaca, NY March 27 - (on hold) Washington Schools Personnel Assoc. - Blaine, WA April 4 - (on hold) Kern County Public Health Department - Bakersfield, CA April 8 - Pacific Sport Seminar - Victoria, BC April 14 - Focus Conference - Victoria, BC April 26 - (on hold) School District #69 - Parksville, BC April 28 - Recreation Conference - Slave Lake, AB June 8 - Dietitians of Canada Annual Conference - St. John, NB June 26 - Seaside Health Promotion Conference - Seaside, OR |
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VISIONS OF WELLNESS
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The Journey By Martin Collis There was a major milestone on my journey on August 11th when I married Nancy Wardle. I met Nancy 31/2 years ago when we were both presenting at a regional conference concerned with Multiple Sclerosis. I stood at the back of Nancy's session and was mesmerized by her knowledge, eloquence and undisguised warmth and empathy for the many MS patients in the audience. One of the great joys in working as a speaker is that you get the opportunity to listen to some remarkable presenters and can be inspired and informed on an ongoing basis. The wedding was a success in every way. I sang to Nancy and she sang back to me. I managed to quote Bob Dylan from 'Wedding Song.'
Nancy responded with some Emily Dickinson and 'The Rose', the Amanda McBroom poem made famous by Bette Midler.
Nancy is the sort of physician that gives the profession a good name. She works in an area that is often overlooked in our medical system namely, helping patients chart a course through the challenges of chronic disease. She is knowledgeable about many areas of complementary medicine and helps people make effective choices as to how to get the most out of Western medicine and other healing modalities. She is all about wellness and compassion.
Injuries and arthritis prevented me from doing my annual triathlon this year so I joined up with Nancy and a high powered cyclist, Tom Reid, to compete as Team Speakwell in the Sri Chinmoy event in Victoria.
All seemed right with the world until September 11th which I heard about on my car radio driving to a speaking engagement. It seemed as though the world as we know it had been knocked off its axis by this made for TV terrorism. Suddenly we were faced with the sort of ugly realities that other parts of the world see on a daily basis. I realized how lucky I was as I watched my investments shrink, spent some extra time at airports and dealt with a couple of cancelled international conferences. These are inconveniences, while much of the world deals with hunger, dislocation and death.
Despite world events, all is well at Speakwell. Here is a dedication to the 'lovebirds' of Speakwell…
Angela & Dino |
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A Lifestyle Story A highly successful and dynamic business leader was having a few days vacation in Mexico. Ever alert to commerce, he was fascinated to watch the local fishing boats at work. After three days it became apparent that one fisherman consistently seemed to out perform the rest. He didn't fish long but always returned with his boat laden with fish. He approached the fisherman, whose name was Juan, and asked him about his consistently high catches. Juan said that it was a combination of local knowledge, fishing skill and a couple of family secrets that made him successful. The businessman pointed out to Juan that he only seemed to fish until about noon, and asked what he did with the rest of the day. "I take a siesta, see my wife, play with the kids and have a drink with my friends in the plaza." The businessman then made Juan a proposition, he would fund Juan to oversee a fleet of ten boats and by working twelve hours a day could he generate some huge dollars. Juan replied, "But why would I do that when I would have so little time for life's pleasures?" The businessman did some quick calculations and said, "Don't worry, in ten years you'll have made enough money to retire." "What would I do if I retired?" said Juan. The businessman thought, looked around at the picturesque village, and said, "You could take a siesta, spend time with your wife, play with your kids and have a few drinks with your friends in the plaza." |
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GRINS Wal-Mart is considering stocking wine in its US stores. Here are some possible best cellars.
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Wellness Cartoons
"I'm thinking of doing Pamplona this year."
"He's long gone, Sheriff - you'll never catch him!" |
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Let's Keep It Simple written by Bill Bush, Editor in Chief.
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In these challenging times you may wish to test your stress level. Stress Test (Circle the answer that applies to you.)
Add up your circled scores. If you score greater than 20, it's probable that your life is becoming unbalanced. Make some selected changes to decrease your stress (learning to say "No" often helps), and increase your de-stressors such as exercise, laughter and relaxation. This Stress Test also can be found in "The Little Book of Lifestyle Artistry." |
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