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My Personal Experience With Thermography

Karen Shackles — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:08:00 GMT

Earlier this year, I first heard about thermography. I have had regular mammograms since turning 40, but have not been comfortable with the idea of yearly radiation exposure, and as any woman knows who has had one, they are very painful. So after investigating further, I decided to make an appointment for thermal imaging.

Mammography is the “gold standard” of medical care in this country. Doctors can lose their licenses if they don’t recommend to their patients the approved protocol of mammography. Thermography is an additional screening tool, and can be used in conjunction with any other screening methods such as mammography, ultrasound, and MRIs. As an individual, I made the personal decision to replace my mammogram screening this year with a thermogram. Some women may choose to have both types of screenings done. This is a decision every woman must make for herself, and I don’t advocate one way or the other. I am simply sharing my personal experience.

We are fortunate in Colorado to have the Thermogram Center located on the Front Range. The entire experience was stress- and pain-free. From the time I made my appointment, I was provided with detailed information as to what to expect. The atmosphere at the screening location was calm and nurturing. At all times, the technician respected my privacy and modesty.

The screening itself involved standing in a cool, darkened room in front of the imaging device, disrobed to the waist, and turning different directions as instructed by the female technician, whose back was towards me. It took about 15 minutes for the actual imaging. Afterwards, the technician went over a preliminary review of the scans, spending an additional 45 minutes with me. The images were then sent to a qualified MD for reading and interpretation. In about a week, I received my very detailed results in the mail, and had a telephone follow-up appointment which was 45 minutes long, during which the technician explained the results, answered all of my questions, and made recommendations based on the results of my screening.

With a mammogram, aside from the unpleasantness of the screening procedure, all that I ever received was a note to say if it was normal or not – no details, no follow-up. What I really like about thermography is that it is not just looking for existing cancer, like a mammogram. It is screening for specific risk factors BEFORE cancer has formed, allowing time for lifestyle changes or other appropriate actions to prevent it. The detail in the report I received was amazing, and extremely valuable.

The cost for the breast thermography was a little more, but comparable to what I would pay for a mammogram. And your insurance may cover thermography – when you call the Thermogram Center they will give you the information you need to have to check with your insurance carrier.

And one other thing – thermography isn’t just for breast screening. Any part of the body can be imaged. I decided to have the full head, neck, chest, and abdomen screening, and from those results have been able to pinpoint and receive follow-up treatment for several health issues which have been elusive to diagnose up until now.

I am extremely happy with my decision to try thermography, and I would recommend it to anyone. The value I received for the cost was by far above and beyond anything I’ve ever gotten from having a mammogram. This is definitely part of my regular preventive health care regimen from now on.

Additional information is available from the Breast Health Education Group. Also, please read the informative article I have reprinted by permission in my blog entry "A Better Breast Test?"

From my heart to yours,

Karen

A Better Breast Test?

Karen Shackles — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:01:00 GMT

The following article is provided by THE THERMOGRAM CENTER and is reprinted with permission.
For my personal experience with thermography, see my blog entry.

A Better Breast Test?

By William Amalu, D.C.

Some experts think a thermogram can detect cancer much sooner than a mammogram can.

Natalie, a 52-year-old marketing executive, was concerned about the small lump she could feel in her breast. She had just ha a mammogram, and there were no signs of a lump on the image. Her doctor told her not to worry, that the lump was undoubtedly benign and would probably go away in time. But she wasn’t comforted. Her mother had died of breast cancer, and she knew that meant she faced a greater-than-average risk. She was also aware that mammography isn’t perfect, and that her test might well have missed something important.

So she decided to do a little research on her own. After cruising the web, she became intrigued with thermography, an imaging technique that uses specialized infrared cameras to take a picture of the breast, and she decided to have the test performed at our center. It’s a good thing she did. The thermogram clearly showed increased heat and blood vessel activity in the area of the lump, which suggested a possible cancerous or precancerous change in the breast.

Sure enough, a lumpectomy confirmed it was cancer. Natalie’s surgeon told her how lucky she was that it was being treated promptly, because the cancer was very small and had not invaded surrounding tissues. What would have happened if she had waited?

This year, over 190,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. Shocking as this number is, even more troubling is the number of cancers that won’t be found until it’s too late; each year more than 40,000 women die of the disease. The consensus among experts is that early detection greatly boosts the chances for survival: The sooner you catch a malignancy, the sooner you can get on a treatment path towards a cure.

Unfortunately, mammography, the current gold standard of detection, isn’t sensitive enough to catch most cancers in time. Among older women, whose breast tissue is less dense and therefore easier to screen, mammography misses about 20 percent of cancers. When you include younger women, whose breast tissue is firmer, that percentage can go as high as 40.

The problem with mammography is that it’s basically an after-the-fact technology. By the time most cancers are detected, they have already been growing for nearly ten years and have actually cohered into a visually detectable and sometimes palpable mass. To make a real dent in cancer mortality, which hasn’t changed much in the last 40 years, we need a screening test that not only detects existing cancers but can also give us an early indication that the cancerous process has begun.

That’s where thermography comes in. Thermal imaging was first used for observing battlefield troop movements at night. When the technology was declassified in the mid-1050s, Raymond Lawson, a surgeon and tumor metabolism researcher, thought perhaps this technology could be used to detect the increase in heat that cancerous breast tumors produce. In 1959, the first medical thermogram to investigate breast cancer was taken; in 1982, thermography was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an adjunctive screening procedure, meant to supplement mammography and other traditional tests for disease.

Unlike mammograms and other imaging devices such as MRIs and ultrasound, thermography detects metabolic changes within the breast tissue itself that suggest the beginnings of a possible tumor. When a cancer is forming, it develops its own blood supply in order to feed its accelerated growth, a process known as malignant angiogenesis. And cells can start this process well in advance of when they turn malignant. When they do, the increased blood supply causes abnormal heat activity in the breast, which a specialized infrared camera can pick up. Studies suggest that thermography can detect this activity ten years before any other exam.

Thermograms can also indicate a tumor’s aggressiveness, which we now know has more to do with its cellular biology than with its size. Thus, a very small tumor may have the ability to invade the body and lead to death, while a larger one may not. A thermogram can’t provide an actual tissue analysis, but it can suggest whether the cancer is highly active and may be spreading. The same metabolic activity that doesn’t show u p on a mammogram can be apparent in one, two, three, or all four quadrants of the breast in a thermographic image. The larger the area of the breast that’s involved in this activity, the more likely the cancer is aggressive.

And that’s not all. Breast thermography has the added ability to observe the activity of particular cancer-causing hormones in the breasts. Research suggests that cumulative exposure of the breasts to estrogen—due to delayed childbearing and a host of possible environmental factors—is a major risk factor for breast cancer. In only the last two years, it’s been discovered that levels of estrogen in the breast can measure as much as 50 times those found in the blood. When hormone activity in the breast is dominated by estrogen, a specific type of infrared image is produced.

Finally, from my patients’ point of view, the exam itself is much less stressful than a mammogram. It’s completely harmless, uses no radiation, and doesn’t involve the often painful compression of the breasts that mammography does.

All well and good, you might say, but what’s a woman to do with this information? Suppose you have a thermogram that suggests the possibility of cancer, but all your other tests are negative. There’s no magic bullet for breast cancer prevention, so are we really just creating more worried women than we already have with mammography?

With the advance warning thermography provides, a variety of early treatment options become available, ranging from simple lifestyle changes—exercise has shown great promise—to the use of immune-enhancing and natural anti-angiogenesis agents. Follow-up thermograms can help you monitor your progress in reversing troublesome changes in the breast—and make appropriate changes if necessary. For women whose breast changes appear estrogen-related, many practitioners recommend progesterone creams, which are applied directly to the breasts. The progesterone enters the breast tissue and counteracts the effects of estrogen. Many women who have used these creams have gone on to have normal thermograms.

Thermography is particularly useful for women under 40, in whom the incidence of breast cancer is steadily rising. Fifteen percent of breast cancers show up in this age group, and breast cancers in younger women tend to be more aggressive, resulting in lower survival rates. Any woman with a personal or family history of the disease—particularly if her mother, sister, or daughter was diagnosed before age 50—should consider it as well.

At this time, the sad truth is that no single screening procedure can detect 100 percent of all breast cancers. But thermography can at least up the odds. It’s not designed to replace any other technology, but to be used in addition to a woman’s standard breast health care. Along with regular mammograms starting at age 40, ideally every woman should get a baseline thermogram at age 20, and be retested once every three years until she’s 30, and then be tested once a year after that.

Unfortunately, qualified breast thermography centers can be hard to find. However, with increasing demand for the test, established organizations such as the International Academy of Clinical Thermology (IACT) are actively seeking personnel for training as certified technicians. When looking for a center, make sure the technician who is performing the scan and the doctor who interprets it are board-certified by a reputable organization such as the International Thermographic Society, American Academy of Medical Infrared Imaging, American Academy of Thermology, or IACT. Or check the IACT website for a list of qualified practitioners.

I only wish my stepsister Robin had known about thermography. Her doctor had told her not to worry about the lump in her breast, since a recent mammogram had turned up negative. Soon after, however, she noticed suspicious changes in the skin of her breast, so she went for a biopsy. It revealed a cancer, and her breast was removed. Then she went through chemotherapy, suffered greatly, and died five years later, leaving two young daughters and a loving husband.

Robin was 42 when she was diagnosed, and she had been careful to schedule a mammogram each year since turning 40. Yet her surgeon told her that her cancer had already been growing for about eight years. It’s tragic to think a thermogram might have saved her life.

William Amalu is a doctor of chiropractic medicine and a board-certified clinical thermologist. He is currently president of the International Academy of Clinical Thermology and has used thermography in his practice in Redwood City, CA for more than 12 years.

Validation

Karen Shackles — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:35:00 GMT

This video clip has been out for awhile, you may have seen it already. I'm posting it again for two reasons. First, I think the message is a good one worth repeating. But second, I discovered a very unexpected swirl of controversy about this message, and decided I'd like to explore it further and get your feedback.

The message of the video is Validation, and how we treat other people can have a profound impact on their lives.

The controversy comes from those who feel that we should not look for outside validation. That we should be happy within ourselves and not need someone else to stroke our ego in order to be happy.

My personal thoughts are: First, I do believe that ultimately happiness is an inside job. A person can decide if they want to be happy or be miserable. You can look for the silver lining in every cloud, or just sit under the black cloud and cry. However, that having been said, there is a lot more to it than that. Maybe a person is depressed and they aren't able to lift themselves above that black cloud without help. Also, we are not individual islands. Everyone is connected. We need other people. And while I do not think it's healthy for someone to have to depend on others for their self-esteem, we do all need an encouraging word from time to time, and we also thrive on genuine commendation (not empty flattery - that's something altogether different).

So, I like this video, and I appreciate it when a stranger smiles at me or says something nice. I try to do the same, and doing it also makes me feel good. I think that's a healthy human interchange. What do you think?

WATCH VALIDATION VIDEO CLIP

After you watch the clip, please leave me your comments below.

From my heart to yours,
Karen

"Riding the Waves" - a viable sustainable energy source?

Karen Shackles — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:08:00 GMT

Plants growing on the ocean floor sway gently back and forth with the motion of the waves. How cool would it be to be able to harness that energy to generate electricity? Well, that's just what Australian energy company BioPower Systems is attempting to do.

Collaborating with the City of San Francisco, they are investigating wave energy generation from the Pacific Ocean through their Oceanside Wave Energy Project.

It is anticipated that the potential energy generated could power anywhere between 3,000 and 30,000 homes annually.

Click here to see the bioWAVE farm in action.

Now that's catching a wave!

From my heart to yours,
Karen

Rats being trained to detect land mines and TB bacterium

Karen Shackles — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:46:00 GMT

We usually don't think fondly of rats. (Unless maybe you've read "Mrs. Frisby & the Rats of Nimh") But rats are highly intelligent, adaptive creatures.

Similar to using dogs to detect drugs, an organization called APOPO is training rats to sniff out land mines and also detect disease, such as tuberculosis.

I thought this was pretty cool - read the article here:

RATS CAN SAVE LIVES

If it's fun, people will do it

Karen Shackles — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:26:00 GMT

This video shows how making something fun can change people's behavior.
Watch this fun 2-minute video.

"PIANO STAIRS"

What can you do to make active lifestyle changes fun for you? I'd love to hear your ideas!

My heart to yours,
Karen

Habits - the chains that bind

Karen Shackles — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:36:00 GMT

We hear phrases like "breaking" or "kicking" a habit, usually one thought of as a bad habit. But what exactly is a habit? Simply, habits are patterns of behavior that control what we do. Habits can be perceived as good, neutral, or bad.

Our brains work in such a way that we become used to the repetition of certain actions. Electronic pathways are formed that anticipate, then regulate, this behavior. It's kind of like wearing a path in the grass. Once this happens, that path is there for a long time. So in order to change your behavior, you have to wear a new path. And the old path is always there, lurking in the background, ready to resurface and become dominant again if you go back to walking on it.

This explains why it can be such a challenge to change one's behavior. Some will say that it takes 21 repetitions to form a new habit, giving the impression that if you can do something 21 times, that's it - old habit gone, new habit created, no more effort required. The truth is, you have to continue to stimulate those new electronic pathways so they stay dominant over the older ones. This can take a year or longer. For some, especially when habits have been linked to an addiction of some kind, the effort is lifelong.

Understanding this is the key to successfully making changes in your life. Whether you are changing the way you eat, starting a fitness program, quitting smoking, or altering the way you think about things, it is a gradual process. Taking daily "baby steps" will give you much greater success in the long-term than making sudden drastic changes.

Let me add one caveat to that statement: Using smoking as an example, some people do well with the "cold turkey" method of making a change and for some things it is desirable to make a clean break. However, in order to be successful in sticking to that change long-term, it will still require changes in daily habits. Did you always light up right after a meal? Now you need to replace that urge with another activity, so that over time the old impulse will fade to the background.

If you are working on changing a habit, don't be discouraged if you have a relapse. Just start again with the new habit you are creating, and with persistence over time you will succeed.

From my heart to yours,
Karen

Personal coaching can be a powerful tool to help you succeed in making long-term changes. I'm happy to answer your questions about my coaching services, and give you a sample coaching session to try it out. Contact me for more information.

About that unusual profile picture . . .

Karen Shackles — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:51:00 GMT

You may be wondering why I would use a picture of myself thrashing around in a pool of water for my profile picture. Well, here's the story:

We were camping a couple of weeks ago in the forest above Marble, Colorado. Our camp was close to 10,000 feet in elevation, next to the cascading waterfalls of the Crystal River. My brother-in-law came up with the bright idea to swim in the pool below one of the waterfalls. Keep in mind, this is a snow-fed river, temperature of the water in the low 40 degrees.




Something you need to know about me is that I hate to be cold. Funny, considering where I live we have six months of winter. I love being by the fire, drinking hot tea, and feeling the fresh cool air. I just want to be in my flannel jammies & thick socks while I'm at it!

In the past I tended to hide behind fear, never venturing out of my comfort zone in any way. Over the past few years, though, I've been on a personal journey and pushing myself to do things I would never have done before. Both in business and personal life. So when the suggestion to swim in the frigid water was made, I heard this voice saying, "OK, I will if you will," and then realized it was me talking. Yikes!!!

Next thing I know, I'm in our tent putting on my swimming suit (and wool socks). Yep, that's me stepping boldly down the path towards the river, quickly before I can change my mind. Then plunging into the water. I'm gasping, I'm screaming, I'm paddling around like a crazy person, then climbing out as fast as I can before my body temperature drops. I was in the water for about 30 seconds, long enough to swim to the waterfall and back, without getting hypothermia. But as you can see from the picture, I was also grinning from ear to ear. I DID IT! And I felt AWESOME!



In life sometimes when we face challenges - in business, our lifestyle, or relationships, we have to take the plunge, set fear aside and just jump in. We will emerge stronger, more sure of ourselves, and with that inner cheer saying, "Yay for you - you did it!"

Even though it wasn't my idea, I was the only person to act on it and actually jump into the river that day. If you hear something that catches your attention, don't be afraid to take action just because it wasn't your idea to begin with. Who knows, everyone else may be too afraid to risk acting, and you can lead the way.

So, what's your challenge? What icy-cold mountain river did you jump into today? I'd love to hear about it!

Rose Hip Tea

Karen Shackles — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:37:00 GMT

This time of year as I head out for my daily hike, I take along a mesh bag to collect rose hips and berries to dry and make a tasty immune-boosting tea for the winter.

Rose hips are extremely high in Vitamin C - just three rose hips will have about as much Vitamin C as an orange. Plus they are also rich in Vitamins A, B, E, and K. Rose hips form after the blossom drops off, and during September they reach ripeness. They start off green, then gradually turn a bright orange-red color.

Collecting: Be earth-friendly in your harvesting methods. Never strip a plant of all of its hips. Take a few, then move on to another plant. If you collect hips from a wide area, you will benefit from the fluctuations in nutrient content from different soil. And remember, we're not the only ones eating this plant. Take a little, but leave a generous amount behind for the birds and animals.

Rinse the hips in water, pat dry, remove stems and spread on a clean surface like a cookie sheet. It will take a couple of weeks for the hips to dry. They will become hard and wrinkly. Crush or grind the dried hips and store in a glass jar.

To make tea, use about two teaspoons for a cup, add boiling water, and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. I use a French press, or you can use a tea strainer to hold the loose plant in your cup. Sweeten to taste with honey or stevia. Avoid sugar of all sorts as this will counteract the anti-oxidant properties you are looking for.

The "Microwave Mentality" - are unrealistic expectations sabotaging your success?

Karen Shackles — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:47:00 GMT

In our modern culture of instant everything, do you feel as if you were trying to live in the old children’s story of Jack & the Beanstalk? You remember: Jack finds magic beans that sprout overnight into the beanstalk that leads him to an instant solution to his problems. But while we look for the magic beans, we put off the small daily actions that will actually get us somewhere. I call this the “microwave mentality,” and I see it affecting people in their health, finances, and relationships.

Magic Pills, Patches, and Powders
Have you fallen for the media hype of the latest pill, patch, or diet that is going to turn you into a new person practically overnight with no effort? I was on that merry-go-round for years. I lost the same 20 or 30 pounds over and over again, only to gain it back with a few more. The reality is that these instant solutions don’t work, or any results are short-lived. And in the process, we are kept from the real solution – making small, gradual lifestyle changes over time.

As you focus on making healthy choices each day, you will feel better about yourself, build up a track record of successes, and see gradual but real progress being made. You will be looking big picture and long-term, not just being caught up in the “right now.”

Lucky Lottery
We’re also bombarded with sales pitches for the latest marketing program that runs itself and will provide a six-figure income without us having to lift a finger. We buy lottery tickets hoping for that lucky windfall, or we just bury our heads in the sand and believe that somehow we will be able to retire even though we have little to no savings and a huge debt load. We hit our 40s thinking that it’s too late; we’ve missed our chance to build a nest egg. In the meantime, unless we find some way to make a huge leap financially, or come up with a large sum to invest, we do nothing.

If you saved only $1 per day, and invested it at 15%, in 40 years you would have a million dollars. Coming up with $1 day is not hard. One method is to just save your change, or have $30 automatically taken out of your paycheck and put into a savings account. Opportunities to invest at a higher interest rate will arise if you have some money set aside. Sound too simple, or too “not enough”? Well, if all you did was throw your change in a big jar, you’d have about $300 in a year. That’s without investing it. If I offered to hand you $300 right now, no strings attached, would you turn it down because it’s not a large enough sum? I doubt it. Don’t allow the microwave mentality to prevent you from saving something, even if it’s just a little bit. Little bits have a way of turning into rivers.

“Just Add Water” Relationships
With one click we can add “friends” to whichever social space we’re on – click, instant relationship. But it doesn’t work that way in real life. To get to know another person takes time, commitment, and daily dialogue. The “quality-not-quantity” lie persists, as if a few minutes of “quality” time with someone can make up for the hours and days of a relationship vacuum in between. It would be like trying to sew with a few big knots here and there. But it’s the tiny, consistent stitches that hold a garment together. Real relationships that endure take long-term commitment and daily effort. There is no “instant.”

Each day, write down something positive about your loved one. Be generous with praise, say “thank you” a lot. Give heart hugs, and say “I love you.” Focus on their good qualities, the things that attracted you to them in the first place. Give them as much of your time as you can. Talk to them, not at them, and learn the art of listening. Above all, view the relationship as a permanent part of your life, not something that will ever be thrown aside.

Little Things Add Up
If a ship left New York heading for England, and the rudder was off just one degree, the ship would end up somewhere in Africa. The fact is, small consistent actions over a period of time bring huge results. Ditch the microwave mentality. Stop procrastinating, avoiding daily actions while you wait for your magic beans. Don’t worry about taking huge leaps forward. Each day, do one thing, one little thing, to move you towards your goals. A year from now you will look back and be amazed at the progress you have made.

A Helping Hand
Sometimes, we just need a helping hand, a gentle nudge, or someone to hold us accountable without passing judgment. This is what I do, and if you’d like a complimentary, no strings attached, coaching session, contact me. At the least, you’ll receive your own personalized action plan. And if you choose to continue, my coaching programs begin for as little as $12.50 per week. Get more details HERE.

From my heart to yours,
Karen

"SteamPotVille" by Steve Ouch – A Review (Dreamers Welcome)

Karen Shackles — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:53:00 GMT

In the Information Age, literacy is vital. Not just abbreviated texting literacy, but real reading skills, comprehension, and retention. Those with the ability to clearly communicate their ideas will continue to stand out from the crowd.

In spite of the swing towards video and audio communication, reading remains a core competency. It is through reading that one develops a strong vocabulary. Reading also stimulates the imagination in ways that simply watching a movie cannot. Studies have shown that children who learn to read well at a young age have a lifelong advantage over those who do not. And it is during their pre-school years that children develop the critical foundation of skills that will allow them to be successful in life.

But in the modern age of non-stop TV, movies, and video games, it can be a challenge to catch and hold a young child’s attention with a book. It can seem so
. . . well, boring.

Enter author/illustrator Steve Ouch, “discoverer” of the colorful, zany world of SteamPotVille. A fantasy world that slips into your dreams, populated by wonderful animals, and where everything turns topsy-turvy.

This is a book that you and your child will both love. Covering 40 pages, the tale of SteamPotVille is told in lyrical rhymes, with each stanza accompanied by illustrations that can only be described as breathtaking in their detail. It is one of those books that will become an instant favorite, delighting, captivating, and entertaining.

Through his book and promotional campaigns, Steve Ouch is actively supporting literacy for children. He endorses the Books for Kids Foundation, and is using the viral power of Social Media to raise awareness for children’s literacy.

SteamPotVille is appropriate for children ages 9 and under, and those of us who still treasure some of the wonderment of childhood in our hearts.

Click HERE to read another review, from a mom who has kid-tested this book herself.

Karen Shackles
Author, Speaker, forty-something lover of children’s books, and avid reader since the age of five.
(see my current project)

Cows With Guns

Karen Shackles — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:28:00 GMT

If laughter is inner jogging, then this music video will give you your workout for today!

Simple Techniques to Successfully Control Stress

Karen Shackles — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:59:00 GMT

Fearful, negative news - it’s everywhere these days: “FINANCIAL CRISIS, JOB LAYOFFS, CONTINUED ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, TIGHTEN YOUR BELTS, IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE . . .” It used to be that managing a healthy weight was the number one wellness concern of the people I talked to. Today, it is practically unanimous, how to cope with STRESS is at the top of the list. I had intended for my next blog post to be on the topic of New Beginnings. But I’m going to postpone that for just a bit, and talk to you instead about exactly what stress is, and give you some powerful strategies that will help you regain your sense of balance and control.

WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress, in its most basic definition, is how a person responds to change. Stress, of itself, is not tension or anxiety. Emotions come from how a person perceives the change, as either good or bad.

The physical process that happens in the body in response to stress is a release of adrenaline. It is chronic high adrenaline levels that can cause stress-related physical damage such as: heart disease, stroke, suppressed immune system, diabetes, ulcers and digestive issues, skin and hair problems, arthritis, headaches, and high blood pressure. A person's response to stress can also result in challenged relationships, mental and emotional turmoil, lack of clarity in thought processes, inefficiency at work, and other problems.

At the root, stress is that "fight or flight" response with the accompanying physical manifestation of a rush of adrenaline to ready one's body for action. But our bodies are not meant to maintain that long-term, it is supposed to be a short-term biological process.

For example, think about watching a nature program on TV showing a herd of zebras being stalked by a lion. The zebras are out there grazing, calm (unstressed). Then they become aware of the lion. Boom - their instinct says "run!" and they take off, running flat out to escape, hearts pounding, adrenaline rushing. Then the lion catches one. The hunt is over. The lion is still there, but the perception of danger is gone. The zebras stop running, and go back to calmly grazing while the lion munches on his dinner. This all happens within just a few minutes of time. Now think about what would happen to that herd of zebras if they just kept running flat out even after the lion stopped chasing them. How long would it be before they collapsed?

To put this back in human terms: When a stress response is triggered and sustained for long periods of time, the body is trapped in a biological state of emergency.

NOT ALL STRESS IS BAD
"Stress" is the body's non-specific response to any demand placed on it.

A "stressor" is any external stimulus that causes a physiological or behavioral change in a person.

And a "stress response" is how a person responds to a stressor.

Not all stressors are bad, such as landing a really great contract that you wanted, planning a wedding, or going on vacation. In its positive form, stress can be motivating, and help you maintain focus. Without stimulation, the mind and body break down. Just look at people who retire but don't replace their work time with other activities that they enjoy and value. They wither up and die.

The determination of stress being "good" or "bad" is really tied to a person's stress response. Some things we can control, and other things we can't. This is a fact that will not change. But your perception of the stressors and the way you respond to them can be changed.

For example, the little thing that can really get me steamed up: someone driving slow in the left lane causing a traffic bottleneck. I can react with anger and frustration, or instead put something I enjoy listening to in the CD player, take a deep breath, look out at the scenery, and let it go. The stressor is the same, but the stress reaction has been changed from negative to positive.

This is not to say that everything can be painted with a rosy tint. Some stressors will bring a painful or negative stress response, such as illness, death, disappointment, financial worries, or family issues.

This is where "stress management" comes into play. Not to say that stressors will be eliminated, but how you respond can be managed so that the negative physical and emotional results are diminished.

Do not expect to change the habits of a lifetime over-night. Your stress responses are the product of your upbringing and life experiences up until now. So the first step to making positive changes is to acknowledge that, and then begin to pay attention and be aware of how you react to different stressors.

DO YOU APPROACH OR AVOID?
Your answer can tell you which coping style you adopt. People generally fall into two basic categories of reaction to stress:

Approachers want to know everything they can about the situation, questioning and worrying. They can't rest until the problem is dealt with.
Avoiders tend to push things away. They deal with problems by withdrawing from them.

Neither of these responses is right or wrong. Avoiders tend to cope best with short-term crisis situations, while Approachers seem to handle long-term stress better. Knowing which type you are can help you choose stress-reduction techniques that fit your style.

AVOIDERS NEED QUIET TIME
If you're an Avoider, you tend to handle stress by blocking out the external world. Meditation, reading, taking a quiet walk, or a hot bath can be effective stress reducers for you.

You may need special help though--such as biofeedback--in recognizing your body's reaction to stress, since you may tend not to be aware of it on your own. You may also need the help of a therapist or support group if a serious crisis comes along such as the death of a spouse or loss of a job.

Some Avoiders can be drawn to drugs and alcohol to escape their problems, so make sure to focus on healthy ways to deal with your stressors, and don't isolate yourself from supportive friends.

APPROACHERS NEED ACTION
If you're an Approacher, you tend to "stew" over your circumstances, and feel upset in situations you can't control. Try taking a solution-oriented approach: Write down your worries as they arise, then set them aside. At an appropriate time, allow yourself time to go over them and find solutions.

You are likely very aware of your symptoms of stress--jitters, butterflies in the stomach, or tense muscles. Exercise can help you relieve this physical tension. But focus on exercise that requires concentration, like tennis or racquetball, instead of activities that allow you to replay your worries in your mind.

Regardless of your coping type, you can manage your stress effectively by choosing relaxation activities that you look forward to, enjoy doing, and that help you feel better afterward.

ACTION PLAN: Track Your Stress Reaction
Keep a "Stress Journal" to track your stress reactions for two weeks. (If you use my Virtual Coaching Office, you have an online tracker that you can record your notes in.) Record the following details and look for common themes:

Triggers: What stressors are you experiencing?
Details: time frequency, who you are with, what you are doing
Response: How did you cope or react? How did you feel before and after this coping mechanism?

What may be a more positive way to respond to your stressors? Explore the idea of different activities you can use to relieve your stress reaction based on either the Approach or Avoid response. Try one new activity and see how you feel afterward - did you enjoy it? did it help you feel better? Use this knowledge and keep trying different things until you find something that clicks.

STRESS-REDUCING EXERCISE: Chi (Energy) Breathing

To help gain control over your stress response and restore a sense of calm and relaxation, do this breathing exercise for 5 minutes while seated in a quiet and comfortable place.

Close your eyes.
Picture a peaceful, beautiful landscape, like the ocean, mountains, a gentle waterfall, or flower-filled meadow.
Put your mouth into a soft smile.
Place your right hand in the middle of your chest and your left hand on your abdomen, right below your ribs and above your belly button.
Inhale slowly through your nostrils from the bottom up, so that you feel your left hand move out first, immediately followed by your right hand moving out.
As you inhale, picture the air filling your whole body with a clear emerald green light.
Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth.
As you exhale, picture all your worries and tension leaving your body in a gray cloud that floats away into space.
To finish the exercise, imagine your whole body surrounded by a warm, rose-colored light, and gently open your eyes.

WHAT TO DO NOW
Leave a comment here to let me know how this information has helped you, or what concern you would like me to write about, and you could be selected to receive a free coaching session with me and your own personalized action plan.

My True Story: Do Diets Make You Fat?

Karen Shackles — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:14:00 GMT

Depending on the source of statistics, 50- 70% of Americans are overweight. Three quarters of adults list weight loss as their number one goal. We have celebrity diets, pills, patches, juices, shakes, high protein, low carbs - the list goes on and on.  So what's wrong? With all this dieting, you'd think we would all be thin, trim, and healthy.

I gained 70 pounds on the diet merry-go-round. After years of being overweight, I was finally successful in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. And it wasn't by dieting. I studied, researched, and investigated to figure out what was wrong with the whole dieting scene. Here's what I discovered:

Simply put, fat people think fat.  Now before you get mad, or think this is just some "manifesting" mumbo jumbo, let me explain what I mean by that statement. The whole concept of dieting is based on flawed thinking.

1. The "Quick Fix"
Most diets incorporate in varying degrees the idea of fast weight loss. While they put their disclaimer at the bottom of the page in tiny print, "Results not typical" - the bold headlines are screaming "Lose weight fast!" Get real. You didn't gain your extra weight in a few weeks, it's not reasonable or healthy to expect to lose it all in a few weeks. Notice I didn't say you couldn't. But reality is, if you do drop weight fast, you'll most likely gain it all back, plus more, in short order. This is related to the next point . . .

2. A Temporary Plan
"I'm on a diet." It's like saying "I'm on vacation." It's a temporary mindset. You're on a diet, you lose weight, then you go off the diet. You gain weight, go back on a diet, lose weight, and go off. It's a vicious cycle, and with each spin of the wheel you gain more weight and lose less.

3. Thin = Healthy
Our culture has promoted the idea that thin means healthy. This is just wrong. To illustrate: I have two close friends, one is model-thin, the other quite a bit overweight. My thin friend never gives her body the nutrition it needs. She's exhausted and sick all the time. My overweight friend, while not an image of glowing health, works on choosing healthy foods to eat in reasonable portions. In terms of endurance, she runs circles around my thin friend. The point is, dieting puts the focus all on weight and size, not on fitness. You are assured that you can lose weight with . . .

4. No Exercise
OK, a lot of people aren't going to like this one, but here it is. You have to exercise. Our bodies are made to move. I'm not saying you have to be an athlete, or run 5 miles every day. But you have to get at least some exercise into your daily routine, even if you start with two minutes at a time.

The Solution
Forget the diet. Put the bathroom scale in a closet.  Switch your focus from losing weight to being healthy. Think about things like making more nutritious food choices, keeping an eye on portion size, and finding ways to get some activity into your schedule. Be patient with yourself, and take baby steps.

I've made this journey, and I can help you. Get off the diet merry-go-round and begin your own journey with a personal consultation and customized action plan - my gift to you. It's free, confidential, with no strings attached. Rediscover the beautiful, vital person that you are from the inside out. Contact me today.

My heart to yours,
Karen

Generational Fragmentation

Karen Shackles — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:58:00 GMT

I had an interesting conversation with a friend today about the growing communication gap between generations. He recently asked some teens what they thought the reason was for this, and their response was their use of modern technology. So we were discussing why this might be.

Youths today are linked in to continuous communication with a large, extended group of their peers via text messaging and Internet chatting and social networks like MySpace and Facebook. While the demographics are changing to include the older generation, for the most part these sites are populated by people under the age of 25. This instant, continuous communication has created a culture which is almost exclusive to youths, as the "grownups" are struggling to keep up with all the latest in technology.

Not that long ago, pre-Internet, pre-texting, you either had to physically meet up with your friends or use the telephone. One's peer circle was therefore more limited, both in size and in time spent together. Youths were exposed to more time and conversation with adults than they typically are now.

What I see happening is a loss of what I call generational wisdom. Those little bits of life stories, experiences, and knowledge passed from one generation to the next through daily mundane conversations. The modern lifestyle has family members all going separate ways, having dinner together without the TV on is almost unheard of, and meanwhile the kids are chatting and texting non-stop with their peers.

On the other hand, we see the unprecedented success of President Obama's campaign in reaching out to the younger generation by utilizing all the different "tech-tools." Not only did he have a web site, but he blogged, put videos on YouTube, and texted, just to mention a few, and the results are obvious.

There is a balance to be struck. For my part, I'm learning new things every day to reduce my "techno-dummy" status. And at the same time, I am putting forth an effort to reach out to the youths I know and engage them in some good old-fashioned conversation. We each have something to give, and to learn from, the other, and isn't that what communication is all about?

My heart to yours,
Karen

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Do you have these 3 crucial qualities?

Karen Shackles — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:58:00 GMT

So it's 2009 and you have your list of goals for the new year. Maybe you want to lose weight, quit smoking, start a new business, find a compatible partner, learn another language, play a musical instrument, or travel to a certain place. You have your goals written down, and you are really excited that THIS will be the year for change in your life. So how can you make it happen, 'for reals' this time, instead of just starting and having "life" take back over in a few weeks? There are three qualities that you must cultivate:

1. Self-Esteem - You like yourself, without being arrogant or conceited.

Esteem implies a warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation of something. If you don't like yourself, you won't accept that others like you. You can have all the self-confidence in the world, but without self-esteem, you won't accept esteem from others.

If you need to boost your self-esteem, Brian Tracy suggests looking at yourself in the mirror, grinning, and saying out loud with enthusiasm, "I like myself!, I like myself! I like myself!" Personally, I add leaping. Now, I will admit, this makes the cats freak out. But you won't believe how good it makes you feel to leap through the house shouting at the top of your voice, "I like myself!" Go ahead - try it (but you might want to close the curtains first).

2. Self-Confidence - Faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way.

Confidence is related to trust. If you have confidence in another person, it is based on your experiences with them that have shown they can be trusted. Self-confidence is trust in oneself. You know you can do it.

If you are starting something new and big, you may have butterflies in your tummy, and you may have that nasty gremlin perched on your shoulder whispering in your ear. But self-confidence allows you to accept the opportunity and take action. And with each action that you take, the butterflies will settle down and you can tell the gremlin to shut up. Your confidence in yourself grows. You tell yourself, "I can do this and I know I can" until it becomes reality. Whenever I need to kick that gremlin off my shoulder, I listen to one of my favorite mentors, Lisa Jimenez.

3. Positive Self-Expectancy - You anticipate and expect success.

Expectancy has a high degree of certainty and usually involves the idea of preparing or envisioning. One of the top trainers of our time, Denis Waitley, explains that athletes or performers train by not only practicing their skills, but also by picturing themselves giving a perfect performance and visualizing it in full detail.

Have you seen the movie Cool Runnings? It's a comedy about the first Jamaican Olympic bobsled team. (if you haven't seen it, you should - it's funny, it's inspiring, and it's family-friendly). The team leader prepares for the race by sitting in the bathtub and visualizing every turn on the racing track. He's doing a perfect run inside his head.

Athletes and astronauts alike use this method because it works. So sit down, close your eyes, and play a mental movie of yourself doing whatever it is you want to do perfectly, and picture people responding to you exactly the way you want them to.

By combining these three qualities, Positive Self-Esteem, Positive Self-Confidence, and Positive Self-Expectancy, you will have the foundation you need to achieve your goals, and you will attract positive experiences and success into your life.

My heart to yours,
Karen

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An early attack of spring fever

Karen Shackles — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:24:00 GMT

I'm dreaming of spring. Well, actually about summer, since we don't really have spring here, we have mud season. I know it's too early to have spring fever with 5 more months of winter to go. But I can't help myself.

I've been perusing online catalogs for heirloom seeds that have really short gestation periods. It seems that I could do ok with lettuce and peas, carrots, cilantro, chives, onions, and garlic. I have my 4'x4' garden area which I ambitiously built out of bricks a couple of years ago. I filled it with nice black dirt, and subsequently did nothing with it. But I'm determined to grow something next year. I faithfully filled my composter all summer. Whenever I can dig my way through the snow to get to it, I give it a few spins, hoping that by June it will be ready to mix into my garden plot.

I'm hoping for a few more flowers next summer too. My perennials have been getting stronger every year. My lilac bush will be three seasons old - the first year it gave me one blossom, then last year , three. Dare I hope for six? The wild rose bush is doing really well, and so are the columbines. My poppies, sadly, are gone. The little voles ate them all last winter. Hmmm - opium addicted rodents?

Well, time flies, summer will come. Sigh. I love living in the mountains so much, but it does challenge the little bit of green I have in my one thumb.

Gardening Nude

Seed Savers

My heart to yours,
Karen

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What I think the secret to "The Secret" really is

Karen Shackles — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:56:00 GMT

Everybody is abuzz about The Secret, aka "Manifesting," or, the label that I prefer, the "Law of Attraction." Now that there really isn't a secret anymore, a whole new industry has been spawned to explain, dissect, capitalize on, and teach "The Secrets" of The Secret.

For some, it has become a kind of religion, with mystical overtones. Those who correctly practice the rites of worship (visualization and gratitude) will be rewarded (riches, fame, a perfect partner, green traffic lights, or whatever) by the deity ("The Universe").

Now don't get me wrong. I am a believer in the Law of Attraction. But what I have found is that when you strip away all the fancy wrapping, what is left is the simple trait of Optimism. About oneself, life in general, and one's goals and aspirations.

The Optimist will always expect things to be going their way and to turn out for the best. Since that is what they expect and are looking for, that is what they will see. It's not that they never have problems or setbacks, but they will always reap something positive from every experience. They will bounce back from mistakes and failures, and keep pressing on. They view themselves as already successful, no matter where they are on the path of reaching their goals, and they project that image to the world. Therefore, the world sees a successful person and treats them as such.

And since the Optimist sees everything from the bright side, they will look at other people in a positive light, noticing the best in them rather than critically picking on their flaws. By nature they are trusting, generous, and kind, and they expect the same in return. And most of the time, that's what they'll experience. Their positive expectations will draw the best from others.

Sure, sometimes they'll get burned. But the Optimist knows that you just treat a burn with some cold water or an ice pack, apply some soothing aloe gel, and then get on with living. They don't wallow or dramatize the ups and downs of life.

Regardless of what specific desires a person may have, what it really boils down to is that people want to be happy. We all know by now that there is no one and nothing that can make a person be happy. The Optimist is a happy person, regardless of their current circumstances. It is a fire fueled from within, not without. And it is that inner fire that will keep them in action; whether their progress is in small steps or giant leaps, they will continue to move forward.

To me, that is what the Law of Attraction is all about.

My heart to yours,
Karen

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Welcome

Karen Shackles — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:24:38 GMT

Welcome to my blog. My mission is to inspire, amuse, and educate. I welcome comments and feedback.

My heart to yours,
Karen

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