In my last ‘wellness’ newsletter (“Part 3”) chronicling my weight loss journey and the overall improvement in my physical and emotional health over the past 3 years, I discussed how I have developed more consistent and significant exercising habits.  In “Part 1”, I shared my family’s medical history (“experience”) with you and in “Part 2” I talked about how I changed my eating habits.  I hope these letters have been helpful, informational, and perhaps even motivational for many of you.  If you missed receiving any of the emails in this series and would like to read them, feel free to hit reply to this message and let me know which you copies you need.  Today I’ll be sharing the last section of this series which is “Part 4”, “extras”.

As I mentioned in “Part 1”, while I’m no dietician, nutritionist, or exercise expert by any means, and while what I have done is not anything “secret,” I came to the conclusion that not only would I benefit from actually writing down all that I have done these years to get the results I am now so grateful for, doing so would also allow me to share with others.  Please keep in mind I am not suggesting others need do the same, and all new exercise and eating regimens should be undertaken only after consultation with one’s physician.

Along with changing my diet and exercising, I have also done some other things the past few years that have contributed to my becoming a more physically and emotionally healthy person.  I will simply list some of the more significant items I think have helped me in this ongoing lifestyle change. 

• I began taking half a dose each day of a supplement that contains fish oil, which helps with cholesterol.  I don’t take any vitamins but I have been using this one for a couple of years now.  My cholesterol, which three years ago was borderline high, is now in a very good range.  Losing weight, eating better and exercise have helped this a lot, but I also think this supplement has been helpful.
•  I drink an 11.5 ounce can of low sodium V-8 juice almost every day.  I read this was one of the best things I could do for my blood pressure.  V8 contains one of the largest sources of potassium (which is good for blood pressure) in one serving you can have.  I like tomato-tasting juice anyway, so this has been a very easy thing for me to do.  Here is a link to an recent study about the benefits of drinking vegetable juice: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168174.php
•  I read about a blood pressure lowering device in the Mayo Clinic Book on High Blood Pressure called RESPeRATE.  It has been clinically proven to lower blood pressure and is approved by the FDA.  This device helps you control your breathing pace for 10-15 minutes today, and many studies have shown if you can slow your breathing rate to between 5-10 breaths per minute for at least 10 minutes a day, it naturally lowers your blood pressure.  It is a relaxing thing to do as well, and I have been doing this for the past 2+ years.  My blood pressure has been mostly in the normal range for approximately the past 20 months without any type of medication at this time; my doctor is very happy with that and so am I.  Again, weight loss and exercise have the most to do with my improved blood pressure, this is just something extra I do that also helps.
•  In past messages I have referred to the book, Pain Free for Life by Dr. Scott Brady.  This book is not necessarily something which would be helpful to everyone (if you need heart surgery, for example, this book won’t help you, and Dr. Brady makes that very clear multiple times), but I think it could be beneficial to a lot of people.  After going through the process he encourages his patients at the Florida Hospital in Orlando to use, physical symptoms I had struggled with for some time (which had worsened in the past 5 years or so, and which doctors had tested me for and not been able to come to a specific conclusion about) are now mostly a thing in my past.  I also know that as a result of going through the process, I have become an emotionally healthier person, which also contributes to physical well-being.
• I also benefited from the classic book, Adrenaline and Stress by Dr. Archibald Hart.  Understanding that your body doesn’t distinguish between “good stress” and “bad stress,” rather that all stress impacts your body in some way, was an important thing for me to learn.