Hal Elrod wrote, “The moment you take responsibility for everything in your life, is the moment you can change anything in your life.”

Many view life as an uphill battle, believing and living like “aging” means less energy, an achy body, memory loss, etc. What if instead we viewed life as a constant and consistent opportunity to grow, to improve, and to THRIVE? To thrive in our relationship with ourselves – body and mind – just as we can thrive in relationships with others. We get one body and one mind– so why not give them the love and attention they deserve to grow?

Trust is the foundation for any healthy relationship, and the relationship between you - the patient - and any medical provider is no different. We not only entrust our medical providers with our health, but sometimes with our life, thus requiring complete transparency, full disclosure, and open dialogue.

Fall often calls for routine provider visits– why? Children going back to school, sports physicals, work physicals, and annual care check ups are just a few reasons!

Men and women are both at risk for developing cancer, but statistics show that men are more likely to be diagnosed with, and even die from, cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in men, closely followed by prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers. These cancers typically take years to develop, and even though physical symptoms of these cancers may also take years to present themselves, regular screenings detect dangerous...

Cardiovascular disease is an unavoidable topic in the wellness industry, so we cannot continue to avoid how our everyday habits impact our heart health.

World Diabetes Day is November 14th, and the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) created this opportunity to “call on policymakers to increase access to diabetes education to help improve the lives of the more than half a billion people living with diabetes worldwide.” Whether you are someone living with diabetes, or you know someone who is, the following is a list of resources and strategies to learn, prevent, and engage more!

There’s constantly talk about habits, isn’t there? Healthy habits. Unhealthy habits. Breaking a habit. Creating a new habit. So much TALK… but sometimes, if we are honest, there is not so much ACTION. As the new year turns, we begin our journey determined to hit a new goal. Sometimes we receive a health diagnosis and commit to making nutritional changes. Or– we even see a picture of ourselves and are anything but thrilled with our...

Cancer – a word no one wants to hear, but something no one should ignore. With almost two million new cases and over 600,000 cancer-related deaths in the United States in 2020, cancer demands our attention. It demands our energy and awareness. But, it also calls us to tackle healthy lifestyles as a prevention strategy, a “big picture” strategy in which we can all engage. As a company that is dedicated to inspiring...

Name this chronic disease: primarily associated with genetics, mechanical factors, and hormonal factors, as well as primarily in the older age groups…and resistance/strength training is a highly recommended therapeutic option.

It’s...

5 Actions! Apply these to our Take 5! Program

I really enjoy listening to national Coaching Professional Jack Canfield talk about how Small Steps Make Big Changes…a principle I definitely believe in. He encourages you to take 5 actions each day and making them non-negotiable. 5 actions for our Take 5! Program; I like it!

We are looking at the last part of our ‘VMOSA’ series.

Vision | Mission |Objectives (Goals) |...

Strategies for Success

Stepping down from objectives to strategies is our next focus this month! Having a BIG vision, refined by a smaller objective to target for (goals), turns into success when we state and implement strategies and systems. If we fail to plan out our changes, we are planning to fail! At the beginning of the month, we asked you to brainstorm some actions… look back through those actions and see which ones align with a...

“O” is for Objectives!

Objectives–Don’t keep going in circles, move toward your goals!

While I don’t want to get stuck in word semantics, I do think it is important to recognize why we use objectives, rather than goals. Goals typically refer to the general outcome you want to achieve, such as losing weight. Objectives, on the other hand, are more specific and may utilize the SMART acronym (Specific, Measurable, Attainable,...

No matter what modality you choose for strength training, the principle is always the same – overload! However, you must do so with a strong foundation… here’s what I mean by that; LARGE MUSCLE exercises give you the best foundation for a successful program. And, best of all, you can use your body weight! Rather than complicating strength training, start with a strong but simple foundation. Could six exercises work your entire body? YES! And...

Did you know that only about 15% of cancer cases are due to heredity? As shocking as that statistic may be, it can be considered as good news to many of us––meaning that the other 85% of cancer cases are primarily due to our health and lifestyle habits. Essentially, YOU are your best chance at preventing cancer!

It’s no secret that everybody enjoys a bonus. Monetary bonuses are great and perks and prizes are fun, but just how much more valuable do we deem a health and well-being bonus? This week, we’re focusing on how you can improve your overall health and all the bonuses that come along with it! A big example that comes to mind when discussing this topic is weight loss or other health measurements such as blood pressure. When you have high blood...

As we close August and move into September, we would like to focus on our last look at mindset using the 20/20 analogy. Did you know that 20/20 vision does not mean perfect vision? Rather than testing for perfection, it instead tests for clarity and sharpness. Using the 20/20 analogy, let’s get a clear and succinct vision of our risk for chronic illness and HOW we can change our mindset to improve our physical health.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime? (www.breastcancer.org)

What does it mean for cancer to be invasive? Noninvasive? What are the warning signs? So many questions surround the disease because almost everyone knows someone that’s been...

Diabetes is COMMON in Kentucky

• From 2000 to 2017, diagnosed diabetes in KY adults has nearly doubled from 6.5% (198,052) to 12.9% (442,500or 1 in 8)1. KY ranks 7th highest in the U.S. for diabetes prevalence3. (Nationwide median: 10.5%)
• An estimated147,500adults are living with undiagnosed diabetes based on the national rate2.
• In Appalachia, the adult rate for diagnosed diabetes is 17% compared to...

Introducing the Complete Care Solution

In the past 20 years, we have seen an ongoing paradigm shift towards preventive-health and well-being. Meanwhile, healthcare is getting more difficult to navigate and more expensive to use. Over 95% of Americans cannot accurately define common healthcare terms like copay, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum. Average wait times for physicians have soared 30% in the...

Spirituality can be defined as your values, purpose in life, and what you do to define and find resolve within your goals. In week one, we touched on setting a firm foundation that is built on your values and your purpose in life – your inner being. We also touched on the importance of believing in who you are and not trying to be someone you are not. Taking the time to properly reflect on these issues is a crucial part of an effective...

Tired of setting New Year’s Resolutions only to forget all about them before the year is half over? Take a meaningful step toward change — join our wellness program!

At the start of a new year, many of us are inclined to reflect on the past year, our lives, successes, failures, and areas we would like to improve. However, simply relying on the turn of the calendar to motivate us to make improvements is typically not...

Offer a ‘Class Zero’ to your organization to promote the program.

Diabetes is a disease that affects 30.3 million people—roughly 7.2 million of which are undiagnosed. Your chance of developing type 2 diabetes is dependent upon a combination of factors related to both your genes and lifestyle. Though you cannot change your hereditary risk for this incurable disease, you can take a big step toward prevention by adjusting your lifestyle risk factors, such as eating and exercising habits.

As we mentioned...

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, know that you are not alone—it’s a disease that affects 84.1 million Americans. Being diagnosed with prediabetes does not necessarily guarantee the advancement of type 2 diabetes. Through a balance of healthy eating, exercising, and lifestyle choices, it is possible to prevent, delay, and—some believe—even reverse the progression of diabetes.

As a group of passionate wellness coaches and...

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that affects your body’s ability to keep blood sugar at a normal, healthy level. According to the CDC, it is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and in the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than tripled.

Though some people are genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes, by and large, it is a disease that is preventable through healthy lifestyle choices....

After 30 years of experience in the health and wellness industry, it’s easy to feel like a broken record, repeating the same things over and over. For several years, we have known that many chronic illnesses could be mitigated—and possibly even outright eliminated—by simply modifying behavioral risk factors. For example, according to a journal in the...

In short, you could say that biometric screening is a 15-20 minute health screening that could have life-changing—and even life-saving—results. With a few measurements and a simple prick of the finger, a biometric screening—is produced, providing vital information regarding an individual’s risk for certain diseases and conditions.

Biometric screenings are just one of the ways we at Balanced Wellness strive to create a healthier, more...

Virtual Program! Meet where you are! Individual monthly coaching and weekly virtual class.

Next Program begins in June.

Schedule a ‘Class Zero’ at your organization to inform participants about the program.