The LILI Letter - May 2025
The Ogden Regional Medical Center / Heart Center, weight loss/wellness class & support group newsletter.
May,
What a beautiful month! One is glad to be alive in the month of May. No wonder little girls are named after it. Temperatures heat up, Mother’s Day and graduations are upon us, and we honor our military service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. We also visit the graves of loved ones. Wishing you a contemplative and heartfelt month.
In good health,
Jennifer James
Success Story
I am sitting here with a very full belly after eating a mushroom Swiss burger with French fries for our Hospital Week food truck day. I definitely ate too much; a lot more than I usually eat. I enjoyed every bite, of course. Also, my knees are sore from a weight lifting class. Which brings me to “The Untethered Soul”, by Michael Singer.
In one of the later chapters he tries to explain the Tao, an eastern Asian philosophy. One aspect of the Tao is avoiding a life of extremes, and to live a life of balance, in harmony with creation. Eating too much or too little, spending every waking moment with our spouse or rarely seeing them, exercising too much or not at all, sleeping too much or too little…you get the idea. My full tummy and sore knees tell me I am out of balance. It made me ponder my own life. What do I need more of? Less of? How can I best care for myself in a healthy way?
Think about your own life. What is out of whack? Finances, time at work, people time vs. alone time, exercise habits, sleeping habits, processed food intake, attitude, etc. Please consider how to do a better job of staying in balance. When out of balance we tend to get sick, grumpy, go into debt, become injured, gain weight (or lose too much weight), or worse. What is one easy change we can all make this week for a more balanced life? As for me, I will eat a smaller dinner and take it easy with my knees this week.
Singer. M. (2007). The Untethered Soul: the journey beyond yourself. Chapter 19, The Secret of the Middle Way. New Harbinger Publications/Noetic Books.
Do you really know…Blueberries?
One of my favorites. Blueberries originated in North America 13,000 years ago. The Native Americans used them for food and medicine. Domestic production did not start until 1916 when the first crop was harvested in New Jersey. A silvery bloom on the berries indicates freshness. Nutrient-wise they are packed with flavonoids, (antioxidants), fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. Try the simple recipes below for something new.
Consider This ...
I recently returned from a vacation in Europe. I ate a lot of tasty food, saw many amazing sites and walked a lot. What struck me was how much smaller the portions were over there compared to portions in the U.S. The food was very fresh, and the yogurt and bread were so delicious! I found I was quite content with the smaller portions. I even ate dessert multiple times, but again, small amounts. I saw a total of two McDonald’s restaurants in the ten cities I visited. I saw many more bicyclists over there, riding in designated bicycle lanes, that were off the streets on broader sidewalks, so they were not riding with traffic. Brilliant!
How did we get so far off track with this? Why are portions so much larger over here? Why do we have so much more ultra-processed foods and fast food? Why don’t we have more, safer bicycle lanes so people can commute to work and the stores without fearing for their lives? Honestly, I do not know why our portions have become so large. To make us think we are getting more value for our money? My cynical guess on the abundance of ultra-processed foods over here is for profit. These foods are specifically engineered to make our brains crave them, so we keep eating, and buy more. As for bicycle lanes, I think we are trying, we are just not there yet. Some cities do a better job than others.
In an ideal world, a healthy lifestyle should be the default, not the exception in our communities. On the bright side, living in a large city makes it easier to be active, with walking to the subway station or bus stop, and many don’t own a car. There are also newer, planned communities in the U.S. that try to incorporate shops, bicycle lanes, etc. with the housing. However, the sad truth about our American lifestyle in many areas is that we have to work at being healthy. We need to prepare our own food. Home-delivered meal kits and meal preparation classes can be a Godsend, if we can afford them. Frozen entrees, fast food and take-out are the alternatives. No thanks. As for exercise, we can hit the hiking trails, take up pickleball, join a gym, etc. It is added to our life, not inherently a part of our life, like bicycling to work every day.
So, my friends, if you feel that living a healthy lifestyle is like a part-time job, you would not be wrong. Just know I am doing this too. We put our time and energy into what is important to us, in spite of where we live.
No Regrets.
I thought a few thoughts on death would be appropriate, since we visit the graves of dearly departed family members, and honor military personnel who gave their all this month. From a retirement planning standpoint, knowing our “death day” could be very helpful. Alas, we do not have that information and muddle along the best we can, using our parents’ lifespans as a gauge. But the truth is, no one knows when it is our time to go. If that Yellowstone caldera blows tomorrow, that would be the end of it for a lot of us. No probate wrangling, arguing over the estate, or funeral planning. So simple.
Because of how our lives unfold day after day, and we get in a rut, it is easy to become complacent about what we might want to experience and accomplish before our time runs out. We may need to forgive others and make amends to those we have hurt. If we want to visit the pyramids, we should start planning the trip. We don’t want to end up with a long list of regrets at the end of our precious lives. According to hospice nurses, the biggest regrets people have on their death beds were the following:
“I regret not following my heart and finding my true purpose”.
“I regret not having the courage to love others fully”.
“I regret not having the courage to let others love me fully”.
“I regret that I judged myself so much and didn’t love myself more”.
“I worked too much and never made time for my family”.
“I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends”.
“I wish that I had let myself be happier”.
“I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings”.
In summary, love ourselves and others, follow our hearts, keep in touch, don’t work so much, say what we mean (and book that trip to Egypt). Wishing you no regrets at the end of it all.
Say Yes to Yoga!
I tried yoga in my 30’s, and found it dull and not very energizing. Fast forward a few decades, and I am now a devoted fan. It has been around for thousands of years, developed in Northern India by the Indus-Sarasvati peoples. Several ancient holy Hindu scriptures refer to it, the Rig Veda and the Bhagavad Gita, which were written centuries before the birth of Christ. Some scholars put yoga’s origins at 10,000 years ago. Obviously, it has been around for a while. Yoga actually means the union of body, mind and spirit. A realization of our connection with the universal, and cultivating a harmonious state of mind. It improves our ability to manage difficult situations, maintain a centered calm, and helps us do our tasks mindfully and with more happiness. Our lives are calmer and flow more easily. It pulls all aspects of life into one organized whole. Obviously, there is much more to “yoga” than we might have thought.
There are many varieties of yoga, one being Ashtanga yoga, which encompasses eight “limbs”. Three of the limbs include “Asana”, (postures), “Dhyana”, (meditation), and “Pranayama”, (breathing control). The version of yoga we are familiar with is Hatha yoga, based on 84 postures and breath control. Hatha yoga includes Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar and Power versions. The physical postures and breath work prepare us for meditation, according to Yoga Journal. Historically, the actual number of yoga postures numbered in the thousands, with variations! Reading about the history of this practice was quite overwhelming for me, given the number of practitioners, time line, and varieties of it. The YouTube video, “A Brief History of Yoga”, was helpful, which is the first reference below.
Setting aside the convoluted history of this practice, what are some of the benefits of Hatha yoga? Strength, flexibility, balance, lessened arthritic symptoms, improved back pain, relaxation, and improved mood and energy levels. If we attend yoga classes, it connects us socially with others. It also improves our self-care and carves out time for ourselves, especially if many depend on us. It can be more of a workout than it appears, as holding some of the postures is quite challenging. I feel stronger, calm and centered, and more flexible. My balance improves and my aches and pains decrease when I attend regularly.
Many gyms offer yoga classes, as do independent practitioners in the area. If you are too shy to join a yoga class, “Yoga with Adriene” YouTube videos are a good introduction to it. She is friendly and encouraging, and offers a wide variety of yoga sessions, from beginner to more advanced. There is even “chair” yoga if you are afraid of getting down on the floor. I encourage you to give this ancient practice a go. It has improved the quality of my life, and the lives of many others.
Easiest Blueberry Treat
Blueberries are very versatile. Add them to cereal,
salads, beverages, and of course, desserts. If you
are looking for a treat, that is not packed with
calories, try this. The syrup recipe is also nice.
If you would like recipes with a little more effort,
check out the website for the U.S. Highbush
1 cup frozen blueberries
Remove blueberries from the freezer. Let partially thaw before enjoying all by themselves, or microwave for a few seconds for the partially-frozen texture.
The only drawback? Blue fingers.
1 serving 70 calories
Easy Blueberry Syrup
I have made a version of this using frozen mixed berries. Either version works.
2 cups blueberries
2 Tbsp. water
A few drops of vanilla extract
A few pinches of cinnamon
In a small saucepan, gently heat all ingredients, stirring occasionally. Let the berries soften and burst. Continue stirring as the mixture liquefies. Continue simmering and stirring while it reduces in volume. When it hits the consistency you prefer, remove from the heat. Add a little table sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
Use over pancakes, waffles, in hot cereal, over ice cream, etc. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
1 recipe 140 calories (without added sugar)
MAY SUPPORT GROUPS
Mondays, 2-3 pm
Heart Center Conference Room
ORMC Medical Plaza, #200
Free to graduates of ORMC weight loss classes
WE WILL NOT MEET MAY 26TH, MEMORIAL DAY