…it’s crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year’s goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it’s time for accountability. Revisiting your ‘why’ and having a clear vision will help realign your focus. Progress may be slower than you would like or had envisioned, but remember, it’s about consistent steps forward. Progress here truly does beat perfection! While making your progress, remember the basics of staying hydrated, getting consistent rest, and eating healthily. Knowing that we are moving to “Chapter Two” of 2024, let’s dive into five powerful strategies to help keep you on track or get you back on track and make 2024 your healthiest year yet.
As we continue to navigate the year, it’s essential to not only establish wellness goals but also to devise a robust strategy for achieving them. The first step to realign your wellness goals is to acknowledge your accountability. As busy professionals or business owners, it’s common to get caught up in the daily grind, losing sight of our health objectives. However, acknowledging that your health and wellness are your responsibility is the first step towards realignment.
Next, you must ‘know your why’. This is the core reason that will fuel your motivation to stay focused on your health and wellness journey. It could be a desire to lead a healthier lifestyle, to feel more energetic, or simply to be able to keep up with your children or grandchildren. Whatever your ‘why’, it is the compass that will guide you towards your wellness goals.
Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve is another crucial strategy. Visualize your goal, be it losing weight, running a marathon, or improving your mental health. This vision will serve as a constant reminder and inspire you to keep making progress.
Moreover, remember to stay hydrated, get good rest, and eat healthily. These are foundational elements that contribute to overall wellness. They may seem basic, but they play a significant role in how you feel and perform each day.
Lastly, understand that progress isn’t always linear, just stay consistent. There will be days when you stumble, but the key is to pick yourself back up. Remember, it’s not about how quickly you reach your goal, but the consistent steps you take towards it. Keep this in mind as we delve into turning these strategies into achievable actions, staying motivated throughout 2024, and manifesting your health objectives.
As you utilize these strategies, remember that the key to staying motivated and focused on your wellness goals throughout 2024 is to embrace the journey, rather than just the destination.
Being accountable for your wellness, remembering your ‘why’, having a clear vision of your goals, engaging with the basics such as staying hydrated, getting good rest, and maintaining a healthy diet along with being consistent are all integral parts of your journey. As we’ve established, these are not just strategies to achieve your goals, but daily practices that contribute to your overall wellness and success.
What’s more, it’s important to acknowledge that the journey will not always be smooth sailing. There will be days when you might feel like you’re not making progress or when you stumble. However, remember that these moments are not setbacks, but opportunities to grow and learn. In fact, it’s often through overcoming challenges that we gain the most valuable insights and experience the most significant personal growth.
Staying focused on your journey also means constantly reminding yourself of your ‘why’. This is your core reason for embarking on this wellness journey. It’s what fuels your motivation and keeps you going, even on the toughest days. Keep in mind that your ‘why’ is unique to you. It’s what makes your journey personal and meaningful. So, whenever you find yourself feeling demotivated, take a moment to reflect on your ‘why’. Use it as a source of inspiration and motivation to stay focused and keep moving forward.
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Reflecting on January: 5 Powerful Strategies to Realign Your 2024 Wellness Goals appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
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As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Weekend Travels… appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>Covid was the discussion in an interview with Coach Amanda Romine-Nelson about her personal health choices after interviewing 10K patients with Covid (COVID-19) in a 16-month period.
We touch on medical mis-information, personal practices, and health values..
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BT Pharmacy Consulting is dedicated to advancing the profession of pharmacy through pioneering the use of virtual platforms and events like the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit. Our vision, in the next 5 years, is to help thousands of pharmacy consultants add millions of dollars in revenue and to serve them as the “voice” of pharmacy. Clinical services empower pharmacists, like you, with the autonomy and flexibility to practice at the highest level of patient care.
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Medical Misinformation in a Post-Pandemic World appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>For Sustainable Growth Accountability is the key to overcoming overwhelm and achieving sustainable growth. Being accountable to yourself or others ensures that you stay focused on your goals and take consistent action towards achieving them. Knowing that you are accountable to someone or a specific target helps maintain motivation, especially during challenging times. Being accountable allows you to assess your progress, identify areas for improvement, and learn from your experiences, leading to personal and professional growth; therefore, promoting higher levels of growth and learning. Dr. Amanda will help you establish an individualized accountability system that suits your needs, whether through self-reflection, tracking progress, or partnering with a trusted accountability partner. By fostering accountability, you’ll stay committed, navigate challenges, create more wins, and celebrate your achievements along the way..
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Step 5: Foster Accountability appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>Setting goals that prioritizes balance is essential for breaking free from overwhelm. Clearly defined goals give you clarity on what needs to be accomplished, increasing your focus and productivity. Goal-setting allows you to track and measure your progress, celebrate milestones, and make necessary adjustments along the way. Determining what your long-term goal is helps you to break it down in smaller steps that are manageable and helps you keep moving forward. Dr. Amanda will guide you through a goal-setting process that ensures your objectives are specific, realistic, balanced, and time-bound (SRBT). By setting balanced goals aligned with your vision and core values, you’ll create a roadmap for success while nurturing all areas of your life.
Then answer these questions:
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Step 4: Prioritize Self-Care and Well-being appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>Setting goals that prioritizes balance is essential for breaking free from overwhelm. Clearly defined goals give you clarity on what needs to be accomplished, increasing your focus and productivity. Goal-setting allows you to track and measure your progress, celebrate milestones, and make necessary adjustments along the way. Determining what your long-term goal is helps you to break it down in smaller steps that are manageable and helps you keep moving forward. Dr. Amanda will guide you through a goal-setting process that ensures your objectives are specific, realistic, balanced, and time-bound (SRBT). By setting balanced goals aligned with your vision and core values, you’ll create a roadmap for success while nurturing all areas of your life.
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Step 3: Empower Goal-Setting for Balance appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>Overwhelm often stems from a lack of clarity and vision. Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve helps you stay focused and make decisions aligned with your long-term goals, it helps to provide you with direction. Clarity about your values, priorities, and aspirations helps you make informed decisions that align with your vision; it enhances your decision making capabilities. A compelling vision fuels your motivation, inspires you to overcome obstacles, and keeps you committed to your goals, even during challenging times; it produces inspiration and motivation.
Dr. Amanda helps you gain clarity about your aspirations, strengths, and long-term goals through personalized engaging self-reflective exercises and visualization techniques. By cultivating a clear vision, you’ll regain focus, direction, and a sense of control amidst the chaos, allowing you to move forward with purpose.
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Step 2: Cultivate Clarity and Vision appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>These core values are fundemental when overwhelmed and burnt out, it’s crucial to reconnect with these values. Unveiling Your Core Values Discovering and understanding your core values is fundamental to living a purposeful and fulfilling life. Being able to identify the values that drive and inspire you is what will help propel you forward. By aligning your professional choices with these values, you’ll experience a deeper sense of purpose and authenticity. Dr. Amanda will guide you through exercises to identify your values and realign your professional choices with what truly matters to you. By rediscovering and honoring your core values, you’ll experience a renewed sense of purpose, fulfillment, and alignment in your life.
By examining the values associated with your most memorable experiences, this will help you identify your core values and what brings you fulfillment and joy.
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Step 1: Rediscover Your Core Value appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>Nominations are sometimes called a selections, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration.
The M.I.C. Awards and celebrations were established with the sole purpose of celebrating moments & people!
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Thank You Sponsors! Healthy with Dawn DogGone Depression The Bella Levy Foundation Ask Coach Amanda Get Fit Savvy Wellness with Mary B Kathy’s Klub SCA the 419 Insurance Guy
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The post Nominations Matter appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
]]>So, you have been prescribed an antibiotic, and your healthcare provider recommended that you take a probiotic. Perhaps you have a few questions you would like to get clarified. Take a moment to read this article that provides brief insights into the top 5 questions most people ask.
Antibiotics versus Probiotics –
Antibiotics are substances that will either suppress the growth of bacteria or kill them completely. Between 1945 and 1972, average life expectancy increased by an additional eight years, an increase largely credited to the introduction of antibiotics.1
There are several classifications of antibiotics that are based on a bacterial spectrum known as Broad and Narrow. Broad-spectrum antibiotics like amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin target multiple strains of bacteria at once. In comparison, the newer narrow-spectrum antibiotics like erythromycin and clindamycin focus on a more limited range of organisms. A significant disadvantage of both is that they can kill good bacteria, too, but broad-spectrum antibiotics are the ones that carry the most significant risk. When good bacteria becomes depleted, you may experience an upset stomach with loose stool, an event known as antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).2
In contrast, probiotics are live microorganisms known to have health benefits when consumed.3 They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods, dietary supplements, and even beauty products. Although most people often think of bacteria and other microorganisms as harmful “germs,” many are quite helpful, and even referred to as “friendly” bacteria. Some bacteria help digest food, destroy disease-causing cells, or produce vitamins. For example, Bifidobacterium animalis is a strain of probiotic that is found in Dannon yogurt’s Activia product. B. animalis which is helpful in aiding digestion and fighting food-borne bacteria. It’s also thought to boost your immune system. Many of the microorganisms in probiotic supplement products are the same as or similar to microorganisms that naturally live in our bodies. 4,5
Bottomline antibiotics are (non-living) substances that are not naturally found in our bodies. In comparison, probiotics are live microorganisms that resemble or are the same as those that already live in our bodies. Antibiotics and probiotics both serve a significant purpose when used properly.
Now with that brief review of antibiotics versus probiotics, let’s get to those Top 5 Questions asked…
The short answer is No. Currently, there is no conclusive research stating that probiotics interfere with the action of antibiotics. Probiotics provide balance to the composition of the gut microbiome, oppose to having a direct effect on antibiotics.6 The microbiome is the composition of microorganisms that colonize the gut. Researchers have been able to confirm a well-defined bi-directional relationship between these microorganisms and their host that has a significant effect on the host’s health.7
On the other hand, however, antibiotics can and will kill probiotics if introduced together. Simply because antibiotics kill bacteria, and that’s what most probiotics are. There are also some that are yeast. For example, Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast that has probiotic properties, and it is not targeted by antibiotics; thus, making it an ideal probiotic strain when taking a course of antibiotic treatment. In a systematic review, S. boulardii was also observed to have “significantly increased the eradication rate”8 of H. pylori, a bacteria that can infect the stomach.9
In short, no, because it really depends on the antibiotic. It’s advantageous to take probiotics throughout a course of treatment; however, they shouldn’t be taken at the exact same time. Most probiotics should be taken at least TWO HOURS AFTER taking antibiotics; this time-lapse will substantially reduce the chances of the antibiotics destroying the probiotic microorganisms.10
Researchers found in a study that reviewed the effects of antibiotics on the human gut microbiome that the “use of probiotic bacteria aimed at impeding dysbiosis or at reestablishing the gut microbiota after antibiotic treatment is a promising approach.”11 These are meaningful findings considering that “microbiome alterations induced by antibiotics can also indirectly affect health in the long-term.” Exposure to antibiotics can cause disruptions within the body’s physiological equilibria, which may increase vulnerability to long-term disease.11
However, of note, extensive clinical research suggests the best probiotics to take with antibiotics are strains that can be taken together with antibiotics rather than separately. These specific strains are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium lactis. What is helpful about these particular strains is that they are effective when taken at the exact same time as antibiotic medication, which is not the case for the majority of other probiotic supplements. 12 Know that it is not necessarily incorrect or counterproductive to take other probiotic strains together with antibiotic medication. It just means that the probiotic may not be sustainable; however, the antibiotic medication itself would not be affected. Since not all probiotics are equal, whenever able, it is best practice to take strains of probiotics that have been studied to help with the specific health concern or situation you are trying to support.
The main reason why this question comes up is to avoid the GI discomfort and diarrhea associated with the antibiotic. So, knowing this to be the case, it is essential to select strains of probiotics that have been adequately tested in clinical trials and shown to reach the gut alive when taken together with antibiotics. Thus, the more helpful bacteria present in the gut, the lower the chance of developing digestive issues like diarrhea.
There are primarily three specific strains of probiotics in particular that have been shown to do this. They are the following: Lactobacillus acidophilus Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium lactis. Thankfully, most probiotic supplements have these three strains included.
In clinical trials involving participants undergoing antibiotic treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection, the participants were given Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium lactis, alongside antibiotics; all three strains were proven to survive alongside the medication.13,14
Simply stated, no. Unless otherwise directed by your health care practitioner, changing the dosage of the probiotics that you from what is indicated on the bottle is not advisable while undergoing antibiotic treatment. In general, it is best to follow the directions on the label of your probiotics. As stated previously, antibiotics can kill good probiotic bacteria. So it is understandable to believe that increasing the dosage of probiotics would help to counteract this. However, it is not necessary, as any diminishing effects of the probiotics can be adequately avoided by taking probiotics at least 2 hours after taking antibiotics.10
Yes, there can be. While most people do not experience side effects, the most common are a temporary increase in gas, bloating, constipation and thirst. The most commonly reported reaction to bacteria-based probiotic supplements is a temporary increase in gas and bloating.15 While those who take a yeast-based probiotic (e.g. Saccharomyces boulardii) may experience constipation and increased thirst.16 Studies have not been able to explain why some people experience these side effects conclusively; however, they typically subside after a few weeks of continued use.15 A way to reduce the likelihood of side effects, start with a low dose of probiotics and slowly increase to the full dosage over a few weeks; doing so will help your body adjust to them.
Best to ask your healthcare provider. Primarily because the time frame for when to discontinue probiotic use is somewhat unclear. Researchers have stated one to four weeks.17
Studies have shown that taking probiotics after antibiotics will help to restore the natural balance of the gut. Probiotics themselves are transient (meaning they do not populate the gut and remain there), but they promote a healthy composition of the microbiome of the gut and introduce “beneficial functions to gut microbial communities.”18 The result is that they prevent inflammation/disease and in some cases, fight against it. So choosing to continue taking them in the form of supplementation or foods will continue to promote overall gut health.
If you would like to see more articles like this or have any suggestions on future topics please leave me a comment.
As We Bid Farewell to January,...it's crucial to reflect on its relevance to your wellness journey. Was it a great start to your 2024 health and wellness goals, a continuation or step up from last year's goals, or a mixture? Regardless, it's time for accountability....
Innovative Health Technology Conference
The post Top 5 Questions Asked When Taking an Antibiotic with Probiotics appeared first on Ask COACH Amanda.
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