“Custom Handbags with Beauty and a Soul.” – Lucy Grey

Have you ever thought that the only way you will ever find the perfect handbag would be to design it yourself?  Now you can at lucygrey.com.  Choose your bag design, fabrics, and strap options. I chose the Saugatuck with couture fabrics and an extra long strap so it can be worn as a messenger bag.  You can buy online or host an event – a purse party.  Party on!

Known as the “silent killer,” heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.  In the twenty seconds it took you to read this far, one person in the U.S. has had a heart attack.  And each and every ensuing twenty seconds claims another heart attack victim.

So, how do you ensure that you do not fall victim to heart disease?   Meet Dr. Sanjiv Goel, an expert Interventional Cardiologist.  Born, raised and educated at the most prestigious schools in India, Dr. Goel completed his medical fellowships in Canada and was eventually sought after by the top medical teams in the United States.  Over the past 18 years, based in the Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Dr. Goel has emerged as an expert in non-surgical alternatives for cardio vascular disease.  Dr. Goel takes a holistic approach to your heart health.  In other words, Dr. Goel is as interested in preventing heart disease as he is in treating it.

Surgery is Old School

“My job is to keep patients away from surgery,” Dr. Goel explains as I look around his impressive office facilities.  Treadmills, ultrasounds, articles on the wall, and other equipment  – it begins to sink in that there has been a huge paradigm shift in cardiac care, a fundamental change in the approach and the underlying assumptions on how to treat cardiovascular disease, and Dr. Goel is at the forefront of this shift.   By constantly challenging methods and utilizing the newest technologies available, Dr. Goel took it upon himself to lead the way in coronary and carotid stents procedures, which are non-surgical procedures.  “Medicine is about pushing the envelope, bringing your best effort and helping the patient with the best technology available.”   Helping people live longer and survive what used to be a probably death sentence is the most gratifying part of his job.  “This branch of medicine is developing so fast.”  And with passionate experts such as Dr. Goel, the future for cardiac patients looks bright indeed.

East Meets West

What sets Dr. Goel apart in this field is the artistic and expert manner in which he blends Eastern and Western principles to care for his patients’ cardiovascular needs. “Both are a blessing,” he states in describing his Eastern and Western backgrounds. On a case by case basis, Dr. Goel works with each individual patient to create a plan for their particular cardiovascular needs and situation.  This plan may incorporate the Western principles of medications and procedural solutions such as:  angiogram, carotid stenting, or clot extraction, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, or, Digoxin as well as the Eastern principles of natural remedies such as daily meditation, yoga, herbs such as garlic, fish oil and flaxseed, regular aerobic exercise as well training with weights and eating a proper diet.

By combining both, Dr. Goel strives to empower the patient to help themselves while still under his medical care and guidance.  “Society has set us up to fail,” he tells me when we discuss how our hectic lifestyles play a roll in heart disease.  Dr. Goel believes that changing our stressful lifestyles could have a big impact on our heart health.  Given that heart disease may be attributed to roughly 50% genetics and 50% environmental factors, it would behoove us to do everything possible to alleviate stress, to live an active lifestyle, and to eat right.

A Thing of The Past

“Heart disease will hopefully become, in the majority of patients, a thing of the past.  The preventative aspect of treating heart disease will eventually be the most powerful and predominant treatment.”   The progress toward this is dramatic as evidenced in the decreasing numbers of people who die from heart disease and the increasing number of people who, in just the past 10 years, have survived heart attacks.

“In this day and age, people from all walks of life, of all ages are seeking out less high risk solutions and turning to more natural therapies for healing.  Alternatives do exist.”

Prevention – You Know Your Body

There are known symptoms that are indicators.  Unlike the commercials you see on television which when I watch them I realize I suffer from everything from depression to fibromyalgia to erectile dysfunction, these symptoms are specific, and are often combined.  Again, it goes back to being aware of your body.  You’ve been living in it for a long time, you know what is normal and what isn’t.  And while each person’s “normal” will vary slightly, be aware if you experience: chest pain (which is often confused with heartburn), dizziness, fatigue, a cough, high blood pressure, palpitations, shortness of breath, swelling, or cyanosis, which is a bluish coloration of the skin and mucous membranes?.  If these occur, see your doctor right away.

The Human Element

Utilizing both Eastern and Western philosophies brings the human element to the forefront of his profession. “Healing from a heart attack or any heart disease is very emotional.  There can be anxiety, pain, fear.  I approach each patient as a personal relationship, and communicate an understanding of their situation in a one on one environment.  I mend one heart at a time.”

In very basic terms, we humans are part of the animal kingdom.  Animals use their teeth to show control with other animals, to show aggression or to warn, and to defend themselves when attacked.  As babies, we use our mouths to explore the world as well, but we learn very early on that it is not okay to bite.  We learn it is not okay to put our teeth on people or things if we feel attacked or even if we feel the need to assert control over them or a situation.

This diverted animal instinct leads us to put our teeth on food.  Biting someone is not acceptable.  Biting food is acceptable.  The feelings associated with this need become labeled as unacceptable as well.  To dissipate all that aggressive energy we turn to the acceptable – food, eating, chewing.

So, a basic animal instinct that is not being allowed to be played out is the cause of my issues with food, and may be an underlying cause of obesity?  Hm.  I dare say it makes some sense.  I will do some more research and get back to you with more.  In the meantime, if you see me baring my teeth and growling, it is NOT because I am hungry, so stand back.

Yesterday morning, Kendall was hit in the eye with a soccer ball. His right eye. His big beautiful sky blue eye. Evidently, since that incident, there have been intermittent “black curtains” blocking his vision. I was not privy to this information, for whatever reason, until this morning. Until HE was sufficiently freaked out enough about it to BOTHER to tell me, his mother.

How can I help my kids if they won’t tell me what’s going on? And why the silence? Ten days ago, I discovered my other son’s big left toe was severely traumatized and had developed a serious infection. Truly horrifying to look at, I asked him in amazement how long it had been that way. “I dunno,” he said sheepishly, “awhile.”

Awhile. What exactly is “awhile” to a 10 year old or a 13 year-old. Long-enough-for the-toe-to-be-so-painful-as-to-require-an-emergency-visit-to-a-podiatrist-and-have-minor-surgery while? Or, wait-until-I-can’t-see-with-my-right-eye-so-many-times-that-wow-maybe-I-should-mention-something-to-my-mom while?

Children grow up and eventually claim autonomy. They want their privacy. I haven’t seen either of them naked for years. Nor would I want to – I cling to that little baby image in my head to this day and it does not need to be destroyed with body hair and smelly things. But, I have learned my lesson here. As they grow and showcase their responsible selves and what wonderful young men they are becoming, I must remember that they are STILL CHILDREN and they cannot be responsible to fully take care of themselves.

They can be left alone for brief periods. They can cook a meal. They can be responsible for getting their homework done. They know their chores and for the most part, they get the consequences of behavior – both positive and negative. But what they obviously don’t get, because they have no experience with it, is the repercussions of ignoring your health or your body. That, it seems, has been taken for granted.

I am grateful that the toe was able to heal after the minor surgery and 10 days of oral antibiotics. I am grateful that Kendall’s eye seems to be undamaged. I am also grateful that in the span of two weeks they (AND I) are now aware that if the “black curtain” or “floaters” appear in his eye, he needs to let someone know IMMEDIATELY so that we can monitor it and that if there is pain or something odd looking on your body MOM NEEDS TO SEE IT.

I will also now do RANDOM checks on their bodies. Arms, legs, hands, feet, face, scalp, neck, etc. to search for any abnormalities. I have talked to them about how to check their “private” areas and verified that all is being cleaned properly. Not exactly the most delicate or comfortable conversation to have with my kids, but jeez, if I am talking to them about the dangers of sex, that blow jobs are sex, to say to drugs, to act like a young gentleman regardless of what their friends are doing, then I can talk to them about taking care of and maintaining the care of their bodies – and KEEPING THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN on that subject with me and their Dad.

Make an appointment with your kids so you never have to ask in a panicked, nausea induced state, “It’s been this way for HOW LONG?”

As the obesity rates in our country rise, it is not just the adults we have to be concerned about. If a child is overweight, there is a 79% likelihood that they will be overweight as an adult. Not surprising given that French fries are the most widely eaten vegetable. Honestly, that is like calling Ketchup a fruit, which, I admit, I did for many years when it was the only “fruit” Kamden would eat.

So what can you do to be healthy and help your kids be healthy? I like the analogy of the airplane oxygen mask. In the event of an emergency, put YOUR mask on first, THEN assist your children. The same can be true for healthy habits and healthy bodies. If you are living a healthy lifestyle, eating a rainbow of colorful foods (not the kind out of the colorful packaging, but rather, the raw fruit and vegetable kind), exercising (sorry, the thumb and forefinger exercises on video games DON’T count), and exhibiting a healthy body image, then chances are you will pass all of that along to your children.

Indeed, this is one area where you SET AN EXAMPLE. And that example can make a huge impact on the quality of not only your life, but also the lives of your children and other family members. Need help figuring it out? Browse the information at Nutrition.gov or check out what Good Housekeeping Magazine has to offer so that you and yours do not become one of the 400,000 people who die annually from poor eating habits and laziness.

A Santé! Which is “to your health” in French (the language, not the side of fries).