Health, Fitness, and Self Improvement

Hearts out at Women Go Red

2012-05-08T14:21:51Z

What do women want?

Try a gentle nudge, fusing health with spa treatments to spark awareness that women self-care is necessary, especially when the goal is to live well enough to enjoy watching your own grandchildren grow up.

More than 1,300 people attended the 2012 American Heart Association’s Annual Go Red for Women benefit at Woodlake Hotel on Friday.

A white linen luncheon complete with chicken salad, walnuts, cranberries, and light vinaigrette, chocolate truffles and mousse dessert graced the tables as girlfriends engaged in conversation, a mini shopping spree, red feather boas, Macy’s gift cards, zumba with the Golden 1 Credit Union mascot, and sparkly heart shaped accessories.

Too many women die each year because they are unaware of their No.1 killer, heart disease. One in three women suffers in silence, and almost one woman dies every minute from this preventable disease.

When a woman takes up the fight against heart disease, she shouldn’t do it alone. Having the support of a team can greatly influence one’s ability to succeed. This is why the American Heart Association joined forces with Sutter Health & Vascular Institute in its fight against heart disease in women.

Go Red for Women combines community resources with education to connect millions of women in supporting them to make personal choices that turn into life-saving actions.

The luncheon featured emcees Reba Arnold, co-anchor, News 10 and Amy Lewis of KFBK. A special zumba session stirred the audience to act starting with regular exercise. Dr. Michael Fugit, an interventional cardiologist at Sutter Health & Vascular Institute presented more health tips for women to impact their odds for heart health.

Afterwards, Nick Fowler and his mother Kirsten shared their account of surviving multiple heart surgeries from the young age of only seven days old. Nick is now nineteen, studying kinesiology in college, and focuses on his future though he continues to be monitored by his doctors.

Within the audience, are open heart surgery survivors, like Bonnie and Stephy. After surviving heart surgery, Stephy decided to turn her pain into art, drawing from her understanding, the designs of hope transferred to graphic t shirts. She shares the shirts with other heart disease patients traveling as a vendor with other Go Red events sharing the findings of her craft, through the Mosaic Heart.

These are women who found their inner calling through healing and changing their lifestyle. Within each other is strength. Within each other is knowledge. Within each other is the support and creativity to end the isolation of heart disease.

Health tips from Dr. Oz at California Museum

2012-05-02T17:25:23Z

California’s fiscal fitness depends on adopting healthy habits. On Monday, Dr. Mehmet Oz, a popular television host of "The Dr. Oz Show" led the charge for a two year pilot workplace-wellness program designed to promote healthy habits at work.

“Health happens in the Workplace” was launched with Yvonne R. Walker, President of SEIU, State Controller John Chiang, and State Treasurer Bill Lockyer pushing forward to improve state worker’s health to save money on long term cost.

A study by the state controller’s office found that in 2008, California could save between $18 million to $54 million a year if only five to fifteen percent of government workers are able to prevent chronic disease through changes in diet and increased physical activity. The state can save three dollars for every dollar spent.

The workplace-wellness program follows the imprint of HealthCorps, a Sacramento based nonprofit founded by Dr. Oz and his wife to end childhood obesity. It is expected to gain traction in workplace environments throughout California.

HealthCorps started in 2003, and has spread to 53 high schools across the country. The vision is to take steps similar to this youth empowered program and apply like wise solutions to workplace needs. The workplace-wellness program is an effort by Kaiser Permanente, The California Endowment, and the Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which is the largest state workers union .

A national study on the rising cost of healthcare graphically shows how income is outpaced by healthcare cost inflation. National income can’t seem to keep up with rising healthcare cost with more than 41 percent of adults in America having trouble in finding the care they need.

The pilot program comes at a time when getting lean is a necessity. During the rally, Eunice Pannell, a state worker at Department of Public Health nearly fainted from heat exhaustion during the lunchtime lecture. Dr. Oz, a heart surgeon tended to her care. She was treated then released by paramedics on scene.

The Department of Public Health is the first state agency to implement the program focusing on health education, employee screenings, and peer support in social environments.

Disclosure: Author is a state worker with BOE and writes on issues related to foster youth and advocacy in her blog: istreetbridgeproject.tumblr.com/

Tango with Team in Training

2012-04-12T09:09:45Z

On any given Tuesday, Michelle Gorre's students push through more of what feels like a workout instead of a tango class at Sierra 2 Center. She guides the class through warm-ups, isolations, drills, routines, floor work, and cool-down. The participants move through exercises to become better dance partners.

With the same discipline and energy she expects from her class, Gorre is raising funds to support the cure with her TNT Leukemia & Lymphoma Society training team. She is very close to reaching her goal, with a little bit further to go.

This Friday, April 13, 2012, a tango dance party will be held at The Capital Athletic Club on 1515 8th St.

At 7 p.m., there will be a beginner lesson with Gorre and a more advanced lesson with Homer & Cristina Ladas who will be performing later that night.

The lesson will start newbies off on the right foot with basics then experienced tango afficionados will engage the milonga.

There will also be a drawing to win clothing, accessories, jewelry, wine, art, private dance lessons and other goodies.

A suggested $20 donation is encouraged at the front desk. The benefit raises funds to find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma. To find out more, see the team in training webpage.

Finding balance with Tai Chi

2012-04-07T21:20:47Z

There's a willing way to the heart and it cuts like a tai chi saber. For centuries, tai chi, chi gung, and "internal" martial arts practices have been known to improve mental and physical acuity.

At Riverwalk Park in West Sacramento, every other Sunday, at 12:30 p.m. Daniel Quincy Sifu will be sharing this art form with the public.

Quincy has been teaching tai chi since 1986. He has taught many students through Tai Chi Club in UC Davis, Experimental College, and public parks in the East Bay and Sacramento. He was first introduced to the art form while doing his post doctorate research in biophysics at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

He was active in all kinds of sports from boxing, wrestling, skiing, to bicycling as a college athlete. Tai chi was an activity he took up after enduring injuries that forced him to find low impact alternatives to these sports.

According to Quincy, some of the most common "Family Styles" of "T'ai-Chi Ch'uan (Taijiquan)" are "Chen Style", "Yang Style" , "Wu Style", and "Sun Style".

All these "internal" Martial Art styles which fall under the heading of "T'ai-Chi Ch'uan (Taijiquan)" are of relatively recent Chinese origin, seven-hundred-and-fifty years or less.

The Mayo Clinic refers to tai chi as "meditation in motion" because it promotes serenity through gentle movement that connects mind and body. It is generally non competitive. The benefits include gentle physical exercise and stretching that aids in breathing, sleeping, strenght, stamina, and stress relief. It is particularly useful practice, if you have problems with joints, spine, or the heart.

He walks through the relaxed movements with his class, embrace tiger pose, grasp sparrows tail, leopard pose transitions one to the next with ease and fluidity.

"Sometimes, he balances on one foot longer than the rest of us can handle, " jokes one of his students, Eduardo.

This is quite impressive as Quincy will be three and a half years short of his seventieth birthday in May.

"Strengthen from your core," Quincy explains.

"Our own will disrupts the flow. Inhale for inspiration then exhale for expiration."

To confirm group class times or arrange for private lessons, call Daniel Quincy Sifu at 916-670-0176. He teaches tai chi throughout the region in Sacramento, Woodland, and Davis. Follow him via twitter @tccsac.

Women in Philanthropy share $en$e-ability

2011-10-16T21:12:45Z

Yellow flowers, silver ribbons, and shopping bags line the white linen covered tables in the Macy's courtyard of the Downtown Plaza Mall in preparation for a 10th Anniversary benefit fashion show for United Way's Women in Philanthropy. More than 230 women attended the luncheon to honor the group that brings women together to foster youths towards adulthood.

Honorees walked the runway with great reason to celebrate being that the day marks a milestone. Reaching $1 million in funds for programs, 1,223 towel sets, 75 luggage, 904 holiday gifts, and 34 life skills workshops given to foster youths aging out of the system.

This year, the group shares a new idea, $en$e –ability, individual development accounts (IDA) designed for foster youth before they leave the system to help them become self-sufficient. Matching funds are deposited in an account held by nonprofit agencies to be used for purchase of transportation, education, computers, rent, and health insurance.

It’s basically a savings account to prepare for the day when foster kids have to be on their own. Good grades, school attendance, class completions, and resumes are other ways to earn extra credit. The aim is to help the kids with a stable financial start towards a vocation and college.

Chloe Walker, 23, was one of the speakers who reflected on her past as a survivor of the foster care system.

She urged the ladies at the benefit to extend their generosity to foster youths by sharing their knowledge and financial help through the United Way's new program and getting involved in service.

She is now attending Sacramento State preparing for a vocation to help other foster kids learn about their choces as peer lead for Sacramento County Independent Living Programs. On a daily basis, she encourages foster youths to make smart decisions.

She credits her success to the strong women in her life like Jenny, her foster mom and her daughter Belinda who helped her when she was fourteen, her aunt Laurie for helping with a place to stay while she finishes college and Katie who adopted her foster sibling Brandon when he was 6. They all supported her dream of moving forward to a bright future.

“As for Women in Philanthropy”, she said “the group has helped me become aware of the resources available. I hear the conversations in networking and feel empowered when it’s recognized, the work that we need to keep doing for others,” said Walker.

Lisa Watts, chairwoman of Women in Philanthropy agrees citing the stunning reality. There are over 60,000 children under the age of 18 in foster care in California. 6,000 of those are in the five county regions: Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo.

Watts, whose initial involvement was a result of the Intel work campaign, understands the need. She had an aunt and uncle who took on the responsibility of raising foster kids while she was growing up.

“We can’t help everyone but we can certainly start by providing the most basic necessities toiletries, luggage, holiday gifts, and sharing our $en$e-ability.”

Click here to learn more about Women in Philanthropy.

‘Flowers’ raise funds for foster kids

2011-08-31T13:37:53Z

“The Language of Flowers” expresses the yearnings of the heart.

Author, Vanessa Diffenbaugh is doing just that as she kicks off a nationwide book tour with a five hundred dollar a head fundraiser to raise money for foster kids who have aged out of foster care, followed by a talk & book signing at Tsakopoulos Library Galleria on Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 7:30pm to 9pm.

The petals hide the tragic inequities of foster care. Her protagonist, Victoria, a damaged foster kid, ages out at 18 and finds herself sleeping in a park. She works at a flower shop for change and communicates meaning through her artistry of flowers. It is what she determines is what she is good at, a creative outlet and sets the direction for her to help herself and others. Victoria’s journey unfolds with love and forgiveness through the “language of flowers” engaging readers and subtly prompting them to act against those inequities.

A native of Chico, CA, and a graduate of Stanford University, Diffenbaugh, 33, sets the scene in parks familiar to Sacramento. The parks could well be our own backyard. That’s because she wrote the entire book here recalling hours at a café on S Street. Plus, she draws from her own experience teaching art to low income youths and life of being a foster mother.

Inspiration for the book’s protagonist came from a 15-year-old girl that Diffenbaugh and her husband mentored.

“We loved her and considered adopting her, but she was so hard to get to know. Even after a year with her in our home we couldn’t get through to her.”

Hidden in ‘flowers’ is strong emotion, one that has universal support as the book has been translated in 34 languages, and is a No.2 perfect-seller in Italy. It has also been a subject of choice for Glamour, NPR, Ladies Home Journal, and Good Housekeeping. Vanessa appears this month on an interview about the book through BBC Breakfast.

Along with the book release, she also founded the Camellia Network, a non-profit whose mission is to create a nationwide movement to support youth transitioning from foster care.

The meaning of camellia in the language of flowers is “My destiny is in your hands.”

We all have a role in influencing the society we live in by sharing our talents with our youngest citizens.

Ways to waken your Wanderlust

2011-07-26T19:21:23Z

If you listen real close, you can hear the "ohm" resonate from Wanderlust Festival 2011 in Tahoe into the valley. Mind, body, and spirit comes alive in this annual pilgrimage for outdoor enthusiast, music lovers, and yoga aficionados. Located in the natural setting of Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe, few festivals in the world compares to majestic mountains, eclectic music, and meditations to match the mood. On its third year, the festival offers all who attend relaxation, revelation, and rejuvenation with organic foods, wines, scenery, music, and community. In true sun salutation, here are simple ways to waken your wanderlust.

1) Hoof it to Heaven, Schulyer Grant’s hike in the picturesque surroundings of the Sierra is a “must do”. Guided morning meditation hikes revitalize. Several nature treks are scheduled during the festival. Each step will take your breath away as you reach higher elevation.

2) Groove to live music, from rebel rocker Michael Franti & Spearhead (Friday night) to Girl Talk, to Jai Uttal, to the legendary Wailers. Musical talents abound so rock it out. (Full music schedule here) Other performers include the Phoenix Fire Dancers and the MarchFourth Marching Band also there for your enjoyment. “Do wah diddy” dance to the late night DJ parties on Friday and Saturday. If that is not enough, YogiTunes will be spinning an amazing collection of beats to soothe your soul and hush your humanity at High Camp from 2-6pm daily.

3) Speakeasy is a series of dynamic lecture style therapy for those seeking solutions to life’s dilemmas. From dancing with the divine, to mindful eating, to creating the future that you love, to spiritual authenticity, and steps to life fulfillment. Afterwards, try wine tasting various varietals of wine at Winederlust held at Uncorked from 4:30pm to 7:30pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with support from Capital Public Radio.

4) Stir your crown chakra nightly with a feature film sponsored by the Gaiam Spiritual Cinema Circle. Films featured are critically acclaimed Yogawoman, Kumare, The Heart of Transformation, Connected, and Wake Up. Nightly starting times at 7p.m.

5) Yield to yoga, try Shaman of the Moon or Yoga Twister. Shaman of the Moon is body, mind, and music exercises led by Anne Marie Kramer, a 13 year exercise physiologist and teacher at Zuda Yoga, at 19th and O Street in Midtown. “The key,” Kramer says. “is to try as many yoga styles and teachers as you can. Make use of your mountain pose in nature around Squaw, and in the evenings enjoy the music.”

Overall, this event is sure to rock your short list, tickets are still available at Wanderlust.com.

AIDS epidemic outweighs gold

2011-03-06T23:14:26Z

Three Oscar statutes march on the red carpet offering vials of liquid pleasure. Chiseled bodies, photographer’s lenses can’t resist. Camera flashes bounce off their shells like bullets aimed at Superman.Stylish partygoers can’t help but to be intrigued. They all want a sip. Come closer, the golden boys six-pack abs invite. Emblazoned in black letters is the campaign slogan for AIDS and HIV prevention: “Play, but Play it Safe.”

Yes, it is the Oscars, but we can’t help to be reminded of the impact of the deadly disease. Christian, one of the golden boys agrees, “We wanted to raise awareness for AIDS and HIV,” said Christian, who asked that his last name remain unpublished. “We’re raising money for those affected with the disease and keeping it fun.”

“5,000 people in the region are infected – one in four doesn’t even know it,” said Joyce Mitchell, president of the Capital City AIDS Fund (CCAF) and a prevention advocate for 16 years. “If they do not know, then they are spreading the virus. It is 100 percent preventable,”
Contrary to popular belief, AIDS is not a disease of men. The World Health Organization announced in November 2009 that HIV/AIDS is now the number one killer worldwide of women and girls ages 15 to 44 worldwide. In the United States alone, a woman is infected with HIV every 35 minutes.

Beck Morgan has a fun job. He’s one of the make-up artists who covered the three Golden Boys’ bodies with glittering theatrical makeup. But he gets serious when talking about the lethal nature of AIDS.

“The highest rate of new infection is between the ages of 18-25 years old,” Morgan said. This year the fundraiser was not held downtown, moving instead to an unoccupied penthouse suite on the twelfth floor of 2020 Gateway Oaks in the Natomas area.
The new space, with its 360-degree views of the city allowed organizers to expand the event so that 770 people were there for dinner and the auction – and to sell more food and drinks, which in turn means more money for HIV programs – or AIDS patients – in the Sacramento region.

“This year, all the silent auction items received bids,” said Paula Gammell, auction volunteer. “We started requesting items for the silent auction in November and got over 130 packages.”

The opulent spread included: a $7,000 red ribbon diamond and ruby necklace handset in platinum donated by Madison Avenue Diamonds in New York, wedding bands by Grebitus and Hamilton Jewelers, paintings from numerous artists, dinner reservations, Jet-Blue tickets,Mac cosmetics, magnum size wine bottles, espresso sets, spa treatments, leather jackets, fur coats, and more luxury items and services.

Changing the vacant penthouse to an Academy Award winning experience was the biggest challenge. “We started with a plain shell ... an unfinished concrete flat,” said volunteer coordinator, Rachel Perlman. “It took eight months of planning and weeks of volunteer assistance to make the transformation. Every piece of furniture, lighting, audio-visual equipment, sound, sofas, lounge/dinner chairs, table cloths, auction items, glasses, curtains, you name it, was hauled up through those elevators by one of our 130 volunteers.”

A fun night indeed, complete with body shots. But a final glimpse at Christian’s chest is a reminder that the message is dead serious.

“Play (but) Play it Safe. Everyone does it. Everyone has sex. Everyone needs to use protection. Every time.”

For information on how you can receive free, confidential, walk-in testing check out CARES Clinic. March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and includes events in Sacramento.