by Michelle | Nov 1, 2024 | Being Well, Featured, Move Well, Why I'm In
Why I’m “in” with Wellness
Michelle Jenck, Well-Being Director, Adventist Health Tillamook and Tillamook County Wellness Coordinator
Wishing for Wellness
I was recently asked how I came to be involved in wellness work. I’d like to say I was a lifelong fitness enthusiast but that isn’t true. As a child, I wanted to be physically fit and athletic but, alas, it was not in the cards for me. Severe asthma left me breathing into a brown paper bag on the sidelines and a debilitating eye condition called amblyopia, (my left eye is nearly blind), meant that, with no depth perception, I was to forever be, the “last one picked for the team.”
During middle school, I was too young to work, old enough to be home by myself but idle enough to have begun getting in trouble (serious, trouble). My saving grace was wandering into a YMCA to kill time after school. I started going to the weight room and pushing weights around. I had no idea what I was doing but kind people showed me what to do and what muscles I was working. It felt so good to feel a sense of control moving my body. I could push heavy things on purpose and muscles would form in places that were once squishy bits. It was like magic.
The best part was how weight training made me feel emotionally. I felt happier and gained a sense of control (something I have learned we need for good mental health, called a “locus of control.”) My self-esteem improved. I could set goals for myself and work to reach them, building successes I never believed possible for myself. I pursued weight training all through high school and was one of a few girls that joined the school’s newly formed competitive power lifting team.
My senior year in high school, I decided maybe I could push my body in other ways and began my first attempts at running. Initially, I “ran” 1-2 blocks and then sat on a curb breathing into a paper bag until my asthma attack subsided enough to slowly walk home. Tenacious and undaunted, I kept after my goal, gradually working my way up to running 2-3 miles at a time, and ultimately up to 6 miles over as many years. Running, even at a slow pace, helped me burn off stress and was a convenient way to get in a quick bout of exercise when I didn’t have time to hit the gym.
Working in Wellness
Through high school, college and into my young adult life, exercise was a staple. I tell people it should be like brushing your teeth; something you do every day without even thinking about it, because it is so ingrained in your routine.
As a stay-at-home mom, I was taking classes at the Tillamook YMCA, grateful to spend time among adults. One day, I made the fateful decision to ask Jeannie Christensen if there was ever going to be a step aerobics class offered at the Y. Like so many things in a small town, the answer was, “why don’t you start one?” Thus began a nearly 30-year career of teaching many different exercise disciplines.
I loved (and still love) teaching fitness classes. It is a way to give back, helping others experience their best life. Over all these years I have seen fitness change people from the inside out. That “locus of control,” it turns out, is an important component of life success and resilience. When we become aware of and gain control over moving our bodies, using our minds, it is very empowering.
The A-Ha Moment
By this time, our oldest son had been diagnosed with autism and our lives were changing dramatically. As we worked with our son to help him develop the ability to regulate his emotions and manage the sensory stimuli causing so much turmoil in his mind and body, I discovered magic could be found in movement. The most effective exercises involved movements that strengthened the parts of his brain involved in balance, spatial awareness and motor planning. How interesting, I thought. The same could be said for teaching a step class.
Teaching adults how to move, while helping our son re-wire his brain with movement, turned out to generate an “a-ha” moment of monumental proportions. As I began to understand how the brain is formed and how it changes with regular physical activity, I began to consider the larger implications of what I was learning. What could this mean for other children? For anyone who wanted to be more physically coordinated, better regulated, smarter and more successful?
Armed with this discovery, I decided to go back to school to pursue a Master of Education in Health & Kinesiology. Graduating in 2012, I used my degree to expand exercise programming at the YMCA, adding Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance, which over 300 older adults took in 2014. The following year, I was tapped to help lead a community effort to focus on reducing chronic disease in Tillamook County, which led to the formation of Tillamook County Wellness.
My Hopes for Wellness
I am very grateful for my experiences and the opportunity to influence health at both the individual and population level. As I enter my ninth year as coordinator for Tillamook County Wellness, I am looking ahead; or better yet, I am looking further “upstream.” So much of what contributes to wellness can be found between our ears. The mind. The brain. The connection between the brain and the body. This is where wellness starts. And it starts early in life – in the womb, in fact. Nearly 90% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of three and much of that development depends on movement.
My hopes for wellness are that we will begin to prioritize proper movement, nutrition and secure relationships during this critical window of childhood development. Do I have ideas for this? You bet I do and I can’t wait to keep working on wellness!
by Guest | Oct 28, 2024 | Being Well, Featured, Uncategorized
…to taking action for breast cancer prevention and healing.
October is breast cancer awareness month. It’s also my birthday month, and I’m happy to say, I’ve come a long way in my healing as I now feel honored to share my birthday month with this awareness as many of us would like to not have to touch it with a 10 foot pole. You see, I’ve learned much about breast cancer from lived experience, both my own diagnosis and one of my sisters. My sister’s story ended with her dying from metastatic breast cancer only 2 years from her original diagnosis. I’m currently 2.5 years out and doing great as I plan to continue to do.
Neither of us were paying enough attention to our risk factors and we had several. There were many factors involved including earlier cancers and radiation treatments, environmental toxin exposures (we all live in a chemical soup world, reducing our exposures and supporting our body’s pathways of elimination are key) emotional and physical overwhelm/high stress, over-nurturing others and under-nurturing the self. Sound familiar anyone? 1 in 8 are the current statistical numbers of breast cancer occurrence among women. Also, did you know? 1 in 100 men are affected. Each story is unique and there are certain things that put each of us in different risk categories.
Knowing our risk factors, how many we have and what we can do to lower our risk factors with lifestyle modification are all within our control. I knew I was in a higher risk category from having had radiation therapy in my early 20’s. I knew I functioned at a high stress level, saw signs of estrogen dominance, was persistently overweight for many years, chronically inflamed and worked nights often as a birth doula plus a few other factors. Yet I just hoped eating organically and not exposing myself to more radiation would keep me healthy. It wasn’t enough. Receiving the diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma right after my sister’s passing was a doozy of a hit too, but through my lifestyle adaptions it has ultimately brought me back to my earlier life goal of longevity (living to 100 or beyond!) and living that life in vibrant wellness. Good health has always been a passion of mine, but it’s funny how we can let stress and certain situations lead us to believe we should accept less for ourselves. Ultimately cancer has taught me how to live well again. Thank goodness! However, it was not easy to go through to get myself back on track. I don’t actually recommend it 😉 It is therefore, my pleasure and task to share with others what they can do to ideally avoid diagnosis by steering away from known risk factors and incorporating lifestyle habits that decrease risk factors. I love sharing preventive habits and skills in general for us all (including prevention of other diseases too I’d like to add).
Know your risk factors. How many of these align with you?
Risk factors from CDC
- Being a woman
- Age: most diagnosed after 50
- Having BRCA1&2 genes (genetics can be dimmed or brightened with lifestyle)
- Reproductive history – beginning menstruation before age 12 and menopause after 50 – also – First baby after 30, no breast feeding, no full term pregnancy
- Having dense breast tissue/connective tissue (hard to read in mammograms and needs better lymph movement and movement in general) Ultrasound and thermography** are better at reading dense breast tissue **note that thermography isn’t currently utilized by conventional medicine.
- Having a personal history of breast cancer
- Other breast diseases such as atypical ductal hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ
- Family history of breast or ovarian cancer (with or without BRCA gene) first degree relative; mom, sister, daughter – mother or father side
- Previous treatment with radiation (such as Hodgkins lymphoma also a sign the lymph system needs support)
- Exposure to DES drug – diethylstilbestrol – 1940-1971 – miscarriage prevention (mom and baby at higher risk)
- Not physically active
- Overweight or obesity after menopause
- HRT – hormone replacement therapy and slight increased risk seen from birth control pills.
- Drinking alcohol – risk increases with the more a woman drinks
- Smoking
- Night shift work
I would also add: environmental and food chemical additives that can overload our lymph and endocrine system as well as harm our gut microbiome.
Now to the empowering stuff!
What we can do: Taking action is key!
Eat more whole food plants! Eat more colors, eat seasonally, locally and clean/organic whenever possible. Check out the EWG’s list of clean 15 and dirty dozen to know what produce is ok to buy conventional/clean15 and which are ideal to buy organic/dirty dozen) Visit a local farm and enjoy their produce. They need our business through the cooler seasons too. Add one more vegetable to every meal and one new color a week. Ask about the farm’s growing habits. Find farms that don’t use chemicals. Many practice organic methods but don’t carry the certification yet and they’re happy to answer your inquiries.
Exercise! Move your body in ways that make you happy and feel good. Get moving every day. And this doesn’t mean stressed out running around, no, that’s counter productive. This means, enjoy a walk, hike or bike ride. Prioritize the time to commit to regular movement. You are so worth it! Walk one day, take a movement class another day such as Yoga or Joy Lymph Flow (a class I lead in Rockaway Beach and Nehalem) Tai Chi, Qigong or whatever you fancy, but it should bring ease to your body and time for repose. Turn on the music and dance! A fabulous way to heal many layers and promotes connection and health within the family if you live with others.
Quit smoking and don’t drink alcohol or limit your intake. Mocktails made with herbs are power packed with more phytonutrients that help us stay well and are an actual treat vs. a known risk factor.
Switch to natural household and personal care products. Don’t use anything with “fragrance” listed as an ingredient or chemical names you can’t pronounce or artificial colors. There are so many products out there, it can be overwhelming. Environmental Working Group also has a Skin Deep database listing products that are free from chemicals. It’s not one product that becomes the problem, it’s the many products together, it becomes a toxic load the body can’t handle. Switching to natural cleaners and personal care items actually uplifts our health instead.
Discuss your risk factors with your ND or MD and meet with a health coach like myself for support in making changes to your lifestyle at a pace that works for you to live a life that’s shown to be more preventive in lowering your risk factors and ideally avoiding this disease. I also teach breast massage for self-care and home screening. 3 This article is dedicated to those we’ve loved and let go of too early due to this disease and to those facing it now and in the future. May we all be free, live in flow, know ease and enjoy self care first so we may indeed be well and remain here for others.
Written by Elizabeth Golden Seaver, Health and Wellness Coach, Nehalem, OR and Tillamook County Wellness Coalition Member.
You can reach out to her at: goldenkeywellness.abmp.com, wingforwisdom@gmail.com
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Sep 16, 2024 | Being Well, Featured, Why I'm In
“WHY I’M IN …” An interview with Galena Flores, Program Assistant SNAP-Educator with Tillamook County Extension through Oregon State University and Tillamook Family YMCA
What drew you/your organization to partner with Tillamook County Wellness?
My first partnership with Tillamook County Wellness (TCW) was at the YMCA. Having lost my grandfather to diabetes, I became a Lifestyle coach teaching the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which was partnered with Tillamook County Wellness. They promote the program by helping recruit individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The year-long program taught individuals small lifestyle changes that would have a lasting impact on their health, reducing their chances of getting Type 2 Diabetes.
As my role in the community has changed, I have continued to work with TCW through different avenues and organizations. During my internship at the Tillamook County Community Health Center, I worked with TCW on a Health Literacy campaign that was published on the Tillamook County Wellness Facebook page and other social media platforms.
More recently, with my new role at Tillamook Extension, I have worked closely with TWC on different committees and projects, one of which is the Treasure Your Wellness map currently underway. I am also working with the Access to Physical Activity Committee as we work toward promoting the Salmonberry Trail and events like the bike rodeo and the Four Seasons of Forging events that will be going on in our community throughout the year.
What, if any, changes have you seen come about as a result of this work?
I have seen the prevalence of type 2 diabetes go down in Tillamook, along with the several established walking groups that are throughout the county and much more.
What have you learned from being involved in this work?
This community can do some very meaningful things by bringing different organizations together. I also learned about the Salmonberry Trail, which would be fantastic for our community, along with various other things.
What are your hopes for this work as it relates to you/your organization?
My hope is to empower our community to take control of their health. Through my work with Tillamook Extension, I am providing individuals with the resources and knowledge to be able to make informed decisions about their health. I hope to be able to impact my community with healthy recipes and knowledge about specific ingredients that they might not be sure about. I hope to be able to provide information to people about ways to be more physically active and feel more confident in the kitchen when preparing meals for themselves and their families. I hope to be able to encourage our low-income and underserved population on different ways to take care of themselves, which could be done by teaching them how to prepare nutritious meals with the items they are receiving at the food banks or educating them on different resources there are throughout the community they might not be aware of.
What are your hopes for this work as it relates to changing community health in Tillamook County?
I hope that people will be able to access the resources that my organization and TWC provide. I hope to truly impact our community in a positive way and inspire people to take care of themselves and, if possible, others.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
TCW truly has its community’s best interest at heart, and many Tillamook County residents do not realize how much they are really affected by this organization. The work that is being done every day to improve this community’s health through different organizations is astonishing. I feel it is a beautiful thing, and we are so lucky to have such a grand coalition in our community.
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Jun 14, 2024 | Eat Well, Featured, Lunch & Snack Recipes, Recipes
Parmesan Herb-Baked Salmon
For Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness month this June, we invite you to nourish your mind with the brain-boosting benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids found in Salmon! This easy-to-make recipe combines flaky salmon with a savory coating of parmesan that will save you time brainstorming what to make for dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 whole wild salmon filet with skin, 1 1/2 inches thick (2 lbs)
- 1/4 cup light mayo
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easiest cleanup.
- Combine mayo, Parmesan, garlic and herbs in a small bowl.
- Place salmon, skin side down, onto lined baking sheet. Cover salmon with another piece of parchment or foil. Partially bake salmon for 8 minutes.
- Remove from oven and remove top piece of parchment paper.
- Spread the top with the Parmesan herb mixture.
- Return to oven uncovered and bake until the top has browned, and the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
- The salmon should register 135º F when checked with an internal thermometer probe, about 15 to 18 minutes if the fish is 1 1/2 inches thick, less or more depending on the thickness.
Resource: https://www.skinnytaste.com/parmesan-herb-baked-salmon/
Lewis Martin, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition Director with Oregon Dairy Counsel
by Guest | May 17, 2024 | Being Well, Featured, Uncategorized
Fortunately, Buzzfeed has never claimed to be able to give you any medical diagnosis. But plenty of other sources on the internet walk the fine line between “this is not medical advice” and “this sure sounds a lot like medical advice”. There’s a quiz for everything, and a “cure” for everything. A problem you didn’t know you had, and the product that can solve it (for three easy payments of $19.95, plus shipping and handling!) Anything and everything to do with your health can be found with a few taps on your phone, so it’s important to recognize how media literacy ties in with health literacy.
Let’s take a step back. About 21% of US adults experience chronic pain, or pain that lasts for three or more months. Millions suffer from conditions that have no known treatment or cure. Our doctors don’t always have the answers we are looking for. After all, they can’t prescribe a treatment that doesn’t exist, or diagnose a condition that they don’t have the evidence for. And so, we strike out on our own determined to find a solution to the pain we carry every day. A solution beyond the scientific boundaries of conventional medical practice. Collectively, these solutions are referred to as alternative medicine.
Alternative medicine has real value to many individuals and cultures. That is not up for debate. For thousands of years, alternative medicine was the only medicine. However, there is potential for significant harm as these practices have expanded from healers utilizing medicinal herbs to Dr. Charlatan on the internet trying to sell you an at-home detox regimen that may very well do more harm than good. Many treatments or devices label themselves as alternative medicine when they are little more than a scam.
Here, health literacy and media literacy collide. Having the ability to recognize what information and products are legitimate and which are deceptive (not to mention potentially harmful and a waste of money) can make a significant difference in your health and quality of life. Let’s go over some questions to ask as you evaluate the validity of medical information online:
- Does it come from a reputable webpage, such as that of a university or hospital
system? Keep in mind that anyone can post deceiving information on social
media, or even on a website of their own. The website URL can give you some
clues. Websites ending in .edu=educational institutions, .gov=government agencies, .org =an organization (often non-profit), .com=commercial, and.net=network. Be particularly wary of .com and .net websites, as they could be hosted by anyone.
- Does it conflict with other reputable sources? If so, consider getting a second (or
third) opinion.
- Does the source profit off of your choice? Are they trying to sell you anything (a
device, a course, a supplement)? If they are promoting a supplement, is it their
own brand that they are trying to sell?
- Is it sensational? Black and white? Health information should be educational, not
headline-grabbing or clickbait.
- Do they have credible sources/citations?
- Is the person or organization making statements credentialed to do so? (Some
titles sound legitimate, but require no training or certification. For example,
anyone can claim to be a “nutritionist”, but “registered dietician” is a protected
title for trained professionals.)
To encourage a safe health practices, consider these tips:
- Avoid long gaps in medical care. Establish with a primary care provider (PCP)
and maintain regular visits. Let them know if anything changes with your health.
- Avoid self-diagnosing. Seek the most accurate diagnosis possible from a trained
physician.
- If you choose to take any supplements, ask your doctor if there is any risk that
they will interfere with your prescription medications. Remember that
supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and
sometimes do not contain the product or dosage reflected on the label.
- Don’t change or stop any prescribed medications without consulting your doctor.
- Evaluate how much you are spending on alternative treatments, and whether you
are getting the positive outcomes you are looking for.
What medical treatments or information you choose to follow is ultimately your decision. If alternative medicine provides you with healing and comfort, that’s fantastic! But if you have any questions or concerns about your health, always go to a physician first. Keep up with Tillamook County Wellness’ health literacy campaign to continue learning about how you can play an active role in managing your health. And in the meantime, stick to the TikToks that teach you about gardening, not self-medicating. Be well, Tillamook!
written by Sarah Ermer, MPH, CHES, from Tillamook Family Counseling Center
Resources:
Rikard SM, Strahan AE, Schmit KM, Guy GP Jr.. Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2019–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:379–385. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7215a1.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024, February 13). Is this legit? accessing valid and reliable health information. National Institutes of Health.
https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators/lesson-plans/legit-accessing-valid-and-reliable-health-information
