Category: Yoga

Meet Health Coach Judith Beaulieu: Network of RN Health Coaches Empowers Women and Children

While taking blood pressures on people after church services this morning, I encountered a few conversations concerning questions about the negative effects eating too much salt.  Actually, one of the effects of salt is to regulate blood pressure.  The debates are out there in the medical literature concerning lowering salt intake to accommodate lowering blood pressure.  Nothing is certain about this, however, one thing is for sure and that is the American Diet far exceeds the intake of 6 grams a day.  This is about 1 teaspoonful.

You read labels for sodium content, don’t add table salt to your food, special order sodium-free meals on restaurant menus and you still aren’t sure that is enough.  It is frustrating to bank on diet restrictions only.

Another thing you can add to your life-style is “exercise” 5 days a week for at least 60 minutes in the form of hot vinyasa yoga, running, power walking, biking, anything that produces sweat and increases your respirations.  This is a way to eliminate sodium through the skin (the largest organ of the body) and through breath.  Hydrating with water after a good workout helps to flush out more sodium and toxins via the kidneys which is part of their job.

Adding fruits to your diet that are high in magnesium like water melon or pineapple are also needed to keep  the body in balance.  Potassium from oranges – not juice – bananas, strawberries and kiwi replenish the body with this important electrolyte.  Why am I telling you to add these to your diet when discussing sodium?  Because in order to help keep sodium in balance within your body these are necessary to ingest every day of your life.

Lastly, eliminate ALL soda from your daily beverage list.  It is loaded with sodium – yes, even the diet sodas have a huge amount of it.  Explore the world of teas and coffee without adding the sugar and dairy.  After about a month or so you will wonder why you were drinking soda in the first place.

I lift my mug of tea to you in Good Health!  e-Nurse Femtique Judith

There is a need to make education available to everyone about breastfeeding – mother’s-to-be, father’s-to-be, family members, friends, corporations and society as a whole can benefit their understanding of the dynamic influence bestowed upon human beings through breastfeeding.

It is important to know about the major benefits of this God-given gift to women’s bodies and to gain the support necessary to work toward “Healthy  People 2020” which addresses the need of more women to breast feed their babies  (www.CDC.gov/nchs/healthy_people/hp2020.htm).

Newborn Nutrition is best achieved through human breast milk which is species-specific designed to optimally grow and develop a brain, protect the gut and boost the immune system.  The process of breastfeeding the baby encourages attachment behavior.  This is also known as “bonding”.  If there could be an area here in America that can be improved, in my opinion, it is here at the socially acceptable level of endorsing the mother/baby bond.  Providing a decent place for breastfeeding mothers to attend to the call of her hungry baby is an ideal way to show you care.    

I provide FEMTIQUE nurses to follow coaching mothers’ on breastfeeding through AWHONN.  I have been a member of AWHONN (Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses) since 1984.  This is an organization that strives to provide perinatal nurse members with the most accurate and latest evidence-based information.  Nurses utilizing the information are licensed to commit sharing the knowledge in conjunction with a moral and ethical responsibility to those serviced.  I encourage major stores to contact Inquiry@femtique.org to help establish the “Bonding with Baby” program for breastfeeding moms who patronize their stores.  This could only help your business, by the way.  

FEMTIQUE Health Coaches are dedicated to the Standards, Guidelines and Recommendations set forth by AWHONN.  This being said, our commitment is for the mother and baby and takes priority over convenience, productivity and costs.  Please contact us a inquiry@femtique if you would like to engage an educational coaching program for you or a group interested in knowing all about breastfeeding.

Happy New Year 2012!

e-nurse Femtique Judith      

“The Whole-Brain Child” by Dr. Daniel J. Siegel is a book that I endorse all moms to have in their home libraries.  It is a good, easy read with extremely helpful strategies to understand and nurture a child’s developing mind.  It addresses the “terrible twos” as well as the “rebellious teens”.

At 12:00 noon on Monday, October 10th, 2011, I was traveling home from my Yoga class and tuned my car radio to NPR to hear “Voices in the Family” and listened to an interview between the radio host, Dr. Dan Gottlieb and the author of “The Whole-Brain Child”,  Dr. Dan Siegel.  The author received his medical degree from Harvard University and is a practicing Neuropsychiatrist and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine as well as Co-Director of the “Mindful Awareness Research Center”.    He has done research studying the young brain with clinically significant outcomes.  After listening to the entire interview on NPR I bought the book and have been coaching clients using Dr. Seigel’s successful ways to nurture outbursts, arguments and fears that encompass everyday life.

If you would like to know more about Dr. Seigel just go to http://drdansiegel.com to read all about his endeavors.

One more comment, this book would make a nice holiday gift for any parent.  e-Nurse Femtique Judith      

Senator Robert Casey has acted upon strengthening the Federal Law P.I. 108-36 Keeping Children & Families Safe Act of 2003 42 U.S.C.5101 et seq.  This blog is to provide you with information about your duty as a citizen to report child abuse and who to contact within the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.  If you are not from these states you can find out your contact info by logging on to www.HHS.gov.

Formerly this law originated in 1974 as “The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and has been amended several times.

Mandatory reporting and failure to report suspected abuse can result in criminal liability, although the liability is typically a misdemeanor punishable by a fine (www.smith-lawfirm.com Susan K. Smith, Esquire – source of this information).

There is no conflict between the State Law and the Privacy Rule (HIPPA) and no preemption (duly noted for my Healthcare colleagues).  All updated documentation concerning abuse reporting can be obtained by going to www.HHS.gov.

The following are contacts for reporting child abuse:

PENNSYLVANIA Department of Public Welfare Reporting Hot Lines:
Toll-free: (800) 932-0313
TTD:  (866) 872-1677

NEW JERSEY Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) Hot Lines:
(877) NJ ABUSE (877) 652-2873
TTY/TDD use (800) 835-5510

DELAWARE Services for Children, Youth and Their Families Hot Lines:
(800) 292-9582

Provided to you by e-Nurse Femtique Judith

Thanksgiving is this week and  there are so many people out of work in the U.S. who cannot afford to keep up the expense of rent, mortgage, utilities, car expenses and the like.  Families will still gather together to give thanks and “break bread” together in spite of these hard times.

It is during the hard times that I think about how our ancestors who came to America survived hard times through epidemics, WWI, the depression of the 1930’s and WWII.  Their hard work and determination are the reasons why America grew to prosperity.  They never gave up and gathered together to form communities that helped each other through the tough times.  They sought opportunity and not security from the government.  They took the calculated risk to dream and build, to fail and to succeed.

Again, we find ourselves gathering together to help each other in order to survive.   When there is a shortage of food, we grow our own.    Remember, our ancestors did not have credit cards.  We do not spend money we do not have and we save whatever we can to provide for the future.  Cut out the things that cost money but do not serve any functional purpose for you at the present time.   Create ways in which to make money that do not already exist.  Seek out opportunities offered by others that will help make it happen for you.  Enjoy the benefit of your freedom.

Thank you to all of our veterans and active military who are serving our country in any and all areas of the U.S. and the world.  e-nurse Femtique Judith

This weekend of November 5th and 6th the United States will turn clocks back one hour.  It is a time when the days are shorter and there is a longer period of darkness within a 24 hour block of time.

Some people experience a shift in their mood due to the days being shorter.  The term known as “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD terms emotive response to the change of season as it pertains to lessor exposure to sunlight and colder temperatures during the fall and winter months.

One probable cause of this effect is linked to the circadian rhythm and the effects upon it by the reduced level of sunlight.  “Science Daily” (www.sciencedaily,com) reports that  the circadian rhythm is a 24 hour cycle that is important in determining our sleeping and eating patterns.  This affects our brain wave activity hormone production, cell regeneration and other biological activities.

One way to start dealing with this is to take advantage of sunny days and add morning walks outside in sunny days daily if you don’t do so already.  Socialize while doing so by seeking out friends and neighbors within your community to join you.  Connect with people who you like to be around and continue these walks throughout the year.

Provide your body with nourishment from foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids.  Fish and nuts are an excellent source of this protein.  Provision from mind-body therapies will enhance your recovery from this very real disorder which encompasses feelings of hopelessness low self-esteem, poor concentration, low energy and problems with eating and/or sleeping.  These therapies are Yoga, Meditation, Guided Imagery and Message Threapy.

Your Primary Care Physician is a first-line approach for discussion, diagnosis and treatment options.  In the meantime and in addition to your medical intervention(s), a health coach can help you through this maze of non-medical approaches to assist in getting you through the “tough times” of SAD.

Contact Inquiry@femtique.org to submit a request for a Health Coach.  Feel free to comment and/or share about your thoughts and experiences regarding SAD on this this blog.  e-Nurse Femtique Judith

A reformation in the field of medical care is the use of nurses in the integration of  Ultrasound within the practice of OB/GYN (Obstetric/Gynecological) Nursing.   Ultrasound within Reproductive Medicine has become specialized by nurses in accordance with guidelines put forth in 1993 by AWHONN (Association for Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses).  

The September/October 2011 issue of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing includes very comprehensive information about training and evaluating nurses performing Ultrasound in Reproductive Medicine.  Programs endorsed by AWHONN such as through HealthNet (www.hnfs.com)  include a continuing education component and is set to provide opportunities to train nurses to policy, education and credentialing for their practice needs and settings.  This is great news for the nursing profession and the women who are served by it.

The availability of nurses to help with this much needed diagnostic procedure is a life-saving measure, especially when needing crisis intervention decision-making.

I leave you to comment .  e-nurse femtique-Judith    

During the past year there has been an increased number of people suffering from an Irritable Bowel problem.   If anyone can share recipes that they know of for this population that includes foods and herbs with nutritional value that taste good and do not cause gas, bloating, cramping or diarrhea please blog them.  Thank you for sharing.    e-Nurse Femtique Judith

Access to health information can be overwhelming for a person without a medical background and experience.  The amount of information is insurmountable and confusing.  Rather than taking on a crash course to learn while seeking help the Private Practice Registered Nurse Health Coach and Registered Nurse Patient Navigator translates and disseminates information while helping people achieve the highest optimum level of wellness for their life.  RNs serve in the role as advocates for all persons; calling on those in authority and those with responsibility for providing health care and educate to exercise due diligence in protecting the public trust through programs of careful and prudent information dissemination, research, health screening as well as health and wellness care.

FEMTIQUE is a joint venture to gather as many RNs on-board who can provide the public with information through your accrued knowledge and skills which ground you in your professional education clinical training and experience, with the aim of achieving and maintaining better health outcomes for those we serve.  This being said, I am calling upon all RNs out there to provide a piece of information that would be helpful to the general public.  The following was forwarded to me through a friend’s e-mail.

Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, thyroid cancer.  It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that the increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms.  He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck.  Many dentists don’t bother to use it.  Also, there is something called a “thyroid guard” for use during mammograms.  By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little silly, but I asked about the guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn’t routinely used. Answer: “I don’t know.  You have to ask for it.” Well, if I hadn’t seen the show, how would I have known to ask?