Denton County Living Well Magazine Spring 2015 | Page 37

Author Cindy Harrison-Staub, M.S., is a certified personal trainer with the City of Plano Recreation Centers. She also holds a M.S. in Nutritional Sciences. You can reach Cindy at [email protected] or 972-948-4141. We need to find our own inner girdles by training muscles in our hips, abdomen, and lower back so we can stabilize and minimize the risk of injury and falls. Upper body muscle work is also important to stabilize the shoulder girdle. Finally, we cannot ignore our genetics! Some people are genetically prone to bone metabolism issues and sometimes prescription drugs must be prescribed. The thyroid and parathyroid glands control calcium metabolism like an orchestra conductor. If one gland is malfunctioning, problems can also arise. The liver and kidneys potentiate vitamin D; thus, any one of the links along the vitamin D and calcium metabolic chains can cause problems. The serenity prayer states that we must accept the things we cannot change, have the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. We cannot change our genetics… at least not quite yet… but we can value ourselves enough to take good care of our bodies. My mother’s generation was not raised with physical and nutritional wellness information so many did not hop on the bandwagon as research progressed. Today, there is no excuse. The information is out there and has been distributed to the masses quite readily for the past few decades. We must choose to keep strong and eat right in a society where it is all too easy to do the opposite. For the most part, we are in control of what we put in our mouths and whether we stimulate our voluntary muscles. I strongly urge you to invest in your muscles and improve your body mechanics as best you can so that you have a good chance of avoiding the potential negative consequences of physical neglect. It is your body and your life. You only have one, so do your best! Consider consulting a certified personal trainer and a degreed nutritionist (or dietitian) if you need help. Peace (Namaste) Advanced breast cancer screening designed with you in mind. Women are faced with a myriad of challenges in their daily lives, one of which is the real possibility of developing breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. But thanks in part to early detection through screening, death rates have been on the decline since 1989. An annual screening mammogram, recommended for women age 40 and older, can help detect breast cancer at its earlier stages. Schedule your screening with us today by calling 469-322-7700 or by visiting our website at TexasHealthFlowerMound.com/Mammogram. We’ve got the tools for early detection. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound is a joint venture owned by Texas Health Resources and physicians dedicated to the community and meets the definition under federal law of a physician-owned hospital. Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital. DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | SPRING 2015 35