Change Is In The Air!
As we wind down 2009, change is in the air! If you've been by the office in the last month or so, no doubt you've seen our exciting new building becoming a reality. We wanted to share information about our new office space and how it will impact your life. Yes, that's right! We have high aspirations for you and what we're creating in our community!
For us, this new facility is more than just the long needed extra space to support our growing team. For us, it is a chance to share our experiences and knowledge with the entire community. We're so proud of the profound changes taking place within Seva Family Care and want to bring the next level of true healthcare to the community.
We're honored that you trust us to care for you and your loved ones and we do so with the same commitment and compassion that we share with our own loved ones. We believe it is a physician's job to move beyond the prescription pad and assist you in achieving your loftiest health goals. Whether your goal is to get off of medication or become the person you've always wanted to be, we can help.
For some, it's not a matter of having the desire to change, but more likely a matter of not knowing where to begin or how to proceed on the quest to improve your health. We see our role not only as health providers, but equally as important, we see ourselves as health educators. We believe this education is what sets us apart from most medical offices and we also know it is the key aspect of why our patients have such great success.
In line with our focus on education, the practice name will change from Seva Family Care to the SevaMed Institute. 'Seva' is an ancient word that translates to 'selfless service' and Dr. Saxena's original commitment to providing this type of service to the community remains as our driving force.
Announcing Our Newest Addition
The new facility will offer a packed calendar of educational events including health lectures, yoga classes, fitness classes, personal training, healthy cooking classes, stress management workshops, nutrition lectures, organic produce co-op, and roundtable lunches hosted by Dr. Saxena, just to name a few. By bringing all the key factors necessary to make lifelong changes together in one place, we're able to provide the entire community the chance to make the critical changes in their lives to meet their health and wellness goals. This 'life changing place' will be known as The Center for Living Wellness.
We'll be sharing our enthusiasm in the coming weeks with even more exciting news! For now, all we can say is dust off those notebooks, sneakers and yoga mats and get ready to learn and change your life!!!
Whole Grains Are Feel Good Foods!
Whole grains are undoubtedly the latest and greatest marketing trend among food manufacturers. Gone are the 'Fat Free' and 'Low Carb' labels plastered all over our food. What I find is that this 'trend' is right in line with the groundswell of healthy eating that is sweeping our country, and yes, they're good for you and make you feel good!
The craze of the Red Bull, Power Bar, Gatorade days crashed both literally and figuratively. These types of carbohydrates are known as simple sugars and convert to glucose (the body's energy currency) very quickly. This quick conversion leads to a rather steep spike in blood sugar. And just like Newton predicted, whatever goes up must come down. Unfortunately, when it comes to blood sugar the steeper the spike, the faster the crash that follows. So these simple sugars give us a quick burst of energy, but leave us feeling tired- not to mention the bloating that often accompanies sugary foods.
Whole grains like bulgar, wild rice, quinoa and even whole wheat, take significantly longer to convert to glucose, so we call them complex carbohydrates. This complexity results in a slow, steady elevation in blood sugar (without the spike) which then equates to a slow, gradual decline. Simply put, this means we get long lasting, steady energy from whole grains. Not only is this great for sustaining our energy levels, but we feel fuller longer by choosing whole grains. Additionally, whole grains are nutritionally dense foods. For example, a serving of quinoa contains roughly 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
Now, back to those marketing departments.....when reading food labels, steer clear of any type of flour that touts itself as 'enriched flour' or the even sneakier, 'wheat flour'. Most commercial flour IS wheat flour. They got us a few years ago with 'White Wheat' bread, right? White wheat bread is just 'white bread' in disguise. A good rule of thumb to follow... if it's a white grain, it's usually processed and no longer a whole grain. If it's made of flour, be sure the first ingredient reads "whole" something- whether you love wheat, oats or something more adventuresome like amaranth.
I'm certainly not Sir Issac Newton, but my advice... slow and steady wins the race (at least when it comes to blood sugar) and stay away from the white stuff (unless it's the freshly powdered mountain top you're meditating on).
Going High Tech to Fight Fat and Improve Health!
If you've tuned in to watch NBC's "Biggest Loser" in the last year or so, you may have noticed that the contestants are wearing Body Bugg metabolic computers on their arms. Unlike many fitness computers that try to calculate the number of calories expended, Body Bugg computers actually measure your true metabolism. Our own Michele has been wearing one for the last two months and has gained much insight into the metabolic process that is assisting our patients on the road to improved health.
So, how does this effect you? Well, we've just purchased several of these metabolic computers for the office just for you! These devices are made by the same manufacturer as Body Bugg, but with an additional feature -- they also measure the quality of your sleep! All told, you'll learn how many calories you burn, steps you take, activity profile including moderate and vigorous activities, sleep quality, as well as the daily required nutritional deficit to improve your body composition.
If you are currently or have previously taken part in our Therapeutic LIfestyle Change Nutritional Program (low glycemic lifestyle), you are eligible to rent one of these invaluable devices for one week. The waiting list is forming quickly, so give us a call and we'll schedule your fitting/set-up. If you haven't participated in our Nutritional Program and are interested, contact Rhea at 813.269.2700 to determine if you meet clinical requirements for insurance covered visits.
Happy Holidays!
As we find ourselves in the hustle and bustle of the Holidays and New Year, this is our wish for you:
peace of mind,
prosperity through the year,
happiness that multiplies,
fun around every corner,
energy to chase your dreams,
joy to fill your holidays and
optimal health for you and yours!
Warmly,
Dr. Saxena and the Staff of The SevaMed Institute