HEALTHY LIVING

HEALTHY LIVING AND RESILIENCE

WITH KAREN OWOC

If you're a woman who's been told to diet and exercise more but you're not seeing results, this article is for you. Karen Owoc will share how you can optimize your health and longevity by making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle.

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It may come as no surprise that the types of food people eat can have a profound impact on their health.

Karen Owoc is a clinical exercise physiologist who has focused her career on using food and exercise to treat, manage, and prevent disease. Karen is a guest speaker on lifestyle medicine and has been a weekly TV health expert on Kron4 News in San Francisco for the past four and a half years, speaking on all aspects of health in over 200 television interviews. Certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, Karen focuses on the fascinating findings of human longevity and the centenarian lifestyle.

Karen's work is personal to her, as she lost her mother to ovarian cancer when she was pregnant with her first child. After her mother's death, she realized that there was a lack of positive, science-based information available on health and wellness, so she created a blog and website to fill that void. Karen's goal is to help people understand the emotional triggers that lead to unhealthy eating, and to provide them with tools to cope with those triggers in a healthy way. She believes that this is the key to unlocking a longer, healthier life for everyone.

Because of her love for sports and family history of early-onset heart disease, Karen focused on a career path where food and exercise are used to treat, manage, and prevent disease. She just released her first book on functional longevity, “Athletes in Aprons: The Nutrition Playbook to Break 100”.

In her book, you can learn what it takes to keep your heart, body, and brain working optimally, and discover why it's never too early or too late to start. In fact, even if you already show signs of aging and chronic conditions, these effects can change. That's because lifestyle matters. Today Karen shared some of her tips for optimizing health and longevity.

Chronic diseases and disability, such as heart disease, dementia, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, and osteoporosis, were once synonymous with old age, but after over fifty years of research by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Karen believes you can prevent or at least control certain diseases through the way you live.

Old habits die hard, though. Changing your habits is a process that involves several stages. Sometimes it takes a while before changes become new habits. And, you may face roadblocks along the way.

Adopting new, healthier habits may protect you from serious health problems like obesity and diabetes. New habits, like healthy eating and regular physical activity, may also help you manage your weight and have more energy. After a while, if you stick with these changes, they may become part of your daily routine.

Here are some tips for opti-

mizing health and longevity: 1. Recognize emotional triggers for eating 2. Keep a diary of cravings 3. Find alternative coping mechanisms for stress

1. Recognize emotional triggers for eating In order to recognize emotional triggers for eating, it is important to keep a diary of cravings and what situations or emotions were present when the craving occurred. Once triggers are identified, it is important to find other ways to cope with the emotions that do not involve food. This may include exercise, meditation, or other activities.

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2. Find other ways to cope with emotions There are many other ways to cope with emotions besides eating. Some people may find that exercise helps to relieve stress and tension. Others may find that meditation or other relaxation techniques help to calm and center the mind. Still others may find that journaling or talking to a trusted friend or family member can help to process and release emotions. Find what works for you and stick with it!

2. Keep a diary of cravings In order to keep a diary of cravings, it is important to first be aware of when you are having them. Pay attention to when you are feeling the urge to eat, and what you are doing at the time. Are you stressed? Lonely? Bored? Anxious? Keep track of these feelings in your diary, along with what you are craving. This will help you to identify patterns and triggers for your emotional eating. Once you are aware of when and why you are having cravings, you can start to work on finding other ways to cope with these emotions, instead of using food. This may take some time and effort, but it is worth it to break the cycle of emotional eating.

If you find that you are having cravings more often than you would like, there are some things you can do to help reduce them. First, try to eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day, so that you are not getting too hungry. This will help to prevent those extreme cravings that can be hard to resist. Second, make sure to get enough sleep and exercise, as both of these can help to reduce stress and improve your mood. Finally, try to find other ways to cope with your emotions, such as talking to a friend, journaling, or listening to music. If you can find healthy ways to deal with your emotions, you will be less likely to turn to food for comfort.

3. Find alternative coping mechanisms for stress If you want to stop emotional eating, the first step is to become aware of when you're doing it. Pay attention to the times when you have a sudden craving for food, and try to identify what's going on in your life at that moment. Are you feeling stressed? Anxious? Lonely? Once you know what your triggers are, you can start to work on finding other ways to cope with those emotions instead of using food. This may take some time and effort, but it's worth it to break the cycle of emotional eating.

There are many other ways to cope with stress and emotional eating besides food. Some people find that exercise is a great way to release pent-up energy and tension. Others find that journaling or talking to a friend can help to clear their mind and sort through their feelings. If you're struggling to find alternative coping mechanisms that work for you, don't be afraid to seek out professional help. A therapist can assist you in exploring the root cause of your emotional eating and developing healthy coping strategies.

Watch the interview now! youtube.com/c/KimTalks

Connect with Karen Website: karenowoc.com Facebook: @KarenOwoc Instagram: @KarenOwoc LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karenowoc/

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