Intensive Care

Many of you may or may not know that my wife works as a nurse in the medical intensive care unit at Illinois Masonic Hospital. She has been a nurse for a handful of years now, and I've heard some pretty interesting stories relating to situations, conditions, and the status of people's health in general. Jasmine is committed to helping people which makes her one of the special people cut-out for this industry. Jasmine and I both are really passionate about health and fitness and truly believe that living healthy is of the utmost importance. In the medical ICU in particular, she sees a variety of patients needing round-the-clock specialized attention, and she definitely sees many people who don't need to be there, such as obese individuals in the hospital as a result of being obese and living a sedentary lifestyle. Of course, that isn't an ailment, but it leads to a high percentage of illnesses and medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and others. This morning as we both got ready for the day, we were discussing the Dr. Oz show and what an awesome educational and exciting show it really is. We agreed that there is a wealth of knowledge from Dr. Oz, the audience participant activities, and from the guests on the show. Jasmine told me that she tells her patients, "Watch the Dr. Oz show!" as one of her suggestions. She also shares with these people the importance of making tweaks to their diet and working in fitness to help them get healthy and stay out of the hospital. "I don't know if other nurses do it, but I do it," she said. I am so proud and inspired by my wife. She makes me want to live better and help more people which is a great reason I have become a personal trainer. I tell her now, "You are helping the people get better while they're in the hospital, and I'm trying to keep people out of the hospital!" Kind of funny, but absolutely true. Here's a tip straight from the nurse:

"The most important thing you can do is take your medications, and eat healthier foods. Stay away from fried foods, and when it comes to breads and pastas, 'If it's white it ain't right!'" 

That last bit is kind of funny, and actually she says she got that from a guest of the Dr. Oz show. A simple but great way to start eating better. Aim for 100% whole grain when choosing breads and pastas, and instead of fried foods, substitute with grilled and baked items. Is this the "cure-all" for your diet? Not hardly. But it is a great first step. Please feel free to comment below and/or contact me with questions or tips of your own. We are all here to help each other! Happy Friday, have a great day and thanks for reading!