photo credit cnbc

7 Easy Ways to Celebrate Veterans Day

photo credit cnbc

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”

— Cynthia Ozick

I don’t know that there is anything quite like the feeling of visiting a military base and watching the troops training or marching for a ceremony. The awe of a Harrier jet taking off and landing or having to say goodbye to a loved one leaving for boot camp. I come from a family who served in various branches of the military. My grandmother first in the Army, my brothers both Marines, my cousin in the Navy. So on this Veterans Day my heart is filled with gratitude and I wanted to share some easy ways to celebrate Veterans Day,

1. Know the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

Veterans Days is November 11 and designated as a day to honor all who have served in the military. Memorial Day is celebrated the last Monday in May, and pays tribute to those who died serving in the military. However, any day is a good day to say Thank You – amirite?

2. Ask your favorite She-Roes and Heroes about their service and favorite initiatives. Meet a few of mine here!

Lara DiPaola - @dipaolamomma on Twitter US Navy ABF3 Gulf War Vet

Lara also has a son in active duty – we are grateful for his service! She is a busy mom, travel blogger and social good advocate. Lara is a fierce champion for many Veteran initiatives and shares some of her favorites with us. She is a strong supporter of Operation Delta Dog an organization that rescues homeless dogs and trains them to assist Veterans suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. WINC (Women Injured in Combat) – this organization helps women Veterans by providing meet-ups, retreats, scholarships, peer support groups, resources and more. The Bob Woodruff Foundation which finds partnerships to fund and shape programs to meet the emerging and long-term needs of Veterans and their families. The Bob Woodruff Foundation also gives 80 cents of each dollar to Veterans (that’s roughly 8 times the average according to Lara).

Isaiah Winters @IsaiahRW on Instagram > US Air Force

Isaiah is a talented photographer and online Creative. Isaiah is passionate about helping fellow Veterans suffering from mental health issues and supports organizations like The Soldier Project which provides free and confidential treatment to military service members and their families. You can find more resources like Soldier Project at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Tim Snow - @SnowinRI on Twitter > USAF "83-"91 Tactical Air Command / Pacific Air Forces

Tim is a respected social media expert, digital correspondent and brand journalist. Tim works hard in the fight against Homeless Veterans and supports online groups who help Veterans suffering from PTSD like #PTSDChat http://ptsdchat.org/

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Judy Davis an expert on Military Life who leads a huge community of active Duty Military Spouses. We celebrate you every day!

3. Show your gratitude by saluting and supporting our Veterans at local parades and events! Find one in your area here> http://www.military.com/veterans-day/events.html

4. Learn the Pledge of Allegiance, The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful or the Armed Forces Medley so you can join in at the next event. They’ll be pretty impressed!

America the Beautiful

http://www.metrolyrics.com/america-the-beautiful-lyrics-whitney-houston.html

The Star Spangled Banner

http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-star-spangled-banner-lyrics-whitney-houston.html

The Armed Forces Medley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoNj8qsptjA

The Pledge of Allegiance

http://www.ushistory.org/documents/pledge.htm

5. Research easy ways you can help Veterans all year long.

Donate Frequent Flier Miles

http://fisherhouse.org/ / http://fisherhouse.org/programs/hero-miles/how-to-donate-miles/

Send a care package or write a letter of gratitude

http://www.operationgratitude.com/

Share Their Stories

http://www.loc.gov/vets/

As with all charities and donations always check to make sure you know how monies are being spent. Two great resources /rating sites are Charity Navigator and Charity Watch

6. Support brands that support our troops and Veterans. Like my favorite > Verizon!

More than 10,000 employed who self-identify as Veterans. Verizon also made the 2017 Military Friendly Company List!

http://www.verizon.com/about/news/higher-calling

Discounts and savings for Veterans and Active Military to keep them connected to friends and family no matter where they are!

https://www.verizonwireless.com/discounts/military/

7. Say Thank You!

THANK YOU to ALL Veterans and active Military personnel for your service and sacrifice. We appreciate and honor you!

I’m Not Fit Yet – But I Sure As **it Plan To Be

image credit - Pinterest

“Healthy is an outfit that looks different on everybody”

— Anonymous

So I Googled Fitness and about 1,600,000,000 results popped up. I wonder why we feel so overwhelmed…. I think the interwebs know we have a severe case of FOBO (fear of better options). I say use it to explore and learn and then get out in the real world and try some stuff. I did and here they are! As with all exercise and eating programs you should ALWAYS consult your personal physician.

*this is not advice*

Fleet Feet Sports – I went in looking for a new pair of sneakers and I walked out with a new hobby. You’ll be impressed with their personal fit process but you’ll also be impressed with their personal attention and services. They are locally owned and operated and you can find yours through the link. My local store offers an array of running programs from beginner walking all the way through advanced training for marathoners. I’ll be running my third 5 K this year in April! Yay!

TRX Training – This was offered through my local Fleet Feet Sports store. When I saw it I was super curious about it and when I saw it in action I was NOT sure this was something I could do. This is essentially pretty bad ass bodyweight exercise. It develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability simultaneously. I’m here to say that I have been able to do SO much more than I thought possible. There are a ton of movements for beginner – advanced and anything can be modified for any level. I can literally feel myself getting stronger and I’ve seriously never sweated so much in my life.

Personal Trainer Food – My friend asked me if I wanted to check it out and after I checked it out online I was all like ABSO! If you Googled lately you KNOW that everyone and everything is 80/20! This means the key to weight-loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. One of the top quotes I repeat to myself on the daily is “You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet”. That’s where Personal Trainer Food comes in. When you think of “diet” food you think hungry, deprived, measuring, packing, pain in the ass. That is NOT this. This program was amazing in every way. Convenient-Balanced-Fresh-Portioned-Delicious. The food was so good in fact that a few nameless family members swiped a number of meals. Also never before have I loved eating veggies so much – the blends were AHmazing! The plan is easy to follow in that really all you need to do is choose your meal and pop it in the microwave. It doesn’t get any easier than that and the microwave time was always on point. I hate when you’re trying to heat something up and it’s never the time it says on the package. Personal Trainer Food is NOT for you if you’re not busy and have all the time in the world to measure and weigh food that you really don’t want to eat. There are plans for every budget and level. (I received a one month program courtesy of Personal Trainer Food).

Yoga – I’m late to this party BUT I’m SO glad I joined. Again, I take Yoga through my local Fleet Feet Sports store. I told you Fleet Feet was amazing! Yoga is for EVERYONE. I repeat EVERYONE! And if you don’t believe that – check this out http://people.com/bodies/plus-size-yogi-who-overcame-binge-eating-and-depression-is-inspiring-others/ Yoga challenging but at the same time relaxing. I’m currently doing Vinyasa which is so much more than the described “sequence of poses” It’s strengthening, working my core and improving my balance and flexibility. Over time taking yoga has improved my running and stamina exponentially. Yoga nights help me shake off stress and are now the best night’s sleep I get all week. It’s everything you never knew you always need it.

Massage – I don’t think massage is thought of as much as a luxury anymore as much as it is body maintenance. Some scientific studies say massage improves circulation, boosts immunity, improves flexibility and reduces stress. I say yes to ALL of that and now I say yes yes because it’s more affordable than ever. I have a monthly membership with Massage Envy. It’s affordable and I love that there are locations in almost every state. Plus I know what I’m walking into – I don’t think I need to elaborate on that one!

So *CHEERS* to you if you’re sticking with a self- improvement program OR starting one. It’s never too late to give yourself the gift of self-care. You can’t take care of anyone if you don’t take care of yourself!

Photo Credit: National Heart Association

Feb 5th is National Wear Red Day – How Technology is Making a Difference #VZWBuzz

Photo Credit: National Heart Association

“Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.”

— Jim Rohn

In participation with the Verizon Wireless #VZWBuzz Influencer program- I’m sharing about how telemedicine and mobile tech are advancing healthcare. Sharing my experience and what I'm learning in no way offers medical advice nor does it endorse any medical procedure.

It was probably ten years ago I was putting groceries away in the pantry when I felt a weird movement in my chest, I became lightheaded and then all of a sudden my heart started pounding. By the time I was rushed to the hospital my arm was aching and I could barely breathe. A quick check of my vitals showed 200 beats per minute and all of a sudden it turned into television episode of ER. A surge of medical people working fast and furious, removing my garments, applying electrodes, hooking me up to monitors, stabbing me with i.v.s and the doctor yelling orders over all the chaos. I remember laying there thinking oh.my.god. I’m having a heart attack.

NO. I didn’t have a heart attack. What I was having was an episode of SVT. A condition I wasn’t even aware that I had. An extra nerve that I was born with that essentially short circuits and causes the heart to race. I’m lucky in the sense that although I have a “condition” I am free of heart disease and any structural damage. Are you?

February 5th is National Wear Red Day – this is a day to show support for the awareness of heart disease. It’s also a good time, especially for women to schedule a wellness visit and learn about cardiac health.

Did you know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year? That’s approximately one woman every minute!

Did you know that up to 1.3 million Americans alive today have some form of congenital heart defect?

Did you know that In the United States alone, about 36,000 children are born with a heart defect each year?

Did you know that there is a low-cost, highly-effective, and painless bedside screening for newborns that can be completed in as little as 45 seconds at less than $4 per baby?

Did you know that state-of-the-art technology like nuclear stress testing can help determine blood flow to the heart and detect blockage?

Did you know that tech companies like Verizon Wireless work hard at supporting and evolving the telemedicine industry by combining applications for timely patient diagnosis. Stuff like remote heart monitoring?

Give yourself a gift for Valentines Day - get your heart checked out!

Photo Credit:National Heart Assoc

Click Here to learn more about Go Red for Women

Click Here to learn more about Macy’ Go Ted Total Makeover Events

Click Here: To take the online Go Red Heart-Checkup

Never Say Never- My First Cosmetic Procedure #lookyourbest

This post written in partnership with Dr. Kenneth Rothaus, M.D.

“What you think of yourself is much more important than what people think of you.”

— Anonymous

Have you ever had one of those moments when you catch yourself in a mirror and do a double take thinking "what the h...."?. I hate it when that happens.

In spite of the way my hair looks in these photos, I DO look in the mirror on the daily - evidently it's in short spurts. I guess I never really paid much attention to the ever growing furrows on my forehead. Until that recent mirror shock incident and it really started to bother me. I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on t.v. but nothing topical was going to fix this problem. It didn't matter what miracle cream I tried - nothing was working. Nothing.

I knew what I wanted to do but anyone who knows me, knows I do hard and fast research before going to any doctor-much less one for cosmetic procedures. You won't catch me with a Groupon (no offense) for any medical procedure. Especially since this would be my first time. After Googling my brains out and talking with some trusted friends I happened on a recommendation for Dr. Rothhaus.

I had a injectable procedure done on my forehead which of course is done with a needle. I can't tell you the number of people who tried scaring me with their needle drama. So much so that I fully expected to be screaming and crying but it was nothing like that. Just a few pokes and a cold pack for a few minutes. Nothing dramatic and barely a flinch. I attribute that of course to the amazing Dr. R. - such great work. And the staff is so friendly and helpful.

Although I could have seen some very qualified physicians in Chicago, Dr. Rothaus' credentials made me feel very confident and safe about having a first procedure. The office hours and location were super convenient and the visit and procedure were seamless. I was in and out and on my way to my meeting without any noticeable traces.

I think the photos show a drastic improvement and I couldn't be happier with the results. Every person is different but for me one treatment is going on about 4-5 months. Pricing is reasonable and the atmosphere is not intimidating nor did I feel out of place. You will need to complete a medical history and consultation just as with any other physician. Dr. R. will sit with you to discuss your history and concerns with patience and compassion. Most importantly he will answer ALL of your questions.

The next time I'm in town I'm going to pop into Dr. Rothaus' office to check out a new amazing and exclusive procedure called SculpSure. He is one of the first in the area to have it. SculpSure is a 25 minute body contouring procedure with no pain and none of that crazy freezing fat in blocks stuff. This will be sort of like a spa treatment. Can't wait! Don't judge!