I want to introduce myself and welcome you to my web site. My name is Jane Green, and I’m a chiropractor who’s been on a mission to help people help themselves for the past 22 years. Health coach, educator, and ally are words that resonate with my intention to help people find a path to healing that is both personal and authentic. I deeply value the tools that I’ve gathered and nurtured along the way and I continue to seek knowledge and insights that will enhance my life and work.

Here’s my philosophy:

Healing is possible as long as there is breath in the body. It’s all about minimizing the external stresses, (be they physical, chemical, emotional or spiritual) and doing what we can to enhance your strengths in those same areas.

Several years ago I sold my practice in downtown Minneapolis and took a big step toward aligning my work with my values by stepping away from providing contracted services for insurance companies. Now it’s clear that I work for my clients. My home office allows me to keep costs reasonable and move at a pace that supports your health and mine. After 22 years as a licensed chiropractor, I’m happy to report that I still love what I do and really enjoy the unique relationships that I get to foster as a health advocate.

If you come to the home office, you’ll see that my interest in wellness extends to gardening, composting, pets and “living green”. You’ll get a chance to meet Grady, my unofficial therapy dog, and have the time and space to address the question “what do you need”?

I look forward to hearing from you!

Jane

Admittedly this is a pretty big bite for a blog entry. What I want to get you thinking about is the fact that there’s more involved in being well than what you eat and how much you exercise. A healthy lifestyle involves your thoughts, sleep and relationships, to name a few components.

Dr. Bob Rakowski, a chiropractor and board certified nutritionists with whom I have studied, has identified his “Magnificent Seven:

Think Right – Choose Health, Be Positive, and Manage Stress Well
Eat Right – All Organic, Mostly Plants, Every Color Every Day
Drink Right – 1/2 Body Weight In Ounces, Reverse Osmosis Filtered
Move Right – 30-60 Minutes Every Day
Sleep Right – 7-8 Hours Nightly, Uninterrupted
Poop Right – 1-2x Daily, Toothpaste Consistency
Talk Right – Master The First 6, Communicate Well With Others

He is also a fan of Og Mandino and offered this quote at a recent speaking engagement:
“I will greet this day with love in my heart. And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul and my heart.”
In future blog entries I’ll break down Dr. Bob’s Magnificent 7. Let me know if there’s a particular spot you’d like me to start.

It’s called mindfulness. By being mindful, we get to be and do at the same time. Many of us “doers” bring a slightly different perspective to mindful doing. We might notice the texture of our experience more or find a way to enhance the work in some way. Mindfully cleaning the bathroom might, for some, result in a deeper cleaning job.

I’m talking about something different. I’m talking about appreciating yourself in the process and acknowledging your unique contribution. Nobody will do this like you! Rather than blasting through with only the end in mind, embrace the process. Share your energy generously. Notice how it feels to offer your particular touch, perspective or sense of humor to your work. Do you think that takes any more time? Do you think it would change your experience of the time you spend?

It’s all about your relationship with yourself. If you abandon yourself in your “doing”, your mind has a hall pass. Not so bad if your mind’s habit involves positive thinking, problem solving or identifying opportunities. That’s not my experience. More often, I equate “getting it done” with impatience and general crankiness. Not to mention that the task takes at least as long and usually longer. Why not enjoy the time with yourself? Feel your breath, the air on your skin, the strength of your muscles. Appreciate yourself!

The reality is that your mind is constantly in motion. It chatters, free associates and continually assesses. Whether your current sound track is self deprecating, reminiscing or adding to your grocery list, I’m sure that you recognize that voice in your head. Negative self talk, excuses and procrastination might be your current habit. It’s like your mind is out of shape. It needs a training regimen just like your body needs exercise. Flex that muscle and experience for yourself the power of your own mind to create change in your life.

It is within our ability to direct the mind and point it toward a target of our choosing. It’s all about learning new habits. Recruit your mind’s support for your daily activities. With your mind in solid alignment with your vision and goals, your odds of succeeding increase significantly. The more specific and tangible your vision, the better the result. Downhill skiers will visualize their entire run before they get into the starting gate to race. When you lock onto your vision and purpose with that kind of focus and intention, you’re calling forth your own excellence.

“Health coaching, by contrast, guides patients to talk about what is most troubling to them about their conditions, what they most want to change, what support they have to foster change, and what obstacles or difficulties must be removed or minimized to advance healthy behaviors. It is not the main role of the health coach to teach, advise or counsel the patient. Health coaching focuses on the special issues and concerns unique to the individual patient that fit into the context of the patient’s life. “

I prefer the description that Duke University offers on the home page of its coaching program:

“Health coaches create dynamic partnerships with people who wish to adopt lifestyle changes that will help them reach their short- and long-term goals for satisfying and healthful lives.”

Integrative health coaches:

• Help people clarify their health goals, and implement and sustain behaviors, lifestyles, and attitudes that are conducive to optimal health
• Guide people in their personal care and health-maintenance activities
• Assist people in reducing the negative impact made on their lives by chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes”

Health Coaching in the News:

There are many articles out there, but I thought this one,

http://www.minnesotamedicine.com/PastIssues/May2009/PulseBraveMay2009/tabid/2952/Default.aspx from Minnesota Medicine, provided some good information. Links to more articles can be found on the University of Minnesota’s Health Coaching page at

http://www.csh.umn.edu/healthcoaching/inthenews/index.htm