Some Good Info About Sugar

Hi All,

How are you?  How's fall going for you?  It's going pretty good here in Phoenix.  Whew...I think we finally made it thru summer here.  It was a long one.  I hope things are going well, wherever you are reading this.

I've always been interested in healthy living, eating, etc....and...I'm still a work in progress.  I get plenty of rest, meditate, exercise some, feed my mind and spirit, but the one area that I've always struggled with the most is probably food/diet.  My goal right now is to eat healthy portions and healthy food, and not be too strict, but moderate.  Some days I do better than others.

Recently, the topic of sugar came up again and caught my attention.  So I wanted to go back and take a closer look and I'm now also cutting way back on my sugar intake.  Here's some of the info I've found and some things you may want to consider with your own daily diet.

 Basic Facts: Sugar is added to almost all processed foods.  Over the course of a year the average American consumes 150lbs of sugar, (or 3lbs weekly).  That’s 500 extra calories a day.   What benefit do we get from it? None.  It adds no nutritional value to foods, just empty calories; calories that we don’t need.

Here’s the bad news about that; excess sugar intake can affect our health in a very profound and negative way.  

Side effects of excess sugar intake include:

-          anxiety and depression

-          Increased inflammation in the body

-          Decreased function of our immune system

-          higher blood pressure

-          Places stress on the liver and kidneys, and even skin

-          And of course, obesity

-          One study done at UCLA links sugar with a compromise in mental functions; it can actually give us a brain fog.  One recommendation to combat this is having a regular meditation practice.

Recommendations for consuming excess sugar on a daily basis:  For men, no more than 37.5 grams daily and no more than 25 grams a day for women.  Added sugar is; sugar or sweetener added to foods, (not including the natural sugar already existing in the food itself).

There are many benefits of cutting excess and processed sugar from your diet.  Of course if you cut the excess sugar, you immediately reduce the risk of the side effects listed above.  On top of the boost to your immune system:

-          Your skin will thank you – excess sugar is bad for your skin. 

-          You’ll have more energy.  Too much sugar in your diet can make you sluggish.  It acts like a drug and sooner or later, as with drugs, you come down from the "sugar high" and “crash”

-          You’re less likely to develop chronic diseases – sugar is hard on your organs and immunities.

-          You’ll sleep better – and who doesn’t like better, more restful sleep?

Basically, Sugar is like a drug…it's addictive, and you become dependent on it, and you’ll want it all the time.  The more sugar you consume, the more your body will crave it.

An article by Amy Krasner, from the Chopra Center website lists some holistic ways of dealing with the sugar cravings.

-          Keep your blood sugar balanced. You can do this by trying to avoid skipping meals, and include some healthy fats and protein in your meals too, (i.e., avocado, nuts and seeds, olive oil, wild salmon).

-          Healthy upgrades – keep some healthy treats around – for example; when everyone at the office is eating sugary treats, you can dip into your personal stash and have a little dark chocolate or maybe some homemade healthy treats.

-          Incorporate sweet veggies into diet (sweet potato, beets, carrots)

-          Notice your emotions – and deal with them, instead of binging and “eating your emotions.”

-          Get enough sleep.  Studies show a link between lack of sleep and sugar cravings.  People tend to drink more sugary drinks when the sleep less than 8 hours nightly.  Not getting a good nights sleep has been linked to elevated levels of appetite regulating hormone – ghrelin.  Elevated levels of this hormone is associated with higher intakes of carbs and sweets.

-          Check out and get to the root cause.  What is that?  Is there a medical problem?  Are there other issues you're trying to eat away, by eating excess sugar.  Bring in professionals when needed.

There's a lot more we could discuss.  For me - I'm working on removing excess sugar from my diet.  Soda pop is out.  I'm working on cleaning up the diet all the way around.  Some days go better than others....but it's getting better. 

Good luck in your process of taking care of yourself.  I hope it goes well.  Have a fun Halloween and Autumn.  Enjoy the aftermath of a wonderful summer and take care of yourself...you're worth it.

Peace,

Tom

Tom Kreienbrink, Owner/Operator
Holistic Therapy Solutions, LLC
www.HolisticTherapySolutions.weebly.com 

Digital Painting - Mike Daniels

Hi All,

How are you doing?  Things are going pretty good out here in AZ.  It's crazy - I know that it's getting cold and leaves dropping off the trees in so many places, and here it's still around 90 degrees in the day.  But that's how it is.  It was a long hot summer - so it's nice to get a little break.

I've been working on a little more artwork this fall.  I'm just finishing another Green Bay Packer piece.  This one features defensive tackle and amazing player - Mike Daniels.  This guy is a huge, powerful lineman whose motor never stops.  This is turning out to be a big year for him, so I felt it was time to get a Mike Daniels illustration in the collection.

Mike Daniels - digital paint by Tom Kreienbrink

 I drew and painted the entire piece on my old Mac computer in Photoshop, using my Wacom tablet.  I used a line art technique first.  Drawing the images on the top layer.  Then I colored the images of Daniels on a layer below the line art.  Finally, I applied a green background, border, text and finishing touches. 



I love illustrating people.  Being a Green Bay Packers fan, I enjoy illustrating some of my favorite players.  On this piece, I thought I'd try a little bit of an old school comic style. 

Enjoy the artwork - and enjoy fall, the rest of football season and the coming winter.  Every day is a gift, so enjoy it (even Monday).  Work on something creative yourself, and spread a little kindness around you.

Have a great day.

Peace,

Tom

On-line portfolio - www.behance.net/tk-art

New NFL Season - New Packer Artwork

Hi All,

Well - it's been quite a summer and is shaping up to be a crazy fall. There's so much going on in the weather and natural disasters, social and political arenas, and just about every aspect of life.  Sometimes it's nice to come together and enjoy a little diversion.

Here in the USA, we love our American Football.  Tonight we had our first football game of the new season, but most of the games are played on Sundays.

As you may know, I'm a Green Bay Packers fan.  I've been a fan and been creating Packer artwork since I was a kid.  For the past few weeks I've been working on a new piece for 2017.  I've decided on Ty Montgomery as the subject. 

Ty Montgomery - computer illustration

Last year, the Packers wide receiver stepped up and stepped into the running back position when all of the Packers RBs were getting injured....and he excelled!  He's a team guy, who's willing to do what's needed.   He's a tough guy, hard worker, and I admire the kind of player he is -- I'm hoping he has a big year.

I created the artwork by drawing/painting it on my computer with Photoshop and a Wacom tablet.  I hope you like it.

He reminds me of another hard nosed player who used to play for the Packers -- Big Ray Nitschke.  He played the game with grit and passion.  It's nice to see players for the Packers carry on those traditions and continue to grind it out on the "Frozen Tundra" of Lambeau Field.  Go Packers!!

Ray Nitschke - computer illustration

Enjoy the football season everyone.  It looks like it'll be a good one.  And...remember those who are having a rough time.  Lend a hand when you can.

Peace and Blessings,

Tom

Changes at Holistic Therapy Solutions

Hi All,

I'm back...it's been a while since I wrote a new blog entry.  It's been a busy summer - lots going on.
Today I'd like to outline some recent changes at Holistic Therapy Solutions, LLC.

First: we have a new location.  I'm moving into nice therapy room by 36th Street and Shea Blvd, here in Phoenix.  I really enjoyed the Pointe Business Plaza office, but practitioner that I was sharing office space with moved out of state and the new location is a more practical solution for the business at this time.  It's a nice comfortable space, and I've seen some clients in it already.  I'm still working on a few updates to the room, so I'll post photos when it's completed.

I'm also changing the schedule.  I'll be available for appointments on Thurs, Fri, and Saturdays.

Some of these changes are the result of another change in my career path.  Last fall I went back to school to become certified as an Emergency Medical Technician.  It's a 9 credit hour course - one semester.  I finished and became a certified, licensed EMT.  About 3 months ago I started working at a drug and alcohol crisis center.   We work with anyone who walks in the door, mostly homeless folks.  We have the crisis unit and also a detox center.  It's difficult work sometimes, but overall I enjoy it and it's fulfilling work.  The company I work for has a lot of resources throughout the city and state, and they help people get sober and get their lives back.  I like being a part of that.

I still love assisting people with massage, reiki and cranial sacral therapy as well.  I'm just making a few changes to balance things out.  I'm still providing the same excellent level of customer service and the same high quality body work.  If you're looking for relaxation and stress relief or a more targeted therapy - I'm still happy and excited to be providing help.

I hope you're all having a great summer (or winter, if you're in the southern hemisphere).  There's still plenty to do, to help in your local communities.  Be kind, be grateful, and give a smile to a stranger - that may help them more than you'll ever know.

If you're  in Phoenix - call, text, or email for an appointment.
call/text: 443-850-4126
email: tom.kbrink@gmail.com
web: www.HolisticTherapySolutions.weebly.com

Peace,

Tom

Therapist/Owner of Holistic Therapy Solutions
Phoenix, AZ

Vulnerability - it's a tough one.

Hi All,

Hello from the warm sands of Phoenix, Arizona.  Not much new and exciting here....just adjusting to the warm weather again, and looking forward to several months of swimming, enjoying some summer bbq's, and also spending a good deal of time indoors in air conditioned comfort.

 Vulnerability is my topic today.  I wonder if anyone will read this (LOL)?  Yes, it's not the most common topic or conversation going, but it's important to our mental and emotional health and how we live our lives.  Recently, I came across some Brene' Brown videos on You Tube.  She's the professor from Houston who became famous for her TED talks about her research on vulnerability, shame, courage and related topics.  She also has written a few bestselling books.  So today I'm going to look at some of her info and try to encapsulate how this can be important to us.

Be brave and dare greatly.

 Vulnerability is at the center of all difficult emotion.  Obviously, it's uncomfortable, being in the unknown and leaves us feeling very exposed.  However, it also is the birthplace of empathy, creativity, innovation, change, joy, etc - it's where great things happen.  It's about showing up and being seen.  You may take a lot of heat from some,  you will "get your ass kicked," and you will fail at some point.  She talks about vulnerability in terms of "being in the arena."  The arena of life, where you stand up and present your ideas, try new things, speak up for what you think is right (when it's not the popular thing).  You may be a high profile personality or an every day person in your hometown...we're in the arena at sometime, all the time, or we stay out.

Courage is needed to be in the arena.  It's a must.  There's a quote from Theodore Roosevelt on this, "It's not the critics that count...the credit belongs to the one who's in the arena, who's face is marred with blood and sweat and dust, who at the best, in the end knows the triumph of high achievement.  And at the worst, if he fails, he fails daring greatly."  If you're in the arena, you can count on failure at some point...probably a lot.  But that's what it takes to be in the arena; daring greatly...and making a difference.  The stories of Edison and other great inventors are famous, for how many times they failed, before the inventions worked.  They knew what they knew and kept on picking themselves back up and getting back in the arena and working toward their goals.

When we enter the arena we want to armor up, but instead, we are naked...we're exposed and vulnerable.  There's always plenty of critics, right?  They'll come at you with shame, scarcity, comparisons, "fill in the blank."  The one critic that's always there is our self.  We are typically our own worst critic and we can really beat ourselves down.

Dr. Brown recommends the only ones we listen to are the ones in the arena as well.  Stop caring what the critics think - they're never step into the arena.  Invite them to come, but don't ever listen to them.  She also recommends a few things that you'll need if you're going to be in the arena.  You need to be very clear in your values.  You need at least one person who will help pick you up and dust you off when you fail (and you will fail), and you need to be there and support yourself.  Be your own best friend, treat yourself with love and kindness, not criticism.

To some this is intuitive and a no brainer, but for most folks its not.  Our emotional well being is shaped by past experiences, abuses, listening to the critics, etc.  Because of that many people prefer to just play it safe, just lay low and never step foot into the arena.  This is a brief snapshot of Brene Brown's research.  Her research has shown much more about vulnerability, shame, and being joyful in life, and how they're all related.

Shame is a good chunk of her research and the info she presents.  It's a big reason why people stay out of the arena...why they hide.  Secrecy, silence, and judgement = shame.  People are taught shame as a child, at home, school, from peers, etc.  What destroys shame?  Empathy.

Joy flows from gratitude.  Her research shows that most joyful people actively practice gratitude on a daily basis.  However - it also shows that when people lose thei tolerance for vulnerability, joy becomes foreboding, (we fear that sources of joy in our life will be taken away).  It takes a lot of faith, to know that it will all be alright...at some times we will/may get our hearts broken, but it's better to be in the arena, than to always hold back and be a perpetual observer.   Knowing the ordinary moments in life are the most extraordinary and letting joy flow from that, is priceless.  Enjoy today in gratitude and get in the arena of life.

This is a pretty deep topic, (I've just scratched the surface)...especially when we get into the shame and self worth aspects.  It's not an easy one for so many of us.  That's why there's professionals - it's good to get help if you need to.  None of us can navigate this on our own and we always get help along the way.  We need that connection with others, especially that person who helps us see how wonderful and amazing each and every one of us is.   I hope you're in the arena and if you're not - take a look at why you're not.  Be courageous every day.

Again - this post is based on the research/work of Brene' Brown, PhD.  You can see her on You Tube or TED.com.  She's not only a great researcher, but an amazing story teller and funny.  Check her out if you find any of this interesting.  She's an author as well and has written a few books that can help you find out more.

Have a great day everyone.  Be kind to others...but love yourself as well.  Be kind and generous to yourself, every day.

Peace,

Tom

Tom Kreienbrink, LMT, RM, CST
Holistic Therapy Solutions, Phoenix, AZ
cell/text: 443-850-4126
email: tom.kbrink@gmail.com
web: www.HolisticTherapySolutions.weebly.com
follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HolisticTherapySolutions
 

Caricature Illustration of Ray Kopakowski

Hi All,

I hope things are going well for you.  Well...winter is beginning to come to an end quickly here in Phoenix.  Should be in the mid 80s tomorrow.  Too warm, too fast.  That's life in the desert, it's all good.  I have been busy here.  I've been keeping busy with the holistic biz as well as doing some art and illustration on the side.

Today I'm featuring a caricature that I just finished for Ray Kopakowski.  Ray is a public speaker, hypnotherapist, counselor, and energy worker.  He's also a friend of mine.  I've been doing some illustration work for him and thought I'd have some fun with a caricature...something he could get a chuckle with or use with social media or his professional work.

tight pencil sketch with basic inked lines.

I always like to start with a nice sharp pencil and bristol board (a sturdy drawing paper).  I sketch out my idea and tighten it up with a nice ball point pen.  I like a lot of the pens you can get in a grocery store or office supply store.  Some of them are really nice quality pens.

Finished black and white illustration

Once I get the initial sketch, I take a camera photo and take it into Photoshop.  Then I focus on completing the black and white illustration.  I have an old Wacom tablet (that still works pretty well), and I thicken the lines.  Thicker lines and thinner, where appropriate.  Some of it I draw freehand with the stylus and some of the lines I plot out with the pen pointer tool in photoshop to get a nice tight line.

Finished color caricature illustration.

Finally, I add color.  Each piece varies, but typically I like to keep it simple.  For example, I use a base skin tone and one or two shades darker for depth, (same with the hair, shirt, etc).  For this I select the black layer and make it the top layer.  The color layers are "below" the black layer and the background is the very bottom layer.  Pretty simple technique and I like the result.

And there you have it.  The Ray Kop caricature.  I hope you all have a great week.



Peace,


Tom

Tom Kreienbrink is a freelance illustrator from Phoenix, AZ.  You can see his work at:
www.behance.net/tk-art
or you can follow his art and design page on Facebook
www.facebook.com/Tom-Kreienbrink-Art-and-Design

Coming Out Of A Funk - Healing

Hi All,

Well, it's winter here in the desert.  It's really a beautiful time of year.  Most of us are still recovering from the long hot summer and are enjoying every rain and every beautiful sunny day.  Sounds like it's perfect right?  Well, it's pretty good, but people still have their ups and downs.   Some have more serious issues than others and we all need some healing once in a while....right?

So I'll make myself a little vulnerable here and speak to my own experience.  I don't care who you are, nobody's life is 100% pain free.  Life is good, but once in a while I need some healing too.  This last week was one of those times.  Around the middle of this past week, I got into a bit of a funk.  It had been a busy few weeks and I let a few external factors affect my serenity.  I was not in a good place mentally or emotionally.  So I sat in it for a day or so and tried to let it go and ride it out, but I couldn't really shake it.  I typically bounce back pretty quickly and get my perspective back, but this time was a little tougher.  Finally, I had to really examine what was going on and get back to feeling good.

 So while I was at work, waiting on a client,  I took out pen and paper and started writing.  Here's some of what came out of that.

Don't Judge -  It's easy to judge anyone or everyone around you.  Being in a place of judgement will not serve you (and it wasn't serving me).   I was judging some people, situations, and events and it was not helping in any way.  It never does, does it?  Which leads too the next thing...

Don't Take it Personally/Don't hold Grievances - I was taking some things personally, and it just made me feel bad.  People/situations were "taking up space in my head, rent free."  For me, this is a key - it's only personal if I make it personal.  It's my choice.  I needed to choose again - and choose not to take things personally.  It sounds simplistic and is usually easier said than done, I know.  It takes practice and remember, it doesn't mean being a doormat either.  It doesn't mean I have to accept unacceptable behavior from people.  It means I don't have to take other people's issues and make them my problem.

Many times the things we take personally, aren't even directed at us.  People typically are caught up in their own stuff and just living life.  When I make the decision not to take things personally, I go on with my day, feeling good, not thinking about or dwelling on whatever I perceived as an offense against me.

This works the same way when people purposefully take aim at me.  It is still a decision that I make to take it personally or not.  This can be trickier for sure, because it is a direct action (in some way), intended to hurt me.  I still have choices.  Sometimes, its best do leave it alone or I can take positive action to resolve the situation rather than react in a way that will ultimately hang with me and that I will usually regret.  We'll likely always have someone who wants to push our buttons, and we may not even know why, and that's really their business and usually not ours.

Expectations - Expectations are a trap.  Why was I taking things personally and holding on to them?  Because I expected a different result or different behavior from people.  Sure, we expect things from people, but how flexible are we when they don't live up to what we expect?  Is it personal?  Do we feel wronged and hold on to that?  Or can we just let it go, making the decision, that we don't make it personal.  When we make it personal, we give it momentum and it continues to bother us. 

Depending on the situation there may be a course of action we can take to address the unfulfilled expectation, like with an employee or service provider that does not measure up to their obligations.  If it's someone not being or acting like who we think they should be, then we need to look at what we're expecting of them and why.  Many times, they're just being who they are and doing what they feel they should do.  I don't have to condone any of it, but it's still not my business.

Gratitude - I was not feeling gratitude when I was in the funk and it just made things appear worse than they were.  When I consciously remember that I am blessed with so much, and have so much in my life to be grateful for, it has a benefit; it makes me feel good.  It doesn't mean everything is always how I want and that life goes smoothly every day.  We all have things to deal with and some of it is difficult - that's OK.  I can still be grateful for the good things in life, even the things that most take for granted like clean water and air, indoor plumbing.   I've heard it said that nothing changes the energy of a situation like gratitude.  It is a practice and the more you practice the easier it is and the better and stronger you feel.  It's always uplifting.

When I sat down and got to the core of what I was doing, I simply employed these tools, in my mind, got my perspective back, and immediately started feeling better.  I know for some these tools/techniques are built in or were learned at a young, but I know there's plenty of folks who are like me, who have had to learn to use tools like these to feel good on a regular basis.  For other folks, other processes may work better for them, and that's good too.  Use what works.  Remember - it's all an "inside job."

Love yourself and take care of yourself.  If you're in an airplane and the oxygen masks deploy, you put your mask on first, then you'll be helpful to others.  If you need more to feel better, you may have to put in some work.  If you need help, get it.  It's good to get professional help if you need it, or whatever you need; spiritual groups, support groups and churches, recovery programs or even self help literature can be a huge help.  Life's short - take action to feel good.

Have a great week.

Peace,

Tom

Tom Kreienbrink, LMT, RM, CST
Holistic Therapy Solutions, Phoenix, AZ
cell/text: 443-850-4126
email: tom.kbrink@gmail.com
web: www.HolisticTherapySolutions.weebly.com
follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HolisticTherapySolutions