Anxiety Medications Have Skyrocketed Here are the most dramatic changes- SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) Examples - Zoloft, Lexapro, Prozac - Prescriptions tripled from 2000 to 2020 - Zoloft and Lexapro are now among the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the U.S. Benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs) Examples- Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin - Prescriptions increased ~70–90% in the 2000s - Xanax alone peaked at over 50 million prescriptions per year - Over-prescription led to dependence and black-market misuse Children & Teens - Anxiety medication use in youth is up more than 300% in two decades - One of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical categories. Follow the money. Why This Happened Expanded Diagnostic Criteria More people qualified for anxiety diagnoses leading to more prescriptions. Pharma Marketing Explosion - 1997-2007 - Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising surged. Big Pharma lobbied (paid) Gov't to allow them to advertise on TV. Large source of revenue for TV stations. - TV commercials normalized “Ask your doctor about _____” Pharma didn’t invent anxiety. But they heavily expanded their market for anxiety. Short-Appointment Medicine Doctors are forced to solve problems fast therefore prescriptions became the quick fix. Anxiety drugs became a substitute for lifestyle coaching. Doctors have no time for this. $$$ Social & Economic Stressors Post-9/11, recession, high-tech world → chronic underlying fear. Insurance Coverage Gaps Therapy and lifestyle counseling rarely covered. Pills are cheap, fast and billable. Follow the money Here's the Problem though. Short-term relief. But… - Doesn’t fix underlying nervous system dysregulation - Can reduce emotional processing - Side effects include weight gain, cravings, and hormonal changes - Withdrawal can worsen anxiety leading to a dependence cycle Medication can be helpful, but it cannot replace lifestyle interventions. How This Connects to Emotional Eating + Weight Loss

1. Metabolic Dysfunction (Biological Resistance) When someone has chronically stressed their metabolism through years of dieting, poor sleep, processed food, and inconsistent routines, the body adapts by slowing down fat-burning capacity. Key factors- - Insulin resistance leads to -Frequent eating, sugar spikes, and late-night snacking keep fat storage switched “on.” - Cortisol dysregulation leads to - Chronic stress raises cortisol, blocking fat burning and increasing cravings. - Poor muscle mass= Less muscle = lower resting metabolism and reduced glucose control. Solution- Focus on balancing hormones (insulin, cortisol, thyroid, sex hormones), eating whole foods in proper ratios, strength training, and getting enough protein and sleep. 2. Emotional and Psychological Blocks Most people know what to do, but emotional eating, self-sabotage, and lack of identity alignment keep them stuck. Key factors- - Using food for comfort, distraction, or control - Negative self-talk or perfectionist thinking (“I blew it, so I might as well start Monday”) - Unhealed stress or trauma that keeps the body in fight-or-flight mode Solution- Address mindset first — develop emotional awareness, practice self-compassion, and build consistency over perfection. Tools like journaling, breath work, and coaching can help rewire old patterns. 3. Lack of a Sustainable System People often rely on short-term fixes - fad diets, detoxes, or all-or-nothing workout plans - that aren’t sustainable long-term. Key factors- - No clear structure or accountability - Unrealistic expectations and all-or-nothing mentality - Ignoring lifestyle pillars like sleep, stress, and recovery Solution- Build a simple, repeatable system that includes nutrition, exercise, recovery, mindset, and lifestyle habits (like your SWERPSS framework). The goal is to create a lifestyle, not a 30-day challenge. Do you have a Plan in Place? Do you need a Plan that works?

1. Heart Stress & Damage Markers These tell you whether the heart muscle itself has been under strain or injury - even subtle, ongoing stress that’s below the level of a heart attack. - High-sensitivity Troponin (hs-Troponin I or T) - BNP or NT-proBNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) 2. Other Advanced Cardiovascular Markers These round out the picture and identify why inflammation and plaque may be developing. - hs-CRP (C-Reactive Protein)- Measures overall inflammation. - Lp-PLA2- Targets artery-specific inflammation. - IL-6- Cytokine linked to chronic inflammatory signaling. - Homocysteine - Reflects methylation and endothelial (vessel lining) health. - F2-Isoprostanes or Oxidized LDL- Indicate oxidative stress damage. - ApoB and Lp(a)- Measure the number and “stickiness” of artery-clogging particles. - Microalbumin/Creatinine Ratio- Detects early vascular leakage. 3. Nutritional & Metabolic Markers These explain the terrain - the internal environment that allows inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress to take hold. Metabolic Regulation - Fasting Insulin + OGTT with insulin- Early insulin resistance detection. - HOMA-IR - Calculated insulin sensitivity score. - Uric Acid - Often elevated with metabolic dysfunction and fructose overload. Key Vitamins & Minerals - Magnesium (RBC magnesium ideally)- Crucial for heart rhythm, insulin sensitivity, and stress recovery. - Vitamin D (25-OH D) - Regulates immune and vascular function. - B12, Folate, B6- Needed for methylation and controlling homocysteine. - Ferritin & Iron Panel - Both deficiency and overload stress the heart. - Zinc & Copper Ratio - Balance affects inflammation and oxidative protection. - Selenium - Needed for antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase. Antioxidant & Cellular Health - Glutathione (GSH/GSSG ratio)- Master antioxidant defense. - CoQ10- Essential for energy in heart muscle and protection against statin side effects. - Omega-3 Index- Measures anti-inflammatory fatty acid balance.

I lost my Mom not long ago so it's been quiet on my end here in the Community. I'm back! ✅ Her passing reminded me of a truth I’ve seen again and again — both in health and in life: we don’t get sick overnight, and we don’t get well overnight either. For my Mom, it started small. - She stopped taking care of her teeth, which made it harder to eat real, nourishing food. - Without good food, her strength declined. - She became more sedentary, lost muscle, became weaker, and eventually, unstable on her feet. One day she fell and couldn’t get up. - That fall led to a hospital stay — where she got an infection.Hospitals are incredible for saving lives, but they’re not designed for creating wellness. - Strong antibiotics made her weaker still. - She lost more muscle from lying in bed. - Her strength faded... and her body couldn’t recover. It didn’t happen in a moment — it happened through a process. And the same is true in reverse.When we choose wellness, it’s not instant — but it is powerful. - As your muscle tissue increases, your strength and stability return. - As your hydration improves, so does your energy. - As your sleep deepens, your recovery accelerates. - As your sunlight exposure rises, your hormones and mood rebalance. Wellness builds. Just like sickness does. Every choice compounds in one direction or the other. That’s why I love the SWERPSS framework — it helps you take small, consistent actions that move you toward life, energy, and resilience. If you want your quality of life to go up, stay intentional about your wellness. Ask questions, get engaged in the Community chats If you want your quality of life to go down, do nothing — and life will decide for you. It's so GREAT that we have choices or options isn't it?

Outstanding Win it For The Week Group Coaching Call today!!! WOW 🔥 Congrats on Kim getting 'slimming pants' today (and congrats to Mark for taking his Full Moon Protocol)! Great Win for Megan with her quick start to weight loss, dropping 4.5 lbs, inches and puffiness in just 2 weeks (after having tried for 30 yrs following others' advice) GREAT JOB not giving up Megan!! Oh and stomach pain GONE!!! Jan for all her newfound 'pooping' lets keep THAT going!!! Francis for having had everyday headaches for most of his life and now only having them here or there! Welcome all the new members - Sandra, Faye and welcome back Tracy!!! Gina happy to see you here too! Marnie for joining even when you are taking care of kids! We love you! Listen in for the REPLAY for those that missed it 4.5 lbs weight loss, inches & puffiness down in just 2 weeks (after no success in 30 years!)