ENDURE: November 21, 2014

Let it.....Nooooo!

Spoiler Summary - sometimes being prepared is so darn underrated.

I opened the trunk of my car to grab a few things when something caught the corner of my eye.  What?  Ugh!  I looked into the parking lot lamps and realized - yep, it was snow.  Now, I heard a few of the reports calling for a dusting "North and West of the city" - but I didn't think much of it.....however, when I saw the flakes falling from the sky a few hours later I was forced to face a reality I never quite like: ol' man winter is knocking.....and no matter how badly I want to ignore and put it off, the bone-chilling, tire-skidding, back-straining and otherwise soul-taxing months are right around the corner.  

So now what?  How will this first warning sign of worse things to come influence me (and us all)?  Well, if the Science on preparedness is correct, some people won't even think twice - it's not enough to worry about - so they'll likely just ignore it until it's worthy of their attention.  Others will get inspired and start checking out how many inches fell in other spots - key skiing destinations perhaps - and plan their next vacation, even if only in their dreams.  And still others will think through a checklist of items in order to make sure they're prepared, a process that they've put in place after years of experience.....and maybe a close enough call that they were forced to act.

So which are you?  Are you the put it off until it's bigger news type?  Or, are you the dream it through type?  Or, maybe, you're one of the pay attention and mobilize few?  And, how many of each category are there?  Well, the statistics aren't so wonderful. Some surveys say as little as 25% of individuals have a preparation mindset (as evidenced by having either written or discussed an emergency plan with their families).....and some experts say that the 25% estimate is WAY too high.  Maybe this is why there always seems to be a conversation about how many folks "forgot how to drive" on the first snow fall.  Or, perhaps it's why, regardless of whether the "naturally occurring" or the stock-market variety, so many people find themselves stuck in harm's way when disaster hits.

But imagine if we could look into the future.  What if we knew that something was so likely that it was virtually guaranteed to happen.....then would we act?  Some would.....but unfortunately, if the statistics about natural disasters tell us anything it's that many would do everything they can to "ride it out".  After all, one of the most powerful phrases in our language is:  "It's not going to happen to me"......until it does.....and then we find ourselves saying "I can't believe I let this happen - the signs were all there".

Truly, I'm not much of a snow person.....but no matter how much I dislike it....the signs that it's on its way are clear and present.....the question is not if it will snow, but whether I'll prepare & prevent or procrastinate and pay-later.  It's a choice we all face.....and although perhaps one of the most obvious examples, it may be one of the gentlest reminders we get of one of the most harsh realities we face:  pay now in preparedness, or pay later in regret.  Well, if it's more than just the driving routine that needs winterizing......we're here when you're ready.  Think about it.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

CONNECT: November 14, 2014

When the lightbulb goes on....

Spoiler Summary:  We each have an amazing ability to help the other improve health and it can happen in an instant....all it takes is CONNECT.

Have you ever experienced the frustration of trying to explain something to someone that they just don't seem to get?  No matter how hard you try and how many times you rephrase, the message just doesn't seem to get through.  It's a frustrating scenario. In many ways, that's what the idea of prevention has been for a very long time in the healthcare industry.  Everyone seems to know and understand that injury, illness and disease are some of the greatest burdens on the quality of life that Americans face AND most everyone agrees with the notion of "getting ahead" of these problems, but as a society we still put a very small percentage of our resources toward preventing and reserving a much larger percentage for treatment after the damage is done.  

Every once in awhile though, when the combination is just right, you find yourself talking through something and the bulb goes on.  The person's face lights up with the look of "I GET IT!" and the great feeling of validation that comes with making this connection fills you. Yesterday I was lucky enough to have such a moment.  I was attending a professional conference of my peers where I was asked to present some ideas and findings related to prevention - a topic that is of course very near to my heart.  I was asked to review some of the research that says it's both doable, and worth the effort; to show that people really can get themselves healthy and when they decide it's worth the effort, they do.  In essence, I was asked to talk to a room of my peers about the same things I talk about every day....so no problem right?

Having given similar presentations in the past (and getting more than a few blank stares) I was not sure the message would make it through. So, I put my "never-say-die" best foot forward and got up and did my thing.......and then it happened.  Right at the point when most folks check-out by telling themselves that it all sounds good "but could never work in my world" (usually any easy way of saying "I'm just not ready to hear this") something else happened.  A look of complete understanding washed over some of the faces in the crowd.....heads began to nod and I could see the wheels beginning to turn.  People were starting to work it out in their heads.....they were starting to see the value of identifying risk factors and getting at them BEFORE they were injuries or disease.  Instant connect.  I even had a few folks that I really respect come up and congratulate me on giving a message that "we all need to hear and do better with".  Lightbulbs.

But beyond the obvious - more healthcare providers (perhaps) starting to wrestle with how best to weave a message of prevention into their work - what does this have to do with risk reduction?  What do connections like this have to do with safety?  Surprisingly, a bunch.  If you were to ask Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, PhD from University of North Carolina who has done significant research in the area, she might cite a stack of research (some her own) that shows exactly how powerful it can be.  For example, when people feel positive emotions such as validation by others their brain's ability to focus changes, almost like looking through a wider lens......they are literally more aware of what is going on around them and can often process it faster and in more creative ways......sounds a lot like "situational awareness" doesn't it?  In addition, findings show that during emotionally positive interchanges the nervous system relaxes and things normally associated with being stressed (blood pressure, altered blood sugar, immune system suppression, etc) return to a more normal setting.....almost as if to hit a reset button.  Last, she might even say that making a "connection," which is in the same emotional family as "love," can actually improve cardiovascular health and point you HERE to a study she did showing how meditating on "goodwill toward others" actually changed how the heart functioned in participants.

Will this group of peers actually try to learn more and start using prevention tactics for their clients and the greater good?  I don't know.  Will they start pushing ideas about moving more or fueling better to their clients?  I can't say.  I do however know....for a brief moment in time - they "got" it.....a connection that had an instant impact on my health state at the time. Even better? It's something ANYONE (whether in a random professional meeting or as frequently as a staff meeting or pre-job brief) can pay-forward if we use the next time we find ourselves in a position to listen intently.....to truly CONNECT.  

Have a great week,

Mike E.

MOVE: November 7, 2014

"We scare because we care"

Spoiler Summary: When it comes to Halloween, it's not only the kids in masks that will be doing the scaring this year and there's a good reason why - because what we hope will end in "prepared" (them) often starts as "cared" (us) and uses a dash of "scared" (all) to bring it all together.

I have a fond place in my heart for Monsters, Inc - the Disney/Pixar animated movie about the power-company who uses "human screams" to power their city. Sure it has the Disney magic that seems to pull you in regardless of age and, at the same time it strikes the delicate balance between amazing animations and smart wit that Pixar does so well. And as if that wasn't enough, it somehow has just the right mix of kid humor to keep the young ones laughing and sarcastic undertones to keep the adults amused.  Yet for me, it's the tagline that makes it a timeless classic: "We scare because we care" - a brand statement I can relate to and something that feels like my team's mantra now and again, as we often find ourselves talking about scary things like heart disease, injuries, illnesses and the like. Admittedly it's not our favorite scenario to be in the position to scare, but our commitment to care-enough to "tell it like it is" can easily put us in the tough spot of discussing some of the scariest stuff of all - the realities of injury, illness and disease.

There's no holiday dedicated for that kind of scare - but thankfully it is supported by the research on lifestyle change. If, for example, we cross paths with someone who is in, what the research calls, a "pre-contemplative" state in regards to their risk - meaning they are not yet thinking about their risk or the need to control it (a nice way of saying "denying it"?) one of the best approaches is to describe what the risk, if left unchecked, grows up to become....as scary as that might be.

Ever tell your kids they should not eat ANY Halloween candy before you check it first?  Ever tell them WHY you feel the need to check it?  If so, you know the scare I'm talking about. Maybe you've told them some horror story you heard (or saw on the news) about candy that was tampered with, or the infamous apple with a sinister object inside, just to drive the point home. It's so common there's even a wikipedia page dedicated to some of the more famous stories HERE.  I know I can remember getting that talk over the years.  But why do we do it, and why is this tradition as seemingly timeless as Disney movies or Halloween itself?  Was it simply for the fun of relaying scary stuff, or for shock-value?  Or was it for something more important? The answer is obvious of course - we do it because we want to prevent harm - we scare because we care.

It's true, some people like a good scare - this time of year it's big business - but that's not the same is it?  Rather, we hope that the person might advance from pre-contemplation to contemplation, from not even thinking about it to having the "jeez, that could happen to me?" moment when the wheels start to turn. We don't love talking about scary things like what happened to the kid who ate the tampered candy any more than as kids we loved hearing it, but sometimes, if they're old enough to handle it and the realities are enough to get the change in thinking (mindset) needed, we figure it's worth it.  We scare because we care. 

It's not all bad news of course, the vast majority of Halloween candy is safe to consume (in the safe doesn't necessarily mean good-for-you sort of way) and along the same lines, the vast majority of injuries and chronic diseases are preventable.  But the story doesn't end there, the better news is, after the scare, we're naturally primed for action.....and it's for those who are ready to move beyond the scare that we've got the best news of all....it's not a person in a mask waiting for you around that particular corner....it's achievement.....and it's you that gets to reach out and grab it. 

You won't hear us say the ELEMENTS are easy.....but, since MOVE -> FUEL -> RECOVER -> ENDURE -> CONNECT is definitely not complex.....for those who are ready, getting started can be the least scary thing of them all.

It's Halloween - have a piece of candy....do a little scaring and go do something extraordinary,

Mike Eisenhart, PT

Managing Partner, Pro-Activity