By Annette Velarde
The creators of the hit movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button were on to something. The film featured a man who aged backwards, and I have to say, there’s something pretty appealing about the idea.
Recently, on my 57th birthday I took a long walk and had to keep stopping to catch my breath. Though I am reasonably happy with life, I know I can improve it. I was taking cholesterol and blood pressure meds, was 20 pounds overweight, and I didn’t know how to slow the decline my health. I was at the proverbial fork in the road: I could just keep doing what I’d been doing for a decade and try to maintain my current physique, or I could buck my own status quo and take real action.
Thirty years ago, I never considered I could one day be overweight. Then came my first pregnancy. In the overwhelming cascade of life-changing experiences called “becoming a parent” I no longer
found myself fit. During my birthday walk this year I realized I needed to go back in time; I longed to have the same energy and dedication to my health as I did decades ago. With this in mind, I went to see the team at the LiVe Well Center, a department at Park City Medical Center that offers a whole-person approach to wellness.
First, the LiVe Well team put me through a set of tests and assessments to determine my baseline health markers. Once I knew where I stood, they helped me determine where I needed to go. Most importantly, they armed me with a detailed and personalized roadmap of how I could get there.
I consulted with a professional exercise physiologist, dietician, nurse practitioner and wellness coach. In the time it takes to see a movie, I walked out with a plan, education, and motivation to slow, and perhaps even reverse, the downhill trajectory my health was on.
Three mornings a week I hit the gym with a friend and marched through the exercises the LiVe Well team created specifically for my needs. I read the book the dietician gave me cover to cover, and even bought a juicer to help make my fruit and vegetable intake easier. During my appointment, the dietician created several sample menus for me and gave me creative suggestions to satisfy cravings without adding calories. I also added a meditation and yoga class to my routine, which was suggested by the LiVe Well team during my stress test.
Just one week after my wellness assessment, I had more energy, no hunger, more stable emotions and my clothes were fitting better. Today, six weeks later, I have a new lifestyle altogether. I’m not done, but I’m definitely on the right track!
Turns out, Hollywood has nothing on the Park City Medical Center’s LiVe Well Center. They’ve figured out how to reverse the aging process—I’m living proof!
