Women’s Health in Lincoln, NE – 2018

According to the World Health Organization, the main determinants of one’s health include the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and individual characteristics and behaviors. Within these categories are the following factors that have been found to influence health: Income and Social Status, Social Support Networks, Education and Literacy, Employment/Working Conditions, Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills, Healthy Child Development, Biology and Genetics, Health Care Services, and Culture. Finally, there is one more big one that made the list: Gender.

For women, the health-related things that tend to come to mind first have to do with pregnancy, bone health, hormone balance, the high risk of certain types of cancer, and of course aspects of one’s lifestyle such as proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep. Based on this list (which is not exhaustive by any means), want to know some of the really exciting things that are available right here in Lincoln to help keep you healthy and thriving? Just keep reading!

Let’s start with the basics, nutrition, exercise, and sleep. These are all essential to attaining peak health and wellness. We all want to live a long life, and to have a high quality of life in the years that we live. The complex biological processes that take place based on what you are putting in your body, your activity levels, and getting the proper amount of sleep will have a great deal to do with that.

Weight loss is often tied to fitness and wellness goals, which is a byproduct of eating right, regular exercise, and enough sleep. Easier said than done, it does take a certain level of dedication – support and guidance from the professionals don’t hurt either.

“At Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers, each of our programs has been designed by our licensed dietitians to ensure you get the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, essential vitamins, and minerals that your body needs,” says Jethro Hopkins with Physicians WEIGHT LOSS Centers. “With six different programs to choose from, there is a strategy that meets your unique needs and goals. Whether you’re looking to achieve quick weight loss or moderate weight loss, focus on fat burning or retrain your body with whole foods, we have a program that’s right for you. That being said, for us, it’s not just about our clients following a program. It’s about helping them to develop healthy habits and a lifestyle they can maintain. We’d rather help you put together a list for the grocery store than have you be completely reliant on our products, although people do tend to really like them. And there’s plenty of room to mix it up, so you won’t be forced to eat the same thing every day.

Our most recent addition to our offerings has been the AM/PM Fat Burning & Appetite Suppressing Weight Control Patches™. This innovative system works with your body’s natural rhythms, delivering the right ingredients at the right time, day and night, to help support maximum weight loss results. It can be used in conjunction with all PWLC weight loss programs, with all other Advanced Fat Burning 24 Hour Thermogenics® products, or as a standalone supplement. The specialized formula in the AM Patch helps promote weight loss with ingredients that target fat burning, increased energy, and enhanced metabolism during your most active hours while helping you keep hunger at bay all day long. The specialized formula in the PM Patch helps promote weight loss with a focus on evening appetite suppression, reducing cravings and snacking, and helping you wind down to rest. And when you finally close your eyes to sleep, the special ingredients support continued fat burning and metabolism all night long.

Most women enjoy their highest basal metabolic rate in their late teens and early twenties, and then it gradually drops with age. In addition, if you decrease your activity and begin to lose muscle, your natural calorie-burning ability slows down even more. This is especially true for women who were very active during their college years and then take a job where they are sitting behind a desk all day long. Then in your 30s, as your body naturally produces less human growth hormone, that’s also a factor in the lowering of your metabolic rate. In your 40s and 50s, other hormone levels such as estrogen and progesterone decrease as well. Diet and exercise, particularly strength training, become incredibly important in order to maintain a healthy body composition and weight. Naturally boosting your metabolism is something that any woman past their early 20s can benefit from, whether it’s losing weight or staying at the weight you want to be. Other benefits of the ingredients in these patches include better quality of sleep by regulating your circadian rhythm, stabilized mood, improved focus and cognitive function, bone strength, heart health, regulated insulin levels, and it even has anti-aging properties. You can stop by and pick them up at our North location on the northwest corner of 27th & Superior or at our original South location at 34th & Old Cheney.”

We’ve also got a relatively new fitness concept in town, 9Round. If you haven’t tried it, you have nothing to lose by stopping in anytime since your first session is free!

“9Round is the ideal workout facility for women of all ages and fitness levels,” says Todd Vettel with 9Round North Lincoln. “For those who aren’t familiar, 9Round is a specialized fitness center for people who want a unique, fun, and proven workout that guarantees results. 9Round offers a kickboxing-themed fitness program that incorporates functional, interval, cardiovascular, and circuit training regimens. The programs consist of a proprietary system of nine challenging workout stations developed by a World Champion Kickboxer.

One of the key reasons women love the 9Round workout is because of the efficiency. Statistics in fitness are showing that you do not need more time, you need more intensity, and that is exactly what we offer. Our clients can get a full body workout in 30 minutes AND best of all is there are no class times. You can get a structured workout on your own schedule! We have Certified Champion Trainers who will demonstrate, motivate you and maximize your workout at each visit.

Furthermore, through the use of ROUND PULSE™ wearable heart rate technology, we’re able to maximize the ‘afterburn.’ Yes, we love that data! Real-time tracking is part of the 9Round experience and it really takes the program to the next level, making it easier than ever to get the results you want. Our in-club display shows your effort level, heart rate, calories burned, and PULSE Points earned during your workout. Color-coded heart rate zones make it easy to see your effort level at a glance. By tracking the effort you’re putting into your workouts, you’ll always know if you need to work harder or slow down to burn fat and improve your health. Then, due to post-exercise oxygen consumption, your body will continue burning fat up to 8-14 hours after each workout!

We’ve also received feedback from our clients that 9Round is extremely empowering, especially for women! Coming into the club and being able to complete a 9Round workout, let out the stress of the world on our heavy bags and have fun leaves women feeling empowered and unstoppable! One of the greatest challenges we work so hard to overcome is intimidation and we promise, once you step through those doors into a warm welcome and get started with 9Round, you will never look back. Those feelings of strength, empowerment, and confidence will continue to build each day – all the while creating a new and healthy YOU!”

Vettel further advises, “It is so important to find a workout program that covers three major categories: aerobic, anaerobic and resistance training. The simple reason is that we need to build and sustain muscle all the while burning fat. This allows us to be in it for the long run and not just one of those quick weight loss promises that won’t sustain results. 9Round covers all three categories with every single workout. There is no magic genie in a lamp to make the path to health and wellness easy; however, 9Round is going to provide the support right when you need it to keep you going.

Furthermore, nutrition is a huge part of health and wellness. Everyone is always talking about the newest fad diet with that magic component that is going to change your life, but we like to keep it simple. Part of life is about enjoying good, nutritious food. 9Round offers amazing tools to present the right amount of nutritious meals to fuel your body, as well as, excellent protein options for those on the go and a women’s supplement that is proven to keep us balanced.

Your goal should always be to remain CONSISTENT and find something that you enjoy.

Ladies, we are all busy and 9Round is the ideal workout that takes that into consideration as well. At 9Round we keep it fun and everyone is always smiling, sweating and learning. It is very important that any workout regime keeps you engaged and kickboxing is amazing for challenging your brain while at the same time challenging your body.

Remember, your health, both physically AND mentally, is so important. Often we tend to focus on health as being all physical, but feeling mentally strong is important as well. Find a workout that helps you gain both strength and confidence. Feel empowered to be the best version of yourself and strive to find balance in both nutrition and fitness. We all have to start somewhere, and today is the day to begin your journey. Make a commitment to yourself to become the best version of YOU.”

So, you eat right, you work hard, and you push yourself to achieve your fitness goals. But how do you really know if you are successful? The scale may display some numbers but it doesn’t tell you the most important information you need to know to stay healthy and achieve your personal goals. There’s something new at Women’s Clinic of Lincoln that will provide those details.

“We are excited to now offer Advanced Body Composition Assessments® for women (and men) in our community,” says Lisa Akins with Women’s Clinic of Lincoln. “The Advanced Body Composition Assessment® is performed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. These scans give a precise measurement of total bone density, body fat, and muscle mass. Learning your body composition is a great way to track changes and see the true effect of your training program. This quick, simple, and inexpensive testing can help you learn, know, and visualize the effects of your weight loss or gain and maintain fitness goals. Women’s Clinic of Lincoln is now accepting new and current patients for this exciting new assessment. Call (402) 434-3370 to schedule your appointment today.”

Also important for women to note specifically related to bone health, Akins notes, “With an overall goal of improving healthcare in a comprehensive setting, Women’s Clinic provides patients with Bone Densitometry (DEXA bone scans). The diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis begins with a DEXA bone scan.”

As with osteoporosis, there are other conditions that are far more prevalent among women, with varicose veins being another familiar example.

“Vascular issues are more common in women than men and are very common after pregnancy,” says Dr. Rahul Razdan with Advanced Medical Imaging. “At Advanced Medical Imaging, we offer the most innovative, minimally-invasive ways to eliminate varicose and spider veins at the source of the problem.

Our goal is always to help women rid their legs of unsightly veins, with the least amount of hassle. That is why we are so excited about our newest technology for varicose veins – VenaSeal. Out of all of our varicose vein treatments, it is the only technology that doesn’t require the patient to wear compression stockings as part of the healing process. With the other treatments, most patients prefer to schedule their appointments during the winter because it is easier to hide the compression stockings. Now with VenaSeal, women can have their veins corrected when they really want to – during short and swimsuit season. We do still recommend that they avoid direct sun exposure, for a short time, to provide the best results.

VenaSeal uses a medical glue to immediately glue veins shut during the appointment. This means the patient will start to see results right away, unlike other procedures that take a while for the veins to heal. We were proud to be the first Vascular and Interventional Radiologists to perform this revolutionary procedure in Nebraska.

Varicose veins and spider veins are many times not just cosmetic and can be a sign of deeper venous issues. Women should educate themselves on the type of treatment they are getting and the credentials of who is providing the procedure. As Vascular and Interventional Radiologists, we are inherently vascular experts. Patients with varicose veins will start with a consultation where ultrasound imaging helps us determine the root of the problem. If veins are only treated superficially, without the proper consultation, there is a good chance they will return quickly.”

Our experts here in the Lincoln community have so much to offer and do an amazing job of staying at the forefront of their specialty areas. By using them as resources, you’ll stay educated on what’s currently out there and the advances that could have a positive impact on your health and wellness. In doing so, you’ll be in an excellent position to take advantage of what could very well be something that’s life-changing. Cheers to your good health, ladies!