People Who Have Inspired Me: Dr Joanna McMillan

http://www.drjoanna.com.au/

Meet Dr Joanna McMillan, Nutritionist.  I read her book "Inner Health Outer Beauty" about four years ago and was quite inspired.  On reflection I should have taken much more from this book than I did at the time but I failed to follow through on much of its advice.  Why?  I think that it all seemed a bit too hard to try strange new foods like quinoa and buckwheat knowing that the rest of the family weren't going to be very excited about them.  They still aren't excited about these by the way.  Since I added quinoa to some beef rissoles a couple of times quinoa has become known as "fish eyes" around our house!  Also back then I did not have the strong motivation of trying to find a way to rid myself of migraines, nor did I have any idea that changes to my diet could fix something like that.   At least now I'm eating what I want to be eating and what I know is right for me.  The rest of the family is catching up slowly.

One thing that I did take up from this book when I read it was Dr Joanna's advice to move more.  To build more activity into every day by making the most of every opportunity to walk.  Dr Joanna says:

 "Walking is such a basic activity that I always give it the utmost priority.  Regardless of whatever other activity and exercise you do in the week, walk whenever you can.  This is the cornerstone to being more active in your daily life."

Dr Joanna's Eight Great Reasons to Walk:

1. (Almost) anyone can do it.
2. No special equipment is required, except for a comfortable pair of shoes.
3. You can fit it into your usual schedule by accumulating minutes of walking across the day.
4. It doesn't cost a cent.
5. It's a great stress reliever.
6. It's highly conducive to brain-storming.
7. You can do it on your own, with a friend, as a group, or pushing a pram or wheelchair.
8. You can do it at any suitable time - morning, noon or night!

This changed my attitude.  I love that my job gives me the opportunity to walk everyday.  I've mapped my regular routine on google maps and most days I walk a total of 3 kilometres.  This is me exercising and I'm getting paid to do it!  I no longer begrudge the number of times that I have to hop up to go to the printer, the fax machine or the photocopier, or walk all the way down the other end of the office to the kitchen to make a cuppa.  It's all an opportunity to move which is doing me good.  I deliberately park my car a few blocks from the office so I have to walk.  OK it is free parking there too but I also do it to make myself walk!

~ take every opportunity TO MOVE and to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.