Monthly Archives: January 2015

Is it time for a lifestyle change?

Twining Village resident Barbara DiEuginio’s favorite form of exercise is water aerobics.

“I exercise five times per week; sometimes I exercise multiple times a day,” she says. “I used to exercise because I needed it, but now I have reached the point where I actually enjoy it.”

We have all heard phrases such as I have a family history of… or I am genetically predisposed to…  and don’t get me wrong, these are legitimate facts proven by modern science. However, one thing we don’t hear as often is the fact that—regardless of family history or predisposition—we are not destined to suffer from any form of chronic disease. As the famous cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish said, “There are two ways … you can control how long you live, one is to change your genes and the second is to change your lifestyle.”

If you eat healthier, manage stress, exercise, and love more, you can change the way your genes are expressed. In other words, your body can act as if it is suppressing the “bad” genes and activate the “good” ones.

A reflection on the journey to recovery …

Drinking and partying just become an everyday ritual when you do them for a long time. Drinking becomes part of every event. You simply must find a way to incorporate it because you are so used to it being part of everything you do. You try to change that, that pattern or direction. But it seems very difficult to do, because you believe drinking is part of you.

The drugs, the depression, and drinking increased, but none of that cured the pain. That’s when it got so bad for me. I was in such a dark place that I realized I needed to reach out for help. Stopping and looking at the reality of where I was emotionally, financially, and in terms of being able to support the people I care most about—my family—caused me to realize I needed help.