The Healthy 5: The Healthy View

Lisa Goins
2 days ago
3 min read

Welcome to GoinStrong Health Formation's Blog!

March 2026

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." — George Eliot

Hi there!

As a Health Coach, I try to educate and inspire people toward a healthy lifestyle. As a Spiritual Director, I help people become more aware of God's presence and movement in their lives. In this space, I aim to integrate both.

Welcome to GoinStrong Health Formation.

Let's jump into today's topics!

Health

The Cholesterol Test that Could Save Your Life

Most of us have had a standard cholesterol test; total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides. But according to Dr. Peter Attia and Dr. Mark Hyman, this basic panel may be leaving out the two most important numbers of all.

ApoB measures the total number of cholesterol-carrying particles in your blood. It's those particles, not just the cholesterol inside them, that penetrate artery walls and cause plaque buildup. Standard LDL cholesterol can look normal while ApoB is dangerously high. It is considered by many cardiologists to be the single best predictor of cardiovascular risk.

Lp(a) (pronounced "LP little a") is a genetically inherited particle that significantly raises heart disease and stroke risk, and most people have never been tested for it. You only need to test it once in your lifetime, but you absolutely need to know your number.

Ask your doctor to add both ApoB and Lp(a) to your next blood panel, or you can order these tests yourself at www.ultalabtests.com.

Spiritual Life

The Practice of Centering Prayer

We live in a world of constant noise, endless demands, and relentless stress. Our nervous systems were never designed to handle it, and our health is paying the price. One of the most profound antidotes may surprise you: silence.

Father Thomas Keating, a Cistercian monk and founder of the Centering Prayer movement, devoted his life to teaching this ancient Christian contemplative practice. In his landmark book Open Mind, Open Heart, he describes Centering Prayer as the laying aside of thoughts, not by force, but by gently letting them pass, in order to open yourself to the Presence of God.

I have practiced Centering Prayer for several years, and it has profoundly changed my life. It isn't the silence itself that I notice most; it's what happens afterward. When I sit in the presence of God for a while, something shifts, and I move through the rest of my day differently. Slower. More aware. Less reactive. It's as if I drop into a lower gear, and somehow, everything runs better because of it. In a world that is always pushing us faster, the lower gear has become one of the greatest gifts in my life.

Try this simple Practice: Choose a sacred word or phrase that symbolizes your intention to be still and present. Mine is simply "be still." Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and silently introduce your word. This is not a mantra, but rather a word or phrase that brings you into the present moment where God dwells. Thoughts will inevitably interrupt your stillness, and the goal is to quiet them down so we can be aware of God. When thoughts rush in, gently return to your sacred word without judgment and continue to dwell in God's presence.

Begin small, maybe 5 - 10 minutes your first time. The recommended practice is 20 minutes, ideally twice a day.

That's it. No special equipment. No experience required. Just stillness in the Presence of our Loving God.