Thanksgiving was established in gratitude for overcoming challenges. With Thanksgiving approaching in this very challenging year, an attitude of gratitude is healthful.

An Attitude of Gratitude is Healthful

/in , , , /by

The Thanksgiving holiday was established to commemorate our gratitude for overcoming challenges as people settled America. With Thanksgiving approaching in this very challenging year, isn’t it even more appropriate to be grateful? After all, an attitude of gratitude is healthful.

In fact, gratitude may be one of the most overlooked tools for wellness that anyone can access. Cultivating gratitude doesn’t cost any money and it certainly doesn’t take much time, but the benefits are enormous. Read more

Many women and men don't realize that what we put on our skin is absorbed. Yes, it's more than just skin deep!

It’s More Than Just Skin Deep!

/in , , , /by

I’m sure that you’ve heard that your skin is your body’s largest organ. What many women and men don’t realize is that what we put on our skin is absorbed. Yes, it’s more than just skin deep!

Why is this important? Because of the ingredients that may be hiding in your personal hygiene and makeup products. There are many that are troublesome to your body. Read more

How Stress Affects Your Health

/in , , , /by

Unless you are hidden away in a mountain retreat, I’m quite certain that you are feeling the effects of stress. We are aware of those moments when stress hits, and the physical and mental feelings it brings. Yet there’s a good chance that you are not aware of how stress affects your health.

You may think that decreased productivity at work, trouble sleeping, anger, headaches, and your frequent trips to the bathroom are separate issues. In reality they are all common signs and symptoms of stress. Read more

With fall approaching, we can can expect cooler temperatures and a potential increase in viral threats. It's vital to boost the army within.

Boost Your Internal Army

/in , , /by

With the approach of fall, we can look forward to cooler temperatures, the holidays, and sadly, a potential increase in viral threats, such as flu and it’s cousin, Covid-19. I don’t address this to depress you, but rather to encourage you to take steps to prepare yourself.

I’m not encouraging you to seek out a vaccine either. Rather, I am encouraging you to focus on strengthening your inner army – your immune system. It has far more influendce on your overall health than you likely realize. You have the power to strengthen it with your daily choices, and I’d like to outline the primary areas for you. Read more

When taking a walk in nature, you experience the benefit of forest bathing.

Experience the Benefit of Forest Bathing

/in , , , /by

When you are feeling the effects of growing stress levels pressing down on you, what do you do for relief? If taking a walk in nature has been a practice, you already experience the benefit of forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku.

This ancient practice of visiting a forest and breathing in its air is used as a natural remedy for mounting stress and mental fatigue. The point is to take a trip into the forest to soak in and fully experience your surroundings. Read more

Protect yourself from the damaging effects of chlorine

Protect Yourself From The Damaging Effects of Chlorine

/in , , /by

Does summer time normally involve time spent in the pool to cool off, exercise or keep the kids busy? Most of us are careful about sunscreen to protect from burns. But what are you doing to protect yourself from the damaging effects of chlorine?

When I was young, our normal practice was to rinse off when we came out of the pool in order to remove chlorine and other pool chemicals from our skin. What I have learned since then is that what our skin is exposed to for more than 20 seconds is absorbed. That means a rinse after an hour or so playing in the water didn’t really protect us. We need to work from the inside. Read more

We've been focused on health, or the lack of health, for many months. Another concern is the level of overwhelm, which can be influenced by food.

Can Food Influence Your Level of Overwhelm?

/in , , /by

We’ve been focused on health, or the lack of health, for many months. There’s another issue we all deal with that can be countered with proactive habits — overwhelm. Have you ever considered that food can influence your level of overwhelm?

We’ve all experienced a range of feelings – fear, anxiety, overwhelm, anger – in recent months. For the overwhelm that comes with daily life, there are many resources. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are the body’s central source of yin and yang. Read more

Are You Waking Refreshed or Groggy?

/in , , /by

What changes have you noticed about your health in these past months of sheltering in? Many are finding themselves more relaxed about it as time passes. And how about your sleep – are you waking refreshed or groggy? Do you fight to make yourself get out of bed in the morning?

Cortisol and melatonin are key players in our sleep patterns. Cortisol rises to wake you and its levels are changing throughout the day. Your cortisol levels normally peak in late morning and then falling through the rest of the day. As cortisol falls in the evening, melatonin rises to prepare your body for sleep. Read more

Lifesaving Benefits … At A Price

/in , , /by

I have spoken to very few people who have not taken an antibiotic at some time in their life. Prescribed for bacterial infections and sometimes parasites, antibiotics can be a lifesaver – but using antibiotics can be harmful.

The human gut is populated with trillions of microbes – estimated to be ten times the number of human cells that make up our bodies. These microbes support our immune system and affect our weight, our moods, our vulnerability to allergies and asthma, and our risk of autoimmune disease. They are symbiotic partners in creating wellness in our bodies. Read more

We like certainty. When things feel uncertain, it is normal to feel stressed. Part of protecting your health is being mindful - what are you thinking?

What Are You Thinking?

/in , , , , , /by

We like certainty. We are hard-wired to want to know what is happening and notice threats, and when things feel uncertain, it is normal to feel stressed. And while this reaction is there to protect us, it can cause havoc when there is a sense of uncertainty and conflicting information around us. What are you thinking?

Are you feeling some anxiety? Right now, many of us are worried about COVID-19. We may feel helpless about what will happen and uncomfortable with our apparent loss of control, and this uncertainty can remind us of times when we didn’t feel safe and the future was uncertain. Read more