Do you battle with stubborn weight? Perhaps you have tried different diet plans with some success, but don't realize hormones are at play.

The Battle With Stubborn Weight

/in , , , , , /by

Do you battle with stubborn weight? Perhaps you have tried a number of different diet plans with some success, but you still hit a wall.  So you visited your doctor and were told to eat less and exercise more. I’m sure you have discovered that’s not your answer either.

While calories can influence weight gain or loss, it’s a more intricate system than most realize. There are a variety of hormones that influence the function of your body and the way it uses the food you consume. Read more

The past many months have shown us with a variety of stressful situations. Take inventory of your tool box to pursue wellness.

Take Inventory of Your Tool Box

/in , , /by

The past many months have provided us with a variety of stressful situations. We’ve dealt with quarantine, loss of jobs, illness, riots, political upheaval, isolation, children’s school disruption and more. All of these represented stressors. Yet our individual perceptions classified some of these situations as a challenge to overcome, and others as insurmountable. As we pursue wellness on a daily basis, I want to encourage you to take inventory of your tool box so you know what’s available to help. Read more

As you work to maintain holiday traditions, the pressure can build inside. Before your kettle starts to whistle, you can use CPR.

Before Your Kettle Starts To Whistle

/in , , , /by

We are fully in the holiday season and I’m sure you are working to maintain what holiday traditions we can. Some of our treasured traditions must be set aside, while others can be enjoyed with modifications. What are you still scrambling to keep track of, to grasp, to process? When the pressure builds inside, before your kettle starts to whistle, you can use CPR.

No, I’m not referring to the chest compressions that are used when the heart is in cardiac arrest. I want to offer a different meaning for the acronym – confess, press, relax. Read more

We have come through a holiday which is focused on giving thanks. Have you discovered the power of words on your life? Gratitude and praise lift the spirit.

The Power of Words on Your Life

/in , , , /by

We have just come through a holiday which is focused on gratitude, on giving thanks. Have you discovered the power of words on your life? Gratitude and praise lift the spirit. And do you remember the effect of hurtful words when you were a child … or even recently? Did they crush your spirit?

In his book, Love as a Way of Life, Gary Chapman uses an effective metaphor for words as being either bullets or seeds. When we speak with condemnation, our words act as bullets, tearing down relationships. Yet when we use our words as seeds, spoken in a supportive manner with good will for our audience, we are building relationship in positive, affirming ways. Read more

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

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

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

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 one of the 60 million Americans who experience acid reflux? I'm guessing that your primary concern is to extinguish the pain.

Extinguish the Pain!

/in , , , , /by

Are you one of the 60 million Americans who experience acid reflux? It used to be primarily an issue for those over 50, but it now is seen in every race, gender and adult age group. No matter the demographics, I’m guessing that your primary concern is to extinguish the pain.

Why does it hurt so much? That would be the digestive juices from your stomach getting into your esophagus, which lacks the mucosal lining that protects your stomach. Without that lining, juices that pop up through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) damage the tissue in your esophagus. 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