The mainstream press has caught on… articles, studies, special reports, even entire magazines are touting the many heath benefits that come with the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness not only adds much joy and satisfaction to life, it also has been shown to improve our health and wellbeing. So how does one effectively use mindfulness in the face of the hectic modern world? The key is practice. One opportunity to practice mindfulness is with each meal. Mindful eating is a beautiful way to cultivate greater joy and peace of mind. And mindfulness helps us make choices that … [Read more...]
Sprouts of Wellness – Using Mung Beans
The New Year is around the corner bringing the excitement of embracing a new start, new energy, and new opportunities. Now that the holidays are behind us, I wanted to share one of my favorite practices to help nurture health and wellness. It is "growing" my own sprouts, and believe it or not, it really is remarkably easy. Sprouting food is an excellent way to add in fresh, healthy foods even during these cold winter months when locally grown fresh foods are harder to come by. I love taking a dormant seed or bean, activating it, and watching it come alive. Having a seed sprout is … [Read more...]
Protect Yourself from the Harmful Effects of Stress
We all have stress… especially these days. In the face of senseless violence, environmental destruction, social inequalities, political insanities, a toxic food supply, and oh yeah, that stack of bills – it can be hard to find balance. Stress it seems, is a fact of life. But, numerous studies have shown that stress can be incredibly damaging to the body. In fact, the evidence suggests that stress is a contributing factor in the development or worsening of the majority of chronic illnesses (those chronic health problems that affect nearly half of the adult population in the United … [Read more...]
Love Food
What do we do when food has become an enemy? There is so much confusion and stress about what we should eat to maximize health and wellness: don’t eat gluten, eat only raw foods, cook your foods well, avoid sugar, go grain free, eat more grains, eat more fish, fish contain toxins, eat macrobiotic, eat less, eat more, eat enough protein, don’t eat too much protein. Just look on Amazon and you will find over 45,000 books with divergent recommendations about nutrition and food. I have spent the last few years knee deep in the nutrition research and I say, “enough already!” All of this conflicting … [Read more...]
Wellness: Getting There Together
This past Saturday, I sat in circle with a group of wise and compassionate women and men: doctors, nurses, practitioners, therapists, and healers - each deeply concerned about the state of health care. Knowing that so much healing is being lost amid the beaurocracy of our current system, this wellness alliance is seeking authentic, compassionate, and effective roads to wellness. As health professionals we see clearly how the treatment of symptoms is only a part what ultimately helps a patient to heal. To create wellness we must consider the body, the mind, the environment, and the society in … [Read more...]