I just returned from attending EXPO East, a giant natural products convention in Baltimore. The first item I tasted was pureed baby food made from boiled, strained vegetables and fruits (but not mixed together) created by a mom (naturally). It was pretty good! I walked the aisles tasting gut- blasting tonics, fermented juices, root based beverages, mushroom teas and numerous probiotic foods that promised to help clean out my stomach and intestines. I sipped paleo coffee mixed with butter to add “necessary fat” and sampled plenty of reduced fat foods. I nibbled on fiber rich bars and smoothies offering to “help me go.” I tasted foods promising to help boost
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Many of my friends have been sending their kids to college. For many it’s their first time living away from home. On a recent edition of Fearless Fabulous You! former law enforcement officer, Steve Kardian, author of “The New Super Power for Women,” said that the period between September and Thanksgiving recess is when freshman females and returning sophomores are most vulnerable to sexual assault. In fact, an estimated one in four women (25% of college women) experience some form of sexual violence (rape, assault, physical force or incapacitation) during their four years of college. Everyone wants to fit in
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Swimming is one of the best exercises around for overall health. It increases your heart rate, builds endurance and muscle strength, and it does not stress your body like some other exercises. Unfortunately, even the best swimmer can be at risk for drowning. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, an average of ten people die in the U.S. from unintentional drowning every day. 1 in 5 are children 14 or younger. Nearly 80% of people who die from drowning are male. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury for death among children and the fifth
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Research has shown that women are better multi-taskers than men. Human Physiology reported that “men require more brainpower than women when multi-tasking.” I’m not surprised by this. I seem to focus better when I have more to do than less. But what dogs me is concentrating on just one thing for a period of time. My mind drifts. It’s like my brain needs to be in overdrive to thrive. But that doesn’t feel healthy. Have you felt that way? Maybe it’s time to downsize to energize your mind. These days we live with countless distractions which diminish our ability to focus. Technology in
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For women living with a chronic illness such as arthritis, cancer or an autoimmune disease, intimacy can be a super-sensitive topic. But, according to the National Institute of Health addressing sexual dysfunction during chronic illnes is now accepted as a fundamental part of healthcare. 133 million Americans – 45% of the population – have at least one chronic disease. Nearly half are women. Many face the sensitive issue of sexual dysfunction, or the inability to achieve fulfilling intimacy. Sexuality Expert and Psychologist Dr. Logan Levkoff recently joined me to discuss how to start the conversation with your partner, address emotional anxiety and find ways
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Given that every breath we take is an essential part of our health and well-being, it is amazing how many of us are not breathing properly. Breathing provides energy, helps boost your metabolism, calms and centers you and helps regulate your heart. Clinical Psychologist Dr. Belisa Vranich, author of Breathe: The Simple, Revolutionary 14-Day Program to Improve your Mental and Physical Health (St. Martin’s Press/Hay House), joined me June 12 to the proper way to breathe. Here’s a tip: Many people breath from their chest and shoulders which is incorrect. You need to lift expand your diaphram and fill your lungs. So start from your tummy.
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As a wine and food professional I grapple weekly with temptation and managing my diet. Attending dinners, lunches and wine tastings are part of the job, and I enjoy it, especially when the food and drink are good. But it’s hard to maintain your weight, and we all know eating well is the best defense to stay healthy along with regular exercise. So, I’ve devised “The Try It Diet.” Just give everything a try at least once. Take a smaller portion or a few sips. Then push away the plate or don’t give yourself a refill or second helping. It
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I’m tackling migraines head on (excuse the play on words). Friends and family members have experienced debilitating migraines, and I see how difficult and painful it is for them. Here’s what I learned prepping for this show: More women get migraines (three quarters of all migraine sufferers are women). Men tend to have more cluster headaches. There are different manifestations of migraines (e.g., Migraine with Vertigo, Miniere’s Disease) and different phases of a migraine (prodome, attack, postdome). Migraine triggers can vary by individual. Some OTC and prescription medications can trigger migraines (MOH- migraine overuse headaches). Dietary adjustments, exercise and stress
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I received an envelope in the mail this week from a doctor I never met from a medical facility I never heard of. Inside was an invoice for $57.90. This wasn’t the first “your invoice is in the mail” experience I’ve had in the last several months. Others have appeared from the two hospitals where my husband, David, was treated last August and September for a neurological condition. Thankfully, David is back to normal. But these surprise charges have given me headaches and palpitations. Most of them contain EOBs (explanation of benefits) with charges for assorted doctors and services we never
Read more →Tuck it in. Suck it in. Hold it in. How many times have you heard, read or said this? Well, I say do the opposite: Let it out! I recently interviewed movement specialist Mary Derbyshire for my radio show Fearless Fabulous YOU! The focus was staying agile at any age. Here is the link. Mary discussed how to sit, stand and move your body without overtaxing it. One thing I learned is that we tend to hunch and constrict our bodies rather than stay loose and limber. I realized during the discussion that too many of us are too tightly wound
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“Fake” is a prevalent four letter F-word in our vernacular these days. A few examples: We have accusations of “fake news.” Entrepreneurs talk about “fake it til you make it” to succeed. Scammers create fake Facebook profiles to recruit “fake friends.” There are fake claims by products delivering skewed marketing. There are fake foods posing as nutritional. There are fake celebrities on social media. And there are fake statistics feeding the fake news as indicated by this article in Forbes magazine. “Fake” seems to be a new reality these days. The Urban Dictionary has many uses for the word. Fake can mean everything
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I am passionate about animal rescue. I have adopted two rescued Maltese pups and would welcome more if my lifestyle allowed it. That’s why a national news story this week about Turkey Dogs captured my attention: CNN.com (How Instanbul’s Street Dogs Ended Up in America Animal rescue organizations are helping to bring abandoned Golden Retriever dogs from Turkey to the USA to find Forever Homes. Once considered a status symbol among the Turkish elite, hundreds of purebred Golden Labs have been dumped into the streets to fend for themselves, often with horrendous consequences. This happens when people need to make decisions
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