If you're looking for a summer read, may I offer a few ideas that go beyond the genre known informally as "romance novel to read while sitting on the beach?" Not that there's anything wrong with that genre! If that's what you enjoy and what you need right now to decompress, go for it. And in that case, bookmark this for later when you're wanting something else. But if you're ready for … [Read more...] about 5 Books that Could Boost Your Health This Summer
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Summer Sun and Bugs: Essential Oils to the Rescue
Summer brings plenty of opportunities for sunburns, bug bites, and other skin irritations. But essential oils can help when used pro-actively against bugs and in response to burns, stings, bites, or rashes. Below, I'll share some ideas for how to use these powerful compounds - and some recipes for "potions" that have worked for my family. I started learning about essential oils nearly four … [Read more...] about Summer Sun and Bugs: Essential Oils to the Rescue
Is it Self-Care, or Is it Stewardship?
Self-care takes different forms, depending on the situation and person. Lighting a candle. Enjoying a slow coffee and breathing deeply. Taking a walk. Spending time with a friend. Choosing healthy foods. Each of those has its place. But when life feels like it's spiraling out of control, self-care may be the first thing to go. How do we stop that from happening, to make ourselves more … [Read more...] about Is it Self-Care, or Is it Stewardship?
Celebrate Each Success, and Begin Again
When we decide we're ready to take a healthy step forward, we set out determined. We prepare to take action. Inside, we're not sure we actually can reach our goal, perhaps, but we jump in anyway. Call it optimism, or craziness. Our resolve may last five minutes, five weeks, five months. We have fits and starts. And it can be easy to beat ourselves up over the fits and restarts. But as we … [Read more...] about Celebrate Each Success, and Begin Again
Catch Up on Preventive and Diagnostic Tests
Sometimes, especially if we have others to care for, we can let our attention on ourselves slip. When's the last time you met with your healthcare provider? Is it time to catch up on your preventive screenings and diagnostic tests? Achieving our best health depends on making healthy lifestyle choices - what we eat and drink, how we move and sleep, how we handle stress. But we also need to … [Read more...] about Catch Up on Preventive and Diagnostic Tests
Step 21: Go Drink a Glass of Water
Got a headache? Drink water. Think you're hungry? Drink water. Feel lightheaded, dizzy, or brain foggy? Drink a glass of water. Water may not fix your problem, but it's a good start. Because most of us don't get enough of it. U.S. youth in 2005-2010 drank an average of 15 ounces of water per day, and U.S. adults drank an average of 39 ounces of water per day. That's according to the … [Read more...] about Step 21: Go Drink a Glass of Water
