Author Archives: Paula Widish

Why Do Your Feet Stink?

During a recent family visit, a subject came up that all moms and sisters end up discussing…stinky feet. In particular, one of my sisters believes hers are exceptionally stinky. She even confessed that she replaces her shoes before they wear out because they emanate a less-than-desirable aroma. Then she posed the question, “Why do some […]

How Are You Letting Emotions Guide Your Health?

How Are You Letting Emotions Guide Your Health?

It’s impossible to go through the day without experiencing a myriad of emotions—positive or negative. How you respond to such emotions as they pop up is a deciding factor in how they guide your health. So be aware, and choose wisely. Browsing through the SRP Historical Archives, I discovered the 1954 article “A Concept of […]

Did You Just Buy a Yam or a Sweet Potato?

Oddly enough, I’ve both been a part of and witness to several debates about yams and sweet potatoes over the past couple of weeks. The first conversation was instigated by me, when I asked a produce manager to explain the difference. The second happened when a cashier at a different store insisted there was no […]

A Cautionary Tale for the New Self-Healther

A recent conversation with a friend reminded me that my self-health tale has had two very different parts to it. The first chapter, “Flying Solo,” is when I blindly attempted to find resolutions to the conflicts in my story all on my own. The second chapter, “Seeking Help,” came about after I encountered the frustration […]

Modern Advances That Hold Back Our Health

It is an alluring idea to think that any modern advance that helps us live a more comfortable life has been thoroughly tested before being allowed into our homes. After all, we’d all like to believe that the products we rely on every day are ultimately helpful rather than harmful. Unfortunately, that’s not always the […]

4 Alternatives to the Flu Shot

“Get your flu shot here!” It’s hard to drive around town this time of year without seeing these signs. My intention isn’t to tell you whether or not you should swing into the parking lot next time you see one of them, but I do think it’s important to know that you have alternatives. It’s […]

Kick Up Your Apple Preservation

Have you taken a whiff outside lately? The fragrant, sweet aroma of apple season has arrived. It’s the time of year that makes a person think of bushels and baking. While noshing on a fresh apple is always a great choice, it’s worth taking a look at other ways of kicking up the nutrient profile […]

Sugar Industry Lies About Fat and Heart Disease

A pretty big story broke recently about the sugar industry funding a research program in the 1960s and 1970s that successfully portrayed fats as the villain behind coronary heart disease (CHD)—but sugar was the real culprit. Just imagine what it would have done to the industry if the truth had come out in a more […]

Fermenting Veggies with Ease

Making my own fermented vegetables. I’d been meaning to do it for quite some time, but I was nervous. After all, the lacto-fermentation method in Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions instructs you to leave food in a jar, stored in a regular old cupboard, for several days. How do you keep it safe? Various articles I’d […]

The Self-Healther’s Headache Tool: Find Your Headache Type

Headache

If you’ve ever had to deal with chronic headaches, you know what to expect when one hits. Opening your eyes, standing up, and even eating becomes virtually impossible. Headaches can be debilitating and last from a few hours to a few days. Boy, do I wish I’d discovered this headache tool way back when…but I’m […]

Let Technology Take Your Fitness to the Next Level

Runner with Fitbit

Back in the day, keeping track of your fitness progress was a pretty manual thing. Depending on how in-depth you wanted to go, it could involve using a basic pedometer, taking your pulse, keeping track of everything in notebooks and spreadsheets, etc., etc. All of it required your time. You had to measure your stride […]

My New Favorite Morning Beverage

warm beverage

For years now I’ve had a love/hate relationship with my morning cup of joe. While my senses love everything about the ritual of coffee, it can leave me with an upset stomach and/or feeling irritable. Not exactly the way I want to spend a good chunk of my day. So rather than coffee, I’m always […]

A Couple Steps in the Right Direction

Child with plate of sugar

As an avid self-healther, I’m always checking out stories about health and nutrition online. Today I was struck by a couple of headlines that seem to indicate the powers-that-be are taking a step in the right direction when it comes to the health of the masses. So if you’re interested in taking a break from […]

Tips for Simplifying Your Morning Routine

Peaceful slumber

With the beginning of the school year for our family, I’m reminded of the importance of simplifying our morning routine. Establishing some good morning habits can take a little time, but it’s well worth the effort. It’s a great way to get the kids off to school and the adults off to work with minimal […]

The Beauty of Baby Steps

Baby steps to success

The road to optimal health can seem daunting—and even impossible—depending on which fork in the proverbial road you’re at. Whether you’re losing that last ten pounds or trying to stave off a disease, getting down on yourself and giving up happens pretty regularly. If this sounds like you, baby steps could very well be the […]

Water: How Much Do You Really Need?

Drinking water

Water, water, water. We’re all dehydrated and need more of it. That seems to be what I hear whenever I see one of our family’s holistic practitioners. I walk out kicking myself for not keeping up with this simple, healthy habit and vow that it won’t happen again. The thing is, I feel like I’m […]

Don’t Forget Your Lunchboxes

Child eating lunch

School is about to start, and you’re getting ready to cross items off your child’s classroom supply list. If your kids brown bag it rather than reach for the plastic trays at lunch, don’t forget to add a new lunchbox to the list. Making sure you have everything you need when the school year begins […]

My Clever Trick for Finding Holistic Practitioners

Finding a holistic practitioner graphic

Our family has arrived safely in our new home. Our truckload of boxes arrived the following day. And now, other than hanging pictures on the wall and finding homes for a few things, we’re pretty settled. It’s hard to beat how that feels in these situations. Right? Time for the next list of decisions to […]

Credible Online Resources for Your Self-Health Education

Health key on keyboard

You can search any topic that pops into your head online. Type it in your browser and watch a plethora of links pop up. But before you start clicking away, digging deeper and deeper into the subject, ask yourself a question: how do you know which links will take you to credible resources? Of course, […]