Author Archives: Paula Widish

If your idea of giving your teeth what they need stops at brushing, flossing, and drinking your milk, you’re being a tad shortsighted. And since the health of your teeth says a lot about your overall health, you certainly don’t want to appear like you don’t know what you’re doing. Right? Right. Self-health education to […]

No pun intended, but I double dog dare you to pick up a puppy and not feel good. Heck, you don’t even have to physically touch these furry little creatures to reap the benefits of their love. I mean, watch this video and try not to smile. It’s impossible. Growing up on the farm, we […]

The argument that weight loss is merely a matter of taking in fewer calories than you exert throughout the day has never really sat right with me. It seems to be an oversimplification of an issue that too many people struggle with: carrying excess weight. Don’t get me wrong. I love the simplification of most […]

The new school year is just days away at our house. It marks the end of informal meals where we eat whenever hunger strikes and whatever sounds good in the moment. I do love the unstructured days of summer. With the approach of a more regimented mentality for mealtime during the school year, it pays […]

Drinking water throughout the day is a good idea any time of the year. In the middle of August, it’s a necessity. Dehydration messes with all sorts of things your body needs to accomplish. While I rarely tire of a big ol’ glass of crystal clear water, I’ve heard from quite a few people that […]

A common argument for not eating healthy, nutrient-dense food is the fact that it’s too expensive. And it’s true—the price you pay at your local market is often double (or more) for the healthier organic versions of your favorite foods. But these immediate savings come with a hefty future price tag that you don’t see […]

There seems to be two schools of thought in the general population when it comes to earwax. One group buys Q-tips like mad—and in bulk. After all, when you use one every time you step out of the shower, they don’t last long. The other group only adds them to the shopping list every couple […]

How much thought did you put into picking the pillows that are on your bed right now? Go ahead. March right into your bedroom, give them a good once over, and be perfectly honest. You and your pillows deserve the truth. And don’t worry, there’s no shame here—it’s a safe space. Truly. Go look. I’ll […]

Nothing makes me more giddy than walking up to the market entrance and seeing shopper after shopper hauling my favorite orb-shaped food to their vehicles. You know the one, all green and stripy on the outside and red and seedy on the inside. Yes, folks, the arrival of watermelon season is just one of Mother […]

Picture, if you will, a day in the not-so-distant future. Your grown child stands in the middle of his very own kitchen with a decision to make: what’s for dinner? Mealtime has come around again, and—whether he’s feeding only himself or his entire family—making it will be a snap if he’s been taught how to […]

It’s the end of June and the summer heat has really kicked in. We all have our favorite way of cooling down, whether it’s jumping into the neighborhood pool, cranking the air conditioning, or relaxing under a big ol’ shade tree. But one of the sweetest cooling-down tactics out there is also one of my […]

Have I mentioned that I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin? No? Well, I did. ;) I was surrounded by cows way too early in the morning and then again at the end of the day. The cows were entrusted to us from the time they were born—yes, I helped a momma cow […]

Ask some people how to bring more culture into their life, and I’m willing to bet there’ll be mention of plays, operas, and poetry. Ask them how to get more culture in their diet, and I guarantee they’ll talk about digestion, bacteria, and…grandmas. Wait. What? Why grandmas? Because more than likely, those well-versed in the […]

Butter. Just hearing the word kicks in my salivary glands. Few things taste better than a steaming hot whole grain waffle with those crispy little pockets filled with melted butter and some real maple syrup. Am I right? Pair it with some bacon that’s taken a swim in the waffle runoff, and you’ve just created […]

It’s funny. While I was growing up, we drank milk right out of the bulk tank. Well, the bulk tank was actually an old ice cream bucket in the refrigerator, but you know what I mean, right? Little did we know of the contraband we were ingesting and what extreme rebels our parents were. That […]

With this being the last week of school for our boys, summer fun lurks right around the corner. Of course, summer fun conjures different images for different people. While some envision lounging next to the pool or venturing into the wilderness for a camping trip, the Widish family’s summer fun can be summed up with […]

Kettlebells, Bikram yoga, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and CrossFit have all been the darling of the exercise world at one point or another, and some still are. Much like figuring out the superfood of the moment (I’m looking at you, wheatgrass), it can be sort of confusing figuring out how to be your healthiest self. […]

For years I’ve been hearing people talk about how wonderful echinacea is, yet I never ventured out to purchase any for our medicine cabinet. I can’t really tell you why. I guess I just didn’t want to add yet one more bottle to our collection of supplements. Plus I’ve always been more of a vitamins […]

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, I can’t help but notice the marvelous abundance of new babies coming into the world of late. Whether I’m walking in my neighborhood or staying connected with far-off family and friends on social media, offering up congratulations to new parents seems to be the norm. With that one […]

When you meet someone who hunts morel mushrooms, you know you’ve just met a person you can share all of your most secret-y secrets with—and they’ll never tell. Why am I so certain of this? Well, morels are one of those elusive foodstuffs, and only a select few ever stumble across them while foraging in […]