After learning that a close friend of mine had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, several questions popped into my brain. Some philosophical, others physiological. I mean, of course I’d heard about the pancreas, but the specifics from high school biology class had long been tucked away. It was time for a crash refresher course on […]
Author Archives: Paula Widish
10
Sep
Sep
If you regularly check out websites like SRP, chances are pretty good that you’re looking for answers of some kind. Maybe you’ve been given a diagnosis that you want to know more about. Or perhaps a loved one has been told they need to make some lifestyle changes before it’s too late. No matter what […]
03
Sep
Sep
We’re told to avoid cholesterol at all costs—or suffer the consequences: cardiovascular disease, increased risk of a stroke, and/or other complications. However, I recently came across some information that made this self-healther wonder about these warnings. And since September is National Cholesterol Education Month, I think we should ask ourselves the question: Is high cholesterol […]
27
Aug
Aug
I know, I know. We talk a lot about staying hydrated at SRP, and here I go bringing the topic up yet again. But this is super important stuff, my friends. And maybe you’ll be happy to know that I’m not going to focus on preventing hydration solely with water in today’s post. You see, […]
20
Aug
Aug
After living with kid(s) under your watchful eye for so many years, sending them off to college can be worrisome. Will they make nutritious food choices? Will they get the sleep they need to thrive both in the classroom and in life? And will they pay attention to signals from their bodies if the answer […]
13
Aug
Aug
One of the most impactful things you can do for your health is cook at home. But let’s be clear— I’m not talking about nuking a freezer meal in your microwave or warming up that can of pre-fabbed whatever on your stovetop. Optimal health is found in foods that you need to eat, refrigerate, or […]
06
Aug
Aug
August is Family Fun Month! The perfect opportunity to spend time with your family and (hopefully) remember how much you enjoy each other’s company. There isn’t much information about the history of this celebration, but I have to assume it has to do with two things: the hustle and bustle of the upcoming school year […]
30
Jul
Jul
The list of benefits from eating at least some fermented foods on a daily basis is long and impressive. From more efficient digestion to a more robust immune system, your health will only improve by adding some fermented foods into your diet. In his book Wild Fermentation, Sandor Ellix Katz explains that the process of […]
23
Jul
Jul
In many parts of the world, meditation has been around for a really, really, really long time. But in our neck of the woods, the practice has achieved darling status only recently. And now that it has, the people I come across tend to run in one of two circles: the “I do-ers” and the […]
16
Jul
Jul
I am a routine kind of gal. They make me feel stable, at ease, and organized. Some people find them boring and restrictive, but I’ve always found great comfort in them. When my routines are interrupted (from here on out known as “routinus interruptus”), I can adjust for a while, but then I crave them […]
09
Jul
Jul
It’s finally here, my friends! July is National Picnic Month. When was the last time you grabbed a big ol’ blanket, packed some grub in that basket, and headed to the great outdoors? I’m gonna take a stab in the dark here and say it’s probably been too long. Am I right? Not real keen […]
05
Jul
Jul
I used to be super intimidated by using fresh herbs in the kitchen. Something about their big green bunchiness seemed complicated to me. So I’m not surprised when I meet people with similar fears. But now that I’m a convert to fresh herbs myself, I challenge you to face your fears this month and start […]
25
Jun
Jun
Boys and girls are different in more than just the obvious ways. We discussed some need-to-know facts about girls health last month, so let’s consider a few compelling health facts about the boys out there. Be aware that when it comes to diagnoses, these three familiar conditions are more commonly diagnosed in boys. Boys are […]
Adventures of A Self-Healther
Guys, Want to Know How Healthy You Are?
Try These Simple Physical Fitness Tests
18
Jun
Jun
Many of you guys out there walk around assuming you’re fairly healthy. You eat mostly nutritious food, and you get some exercise more days than not. That’s good enough, yes? Wouldn’t it be cool if there were some simple physical fitness tests you could perform—in the comfort of your own home—to confirm this? Read on. […]
11
Jun
Jun
I was recently listening to an excerpt from Dr. Keith Kimberlin’s seminar, “How We Get Sick: The Human Stress Response,” and was struck by his practical approach. In very pragmatic terms, Dr. Kimberlin explained how a person’s unmanaged stress response triggers a spiral of all sorts of disease—heart disease, acid reflux, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and […]
04
Jun
Jun
June is Men’s Health Month (I told you it was coming up, guys), and since I live in a house with men in various stages of life—one husband and three sons—it is a subject near and dear to my heart. Knowing I play a role in their health, I’d like to see some shifts in […]
28
May
May
Making changes to your lifestyle can seem downright impossible in the beginning. Whether you’ve made the decision on your own or with a healthcare professional, in order to win and see the affects you’re hoping for, you have to follow through—maybe even longer than a week or two. Let’s look at a few strategies for […]
21
May
May
I was recently reminded of an aspect of women’s health you don’t often hear discussed, a concept shared by Maria Emmerich in her book Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. I read the book some time ago and hadn’t thought about it again until brainstorming post ideas for Women’s Health Month. Emmerich is a nutritionist who […]
14
May
May
May is a splendid time to bring this self-health habit into your world, and I encourage you to make it a priority. Nurseries are bursting at the seams with plants to get you started. Whether you till up a section of your yard, put in some garden boxes, or stick with a container garden, you […]
07
May
May
May is Women’s Health Month, so let’s take a look at what everyone ought to know about it. (Don’t worry, guys, your month is coming.) With men and women having so many of the same organs, systems, and processes, are there really all that many differences in how each of us achieves optimal health? Good […]