Sneezing is an odd sensation, right? Sometimes you can feel it coming and look for ways to speed up the relief it offers. Other times, the sneeze comes out of nowhere and ends up being the loudest noise you’ve made in months. Some of us are big, boisterous sneezers, some are silent sneezers, and some […]
Author Archives: Paula Widish
13
Feb
Feb
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and those of you hoping to celebrate romantic love may be planning to stock up on some good ol’ aphrodisiacs to add some spice to your repertoire. But first, are they worth adding to your shopping list? Aphrodisiacs: are they fact or a bunch of bogus folklore? Let’s dig in a […]
06
Feb
Feb
If you’re a human walking the planet Earth, it’s safe to say you deal with stress on a daily basis. Stress is not only inevitable, but it also helps us get shit done when it needs to get done. The way you move through your day, from the time you wake up in the morning […]
30
Jan
Jan
So I stumbled on a TEDx Talk that’s had my head spinning ever since. These talks usually get my wheels turning, but this one had a different feel to it. Maybe it’s the magnitude of the topic. Maybe it’s the personal nature of the topic. Or, more likely, maybe it’s the betrayal I felt spelled […]
23
Jan
Jan
In the world of alternative and holistic health, probiotics have been a topic of discussion for quite some time. Heck, even conventional medicine has come to recognize the health benefits they provide, and all of the TV commercials that tout them are yet another sign that they’ve gone mainstream (though not all are created equal). Lately, in the circle of resources I rely on, I’ve noticed another word creeping into the conversation: prebiotics. Hmm…Probiotics? Prebiotics? What’s the […]
16
Jan
Jan
Let’s face it, people. In the cold days of winter, when it’s hard to get warmed up, there are days when you just don’t feel like cooking. Maybe you only have a thirty-minute window between getting home from work and getting to your son’s basketball game. Perhaps you worked overtime on a special project and […]
09
Jan
Jan
In a perfect world, we’d only eat the foods that nourish us. Nothing but nutrient dense, grass-fed, organic goods at all times. We’d grind our own grains just minutes before baking our own bread. We’d stop off at our neighbor’s farm for our weekly supply of raw milk. If this sums up your daily life, […]
02
Jan
Jan
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but as of November 2017, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have made some changes in what they classify as “normal” and “high” blood pressure. Previously, your reading had to reach 140/90 to be considered high. Now, however, you’re labeled with high blood pressure with […]
26
Dec
Dec
When you think about this question, you may start listing off subjects related to the weather, politics, or other things outside of yourself. But the real power comes when you internalize it and do some real digging and reflecting. So, how will 2018 be different? For me, a few things come up. I’m looking forward […]
28
Nov
Nov
According to my 2017 Celebrate Everything calendar, it’s National French Toast Day, my friends!! Hooray! French toast is one of my favorite ways to use up the stale loaf of bread sitting in my pantry closet. Surely, you must agree. (Don’t tell me if you don’t. K? K.) I mean, what could be simpler? All […]
21
Nov
Nov
Dear Fellow Humans, Thanksgiving is this Thursday. Surely you haven’t forgotten. But perhaps you thought we’d skip right over it this year, what with all of the Christmas stuff showing up so early at the store and in your neighborhood. Alas, I spoke with the Thanksgiving folks, and they assure me that Thanksgiving has not […]
14
Nov
Nov
This is a question I’ve been wondering about lately. Being the mom of boys, I notice certain things now that I didn’t notice with my brothers. Granted, my brothers are both older than I am, which is probably why I missed it when puberty struck and left each of them with a protuberance on their […]
07
Nov
Nov
Each and every day, all day long, we breathe in and breathe out without any thought whatsoever. This most basic, involuntary task keeps us alive—which alone is a pretty big deal. Who is loony enough to disagree with that? But did you know that breathing also has the power to make our days more calm […]
31
Oct
Oct
It’s All Hallow’s Eve, and being freaky is the name of the game. Strolling through your neighborhood over these past few weeks, you’ve surely encountered skeletons, spiders, zombies, and other ghoulish symbols that instill the vibes of the season. Plenty of foods go hand-in-hand with October 31st as well. Here are some freaky facts about […]
24
Oct
Oct
Is variety always the spice of life? For most of my adult life, I’ve been willing to try almost anything when it comes to food. Beef tongue tacos? When prepared correctly—love ’em. Borscht (beet soup)? Vibrant and one of my favorites. Chocolate covered bacon? Surprisingly delicious combination of sweet and savory. But is variety the […]
17
Oct
Oct
I’ve been curious about acne lately. Is it really just about clogged pores? Does it flare up when a person has more dairy than normal? As a firm believer that our bodies constantly give us signs when something is out of whack with our health, I wonder if acne could be yet another warning about […]
10
Oct
Oct
As I stroll through the aisles at my local market, I see more and more products with the Non-GMO Project label. This made me wonder exactly what it means. Does it imply that the product is also organic? What determines whether a product can display this label on its packaging? Not wanting to be a food […]
26
Sep
Sep
Sugar—it’s everywhere and in everything. We crave it and once it’s been in our daily routine for a while, we even get headaches from not consuming it. But, being the anti-nutrient that it is, we need to stop the insanity and stop eating so much of it. A perfectly ripened strawberry is sweet enough. It’s […]
19
Sep
Sep
Sounds dirty, doesn’t it? Well, quite honestly, it can be…until you grab a brush and do some scrubbing. Obviously, I’m talking about beets. After all, the beautiful beet is the main ingredient when it comes to getting your kvass on. Kvass has humble origins in Eastern European countries, such as Russia, where it has been […]
12
Sep
Sep
I refuse to believe I’m the only parent who fights the get-out-of-bed-now battle every school morning. I long for the days when my kids were little and got up all on their own with time to get dressed, eat a leisurely breakfast, pack a lunch, and still have time to play. Man, those were the […]