In a conversation with a friend the other day, I mentioned one of my favorite financial gurus. “The reason I’m drawn to him,” I tell her, “is that he doesn’t talk about depriving yourself to live within a specific budget. Rather, he tells you to approach money with an attitude of what can I do […]
Author Archives: Paula Widish
29
Aug
Aug
Labor Day weekend is typically seen as the last hurrah of summer, as the days get shorter and kids get back into the routine of school. It offers many of us an extra day of rest to celebrate our hard work over the past year. Chances are good you’ll be firing up the grill … […]
22
Aug
Aug
I am a firm believer in recruiting experts to help us along our self-health journey, but limited funds shouldn’t keep you from living with optimal health. Of course, ignoring nagging little issues (or your health in general) can end up costing you more in the long run and living within your means is also important […]
15
Aug
Aug
Like it or not, the world we live in is now online. It allows us to reconnect with friends we haven’t seen since high school graduation and lets us see what’s going on around the world any time of the day. And it houses several tools that can keep your health headed in the right […]
08
Aug
Aug
Unbeknownst to me, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics declared August “Kids Eat Right Month” four years ago. While it’s essential for kids to eat well year round, prioritizing it for an entire month can be just the right catapult to making it actually happen. It seems the perfect final lesson of summer before your […]
01
Aug
Aug
Dogs have been a big part of my life as long as I can remember. Their excitement when I walk through the door is such an ego boost. And their willingness to listen, without judgment, to whatever I need to share is therapeutic. As I watch our pup, Cleo, pass the days being her doggie […]
25
Jul
Jul
One of the hottest hot button topics out there is alternative medicine. And most of us aren’t exactly wishy-washy about our opinions—we either believe in it or classify it as voodoo medicine. Heck, the very idea that nutrition can heal our bodies and minds has led to heated conversations and strong resistance from people I’ve […]
18
Jul
Jul
We have a sleepwalker in our house, folks. The first time it happened was unnerving, to put it mildly. Our sweet little eight-year-old boy wandered into the living room, blankly stared at my hubby and I, and began relieving himself onto the wood floors with a maniacal laugh. What the what?! After getting him changed […]
11
Jul
Jul
Summer is the time to pick, prepare, grill, and/or just gobble up raw all kinds of luscious, fresh foods. And we’re right in the thick of it, my friends. This is the perfect time to make some simple changes to your nutrition routine—and love every bite of it—with a few uncomplicated sauces of summer that […]
04
Jul
Jul
Independence Day—the day we celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress back on July 4, 1776. My challenge to you is to make July 4, 2017, be the day you declare your health independence. Health independence simply means taking personal responsibility for your health. We’re not talking about the […]
27
Jun
Jun
Garlic. It’s pungent, robust, and even a little sweet when prepared a certain way. It lends itself to every cuisine on the planet and gives recipes that little extra something that makes all the difference in the final product. And on top of its many culinary qualities, garlic offers natural medicinal benefits as well. Garlic […]
20
Jun
Jun
As our world advances, so too do the issues we deal with on a regular basis. Most of us are aware of the health concerns associated with sitting for too long. After so many years of the Standard American Diet (SAD), we know how important it is to get (and keep) our blood sugar levels […]
13
Jun
Jun
Something about lazy summer days makes me think of attacking my reading list. A few of the titles are fiction, and a few are nonfiction. Some suggested, some self-discovered. Some opened up and partially read, others brand new and inviting me in. They all have two things in common: they’ve been piling up next to […]
06
Jun
Jun
There are almost as many excuses for not exercising as there are people who make them. Not enough time, you might say to yourself. Can’t find the perfect activity, you lament. And so on. We all know how it goes. But have you ever considered that it might be easier to throw in the metaphorical […]
30
May
May
With the passing of Memorial Day comes the swift arrival of swimsuit season (or, for us non-swimmers, short- and tank top-season). Some of us are excited by the promise of showing more skin as the days of summer approach. But others of us feel nothing but unease and dread about what’s hidden under our sleeves […]
23
May
May
If you’ve been on your self-health adventure for any length of time, you already know that one of the most frustrating conversations you can have with people who simply follow the status quo is about fat. More specifically, the need to avoid it when we’re trying to lose weight. Lately, I’ve given up pointing out […]
16
May
May
When I was looking in the mirror the other day, a few questions popped in my head: Why do we have eyebrows? What exactly is the purpose of those two swaths of hair? And what would happen if we didn’t have them? It was time for a little digging. Hooray! Before we humans evolved to […]
09
May
May
My mom was diagnosed with Lyme disease a couple of summers ago. I happened to be home for a visit at the time, and seeing how she suffered before she found out the cause stuck in my head and really ticked me off. My parents’ dog ended up with Lyme disease that summer as well. […]
02
May
May
If you’ve been meaning to build more physical activity into your every day life but think it will take up too much time, you’re going about it all wrong. An all or nothing approach is quite foolish when it comes to your health. It simply allows you to put off what you know you need […]
25
Apr
Apr
Being raised on a dairy farm where everyone had to pitch in, it was my birthright to be an early bird. This trait has stuck with me so far in life. If you ask me to stay up late, I’d have to struggle to make it happen— but I rarely miss those early morning events. […]