I’ve been nursing a cold all week. Of course, no one really likes being under the weather, but rather than cursing my luck this time, I’ve surprisingly been somewhat thankful to my body. Feeling worn out forces us to be gentler on ourselves, take it easy, rest, and attend to things that have gone neglected. […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
09
Feb
Feb
I used to feel guilty about how rarely I felt the urge to throw together a big ol’ salad and gobble it up. After all, a bed of beautiful dark greens with bits of red pepper, cucumber, carrots, red onion, and maybe even some hard-boiled egg makes for the ultimate in health-inducing cuisine. Yes? How […]
03
Feb
Feb
Ask Chef Phyllis: Ever since I was a little girl, I remember having cherry macaroons for Valentine’s Day. I think my mother bought them in a candy store like Loft’s—not a bakery shop because they had chocolate drizzled on the top of them—but I can’t be sure. I would like to make them at home […]
02
Feb
Feb
My plan for this week’s post was to discuss the benefits of brain training and my February health goal of committing to doing it every day. It was sure to be a hit, and I was confident that I’d find a magnitude of resources touting brain training as the best decision I could ever make […]
27
Jan
Jan
January is winding down, and by now some of you may have already abandoned those well-intentioned yet tough-to-keep New Year’s resolutions. Before you go beating yourself up, know that you’re not alone. Studies have shown that a mere 64 percent of people have kept their resolutions by the one-month mark. And only a sobering 8 […]
26
Jan
Jan
When I decided to make better resolutions for 2016, I talked about picking just one new healthy habit per month. In choosing to meditate daily for my first new habit in January, I knew I was setting myself up for more peace of mind and calm in my daily life. I’ve been getting my Zen […]
20
Jan
Jan
Ask Chef Phyllis: It’s winter, and I need to learn to make a good soup. My husband is now on a restricted diet, with low or less salt required for health reasons. So I began reading the labels on processed foods at the supermarkets, mostly on sodium contents of canned soups, and I was amazed. […]
19
Jan
Jan
These days it isn’t so unusual to find discarded peels of fruit covering the bottom of our kitchen sink. The various shades of orange complement the black surface very nicely, I must say. While it’s an ongoing battle to get our boys to automatically clean up after themselves rather than leave their mess behind, it’s […]
13
Jan
Jan
Ok, ok, ok, I know what you’re thinking: What is this blasphemy?! The girl can’t be serious! I mean, how can you really improve a cozy comfort food like mashed potatoes—especially if the “improvement” doesn’t even contain potatoes at all? I promise I’m not just spewing crazy nonsense. I may be a tyrannical dietary dictator […]
12
Jan
Jan
While it’s possible to get the flu any time of year, the CDC says we’re smack dab in the middle of peak flu season. Don’t worry, I’m not here to chime in on whether or not you should get a flu shot—plenty of people are out there doing that already. Though I do suggest you […]
06
Jan
Jan
Ask Chef Phyllis: Many years ago, my mother and grandmother made what they called “Boston baked” beans that cooked in a large brown bean pot overnight in the oven. The beans didn’t have BBQ sauce or, for that matter, a red tomato sauce at all. I haven’t found a good recipe and would prefer to […]
05
Jan
Jan
Last month I wrote about resolving to make better resolutions for 2016. Rather than make an all-encompassing declaration of what you want to accomplish by the end of the year, I suggested taking on a new healthy habit each month. Baby steps are often easier to make happen. Quite honestly, I wrote that post as […]
30
Dec
Dec
As someone whose life revolves around all things cooking and eating, I’m invariably interested, and usually excited, to try new foods and flavors. And though I definitely favor certain tastes and textures, I rarely come across a food I dislike. Sadly, organ meats have never been high on the list of things I just can’t […]
29
Dec
Dec
Being the information junkie that I am, my gig writing the Adventures of a Self-Healther blog for SRP is pretty sweet. Picking a nutrition or health topic that interests me, digging around for information that builds on my self-health knowledge, and then sharing it with others is near perfect for me. For this last post […]
23
Dec
Dec
Ask Chef Phyllis: I want to have a holiday tradition that will make memories like the one I remember most from my grandmother. We only had her German goodies like Lebkuchen and Pfeffernusse at Christmas time, which made them special. But the thing I remember most of all was her gingerbread…it was the best, more […]
22
Dec
Dec
We’re inching dangerously close to that time of year when nearly half of the U.S. population (45 percent) will be making resolutions for a better 2016. Shortly thereafter, we will arrive at the time when almost every single one of them has been tossed aside for old habits. Only 8 percent of people succeed with […]
16
Dec
Dec
For many people, the six weeks between mid-November and the end of the year are usually bustling with activity. It’s a time we welcome, yet with so many demands on our schedules, it’s often exhausting. The past few years, I’ve made a silent pact with myself to not spread my resources and energy too thin, […]
15
Dec
Dec
Whether you’ve been anxiously awaiting the season since June or wishing you could hibernate with the bears rather than participate, the holidays are here. Let the parties and package gathering and traveling begin. Right? Right. Love it or loathe it, the hustle and bustle and perceived obligations can scramble the minds of the best of […]
09
Dec
Dec
Ask Chef Phyllis: The only time I think about or serve sweet potatoes is during the holidays. And I am tired of serving gooey, marshmallow–topped sweet potatoes to my guests for either Thanksgiving or Christmas because I find that most of them only take a taste to remember how sweet they really are. What do […]
08
Dec
Dec
We live in a world jam-packed with knowledge—it’s at our fingertips in the blink of an eye. Personally, I miss the days of encyclopedias, but we’ll save that for another time. Getting back on track here, these days you don’t need to remain ignorant about any topic. A question pops in your head, go online […]