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 […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
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 […]
02
Dec
Dec
Here in Northern Colorado, we’ve been experiencing some unseasonal warm, sunny weather, so it’s somewhat challenging to remember the imminent threat of winter is on our heels. Sure, we’ve had a small dose of frosts, and I can smell the chill in the evening, but when I’m wearing flip flops for Halloween, it’s easy to […]
01
Dec
Dec
Well, folks. Whether you can believe it or not, here we are at December 1st. That means the holidays are rapidly approaching, and if you haven’t started thinking about the people on your gift list this year, there’s no time like the present. Did you catch what I just did there? “Present” meaning right now—and […]
25
Nov
Nov
Ask Chef Phyllis For years, our parents roasted a 25-plus pound turkey that my mom started to cook at 2 A.M. That very large bird was more often than not dry and tough. The side dishes saved the day. Momma made a delicious sausage and Italian chestnut dressing that was bread stuffing. Now with new […]
24
Nov
Nov
There are a good number of people out there who live by the creed of gratitude. While I live my life as an optimist—always seeing the best in people, places, and situations—what I’m talking about here goes way beyond that. It’s more than the power of positive thinking. On a daily basis, these folks count […]
17
Nov
Nov
Much like the tale of your tongue, your fingernails have a lot to say about you—and your health. I’m not talking about gardeners with perpetual dirt under their nails or nibblers with the nervous habit of chewing them right down to nothing (though if you’re looking, both of those things also tell a story). No, […]