Resilient Health Book

Tis the season for gratitude and Thanks-giving. And it’s also a good time to practice forgiveness. Both forgiveness and gratitude have been linked to enhanced happiness and well-being. While practicing forgiveness can be a process that takes effort, daily gratitude practices can be relatively easy to accomplish.

The Freedom of Forgiveness

Throughout life, we experience disappointments and hurts both big and small. But when we are unable to forgive, we hold on to the negative feelings – kee…

Has your head been spinning lately? Unable to shut off your thoughts and perhaps spiraling into obsessive worrying? Meditation is one tool that can help you to regain your sense of calm.

Meditation is a practice that helps calm the mind and allows us to be awake and aware, yet detached from our incessant thoughts. Many meditation techniques exist and studies have shown a multitude of health benefits with a regular meditation practice—from enhancing brain structure and function to turning on…

Several years ago, our neighbors wanted to know what we were doing to get such lush plants in our home and yard. The answer was compost—organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow.

Because it is so nutrient dense and provides so many other beneficial properties, gardeners consider it “black gold.” In addition to providing nutrients, compost can increase water retention of soil, improve drought tolerance, prevent the growth of weeds, improve soil microorganisms, and reduce…

Has your everyday routine changed drastically from a year ago? Have you been spending more time indoors lately? And more time on screens? Its time to combat “nature deficit disorder” and get outside!

While it might be challenging to try to experience the outdoors in the same ways that we did a year ago, consider adopting new ways to bring nature into your life. From wearing masks while walking or hiking on uncrowded trails, to getting sun and fresh air by spending more time sitting next to …

As fires rage across the west and health guidelines require that we social distance to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, many of us are spending more time at home than ever before.  And some wonderful, creative DIY home projects have blossomed as people are working to enhance their surroundings. 

If you’re looking for a quick, fun DIY project that will help you enjoy the relaxing effects of nature and improve your indoor air, consider adding houseplants to your living space.

Did …

Most of us pay little attention to our breathing and may habitually have shallow breathing, which can add to chronic stress, tension, and even decreased cognitive function and brain fog. With our breath, we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, removing acidity from the blood.

Breathing also affects our parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest part of our nervous system), regulates heart rate variability (which is a measure of stress), influences the microbiome, and changes in…

(Adapted from “Resilient Health: How to Thrive In Our Toxic World)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a hormone mimicking chemical that is present in many products that we are exposed to on a daily basis. It’s so widespread, that a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control showed that 93 percent of Americans have BPA in their bodies. BPA is an endocrine disruptor linked to abnormal fetal development, neurodevelopmental disorders, diabetes, obesity, insulin resistance, heart disease, cancer and erecti…

I’m all for the health benefits of exposure to natural sunlight, but with skin cancer rates on the rise, it’s important to be mindful of the sun’s potentially harmful effects on your skin and prevent getting sunburn or overexposure.

But the ingredients of many sunscreens on the market may be cause for concern, too. Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) evaluates the ingredients and effectiveness of over 1,500 sunscreens and SPF-rated moisturizers and lip balms, with particular at…

I wake up this morning to a toxic smell, likely coming from a navy ship that is currently burning off of San Diego. I can only imaging what toxic stuff is being released into the environment. I check the air quality in the region using an app. It doesn’t look good, and we are facing a heat wave which will make it worse.

Normally, we have windows open for fresh air. But this morning I run around making sure all of them are fully shut and turn my three air purifiers on full blast. Yes, I have…