Before you can develop a meaningful self-care practice, you must first have a thorough understanding of what you need to feel your best and give your best. And that’s not as easy as it sounds. Knowing what recharges and re-energizes you helps you determine where to allocate your time and energy — but the truth is, many of us […]
The idea for an 8-dimensional self-care model came to me in the middle of the night. It was one of those vivid ideas that pops into your head when you least expect it – the kind that come when you’re in the shower and have nothing to write on. As I stumbled out of bed into the […]
Being wired up to an EKG in the Emergency Room wasn’t exactly my idea of a good start to the holiday weekend, especially after the last couple of weeks I’ve had. But, once again, I’m feeling fortunate that I had a solid self-care practice to fall back on. Life is hard sometimes. For all of us. Just […]
Self-care is the most powerful preventive health tool we have. Yet, ironically, it’s a tool that few of us use – at least not consistently. Instead, we’ve become passive dependents on a broken, overpriced health care system that is far from accessible (unless, of course, you’re a wealthy member of Congress). We’ve grown used to […]
Today I had to enlist my emergency self-care plan. After a black bear destroyed our chicken coop in the middle of the night, leaving just one lone-surviving hen — Willie, who I had to place with a new family today — I am now left with zero chickens. And let me just tell you that today has been […]
Curious to know what’s lurking in your pantry? Probably some BPA. Bisphenol A (BPA) has been used for decades to make plastics and resins, and it’s commonly used in the manufacturing process of canned goods, primarily to prevent bacterial contamination and metal corrosion. Just scratch your fingernail or a fork against the inside surface of most […]
Ten years ago today I started a private practice as a nutrition therapist in Austin, TX. I remember the excitement I felt just thinking about the lives I would help shape, the confidence I would help my clients build as they made better choices about nourishing their bodies. But before I could even focus on […]
Before I dive too far into this post, I want to point out that plucking up random mushrooms from your backyard and eating them is a really dumb idea. There are a growing number of known health benefits associated with our fungal friends, but there are plenty of reasons to exercise caution, the most obvious of which […]
My dog almost died today. And it would have been my fault. In the hustle and bustle of the morning’s flurry of activities, I inadvertently gave my 10-pound miniature dachshund, Zoey, a dose of medication that was intended for our 90-pound German Shepherd. The moment I realized what I’d done, I felt sick. Frantically, I […]
Cynthia Lair, nutrition and culinary arts professor at Bastyr University, and author of Feeding the Whole Family, reminds us just how important mindfulness is when it comes to nourishing our bodies. (After all, we’re not goats, people!) Listen to the podcast here: Cynthia’s lighthearted thoughts on the benefits of developing a personal relationship with food […]