Each day, the sun is rising a little sooner and setting a little later, an indicator that winter is slowly wrapping up and the dawn of spring is on the horizon. What better time to talk about flowers? Soon, the earliest spring buds will begin emerging from their winter slumber, awakening elements of color against the bland hues of the Earth’s winter rest. Beyond their colorful array, with flowers, we have a glimpse of the deep wisdom of the Universe. Flowers follow a rhythm

In our modern lives, sometimes it's not practical to cook, because let’s be honest, who always has time for that? When time is a constraint, we can often be drawn to prepared foods, yet feel concerned about what we’re eating . There’s a lot of buzz in the health world about not eating packaged foods - and for good reason! So many of the processed and packaged foods in the stores are laden with chemicals disguised as food (and some are not-so-disguised…). Thankfully, there

From my article "All the buzz about 'whole foods'," I shared a few meal suggestions to explore eating whole foods. When we eat foods from the earth, we are giving our bodies natural nourishment, full of macro- and micro-nutrients, all of which contribute to the complex functions of life within us. At the end of the article, you will find the breakdown of all the health benefits for each food featured here. I hope you’ll play with whole food cooking on your own! Your body and

Do you have those days when you just don’t want to do ANYTHING? I do. They creep in, often when least expected. For many years, I fought to pull myself out of the ‘funk.’ I told myself something was wrong with me for feeling blasé, melancholy, depressed. And then I started learning how to find the space to lean into what I’m feeling, rather than pushing through and blowing it off. It’s important to first remember that feelings are telling us something. They are the body

Take a moment and think back to when you felt your best. Breathe into how you felt – did you feel alive? Did life feel easier? How did you feel when you weren’t weighed down by worries or deadlines or commitments? Were you counting calories or counting stars? What was your overall sense - were you happy? Joyful? Peaceful? Taking this reflective moment reconnects you with your inner self, regaining perspective of how you felt when you were thriving. This moment is (like

So, we’re not talking about the store (though, it is a personal favorite of mine for their selection of organics, sustainable products and focus on overall wellness). Rather, let’s start with what are whole foods? The easiest way to remember is that these are the foods that look like they do in nature - vegetables, fruits, unprocessed meats, unrefined whole grains, nuts and seeds. Eating whole foods gives you a clean and balanced diet, and the opportunity to get the maxi

Starting new habits comes with a rollercoaster of emotions. First, there’s the excitement around envisioning your end goal. Then, you’re fully engaged by putting new habits into practice. You probably start experiencing progress. Awesome!! At some point though, perhaps anxiety sets in, feeling like the new habit becomes too hard, or you sense you may not achieve your goal. If you’re like me, you find yourself in a downward spiral to abandon hope, spurred by self-doubt t

Ritual: ceremonial, customary, rite This is an interesting concept. Practicing something (or several things) in a rhythmic fashion, which is repeated, held with honor, and incorporated into regular life, carries power. Civilizations have practiced ritual for thousands of years, with the intent to come closer to their god, or to understand life around them, or to hold sanctity for sacred objects. Ritual was a means of living in closer connection with the elements and space a

If you're in the midst of changing your eating or lifestyle habits, I’d like to offer some healthy living tips, below, to keep you on track for your goals! For those who read my Diet Schmeyit article, this last week has been a time to experiment with drinking more water, reducing packaged foods and bringing gentle movement into your routine. Are you ready to add more? Here are some new ideas to explore as you continue with your healthy living transformation: 1. Sleep!

Need to lose some weight? As an answer, most people will consider starting a new diet. There are many different options out there – Whole 30, Atkins, Keto, Paleo, Vegan – a large variety of popular diets which will all tout rapid weight loss. Perhaps there are celebrities endorsing these diets. These diets work, they certainly do. They are also generally restrictive, leaving many people feeling like they can’t wait for their ‘cheat day,’ which inevitably derails all the

In this week, a suspension of time between the Christmas holiday and the dawn of the New Year, it can be a wonderful time for reflection. For some, the last few days have been a flurry of activity with family, dinners, gifts and cheer. For others, the last few days have been challenging, with work commitments, time feeling scarce, or hearts longing to be with loved ones. Regardless of our circumstance, when we take a pause to look at the past year, there are certainly mome

So often, when we think about supporting our bodies for a long and healthy life, we easily land on diet, weight management and exercise. It’s just that easy, right?? Beyond these typical areas, something that can be overlooked is brain health . Controlling all functions in our bodies, the brain is an essential component of our longevity. With even a small about of brain deterioration, which is common through aging, the risks for compromised health later in life increase.

What’s your favorite part of your body? What’s your favorite part of YOU ? Is it your smile, or your sharp wit, or perhaps your big heart, or your prettily painted toenails? No matter which part of yourself you love, the key here is that you DO love that part of yourself! Congratulations!! Finding the parts of yourself that bring you joy, which make you feel confident and give you light in your life is so very important to nourishing your mind, body and soul with love.

You know those days when you just feel ‘off?’ When maybe you don’t want to get out of bed? Or feel like bailing on all your commitments and hiding from the world? I have those days. And for many years, I tried my hardest to just move past those feelings. I tried to deny them, push through and champion on. From a young age, we learn that ‘negative’ or ‘undesirable’ feelings aren’t okay, that they somehow aren’t acceptable in our regular daily lives. Babies are lauded for

Right around the corner is the start of the New Year! This always brings a time of great hope – hope for new beginnings, new habits, new possibilities, and new resolutions. With such positive energy behind our intentions, we set out with resolutions to do things differently in the new year, and we feel confident to achieve our goals. As time passes, our goals tend to feel farther and farther away from being realized. Part of the reason this happens is that the energy we h

Life these days is constantly on the go! We often find ourselves caught up in the day's tasks, work demands, social commitments, grocery shopping lists, number of steps you logged....all of it. Taking just 1 minute, a couple times a day, helps reset the mind, reset your outlook, and give you a quick reboot to continue on through the day. Take a moment to practice this Quick Reboot: Step 1 : Sit comfortably, close your eyes gently Step 2 : Take a deep breath in, fill your l

It's that time of the year! The HOLIDAYS!! Do you look forward to this time, starting January 1st? Or does this feel like a time of...

Thanksgiving is perhaps the hardest meal of the year for those with dietary restrictions. I've struggled with this for years as someone with gluten and dairy allergies. Yet, with a little creativity, your traditional holiday meals can be just as delicious as you may remember!! Follow your favorite recipes, and use some of my favorite holiday 'swaps,' below. Turkey Preparation: A good organic free range turkey is the start of your delicious meal! Instead of a traditional br