No longer operated by the puppeteer who has now put down the control bar, she is able to begin to heal. Her companion uses food as medicine and tries various holistic modalities to bring her back. Some work to an extent, while others seem to do very little. The intent is always the same - mend the strings so that you can be my perfect marionette once again. . .
Read MoreThe story begins many, many years ago, but in the essence of time we’ll jump ahead to a picturesque fall day in small town Georgia. The crispness of the unusually dry, cool air gives her goosebumps, but the warmth of her companions in this moment creates a beautiful balance—a perfect yin and yang of cold and hot, vulnerability and protection. . . .
Read MoreImagine you're in a long-term relationship with someone you love deeply. Someone with whom you plan to spend the rest of your life.
But they wish you were different.
They keep telling you all the ways in which you could be better.
They have lists of the many ways you could be different…
Play - the most overlooked piece of my wellness puzzle, and maybe yours...
I don’t know about you, but somewhere along the line—amidst landing that stifling career in my twenties, taking on the responsibilities of owning a home, bringing two little lives into this world who would be utterly dependent on me, and getting chronically sick—I forgot how to play…
This topic is the thread that tied the last decade of my life together. The more noise those of us affected can create, the more unwitting victims can be helped.
The increasingly common, and often hidden toxin has been underestimated for far too long. Relegated to a mere nuisance for those with overt allergies or sensitivities, mold lurking in the basement, behind paint and baseboards, in AC ducts, and under carpets may be wreaking more havoc on your health than you realize.
Though misunderstood by many—even in the medical field—there is a difference between mold toxicity and a mold allergy. A mold allergy is what my husband experienced when we pulled off the door frames and found ourselves face-to-face with Stachybotrys, i.e., black mold. An allergy elicits an immune response that usually manifests with symptoms in the sinuses and lungs. This response is typically an acute one (at least on the surface) that subsides when a person removes himself from the proximity of mold.
Read MoreThis topic is the thread that tied the last decade of my life together. The more noise those of us affected can create, the more unwitting victims can be helped.
The increasingly common, and often hidden toxin has been underestimated for far too long. Relegated to a mere nuisance for those with overt allergies or sensitivities, mold lurking in the basement, behind paint and baseboards, in AC ducts, and under carpets may be wreaking more havoc on your health than you realize.
You've heard me mention this word before - neuroplasticity. It is the brain’s ability to change and form new neural networks. So what does that mean exactly?
Imagine a well-trodden path through the woods that leads you through your day...
Last weekend my extremely laid back, fun-loving, ever-present good friend sensed my left-brain logic kicking up in the midst of our conversation. I couldn't help it. It's the way I've always operated. Ask me a question these days about nutrition or pathogens or toxins and I'll get all cerebral on you! I like to try to make sense of things even if it sends me down one rabbit hole after another in my mind.
Then she said calmly, ...
Those of you following me on Instagram may have heard about the month-long, infection-busting protocol my son and I are in the midst of completing. In addition to taking heavy doses of herbal supplements (like maitake mushrooms, olive leaf extract, and many more), we're on a very limited diet in an effort to avoid as much unnecessary inflammation as possible. Cooking becomes a bit challenging without grains (with the exception of rice), dairy, nightshades, nuts, coconut, soy, legumes, chocolate, coffee, eggs, ferments and sweeteners (including maple syrup and honey).
Read MoreHow many of you have felt isolated and even rejected in the midst of your dis-ease?
What happens when you’ve sung that hidden illness tune so many times that your song is no longer heard?
Maybe it started with the doctors who couldn’t see anything wrong with you in their impersonal work-ups.
Read MoreRemember those high school or college days when you were given an assignment weeks in advance and just couldn’t quite figure out how to manage your time to avoid cramming everything into an all-nighter in the final hours? Maybe you received the instructions for the paper or the upcoming exam and thought, “Whew, I have plenty of time for this. It’ll just take a little bit of effort every day and I’ll ace this thing!”
Read MoreModern day society values hard work. Most of us are brought up to believe that success can only arise out of blood, sweat and tears. That’s how we can become the best versions of ourselves. That’s how we can accomplish greatness. That’s how we can be happy.
Problem is, all this hard work, or being busy, actually distracts us from being happy!
Read MoreLike many you I felt that I had given up so much in my life in an effort to heal.
I gave up gluten, dairy and a laundry list of other foods in an effort to heal my gut.
I made this mean that I had given up on enjoying restaurant meals and social events with friends.
I gave up my high paced career when my energy was no longer available to sustain this lifestyle.
I made this mean that I wasn't really the accomplished woman with whom I had so strongly identified for decades.
This is the second part of my series where I share with you some of the many books that have been instrumental in guiding me on my healing journey...
Read MoreMany kids have trouble getting a handle on their anger. My parents will certainly tell you I did! For some, these emotionally charged outbursts continue into adulthood. It took me a very long time to figure out that my short fuse made me feel powerful and was really a disguise for a whole host of more vulnerable emotions like sadness, embarrassment and shame that I wasn't willing to face.
Read MoreThe topic of leadership has been bouncing around in my head ever since my son confessed his fears about being an effective leader for the new, younger boy scouts this weekend... As we talked through his dilemma I couldn’t help but think about how we all face a similar struggle every moment of every day as we choose how to be the best leader for our inner worlds, our most significant leadership role...
Read MoreSince implementing a mindful eating practice I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my energy levels after meals. Slowing down to acknowledge a meal that you are about to eat and savoring the bites as they touch your lips may seem like a luxury we just don't have the time for these days (not to mention a bit odd), but there is real evidence that this practice translates into health benefits for you.
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