I was feeling mopey and weepy. Summer was coming to an end and it was almost time to say goodbye to my youngest son as he went off to college. Not only that, I would soon be saying goodbye to my oldest son…
#1: There really are no rules.
#2: This is all just about getting quiet, turning down the noise of our lives.
#3: And not judging or being judged.
#4: It’s about…
Turmeric is one of the world’s powerhouse foods, used extensively as a spice, condiment, and medicine for thousands of years in Chinese and Indian traditions, and showing up more recently in the cuisine and healing practices of the western world. Knowing all that we do about the inflammation basis of most age-related health conditions, turmeric, one of the most anti-inflammatory foods on the…
I’m a food girl, first and foremost, however, there are important reasons for using supplements to augment the nutrition we receive from our food. In Functional Medicine, food and nutritional supplements are foundational tools for optimizing health and reversing troublesome health problems. Food is our foundation. Supplements are just that–they supplement what we eat.
I believe that it is the empathic connection that I’ve forged with my healthcare team that has ignited my own healing. While they may be smart and skilled and filled with great ideas, it has been their interest in me, in getting to know me, in hearing and understanding my story, in encouraging me and rooting me on, that has been the foundation and the power of our work together.…
You’ve gotten the word that fats are good now, right? How did we get so far off track with this vital aspect of our nutrition for so many years? I avoided fat for decades (eek!), thinking it would make me fat and clog my arteries. I’m convinced my behavior contributed to my own major health melt down, thankfully resolved with excellent nutrition, including lots of health fat.
I so miss the monarch butterflies. We used to have hundreds of them in our yard at any given time during the late summer, when milkweed was at its peak. Now, sadly, monarch sightings are a rarity. Something terrible has been happening. The monarch butterfly’s habitat has slowly been shrinking because of the extensive use of glyphosate, otherwise known as Roundup, the most popular herbicide on…
I used to not know how to say “no” to the people in my life–my clients, my family and friends. I didn’t want to disappoint them. I felt that to be the perfect everything (ha) and to earn the love and approval of the people in my life, I had to take care of everything, always be available, never ruffle feathers, and meet everyone’s demands and needs.…
My intuition is the voice within, the voice we all know, that tells us the truth. Time and time again my voice within is the strongest and the wisest. Not because I am a sage or have superior intelligence or am all knowing. It’s because I’ve learned that I have a higher self, a wise self, a self who knows what is best for me at all times, and who I can access if I just stay quiet and listen.…
So many rules, my goodness! For food, for behavior, for life!
So, let’s start this little lesson with a few deep breaths. It’s all okay. We don’t need to be perfect. But it’s good to be smart. The scientific literature has a few things to teach us about the amount of protein we need to consume in our diets to support robust health and what I have…
My whole practice of medicine—my identity as a physician, my philosophy of what constitutes healing, and my approach to my clients—is built on a series of failures.
I tried to become an academic physician after my three-year residency in internal medicine. You know, ivory towers and the “truth.” I wanted to be part of that, where innovation and great wisdom came to bear on what we did for…
Like everyone I know, I struggle against change. But over the years I’ve learned to soften, to allow myself to flow with change instead of constantly bumping heads with it.
I’ve found I’m not alone. Through my work as a physician, I’ve discovered that healing is all about change. But we hold ourselves…
There is almost always a loaf of this great seed and egg bread in my fridge. It’s perfect for those of us on nutrient-dense, low carb food plans. There are no grains, no added sugar and it has a very low carbohydrate content. It is quite nice toasted and spread with nut butter or avocado or topped with a poached egg.
This bread does contain eggs and seeds, so those who are sensitive or…
The Gut-Immune Restoration-Intensive Nutrition (GRIN) food plan is designed to help those with chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions take their healing to a deeper level. Some do well with the basic Liftoff Foundational Food Plan. Others need to go further to heal and repair tissues.
The…
Detoxification is about how we manage the toxins, irritants and negative energy that are an inevitable part of our daily lives. We can’t live in a bubble. But we can be wise about how we live and eat and fortify ourselves.
This is a series of offerings that will dispel common myths about what detoxification is and how to stay safe and strong in our lives and…
My own recent healing from low back and shoulder injuries was a long journey of self-discovery that took many twists and turns, required a team of experts and supporters and required deep faith and commitment. I had to commit to myself and to my therapy every single day, not knowing what the outcome would be. There were encouraging steps forward…
Positive affirmations completely changed my life. I love my story about Houston Smith, the venerable religion scholar, teacher and author, who spoke in an interview about how he woke up every morning of his life, greeting the new day with excitement and anticipation. When I heard him speak I was at a very busy and stressful time of my life trying to…