kbarnes 
When I was growing up, school always started in early September, followed by a “Clean Up, Paint Up, Fix Up” week in which we and our families were urged to clean out unneeded “stuff,” and give our homes and yards a tune-up and face lift. Maybe that’s why my mind always turns to de-cluttering and … Read more
I haven’t always been a de-cluttering maven. In fact, I’m probably not much of a maven at all. The best laid plans of mice and men … and women. There is still clutter in my house and probably always will be. But I think I really cut my teeth on de-cluttering over the three years … Read more
It’s that time of year. The holidays are over, the decorations packed away for another year, presents unwrapped and half of them returned. The party laughter has faded, the credit card bills are coming in and the world outside is gray and cold. So January makes you feel a little blue as the long winter … Read more
Stress messes with your brain all the time. Science confirms that: 75% of all visits to primary physicians are for complaints that have stress as an underlying cause. Emotional stress, when unrelieved, raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol and adrenaline, elevates hormones and brain chemicals throughout your body and becomes physical as well as … Read more
Embracing Cognitive Health in Midlife As we journey through midlife and beyond, our bodies and minds undergo significant changes. For women, this period can bring unique challenges, including hormonal shifts, increased stress, and shifting life priorities. Amid these transitions, one vital aspect of well-being often overlooked is cognitive health—the ability to think clearly, remember effectively, … Read more
Make time for friends—real life ones, not the re-runs of the television show! More and more, science is proving what we woman have known forever: close friendships can help you live longer, better and wiser. In fact, some recent research suggests that building and maintaining social networks can add 30 years to your life. So … Read more
Feeling sluggish? Can’t think straight? You’re in good company. More than 50% of American women ages 18 to 49 complain of tiredness and a lack of energy, according to a recent survey. Stress saps your energy, and who isn’t feeling stress these days? The good news: these natural remedies can help you get your physical … Read more
We’ve all had those “moments.” You know the ones I mean: When you walk into a room to get something and can’t remember why you are there or when you’ve lost your car in the parking lot at the mall or you’ve forgotten your best friend’s name when you’re getting ready to introduce him at … Read more
We all want lifelong brain health. There is simple memory decline that my friends and I like to call “senior moments;” then there is a condition called age-related cognitive decline and finally the serious and ultimately fatal impairments like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Knowing that Alzheimer’s runs in the female line of my … Read more
In my most recent post, I gave you information about the destructive nature of statin drugs. I’ll tell you here that most doctors want their patients to lower cholesterol levels to dangerously low levels. Since cholesterol is in large part a brain food, cholesterol levels that are too low can also affect brain function and … Read more