Let’s take a little mental journey in preparation for a physical one: It’s a bright summer morning. The air is fresh. You lace up your sneakers and embark on a mindful walk, through your neighborhood, a nearby park or, if you’re as lucky as I am, through the woods where you live. At first, you … Read more
Drumming is another favorite musical pastime of mine. I think the beauty of drumming is that you don’t have to have much musical ability (I don’t!), just a simple ability to keep a beat and to follow along with others if you’re in a group and you can learn very quickly. I owe my fairly … Read more
Note from Kathleen: I run this article every year about this time because, if you’re anything like me, you forget about important stuff like drinking water. Recently, a friend was taken to the hospital. She had a headache and leg cramps. She felt dizzy, confused and weak. Her husband found her unconscious on the floor … Read more
This article was originally published on this website in 2014. Updated for 2018. One in three of us—58 million Americans – has high blood pressure. In fact, say experts, there’s a 90% chance you’ll develop hypertension in your lifetime. The good news: Dropping a few pounds and exercising are tried-and-true ways to prevent and even … Read more
I’ve been a yoga teacher for more than 30 years. I’ve taught yoga breathing techniques to hundreds of students. I know the importance of the breath for health. But the teacher can always be taught. In this case, Dr. Andrew Weil showed me a new/old breathing technique that is a powerful health enhancer, stress reducer … Read more
Yes, I was once one of those compulsive women who sanitized everything to the max. You know the type: bleach on the counters, bottles of hand sanitizer in the car, sluicing down grandchildren multiple times daily. I guess I was germophobic! And I couldn’t have been more wrong. In fact, what I was doing with … Read more
New Year’s resolutions usually are based on guilt over something you’ve done in the past. Maybe you ate too much or smoked or didn’t exercise or whatever you feel bad about. How about if we turn it around this year and commit to doing something that nurtures your soul and lights up your being? Think … Read more
This article originally appeared on this blog on July 20, 2009. It has been updated for 2018. Another family member falls to the evil of smoking… Nearly nine years ago, my Dad died of the terrible results of a lifetime of smoking. On Tuesday, I lost my 58-year old sister, Julie to the same evil. … Read more
It’s winter, it’s rainy, snowy, cold and pretty dreary. Who really feels like going outside? What better time to immerse yourself in a new television series, a good movie, or endless and mindless repeats of the news? There’s lots of good research that confirms that the more hours you spend in front of a television, … Read more
Happy 2018! Here’s my “bah humbug” beginning to the new year and my take on New Year’s resolutions that are most often broken before the champagne bottles are carried to recycling (you do recycle, don’t you?). I think New Year’s resolutions are a source of stress and most often set you up for failure. If … Read more