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
This is based on one of Kathleen’s articles published in Natural Awakenings magazine. Most of us complain of lack of energy on occasion and some of us experience it on a daily basis. The good news: There are natural ways to boost your energy without resorting to endless cups of coffee. Low energy can have … Read more
Do you only drink coffee or the same kind of tea all the time? A bit of variety can give you a bunch of added health benefits… It’s calorie-free, soothing and tastes great, hot or cold! “And the scientific evidence is compelling that it both prevents and treats countless medical conditions,” says Tufts University tea … Read more
This article originally appeared on KathleenBarnes.com on November 10, 2009. Yes, everybody’s talking about the swine flu and whether or not we should get vaccinations or even if they’ll be available. I’m not going to go elaborate on the politics of the vaccine and the profits Big Pharma is going to make on the vaccines … Read more
Everybody needs a vacation, but our work-a-holic culture likes to guilt us into thinking our workplaces and families can’t do without us. That leads us to leave 429 million paid vacation days on the table every year. Vacations are the essence of life. All is not—and should not be—work, no matter how much you love … Read more