In many cultures, the power of herbal teas have been seen as more than just a cure. They are a sacred healing medicine that connects humans to the earth and it’s bounty. From across Asia all the way to the dense jungles of South America, people have used wild plants to make powerful medicines and … Read more
If quitting smoking is on your to-do list, congratulations! You couldn’t possibly do anything more beneficial for your health. I’m the first to understand this is no simple task. It has been said that stopping smoking is more difficult that breaking a cocaine habit. That means you’ll need all the help you can get including … Read more
I love lavender! Just the mildest whiff makes me sigh with release. And, of course, stress relief: That’s what lavender is all about. These days, who isn’t stressed? That’s why I keep an aromatherapy diffuser loaded with lavender essential oil on my desk (yes, I pause every couple of minutes as I’m writing this and … Read more
I became a huge fan of coconut water when I lived in the Philippines, where this juice of the young coconut is called “buko.” Street vendors expertly hacked away the thick green coconut husk with machetes, exposing the tender inner flesh that surrounds the delectable and healthy water. They’d plunk the balloon-like flesh into a … Read more
Here’s something to warm the cockles of any chocolate lover’s heart: If you’ve had a heart attack, seriously consider eating chocolate at least twice a week to dramatically cut your risk of dying of heart disease. Researchers found that heart attack survivors who ate chocolate at least three times a week reduced their risk of … Read more
Many of us have painful experience with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. I can’t think of anything much worse than seeing a loved one slip away, physically still present but mentally absent. Worse yet, many of us have seen loved ones’ personalities change, becoming combative and even violent as they slide inevitably toward a protracted death. … Read more
Cancer arouses more fear in the human heart than any other disease. The dread is well placed, even though cancer is not the #1 killer in the Western world. Every year, more than 1.5 million people are diagnosed with cancer, not including skin cancers, which are by far the most common cancers. Skin cancers afflict 2 … Read more
Are you a multitasker? True confession: I am an inveterate multitasker. am. I often find myself taking a weekend break, reading a book, drinking tea, perhaps texting with family members and even checking the news on TV while kind of /sort of supervising the guy painting downstairs and wondering if I answered the e-mail from … Read more
I know. This time of year, everyone is all obsessed about exercise and trying the shed those holiday buffet pounds and all of my fellow writers are urging you to hit the gym. I look at exercise in a slightly different way: As a stress management tool. It is perhaps the most effective stress buster … Read more
Many years ago, a spiritual teacher gave me what seemed like a simple assignment: Do nothing for five minutes a day. That’s it. Do nothing. It was the most difficult assignment I’ve ever had. It didn’t mean to meditate or look at the flowers in the garden or count my breaths or take a nap … Read more