Our stress response is designed to help us survive an immediate threat. Let’s say you spot a saber-toothed tiger headed your way. The amygdala, a neural network involved in the processing of memory and emotions (primarily fear), sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the part of your brain that communicates with […]
Stress, COVID-19 and Weight Gain
If you have gained unwanted weight over the last seven months…you are NOT alone! These have been unbelievably stressful, unprecedented times. I get it. I hear you—and I feel you—100%. That said, word of advice: it behooves you to start working towards a healthy weight NOW—rather than wait until January 1st or “later”. Another virus […]
Hydration Hacks to Feel Cool + Energized
As New Yorkers—and most Northeasterners—can attest, it’s been a steamy summer. If you are sensitive to heat, to the point of heat intolerance, this last leg of summer (through September 22nd) can feel unbearable, and leave you feeling hot, tired, lethargic and low energy. One of the most important first steps to feeling cooler and […]
Sleep Your Way to the Top…of Your Health
Do you resist going to bed….even when you feel exhausted? Do you feel compelled to wrap up “one more thing” for work? Respond to “one more” email? Check out Instagram or Facebook “one more” time? Send “one more” text? So do 90% of American adults! According to a 2018 poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, only 10% of […]
8 Simple (and Pleasurable) Ways to De-Stress
August is hot, steamy and, historically, a slow month for most businesses. Now… is the perfect time to enjoy offlinepleasures. These days, most Americans are online every day, with over one-quarter saying they are online “almost constantly” and 43% claiming to be online “several times a day.”1 Unfortunately, being online all the time (yes, guilty […]
Achoo! The Allergy-Food Connection
As a hypothyroid allergy sufferer, I dread spring. So, I have to confess that I enjoyed what proved to be a temperamental, mostly cool (even cold!), spring in New York. Then, on May 1st, the other shoe dropped. As if on cue, the temperature shot up to the high 70s (even low 80s)….and stayed there. […]
Banana-Cacao Green Smoothie
This delicious green smoothie is packed with fiber and flavor. It is also chockfull of the mineral, magnesium, from 3 sources: the banana, raw cacao nibs and raw greens. I favor using wild arugula in this smoothie, which gives this smoothie a unique but flavorful slightly bitter edge. I usually don’t add a Medjool date, […]
Why Self-Care is the New Health Care
Although “losing weight” is a top New Year’s resolution, why not make self-care—taking better care of yourself—a priority in 2018? After all, a lack of self-care is often what leads to weight gain in the first place. And, in an era of medical insurance with high deductibles…NOT making the time to care for yourself can […]
8 Ways to Have a Healthier, Stress-Less Thanksgiving (and Beyond)
As Thanksgiving draws closer…are you feeling stressed? Do you feel challenged to be 100% present when you’re with family and friends? Have you been so preoccupied that you have been ignoring your own health? If so, you’re not alone. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), published earlier this month, shows that the […]
Could It Be Christmas Tree Syndrome?
As someone who has year-round allergies—pollen, ragweed, mold, dust, pet dander (especially cats and horses), nuts (specifically, walnuts and almonds), MSG, food additives and preservatives—I was distressed to add yet another allergen to my already long list: Christmas trees. Yep. I refused to believe it…at first. But when I had a whopping allergy attack—on Christmas […]