I still remember the day I sat in my then-rheumatologist’s office more than a decade ago, fatigued and broken, seeking yet another treatment, desperate for solutions. Seemingly helpless in the fight against insomnia, suffering from daily migraines, brain fog and digestion problems and saddled with excruciating pain, numbness and pins-and-needles sensation of misbehaving nerves, I was so physically … [Read more...]
The colorful Run or Dye 5K is hitting locations all over the country this summer. The playful fitness event, featuring dashes of colored dye, is open to all—athletes and loungers, old and young. Children aged 6 and under can even participate for free. The 5 km race is non-competitive and not timed. Participants are welcome to run, walk, or even skip and dance the route at their own paces. There … [Read more...]
Living with chronic illness for so many years, I’ve learned what it takes for me to not only survive but also thrive. Self-care is at the very top of the list, and it encompasses so many things—from eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, listening to your body and pampering it when it needs it, as well as making sure you have a strong support team. Having a knowledgeable doctor who … [Read more...]
Tai Chi and Qigong practitioners from all over the world will be celebrating World Tai Chi & Qigong Day on Saturday, April 26. This is the sixteenth year of the global event dedicated to these healing arts, which always takes place on the last Saturday of the month of April at 10 a.m. local time. More than 80 countries will participate in this special event, which educates the public about … [Read more...]
Toward the end of 2013, I was looking for more tools to not only help me serve clients as a health coach, but to also become a part of my own healing regimen. I had studied and become certified as a holistic health coach, specializing in nutrition at IIN. I had studied as a women’s fitness specialist with NASM. I had even taking the first steps toward getting certified to teach various mind-body … [Read more...]
It turns out that today’s post is going to be a more personal one. Yesterday, the uncontrollable muscle movements returned after a pretty significant absence. Yes, it certainly is a pain in the neck (and face and legs). Yet I haven’t been as disheartened as frustrated. So many plans have been canned due to the greedy movement monster: Dystonia. Last night I couldn’t go to the book club I was … [Read more...]
Toward the end of February, in honor of Love Your Pet Day, I wrote about the healing power of pets for another publication. Much of the research on pets’ effects on human health focuses on dogs, and I was curious if any researchers had taken the time to look into cats. I was pleasantly surprised to find out they indeed have. In fact, the proof is in the purr. As some of you readers already … [Read more...]
Today is the last day of Heart Health Month, but there is no less need for greater awareness. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for men and women in the country. Yet according to a recent Heart Health Survey by Cleveland Clinic, 74 percent of Americans do not believe that they will die of heart disease. The survey also found that 32 percent are not doing anything to prevent heart … [Read more...]
Src: Flickr Creative Commons/Don Hankins "iPod Yoga Stretch"If you're at all like me, the music you listen to while you exercise can make or break your workout. If music is too mellow while you're trying to race for time, your pace can start to drag. If tunes are too uptempo while you are moving through a yoga flow, you may find it difficult to keep your breath and heart rate slow and even, making … [Read more...]
Some of you may look at me now and wonder—what could I possibly know about the struggle to lose weight? What do I understand about what it is like to look at myself in the mirror and not like the image reflected back me, what it’s like to feel a prisoner in my own clothes, to feel my self-worth defined by my body shape and to have my activities restricted by my size? The truth is, this was how I … [Read more...]