Posts in Health
Lifestyle Changes for Lowering Cancer Risk: One Step at a Time

This time of year, it’s common to make diet and fitness resolutions, but we often choose unrealistic goals that are impossible to adhere to long-term. We get discouraged and give up, berating ourselves as failures, ending up in worse shape, mentally and physically, than when we started. Instead of tackling a “whole body makeover” or demanding a “new year, new me,” why don’t we gently love ourselves through small, sustainable healthy improvements this year?…

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HPV and the HPV Vaccine: What You Need to Know

There are more than 100 strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Most are harmless, but some can lead to genital warts and cancer. But by getting routine pap smears and making sure you are vaccinated against HPV; you can significantly reduce your risk. Unfortunately, in recent years, the misinformation about HPV and the vaccine has increased thanks to social media, so it's important to distinguish truth from fiction. So here is what you need to know about HPV, how to prevent it, and whether the vaccine is right for you…

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8 Sneaky Foods That May Be Causing Inflammation

Inflammation is one of those trigger words that you probably automatically associate with “bad.” But when injuries and foreign invaders are present in your body, inflammatory processes act as a defense mechanism to protect and heal you. So, in this sense, you want inflammation to occur! However, you can have “too much of a good thing,” and this idea definitely applies to inflammation….

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Finding Balance with Nutritionist Elissa Goodman

Like many of us, Elissa Goodman began her career working long hours at a stressful job fueled by an excess of caffeine. Then her world was turned upside down. She felt a lump, and, after several specialists visits, a doctor diagnosed Elissa with early-stage Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She was only 32. As a component of her long path of healing, Elissa turned to holistic nutrition and nourishment in concert with medical treatment. That was more than twenty years ago…

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The Role Stress Plays in Aging

Stress is a normal part of life that we all deal with – and can even be a good thing. Stress can lead to true transformation, motivating us to make change. Short-term stress, that is. Long-term, chronic stress, however, is the kind of stress we need to watch out for and manage – because it is chronic, long-term stress that affects us mentally and physically – especially in accelerating the aging process, both inwardly and outwardly….

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What It's Like Getting a Preventive Mastectomy to Stop Breast Cancer Before It Starts: Living with BRCA

Elizabeth “Brianne” Lovin underwent a double mastectomy with breast reconstruction, a hysterectomy and a removal of both of her ovaries and fallopian tubes at age forty-one, not because she had cancer, but in order to prevent cancer. She is one of the approximately 0.25% of the population that carries a BRCA gene, a hereditary gene mutation that prevents normal tumor suppression…

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How to Advocate for Yourself when You Feel Unheard: The Truth about Medical Gaslighting

You trust your healthcare provider to help with your medical concerns. You rely on their experience and expertise to manage your symptoms. And you expect them to offer answers to your questions. But what happens when your questions go unanswered? Or worse, your provider dismisses your symptoms or tells you that you are fine — but you know something is wrong…

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The Effects of Aging on Bone Health

We all notice small changes as we age. Smile lines, crow’s feet, maybe a few (or many) gray hairs. Marks of wisdom, I like to say! Another aspect of physical aging you might notice is changes in bone and joint health. These changes can be minor—like experiencing less mobility or less flexibility in your elbows and knees. Maybe you experience more pain and inflammation after a particularly rigorous hike….

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5 Ways to Boost Circulation (That You’ll Actually Enjoy!)

Improving your circulation may not be at the top of your health goals this year, but it’s integral to your well-being, and I say it deserves a spot!

You may know that blood circulation is vital for optimal blood pressure. But did you know it also plays a starring role in detoxification, energy levels, and even your body’s ability to fight off disease? It’s true….

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A Journey of Healing, Nourishing Ourselves and Nurturing Our World

I have always been conscious of my own healing journey, dealing with severe health challenges in childhood, mainly affecting the lungs. As a sick child left largely to her own devices, I was able to master the ability to drop into deep meditative states and eventually, instead of struggling for breath, become quiet and peaceful. Not being able to join in with many games and sports, particularly in the cold, English winters, gave me the opportunity to sit on the sidelines and observe, which is something that I attribute now to my ability to meditate and ask big-picture questions…

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Our Kids Deserve Better Sex Education Than We Got

Most of us who hit puberty in America in the 1990s and early 2000s never got a real sex talk. If we did, it was threatening and scary, focusing on purity and infections. We were told not to have sex because it could result in pregnancy. We were not taught about sexuality as a crucial part of being human or about how to navigate sexual relationships, including consent and how to control if/when we got pregnant…

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“We don’t need ANOTHER diet:” 10 Techniques to Help You Eat Healthy in the New Year

Many of us plan to eat healthy in the New Year, but what does eating healthy really mean? Is it consuming specific foods in specific quantities? Eating only at certain times of day or in accordance with specific rules? Does it involve pleasure? Is the goal of healthy eating a healthy body? Healthy mind? What does that look like….

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10 Healthy Foods to Incorporate into your Diet Now According to a Holistic Nutritionist

If we were stranded on a desert island and only had access to ten essential foods to optimize our wellness, what would they be? Which foods would not only keep us alive but also help us avoid illness and make it easier to recover from injury, ensuring that we’re thriving when the rescue boat arrives? We asked veteran dietician, Lana Scales, MS, RD, CNSC, ACSM, EP-C to help us curate a list of the foods that make us thrive, whether we’re stuck on an island or, say, trying to stay healthy through a global pandemic….

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Protein: Are You Consuming Enough?

Have you noticed that protein is one of the more divided nutrition topics as of late? Everyone has their own opinion on how much, when, and what kind of protein you should be eating. Don’t get me wrong—I always encourage my clients to take charge of their health and do what feels right for their bodies. But I also know how confusing all the contradicting information can be. Here’s the truth: there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to protein intake. How much your body needs ultimately depends on your stage of life, current exercise level, state of health, and more….

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Five Birth Control Myths Debunked

There are so many myths and inaccuracies when it comes to contraception. Even though various methods are available and 72 million women in the United States use birth control, rumors about their safety and effectiveness persist. If you are hoping to delay pregnancy for a few more years or avoid it altogether, you should understand all of your choices. Unfortunately, this can be a little more than challenging when separating fact from fiction. So, let's set the record straight. Here are some common birth control myths and the truth behind them….

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