Gentle Reader, Traveling again, and wanted so much to have a healthy retreat. I flew to Santa Fe for a long weekend to sit, walk and write with Natalie Goldberg at the Upaya Zen Center. November in Santa Fe worried me. I packed long johns, silk undershirts, leg warmers and turtle necks and vests. It …
Category Archives: Health and Fitness
fear-based medicine
Gentle Reader, Do you wonder if we approach our health from the point of view of fear? Fear-based medicine seems to trump science. We are afraid of cancer, of sexual dysfunction, of diabetes, of heart disease, of arthritis and of Alzheimer’s or memory loss. I was just with a group of people last night when …
backyard chickens
Gentle Reader, I depart from my usual commentary on health and fitness to give you a post on backyard chickens. My flock and my granddaughter’s Alicia’s flock have dominated our lives for the past couple weeks. Someone suggested I share the drama. *** Her cry wrenches their hearts. Mid-range utterances, she tips her head back …
Allergy control
Gentle Reader, Are you suffering from the newly released molds and irritants now that the fall rains are here? Have you been using over the counter medications to keep your nose from running and to dry up that post nasal drip? You need allergy control! I was an allergy sufferer for years. In fact, I …
immune system
Gentle Reader, Our immune system needs help. Flu season is upon us. People all around me have colds. Our children are getting leveled by Enterovirus 68. Are you nervous about the Ebola virus? The annual debate surfaces again among people who prefer a natural approach to prevention and those accepting vaccines. What are your plans …
Genetics?
Gentle Reader, (This was first published a couple years ago, but not in the Health and Fitness blog thread). In this post, the latest info on genetic variations. Where is the norm? No one is perfect Because my youngest daughter Ruth was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer three summers ago, after already having a melanoma removed …
low back pain
Gentle Reader, Yicks! Low back pain. Leg numbness. JR, my twenty something trainer, moved me up to a new set of exercises last week. I’m not the only ancient mariner at the Xgym by a long shot, but the way they schedule us in half hour slots for a 25 minute hands-on workout, I don’t …
clear thinking
Gentle Reader, Clear thinking. We all want it. Brain function is one of several declines we seems unable to prevent as we age. However, it looks as though a new supplement can help. The news coming in from people who notice improvements in the quality of their thinking is so impressive I have decided to …
Eggplant bad for arthritis?
Gentle Reader, Is eggplant bad for arthritis? Those of us who suffer the pain of arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, have the uneasy belief that night shade plants including eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers make the pain worse. This article came across my desk thanks to Kate McCoy, LMT and friend. I was delighted to see how many …
reduce medication
Gentle Reader, The recent Global Conference in Long Beach held by the company whose products I rely on to support my optimal health, reflected some big picture changes in our world’s approach to health. Perhaps it would be more correct to say, big picture trends in our world’s health challenges and a call to …