An Ode to Busy Moms

The featured photo of the article.

Between all of the things pulling at you for attention, it can sometimes feel like “personal wellness” is something that’s just for others, right? Ah, wellness… that’s that thing for people with more time, more money, easier lives, who are younger, fitter, more athletic, have a spouse to help pick up the slack (or at least have an every-other-week maid), right? Truly, I hear ya! If all you can manage some days is to just drag yourself to bed at a reasonable hour, that’s a victory! The last thing we need is another person telling us what we “should” do to stay healthy and making us feel bad about ourselves if we aren’t cramming every spare moment of our lives with wellness-related behaviors. So don’t worry, I won’t be doing that. I won’t be “telling” you to start juicing, cook every meal from scratch, always pack your kids’ lunches (and do it artfully and with all organic/colorful/whole grain foods), prep your own lunches 5 days in advance and pack them in cute Mason jars and in your free time don’t forget to get to yoga class or barre class or spin class or boot camp class. Nope. You won’t hear that from me.

Continue reading »

Deciphering Eco Food Certifications

The featured photo of the article.

Lots of us are taking more care to think about the planet when making food purchasing decisions. That can include things like choosing seafood that isn’t being overfished, avoiding food products that are overly packaged, and buying more local foods that don’t have to travel as far to get to you plate (thereby saving on fuel and contributing less to pollution as well as benefiting local farmers, producers and purveyors). Paying attention to eco labeling is another way to learn about and judge the environmental impact of your food purchases.

Continue reading »

What Is “Eating According to Macros” All About?

The featured photo of the article.

Have you heard of “macro counting” or eating to “fit your macros”? This style of eating plan has been in fashion among fitness-minded folks, bodybuilders and the Cross-Fit set for a while now, but it has filtered down to the general public more recently. It’s used primarily as a weight control/weight loss plan, though technically it could also be used for “leaning out” (dropping body fat but not body muscle) or even gaining weight. Here are the basics…

Continue reading »

High Blood Pressure and The Power of Potassium

The featured photo of the article.

February is American Heart Month, and in the past I’ve written about sodium and how decreasing one’s salt and sodium intake can bring heart-y benefits for many people, including lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke and heart disease, so doing what we can to keep our blood pressure in a healthy range is a smart strategy for heart-healthy living. There’s more to dietary management of blood pressure than keeping a lid on sodium intake, however. Getting enough potassium is equally important. So, it’s time for some potassium love…

Continue reading »

Top Slow Cooker Tips for the Big Game

Slow Cooker Carnitas

There’s no doubt that watching sports on t.v. and noshing go together. There’s also no doubt that nobody wants to be slaving in the kitchen while everyone else is enjoying the game. That’s where the slow-cooker comes in. Let it help you with some of the cooking on game day, and you’ll have more time to catch the on-screen action. As the author of a couple of slow-cooker cookbooks, I’ve got a few tips that can make your slow-cooker food prep smooth and easy…

Continue reading »