kale leaves

Kale is the New Kale

Food fads come and go. However, a hot trend from several years ago is still going strong. Kale. There is a reason for that. Kale, a leafy green has the potential to improve your overall diet in several ways. It is high in fiber and low in calories, and a diet high in leafy greens […]

A plate with utensils forming clock hands

Can Intermittent Fasting Help Us Lose Weight?

Recently, there has been a lot of buzz around Intermittent Fasting and its effect on weight loss.  But does this really help us lose weight?  What is Intermittent Fasting? Before we dig into this topic, let’s first define what is meant by Intermittent Fasting.  Intermittent Fasting, also called Time Restricted Eating, refers to an eating […]

A woman looking at an app on her phone

My Experience Using a Calorie Counter App

Perimenopause and menopause have had their challenges for me, including weight gain despite no change in diet or exercise. In addition, a baseline bone density scan performed last summer revealed lower-than-normal bone density in my hips. Needless to say, I became very motivated to lose weight, especially abdominal fat, and prevent further bone loss. My […]

A woman grimacing due to head pain

Do You Clench Your Jaw? Try Face Exercises!

I naturally clench my jaw when I’m working or concentrating but a few years ago, I started to notice regular jaw tension and attributed it to higher stress levels–I guess a global pandemic will do that. I got a cheap drugstore night guard to protect my teeth at night but that wasn’t going to address […]

Potatoes on a toy couch

Are You An Active Couch Potato?

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per week. For some of us, that means hitting the gym for 30 minutes a day to “knock it out” before work or maybe going on a moderate-intensity walk. Although doing this might check […]

a magnifying glass that depicts SUGAR in a pile of sweets

I gave up sugar, and this is what happened.

Okay, the title sounds a little extreme. I didn’t give up sugar ENTIRELY. I’m no martyr! But I cut way back on my sugar consumption and my life changed in ways I did not expect. And now I want to share my lessons learned with anyone who will listen. In a recent conversation with a […]

A serving of roasted vegetables over grains

Farro, Bean, and Roasted Vegetable Salad

If you have never tried farro, this is a great way to start. Farro gives this salad a wonderful texture. You can, however, use another grain you may have on hand such as brown rice, barley, or bulgur. This recipe uses roasted carrots and zucchini. However, you can use any roasted vegetable or even leftover […]

Essentrics® Dynamic Stretch Workout – A Game Changer for Me!

As I entered my late 40’s, I occasionally developed painful “knots” in my shoulder muscles. To alleviate the discomfort, I tried massage, foam rollers, exercise ball stretches, yoga, and age-targeted stretching exercises. The knots and accompanying pain would improve for a while but then return.  To be honest, stretching has always been challenging for me, […]

Kale, Arugula, and Farro Salad

If you have never tried the grain farro, this is a great place to start. I like cooking it using the pasta method. This means you use lots of water and cook until tender and drain, as you would pasta. It usually takes around 45-55 minutes. Farro is an ancient grain with a slightly nutty […]

Chicken Stock in an Instant Pot

Store-bought rotisserie chicken is a meal prep wonder in my house. One of my favorite meal prep “tasks” on a weekend afternoon is processing a rotisserie chicken and then making chicken stock in my Instant Pot. I pull out my vegetable scraps from the freezer and a few fresh ingredients to make a flavorful stock. […]