Getty Images/tadamichi ♠ “Because our five senses are so powerful, we can use them as vehicles—ways to either amp ourselves up, or ways to comfort ourselves and soothe ourselves down to a more relaxed state.” “You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest …” Ever heard...
Read More♠ That chronic back pain is a message from your body. Are you listening? These 5 questions will help you gain insight. When back pain is occasional and acute, it generally has a really important message like: “Take me to the doctor! I’m injured—which is very helpful....
Read More↓ The news that a tiger in the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19 is raising questions about interspecies transmission and how to keep our pets healthy. For many of us, quarantine and social distancing have increased time spent with our beloved companion animals. These furkids attend...
Read More↓ Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson, chair of Functional Medicine at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, shares ways to support a healthy mind and body as we transition from winter into spring. It can seem like winter will go on forever but, of course, spring is imminent,...
Read More♠ Do you have a cold, cough, or sinus congestion? A strained wrist? Eczema? Does heartburn keep you up at night? Try these four essential oil blends to help soothe everyday inflammatory conditions. Essential oils like lavender are commonly used to help us sleep and to alleviate stress, but did...
Read More↓ “If you are a sensitive person, you might notice that you are highly affected by other people’s moods, what others might think of you, and the news you hear about the world around you.” We all know how important boundaries are. We have to stand up...
Read MoreTurmeric root is one of those rare and valuable herbs that is balancing for all of the doshas, or Ayurvedic body types, making it a beneficial addition to almost everyone’s diet. ↓ Beautiful, beloved turmeric is one of the most well-known, commonly used, and highly revered spices in...
Read More↓ Ginger is a powerful superfood that can increase brainpower, boost immunity … and maybe even fight cancer. ↓ Spicy, sweet, and distinctively flavorful, ginger isn’t for the faint of heart. A shot of raw ginger juice is often so strong it causes the eyes to water and...
Read MoreIt’s true, not a bedtime fable! During the night, the body repairs its store of collagen. We’ve all heard the expression “beauty sleep,” and now researchers from the University of Manchester have helped shed light on why a good night’s rest imparts us with glowing skin. The...
Read More♠ A spinal surgeon shares how to relieve chronic back pain without going under the knife. ↓ In my 32 years as an orthopedic complex spinal deformity surgeon, I discovered that, all too often, patients were seeking surgical options to help them cope with their chronic pain, which...
Read More↓ As we move away from thinking of positive emotions as a hedonistic escape plan, we begin to understand the immense power that they have to transform our human experience and to galvanize our capacity for taking action. Over the last few days, I’ve run into a...
Read More↓ How do we remain healthy while successfully navigating a type-A lifestyle? I was on Park Avenue and 49th Street in Manhattan at around noon yesterday. Armies of well-dressed people crowded the sidewalks while getting lunch from food trucks and take-out establishments. As I admired their clothing,...
Read MoreIt seems like everyone is talking about (or writing about) inflammation. Facts are spreading, but so are misconceptions. I don’t know about you, but lately, every health chat I have seems to lead back to one thing: inflammation. People nod sagely when it gets brought up,...
Read More↓ Aging and chronic inflammation turn out to be so interconnected, the research world has a new term: “inflammaging.” It doesn’t feel fair, does it? Just as we’re getting wise to the world, the world is taking its toll on our bodies. Wouldn’t it be great if...
Read More↓ Skimping on sleep means we’re also missing out on the crucial dream stages of sleep. ↓ If everyone is feeling a little grumpy, one reason is because Americans are getting a lot less sleep than we used to. According to a Gallup poll, we’re down more than...
Read More↓ What should we do when we’re upset or depressed? Should we analyze our feelings to figure out what’s wrong, or should we just forget about them and move on? Opinions differ, but new research suggests a solution to these questions: taking a more Buddhist or...
Read MoreHere are 7 affirmations to not only affect your body but also your reality Chakras are the unseen force that influences our reality. A blocked chakra can present itself various forms, like physical pain and disease, and can also manifest in our financial stability, emotional body,...
Read MoreWe in the modern West assume that the normal mind is a healthy one. But a "healthy mind" is still subject to many types of distress, including depression, anxiety, frustration, restlessness, boredom, and resentment. Only when such imbalances are excessive are we advised to seek...
Read MoreIt's easy to get wrapped up in numbers, but the desire for the perfect score can become an addiction. Your imperfect self, meanwhile, is waiting for validation. I was obsessed with numbers, but not in a geeky mathematician sort of way. My first high came when...
Read MoreSelf-compassion can make a person feel more energetic, alive, and optimistic. Right up there with being able to make spaghetti and wash your own socks, practicing self-compassion rates as a vital life skill. With self-compassion, we are able to accept that though we are imperfect...
Read MoreEating disorders almost never stop talking to us, whispering in our ear. Here are the lies they tell us. Eating disorders aren't our friends. They just want us to think they are. And they almost never shut up. Eating disorders hold the strange status of being us...
Read MoreAnxious? Approaching the problem with self-compassion and mindfulness may help. This article is intended for information purposes only and is not intended as a guide for any reader’s specific mental health situation. If you are struggling with mental or emotional symptoms, see your physician for a...
Read MoreDepression is a leading cause of poor health, affecting an estimated 350 million people worldwide. In the U.S., nearly 7 percent of the population has had at least one major depressive episode, defined as lasting more than two weeks, according to the National Institute of...
Read MoreRecently, I read an interview with author Danielle LaPorte where she stated that she never speaks meanly to herself. “Not ever.” This blew my mind. Because even though I write regularly about practicing self-compassion and embracing ourselves, I still struggle with harsh self-talk. I’m guessing you do, too. It might...
Read MoreIn the Soto Zen tradition, emphasis is placed on ethical or mindful acts in everyday practice. This Earth Day practice held at Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center in Northern California is offered to benefit all beings. A Buddhist practice center is distinct from other rural...
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