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Another Day of Sun

December 25th, 2016

I’ve always held musicals at arm’s length. I’m weak that way. Everybody has a blind spot when it comes to movies, a certain genre or actor that they just can’t stand. My wife’s aunt has an irrational hatred of Tom Hanks. Every time she sees him in a movie, she shakes her head and says something like, “Nobody is that nice. I bet he’s really a serial killer.” For years, that’s how I was with musicals. I can suspend disbelief when it comes to subterranean creatures menacing a group of spelunkers, or a sociopath dressing up as a bat and committing... Read More

2016 Recap: Stories That Shaped Our Well-Being

December 21st, 2016

This year was a crazy one, with a tumultuous election cycle, protests, shootings, issues of sexual assault on college campuses — it was a year to remember. Some important things happened that informed our health habits.  These events will have impact on our lives and our health now and in the future.  Here are some of the 2016 news stories that have and will shape how we think about well-being. The Good News Panera Bread goes clean.  Panera Bread vowed last year to serve only “clean ingredients” by the end of 2016. that vow involves removing artificial preservatives, sweetener,... Read More

Sugar Bomb Foods You Might Be Eating

December 21st, 2016

Earlier this fall a news story revealed a plot in the 60s by the sugar industry.  The Sugar Research Foundation, now called the Sugar Association, paid scientists to downplay  the link between sugar and heart disease and instead blame saturated fat. Other revelations about how the food industry has influenced nutrition science have come to light as well, most notably Coca-Cola, the world’s largest producer of sugary beverages, provided millions of dollars in funding to researchers who sought to play down the link between sugary drinks and obesity. What does all this mean?  It means you have... Read More

That’s More Like It

December 18th, 2016

The Star Wars movies are the crown jewel of franchise filmmaking, and sometimes it’s a little hard to see why. Look at it like this: Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back are classics for a reason. That’s a no-brainer since they are fun, fast-paced, and chock-full of memorable characters. So far, so good. Then Return of the Jedi hits us, and it’s really just about half to 3/4 of a good movie. That’s a little bit of a bummer, but we can live with it. After that, we have the Prequels inflicted upon us. These are the three films that almost killed the franchise stone... Read More

Healthy Foods You Might Not Be Eating

December 14th, 2016

There is a plethora of information about super foods and what you should be eating to be healthy, live longer, have good brain health and more.  You probably already know that avocado is a nutrient superstar, full of healthy monounsaturated fat and linked to successful weight loss.  Dark chocolate is another food celebrity loaded with antioxidants and a protective agent against heart disease.  Let’s talk about some of the unexpected foods that have health benefits that you might not be eating. Embrace egg yolks! Eggs are a misunderstood fat-rich food that’s an incredible source of vitamin... Read More

God Help Me, I Laughed

December 11th, 2016

Work parties are awful. We all know that. But holiday work parties occupy a very specific place within one of the nine circles of Hell. What level would you find mandatory office mixers on, I wonder? Gluttony? Lust? Heresy? All of the above? I know a little something about this. Since I work from home, I’m not forced to fraternize with the enemy. They don’t care about me, I don’t care about them, everybody’s happy. But my wife toils away in an honest-to-God office. Being the good soldier that she is, she’s occasionally compelled to attend work functions. Being that... Read More

Stressful Times Make Mindfulness Even More Important

December 6th, 2016

  My yoga instructor always says, “Do you think you are enlightened?  Spend some time with your family.”  The point is, even the most zen of us can get caught up in relationship patterns and history that can harsh our mellow.  You may have started the holiday season already stressed.  The 2016 election was unprecedented in its divisiveness and the levels of anger and frustration that played out before and after.  Some of that divisiveness may have been within your own family and, now that the holidays are here, it may seem like the level of frenzy is higher than usual.  The... Read More

The Palette of Grief

December 4th, 2016

The day my father died began the same way as any other day. The Earth turned, the sun came up. At the time, I was a hilariously mediocre college student, blissfully pissing away my higher education. That evening, my brother called. He told me that our father was struck down by a combination heart attack and asthma attack as he was on the way to the mailbox. Dead within seconds. Within the seconds between my brother uttering the words, “Dad died,” over the phone line, and my stammered response, the world shattered. The world was considerate enough to put itself back together again,... Read More

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…Unless It Isn’t

November 30th, 2016

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. While the holidays should be a happy time, for many people, it is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety.  Typical reasons for the holiday blues include stress, fatigue, financial concerns, and separation from family and friends. Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression.  If you are feeling overwhelmed, sad, or anxious during the holidays, consider these strategies for coping with the holidays. Set... Read More

Who Is You?

November 27th, 2016

There’s good news and bad news. First, the bad news. As you’ve probably noticed, 2016 has been an absolute garbage year. Our country elected a profoundly unqualified narcissist for President, tensions borne from race, gender, and sexual identity threaten to split us apart, and Florence Henderson, the mom from The Brady Bunch just died. Is it because David Bowie is no longer around to hold it all together for us? Probably. But I told you there’s good news, and good news I shall deliver. 2016 has been a pretty damn fine year for movies. We got the excellent punks vs. neo-Nazis... Read More