07.16.10 - Need a summer time gift for under $15? Try small items packaged together, like a foot scrub, pumice stone and soft, fuzzy slippers for soft summer tootsies. Or fill a decorative gift bag with a bottle of Pinot Gris (on sale), gourmet crackers and tapenade to cool steamy summer evenings.

07.04.10 - Hot Flash! Big News! Well, sort of. Very mixed results ensue from studies testing soy to reduce hot flashes. Yet, the results are strong enough to recommend soy. If using a supplement vs whole soy foods, choose one with the highest level of genistein, not one that use soy germ. Of note, there was a 25% reduction in hot flashes using placebo.

06.25.10 - Diet – that 4-letter word we have come to hate. The Greek root of ‘diet’ means ‘way of life.’ Ditch dietsthink ‘way of life’ instead. Focus on fruits and vegetables as your mainstay then add whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds along with small portions of lean protein and fat-free dairy. That tasty approach takes the sting out of diet.

06.22.10 - The greenest milk carton is Tetrapak, the aseptic packaging that requires no refrigeration until opened, beating glass bottles, plastic jugs and cardboard by a landslide. This based on resources used in production of the milk and the container plus transportion and storage costs.

06.11.10 - Our country's going low salt! NYC is campaigning to reduce sodium by 25% in restaurant and packaged food - along with many US cities. This all based on a computer simulation where everyone in the US reduced sodium intake by half a teaspoon a day (1,200 mg) saving over $24 billion a year in health care costs. Pinch that salt shaker closed!

06.04.10 - Organics can be cheaper than less healthy goods. For example, $4 buys a medium latte OR 3 organic bananas, a handful of organic walnuts, and a small organic coffee. Better Nutrition, 9/08.

05.10.10 - The dark green, pebbled skin of an avodaco hides within a creamy goodness that can be paired with just about anything. A ripe avocado has about 30% fat - the good kind that is heart-protective and yields lustrous and radiant skin. This delectable jewel is a perfect topping for toast, salads, bean dishes. Some even make homemade ice cream and fruit smoothies with it!

05.03.10 - Stop hiding vegetables in the crispers. Instead, use those for canned beverages, yogurt and string cheese. Keeping vegetables in clear sight on the shelves of your fridge means you're more likely to prevent in-fridge composting. And, if pre-washed and sliced, chopped, ready to go, even more so!

04.24.10 - Sip to lower risk of diabetes! Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day is associated with a 25% lower risk of diabetes than 2 or fewer. Every additional cup = 7% lower risk! Even decaf works - 4 or more cups of decaf coffee had a 36% lower risk. Just use caution with added sugar and cream - lots of extra non-nutritive calories.
Arch of Int Med, 12/09

04.16.10 - Invite yourself to a meditation practice of just being. Not doing. Not thinking, processing, planning, lamenting, remembering. Just being. Adjust your seat so you can comfortably sit for 5-10 minutes. Clothes your eyes, inhale a fresh, crisp breath of spring, exhale the stagnation and staleness of winter. Rest in just being in the space of newness.