Wellness

There are times when we all feel fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt.

We wouldn't be humans if we didn't experience these feelings.

However, what so often happens is that fear and unresolved trauma unconsciously become the guiding forces that derail us from living life to our fullest potential.

I once heard someone say that she was very sorry for all the other girls who lost out on her man. Turns out she need not have worried. According to Dr. Helen Fisher, Biological Anthropologist at Rutgers University and chief advisor to the website Chemistry.com, we are not programmed to want to be with the same type of person - we all have our partner types.

The notion of a hardwired brain can be a handy excuse. The brain can be blamed for a lot that would otherwise be seen as lack of initiative. Well, watch out fellow procrastinators, Norman Doidge is in town to set the record straight. Actually he was in town last week, and I was lucky enough to get a ticket to hear him at the University of Texas - Dallas Center for Brain Health's annual lecture series called The Brain: An Owner's Guide.

Judy: Amy and Karla started the new year with a tap of the reset button. They went back to the toughest and most restrictive version of the elimination diet to verify their assumptions. They've zeroed in on several foods that affect the way they feel and sleep.

Most of us remember our mothers touting the adage "You are what you eat." My parents ate healthfully long before lean meats and greens became fashionable. Dad exercised with military discipline. They also threw great parties, with delectable appetizers and plenty to drink. Their example left an indelible mark.

The reason I haven’t written this book about staying healthy is that it would only be 6 words. The dedication would be much longer – there are many role models and mentors who have taught me in principle and action that these 6 words prove the point.

Karla and Amy: We were both traveling last week and it was tough! Restaurants for all meals is a hard way to stay on any diet and especially the Elimination Diet.

The dream of a long, healthy life isn't a new one: Juan Ponce de Leon was not the first with his search for the fountain of youth, but today we seem more confident that using science and epidemiological studies we can find the secret.

Those pudgy cheeks, that cherry red nose, the belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly: Santa looks cute, but he serves as a good reminder in this season that we need to watch growing mid-sections. Before modern marketing folks got hold of him, Santa was a thin, ascetic fellow in long fur-trimmed robes, and probably a lot healthier. Today's Santa, and others with bellies that shake when they laugh, are more prone to disease than our also large, but pear-shaped friends.