In our modern, fast-paced culture, it seems we are encouraged to always be chasing happiness. The next shiny object surely will be the answer we seek (or so the marketers tell us). In this never-ending quest for peace, happiness, and balance, we often neglect or ignore the very things that would give them to us. Instead of focusing on building strong and fulfilling relationships, serving others, or appreciating the wondrous world around us, we constantly chase after the images in our minds of what "success" should look like, or what accomplishments we should be achieving.

This is a vicious cycle, which not only leads to stress, dissatisfaction and unhappiness, but which can also impact our physical and mental health.

I have greatly been enjoying the book Think Like a Monk, by Jay Shetty, and I was excited to find an interview with him to share with you. In this episode of The Doctor's Farmacy, Dr. Mark Hyman talks with Jay about how to uncover your true passion and purpose, and live a life that is deeply meaningful to you, rather than constantly chasing an image that you believe is expected of you by others.

During their conversation, Jay shares important lessons he learned during his years as a practicing monk, and how we can apply them in our own lives to help reduce stress, improve our relationships, overcome negative thoughts and habits, and tap into the deep well of calm, peace, and purpose that we all hold within us. Check it out below!

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that this week's topic may seem a little "woo-woo," in scientific speak. :-)  However, the guest on this fascinating podcast episode certainly comes with an impressive list of credentials, so I encourage you to tune in and open your mind to the possibilities of...your mind!

In fact, much evidence suggests that we are only just barely beginning to realize the immense powers that our minds possess - especially when it comes to healing our bodies. Although the scientific community has neatly divided the human mind from the human body as if they were two separate entities, the truth is that our bodies and minds have always been inextricably connected - in ways that modern medicine has yet to understand.

We, humans, on the other hand, have always had an inkling that these connections are very real indeed, and you can find the evidence in our language. For example, you've almost certainly heard the expression of someone "knowing" something "in my gut." Likewise, our heart also gets a lot of press as a center of knowledge ("I knew it in my heart," "I let my heart lead me," etc.).

Your body truly is part of your mind, just as your mind is a part of your body, and so it's no wonder that mental health has many physical aspects to it (depression and even addiction, for example, have been closely linked to dietary issues and gut health), and similarly, that our mind can have significant impacts on our physical health.

The placebo effect is one example that has long been recognized even by mainstream medicine. Once believed to be a mere fluke, the placebo effect is very real indeed, and has been used in a wide range of medical studies of many different health conditions and treatments. In fact, fascinatingly enough, some studies are now being conducted to learn whether the placebo effect can successfully be used to treat certain health conditions without using drugs at all!

Check out this podcast episode below to learn about the amazing powers hiding in your mind - including - "woo-woo" as it may sound - the potential for spontaneous healing!

While dieting itself has been popular for decades, it wasn't until more recently that our choice of diet has become so controversial. This is not surprising, considering that more and more people are starting to realize that the way we've been eating is making us sick - and the planet we live on as well.

Factory farming or industrial agriculture is one of the major causes of climate change as well as other related environmental issues, such as soil depredation, erosion, water pollution, and more. It's no wonder that we are becoming more passionate about what we eat, and how it is raised and produced! However, this change has also lead to many heated debates and not-entirely-constructive criticism of each other's dietary choices...

There is no doubt that our food system needs to change. It is also no doubt the case that we in the wealthy Western world are in large part to blame and need to take a good hard look at our contributions to the problem - which are huge and many. Most of us could stand to eat a little less meat and a lot more vegetables. All of us could stand to take more responsibility for our diets and how they are contributing to the massive issues of modern disease, food inequality, and environmental degradation around us.

Although the new administration is already taking steps to address some of these problems, it is highly unlikely that these issues will be solved by any one solution - or by any one president in 4 or even 8 years. Instead, this is going to take a concerted and ongoing effort by citizens and government officials alike to take steps in multiple areas to fix our food system. (Dr. Mark Hyman's excellent book, Food Fix, details some of these possible solutions.)

However, today we are here to talk specifically about meat. We Americans love our beef, but the beef industry is one of the most destructive when it comes to environmental issues. Factory farming has caused so many evils in the world, and I won't go into them all here today, but you can read this post for more information on this topic.

But is the answer simply to give up meat altogether? Some would say yes, while others argue we simply need to change our methods of meat production. A shift towards regenerative agriculture is beginning to occur, and I believe it is a necessary step. Will it solve everything? Probably not, but it can certainly make a positive difference and start moving us in the right direction.

On this episode of The Doctor's Farmacy, Dr. Mark Hyman discusses the possibilities of regenerative agriculture with two experts on the topic. Check it out below:

We all want a long, healthy life, right? When it comes to longevity though, the goal isn't just to live as long as possible. After all, what is the point of living longer if you're constantly sick and in pain?

The true objective is to enjoy your life for as long as possible, and that means staying healthy and vibrant for as long as possible.

This interesting interview discusses what some experts believe is the greatest factor in healthy aging, and how you can maintain greater health, vibrancy, and energy well into your later years. Check it out below to learn the keys to aging well - and how to implement these simple but important steps in your own life.

Well, 2020 has been quite a year...

Between rampant wildfires and other extreme weather events across the globe, racial protests that spanned the nation and beyond, a particularly divisive election season, and, of course, a global pandemic, many people are looking forward to saying goodbye to 2020. 

However, there are also many things to be grateful for this year, and as I compiled my annual "gratitude list," I thought I would do things a bit differently this year. There are so many things I am thankful for every year, but this year, I have the opportunity to take a new perspective and find the silver linings in something that has negatively impacted all of us in some way.

Below are 5 things that COVID-19 has given me to be thankful for in 2020:

When did the world get so crazy?? Am I just getting old, or does it seem like things are so much more complicated and messy than back in the "good old days"?

With everything going on in the world today, it's tempting to stick your head in the sand and try to ignore the problems around us. Or, as so many of us do, to take the easy way out and blame the government, the right wing, the left wing, the immigrants, the "deplorables," the corporations, etc. for all the world's problems.

But like it or not, WE humans are all in this together, and we are ALL complicit in the issues we are facing today - from the effects of climate change (weather disasters, droughts, food shortages, pandemics), to our modern health crisis (over-consumption of industrialized foods leading to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.), to social unrest stemming from decades of ignoring the issues of oppression and lack of representation experienced by the working classes.

You and I, regardless of how "innocent" we may think we are of any wrongdoing, are part of the problem - and it is up to US (and by "us" I mean every living person on the planet today) to take steps to create a healthier and more sustainable future for the planet and all of humankind.

How do we get started? By arming ourselves with knowledge.

Knowledge truly is power (which is why the powerful have often sought to prevent others from gaining it - be it by burning books, preventing or discouraging literacy, or spreading "fake news"). The more you learn about how to take care of yourself, grow your own food, care for your own health, make your own "medicines," and the more you learn ways to make a positive difference in the world around you, the more power you have to make true, impactful, and lasting changes.

Even better, once you begin learning, you'll want to learn even more, and you'll begin to realize that just about EVERY choice you make - from the clothes you wear and what you wash them with, to what you have for breakfast, to the car you drive to work - can actually have an impact on the world around you. And you get to make the choice as to whether that impact is positive or negative. If that sounds overwhelming, change your perspective! Instead of overwhelming, look at it as liberating and empowering. YOU have the freedom to make choices that can make a real difference in the world!

Below are 6 ways to live more sustainably in today's world. Some of these are just simple, small daily habits that can make a big difference over time. Others are larger undertakings, but if you tackle them one step at a time, you'll soon be on your way to making a positive difference - both for yourself and your family, and for the planet at large.

I'm still wrapping my brain around the fact that it's 2020... It seems like a momentous number. We are now entering the third decade of the 21st century! 2010 seems like it was just a couple of years ago, and it's hard to believe how fast the past decade has flown by!

I don't always make resolutions... Sometimes I just set goals instead. But this year, I felt like resolutions were resonating with me more strongly, so below are my top 3 for 2020.

But first, you may be wondering, what's the difference between a goal and a resolution? There may be varying opinions out there, but for me, a goal usually has a specific endpoint and desired result, whereas, a resolution is ongoing. For example, a goal may be to lose 20 pounds by December 31st, while a resolution would be to work out at least 3x per week, or to call my mom at least once a month, etc..

However, when making a resolution, try to make them actually mean something. Too often we just make the same resolutions as last year (which we didn't keep), or throw something out there like, "I'm going to exercise more" just because we think we should. Think about how you want to grow as a person this year, or what area of health you would like to improve, or whether your relationships could use some nurturing, and then make a resolution that you will actually keep because it means something to you - not because you feel like you "should"!

If you haven't made any resolutions yet for this year, check mine out below for some inspiration, and feel free to share your own as well!

No matter what the calendar says, for me, winter always begins the first weekend in December, when we put up our Christmas tree. This tradition started in 2013, when my wonderful husband proposed to me beside the Christmas tree on a snowy evening in early December.

That Friday, after a long and stressful week at work (I was extra busy preparing to spend half of the next week at a marketing training program), I headed over to spend the evening with my sweetie, even though we were in the middle of a good-sized snow storm, and the roads were iffy at best.

The storm continued as I drove, and what was normally a 25-minute drive took nearly an hour over slippery, treacherous, snow-covered roads, and I arrived shaking with nerves and stress. Although there had been many hints at marriage over the past few months, and I had been on pins and needles for weeks wondering when he would "pop the question," that was the last thing on my mind that night!

He prepared me a cup of hot vanilla chai tea with a splash of rum, and together we decorated his tiny tree with hideous red and gold plastic ornaments as I began to unwind. We were almost finished, and he said he thought he had a tree topper somewhere, and disappeared into the other room. I turned around a moment later to find him on one knee!

Every year since then, we bring home a fresh and lovely tree on the first weekend in December, and I put on most of the decorations while enjoying a glass of wine or a hot toddy, while my husband prepares us a beautiful spread of charcuterie, olives, cheeses, fruit, nuts, and other snacks. Then we finish the tree together and have a drink while admiring the beautiful lights and decorations and the fresh scent of evergreen. It's a wonderful tradition, and a perfect way to kick off the winter holiday season! It also gets me feeling all...hygge?

It's hard to believe how quickly this year has flown by, and here we are with the New Year just a few short weeks away!

This time of year is always a great time to reflect back over the previous year, and start setting goals for the year ahead. It's also a great time to read some new books - especially books that can help you develop as a person, overcome challenges and road blocks, and achieve your goals!

If you're looking for a great book to read over the holidays to set you up for an even better year next year, I have an awesome freebie for you this month!  This is one of my favorite books (I actually got mine about this time last year), and it's not just a "fluffy" read - it can actually help you get real results.

Grab your free copy here, or learn more about the book below.

Well, folks, it's that time of year again! For the past several years, I have posted a "gratitude list" on Thanksgiving weekend every year. I was feeling a little lazy (and tired) this weekend after our visitors departed and the house was quiet again, and I thought of skipping it - but then I thought, I can't skip the gratitude list! It's such an important tradition on this blog! :-)

So here it is - my gratitude list for 2019 - one of the busiest, most tumultuous years of my life thus far...

Between transitioning to a new job with a new company, to managing the bountiful garden amid multiple road trips across the country, and replacing the roof on our house, to my husband breaking his wrist this fall, 2019 has been a year particularly filled with stresses and challenges, excitement and anxiety, sadness and joy. It has also brought us so very many things to be thankful for!