wellness Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Pura Vida Sometimes

The Upside of Lymphedema

October 25, 2017 2 Comments

Having Lymphedema is a lot of fun, isn’t it?…said no one, ever. Any lymphie could write at least a few pages about things that make us crazy. Lymphedema is with us every day – it’s here to stay but it doesn’t define or own us. We could live in a state of regret, which is like walking around with an open wound, or we can acknowledge it, make peace with it, dress it up, and move on. Let’s choose the upside of Lymphedema. I attended a mindfulness lecture earlier this month, in which the presenter suggested setting the tone for the […]

wellness, Yoga

Hey Desk Jockey: Why Your Back Hurts & the Fix

September 13, 2017 2 Comments

Hey Desk Jockey: Why Your Back Hurts & How to Fix It - Pura Vida Sometimes

When you’re on a deadline, hunched over your computer, seldom taking bio breaks much less stopping to stretch or relax your eyes, your body will take its revenge. My fellow desk jockeys, if your back hurts or – randomly enough – if you have hip pain or any other sort of old person pain that’s far ahead of schedule, it’s time to step away from the computer (just for a few minutes, I’m sure you’ll be fine), stretch, lengthen, and establish some healthy behavior. A few months back, especially as I was getting out of my car and walking to […]

beauty, wellness

Natural Products for Insane Summer Heat

July 14, 2017 No Comments

Natural Products for Summer Heat Pura Vida Sometimes with Josh Rosebrook, Leahlani, Coola, Thinksport, Schmidt's

Few U.S. cities are as hot in the summer as Phoenix. We have to actively work looking fresh without being burned to a crisp or smelling like a horse. If your personal care products stand up to the summer heat in the Valley of the Sun, you know they’ll work anywhere and these natural products for insane summer heat make the grade. The products on this list do what they say they’re going to do over a reasonable amount of time, are nice and, in some cases, enjoyable to use in terms of smell, texture, and application, and are non-toxic and […]

wellness

10 Reasons to Love Yoga Today

July 9, 2017 No Comments

June 21 is the first day of summer, but it’s also International Day of Yoga, as designated by the United Nations. Yoga is great exercise, therapy, and mind-body activity that you can literally do anywhere, no matter your physical condition. If you haven’t tried it in a while (or ever), today’s the day! Endorsed by 175 UN member states, they day was introduced by India’s Prime Minister Narenda Modi, who said, “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action…a holistic approach [that]is valuable to our health and our well-being. […]

health, Lymphedema, wellness

Lymphedema: What MDs Don’t Know, What You Can Do

March 6, 2017 1 Comment

Over the last four years, with extreme swelling in my legs, I saw a number of medical practitioners and tried everything they recommended, all to no avail. Today for World Lymphedema Day, years into my issue but only a few months after diagnosis, I share my story. If for nothing else, I hope to bring awareness to the disease and hopefully spare others the same anguish and confusion. Perhaps the larger issue is that, during the course of my struggles, which began during pregnancy, I spoke with 15 medical practitioners (yes, I counted), including 10 medical doctors – my obstetrician, […]

nutrition, wellness

10 Kitchen Tools For Cooking Like a Pro

January 23, 2017 5 Comments

Over the years, working with chefs, nutritionists, and home cooks, I learned to move in the kitchen in a much more artful and efficient way, and I’ve discovered kitchen tools and shortcuts to make cooking quicker and more enjoyable. These are a few of the things I use on a very regular basis in my culinary endeavors (and in just throwing edible things together). I discovered Takeya at the Natural Products Expo many years ago, and as a tea connoisseur, I had to have the little 24-ounce Takeya Tea Maker immediately to brew my loose teas in the office. The […]

family, wellness

2017: Scrap Resolutions & Live With Purpose

January 1, 2017 No Comments

2016 was hard. It wasn’t the worst, not the best, but in any case, it’s good to tie up loose ends and welcome a fresh, shiny new year. What are your plans to make the most of this new opportunity? My numerogically-gifted friend Shae will tell you 2016 was a 9 year – a time for endings and closure, however difficult or painful, and sometimes necessary. But today begins a 1 year – the beginning of a new nine-year cycle which will set the course for years to come. It’s a chance to evaluate where you are and where […]

family, wellness

Two Steps to Lasting Gratitude

November 22, 2016 No Comments

2 Steps to Lasting Gratitude on Pura Vida Sometimes

This Thanksgiving holiday, before we even begin preparing the feast or fine-tuning our bank accounts for the sales, set the intention for what you could do to make the holiday most meaningful and establish a pattern of thankfulness and lasting gratitude for the year to come. When did Thanksgiving become all about consumption? We eat a huge lunch of calorie-laden food and sugary desserts until the glycemic load ransacks us and we fall asleep watching football on the couch. We wake up long enough to eat ourselves back into a stupor, and sleep unit next day, when we shop ’till […]

Cornerstone, nutrition, wellness

The Fiend’s Peanut Butter Cup

August 4, 2016 No Comments

If I was ever stranded on a desert island, I’d hope there were cacao beans and coconut trees. I have a chocolate problem. I love it in it’s most pure form. Milk chocolate can fly a kite; sugar and milk are impurities, as far as I’m concerned. I adore dark chocolate – the more bitter, the better. This Fiend’s Peanut Butter Cup hits the spot when I put myself on a diet desert island and when I’m safe and sound in the city. When I started eating low-carb, I felt so much better, I stopped being so hangry, I spent a […]

nutrition, wellness

Matcha Blueberry Morning Kick Muffins

July 25, 2016 No Comments

I’ve developed quite a matcha obsession lately. In case you’re unfamiliar, it’s a traditional Japanese ceremonial tea, most often sold in powder form. It’s great hot, iced, as ice cream, in smoothies and matcha lattes – it has an earthier flavor than other teas, is absolutely refreshing, and gives me a boost when I’m trying not to drink so much coffee. Plus, matcha is good for you. Aside from being vitamin dense, it’s a great source of catechins (specifically EGCg) that fight cancer and, less important but also awesome, help with weight loss. Goooooo matcha! Caffeine is a good friend […]