I have been talking a lot about bone health recently, citing the important lifestyle factors that reduce the risk of osteoporosis, a weakening of bones that leads to fractures. A critical factor to keep our bones healthy is one we don’t talk about much: proper posture.

I recently returned from a 17-day safari in Kenya and Tanzania. To say this was a life-changing experience is an understatement. I had the good fortune to attend with leaders from the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF).

On June 21st, I will embark on a two-and-a-half week trip of a lifetime: an African safari. There are many reasons I chose to go on this trip but a big one is this: it gets me out of my comfort zone. Way outside my comfort zone!

Magnesium has been in the news a lot lately. According to the American Pharmacists ' Association, magnesium is now the second-best-selling supplement in the U.S., right behind Vitamin D. In the last four years, dozens of research papers have been written about the effect of magnesium on vascular function, attention deficit disorder, cognitive impairment, Vitamin D deficiency, liver function, and more.

June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month. Given my research these past three years into modifiable risk factors to promote brain health, I wanted to share a few recent studies and upcoming events. 

It's almost summer, and I wanted to share a few of my favorite books. While novels always top my list, I have included a new nonfiction book by best-selling author Lisa Genova and a cookbook by our recent Wellness Wednesday guest, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz.

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month, and health and wellness professionals across the US are working to raise awareness of this disease. I’ll begin this blog with a brief description of osteoporosis followed by a mini-quiz about nutrition choices that affect bone health.

In this blog, I share a wonderful poem called "I Am Enough--A Poem About Worthiness" by Jennifer Healy.

This past week, Newsweek published an interesting article that posed the question: if 10,000 steps a day are good, are 20,000 steps a day better? The answer may surprise you.

This is a poem we heard in my Wednesday meditation class. It resonated with me, and I hope you enjoy it.

As part of my research for a presentation I share on Sleep & Insomnia, I came across a fascinating study published in 2024 that found sleep regularity is more important than sleep duration in predicting all-cause mortality.

Exercise is an established way to keep blood pressure in check, but a study published in 2023 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine sheds new light on the types of exercise that are most effective.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have been in the news lately because of the hospitalization of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin due to a UTI that developed after prostate cancer surgery. This hospitalization has spotlighted a common condition that can escalate quickly, especially among older individuals.

A study published December 26th in JAMA Network Open (1) suggests that individuals over 50 living alone may mitigate verbal cognition decline by owning a pet. The research, conducted by Dr. Ciyong Lu, Professor of Epidemiology and Medical Science, indicates that pet ownership could counteract the cognitive effects of living alone, particularly in terms of word recall and understanding.

A new study published last week in JAMA Open Network (1) suggests that adopting a vegan diet for just eight weeks can lead to significant health improvements, particularly in cardiovascular health. The research, led by Dr. Christopher Gardner, a research professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, involved 22 pairs of genetically identical twins.

As the days get shorter and temperatures colder here in the US, it’s normal to be a little grumpy. After all, who likes getting up in the dark or seeing daylight fade by 5 pm? However, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is more than having the winter blues—it is a form of depression linked to seasonal changes.

A key trait of SuperAgers is engagement in new learning, especially related to something novel and challenging over a sustained period of time.

If you do a Google search on “boost the immune system,” you’ll find nearly 200 pages of entries. So what role do booster shots, specifically the COVID-19 booster, play in protecting our immune health?

In the realm of dementia care, where memories can slip through the cracks of time, a unique initiative called The Dinner Party has emerged. It sheds light on the remarkable power of food to ignite recollections and enrich the lives of individuals with cognitive impairments.

Did you ever wonder how and why the RDAs — or Recommended Dietary Allowances — were established?