Don’t think you’re on the right road just because it’s a well-beaten path. Author Unknown Not long ago, I had lunch with a friend who confirmed for me what I suspected; I had fallen headfirst off the path of authenticity. We were discussing my blog, or rather; I was complaining to her that although I…
Say YES to life. Participate. Move. Act….Take a stand. Susan Jeffers, psychologist, author I like skinny-dipping. This recent self-discovery is startling in view of the fact that I’m someone who has always been timid around water and the idea of me skinny-dipping was as remote as, well…, me diving off a dock. How did I…
Do the thing we fear, and death of fear is certain. ralph Waldo emerson I have talked about the benefits of regular exercise, good nutrition, proper sleep, laughter, and mindfulness meditation for chronic pain management. In this final instalment of my Pain Sucks series, I share lessons that I have learned as someone who lives with…
Last summer I decided to do the unthinkable – stop coloring my hair. The song “I Am Not My Hair” by India.Arie was stuck in my head and I was at a point in my life that cried for change. The decision to go “au naturel” wasn’t an easy one. My love affair with hair…
Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional. Buddhist proverb As someone who suffers from chronic pain, I can’t say enough about the benefits of mindfulness meditation. Back in 2005, shortly after my workplace injury, I sought comfort and guidance in the Buddhist teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn, Pema Chodron and Jon Kabat-Zinn. I began my mindfulness practice with…
Laughter is an instant vacation. Milton Berle, Actor, Comedian I can’t imagine a day without laughter. Growing research shows that daily laughter is healthy for you in many ways. According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter is definitely the best medicine. Here are the health benefits of a good chuckle: Laughter relieves pain. It stimulates your…
The world can rest easy in the knowledge that I have no aspirations or illusions of establishing a singing career beyond my shower stall. No, my American Idol moment came when I recently sat down to watch (for the first time) the reality television show. It was the show’s tenth season premier and the debut…
Sleep eludes you. You toss and turn in bed like a Christmas turkey in the oven, hoping for a few hours of shut-eye before that dreaded alarm clock sets off. You’re not alone. According to Statistics Canada, an estimated 3.3 million Canadians, age fifteen and older, have problems falling asleep or staying asleep. The data…
The Christmas holidays are here and for many people it can be more stressful than joyful. There is a wide variety of holiday stresses: crowded shopping malls, family gatherings, being alone and overspending. There are simple things you can do to reduce stress and save your sanity during the holidays: Get outside. Physical exercise,…
It has now become clear that inflammation plays a causal role in many chronic diseases including – heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. What is inflammation? There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is the body’s short-term immune response to infection or injury. In this response, pro-inflammatory compounds recruit white blood cells…