Category Archives: Optimal Health

Take the Time to Really Live – Don’t ‘Zap’ Your Life

Francesca and I join our daughter Koral and granddaughter Hazel for a day of fun in the winter snow along with Koral’s two dogs Cosmo and Nala. Blue skies, fresh air, kids and dogs make it easy to enjoy any moment. Telluride, Colorado. December 2021.

With all the activities surrounding us and the stimulation we get from the digital world — that is always on — I find that many people want to live fast. They’re speeding up their lives to experience as much as possible because they fear missing out. When I think about it, if all we do is rush around as much as we can, we end up not really experiencing anything. It’s ironic. Continue reading Take the Time to Really Live – Don’t ‘Zap’ Your Life

Healthy Holiday Meals Start Here

A couple working together in the kitchen to prepare a feast. Holiday meals with family and friends are a great time to add more plant-based dishes to the menu.
A couple working together in the kitchen to prepare a feast. Holiday meals with family and friends are a great time to add more plant-based dishes to the menu.

As many of you know, I’ve been a lifelong champion of prevention, and how simple habits are the shortest path to extending your healthspan. It goes beyond simply living longer (that’s lifespan). Your healthspan is about living more of your years in good health. To me, it’s a big deal because good health is where we get our energy and vitality to fully enjoy life’s adventures. It’s also where we find strength and resilience—both mental and physical—to overcome life’s challenges.

Continue reading Healthy Holiday Meals Start Here

Start Here To Make Resilience a Priority

Friends gather together around a dining table for a feast. Being together with people you care for is about one of the best medicines for the mind, body and spirit.
Friends gather together around a dining table for a feast. Being together with people you care for is about one of the best medicines for the mind, body and spirit.

Recently, I’ve noticed a handful of health-related factoids floating around the internet describing some of the impressive things that our bodies do every day. How our hearts pump about 2,000 gallons of blood, or how our lungs take 17,000 breaths. Daily counts like these are easy to measure. Others like the number of thoughts our brains mull over each day are fuzzier, and estimates are as much guesswork as they are science. Nonetheless, the sheer volume of work the body does every day is impressive. And, that it’s done in a non-stop, no-rest rhythm is beyond extraordinary.

Continue reading Start Here To Make Resilience a Priority

A Plant-Based Diet, Only Better

A bowl full of colorful vegetables. Choosing a whole-food, plant-based diet has benefits that extend far beyond flavor.
A bowl full of colorful vegetables. Choosing a whole-food, plant-based diet has benefits that extend far beyond flavor.

As many of you may know, I’m a big fan of a Mediterranean-style diet. It’s arguably the most famous of all the whole-food, plant-based diets, and for good reason. For over four decades, a growing body of research has confirmed its benefits for heart health, blood sugar balance, cognitive function and beyond. Now, emerging research suggests that this style of eating could be even better for brain health, depending on the foods you eat.

Continue reading A Plant-Based Diet, Only Better

One Smart Way to Get Omega-3’s from Plant Foods

A pile of flaxseeds. These tiny seeds are a rich source of ALA omega-3 fat made more bioavailable with proper processing.
A pile of flaxseeds. These tiny seeds are a rich source of ALA omega-3 fat made more bioavailable with proper processing.

As many of you know, I’m a fan of omega-3 fatty acids, mostly because they deliver a wide range of benefits for both your body and brain. These special fats promote healthy blood flow so that oxygen as well as nutrients can be delivered to your heart, brain, muscles and other organs and tissues throughout your body. These fats even wiggle into cell membranes to help keep them flexible enough to take up nutrients, expel metabolic byproducts, and trigger cell signaling pathways critical for health. Plus, omega-3 fats help maintain the body’s inflammation response mechanisms. And, the list goes on. Continue reading One Smart Way to Get Omega-3’s from Plant Foods