Did you ever notice how good you feel physically and mentally after a long day on the beach? This is because there are many health benefits gained by spending time on the beach and utilizing all it has to offer. With the sand, the ocean and the full-on sunshine, there is not much more one could possibly need to feel great inside and out. Here are a few aspects of the beach that contribute to living a healthy summer lifestyle and some tips to go along with them. The Sun It’s definitely true that sunburn and skin cancer are real threats to our health. It’s unfortunate that people are unaware of…

For the past two weeks I’ve been eating a raw diet. With the exception of two days (I ran a half marathon and decided to eat a piece of fish and some whole grains), I have been following a strict raw regimen and I feel great. With all the raw foods and snacks available at health food stores, it’s been way easier and much more enjoyable than I thought. Centuries ago in the late 1800s, the benefits of eating raw were realized and made public by a Swiss medical doctor, Maximilian Bircher-Benner, when he cured himself of jaundice by eating raw apples. This encouraged him to conduct experiments …

This day and age, nutrition and health are topics that are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. Old ways of curing illnesses are clearly not working, with numerous disease rates quickly rising. It is apparent that we need a paradigm; a change in the way our current society deals with health care. It is time for a revolution, a transformation in our health therapy systems. “Food Matters” is a new film documentary that is causing a lot of buzz on the topic of natural and holistic health therapies. As our society’s focus is shifting toward taking a more natural approach toward …

I will admit it; I’m addicted to tabbed browsing.  I don’t even want to think about going back to the days of only having one website open at a time.  It’s simply a necessity for today’s successful multi-tasker.  I always have at least three web pages open.  I can comfortably work with up to 12.  I have worked with over twenty-something tabs open but I don’t recommend it.  I also usually have three to four programs running as well such as Thunderbird, Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop and iTunes.   What would I do without all of these multi-tasking abilities the 21st century has bestowed upon …

There’s not much in this world that makes me feel better than a good, hard exercise session. Throughout my life, I’ve always been an active person looking to challenge myself; through dancing, gymnastics and sports in high school, I was always involved in something active and invigorating. Since I left New York City in November of last year and moved back to my roots in Monmouth County, I’ve stepped up my exercise game and am now training for various races, including a half marathon and a triathlon. There is something special about training and pushing myself that keeps me inspired, motivated…

I tend to rely on the same few grains in my cooking all the time. Brown rice, couscous and barley have been the three staples in my diet for quite some time now. However, the newest addition to my repertoire of grains is quinoa. Not that this is a newly discovered food by any means, but I’ve been incorporating it more and more into my diet for the past few years and it is deserving of an in-depth description. Relatively new to the United States, quinoa has been cultivated in the Andean mountain regions of Peru, Chile and Bolivia for more than 5,000 years and has long been a staple food in the…

In recent years, salmon has received a lot of buzz in the health world, and for good reason. Not only is the color of salmon absolutely gorgeous, but also it is a very unique fish with exceptional nutritional value. People have been enjoying salmon as a food ever since this beautiful fish appeared in the Earth’s waters – basically, forever. It is always a favorite among fish lovers and enjoyed even by those who are not always fond of fish. It’s a great option to get people into eating seafood in place of other proteins, like red meat and chicken. It has a distinct taste that is not too “fishy…

Life throws curve balls– this is undeniable. But we have options. We can stand rigidly and take direct hits or maneuver to minimize the impact. It’s the ability to move gracefully with the punches that minimizes the impact. This ability is the beauty – and the art – of flexibility. Increased flexibility creates opportunity. A flexible mind and body will guide you through challenges by revealing pathways unseen when you remain unmovable. A supple mind allows for creativity while a willing, pliable body promotes and sustains overall wellness. Flexible Mind There’s a tension in New Jersey …

Coconuts are a very special and unique fruit. It seems that in recent years they are becoming more and more recognized for their culinary versatility and unique nutritional benefits. Various coconut products are filling shelves of not only specialized health food stores, but in regular food markets as well. This is not surprising at all. Coconuts’ versatility can be noted simply in its name. In Sanskrit it is kalpa vriksha, which means “the tree which provides all the necessities of life.” In Malay it is pokok seribu guna, which means “the tree of a thousand uses.” In the Philippines, the …

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age thirteen.  The continual pain pushed me into my head and away from my body.  I ignored my body’s pleas for help; I didn’t want to hear anything it had to say.  I resented my body for not working properly.  I developed a me vs. them mentality. But the pain kept pulling me back in, pain so intense that it couldn’t be ignored.  There was only one way to get better— start listening to my body.  When I was twenty-one my Crohn’s Disease flared up to new heights.  I was unable to eat solid food for almost a year.  I tried on a few occasions but the pain …

Lentils are totally underrated. It's not that people give them a bad wrap, I just never hear anyone talking about them. But why is that? Evidence of their cultivation goes back more than 8,000 years in some parts of the world, so clearly there must be reason for this. Lentils are delicious, hearty, nutritious, inexpensive and versatile and are an important part of an overall healthy diet, especially for vegetarians. Lentils have been enjoyed for thousands of years. First cultivated in the Near East along with wheat, barley, peas and flax, lentils have become a staple in the cooking of so many…

Feng Shui is the in-depth study of a physical environment and how it interacts with the people who inhabit it. It is one of the eight branches of Chinese medicine and has been practiced for over 3,000 years. There are many layers to be considered during a full Feng Shui analysis, but certain principles always apply such as yin and yang, the five elements, and qi flow. These questions are designed to open your eyes to your surroundings. With every breath you take, you are drawing in the energy, the qi (chi), of your surroundings. By improving your home, you are improving every aspect of your …

When the new year comes around, everyone seems to want to make a change in their lives — a New Year's Resolution. Often times, this change results in the removal of a favorite unhealthy snack or a bad, old habit. I see New Year's as a time to add something great and healthy into our lives, to enjoy something new and stick with it. With a new year upon us, I thought it would be helpful to share my top five favorite healthy foods, their benefits and some tips on how to cook with them. First up: Kale. Kale is a form of cabbage and is one of the oldest varieties. It was first grown in the …

I have started off many a new year as an unhealthy person: a smoker, a little overweight, fatigued, stressed, and overall in not so great shape.   But in August of 2009, I resolved to change one thing: to quit smoking. I had just booked a trip to Peru at the end of October 2009.  It was a spiritual journey, starting off with a four-day meditation workshop and then a seven-day adventure through the Sacred Valley.  I had high hopes for the whole experience.  Peru is a spiritual hotbed. I didn't want to be at the top of Machu Picchu jonesing for a cigarette. I also wanted to take part in an …