What is a Book Call to Action? This is not a book report. This is not a summary of the book or an analysis of the quality of the writing or research. Instead, this is a book call to action. A book call to action is a personal report of the ways this book has caused me…

Hey, That’s You! — As we grow, we struggle to come to terms with seeing our face and body change — from child to teen, to adult, to middle-aged, and finally into that of an old person. Sometimes it changes quickly, sometimes slowly, but it is always changing. Most of us have difficulty reconciling…

No Calorie Counting — Listen to Your Body — Many of us struggle with tracking calories, points, carbs, or fats to lose weight. It’s tedious to track everything we eat and write it down or put it into an app, day after day, meal after meal, and ensure we stick to our goal. These can be effective ways to…

Fasting + Contemplation + Meditation + Connection — In the fall and winter, my relationship with food takes a nosedive. I find myself snacking when I’m not hungry, eating more added sugars and fats, obsessing about food, and constantly looking for an excuse to eat more. I needed to reset my relationship with food. I ran across Nourish…

Learning from an Expert Makeup Artist — In “Middle Age is the New Adolescence,” I described my difficulties with applying makeup in a way that looks good now that I’ve reached an age where my skin and features seem to be changing. The make-up habits I had developed didn’t seem to work well anymore. I asked for…

Eating Strategies to Survive the Cool Weather — I don’t know about you, but I’d like a cookie. Every day, I’d like a cookie. Or cake, or chocolate. Warm mashed potatoes melting with butter. Banana bread, also with butter. Every year it starts at the beginning of September: The temperature outside turns a little cooler, and suddenly all…

Fast With Food — Do It Yourself Alternatives Last month in the article “Fast Mimicking Diet — DIY Cheaply: The Health-Promoting 5-Day Diet Without the Cost” I reviewed the science-backed benefits of the longevity-promoting fast-mimicking diet (FMD) developed by Dr. Valter Longo. This diet allows us to get the benefits…

What Is Wisdom Anyway? — When I was a child and teen, I was sure I was wise. Teachers and parents told me I was extremely intelligent and congratulated me on my grades. I read books constantly. I scored well in all the subjects and wrote papers that impressed my educators. I knew many facts…

The Power of Loving-Kindness to Transform Public Speaking I regularly practice loving-kindness meditation, also known as metta meditation. Metta is the word in the original Pali language, and it doesn’t have an exact translation in English. It means something like universal goodwill or friendliness, but most often it’s translated as…