Welcome

          

Learning from a Health Wake-Up Call

When Your Body Finally Hits the Snooze Button
We’ve all had that moment. You’re coasting along, treating your body like a reliable old appliance that somehow keeps running no matter how many times you drop it, overstuff it, or forget to clean the filter. Then one day it doesn’t. A doctor’s visit, a scary lab result, a sudden inability to climb a flight of stairs without sounding like a broken vacuum cleaner—boom. Health wake-up call.

These moments are rarely subtle. They’re the biological equivalent of a fire alarm at 3 a.m.: inconvenient, loud, and impossible to ignore. The good news? They’re also one of the most effective teachers life will ever hand you. The bad news is you usually have to pay the tuition first.

Read More

Homemade Antibacterial Anti-fungal Spray

The ingredients list for this fresh-smelling DIY spray includes witch hazel that can naturally fight off bacteria. It also includes some tea tree oil that can help prevent fungi from growing.

You can personalize this cleanser by adding some lavender or any other essential oil of your choice. If you don’t have any witch hazel, substitute some apple cider vinegar(ACV) instead. ACV can also effectively fight funky odors and prevent germs from spreading. Be sure to use a BPA free spray bottle, or better yet, a glass one!

Read More

How To Optimize your Nap Time

For many years, the notion of napping during the day or between tasks has been regarded as a sign of laziness or lack of ambition. However, recent scientific studies on sleep patterns suggest that a brief nap can actually be beneficial, potentially enhancing both productivity and overall health.

Read More

Nightmare for a Germaphobe Like Me

What I discovered when we decluttered our shed

Due to my husband’s recent retirement, we now have time to start decluttering. We began with a haul to the dump today, after cleaning out the old metal backyard shed. Read More

Microwave Culture: Do You Suffer From This Addiction To Split Second Meals?

There was a time when dinner took all afternoon

Soup simmered on the stove. Bread baked in the oven. Pot roasts filled the house with aromas that made neighbors mysteriously appear around dinnertime. Nobody expected a complete meal to materialize in 90 seconds. Then along came the microwave. Read More

The 10-Minute Miracle:

Life extensionHow a Daily 10 Minute Walk Could Add 5 to 10 Years to Your Life

What if I told you there was a free health intervention that could reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, dementia, obesity, and premature death? What if it required no prescription, no expensive equipment, and no monthly subscription? And what if it could be accomplished in about the time it takes to decide what to watch on Netflix? Read More

Becoming Less Dependent On Doctors

Taking Charge of Your Health

(This article is NOT about weaning yourself off medications. That is a much more complicated subject and each medication must be researched individually and thoroughly.)

There was a time when the family doctor knew your name, your children, and probably your dog’s name too. You visited when you were sick, received advice, and went home feeling cared for. Today, many patients leave medical appointments with something different: a prescription. Read More

Living in Tornado Alley: A Kansas Survival Guide for Staying Sane

(Featuring weather anxiety, basement negotiations, and at least one emotional support rib-eye)

There are few things more uniquely Kansan than standing outside during a thunderstorm saying, “Huh… the sky looks a little green.”

People who don’t live in tornado country imagine that spring in Kansas is a nonstop panic attack involving sirens, flying cows, and everyone hiding in underground bunkers. In reality, it’s a strange combination of vigilance, weather obsession, denial, and casually grilling hamburgers while the local meteorologist is sweating through his suit jacket on live television. Read More

Read This Before Becoming A Family Caregiver

Taking care of a loved one will change you…

No one tells you that caregiving means becoming responsible for parts of your loved one’s life you never imagined. Read More