When I first started health coaching, I asked a lot of professional moms a lot of questions. My questions were geared to learning how to help them the most. I wanted to know if and how health coaching could help them. I asked questions like:

• What are your current eating habits?
• Are you content with them?
• Have you tried to change them before?
• What has stopped you in the past?
• What are your obstacles now?
• How do you want to feel in your body?

And I got amazing feedback! I’m so grateful for those women who gave me their time and their thoughts. From those conversations, there were two overwhelming ideas. I’m going to share one with you in this post. (Don’t worry. I’ll share the other one in time.)

These accomplished, Xennial and Generation-X moms asked:

What should I eat? I can do it if I know what to do!

And honestly, I struggled with that. I didn’t want to tell them what to eat. That sounded like a d-i-e-t to me. And I don’t support the d- word.  See … I can barely write i...

Now that sunshine and 70 degree days have come to New England, it finally feels like spring. And with spring comes the realization that summer will be here soon!

Summer is my favorite! I love the long days of sunshine with my sweaty, bronzed kiddos. I love trips to the beach and, of course, barbecues!

I hope your summer weekends are full of barbecues! These summer gatherings are about food, yes, but there’s also all about family, friends, and fun!

Memorial Day, the unofficial start of barbecue season, is coming right up. The 4th of July will be here before you know it, and I’m willing to bet your Independence Day celebration will likely involve a barbecue. And, if you’re fortunate, just about every other weekend will also come with its own barbecue opportunity.

What comes to mind when you think of a barbecue? I think of music filling the air. Volleyball and badminton. Lemonade and iced tea. Grills. And food! Glorious food!

You know the barbecue menu - hot dogs, hamburgers, pota...

“We’re not who we say we are. We’re not who we want to be. We are the sum of the influence and impact that we have in our lives on others.” - Carl Sagan

“My job is to somehow make them curious enough, or persuade them, by hook or crook, to get more aware of themselves and where they came from and what they are into and what is already there … just to bring it out. This is what compels me to compel them, and i will do it by whatever means necessary.” - Nina Simone

When Beyoncé was announced as the headliner for Coachella 2017, I had a brief delusion that I would trek to the desert for her show. But I was pregnant. My daughter was actually born in April when Coachella is held.

Turns out Beyoncé was pregnant too - with twins - so she didn’t make it to Coachella 2017 either! So, when she rescheduled for Coachella 2018, I renewed my delusion of going to Indio, California, for a year. I imagined that I would even take my baby to simplify the weekend at home without me for my husband and...

“Most doctors don’t want to be doctors anymore … because it sucks.” - Pedram Shojai

I heard Pedram Shojai, a doctor of Chinese medicine, say this on an episode of “The Model Health Show” podcast. And I’ve got to admit - it kinda hurt.

I’m an ‘80 baby and I decided that I wanted to be a doctor as soon as I realized I couldn’t be Jem (you’re my people if you know who that is!). I think the human body is a fascinating miracle and I think becoming a medical doctor is the best way to learn all about it.

Doctoring is powerful!

And I’m so honored that so many people have chosen me to doctor them. And you know what? I’m pretty proud of myself for becoming a doctor! It took a lot of effort (not only mine but my family’s too) for me to become a physician … a surgeon. So, I continue to give my best effort to my work every day.

But here’s some real talk - sometimes there are really miserable moments. Some days I wish I could telepathically remove myself from an exam room or the operating room...

Visiting my happy place is one of my favorite mindfulness practices. And by “happy place,” I don’t mean that metaphysical place in your mind. I’m talking about an actual physical location that lifts your spirits and helps you reconnect with yourself. In a frenetic world, a happy place is a powerful reminder to be present.

Last week, we visited one of my happy places: Stowe, Vermont. (Yes! I’m so happy to have more than one happy place!) And the visit was right on time! As the trip drew closer, my desire to be in Stowe was greater than my desire to be at my home. (And I really love my home!)

A happy place is not just a vacation destination.

Now, you might be thinking, “this just sounds like going on vacation.” And absolutely! A happy place can be a vacation place, but I doesn’t have to be. And it’s definitely not just a vacation destination. For example, I love visiting Miami! I love its steamy heat and diverse culture, but it's definitely not my happy place. I have a great time the...

I’ve heard my beautiful, feisty, almost-90-year-old grandmother say, many times, “Getting old is better than the alternative.” Have you heard that one? Sure, maturity has its benefits, but it absolutely requires more maintenance. Staying healthy and vibrant through the years necessitates intention and time. With intention and time, you will get older, yes, but you don’t have to *look* or *feel* older. You’ll look and feel your best!

To me, that is anti-aging: to look and feel your best at any age. To understand anti-aging, first consider a few notes on the biology of aging. In general, as you age, your physical body trades in desirable traits for less desirable ones. I’m sorry - it’s true! Your skin shrinks and develops wrinkles. You lose muscle and gain body fat. Bone weakens and hair thins.

To be sure, aging is beautiful. I agree with my grandma; it beats the alternative! I am PRO-aging even though I’m going to offer you some anti-aging tips. Age away! But age gracefully. Here are ...

I am a tried and true Duke Blue Devil. I bleed Duke blue. I think our blue is best. And yes, it is hard to be humble when you’re from Duke.

Are you still reading?

“Thanks. You were with us every step of the way.”

I know … the enthusiasm of a Duke Blue Devil can be obnoxious. But my love for Duke grew even more after I learned that the men’s basketball team has a gratitude practice. During the 2014-2015 season, Coach K asked each player and coach on the team to write the name of at least one person on a team basketball. These names represented people who had helped them arrive at that place and time. Throughout the season, that special basketball traveled everywhere with the team. Every day, carrying it was the responsibility of one teammate. The basketball even came to their dorm rooms. When this team won the 2015 NCAA national championship, they mailed a handwritten note to every person whose name was written on that ball. The note said, “Thanks. You were with us every step of the ...

The sciences are always evolving. This is obvious in technology, right? Raise your hand if you’re still using a flip phone! (And, if you are, good for you!) But medicine is also rapidly changing. In my opinion, this is especially true in nutrition science. Raise your hand if you think eating fat will make you fat! (Skip to the end of this post for the answer.)

The only thing constant is change

Trying to master nutrition science is fascinating. Not only is there a huge volume of information, but our understanding of that information changes constantly. To paraphrase Heraclitus, the only thing constant is change. And that’s exciting! But it’s also confusing and frustrating when it comes to knowing what to eat.

In this post, I’m taking a little trip down memory lane. Don’t worry - it won’t be a long trip. I’m an 80’s baby; so, I’m starting with the 90’s. My hope is that if your current understanding of nutrition science is like a Motorola Razr … you’ll be ready to upgrade to an iPhone ...