Writer and designer Graham Hill asks: Can having less stuff, in less room, lead to more happiness? He makes the case for taking up less space, and lays out three rules for editing your life.

Like countless Americans, I take part in Meatless Monday. (I also eat meatless on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and every other day of the week, but that came after a while.) Though I’m vegan and advocate that others eat a plant-based diet, I know that many people aren’t quite ready to take that step in whole. For those folks, the concept of simply reducing our meat consumption — say, going meat-free every Monday — might be a bit more digestible.

According to the American Meat Institute, about one-fifth of all Americans are now partaking in this weekly holiday from meat. And if they’re anything like me, they get asked “Why?” a lot. Well, for anyone who wants to answer that question on auto-pilot, I highly recommend sharing this new three-minute animated video about Meatless Mondays — share it with your friends, your family, coworkers, neighbors, Twitter followers, your plumber, local crossing guards and anyone else you can think of. The short video, produced by my friends at The Humane Society of the United States, is a fun way to show the people in your lives why you support eating plant-based foods one day (or in my case, seven days) a week.

So who else supports Meatless Monday? Well, it was founded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (as a resource-saving measure during WWI). Today, environmental groups like Environmental Defense Fund and Natural Resources Defense Council, health groups like The National Physicians Alliance and even meat-heavy companies and chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Sodexo and Moe’s Southwest Grill all support the idea of reducing our meat consumption

And this makes sense. As we become more aware of what we’re eating and gravitate toward healthier, sustainable and humane diets, many people are on the lookout for new foods. Plus, a lot of people are starting to simply enjoy food — and preparing it — more. And part of that enjoyment can be found by trying out new, creative ways to prepare meals with things like whole grains, beans, tofu, tempeh, high protein meat alternatives like veggie sausage and non-animal chik’n. And with all the great foods available these days there is no reason why you can’t enjoy all your traditional favorite dishes; you simply opt for better, healthier versions of them.

So if nothing else, think of Meatless Mondays as a culinary adventure. Check out the video. If you like it, pass it around. Then maybe sign up to get a free meatless recipe each week. Reacquaint yourself with the produce aisle. Investigate the vegetarian foods section at your grocery store. Test out new products and veggies you’ve never tried before. It’s your life and your food — love it! Bon appétit!

Too many women see the hormone therapy decision as an either/or, yes/no decision. It is important for you to know that you don’t necessarily have to choose between traditional HT and alternatives. Think of your perimenopausal support as a smorgasbord. You get to choose what appeals to you at the moment and leave what doesn’t.

Every day more and more studies are showing how effective modalities such as dietary change (in particular, a low-sugar diet), food supplements, exercise, and herbs can be in supporting a woman through her menopausal transition. Though some doctors still don’t know about these approaches and may not mention them to you, they often work as well or better than hormone therapy (HT). They can also be used in addition to hormone therapy, to reduce dosage levels, side effects, and potential risk.

As a first step, it is important to define the goals you hope to achieve with hormone therapy. Contrary to the message conveyed by pharmaceutical marketing efforts, HT will not give you a means of moving backward, of denying the aging process and keeping yourself young forever. In fact, to do so would be counterproductive to your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. If you are determined to deny that you have passed middle age, HT cannot put you at peace with that fact.

However, a personally tailored program—with or without supplemental hormones—can help reduce physical symptoms and health worries so that you can focus your energies on finding your creative passions, which in and of themselves can stoke the flames of your life force. Hormone therapy can help mask the heart palpitations and irritability often associated with perimenopause. And it can also promote healthy sleep (especially when natural progesterone is used). But hormones cannot resolve the underlying relationship problems (and ensuing high levels of stress hormones) that may be crying out for your attention.

Becoming an Active Partner in the Decision

For our mothers and grandmothers, the decision to take HT (or not) was very often a passive one, made by their doctors (or husband or best friend), with their own involvement limited to “being good patients.” Or they decided by not deciding and simply let time go by. In those days there were very few HT preparations available, so the choices were only two: yes or no.

Until very recently, the potential benefits were too often clouded by side effects from the wrong type of medications or fear of long-term consequences. As of the late 1990s, less than 20 percent of American women used hormone therapy, and those who did often discontinued it within six months. [Hammond, C. B. (1994). Women’s concerns with hormone replacement therapy—compliance issues. Fertil Steril, 62(suppl. 2), 157S–160S.]

Today, many women (and their doctors) are more confused than ever about hormone therapy. Part of this confusion arose because early reports on the Women’s Health Initiative study seemed to indict all hormone therapy. In fact, the women in the original 2002 WHI study were on the same dose of only one type of HT—namely, Prempro. And the 2006 analysis of the WHI data showing a decreased risk of heart disease in women who started taking it early is a silver lining in a dark cloud. But there are still a lot of unanswered questions, plus the irrefutable increased risk of breast cancer with Prempro. One thing is clear: We need far more research on the role of hormones, particularly bioidentical hormones in low dosages.

At the same time, we also need to remember that medicine will always be an art, not an exact science. In the early 1990s, science seemed to indicate that the majority of postmenopausal women would benefit from hormone therapy. Some were even dismissed from their doctor’s office if they questioned that belief. Then the pendulum swung all the way in the opposite direction. Now it’s coming back to center. In addition to the question “Do I want or need hormone therapy, at least for right now?” we also have to ask: “What kind? What strength? What route of administration? In what combination? For what reason? For how long? At what risk?”

The number of options can be intimidating at first, but in the end you’ll feel much better about your HT decision if you’re armed with facts, know your options, and are willing to listen to your inner guidance as well as to your doctor’s advice. And although I discourage using HT as a means of numbing oneself to what is happening in body and mind during perimenopause, there is nothing to be gained from suffering. Given the range of formulations and dosages now available—as well as the many alternatives to HT—you can create an individual treatment program that supports you through the change, rather than helping you deny that it is happening.

Adapted with permission from The Wisdom of Menopause (Random House, 2012). You can purchase The Wisdom of Menopause on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble or at a bookstore near you. Click here to read an excerpt.

To learn more about Dr. Northrup and her work, go to www.drnorthrup.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter, and by listening to her weekly Hay House Internet radio show Flourish!

This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. All material in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.

You are so busted! You know what you did. Or didn’t do. Where you’ve fallen short.

Think about it. I’ll wait . . .

I hope you’ve had time to reflect and figure it out.

This was the single line my youngest daughter said to me: “You are so busted.” Though she was imitating something from a TV show, it struck me and really got me thinking. I scanned. Was it something I ate, drank or smoked? No. Was it something I promised her and went back on? No. How is my marriage? Pretty damn great. Is my money in good shape? Yup. Doing well with my family members? Check.

I kept thinking and of course came up with a good one, since you know how addicted to personal growth I am. But I also got very curious what other people would come up with if they got stuck with that same charge: “you are so busted.”

Scan the same areas I did and then dig even deeper. Long pause.

Here is what I came up with: I have a dream to be a world changer, a leader, someone who helps bring new levels of peace and happiness to humanity. And, as inspiring as this dream is, most moments of the day I “cheat” on it by being somewhere else in my consciousness. Some of my favorite states of consciousness include “control freak,” “mistrustful” and “better than.” Neville, my favorite author on manifesting, explains that we can only be “being” in one state at a time. So here is my plan–so far–for inhabiting my desired state of consciousness, called “spiritual leader,” more often than one of those others:

1) Track my thoughts throughout the day and keep a log of thoughts that go against my dream. Don’t get upset by these, but be excited to catch them. This never gets old and is never a waste of time.

2) Spend as much time as possible, using any idle time, to imagine myself as a spiritual leader and taste, touch, hear, speak the words I would if it were so.

3) Catch negative “thought trains” and choose not to get on them. Even if they feel comfortable or familiar, like worrying about an upcoming event or rehashing a “bad result,” just don’t go there, change my mind. Instead, go back to #2.

4) Do things I wouldn’t normally do in honor of my dream. For example, I am going to record a product to sell with myself as the star!

How about you?

You can see the point here is first, ‘fess up to where you are betraying your own dreams, standards, or even simply avoiding doing the right thing. Then, change your mind, your feelings and your actions. I am not trying to make it seem simple (though the directions are) but I am urging you to START NOW.

Please make getting busted the best thing that ever happened to you! Start now by posting your confession in the comment section below. I admitted mine, now I want to hear yours.

Love,

Laurie

P.S. Need help getting busted? The Handel Group™ Life Coaching Crash Course is an immersive workshop that leverages the main components of The Handel Method® to quickly set your life on a new and exciting trajectory. This is the most intense of our offerings, and also the most bang for your buck! Workshops are held year round in New York, Boston, California and D.C. Check for future dates and register with promo code: lipman to save $100.

A video excerpt from “A Philosophers Notes” discussing the importance of paying attention to the fundamentals if you wish to achieve your goals.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Reprinted with permission from Experience Life Magazine.

We assume they are safe. But in fact, many popular household cleaners are dangerously toxic. Learn about the eight scariest substances hiding under your kitchen sink, and how to replace them with safer, more natural options that really work.

By Jessie Sholl

When a pain in Beth Greer’s shoulder led her to a chiropractor nine years ago, she wasn’t that worried. After all, she led a healthy lifestyle: She watched her weight, meditated regularly, and ate mostly organic food. Greer’s chiropractor wasn’t worried either; he diagnosed her with a herniated disk. But after three sessions, not only was she not better, the pain was beginning to radiate down her arm and into her fingers.

An MRI revealed the true cause of Greer’s pain: a tennis-ball-size tumor in her chest. The good news was the mass was benign. Still, each of the three thoracic surgeons Greer saw strongly recommended she have it removed. One wanted to get at it by going in under her collarbone, one wanted to reach the mass through her armpit, and the third wanted to remove a rib to get the tumor from the back.

They all agreed on just one thing: The surgery was risky. Because the tumor was in such a nerve-packed place, there was a real possibility that removing it could cause Greer to lose feeling in her hand.

Greer opted out of the surgery, and instead focused on doing everything she could to support her body’s healing capacity. Curious by nature (she and her husband, Steven Seligman, owned the Learning Annex, a group of schools offering short-term classes on everything from relationships to real-estate), Greer decided to learn everything she could about her condition and discovered that tumors typically grow in response to irritation and inflammation. Eliminating environmental toxins that might be contributing to her tumor’s growth seemed like a practical first step.

First, she turned her attention to the conventional household cleaning products tucked away in her cabinets. “I’d look at a label and it would say ‘hazardous to humans and domestic animals,’” says Greer. “So why would anyone want to use that?”

She ultimately tossed her entire collection of toxic cleaning products and began making her own with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and essential oil. She also swapped her commercial body-care products and makeup for nontoxic ones, and she cleaned up her already healthy diet by eating only whole, unprocessed foods — without any labels.

Nine months later, her tumor was gone. Completely. Although she can’t pin her results on any one environmental change, Greer’s confident that cutting down her exposure to toxins played a critical role — so much so that she’s made sharing that information with others a central part of her life.

Today, Greer consults professionally with others who want to detoxify their homes and offices. In 2002 she and Seligman sold the Learning Annex and she began writing about toxin-free living. The result is her book, Super Natural Home (Rodale Books, 2009).

During her research for the book, Greer was shocked to learn that there’s no federal regulation of chemicals in household products. Rebecca Sutton, PhD, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), explains, “In terms of household cleaners, neither ingredients nor products must meet any sort of safety standard, nor is any testing data or notification required before bringing a product to market.”

The average household contains about 62 toxic chemicals, say environmental experts. We’re exposed to them routinely — from the phthalates in synthetic fragrances to the noxious fumes in oven cleaners. Ingredients in common household products have been linked to asthma, cancer, reproductive disorders, hormone disruption and neurotoxicity.

Manufacturers argue that in small amounts these toxic ingredients aren’t likely to be a problem, but when we’re exposed to them routinely, and in combinations that haven’t been studied, it’s impossible to accurately gauge the risks. While a few products cause immediate reactions from acute exposure (headaches from fumes, skin burns from accidental contact), different problems arise with repeated contact. Chronic exposure adds to the body’s “toxic burden” — the number of chemicals stored in its tissues at a given time.

This toxic body burden is EWG’s chief concern about household chemicals. Sutton explains: “Our concern is daily, weekly, chronic exposure over a lifetime. Maybe if you’re exposed to a chemical a handful of times it wouldn’t cause harm, but some chemicals build up enough or cause enough harm in your body over time that it triggers some kind of disease outcome. The concept [of body burden] is that pollution is not just in our air and in our water — it’s also in us.”

No one can avoid exposure to toxic chemicals altogether, but it is possible to reduce it significantly. In the following pages, Greer, Sutton and other experts weigh in on the worst toxic offenders commonly found in household cleaning products, and offer ways to swap them for healthier, safer options.

1. Phthalates

Found in: Many fragranced household products, such as air fresheners, dish soap, even toilet paper. Because of proprietary laws, companies don’t have to disclose what’s in their scents, so you won’t find phthalates on a label. If you see the word “fragrance” on a label, there’s a good chance phthalates are present.

Health Risks: Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors. Men with higher phthalate compounds in their blood had correspondingly reduced sperm counts, according to a 2003 study conducted by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Harvard School of Public Health. Although exposure to phthalates mainly occurs through inhalation, it can also happen through skin contact with scented soaps, which is a significant problem, warns Alicia Stanton, MD, coauthor of Hormone Harmony (Healthy Life Library, 2009). Unlike the digestive system, the skin has no safeguards against toxins. Absorbed chemicals go straight to organs.

Healthier Choice: When possible choose fragrance-free or all-natural organic products. Greer recommends bypassing aerosol or plug-in air fresheners and instead using essential oils or simply opening windows to freshen the air. Besides causing more serious effects like endocrine disruption, “Aerosol sprays and air fresheners can be migraine and asthma triggers,” she says. Also consider adding more plants to your home: They’re natural air detoxifiers.

2. Perchloroethylene or “PERC”

Found in: Dry-cleaning solutions, spot removers, and carpet and upholstery cleaners.

Health Risks: Perc is a neurotoxin, according to the chief scientist of environmental protection for the New York Attorney General’s office. And the EPA classifies perc as a “possible carcinogen” as well. People who live in residential buildings where dry cleaners are located have reported dizziness, loss of coordination and other symptoms. While the EPA has ordered a phase-out of perc machines in residential buildings by 2020, California is going even further and plans to eliminate all use of perc by 2023 because of its suspected health risks. The route of exposure is most often inhalation: that telltale smell on clothes when they return from the dry cleaner, or the fumes that linger after cleaning carpets.

Healthier Choice: Curtains, drapes and clothes that are labeled “dry clean only” can be taken instead to a “wet cleaner,” which uses water-based technology rather than chemical solvents. The EPA recently recognized liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) as an environmentally preferable alternative to more toxic dry-cleaning solvents. Ask your dry cleaner which method they use. For a safer spot remover, look for a nontoxic brand like Ecover at a natural market, or rub undiluted castile soap directly on stains before washing.

3. Triclosan

Found in: Most liquid dishwashing detergents and hand soaps labeled “antibacterial.”

Health Risks: Triclosan is an aggressive antibacterial agent that can promote the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. Explains Sutton: “The American Medical Association has found no evidence that these antimicrobials make us healthier or safer, and they’re particularly concerned because they don’t want us overusing antibacterial chemicals — that’s how microbes develop resistance, and not just to these [household antibacterials], but also to real antibiotics that we need.” Other studies have now found dangerous concentrations of triclosan in rivers and streams, where it is toxic to algae. The EPA is currently investigating whether triclosan may also disrupt endocrine (hormonal) function. It is a probable carcinogen. At press time, the agency was reviewing the safety of triclosan in consumer products.

Healthier Choice: Use simple detergents and soaps with short ingredient lists, and avoid antibacterial products with triclosan for home use. If you’re hooked on hand sanitizer, choose one that is alcohol-based and without triclosan.

4. Quarternary Ammonium Compounds, or “QUATS”

Found in: Fabric softener liquids and sheets, most household cleaners labeled “antibacterial.”

Health Risks: Quats are another type of antimicrobial, and thus pose the same problem as triclosan by helping breed antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They’re also a skin irritant; one 10-year study of contact dermatitis found quats to be one of the leading causes. According to Sutton, they’re also suspected as a culprit for respiratory disorders: “There’s evidence that even healthy people who are [exposed to quats] on a regular basis develop asthma as a result.”

Healthier Choice: You don’t really need fabric softener or dryer sheets to soften clothes or get rid of static: Simple vinegar works just as well. “Vinegar is the natural fabric softener of choice for many reasons,” explains Karyn Siegel-Maier in her book The Naturally Clean Home (Storey Publishing, 2008). “Not only is it nontoxic, it also removes soap residue in the rinse cycle and helps to prevent static cling in the dryer.” White vinegar is your best choice for general cleaning; other types can stain.

Alternatives to chemical disinfectants abound, including antibacterial, antifungal tea-tree oil. Mix a few drops of tea-tree oil and a tablespoon of vinegar with water in a spray bottle for a safe, germ killing, all-purpose cleaner. Add a couple of drops of lavender essential oil for scent.

5. 2-Butoxyethanol

Found in: Window, kitchen and multipurpose cleaners.

Health Risks: 2-butoxyethanol is the key ingredient in many window cleaners and gives them their characteristic sweet smell. It belongs in the category of “glycol ethers,” a set of powerful solvents that don’t mess around. Law does not require 2-butoxyethanol to be listed on a product’s label. According to the EPA’s Web site, in addition to causing sore throats when inhaled, at high levels glycol ethers can also contribute to narcosis, pulmonary edema, and severe liver and kidney damage. Although the EPA sets a standard on 2-butoxyethanol for workplace safety, Sutton warns, “If you’re cleaning at home in a confined area, like an unventilated bathroom, you can actually end up getting 2-butoxyethanol in the air at levels that are higher than workplace safety standards.”

Healthier Choice: Clean mirrors and windows with newspaper and diluted vinegar. For other kitchen tasks, stick to simple cleaning compounds like Bon Ami powder; it’s made from natural ingredients like ground feldspar and baking soda without the added bleach or fragrances found in most commercial cleansers. You can also make your own formulas with baking soda, vinegar and essential oils. See the “DIY Cleaners” sidebar for a list of clean concoctions.

6. Ammonia

Found in: Polishing agents for bathroom fixtures, sinks and jewelry; also in glass cleaner.

Health Risks: Because ammonia evaporates and doesn’t leave streaks, it’s another common ingredient in commercial window cleaners. That sparkle has a price. “Ammonia is a powerful irritant,” says Donna Kasuska, chemical engineer and president of ChemConscious, Inc., a risk-management consulting company. “It’s going to affect you right away. The people who will be really affected are those who have asthma, and elderly people with lung issues and breathing problems. It’s almost always inhaled. People who get a lot of ammonia exposure, like housekeepers, will often develop chronic bronchitis and asthma.” Ammonia can also create a poisonous gas if it’s mixed with bleach.

Healthier Choice: Vodka. “It will produce a reflective shine on any metal or mirrored surface,” explains Lori Dennis, author of Green Interior Design (Allsworth Press, 2010). And toothpaste makes an outstanding silver polish.

7. Chlorine

Found in: Scouring powders, toilet bowl cleaners, mildew removers, laundry whiteners, household tap water.

Health Risks: “With chlorine we have so many avenues of exposure,” says Kasuska. “You’re getting exposed through fumes and possibly through skin when you clean with it, but because it’s also in city water to get rid of bacteria, you’re also getting exposed when you take a shower or bath. The health risks from chlorine can be acute, and they can be chronic; it’s a respiratory irritant at an acute level. But the chronic effects are what people don’t realize: It may be a serious thyroid disrupter.”

Healthier Choice: For scrubbing, stick to Bon Ami or baking soda. Toilet bowls can be cleaned with vinegar, and vinegar or borax powder both work well for whitening clothes. So does the chlorine-free oxygen bleach powder made by Biokleen. To reduce your exposure to chlorine through tap water, install filters on your kitchen sink and in the shower.

8. Sodium Hydroxide

Found in: Oven cleaners and drain openers.

Health Risks: Otherwise known as lye, sodium hydroxide is extremely corrosive: If it touches your skin or gets in your eyes, it can cause severe burns. Routes of exposure are skin contact and inhalation. Inhaling sodium hydroxide can cause a sore throat that lasts for days.

Healthier Choice: You can clean the grimiest oven with baking-soda paste — it just takes a little more time and elbow grease (see recipes in “DIY Cleaners” sidebar). Unclog drains with a mechanical “snake” tool, or try this approach from the Green Living Ideas Web site: Pour a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar down the drain and plug it for 30 minutes. After the bubbles die down, run hot water down the drain to clear the debris.

Jessie Sholl has written about health for a variety of publications. She is also the author of Dirty Secret: A Daughter Comes Clean About Her Mother’s Compulsive Hoarding (Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books, 2010).

SIDEBAR

Beware of Greenwashing

If a cleaning product at your supermarket proclaims itself “green,” “natural” or “biodegradable,” that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s nontoxic. In 2010 the environmental consulting firm TerraChoice Group produced a report called “The Sins of Greenwashing.” In it the group found more than 95 percent of so-called green consumer products had committed at least one “greenwashing sin,” like making an environmental claim that may be truthful but unimportant. “CFC-free,” for example, is a common one, since CFCs are banned by law. Donna Kasuska of ChemConscious offers this advice: “When gauging ecological claims, look for specifics. ‘Biodegradable in three to five days’ holds more meaning than ‘biodegradable,’ as most substances will eventually break down with enough time.”

SIDEBAR

DIY Cleaners

Clean your home safely — and cheaply — with the following recipes:

• Basic sink cleanser — Combine ½ cup baking soda with six drops essential oil (such as lavender, rosemary, lemon, lime or orange). Rinse sink well with hot water. Sprinkle combination into sink and pour ¼ cup vinegar over top. After the fizz settles, scrub with a damp sponge or cloth. Rinse again with hot water. (From The Naturally Clean Home, by Karyn Siegel-Maier.)

• Oven cleanser — Put a heatproof dish filled with water in the oven. Turn on the heat to let the steam soften any baked-on grease. Once the oven is cool, apply a paste of equal parts salt, baking soda, and vinegar, and scrub. (From Super Natural Home, by Beth Greer.)

• Bathroom mildew remover — Good ventilation helps prevent mildew and mold. When they do occur, make a spray with 2 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon each of tea-tree and lavender oil. Shake first and spray on trouble spots. The oils break down the mildew so there’s no need to wipe it down. (From Green Interior Design, by Lori Dennis.)

• Carpet shampoo — Mix 3 cups water, ¾ cup vegetable-based liquid soap, and 10 drops peppermint essential oil. Rub the foam into soiled areas with a damp sponge. Let dry thoroughly and then vacuum. (FromThe Naturally Clean Home.)

• Laundry soap — Try “soap nuts” made from the dried fruit of the Chinese soapberry tree. Available in natural groceries and online, the reusable soap nuts come in a cotton sack that goes into the washing machine with clothes.

• Dusting — Skip the furniture polishes. Instead, use a microfiber cloth. Made from synthetic fibers that are then split into hundreds of smaller microfibers, they capture dust more efficiently than regular rags. If necessary, a little olive oil makes a fine polishing agent.

Reprinted with permission from Experience Life Magazine.

Experience Life magazine is an award-winning health and fitness publication that aims to empower people to live their best, most authentic lives, and challenges the conventions of hype, gimmicks and superficiality in favor of a discerning, whole-person perspective. Visit www.experiencelife.com to learn more, to sign up for Experience Life newsletters, or to subscribe to the print or digital version.

Genetically modified foods — there’s little doubt in my mind that they’re poisonous to the earth and dangerous to our bodies — and I’m certainly not alone in this belief. As people across the country have grown increasingly concerned about the dangers of genetically modified foods, a coalition of more than 450 environmental, agricultural, consumer and parenting groups has formed to petition the FDA for the right to know which foods are genetically modified and which are not.

The campaign, known as “JUST LABEL IT: We Have the Right to Know,” is dedicated to the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods, also referred to as genetically modified, or GMOs. The JUST LABEL IT message is simple: consumers have a right to know what’s in their food so they can make informed choices about what they eat and feed their families. Such labeling will give American consumers the power to choose foods wisely, just as consumers in Europe, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Russia and China already do.

As as a health evangelist, I encourage everyone to visit the Just Label It website (www.justlabelit.org/takeaction) to submit your comment to the FDA in support of the petition. It takes less than a minute to submit and in turn, empower millions of Americans to make healthier food choices — truly a cause worth fighting for!

To read more on how to minimize genetically modified foods in your diet, click here (http://www.drfranklipman.com/what-practical-tips-do-you-suggest-to-avoid-gm-food)

What’s your relationship to your breath? Do you have one?

There are days that go by when I take about two full breaths. Sound familiar? I have a magnet on my vision board that reminds me to BREATHE and a huge Inhale, Exhale card obviously doing the same. But it’s still not enough. I mean, how many reminders do we need?

We’re basically lazy when it comes to breathing, don’t you think? We are so used to the breath always being with us, that we unequivocally take it for granted. Additionally, we’re often so checked out of our bodies that we actually believe we breathe with our brains.

More than 7 years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, this was made abundantly clear. I had a random and terrifying panic attack. I literally couldn’t find my breath—it was so shallow and constricted—and my mind went crazy searching for it. Only when I dropped out of my head, and re-inhabited my body, did breathing kick in and my lungs soften to receive it.

Seriously, we shouldn’t have to wait around for something acute like this to happen to get us to pay attention to our breathing. If you’re not convinced, here are five of my favorite reasons, and things we can do, to be more conscious of the breath:

1. CLEANSE—Inhale the fresh and the vibrant. Exhale the toxic and the un-necessary.

2. CONDUCT—Send healing breath into sore parts of your body, and help to alleviate physical pain.

3. CALM—Take slow attentive breaths to quiet you down when you are aggravated and on edge.

4. CENTER—With each inhale and exhale, draw inwards and awaken deeper awareness of you.

5. CONNECT—Synchronize body and mind, and link with spirit.

In meditation, we are often encouraged to count our breath. Maybe this sounds incredibly dull to you, like counting sheep to put you to sleep. Yet in my son’s bedtime book, Russell the Sheep, Russell is a sheep who tries desperately hard to fall asleep but he just can’t settle down. He tries counting everything, until he finally decides to count sheep or essentially count on himself. Guess what? It works. Finally, relaxed enough, he dozes off.

Breathing is like this too. When we count our breath, we count on our breath. We discover it is the ticket back to ourselves. The breath both coaches and coaxes us into self-reliance, not only for relaxation into sleeping states, but also for profound letting go in superlatively chaotic and awake states. What a tool!

The beauty of breath is that it is, for most of us, always available. It is after all what makes living in these blessed and temperamental bodies possible, right? So please, if nothing else, honor your breathing. Believe in it. Really value it. Consciously BREATHE.

In sweetness,

Maggie

An informative animated video of a typical interaction with a Dr after a patient gets his cholesterol results with the Dr’s automatic response being to push a Statin…EXCELLENT!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

As you improve your eating habits, you may find that the biggest challenge is how to stay on track when you’re eating in restaurants. Here are a few tips so that you can enjoy the experience of eating out even if you’re on a gluten-free diet or doing a cleanse:

1.  Recommend places to eat where you know they have healthy options and you’ll enjoy the food. For New Yorkers, there’s a great book called Clean Plates NYC that highlights healthy restaurants around the city.

2.  Check the menu of the restaurant you’re going to in advance, and decide what you’re going to order before you arrive.

3.  Feel free to call a restaurant in advance to make a special request.

4.  If you’re ordering a salad, ask the server how big it is.  If it’s big enough, you can have it as your meal.  If not, you can ask for a double order of a salad, so you get a meal-sized portion.

5.  There may be side dishes on the menu that are perfect!  You could order 2-3 side dishes instead of an entree.

6. If you’re not having alcohol, try ordering a sparkling water a splash of cranberry juice and lots of fresh lime or lemon. A light drink option is a wine spritzer, with half white wine and half seltzer.

7.  At the end of the day, no one else is going to remember or care what you ate for dinner, so do what works best for you.

8.  Remember, not all of your socializing has to revolve around food – invite your friends to see live music, go to yoga, go for a walk or get tea.

9.  Plan ahead and be positive!

I worked with one patient who started bringing his own gluten-free crackers out to dinner so that he would have something to eat while everyone else was digging into the bread bowl. Another woman would bring a square of high-quality dark chocolate to enjoy while others were having dessert. This may sound a bit extreme, but I loved that they were both being creative and making small adjustments so that they didn’t have to feel deprived and could enjoy dining out with friends.

If you have any other tips for eating in restaurants, please share them with the rest of us!