Posts Categorized: Seasonal Health Tips

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Traveling With Dietary Dignity: A Guest Post By Nancy Campbell

Nancy Campbell is a Culinary Nutritionist and founder of Radiant Health. Since the holidays are coming up, I asked her to give us her best tips for healthy eating while traveling. Thanks, Nancy!


It’s that time again!  The holiday travel debacles are upon us – diet be damned.  If you are anything like me, you don’t/won’t /can’t eat just anything.  It’s not even about food snobbery . . . It’s because your body can’t tolerate processed food.  Your food allergies and sensitivities are real.  And, let’s be honest, because you’ve made so much headway in your dietary shifts this year you aren’t about to sacrifice progress with a Burger King splurge.

Needless to say, any barrier to food choice is a huge hurdle when you are traveling. In my practice as a culinary nutritionist, I support my clients to get real about their limitations, get creative about their options, and get savvy about navigating food restrictions on the go.  I have outlined my 5 simple and smart tips for making it through this year’s holiday travel schedule by all modes of travel.  Read more

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Dry Winter Skin Remedies: A Holistic Approach

Why is my skin so angry in the winter?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dry skin is caused either by exposure to excessive dryness and heat (as in the dry heat produced by HVAC systems or radiators) or a deficiency of blood and fluids within the body. These causes can be seen as mutually interdependent- one can make the other worse. Other symptoms of blood and fluid deficiency include brittle hair and nails, constipation, constant thirst, or even very light or non-existent periods. If you have dry skin year-round or every winter you experience severe symptoms, fluid and blood deficiency are most likely at work, and dietary changes plus both internal and external Chinese herbs can help.

Scientists describe something called the “Dry Skin Cycle”- and it goes like this: Read more

Tips for Insomnia

SquirellGetting a great night’s sleep is important for so many reasons- immunity, metabolism, energy, the list goes on and on.  Most people don’t realize that getting a great night’s sleep is affected by how you woke up that morning, what you did during the day, and how you spent the hour before bed. Read on for the details…

When You Wake Up:

  • Immediately decrease stress by using a regular alarm clock instead of your cell phone.  Waking up to your cell phone triggers you to immediately check emails, news, weather and before you know it- you’re stressed and rushing out the door without breakfast, again. Give yourself time to peacefully and gradually wake up, and save the mobile device madness for later.

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The NY Chi Summer Survival Guide: How to Thrive!

WatermelonFood-

By now you all know that Chinese Medicine recommends avoiding raw foods due to their tendency to over-cool our digestive system. However summertime is one exception. To counter the hot weather outside, I advise eating about 40% raw foods this time of year (as opposed to 5-10% in the winter). The best way to do this is by eating dishes such as Salad Nicoise, which combines cooked ingredients (potato, green beans, tuna and hard-boiled eggs) along with raw (tomatoes and lettuce). I also recommend avoiding eating too close to bedtime. After eating, your metabolism temporarily increases, raising your body temperature just a bit. Cool temperatures are best for restful sleep. Read more

How To Stay Grounded During a Stormy Fall

Feet on rocksHere’s how to get grounded, slow down, and regain your footing. In both Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine, rapid change and feelings of unsteadiness are attributed to the wind element (vata in Ayurveda). The opposing element is earth- grounded, stable, and certain. Read on for my top 5 tips to feel more grounded during times of change. Read more