As the year comes to a close, it's a good time to pull out your journal and write down your thoughts. This is especially helpful to make sense of your experiences in the past year and the concerns you may have for the coming year. If you don't know where to begin, here are some journaling exercises from Psychology Today to help you get started. 

Explore Your Strengths and Weaknesses

1. Make a list of three qualities you have that you consider weaknesses, then explore how these so-called weaknesses might be recast as strengths. For instance, if you believe micromanagement is a weakness of yours, it could also mean that you’re organized and responsible. Once you determine the strength on the flip side of that quality, write about a time when you used that quality in a positive way. If you can’t think of a recent example, write something aspirational (how you might use this quality positively in the future).

Dive Into Your Emotional State

2. Write about a moment when you felt a ...

The holiday season is dubbed as the “most wonderful time of the year.” However, this isn’t true for many, especially for those who are struggling with loss. There are other reasons for the holiday blues: stress, fatigue, unrealistic expectations, financial struggles, and over-commercialization. In fact, therapists agree that depression and anxiety tend to heighten during the holiday season and thus the phrase “holiday depression" was coined. 

According to an article in Psychology Today, the demands and stress of the holidays and the expectations to be happy can make an individual feel even more depressed, especially if he/she is already struggling with a mood disorder. The holidays can also be a trigger for individuals who struggle with seasonal depression, a class of depression that is recognized by mental health experts and physicians. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a seasonal depression that peaks in the winter months due to shorter days and decreased sunlight. Decreased leve...

Eating well is not about perfection. We are human, so perfection is impossible. A better approach involves honoring your body and knowing what works best for you and just as importantly, what doesn’t work.

If I go to a party and eat tortilla chips or sugar-laden treats, I’ll definitely feel the after effects. I’ll feel sick, tired and bloated. Obviously, that’s not how I want to spend my time or how I want to feel.

Just like anything in life, preparation is key to staying lean and healthy during the holidays. I’ve found these 10 strategies help my patients stay on track in even the toughest social situations.

Remember your goals. 

Think about the way you want to feel before you hit those holiday parties and dinners. If you want to feel great, you’re less likely to indulge in foods and activities that make you feel less than great. Set an intention for how you would like to feel after each meal and hold yourself accountable by sharing with a close friend or family member. Or write i...

The holiday season often requires us to keep track of and pay attention to a greater number of responsibilities than usual which causes our brain and bodies to go into overdrive. Tis the season to be stressed indeed. But there are ways to be merry and to shine brightly just the same. Here are some tips from Dr. Daniel Amen that will help soothe the holiday jitters.

1. Think boundaries, not walls.

Effective boundary setting is a bid for connection and closeness, not a method of shutting people out. If you’re tempted to say yes to every request, you might build resentment or spread yourself too thin and cancel your commitment at the last minute. By being selective about what you feel you can handle, you are honoring your own time and needs as well as the person you’re setting a boundary with. Clear communication about your wants and needs sets the tone of mutual respect with yourself and others.

2. Meditate.

A 2017 study showed a significant improvement in mood after practicing mindf...

Ingredients

Soup

• 2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 small cauliflower, cut to florets
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into 8 segments
• 1 bulb garlic, top sliced off to show cloves
• 5 sage leaves
• ¼ cup avocado oil
• 1 cup filtered water or chicken bone broth

Feta Crisps

• 7 ounces sheep or goat feta, crumbled
• ¼ cup pepita seeds
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Garnish

• Chives, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Place squash, cauliflower, fennel, garlic, and sage in an oven-safe baking dish that has a lid. Drizzle veggies with avocado oil and transfer into the oven to bake for 1 hour, without lid, shaking the pan and covering with the lid halfway through.

3. Meanwhile, make the feta crisps by placing parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place feta on the sheet, then top with pepita seeds, fennel seeds, and chili flakes.

4. Transfer the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until edges are...

Strength training has a lot of benefits. Yet there are myths that surround resistance training. JJ Virgin, a health and fitness expert, recently shared some of these myths and the truth behind them.

Myth 1: You Can’t Gain Muscle After a Certain Age
Reality: Older adults can build strength and muscle through resistance training, regardless of age or experience.

One study on older women (ages 64-76) found that traditional and pyramidal training methods effectively increased muscle growth and strength. (Pyramidal training starts with lighter weights and progressively increases the load with each set.)

Key benefits for older women include improvements in muscle mass, balance, and bone density, reduced fall risk, and a better quality of life.

Myth 2: You Need to Spend Hours at the Gym to See Results
Reality: Just two to four 20-30 minute sessions per week can significantly improve muscle strength, endurance, and overall fitness.

This time-efficient approach fits easily into busy schedu...

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces broccoli florets
• 2 precooked, Italian-seasoned, organic, nitrate-free chicken or turkey sausage links
• 1 small leek
• 1 tablespoon clarified unsalted butter or ghee
• 8 large omega-3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or parsley leaves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Fill a 4- to 5-quart pot three-quarters full with water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook 2 minutes. Drain immediately and chop into small pieces. For faster prep time, this can be done ahead.
2. Quarter the sausage links lengthwise and then chop crosswise into small pieces. Cut off the dark green tops and the root end off of the leek and use the white and light green parts. Split the leek lengthwise and thoroughly rinse under cold water to dislodge any sand or dirt. Chop the leek crosswise into thin slices.
3. Melt the clarified butter in a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet ov
...

Do you know that when you cook at home, you tend to eat healthier? A study from the University of Washington School of Public Health revealed that people who cook at home tend to have healthier overall diets without higher food expenses. Another study found that frequent home cooks spent about $60 per month less on food than those who ate out more often.

In an article on his website, Dr. Mark Hyman wrote why cooking at home is one of your most valuable and accessible tools to long-lasting health and disease prevention. He shared that it’s been found that the more people prepare their own meals at home, the healthier their diet is and the less likely they are to have obesity and type 2 diabetes. That’s because people eating at home generally consume more vegetables and are eating less fast food than those who normally eat out; they also end up consuming less sugar.

And though cooking doesn’t come naturally to everyone, there are many skills and kitchen hacks that can help you find you...

Have you been feeling moody, depressed or anxious lately? Has your focus been off? Perhaps it’s time to take a look at your diet. Dr. Daniel Amen shares with us six toxic foods that can cause our mental health to take a turn and what you can do to feel better.

1. Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates
Often when we feel bad, we crave sugary sweetness. We love the comfort sweet foods provide, but they don’t love us back. Sugar (and even natural honey and maple syrup), as well as refined carbohydrates (white bread, pastries, pasta, and crackers), cause blood sugar levels to spike and then drop, impacting your mood and sense of wellbeing. Diets high in sugar increase inflammation, cause fatigue and cravings, and lead to erratic brain cell firing that has been implicated in aggression, a 2021 study indicates. Another recent study showed increased markers of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (lower overall brain and hippocampal volume, poorer episodic memory, and cognitive decline) associated with...