When I asked my inner guidance for the name of my podcast, the response I received was Hungry for Answers. “Yes!” I thought, “Hungry for Answers would be an appropriate name for a podcast hosted by someone in recovery from obsessive–compulsive food disorder and bulimia.” Over time, the idea of Hungry for Answers has expanded beyond an informative podcast to a commitment to a life well lived. Bring It On At the beginning of my spiritual journey, “Bring It On!” became my mantra, which led to nearly two decades of intense spiritual learning. It was only after understanding what...

Placing ceramic implants is one of my passions in dentistry, partially because implants are the best choice to replace missing teeth. There are different material options in implants: titanium implants and ceramic implants. Metal Mouth Titanium implants are made of not only titanium, but rather an alloy of metals. Some of the metals in the alloy are beryllium, aluminum, vanadium, iron, nickel, lead, zinc, chromium, copper, palladium, and manganese. No implant is purely titanium, and not every titanium implant has every metal listed above—it varies upon the brand of the implant company. Most holistic patients and other earth- and...

The concept of self-trust is the topic foremost on the minds of those who sit on my couch. Self-trust, in my opinion, is the foundation for starting any therapeutic journey because when we start therapy, we trust ourselves enough to know that we need change. As we explore our developed identity in therapy, we are invited to contemplate what flavor of self-trust we currently experience: is this flavor rooted in authentic expression, or is it rooted in conditioned beliefs and behaviors? Our minds and personalities are shaped by our life experiences and therefore influence our day-to-day interactions and choices....

Imagine you are about to cook something. Assuming you have already prepped your ingredients, what is the first thing you do? You turn on the stove. Fire is a necessary component of cooking. Likewise, from a Chinese medicine perspective, fire is needed in the body in order to properly break down the foods we eat in order to utilize the nutrients they contain. Before we are born, we receive all the nutrients we need to sustain us through the umbilical cord. Once that cord is severed, our digestive system becomes fully responsible for manufacturing all the qi/energy and blood...

Understanding brain health is more important than ever these days. It is estimated that at least 5 million people have dementia in the United States; worldwide, it is close to 50 million people. Most adults know someone suffering from one form or another. The primary type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. It kills more people than breast and prostate cancer combined. Between 2000 and 2018, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased by 146%. One out of every three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s disease or other type of dementia. The...

A diagnosis of prediabetes increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, but it does not necessarily follow that you will be afflicted with the disease. You can begin to reverse your condition with changes in your lifestyle, diet, and mental outlook. Various healing modalities, including dietary supplements and certified pure tested grade essential oils (EOs), can also provide valuable support. What Is Prediabetes? The islets of Langerhans, irregularly shaped patches of endocrine tissue located in the pancreas, secrete the anabolic hormone insulin. Insulin regulates glucose, the sugar from food that the body uses for energy when it enters the...

The glorious fall days are upon us, along with their promises of pumpkin-picking excursions, Thanksgiving, and all the special holidays, including ringing in the New Year! Along with these enjoyable anticipations there is, somewhere in the background, the uneasy awareness that the winter months are almost here. For some, winter is a gift—winter sports, brisk walks, bonfires, and the pristine beauty of snow. For many of us, however, the challenge of keeping our immune system functioning well in the face of the many stresses that comes with winter and the holiday season looms large. Not to worry! With a...

As parents, we always try to do the best for our kids. We believe in breastfeeding; many health-conscious parents go out of their way to find organic, natural, non-GMO food to provide their kids with the best, safest nutrition. And though we put in that extra effort, there are times we are unable to provide the best for our children. We all know that nutrition and an active lifestyle play a significant role in raising healthy children. However, many of us are unaware of a significant issue our kids may face—being able to breath regularly. We can live without...

As I reflected on the topic of spiritual health and pondered how I would bring this message to women, I had to go deep into my own heart. What is spiritual health, and how do I translate the many years of deep exploration and seeking of my own truth and health on all levels, body, mind, soul, and spirit? There has always been a calling, a desire to know who I was from a very young age. Due to a birth trauma I almost died from, it makes sense to want to understand why I chose life. When someone...

As a licensed integrative/addictions psychotherapist and spiritual scientist, I weave ancient wisdoms of psychology with contemporary philosophy to treat emotional trauma and addictive process. I believe the collective body of our world is a physical representation of the world’s internal soul’s experience—COVID-19 was “allowed” to happen because of the diminishment and loss of existential meaning (soul purpose) in the world. Instead, EGO focus (Edging God Out) represented by money, greed, power, global elitism, technology, workaholism, substance use disorders, addiction to the Reader’s Digest view of life, toxic eating, and compulsive self-reliance became the newly glamorized “drugs of choice.” Technocrats...

If your eyes aren’t welling up and your nose isn’t running, you’re simply not getting your money’s worth from winter cooking. This is the season we go from buying individual onions to buying bags of onions. The season we use the big pot, eat with the big spoon, and noisily slurp what’s left in the bottom of the mug. This is the season of soup, and in New England, it is as essential to winter as snow falling from the sky and crack-of-dawn school cancellations. Soups are perfect one-dish meals, quintessential heart-warming bowls of goodness, and so much more....

The clock is ticking! With the end of the year approaching, here are some important financial planning and tax reminders to consider before 2021 is in the rearview mirror. Eight Important Reminders for 2021 1. Your income in 2021. Now is the time to assess what your expected 2021 taxable income will be. One major consideration that makes tax planning crucial this year are the policy proposals on the table that could increase taxes and capital gains, among other tax code changes. Also, similar to what we saw in 2020, many jobs and income levels changed this year due...

We, as a society, are impatient. We want everything NOW, if not sooner. I am guilty of this myself, and as I grow older and as our world speeds up, it has become clearer to me that patience truly is a virtue and a learned behavior. We all need to learn to flex that muscle and keep it fluid in our lives. The Waiting Game Last April, I decided that I very much wanted a new door to my home, and very much needed a new door for my office entrance. I jumped right on it—beautifying my surroundings has...

Do you enjoy feeling heard and understood? My clients and I do, too. Over time, clients have graciously referred to me as their “sounding board,” “thought partner,” and “trusted advisor.” Together we create a safe space that is free of judgment to talk about what is important to them. This healthy environment is conducive to conversation and enables me to understand both what clients like about their finances as well as their financial pain points. With this information, I can advise clients on their financial choices so they can make informed decisions and optimize their financial health. As we...

Fibromyalgia is a pain condition that is fairly common throughout the United States. Although there is no cure, there are various treatment options available. According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), “massage therapy can be a beneficial part of an integrative treatment plan for those who suffer with fibromyalgia syndrome.” What Is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by muscle pain and tenderness throughout the body. More specifically, symptoms consist of chronic pain in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues; fatigue and difficulty sleeping; headaches; and cognitive difficulties. According to the National Institutes of Health, it is...

When you think of breast health, do you think of vitamin D? Well, you should! Research has found that women with low levels of vitamin D are at a higher risk for breast cancer. Here’s what you need to know. The 411 on Vitamin D Vitamin D is not a vitamin—technically, it’s a steroid hormone that affects over 200 genes and is necessary for the health of every cell in the body. Vitamin D has to be “activated” for it to be effective and most tissues in the body have cellular receptor sites where this happens. It affects a...

Who isn’t completely stressed out these days? With the ongoing pandemic, intense political climate, and civil unrest, we are all on edge more than ever. We are also touch deprived, which has a greater impact than most people realize. It can be intensely overwhelming and the impact to our bodies can be dramatic. Fight or Flight Stress creates a “fight or flight” response in the brain, which causes adrenaline to rush through our veins; that moment when we feel, see, taste, and hear even more clearly and sharply. We get that charged moment when our bodies naturally want to...

We can receive messages from the divine wherever we are, at any time. On a recent hike at Hidden Valley Preserve, I practiced wandering with intention, mindfully present to whatever may arise. What has arisen during my mindful wandering has brought me many lessons and many messages that I apply to my own life, and that I use as lessons to share with my clients. Mindful practices allow us to name and bring our awareness to whatever may be happening in the moment. Emotion, feelings, and sensations are all part of our experience. Practicing allowance with compassion teaches us...