Wellness

I am not by any means one of those enthusiastic working out type of people. However, I try my best to stay healthy and I encourage everyone to do the same. I don’t love the gym but I love being active, my favorite type of exercise being dancing. I love food, so I have to make a conscious choice for the better and healthier options out there.

I had the opportunity to learn a lot about health and healthy local options when I was asked to contribute to a lifestyle magazine with a series of wellness and food articles. Take a look at the list below and explore my wellness articles published in Cityview Magazine (2013-2017). Also, check out the Recipes section for some cooking inspiration.

• Why Green Tea Should Be Your Cup of Tea – green tea (Mar/Ap 2013)
• Berry – With a Hint of Chocolate – açaí berries (May/Jun 2013)
• You Say Tomato, Cityview Asks What Kind? – tomatoes (Jul/Aug 2013)
• Go Bananas! Run For It! – bananas (Sep/Oct 2013)
• hOMe For The Holidays – holiday health (Nov/Dec 2013)

• The Anti-Cancer Mob: Cruciferous Vegetables – cabbage, broccoli (Jan/Feb 2014)
• Spring Has Sprung…A Spring Allium! – green onion (Mar/Apr 2014)
• Summer Fresh, Farm Fresh – summer fruit and veggies (May/Jun 2014)
• Small but potent – berries (Jul/Aug 2014)
• Root for the Orange Team – squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes (Sep/Oct 2014)
• Fun, Festive, and in Fine Fettle – winter wellness (Nov/Dec 2014)

• Eat, Drink, Be Merry – and Fight Colds Naturally – herbs, spices, mushrooms (Jan/Feb 2015)
• Don’t Eat Your Greens – Drink Them! – juicing (Mar/Apr 2015)
• Farm-to-table Distance – We Did the Math! – farm-to-table food (May/Jun 2015)
• Olive Oil, Lemons, and Sunshine – The Greek Diet – olive oil, lemons, Mediterranean food (Jul/Aug 2015)
• The ABCs of Fall Food – apples, beans, corn (Sep/Oct 2015)
• The Best for the Holidays – top chefs (Nov/Dec 2015)

• Comfort in a Cup – cocoa and coffee (Jan/Feb 2016)
• Surf and Turf – fish and meat (Mar/Apr 2016)
• The Battle of the Allergies – seasonal allergies (May/Jun 2016)
• The Scoop on Summer Sweets – desserts (Jul/Aug 2016)
• Get Smart! Be Healthy! – physical and mental health (Sep/Oct 2016)
• There’s an App for That! – health apps (Nov/Dec 2016)

• To Your Health! – new year health resolutions (Jan/Feb 2017)
• Integrating Your Healthcare Options – alternative medicine (Mar/Apr 2017)

ARTICLE SAMPLES

Summer Fresh, Farm Fresh – excerpt

Bright and sweet cherries, colorful berries, savory herbs, aromatic lilies, a gentle breeze and you know summer is finally here. With Mother’s Day in May and Father’s Day in June, this is the time to celebrate with family. And what better way to do so than being outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and farm fresh food? Read more.

Note: One funny story that didn’t make it into the article was shared with me by Ben, the bee guy: “A gentleman called about a colony of bees that needed to be removed. What I found was the largest colony of feral bees I have ever seen – probably 180,000 bees or more… I got to work removing the bees, brood, honey and honeycomb. I used a bee-vac to collect the bees into a hive and I put the honeycombs into several buckets. When I was ready to leave, I realized I had forgotten the lids to the buckets. Since I had already worked a long day, I decided to just put them in the car and drive home with my bee-suit still on. Naturally, many of the bees left the buckets and started going to the windows, clogging them up.

A police officer pulled alongside me and as he looked over at me I could see a puzzled look on his face. Then, his eyes got wide as he realized that there were bees swarming in my car. There are very few times in life when you know exactly what another person is thinking – and this was one of those times because I know he was thinking to himself ‘I do NOT get paid enough to deal with that!’ Indeed, he didn’t pull me over and I’ve chuckled about it ever since.”

Olive Oil, Lemons, and Sunshine – The Greek Diet – excerpt

On a typical Wednesday morning, the Voula, Athens farmers market – agora – is alive and hopping. Shiny black olives, brilliant yellow lemons, red tomatoes, green beans, and multi-colored bell peppers are patiently waiting in their baskets for buyers to take them home. The weather is warm and the food is deliciously fresh. But you don’t have to travel to Greece to enjoy the goodness of the Mediterranean diet – you can make it happen in your own back yard! Read more.

You Say Tomato, Cityview Asks: What Type? – excerpt

Smaller than a grape or larger than a grapefruit, these fruits (not vegetables) are yellow, red, purple, or green – and anywhere in between!  Slice them, dice them, eat them fresh — can or pickle them!  Solanum lycopersicum might be their scientific name — but variety is their middle name. Read more.

Note: Originally called You Say Tomato, I ask what type?, this article was published in the summer issue of 2013. I enjoyed interviewing Kristina, who knew so much about tomatoes. Her sharp sense of humor – especially in the aftermath of her cancer diagnosis – was remarkable. I am happy to report that she beat the C and is now raising her beautiful baby girl together with her husband.