The Downside Of Technology

Technology
I Fear the Day That Technology Will Surpass Our Human Interaction” ~Albert Einstein

There’s no question that technology has made our lives easier in many ways. I use my laptop daily for research and writing, and it’s useful to be able to communicate via email and cellphone. However, the progress that we’ve witnessed in the past century—and that has exponentially grown in recent years—has not brought us increased freedom and leisure. In fact, the result is just the opposite.

There are significant and far-reaching consequences of technology that Einstein predicted. Every day, I observe people talking on cell phones or texting instead of interacting with those who are right next to them. Time on the computer—whether working, surfing, or playing games—consumes the majority of waking hours for many people, and in many instances, has replaced outdoor activities, leisure pursuits, and social interaction.

This disconnection from life is a direct result of overdependence on technology. I believe it is important to ask yourself, “Is what I do an expression of who I am?” How are you spending your precious hours of life?

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A Healthful Approach to Weight Loss

For many people, weight loss is a challenge. Sure, it’s easy to drop a few pounds on a crash diet—but as you’ve likely discovered, this type of weight loss rarely lasts. Many people end up in a seemingly endless cycle of dieting/regaining weight/and dieting again. The side effect of this approach is that each time you diet, you lose muscle; and each time you regain weight, the muscle you lost is replaced with fat.

Developing A Healthy Relationship With Food

The first step in having a healthy relationship with food begins with your spirit, which connects with your mind (intelligence), emotions, and physical self. It’s important to consider your cultural heritage when choosing a diet, and to pay attention to choosing foods that are balanced and appealing in taste, smell, color, and texture. It’s essential to also consider the source; in other words, to choose fresh and wholesome foods from the earth, prepared with love and consumed with the intent to deeply nourish.

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A Delicious Way To Support Health

I’m delighted to have my latest book—Adaptogens in Medical Herbalism: Elite Herbs and Natural Compounds for Mastering Stress, Aging, and Chronic Disease— reviewed in Foodies West (http://foodieswest.com), a unique online publication that features interviews with people who are passionate about health and food—chefs, farmers, vintners, brew masters, restaurateurs, and food writers. My enthusiasm for delicious, healthful food—and how it can help to prevent degenerative disease and support healing—is one of the central themes of my new book. I am grateful to Foodies West for helping to spread the word.

Read the review here: http://foodieswest.com/Adaptogens.html

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Eating Healthfully On A Budget

Eating Healthfully on a Budget

Many people think that eating healthfully means spending a fortune at the grocery store. It’s true that fresh, organic foods cost more than their conventionally grown and processed counterparts. But with thoughtful planning, smart shopping, and a bit of creativity in the kitchen, you can enjoy a nourishing, health supportive diet and stay within a reasonable budget.

Eating healthy, delicious meals is one of our core values, and we consistently make the time and effort to ensure that we eat well. There are many ways to reduce your food budget; some of our suggestions may take research and energy to implement, but you’ll find they make a significant difference in your food expenses—and you’ll be eating better than ever.

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Is Milk A Healthful Food?

dairy cows milk

Few dietary topics create as much controversy as the issue of milk. Billboards, commercials, and magazine ads (featuring celebrities with milk moustaches) encourage us to drink more milk via the influential “Got Milk?” campaign, launched by the dairy industry in 1993. Even our government promotes the heavy consumption of milk—the latest federal nutritional guidelines recommend the equivalent of 3 glasses of milk daily, either fat-free or 1% fat.

Unfortunately, the recommendations for dairy are channeled to us through the perspective of the dairy industry, and are based more on marketing schemes than on scientific research. If you didn’t already know, the dairy lobby is a powerful force, and drives the government’s recommendations.

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Thoughts on Healthy Aging

Woman Standing on Rock

This may seem to be a radical stance, but I believe it is mistake to think that illness and disease are an inevitable part of the normal aging process. Although we may think of aging in relation to outward appearance, the way we look reflects only certain aspects of age, some of which are superficial–such as gray hair and laugh lines. How we think and feel inwardly–including our energy and zest for life–and the way our brain, bones, digestion, immune system, and the rest of our body functions is a much more accurate indication of our aging status.

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