“The more we have, the more we want –  and so continues the vicious cycle.”

We can all agree that sugar is bad for us. No doctor will recommend an increase in daily Snickers bars and Pepsi. And none of us are surprised they wouldn’t.

But why is sugar bad for you? Do you know the physiologic reason?

And what’s with the sugar in fruit? Is it bad too?

When I had a patient ask me why sugar is bad for you, I realized I didn’t really have a good answer. I knew it was high in calories and has little to no nutritional value, and I knew having too much could cause diseases, but I couldn’t tell him exactly why.

So I turned to old college textbooks and resources online I knew I could trust, places like the Cleveland Clinic and ChooseMyPlate.

“It’s kind of fun to set goals for the upcoming year and have them to look forward to.”

To me, the end of the year feels a lot like the end of a long work day. I’ve put in a lot of hard work and effort, and now all I want to do is relax. Lately I’ve been feeling drained and have lacked motivation: to eat healthy, to exercise, to get chores done, etc.

I usually don’t buy into the whole “new year, new you” mindset, since I do believe we should start making changes now rather than wait for a set time. But there’s something about a whole new year ahead that does seem like a fresh start. And while our plans don’t have to happen immediately, it’s kind of fun to set goals for the upcoming year and have them to look forward to.

“Easy peasy, and it’s a gift that keeps on giving all year long!”

Christmas time is most definitely here! This past weekend I was going past an outlet mall that had lines of cars waiting just to enter the parking lot.

Pure madness.

It’s getting down to the wire. That’s why – whenever I can – I prefer to online shop. Way less physical hassle and way less waiting time.

Now, I’m a perfectionist shopper. I want to find THE PERFECT gift for my friends and family. If you’re anything like me, you spend lots of time scrolling through websites in pursuit of a present that you know the receiver will love. So I’ve decided to make an ultimate holiday gift guide (health and wellness edition) for others to use, in the hopes they’ll be able to find those “perfect” gifts for their loved ones (and save a little shopping time).