I always try to eat consciously. When I do, I know intuitively when something isn’t agreeing with me or when I’ve eaten too much. It’s especially important to eat food that digests easily as this is key for proper elimination—an important part of digestion. That which our body fails eliminate properly, leaches out of our digestive tract and gets stored in our cells, which creates inflammation and ultimately can lead to chronic illness.

Conscious Eating: “The Gut-Brain Connection: How Food Affects Our Mood,” by Kimberly Whittle. “You are what you eat,” goes the phrase, but the connection is more than just physical— food impacts our mood, too. Ninety percent of serotonin is created in the gut, and new research suggests that imbalances in gut bacteria disrupt two-way communication along the gut-brain axis, leading to depression and other psychiatric issues. Highly processed, refined and sugary foods increase bad bacteria in the gut. Good gut bacteria is fueled by foods that are fresh, whole, simple and organic, such as pasture-raised meats, wild fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, olive oil, coconut oil and grass-fed ghee. Includes recipes for quinoa and beetroot salad, almond flour blueberry muffins and a gut-healing smoothie.

Green Living: “Making Forever Chemicals Go Away: PFAS Pose Lasting Threat to Health,” by Sheryl DeVore. Decades ago, environmental groups urged the banning of PFAS, known as forever chemicals, that are linked to cancer, compromised immune systems and hormonal imbalances. Today, in spite of some state bans on PFAS in food packaging and public pressure against its use in clothing, the danger remains. About 200 million Americans are likely drinking water contaminated with PFAS, and new chemicals devised to replace PFAS are turning out to be just as toxic. To avoid the risks, consumers should choose textiles and carpeting without water- and stain-repellency, avoid food with grease-proof packaging such as microwave popcorn and avoid personal care products with perfluor, polyfluor or PTFE on the label. Look for vendors offering PFAS-free apparel, cosmetics and personal care products, furniture and textiles, food ware and home maintenance products. Visit pfasCentral.org for an expanded list.

Inspiration: “Gratitude is Good Medicine,” by Madiha Saeed. Gratitude is not just a feel-good word but has actual physiological consequences. It helps lower inflammatory markers, influences epigenetics, improves the immune system and even helps the heart, adding years to life. “Heart-felt” emotions—like gratitude, love and caring—produce coherent brain waves radiating to every cell of the body. Because the neural pathway associated with negativity takes time to come down fully, it is critical to practice gratitude regularly by counting 10 reasons to be grateful upon waking up, keeping a gratitude journal and putting sticky notes as reminders all around the house.

For years I have kept a daily journal and frequently record the things that I am grateful for. Looking back, I believe this practice has created space for more of what I love to come into my life!

To conscious living,
Pamela Gallina, Publisher