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River, By Joni Mitchell

Though generally thought of as a song for the Christmas season, Joni Mitchell's River gives comfort and empathy all year long and through any season of our lives. We don't have to hit the road or board a jet plane. All we need do to get away for a while is put on our headphones and spend a little time with Joni. Or with Sarah's version below. :)

Lyrics: Read more

 

How to Make Chickpea, Leek, and Potato Soup

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This is hands down, my favorite winter soup. I learned how to make it years ago from a Jamie Oliver episode on the Food Network. Though his version called for a small mountain of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, I can promise that this dairy-free version is almost as good and probably quite a bit healthier, no disrespect intended to Jamie. Read more

 

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup Recipe

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Rich in vitamin C and carotenoids, this soup is an excellent choice for giving your immune system a lift. It's also rich in a phytonutrient (beta-cryptoxanthin) that is thought to be particularly good for promoting healthy lung function. Read more

 

What To Do When A Loved One Is Chronically Negative

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Dear Dr. Ben,

This was such a wonderful, delicate yet at the same time powerful read.

Among many insights in your post, the biggest gift for me this time was being able to connect the dots in my own life, as you shared that you don't talk with your parents about your hopes and dreams or any important decisions. I finally realized why the dynamic with my mom has been so complicated, especially since I began living more consciously. I always had such a deep desire to connect with my mom and share my life with her, but after sharing I usually have to spend so much time coping with her energy of fear and doubt. It feels so discouraging... I have realized that because she is not working on her own wounds, she will not be able to understand my increasing inner freedom and desire to act in accordance to my heart voice.  Read more

 

Are White Rice and White Potatoes Harmful To Your Health?

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Updated on November 13, 2019

To continue where we left off in last week's newsletter, I'd like to share what I've learned over the years about eating white rice and potatoes.

I've found that it's generally true that eating rice and potatoes decreases cellular sensitivity to insulin, leading to higher blood glucose and a tendency to carry extra adipose tissue. These tendencies seem to grow with age, and at this point, we don't fully understand the biochemistry behind this - we can only state that as we age, skeletal muscle cells usually become less sensitive to insulin while fat cells become more sensitive to insulin, which leads to more uptake of glucose into our fat cells, fuelling their growth. Read more

 

Hearty Vegetarian Winter Stew Recipe

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The quantities listed make a large pot of stew, approximately 10 servings; feel free to scale down if a smaller batch is preferred. Updated on November 12, 2019

Ingredients: Read more

 

Keys to Getting More Restful Sleep

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I've received a number of questions on how to improve sleep quality since sending out our newsletter on the quarter-life of caffeine. Read more

 

Supporting Single Parents in South Korea

The government in South Korea does not provide postpartum assistance or medical insurance for many single parents, as they are not officially recognized as families. Read more

 

Less Coffee, More Dreams, Better Sleep

From Our Mailbag (shared with permission)

Hey Ben,

Long time reader, first time writing in to say thanks for all of your health and life hacks.

When I took in your info on how long caffeine stays in the body and how this can affect my sleep, I decided on the spot to stop cold turkey and see for myself.

The first 2.5 to 3 days were tough man. I had like a piercing headache right behind my eyes almost the whole time and had to take tylenol to get through. Read more

 

We Are Not Alone

As I made a fresh batch of black bean sauce with noodles for dinner over the weekend, I began listening to Demi Moore's recently released memoir, Inside Out.

Chopping through onions, carrots, and green cabbage, I felt such a strong emotional connection to her feelings from childhood.  By the time I had put noodles into salted boiling water, I was silently sobbing for Demi as I felt the weight of her feelings of being on her own as a child. Read more

 

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