I’ve been known to kill plants faster than anyone else. I love the plants in my yard and my flowerpots, but I lack the discipline to take care of them consistently. I’m not proud of it, and I’m trying to be better at it.

Recently, I received a beautiful white peace lily plant from a friend. I took good care of it until I went on vacation for 2 weeks. I asked someone to water it a couple of times, but it didn’t happen as planned. When I came back home, I found a sad, droopy, saggy plant. I thought it was dead, but I watered it anyway.

Did you know that several hormones are related to sleep and weight control?

Four of the most common culprits are Leptin, Ghrelin, Insulin, and Cortisol. Here some ideas on how to activate them!

Leptin is a hormone mainly produced by fat cells in your intestines. An important role of Leptin is to tell your brain when you’re full and should stop eating. Sleep deprivation lowers your levels of Leptin, so you don’t receive the proper message that you had enough to eat.

Do you feel that your “best self” struggles to keep up with life’s challenges?

Here are some basic principles to help you be your “best self” even when life throws you a curveball.

Be Still – Live in the present moment. Be intentional and quiet your mind.

Excellent – Strive for excellence, not perfection. You’re good enough as you are right now.

Sufficient – Accept yourself and life as it is. The good and the bad are all part of life.

Thankful – Have a mindset of abundance and gratitude. The more you give the more you overflow.

Spiritual – Connect with your God in a progressively deeper level. You are not alone.  

Enthusiastic – Celebrate your small and big accomplishments. Honor your ups and downs.

Loving – Reach out to the love flowing at your core. Your essence is pure love. Love always wins.

Forgiving – Reframe the situation with compassion for yourself and others. Free yourself.

Here are 5-minute or less small habits with big impact:

Sleep is a basic human need and melatonin is a key player. But there is a lot of conflicting information out there about melatonin, and it can be tricky to sort out facts from myths.

Melatonin is a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. Melatonin works in the regulation of your circadian rhythm (also known as sleep–wake cycle). At night, your melatonin increases helping you to feel sleepy.

1. Melatonin supplement is the same as the melatonin the body produces: Myth.  

Synthetic melatonin is the most popular over-the-counter sleep aid. In 2020 its sales in the US were over $800 million. However, studies are not conclusive to show it has real benefit. Supplements don’t work the same way as the melatonin your body produces.

Do you wake up groggy? Tired? Do you wonder “Is there a quick fix to help me sleep better?”

Understanding how blue light affects your sleep is key. Maybe not a quick fix, but a few simple changes to your routine can have a big impact on the quality of your sleep. Imagine actually waking up refreshed!

Your biological clock is regulated by the production of hormones. These hormones are produced at various levels in the 24-hour circadian rhythm, and they are affected by blue light exposure.

Riding a camel in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan was scary and exciting at the same time. I was surprised how this animal looked huge, even when she was laying down. My guide introduced “Jamila” to me as he talked me through how to step up and mount her. When I was secured in place, she stood to her full height, and I felt an exhilarating rush!

Jamila didn’t know it, but she taught me five important lessons:

1. Stepping out of your comfort zone opens new possibilities. Camping in the desert, waking up before sunrise on a cold morning, and riding a camel are not on the list of things I do every day. It was a bit intimidating getting up on the back of this tall animal. But this adventure allowed me to create lasting memories and learn significant lessons.

Do you believe that as little as 5 minutes a day of regular physical activity can improve your mood and focus? Studies have shown it can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by releasing endorphins, also known as “feel-good” chemicals, in the brain. Exercise can help reduce your stress and improve your overall physical and mental health.

Finding time to exercise every day can be a challenge with your busy schedule, but you can find 5 minutes, right?

Is it possible to maintain a healthy weight without going through the pains of dieting? You probably know someone slogging through a diet right now.

Quick fix diets for weight loss are often not sustainable and can be harmful to your health. They can cause muscle loss, slow metabolism, and eventually a rebound weight gain. While diets can lead to weight loss in the short term, the lasting results are limited.

Research shows that long term weight management is more effective when you focus on your wellbeing instead of how you look.

Here are 10 science-based ways that changing your lifestyle may help you lose weight without dieting:

Are you a part of the “inside generation?”

How much time are you really spending indoors? Would you say about two-thirds of your time?

That’s what most survey respondents thought too. But the truth is closer to over nine-tenths of their time!

90 percent of the population spend about 22 hours inside every day without even realizing it.

We may be part of the “Inside Generation” spending a lot more time indoors than we realize.

A study by YouGov of around 16,000 people across 14 countries found a huge disparity between how much time people think they are spending outdoors versus how much sunlight and fresh air they are actually getting.

Here are a few tips to help you to safely assess 7 scary symptoms that you can treat yourself and save a visit to the doctor.

1. Elevated blood pressure: Don’t worry if it’s just one reading after a stressful event. If you haven’t checked your BP in a while and then see the higher number 140’s or 150’s, if you don’t have any other symptoms, don’t freakout. Rest for 20 minutes and measure it again, if it goes back to 120’s, just keep an eye on it, measure it a few times a week and mention it your doctor on your next appointment. You might have pre-hypertension and some lifestyle modification can help you delay or prevent the need for medication.

When to see your doctor: If you get high readings several times a week, make an appointment with your doctor ASAP. Untreated high blood pressure is called the silent killer, it increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. If your blood pressure is over 180 the higher number or the lower number is over 110, this is a medical emergency, seek help immediately.