Blog Posts by Tips on Healthy Living

By Dr. Mike Moreno
Author of The 17 Day Diet
Many Americans are skipping air travel this summer, choosing to save money by hitting the road. I applaud their budget-friendly efforts. But with car travel comes true temptation in the form of fast food, weary families, and growling tummies. Don't think the only way to be budget-friendly is by buying junk food-that will only fill you up, but it will not nourish you. In a few hours you will have eaten all the calories of the day and be hungry again.

Instead make sure to eat lean proteins and high-fiber vegetables that will fill you up, giving you energy to concentrate on your drive and keeping you satisfied until your next meal. There are so many simple ways to stay on your healthy eating plan and still enjoy your vacation.
• Road trips = snacking. Don't give your kids sweets and chips to keep them quiet. Pack a cooler and fill it with apples, grapes, carrots, and celery sticks.
• Bring water instead of sugary juices.
• Don't eat in

By Nell Stephenson
Author of Paleoista
Seeing gluten-free options has become as commonplace as seeing vegetarian, low-sodium, and low-fat fare. At any given grocery store or restaurant, you'll find your choice of gluten-free breads, pastas, and cookies. Does that mean we should partake? Not so fast. While choosing gluten-free versions of foods such as those listed above may be slightly healthier than consuming their gluten-laden original counterparts, we must keep in mind that all grains, even those that do not contain gluten, like rice, and those that mimic seeds, such as quinoa, are still not Paleo.

All grains contain anti-nutrient properties, which serve to protect them from being invaded by organisms in the soil as well as being eaten by animals. Unfortunately, these very same anti-nutrients have negative consequences on our bodies. The anti-nutrients bind to vitamins and minerals in the healthy, Paleo foods we eat and prevent us from properly absorbing them. They also create

Weird science: If you want to build a relationship with your guy, clinical evidence says you should consider applying the "The 30-day Rule." From Death of the Cheating Man: What Every Woman Must Know about Men Who Stray, by Maxwell Billieon and Ray J.

Popular belief is that women are more emotionally attached to sex than men are. Not true; men can be as emotionally attached to sex when a woman gives it to us at the right time.

For most men, that time is during the first thirty days of getting to know a woman. That's when a woman has our full attention, interest and testosterone riled up. When sex is mixed in at the right time, it forms a chemical charge inside of a man that causes a reaction with our dopamine.

During my research for this book, I learned about dopamine from a well-respected clinical psychologist. Dopamine is a natural drug of sorts that we humans have. It's some serious stuff! Some doctors refer to it as the "pleasure potion." In fact, it's so lethal that it's the

By Ilchi Lee
Author of The Call of Sedona
Many experts suggest that mental acuity and creativity could be improved by spending time in nature. Neuroscientists have discovered that city life taxes the brain, causing mental burnout. Any exposure to nature, even a picture on an office wall, can help the brain. As a nature lover and brain educator, I am in full agreement. I have witnessed the positive effects of spending time in nature. However, it is also important how you spend time in nature. The benefits of nature are greatest when we feel fully connected with the environment. Often, people fail to escape their mental ruts and do not fully experience nature. The key is opening up the senses to take in the essence of nature, to really see, hear, touch, smell, and even taste nature.

See Like an Artist We are most accustomed to taking in nature through our eyes. Even when we can't go outside, we look at pictures and learn about plants and animals through beautifully

By Dan Bucatinsky Author of Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?
From smart snacks to emergency stain removal and bedtime negotiations, summer with the kids can be more exhausting than relaxing. Here are some steps you can take to stand your ground as a firm parent, while keeping summer activities fun for everyone involved-after all, if you aren't having fun, it's most likely that no one else is!

1. Put the "You" in Fun. Sure, it's great to do things the kids love. But who the heck wants to thread some slimy earthworm onto a hook and sit for hours on a bug-infested pond waiting for the tug of a fish? Pass. I learned the hard way that if I don't find stuff I enjoy along with my kids, I lose my patience faster and nobody has fun. Make the stuff they like to do, fun for you. Playgrounds can be insufferable for parents. If you don't feel like chasing them or pushing a swing, set out a blanket with a book or iPad and call that Home Base. The kids have to go on a treasure hunt for

By Posie Graeme-Evans Author of The Island House

This is the story of the third act. Not a story from a screenplay or one of my books-because finding the third act for a book is way easier, I think, than the second. (To be fair, I had to write, rewrite, and rewrite the end of The Island House before I got it right.) This is my life I'm talking about here.

I'm not counting my time as a child (I lived in three war zones and went to 14 schools… 12 if you listen to my mother), that was my prelude. No, this is about what happened after I turned 20, when the curtain went up. My first act was university (what we call college here in Australia). And motherhood. And marriage. They pretty much all arrived together. I married at 20. My daughter, Emma, was born when I was 21. It seems insane now, but that's the way it was.

"Wait to have children until you're somewhere close to sensible." I'm sure that's sane advice, but there were so many things about being a young mother that I enjoyed. We were

When you consider stepping into unknown territory in your life, you might develop a case of the "Yeahbuts," those fears that hold you back. Here are seven ways to reduce their power so you can effectively pursue your dream job. From The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success, by Nicholas Lore.

The following methods focus on disarming the power the Yeahbuts have over you. They lose power when you know them for what they are: tapes being played by an automatic system. Everything you can do to reveal them as something other than your own proactively generated thoughts helps to break their spell. Whatever you do to deal with them, make it enjoyable. Have fun. Lighten up. When you can laugh at ghosts, they disappear. Pick methods that fit your personality. Here are some things you can do:

• Make a list of them. Don't bother with the little ones. Concentrate on the big guns, the ones that could shoot your dreams out of the sky.

We love everything about this week (even if the Fourth falls on a Wednesday, meaning no long weekend), especially the delicious, in-season flavors of summer salads, fresh fruits, grilled goodies, and of course, chilled beverages.

Here's what's on top of our list to make for a great Fourth of July barbecue. Enjoy, and stay safe, everyone!

Starters and Sides -Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad (The Fire Island Cookbook)
-Hand-Shucked Corn and Tomato Salad (The Fire Island Cookbook)
-Gazpacho (The Fire Island Cookbook)
-Grilled Summer Fruits (Paleoista)
-Traditional Dill Coleslaw (The Stocked Kitchen)
-Favorite Deviled Eggs (The Stocked Kitchen)
-Kale Chips (The 17 Day Diet Cookbook)

Mains
-The Perfect Burger (BBQ Makes Everything Better)
-Bourbon BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Green Apple Slaw (Rachael Ray's The Book of Burger) -India Spiced Patties with Yogurt Sauce (Rachael Ray's The Book of Burger)
-Messy Giuseppes (Rachael Ray's The Book of Burger)

Desserts
-Glazed