Understanding Your Thyroid
Like many things in life, you probably don’t think much about your thyroid until it gives you good reason to do so. A butterfly-shaped gland located just below the Adam’s apple, the thyroid secretes hormones, supports brain development and influences metabolism, body temperature and growth – it is one of the body’s master controllers or master glands.
Beating Spring Allergies
While just about every aspect of spring is welcome in Minnesota this year, if you’re one of the 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, you may struggle with tree, grass and weed pollen, mold spores and dust mites that also come out to play this time of year. But that does not mean […]
Ask Sofia: Should I Get Tested for the BRCA Gene?
When Angelina Jolie revealed her decision to have a double mastectomy because she carries a mutation in a gene called BRCA1, more women began to ask this same question. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor-suppressing genes, and mutations in these genes have been linked to an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Yet only five […]
The Importance of Self-Care
The kids’ winter jackets, boots, scarves and mittens. Too many deadlines at work. A persistent winter cold (and the persistent winter cold). Appointments, to-dos and events. With everything on your plate, taking care of yourself might come last – or not at all. And yet, if you don’t do the things you enjoy and you […]
Learning to Love after Loss
From the death of a spouse or partner to the end of a significant relationship and even the loss of a beloved family pet, loss takes a toll on our hearts and minds, emotions and energy levels. If you have recently experienced a major loss, the following steps can help you learn to love again: […]
A New Take on New Year’s Resolutions
While nearly half of us take the time to make New Year’s resolutions, only eight percent of us are actually successful in sustaining them for the long term, according to the University of Scranton. Whether it’s getting more organized, saving more money or exercising more often, our resolutions often fall by the wayside before the groundhog has a chance to see his shadow on Feb. 2. So this year, how about a New Year’s resolution with a twist? Rather than focusing on a perceived negative (“I need to stop eating junk food” or “I need to stop making bad decisions”), set a positive intention for 2014.
