Blog

As many of you know, I achieved National Board Certification as a Health and Wellness Coach in August 2023. This journey involved integrative health coaching certification, a practicum, and passing the national board exam. I’m thrilled that this certification aligns with the principles of lifestyle medicine, as outlined by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Lifestyle medicine is an innovative medical specialty that treats the whole person through lifestyle interventions. This approach emphasizes a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections. Unlike conventional medicine, lifestyle medicine not only prevents chronic diseases but can also treat and even reverse these conditions when applied intensively.

In my personal wellness journey, I’ve been dedicating just 12 minutes each morning to sun salutations before starting my workday. Even after...

When I’m on top of things, I try to meal prep for work each week. It’s a win-win because I have a healthy lunch ready to go, and I avoid spending money (and extra calories) on takeout that’s often loaded with processed oils. Even though it’s still hot in Houston, school’s back in session, and I can feel fall creeping in. I’ve been craving something cozy and seasonal to cook, so I decided to dig through my pantry for ideas.

I came across some dried mung beans that have been sitting there for a while. Perfect! After a bit of searching, I found a hearty recipe featuring mung beans, warming spices, potatoes, and spinach—just the kind of comfort food I’m looking for. I just need to grab some fresh spinach, and I’ll be all set.

Once cooked, I’ll portion out the curry over rice into containers for easy grab-and-go lunches. I’ll add some fruit on the side for a balanced meal.

In case you’re curious, mung beans...

I have a side gig. I am teaching Afghan refugees English. It is a meaningful service opportunity that is feeding my spirit.

This week I planned a field trip with them.

These women are family members of former New York Times employees. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan last August, the NYT got their people out on one of the last flights out of Kabul.

Since coming to Houston, the only outside food they have eaten is Afghan and Persian food, so I decided to take them out to eat and do some clothes shopping.

The day before the trip, I was stunned to find out that one husband told his wife that she couldn't attend. He allegedly said that she should stay home with her kids and that America is not good for women.

This prompted a side conversation with another woman in which I asked about the matter. She told me, “My husband is different. He says that I must go and go and go and go.”

Imagine my surprise when all the women showed up...

When I was four years old, I went to a wonderful Montessori school. I vividly remember asking all of the other kids to sit down while I stood at the small blackboard and declared that I was their teacher. I proceeded to “teach” them numbers, letters, and more.

It seems that my purpose has always been to be a teacher. I could be teaching kids in a school, teaching ESL to adults, teaching yoga, or teaching nutrition, but that thread remains the same.

Pictured above. I taught some kids yoga last week through the Peaceful Planet Foundation. It was so fun! I also did an Instagram live discussion last week with Jessica Sontag about finding one’s purpose. While researching some information about purpose, I found this cool equation from Richard Leider, the author of The Power of Purpose:

Your Gifts + Your Passion + Your Values = Your Purpose

I love these kinds of equations, so I immediately had to jot down some notes.

1. My gifts are that I...

Got stress? The science about stress shows us that stress can be helpful or harmful depending on how we handle it. 

Here are some stress definitions: Stress is defined as 1. pressure or tension exerted on a material object, 2. a state of mental or emotional tension, and 3. a “surprise.”

Stressors are external environmental circumstances, and our stress response is our emotional, behavioral, and physiological reaction to environmental circumstances.

There are two kinds of stress: acute and chronic. Acute stress, that fight or flight response, that is not managed well over time can lead to chronic stress which causes mental and physical health problems. However, stress in and of itself is not a bad thing. How we manage it turns it into a good or bad thing.

Interestingly, when we experience stress there are two hormones that are released. One is adrenaline which causes the fight or flight response in the body. This is a helpful stress...

I started the week last week feeling in awe of the way my life is manifesting. For instance, in my yoga classes, there is a lot of intimacy as people share bits of themselves over time and we build relationships with each other. We all come to depend on each other and on our time together to enhance our well-being. Also, I am savoring the moments before I become an empty-nester at the end of next summer. Life feels sweet and satisfying.

By the middle of the week, a war started that brought confusion and sadness. These feelings caused me to shift from savoring to acting, and I have been consciously sending prayers of strength and resilience to the Ukranians. I am especially praying for the children, the innocent, and the helpless to find strength and safety in these tumultuous times. 

I also have done some reacting when seeing notifications of bombs and blow ups literally blowing up my phone. I have felt stressed, sad, and anxious. I truly believe that we are not...

I am taking a leap this week to borrow a line from the Rolling Stones as a spiritual teaching. 

I’ve been watching my daughter work very hard in her AP high school classes this semester. She’s a senior, and this is her grand finale for this period of her life. At times, it seemed that a few important things may fall through the cracks with such a busy schedule. 

I have been a bit grumpy and critical about the possibility of those important things falling through the cracks.

However, last week it was clear that she does really try hard, and that she does always seem to get what she needs. 

In fact, isn’t that true for all of us? Don’t we always get what we need?

Look back on your life. You may not have always gotten everything that you wanted. But did you get what you needed?

I can say that this is true for me. I do tend to get what I need.

For this week, when worries arise in your mind, you may...

Happy New Year to you!!!

Many people start diets in the new year. This post may have you rethinking that a bit. Lately, I have been studying more about Intuitive Eating which is about rejecting diet culture, listening to the body’s cues, and trusting oneself with food.

Eating a plant-based diet has helped me to work on Intuitive Eating. A plant-based diet is not a weight loss diet; it’s a lifestyle choice. I’ve noticed that going plant-based has helped me to allow myself to eat what I want and as much as I want more of the time. I am learning to trust myself with food. 

This week I reflected on the problems with dieting and diet culture. 

Evelyn Tribole says, “The problem is that whatever names diet culture falls under, its roots remain the same: the perpetuation of fat phobia, body shame, and self-disconnection.” Dang! That’s quite an indictment against dieting.

I started dieting at around 13 years...