Pat Garner

That’s a quote from my husband and ain’t that the truth? I haven’t always been kind to my body and I’m thankful I figured things out sooner than later. I know people my age and younger who have osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune issues, cancer, and the list goes on. I’ve been spared at this point in my life and I’m grateful for my good health. My only … [Read more...] about Getting Old is Not for Sissies

As we age, I hear the term "age-appropriate " applied to just about anything. I hear it relating to fashion, hair and makeup, music preferences, how we should eat and live, and so on. My question is, are we standing in judgment of others when we see someone wear an item of clothing meant to be worn by someone younger? I used to say spandex is a privilege and not a … [Read more...] about What Does Age Appropriate Really Mean?

While telehealth or virtual care provides significant advantages, it also poses challenges and potential problems that need to be addressed. Here are some of the concerns I see. We all see the medications on TV or on social media that are used to treat type-2 diabetes or weight loss. Since I've been doing some research on these medications, my social media feeds have been … [Read more...] about Is Telehealth Helping or Hurting Us?

How many times do we hear we shouldn’t be stressed? Easier said than done. We live in a fast-paced world where everything we do seems to stress us out. Even the morning alarm puts us in a stressful state. What does all this stress do to our bodies? Where should I start? Let’s start with the hormone cortisol. In our primitive ancestor's time, if we were face to face with a … [Read more...] about What Does Chronic Stress Do to Us?

I recently changed my healthcare provider from a naturopath to a “mainstream” PPO medical provider. After a trip to a "regular" MD, I felt I knew more than she did about nutrition and how food affects the body. The one issue I can't hack is better sleep. I thought I'd discuss it with the doctor to see her suggestions. I made it clear medication was NOT going to be my … [Read more...] about Be an Empowered Patient

In a world that never seems to stop, where we are constantly bombarded with responsibilities and expectations, the concept of self-care has become increasingly vital to our well-being. Self-care isn't just about pampering oneself or indulging in luxury; it's a holistic approach to maintaining and improving our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It is the practice of … [Read more...] about The Importance of Self-Care: Nurturing Your Well-being

In 1950, Dinah Shore sang this famous jingle. I wasn't born yet and vaguely remember the jingle growing up. I bring up this nostalgic memento because my husband Bob, our dog Zeke, and I just completed a 6,134-mile road trip to see the USA in our class B RV on a Chevrolet chassis. We were gone for 38 days. We left AZ and reached Kittery, Maine, and exciting spots. Many people … [Read more...] about “See the USA in Your Chevrolet”

Life is simple, but we do everything possible to make it hard. We tend to live exclusively in the past or become fortune tellers about the future. So why can't we live in the present moment? For most people, it's tough to do. I asked people if they could stay now; most didn't understand the concept. They can't keep their mind from thinking about past or future events. From … [Read more...] about We Can Make Life Easier If We Try

For the last 2 1/2 years, I've enjoyed our rescue cowboy Corgi Zeke. He came from a good environment where the previous owners raised him from a puppy and loved him; however, as Zeke got older, he would fight with the existing dogs in the house. After putting Zeke through training and doing everything possible to get the dogs to cohabitate, the previous owners surrendered … [Read more...] about My Dog Zeke