WELLNESS

I find myself referencing Orange Is The New Black quite often lately, actually!

Alright, the boys are going into 3rd and 7th grade.

What say you for bedtimes?

3rd grade: _______ pm

7th grade: _______ pm

I’m definitely on the fence.

Researchers find that adding two minutes of light exercise to each hour of your day lowers your risk of dying prematurely by 33 percent.

It’s the latest research to show how important simply walking can be for your health. Earlier this year British researchers also found that just one, energetic, 20-minute daily stroll can slash your risk of early death. They tracked more than 330,000 European men and women over a 12-year span.

Walking is considered the “superfood of fitness,” according to experts. A small study of non-obese men at Indiana University suggests that three 5-minute walks done throughout three hours of prolonged sitting (which many of us have to do during the day at work) can reverse the harmful effects of prolonged sitting on arteries in the legs.

At 35, I had it all.

I had a newborn son and was married to the most incredible man I had ever met. I had great friends, family and a job I loved. I was dreaming of mommy and child classes and being a family.

And then, everything changed.

My husband complained that it felt like he had butterflies in his stomach and I urged him to see a doctor. Being new parents and dealing with my father-n-law’s health issues, we both thought it was stress-related. An ulcer or maybe IBS. He went to the doctor and underwent routine blood tests.

The results came back anything but routine.

The Sunday morning of my brother’s wedding, we got a call that he was losing blood from somewhere and there was something seriously wrong. We knew a Sunday call was not a good sign. Soon after, he went for a private colonoscopy and the results would change our lives forever.

have always prided myself on being a strong, independent, courageous woman. It was the way I was raised. Or rather, it is the direct result of practically raising myself, with parents who were too busy “surviving,” to really pay attention. Either way, my two sisters and I only know from hard work and trudging along, and have all as a result, ended up fairly well off because of it.

We all started working at a very young age. I started at the age of 11 years old, delivering The Gazette newspaper on my street and babysitting in my neighborhood. I only stopped working for a short time in my life (4 ½ years to be exact) after I got married, when my doctor put me on bed rest for my second or third pregnancy (I lost count). Unfortunately, in the first few years of my marriage, I had several pregnancies that ended in miscarriage before I was blessed enough to go full term with my miracle son Louis, who is now 8 years old. I felt so grateful everyday to have him, that I didn’t want to go back to work until he was ready for full-time preschool at age 4.

By Guest Blogger Gloria Fallon

I really don’t.

When I’m 62 I want to be able to eat and do whatever the hell I want. And if that means I’m “pleasingly plump,” then good for me! When I’m 62, I don’t want to be doing stomach crunches, applying fake tanner and scrutinizing my ass and thighs before I go to the beach. I’m tired of doing these things now, so no way am I doing them when I’ve reached the respectable age of 60-somethings.

What is with this constant push for women to look young and thin?

I saw these on Instagram this week, and at first, they made me chuckle because they are in fact funny.

But then at second glance, they made me think of something more profound. Something deeper. Something more serious, and more real going on.

I also saw an ad that popped up for me yesterday on Facebook. An ad for a filter app called FACIE. How perfect for our narcissistic selfie obsessed society?

ne of America’s favorite pastimes is gathering for the Super Bowl, which often involves a spread of unhealthy food options. But you know what? Spending time with your friends and cheering for your favorite team should not have to add to your waistline! Eating clean can be easy, even at parties. You just need the tips and tools, and I’m excited to share them here for Women On The Fence readers! My method is simple: I trim food decisions into a simple guide to eating right. The concept: 51 Food Laws to take with you to the grocery store. Perfect for Super Bowl Weekend! Just a few of the Rules highlights:

“Christmas is over, you’ve put on weight, it’s cold out, it’s dark out, your credit card bills are in, you’re not going to get another day off until March, and you’re tired.

You might even be depressed.

If so, you are not alone, especially not today. For today, according to one measure, is Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year.” (Montreal Gazette)

Sounds pretty gloomy. But for many, it truly is. For some, this January funk is a result of cold weather, overspending during the holidays, the economy, a relationship gone sour, or job dissatisfaction. For others, it’s something more serious.

Alright, I’ve gotta confess. Blue Monday was last Monday, and I missed it. I was Googling Blue Monday 2014 a few weeks ago, instead of 2015 and I scheduled this post incorrectly for today. All that to say, I don’t want to miss the opportunity to share some tips on this subject. Cuz it’s important.

Today, no matter where you’re at, I wanted to give you 10 power tips to beat the winter blues. Ten power tips to get you out of the January funk. Ten suggestions you can do NOW, to give yourself some relief.