WELLNESS

I 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.

Sunday is Mother’s Day- a day to celebrate and honor mothers everywhere. Today is not your typical WomenOnTheFence.com Mother’s Day blog post. No, today, I decided to spotlight Portage, a substance abuse rehabilitation facility with a special Mother-Child program, helping mothers and children with addiction. I wanted desperately to give some of these nameless women who have fallen through the cracks, a voice for Mother’s Day.

I have to give credit my father, for it was his idea to do a mother’s day segment on these women. My dad is on the board Portage, one of Canada’s leading substance abuse rehabilitation facilities with locations across the country, and he told me about all the trailblazing work they are doing in the arena of addiction. Unique to Portage, they have en entirely separate Mother-Child facility where substance addicted mothers can live with their babies, and where newborns who are born drug-addicted can safely undergo drug withdrawal and not have to be separated from their mother. I walked the halls and saw these mothers and their children, and heard their stories. I was nervous going in, but so eager to hear the stories and showcase Portage’s work in this arena. I was only hoping I would do a good enough job to do their organization justice. I sat down with the facilitators who run Portage and asked them about what makes them so successful at what they do.

So I’ve been thinking a lot about my health lately as I approach 40 and notice huge changes in my body. I was the girl you didn’t like– the girl who ate whatever she wanted and the food just didn’t stick. Well, those days are over and I have officially landed on planet earth to join the rest of the world. It’s sobering, to say the least. Now, all of a sudden, no matter WHAT I eat, healthy food included, it ALL sticks. But I’m going down with a fight, yo.

Yesterday, I decided to spring for the $35 bucks that I was too cheap to do before. I’ve been dying to get Miss “Conscious Uncoupling” herself, Gwyneth Paltrow’s latest cookbook, It’s All Good. I’ve heard wonderful things about it, and I am really trying to be even more mindful when it comes to health than ever before. All jokes aside, I have always been a mindful, healthy eater. My mom raised me on organic food and whole grains decades ago, before people even talked about it. But now, I’m really tuning in.

These days it’s rare to meet someone who doesn’t use Facebook. In ten years flat (Facebook was only born in 2004) it has become a normal part of most people’s lives. 665 million daily, to be exact, which translates into more than one in every thirteen people on our planet.

Last week, Maria Shriver had a very interesting segment on TODAY. It was called, “The ‘Mommy Juice’ Trend: How Do You Know When You Have a Problem?”

Oh my goodness, the truth is, I wasn’t planning on blogging today, but after seeing this, I had to share. Today is International Day of Happiness, and watching this made me, well… HAPPY! And I know it will make you happy too.
Watch this cover of Pharrell’s hit HAPPY, sung by the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences choir. Let’s just hope these kids are the future of Detroit. I’m in love.

Yes, there is a day. It ‘s tomorrow. I wanted you all to know about it. I think it’s a fantastic initiative. Read on…

“Do you have multiple cell phones? Take your ipad to the beach on vacation? Ever find it hard to get through a conversation without posting an update to Facebook? Is your computer always on?

We increasingly miss out on the important moments of our lives as we pass the hours with our noses buried in our iPhones and BlackBerry’s, chronicling our every move through Facebook and Twitter and shielding ourselves from the outside world with the bubble of “silence” that our earphones create.

Resilience is a story of hope, faith, belief, and triumph.

At one point in our lives, no matter who we are, or how much we have, the rug will get pulled out from underneath us.

Resilience is my story, spanning over 30 years. It is one filled with physical, emotional and spiritual challenges as well as one filled with laughter, peace and joy.

One 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!