Health Expert breejoy2 shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/330514/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/330514/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/330514/index http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/151661/spring Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:48:00 -0400 breejoy2 I've been back and forth between slightly and moderately under the weather for the past three weeks, and I can't tell you how frustrating it is. Every year, right around this time, I start feeling a cold coming on, and that feeling lasts for a while before developing into an all out severe sinus infection. The only cure is a strong course of antibiotics, which for those of you that know me, if a total last resort. This year, I felt the symptoms... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/151661/spring http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/151354/hitting Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:37:00 -0400 breejoy2 Well, it’s that time of year again. Time to haul out the spring and summer wardrobe, cross your fingers and pray at least something still fits. That was my usual routine in years past, and it’s always been slightly (or very) traumatizing. This year, however, I felt just a twinge of optimism as I started to pull summer dresses, tanks and bathing suits out of the black garbage bags where they had been stored all winter long. Since I... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/151354/hitting http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/151167/progress Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:23:00 -0400 breejoy2 I’m excited to report that I found two friends who are willing and excited about joining me on a kayak outing. I wasn’t surprised to find out that Amber and Ryan were happy to hop in a couple boats for a day on the water. They are a married couple about my age, and always doing something fun and adventurous together. So we are definitely going to make it happen, and I can’t wait to blog about what is sure to be an escapade.... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/151167/progress http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150882/kayaking Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:05:00 -0500 breejoy2 Last week, I blogged about how I was dying to get back into kayaking, which used to be a passion of mine in college. I started my web search that very night, hoping to find a local, like-minded group of folks I could join for a weekend paddling trip here and there this spring and summer. I Google searched “kayak meetups”, “Virginiakayaking groups”, and “VA paddlers”. I found absolutely nothing even remotely... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150882/kayaking http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150488/workouts Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:25:00 -0500 breejoy2 Anyone who follows my blog probably knows that I'm not the best when it comes to keeping health-related promises. But I think I may have broken a personal record for following through in the past couple of weeks. True to my word, I attended my first anti-gravity yoga class on Friday (www.verticalgirlfitness.com), and I had an absolute blast. Class started with a bit of hammock familiarization, followed by some deep breathing. We were then... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150488/workouts http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150706/exercise Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:28:00 -0500 breejoy2 Today marked my final day of the elimination diet. Three weeks without gluten, dairy or nightshade veggies (tomatoes, peppers, white potatoes, and eggplant). I am so proud of myself for making it without too much cheating, and I feel so good that I've decided to continue for another couple of weeks before starting to add the food groups back in. As a matter of fact, I just might stick to being gluten and dairy-free (at least mostly), because... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150706/exercise http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150270/easier Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:47:00 -0500 breejoy2 I am one week into the elimination diet that I promised myself and all of you in my last blog. I have had absolutely no gluten, dairy or nightshades for an entire week. I know I sound a little overdramatic but I'm really proud of myself for sticking with this promise. As most of you know, I'm not always the best at keeping promises when it comes to my eating habits. But I'm incredibly surprised at how easy this has been. I've had to be a little... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150270/easier http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150061/diet-time Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:27:00 -0500 breejoy2 Last week I wrote about House Bill 345 that, if passed, would make getting health-related nutrition advice from anyone other than a doctor or registered dietitian impossible. My friend Cheryl, a certified holistic health coach, went down to Richmond to argue against the passing of the bill last week. I finally heard from her last night, and she told me that the issue has been tabled until next year. This is good and bad, she explained, because... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/150061/diet-time http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/149898/protecting Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:22:00 -0500 breejoy2 The other day, my regular customer turned friend, Cheryl, came into the market for lunch. Cheryl is a holistic health coach and the woman who hired me to help her cook during her women's weekend retreat last year. She had some interesting news for me that day; apparently, a bill had been proposed that would require a license to practice dietetics or the "nutrition care process". Basically, this means that no one other than a doctor or registered... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/149898/protecting http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/149564/working Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:01:00 -0500 breejoy2 I made it to the gym again this week. That makes twice so far in January. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but trust me, right now it's a big accomplishment. After hearing about my friends' resolutions and how they are trying to stick to them, I felt a little extra kick of motivation. Or maybe it was guilt that I haven't been sticking to my own. Either way...whatever gets me there, right? So I went one morning before work, deciding to get... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/330514/149564/working