According to the United Nations, there are 195 sovereign states in our world today. That’s a whole bunch of different countries with different cultural practices — and that number doesn’t even account for unrecognized cultural groups (like indigenous tribes)!

Practicing good wellness entails more than just exercising and mindfulness — food is the best medicine. We all have guilty food pleasures, but mindfulness of how our meals affect us is the most beneficial practice for health. We are all different, and we can only learn what food fuels us optimally by paying attention.

Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world. They even have a word with no English translation: hygge, to describe a feeling of warmth, coziness, happiness, and togetherness. Quaint experiences, happy locals, a vigorous yoga culture, and an open and healthy mindset make it very easy to feel at ease in this small Scandinavian sanctuary. Here are some ideas to get the most hygge out of Denmark.

Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world. They even have a word with no English translation: hygge, to describe a feeling of warmth, coziness, happiness, and togetherness. Quaint experiences, happy locals, a vigorous yoga culture, and an open and healthy mindset make it very easy to feel at ease in this small Scandinavian sanctuary. Here are some ideas to get the most hygge out of Denmark.

The history of tea informs the entire experience, and if you want a mini-escape that brings the world of Bridgerton to the present, I highly recommend. Drinking tea is a ritual I relish and one that I incorporate into my daily life. First smashing the leaves, then brewing, filtering, then waiting until you achieve a specific temperature. The process is almost meditative, and this tea cellar tour at the Park Hyatt in DC was a real treat!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had such a tough time setting intentions. I do know that I want to stay healthy—emotionally and physically—so that we can travel whenever that’s a possibility again. We’re kicking off our 21 for 2021 blog series with a list of YouTube channels dedicated to living a life full of health and wellness. With so much free learning out there, there's really no excuse not to improve your mind and body through different wellness practices!

Today begins Samhain, which literally means “summer’s end.” November 1 also marks the beginning of the new year in the Celtic calendar. And because of that, today (and the night preceding - Halloween) is considered the thinnest time of the all the thin times in the entire year. A thin time is a time when the wall between earthly time and eternal time becomes transparent.

The crisp air also brings the beginning of the season of vata, in ayurvedic medicine. Life may start all over again in the fall, but the fall also brings special challenges. By adopting rituals that ground, warm, nourish, and calm us, we can balance the perils of the season.

80 years ago we slept an average of nearly 8 hours every night. Today the average is about 6.5, and seems to decline with every year. This devolution is likely due to the cult of productivity and busyness. A lack of sleep seems to be a badge of honor that signals how important we are. I call bullshit. This just plain dumb. Folks who aren’t getting enough sleep will age faster and die sooner.

Nothing represents freedom more than health. For millennia, the purpose of yoga has been creating that vital freedom. I like to say that yoga is anything that brings us back to ourselves and helps us befriend our own bodies. Every day, we learn more about why yoga therapy helps us feel better and whole.

Midsummer is a time of celebration. We celebrate nature, fertility, creation, abundance, successes.  We celebrate the triumph of good hearts over evil spirits. June, the time of peak summer, is the month of the oak tree which is a symbol of strength and vitality.

Sleep is not something our brains can direct, like breathing. You must nurture an optimal sleep environment so that you can relax fully and drift away. Your body will not fall unless there is sense of a safety net. So, how do you build better sleep? Here in part 1 here are 5 recommendations to promote that sleep safety net…