Living Wellness with Jennifer

Lessons from the Amazon Jungle

This past summer I found myself deep in the heartland of the Amazon jungle at night, with a flashlight and a naturalist guide. This experience was as far as I have ever been out of my comfort zone; yet, it drew me closer to understanding how everything in life ultimately works together to collectively sustain… Read more »

Being “Good” At Yoga

Over the years, I have heard Deepak Chopra speak and was recently treated to another one of his nuggets. He said that a key aim of our yoga practice is to be able to “observe ourselves, without judging ourselves.” When we can drop into that inner space of self-reflection and inquiry, we begin to release… Read more »

Are Your Genes Speaking to You?

Do any of these symptoms sound familiar to you when you eat garlic, onions, eggs or cruciferous vegetables: gas, bloating, acid reflux, headaches, dry skin, muscle cramps, joint pain, anxiety, depression, chronic bronchitis, or fatigue? Personally, I had all of the above symptoms and suffered whenever I ate these or any other foods high in… Read more »

Come Home to Who You Are

The hot summer days are finally behind us, and it is now the time of year when snowbirds make their way back to their desert homes, reminding us that we live in a culture of movement. We move from our childhood home to a place of our own. In time we find something larger with… Read more »

The Invisible Power of Energy Healing

“In every culture and in every medical tradition before ours, healing was accomplished by moving energy.” – Albert Szent-Gyorgyl, MD, Nobel Laureate in Medicine When most people think of methods for achieving physical healing, medication, surgery, and other concrete modern modalities designed to bring the body back to health come to mind. However, one of… Read more »

Wellness Served at the JW Marriott Resort & Spa

There is something fresh brewing at the JW Marriott Desert Springs. Not only are they underway with a multi-million dollar renovation, but wellness is now being served to their 1,200 employees, local visitors, and international guests. The team leading the charge includes internal nutritionist Regina Basterrechea and Executive Chef Peter Smith who have incorporated changes… Read more »

Are Politics Stressing You Out?

Have you experienced a “pregnant pause moment” lately? You know, when you’re talking with someone who makes a comment about the state of our country that you might not agree with, and you’re at a loss for how to respond. Or, if not the pregnant pause, maybe you’ve felt like a stranger in a strange… Read more »

Embracing a Creative Life

Finding meaning in one’s life is both sacred and elusive. These aren’t lessons we learn easily but as we age, we reflect upon them and seek to find a more purposeful life. While there is no one answer on how to do that, I suggest we look to the artist as a creative, life-expanding model.… Read more »

How is Your Spiritual Health?

The quest to live a healthy and happy life has become a high priority for people now more than ever. While many are focusing their attention on physical, emotional and mental health, there is another aspect that many are exploring: spiritual health. All people have a spiritual side to them, but not everyone recognizes it.… Read more »

Living Wellness with Jennifer

A Journey into Journaling

Gandhi proclaimed that happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are all in harmony. The most accessible theme we have at our fingertips to synergize these three aspects of self is an ancient tradition dating back to the 10th Century of Japan: a piece of paper and a pen.… Read more »

Understanding Cannabis as Medicine

From the emperors of China and the pharaohs of Egypt, to America in the early 1900s, many elements and ingredients of the cannabis plant have long been considered a normal part of a health and wellness journey. The reason behind the use of the fragrant oils called “terpenes” that are found in many common herbs,… Read more »

The Benefits May Surprise You

Meditation used to be reserved for hippies, gurus, and rock stars. The practice has now entered the mainstream, and the reasons are all around us. Chaos in the world, our dependence on electronics, and the need-it-now mentality create unrest and an extreme pace. Many are simply looking for a way to slow down or let… Read more »

Gluten Free with Tiffany

Sulfur-based Foods to the Rescue

Sulfur, which is present in every cell of our bodies, is the third most abundant mineral in the body and is crucial in forming a variety of sulfate compounds that perform a vast array of biological processes.1 Many experts recognize we are at risk of sulfur deficiency due to diets high in grains, mineral-depleted soils,… Read more »

The Meaning of Yin and Yang

Symbols are images which provide a visual representation of a concept. Upon seeing the Yin and Yang symbol, many have said they see good/evil, peace/war, feminine/masculine. The meaning and significance of this symbol goes far beyond what we see as opposites or opposing sides of one subject or topic. This symbol represents Tai Ji or… Read more »