Check out this webinar from the Harvard School of Public Health:

SUPPLEMENTS AND HEALTH: Sorting the Facts 

Thursday, May 11, 2017
Live webcast: 12:30-1:30pm ET
ForumHSPH.org

New in the Huffington Post, encouraging women to be active participants in lobbying for what they need to have a sustainable work-life balance and blend.  To move the needle, we need to speak up, together

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carol-bysiek/women-it-is-time-to-break_b_10928872.html.

Check out this great new guide and app from the EWG!

Avoiding these chemical additives – artificial colors, flavors and preservatives – is SO important for children!  Leave them out!

I am thrilled to announce that I have joined the National Association of Nutrition Professionals! The NANP works to ensure high quality standards for holistic nutrition and health professionals and only accepts those with superior training and education.  The Dr. Sears Wellness Institute certification program has passed a rigid evaluation to allow it’s coaches to be approved, and i am just thrilled to offer you this level of assurance in my education and training!

New on the Huffington Post, my latest article is the first in a series about finding the ‘new normal’ after breast cancer treatment.  it is, for many, a difficult and bewildering phase of recovery.

“Finding the Way Back to Normal After Breast Cancer”: A Lesson in Invisible Fences”

My new article in the Huffington post explores just some of the reasons we can struggle with saying “No”.

“What’s So Hard About Saying No?’ – by Carol Bysiek, Founder, Lily Pad Wellness

The September newsletter is filled with relevant articles and back-to-school tips designed to help you find and maintain balance and good health.  Enjoy!

Welcome Summer!

My latest blog on the Huffington Post, read it before you plan YOUR summer vacation!  

Click here to read the entire May newsletter!

1.  Plant a Garden.  Gardening is not only a great way to enjoy colorful blooms or fresh vegetables all summer long, it is also a great form of light exercise.  Planning the design of flower beds or planters stimulates your  creativity and encourages social interaction at the garden center and in the neighborhood.    Best of all, getting your hands in the dirt is a great way to relieve stress and forget your worries.  Click here for some gardening tips and how-to videos from HGTV.

2.  Find a local Farmer’s Market.  ‘Farmer’s markets’, outdoor markets featuring fresh produce and many other items are popping up everywhere, which is a great thing.  The produce you’ll find there is usually locally grown, often with fewer pesticides (ask to be sure), and is fresher than what you’ll find in the supermarket.  That means more nutrition and longer shelf life at home.  Lower prices on seasonal fruits and vegetables make them an affordable, as well as  enjoyable, way to shop.  For example, click here for a list of Farmer’s Markets in Bergen County, New Jersey.  A simple Google search of your area should tell you where to find a market near you.

3.  Try something new (or appreciate what isn’t).  Something about summer makes it easier to open yourself up to new ideas.   You may also feel motivated to take better care of yourself.  Put these together and and you can make positive changes.  Try a new hobby or rediscover an old one, take in a sunrise, connect with an old friend, start a  gratitude journal. When you break from your usual patterns, you have a chance to see things in a new light.

4.  Simplify. The  casual nature of summer almost begs us to be more relaxed.  Simplify your dinner hour with an a no-cook  pasta sauce such as pesto, or olive oil, slivered garlic and chopped tomatoes, or pack up a Mediterranean style picnic of hummus, whole grain bread or crackers, fresh vegetables, olives, cheese, and a few lean meats and take it to the park or the porch.

5. Rethink exercise as “active play”.  The best exercise is always the one you will do, so find activities that are enjoyable and incorporate them naturally into your day.   What matters is that you move and feel refreshed, whether it is a brisk walk, a swim, taking the stairs, stretching, yoga, dancing, cleaning, Pilates in front of the television, or isometrics while standing in line.  Exercise doesn’t have to be  an isolated chore or a bullet on your to-do list.    For a fun and easy game you can take just about anywhere, try Goodminton, a racquet game with two paddles and feather-tailed birdies.  Have fun!