It’s September … and the one thing that keeps running through my head is …  

"Ahhhh, can’t believe the summer is over!" 

Those warm, lazy, outdoorsy, sunny, social days of summer are certainly dwindling. But like every turn of the page, there is something exciting about a change.

And that’s the good thing about September.  The weather is still beautiful - a bit cooler, but with a coolness that brings clarity in more ways than one. 

It’s a fresh start. Whether you're returning to the classroom, diving back into work, or simply resetting your routine, this month is the perfect opportunity to refocus on your health.

September is one of the top months for setting new goals and activating plans. The relaxed mindset of summer often gives way to a more driven, productive energy as we embrace the rhythm of a new season. It’s the ideal time to take stock of where we are and where we want to be in our health journey.

Whenever I hear the term “Conscious Unconscious Competence” I have to pause and think about it. 

And once you understand the term … you realize in the journey toward better health, the concept of "conscious unconscious competence" plays a pivotal role.

This term, which stems from learning theory, describes the final stage in the process of acquiring new skills or knowledge.  It refers to a state where the actions we take become so deeply ingrained that they are performed automatically, without conscious thought.

In the context of health, this can be a powerful tool for long-term well-being.

To fully appreciate the beauty of conscious unconscious competence, it's essential to understand the stages that precede it. The learning process generally follows four stages:

Yawnnnnn. Heavy eyelids. Distracted thinking. Hard to focus. No motivation.

Sound familiar? We've all been there. That groggy, can't-quite-pull-myself-together feeling. Another bad night of sleep.

And unfortunately, as we age … it just seems to get worse for many of us. A good night's sleep … something that we always took for granted … now becomes somewhat elusive.

We know that when we skimp on sleep, we're not just feeling tired; we're compromising our overall well-being.

Emerging research is revealing the profound impact of sleep deprivation on our bodies. From increased risk of chronic diseases to impaired cognitive function, the consequences are far-reaching.

The more we know, the better equipped we are to take the right actions.

So let’s explore the world of rice - that grain that so many of us love - rice.

And probably consume regularly. But there's a problem with rice that you may be unaware of.

Rice is the single biggest food source of inorganic arsenic.

According to PUB MED/National Library of Science, arsenic is a known human carcinogen, and has endocrine system disrupting properties, which can be associated with developing diabetes, among other chronic illnesses.

It's the day after Valentine's Day, so I'm naturally thinking about LOVE.

And thinking about LOVE, I'm reminded of a favorite quote of a cousin-in-law of mine, who was the type of person who lived large, always seized the day, had an insatiable curiosity, and could easily drop a Shakespeare quote into an otherwise mundane conversation.

So when I learned of his favorite quote, and knowing him, I was preparing myself for quite an erudite phrase … something profound and complex that I would really need to think about.

But instead, it was a simple quote … a quote that I thought I didn’t need to think about.

But do you know what? I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

Longevity. It’s not something we think too much about when we’re young.

In fact, when we’re young, we just want to get older. And when we’re “old,” we just want to be young again.

Those middle years creep up fast … and come with the realization that we’ve perhaps lived more than half our life.

So logically, at this point in time, the idea of longevity might be something that enters our brain a bit more frequently.

And really what we all want is to live as long as possible, in a way that feels good and healthy.

Unfortunately, reality is harsh. Aging is the biggest risk factor for every chronic disease.

The statistics are staggering - 80% of adults over sixty-five have one chronic disease, and 77% have two chronic diseases.

To set the scene for this fine salad making recipe …

I’m on the French Riviera in September with college friends …

And after a day of touring, rather than heading out into town for dinner, we decide to eat the French way …

At “home” relaxing - with a view of the sea - and some delicious french cheese, a simple salad that I made, and a roast chicken from the market.

When a couple of those friends recently reached out and said “WE NEED YOUR SALAD RECIPE!,” I thought that maybe my salad making story was newsletter worthy.

So here we go.

I do receive compliments on my salads quite frequently. And I have to laugh.

Because, bottomline, it’s basically just a salad with olive oil, vinegar and a little salt.

But, I admit, there are a couple strategies that I use that do take a salad to a new level. I like to call it the upside down way of making salad.

It’s how my mom always made a salad. So of course it’s what my sister and I have always done.

We’ve joked about bottling and selling it, because we do always get those compliments. But then we think, there’s nothing to it, and typically end up laughing.

Usually I make a big salad for lunch, and most often a dinner salad, sometimes at breakfast as well … and having that salad creates an easy way to account for a majority of those vegetable servings we require (see more on that below).

Most of us have experienced a glimmer of worry as it relates to ensuring we stay mentally sharp as we age. And, most of us have known older family members who have struggled with various forms of dementia.

Some tend to think that dementia is just par for the course when it comes to aging.

And yes, some of our outcomes in life are definitely tied to genetics … but the good news is, like so many things related to our health, A LOT is in our control.

If we do the right things … can we maintain our mental stability, alertness, and acuity as we age?

Well, I'm not sure even the top neuroscientists can absolutely and definitively answer this question. But there is an abundance of documented evidence that shows that there are things that we can do to hold off and/or prevent forms of dementia in our older years.

So yes, being mindful of good habits that support brain health is the best way to get started.

And one of the best strategies to think through is, SURPRISE - what we eat, and thereby how we nourish our brain.

I recently I had this wonderful little conversation with a couple of friends over a cup of cappuccino.

As we were sitting there catching up, my friend asked, what is your “word” for the year?   

Ironically, I had been thinking about “my word.”  

If this is unfamiliar territory, sometimes thinking of one word which represents you and your aspirations for the year can be useful.  It’s a word that can be grounding and purposeful, and keep you on track - in spaces that you've identified as important.

The word I chose for this year is INSPIRE.  

When breathing through our nose, our lungs are able to extract 20% more oxygen than if we breathed through our mouth. This can make a profound difference in our life, our health - and is a clear marker for longevity.

Mouth breathing, on the other hand, is tied to chronic ailments - like asthma, allergies, and anxiety. It increases inflammation in the body. It makes us more susceptible to periodontal disease and sleep apnea.