September is the notorious “Back to School” month. There's a palpable energy in the air. Everyone seems to be “starting up” again.

Did you know, according to organizational behavior experts, September and October tend to be our most productive months?

So I figured, why not put our best foot forward and figure out how to seize that opportunity of productivity and activate it for ourselves.

For those who have been on my mailing list for awhile, you know I write about goal setting from time to time.

Because it is easy to get lazy with goal setting, I like to occasionally tee it up, and offer new ways of thinking about how to achieve our goals.

While most of us are probably not headed back to school, the “back to school” mentality provides a tidy process for enabling us to think through and activate our goal planning process.

If you recently tried out the Mexican Fiesta menu from my last newsletter, there's a good chance you now have an open can of chipotle peppers sitting in your fridge.

For many, including me, that can of peppers probably ends up in the trash because, let's face it, how often do we really need chipotle peppers?

Frankly, this bothered me enough to seek a solution.

So, here's what I've started doing: I wrap each pepper in plastic wrap (I wish I could find a more eco-friendly alternative, but that's a challenge for another day) and pop them into a freezer bag.

Problem solved.

The next time I have a recipe calling for chipotle peppers, I can simply open the freezer and grab one or two peppers.

Did I have you at Mexican Fiesta? 🌮🎉

I know! If you’re like me, it’s hard to walk away from the flavors, spices and heat of southwestern cooking.

Now, picture this: You've had one of those exhausting days where you get to the end of it, and open your refrigerator door only to find it is empty, with no promise for inspiring dinner plans.

What do most of us do in that dire situation? Reach for the takeout menu or make dinner choices that are not satisfying or healthy.

But, fear not! There's a solution that doesn't involve culinary acrobatics or sorcery. It's a simple trifecta of time, thought, and planning - otherwise known as meal prep.

SOOOO many of my clients struggle with this - and it's not hard to understand why. Most of us lead pretty busy, jam-packed lives. It’s also easy to get lazy.

When all those things come together, we end up blankly looking into our refrigerator door at the end of the day.

As I was thinking about what to write about this week, reviewing the benefits of the timing of our meals seemed to be … timely.

This “timing” is sometimes referred to as Intermittent Fasting or even Time Restricted Eating.

Neither of those term descriptors are award winners in my book. And both sound technical and painful to bear for a gal who always looks forward to her next meal.

But if we just drop the monikers and think about what it really means, it’s quite simple.

We’re talking at least a 12 hour break from eating (mostly when we’re asleep), and even better, a 14 hour break (or 10 hour eating window) may be optimal according to Dr. Satchin Panda who has conducted groundbreaking research on circadian rhythms and eating patterns.

Brain health alert … as it relates to one simple habit you can add to your morning routine: 16oz glass of water, half a squeezed lemon and a pinch of salt, before that cup of morning coffee.

And then maybe one more glass of lemon water with salt - side by side with your cup of coffee.

And then you're free to sip just plain ‘ole water for the rest of your day.

I just came back from a bucket list trip to Southern France, celebrating “SIXTY” with college friends for a week, and then “THIRTY-FIVE” years of marriage with my husband Mark.

Both momentous occasions, and so worthy of celebration. So grateful for my friends who got the ball rolling, which enabled me to step right into one of the best trips of my life.

Turning “60” … “50” … “40” or sometimes even “30” can come with some trepidation.

I think I’ve always felt that trepidation with every new decade.

When I look back at the past decades, each was defined by many different wonderful things, as well as challenges … all kind of unique to that state of age … but what was promising was the realization that life was continuing to deliver the goods.

When we think about getting older, many of us think of life as a bell curve. We are walking up to a precipice, and at some point, probably in mid-life, we reach the peak, and start walking down the other side.

This lentil salad, obviously has as its shining ingredient - lentils.

Lentils pack in 18 grams of protein per cup. I'm always looking for ways to add more protein to my diet, since the amount we eat is so critical for muscle synthesis. They are also a great source of soluble fiber which helps decrease LDL and total cholesterol.

Lentils also provide iron, although plant sources of iron are harder for us to absorb. This is where lemon enters the picture. The Vitamin C in lemon helps us absorb iron in plant foods.

On a recent day of pouring rain, my extended family both mourned and celebrated a life well lived.

A cousin-in-law of mine, a Brit by birth, who adopted New England as his home in adulthood, was the type of person who lived large and always seized the day, had an insatiable curiosity, and could easily drop a Shakespeare quote into an otherwise mundane conversation.

He was definitely one of those people who didn’t waste a minute of life.

So as a throng of people celebrated and toasted his remarkable life, one mentioned a quote that was his favorite.

We’re headed into the heart of summer, and with that comes an abundance of fresh produce. The peak of freshness equates to the most remarkable tastes. And there is nothing better than local.

But sometimes we can get a little stuck figuring out what to do with it all…

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.  

Let's reverse engineer this a bit. Rather than give you a list of questions to ponder to help you set your goals, I thought I’d provide some guideposts to help ensure your success in what you set out to achieve.

But I will tee up a starter exercise to get you thinking about what’s important … since things just don’t happen without some careful thought and intention.

He attributed his success to lifestyle medicine. Although those words didn’t exactly come out of his mouth.

What he did say was most pivotal to his success was thinking about the way he ate.

Staying away from things he knew were not good. Adding in a lot more of what he knew was nourishing for his body.

For him, that was the most important.

But routine exercise played a role too. And getting enough sleep … and making sure he was tuned in to how he was feeling … and when he felt stressed, he had strategies to address it.

I love the way celebrity chef Seamus Mullen looks at the notion of health.

As a person struggling with Rheumatoid Arthritis who almost died in his thirties, he had to push away the perception that he was doomed by this disease.

He knew he could manage his illness better than what he was doing.

The starting point for him, in his words, was this:

“The first step to becoming a healthy person is believing you can be healthy.”

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.

Fall welcomes in the brisker weather … and there is no better time to put a warming soup on the stove. Try this bright, flavorful and most delicious curry vegetable soup. It promises to be the highlight of your day!

A recent interview with The Band of Sisters, a group of former PepsiCo executives and authors of the new book, You Should Smile More, brought into focus the power of reflection. When you give yourself time to think about the advice that you would give to your younger self, you may be surprised by the wisdom that is revealed … and the power that advice still has to illuminate your future.

This week’s Food for Thought focuses on ensuring that this first meal provides a foundational level of protein, vitamins and nutrients that will set us up for a day of energy and focus, with stable blood sugar working in our favor, and stopping cravings in their tracks. Hopefully this meal can hold us steady a good 4-5 hours without thinking about food.

Bottomline, the healthier our muscle mass, the greater our likelihood of survivability across all disease states. Body armor is the key to longevity, according to Dr. Lyon.

When we strength train, our goal is to increase and grow the muscle cells, and maybe repair some cells as well. This process is called hypertrophy.

And what do we need to do to ensure our muscles are activated for that growth? We have to get enough protein.