Monday, March 24, 2025

From Cocoon to Glimmer: A New Chapter Begins


Life has a way of ushering us through many seasons—some filled with light and ease, and others where we find ourselves wrapped in a cocoon of transformation. After several years of navigating life changes, multiple moves, and the bittersweet journey of watching my children grow up and leave the nest one by one, I found myself in such a cocoon. Honestly, I felt stuck for a long time. It was a time of reflection, growth, and quiet evolution.

On one particularly challenging day, a special friend offered a gentle nudge: "Why don't you start writing again?" She reminded me that I had touched so many, and that she believed it was my calling. Those simple words reignited a long-dormant spark within me. What began as a tentative return to words soon blossomed into something far greater than I had imagined.

Today, I am beyond thrilled to introduce Glimmer Magazine-a sophisticated space for women of all ages and stages, created to inspire growth, health, healing, and the journey toward becoming our most authentic selves. This magazine is not just about glossy pages; it's about the light that emerges when we embrace every part of our story.

Glimmer is a celebration of resilience, empowerment, and the joy of living fully. It reflects the belief that it is never too late to rediscover your passion, rewrite your narrative, or step into the woman you are meant to be.

I am honored to share this labor of love with you. I hope it inspires you to find the glimmer of possibility within your own journey.


Read the full first issue of Glimmer Magazine here:

Downloadable PDF link HERE

Sunday, March 10, 2024

I Deleted Instagram Off My Phone and This Is What Happened


 It's been two full weeks since I deleted Instagram off the home page of my phone. Since then my life has become exponentially better: I started painting again which is something I've been wanting to do for literally years, and I finished my first project (a painted Louis Vuitton bag) within one and a half weeks. I also made the decision that even if I had to sit and stare at the walls in boredom it would be better than the black hole of scrolling that had consumed a massive amount of the last few years of my life. And what happened was that I was forced to notice my feelings, and through them, I was able to address certain fears and insecurities that were holding me back. This led to me actively working through healing processes that I spewed about on social media, but had obviously been running away from, by escaping into virtual reality and playing the role as the coach, healer and expert. And man it's definitely easier said than done. But I did the uncomfortable work by really going deep into my feelings, listening to the  parts of me I had been keeping hidden away, giving myself compassion and then finally shifting into a new version of myself that was dying to come out. I also faced one of my most uncomfortable fears and resumed writing a book that I started literally five years ago. 

One of the things that I did to set myself up for success was to replace the Instagram app with a journaling app. Because these social media apps have been designed and programmed with AI to get us all addicted and distracted to the point that if we don't post everything we're doing, eating, or feeling it's as if our lives don't count at all, I knew that I would instinctively go to and click on the app in that location whenever I felt bored or tired. But what I found out was that in those first few days, my neural pathways were so ingrained to click on the app, that I did it constantly throughout the day without even thinking about it. So I journaled instead. I also realized that taking photos and posting things in and of itself is not a bad thing; it was and is something I love to do as a powerful form of self expression. The difference was that I was doing it privately for myself, which eliminated all the expectations for likes, comments, messages...aka outside validation! 

With every day that went by, my addiction to clicking on the app started to wane, and I began to feel empowered about keeping my life private, as well as saving loads of energy that spending time on social media seems to zap out of us, for writing, painting, and expressing creativity in ways that served to boost my own self esteem and love, rather that steal it away. I also actively made an effort to reach out to friends and family that I love, or wanted to get to know better, and scheduled to meet up with some of them. I created a social calendar for myself that was full enough to not feel isolated, but also gave me my own space to expand myself, heal and create privately.

Looking back on my journal posts, I realized that on the first few days I wrote as if I was planning on posting what I was writing on social media to "share" with the world; because that is somehow how I justified spending so much of my time on the app. I convinced myself that I was "inspiring the world," and that after a week or so I would get back on and share my posts. But, my mental health and life in general got so much richer that as the days went by, my journal posts became more personal, real, and for-my-eyes-only, as journal posts should be! 

This morning I woke up and decided it was time to write about my two week experience more publicly, but in a space that is my own and has a lot of meaning for me. Opening up Blogger and logging on was like coming home to a place that gave me so much joy and fulfillment, even before Instagram was invented! Will I go now and post this link on Instagram? I have no clue yet. Maybe I'll just leave it here and whoever is meant to see it will, and that will be enough. Maybe not. But either way I am writing this for myself in this moment. 

So now, I'm going to selectively share some of the thoughts and insights I recorded in my journal that will bring light to my Instagram detoxing experience. Of course I will only pick out the things I posted that I choose to include expressly for the sake of sharing some of the journey of the experience. 

Sunday, February 25, 2014

My first journal post was a voice note I recorder that is loosely transcribed here:

    "So I replaced my Instagram app with this app so I could take a break from Instagram which I started to find was very toxic for me, and it was sucking out the time that I could be using for more creative endeavors. And I know if I do some creative things, I will be happier. So, since I added this app, it's been maybe an hour and I clicked on it like 3 times just instinctively and then I would just quickly turn it off, so now I'm entering my first journal entry. It's Sunday morning, when I should be saying my tehillim and davening and connecting spiritually, but of course I keep going back to my phone, so one of my goals this week is to get more connected spiritually and elevate my vibrations to feel the love of the world for myself and others and do my creative work without having to post it or get validation for it from Instagram which is extremely toxic."

    "....I already feel so much better abut writing in this journal than scrolling or posting on Insta. With posting there are expectations of validation; with journaling there is just relishing and holding onto the current emotions and moments for yourself. I can already feel how much healthier this is for me."

Here are some more journal screenshots. (Note: I cut off parts that I'm keeping private and are not relevant to this post):











Monday, February 26, 2014



Journal voice note about self expression for the sake of self expression for yourself, transcribed loosely:

    "Another thing I'm learning about myself through this practice of journaling is that I have so much to express. I have so many ideas that keep coming to me that I need to express. The problem is, when you express on social media there are only a tiny percentage of people who are going to see it or respond to it. When you're putting it out there, it kind of comes with an expectation of results. So with that expectation comes the disappointment of realizing that most people don't even appreciate what you have to say (it waters down your impact, as opposed to sharing one on one with real friends). And that can trigger feelings of not being heard, seen or appreciated. But when you write it in a journal it's just for you. There's no pressure whatsoever. Expressing yourself does not necessarily depend on the approval you get to be valid. Whatever you want to express is valuable and worthy in its own right, and based on your perception, not anyone else's. As the famous quote goes: The way others react or respond to you is always about them, and not about you."



Tuesday, February 27, 2014




Monday, March 4, 2024



Thursday, March 7, 2024



Friday, March 8, 2024



This was after my daughter ran in the Jerusalem marathon and I got the itch to share. But I ended up sharing on WhatsApp with close friends and family only.

Pretty much towards the end of the first week, my posts were mostly private journaling, rather than about being off Instagram.  It took LESS THAN A WEEK to wake up and live fully outside the metaverse without feeling any lack or emptiness (besides for a few minutes a day of Pinterest scrolling for inspiration for my creative endeavors).  Once I unglued myself from the muck of AI addiction it becomes crystal clear how dull, repetitive, competitive, and negative life is in there as opposed to living in the real world. Even if that includes times of boredom and facing uncomfortable emotions. Life is still richer and healthier offline. I'm honestly mindblown at how effective AI is at convincing us of the opposite! 

I now see Instagram simply as a tool. Perhaps I'll share this very post there. Perhaps I'll visit once in a while and create some content when I feel like I have something worthy of sharing. Or perhaps I'll just let it go for good. Because after two weeks I hardly miss it and can clearly see it has done nothing beneficial for my life. And yes, I'm even including the fact that it helped me facilitate some fame back in the Fashion-isha blogging days. Really! What has it given me that I have sold my soul to the machine for? It hasn't made me more rich or authentically loved. And it certainly has not aided in healing what needed to be healed. If anything, it did the opposite. If and how ever I decide to use social media, I'm going to be the one using it, and not the other way around.

With much love,

Sharon

March 10, 2014

A note on being an activist on social media: This may get me some hate, because I know from personal experience that getting swept into becoming a keyboard activist for a cause gives you a tremendous sense of purpose and accomplishment. The ego will convince us that we are changing the world and without our posts the world will fall apart. But here's the truth: The world IS falling apart and full of evil regardless of our posts.  The world is ALSO constantly being built up and full of beauty, love, joy and goodness. The perfect example is Israel: For people who only know Israel from media, it is a scary, dangerous, war torn, politically broken, sad, and for many, evil place. But in the real world, Israel is exquisitely beautiful, constantly being built up, full of joyful, strong, resilient, kind, friendly, and crazy fun people of every race and religion. Today, an Arab couple out celebrating the upcoming Ramadan stopped me to ask if I would take a picture for them. The interaction was light and friendly, as if all was good and peaceful in the world. And in that snapshot of the moment, in both my world and theirs, and the world of everyone who was around us, IT WAS good and peaceful! New high tech and modern buildings, roads, train tracks, gourmet restaurants, and businesses are popping up and flourishing at a pace that is nothing less than miraculous, despite any concurrent darkness. But the metaverse (and that's where we all are when we're spending hours on social media), is a way darker place than the real world. Inside, we have access 24/7 to every horrific thing that is going on. We are literally exposing ourselves to too much darkness! G-d created us to have a limited experience based on our own personal lives, not to have to experience every terrible thing going on in the world at once, or to have to see everything everyone is busy with all day and night. This is absolutely terrible for our health and well being and does very little to actually affect things in the real world. We've been brainwashed about how evil it is to stay silent on social media, but by spending hours inside a virtual world, we deplete any and all energy we have to actually take actions necessary to try to fix the real world. This, I believe is purposeful and part of the evil agenda of social media. (Apple's logo is pretty much symbolism for Adam and Chava's Eitz Ha'daas fruit! And guess who the snake is?) A cordial conversation with an Arab taxi driver is far more effective than reposting online trolls to show how "bad" people who are sitting behind their keyboards (or bots) are. I've wasted hundreds of hours as a keyboard warrior and it has done nothing to change whats' going on on the outside. What it does do though, is it rots us on the inside, causing us to feel frozen, stuck, paralyzed in doom and despair, and eventually desensitized and brainwashed.  I've learned that by getting out of there and actively using our energy to become our best versions in the real world, we can change the environment around us, which creates a ripple affect around the world. If you have a blessed life, but feel guilty because it's so bad on social media that you feel like you have to post, it's just an illusion. Get out of there. Enjoy your blessed life and give back in the real world. 

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Why I Am Scared To Write This

 I am scared. I am really scared.

Last night, while laying in bed I promised myself that today I would start writing again. It's been a really long time. I'm scared because of the subject I'm writing about. I'm scared because I'll be exposing an unattractive side of myself. I'm scared because I know that, according to the demographics of my socials, most people who will be reading this are of a different generation, and when I was their age I would not have wanted to read about this. But, this is exactly why I am writing. Maybe if someone like me was the one writing it I would have read it. And maybe it would have given me hope and a better perspective. So I am writing this for me. And if this ends up helping others in not feeling isolated, washed up, or misunderstood then that's even better. 

I am writing about getting old.

I'm not sure if I'm unique in this, but when I was younger, it felt like there were two separate species of people. There were young people, and there were old people. And we were different. I'm aware that this outlook is pretty obnoxious, and I admit that I was an "agist" and had struggled with connecting to older people. I found it annoying when old people moved slowly in the grocery aisle, or took forever to count their change while paying for something when they should just be swiping their credit card and getting on with it. And don't even get me started when it came to getting stuck behind an old person driving. It was irritating when I'd have to wait for them to find their glasses to see something on their phone, or when they would say "what's that" a bunch of times because they could never hear what I was saying. 

The night before my 40th birthday I panicked because 40 was such a scary number to me. I literally felt like I was still a kid in some sense, but time was ticking along anyway. When I woke up and looked in the mirror, I breathed a sigh of relief, because I looked exactly the same as 39: Young, pretty, energetic, cool. I made a decision that I would live every day as best as I could because I suddenly became aware that there's really no going back, and I would fight like hell to create more meaning in life while maintaining my looks, body, energy. 

And I did. As a matter of fact, it was in my 40s that I started this very blog, becoming one of the first, original modest fashion bloggers. I also looked my best, ran my first 1/2 marathon, donated my kidney, and grew spiritually from some difficult, life changing events during this decade. It almost felt like I came into myself and my full adulthood only in my 40's. And I fought like hell to appear and act young. I had this! I was going to win this battle on aging.

It was all going pretty well up until the last few years. Enter peri-menopause, 20 pairs of reading glasses all over the house, a changing body that includes shrinking and a belly that persists no matter how many foods I eliminate or how much I work out or how many supplements I take, my youngest kid leaving the nest, sweat pouring down my face every time I drink, and then sweat pouring down my body at 3am even when I didn't drink, a diagnosis of osteopenia, a bout of skin cancer, insanely itchy skin, losing my drive to go out at night with friends, losing my sex drive, feeling down and lonely for no reason, feeling unmotivated and purposeless, not being able to get my shit together because I was so afraid of walking into that dark night of old age. 

I realize now that this judgmentalism and discomfort with older people was because of my acute awareness of how this would eventually happen to me, and I didn't want to face it. But no matter how much I fought it, it inevitably started creeping up in my own life. Giving in to reading glasses and then having them perpetually perched on the top of my head...sometimes 2 at a time, but then nowhere to be found when someone wanted to show me something to read or see. The not being able to hear as well and having to say "what" which profoundly lessened my chance of ever finding out what was said at all because people really despise having to repeat themselves. The shock when I caught my reflection in a window and would see what looked more like a little Bubby than the Hot-Mom vision I still had in my mind. These things creep up slowly in a way that are are hardly noticeable, until it hits you like a cold shower. Why did I never stop to think that the old people I saw were once the young, beautiful and vibrant people? 

These are some of the thoughts that swirl around my head as I lay in bed, staring at the ugly ceiling fan that I used to despise, that is now graciously generating the cool air I need for my overheating body. I am face to face with the terrifying knowledge that I am currently transitioning into an old person. I know a lot of you will say, "Come on, you're not old. Stop it." Well whether I'm old right now or not, the fact is that in less than 1/3 of the life I have already lived I most certainly will be. If I'm lucky. And like everything else in life, it's not a destination, it's a process. As I toss and turn trying to get comfortable in a bed I used to easily fall asleep in, I am no longer in denial that I am currently, and most certainly in that process. So I promise myself I will start writing about it. Even though I'm scared that it's a topic no one wants to read about. Because I can. And I'm good at it. And it's time to add meaning to all of this dread.

I know a lot of you will say, "Why is this so dreadful for you? It's such a blessing, you have experienced so much and you are lucky to be on this journey." And yes, that is 100 percent the truth. I am lucky and blessed. And I'm fully aware that I look great for my age. But as someone who has feared becoming that annoying old person, and as someone who has spent decades working on my fitness, my physical and mental health, and feeling purposeful, it really sucks that suddenly, when I'm no longer useful as a vessel for bringing life into the world, I have to experience this twisted version of a reverse adolescence. It feels like suddenly, the body and mind have conspired to send this message all at once: YOU ARE OFFICIALLY IN DECLINE. BE PREPARED TO WATCH YOUR SKIN AND MUSCLES SHRIVEL UP AND YOUR BODY EXPAND. YOU WILL ALSO OFTEN FORGET THINGS AND FEEL LIKE SHIT, AND NOT TOLERATE MOST FOODS, AND NO ONE REALLY CARES BECAUSE IT'S "NORMAL". SO SUCK IT UP. OH, AND IT'S REALLY HOT IN HERE TOO. WELCOME TO HELL. 

Okay, okay, it's not really always that bad. My mind can be quite the drama queen sometimes. But, I can no longer be in denial that old people are not a different species. The truth is, we are all the same. We are actually all souls that don't age at all, but appear differently depending where we are on the path of life.  And as I move further along on that path I accept that I am the same as even that old lady I just saw pushing her yelping mini-doggy in the baby carriage. I now know that she still feels like the same person inside as she was when she was younger, and only her shell has changed. And she is probably sad that people avoid her or get annoyed with her because they are under the illusion that she is somehow different, flawed, over. 

So now, if I'm stuck behind an older person blocking the aisle in Home Goods or Target, inspecting every throw pillow or smelling every candle, I try to be friendly and kind. Maybe she's taking her time because she does not have anyone to rush home for anymore. Maybe she hopes to experience some type of human connection when she ventures out. So I will say hi and spark a conversation. And it's pretty gratifying. Not only because it's always a good idea to be friendly and kind to all humans, but because old people are actually really smart and funny. Of course they are. They've been in this game of life for longer than most.

I've really been trying to reframe it all. I joined TikTok and started making videos showing that women like me in their 50's were still cool, good looking, energetic, funny and relevant. Surprisingly, I found a huge community of TikTok users in my demographic. At first I was a little shocked at how some of these people looked. Hey, I'm at that weird stage in my life where people my age all look older than me :) But damn! Some of them actually looked really good too. Like a 55 year old female body builder who is drop dead gorgeous and probably thriving more than she has ever thrived in her life. These people were making TikToks and having fun. They were talking about exercise, healthy eating, supplements, and natural "meds", instead of running to seventeen doctor appointments and getting steroid shots and physical therapy for their achy joints. THANK GOD! I realized that the aging people of today are not exactly following the same rules as those in the past. Maybe we should actually change the name of this stage from "Menopause" to "Adolescence Part II". We are definitely going to be a different kind of old, and I'm really vibing with that.

So here I am. As I write, I walk through the fear and realize that the future does not have to be that bleak reality of retirement communities, hideous capri pants, bleeding lipstick, and being a lonely dog mom.  Just like we survived acne and insecurity and sulky moodiness in our teens, we will survive hot flashes and low libidos and facing new frontiers at this stage of life. And it's because of my elderly wisdom and experience that I now know what I didn't when I was in Adolescence Part I:  That without a shadow of a doubt it's up to ME to do the work and create my own incredible future, bringing in the best damn years of my life. There is no denying anymore that it's coming. I WILL be an old lady. The free, fun, fit, healthy, compassionate, amazing version that you might actually look forward to becoming. Cheers!



xx

Sharon

*In my next post I will share with you my most annoying symptoms of this stage of life and the remedies that I have found useful to me. As someone who avoids going down the route of doctors, hormone replacement therapy, and Pharma meds (unless G-d forbid my life depends on it), some of my personal remedies may sound controversial to some of you. But that's what makes this so interesting. I am a seeker and adventurer and I am having fun tweaking my life to counteract some of the discomfort of aging. Stay tuned!

Saturday, December 26, 2020

On the Covid Vaccine: My 30 Year Wellness Journey and Why I Feel the Way I Feel

The idea for this article was formulated after I posted an Instagram story about how disturbed I was that Quantas Airlines was considering mandatory vaccination to fly their airline. I was actually quite surprised when I got some comments opposing my negative attitude about a potential COVID VAX PASS for traveling. One woman left a comment asking: “Sharon, why are you so against vaccinations? Didn’t you vaccinate your kids?”


Honestly, I was overwhelmed by that question because I have never been an anti-vaxxer, and yes I did vaccinate my children with the required vaccines. I even remember feeling judgmental at one point towards anti-vaxxers. So I actually get it. When we learn something that feels right, it becomes our belief system, and it’s really difficult to understand those outside of it. But I was actually surprised that the concept of not wanting to inject myself or my kids (and grandkids) with a brand new, rushed vaccine, with a new technology that affects our RNA, was equivalent to being against all vaccines. I realized there was no short answer to that question, because I have had years and years of personal experiences that have led me to feel the way I feel. 

From the time we are born we are ALL indoctrinated to believe in doctors, vaccines, and drugs. Our lives are in their hands from day one! We are taught that our lives are being extended and saved on a level like never before in history because of vaccines and Western medicine. Right? And yes, I believe this may be true to some extent and I am grateful. But the system we have become dependent on and have put all of our belief into is far from utopian. See, you have to kind of get screwed by that system to start waking up to what’s really going on. And even with that, it's not all black and white or good vs. evil. That's why it's important to open up our minds, get educated, think for ourselves, and find some type of balance that works for ourselves and our families. So here, I will share just some of my stories that have led me to thinking the way I think and living the way I live, especially during these crazy times:

1990: The Pediatrician:

The morning after I gave birth to my first child, the pediatrician on call came into my room and, being a nervous first time mommy, felt a wave a relief when he told me with real care and compassion that it was totally normal to feel overwhelmed and I could always feel free to call him at any time, no question being too stupid. He also told me to make sure I make some time for myself, and that it wasn't selfish if I needed a break from my baby. This was way before we had social media support, and before “self-care” was a thing, so hearing this was everything.  I was thrilled to have met such a wonderful pediatrician, who eventually became a close family friend. He would see us in his home office whenever we needed off hour visits, and he always gave me his “free” sample bottles of the “best” most expensive antibiotics he had in his “hidden” closet.

I would often come to his office, and notice the stylish, savvy pharma reps dropping off gifts, samples and basically kissing a$$. As a young stay at home mom, stuck in gloomy central NJ, I remember dreaming about working for a pharmaceutical company - traveling and taking doctors out to sell my magic potions for great profit. After all, it was those reps who always dropped off all those beautiful free samples that my doctor was always generously giving me so my babies would sleep the minute they whined for a second or tugged at their ears. Believe me, I get the magic of a doctor that waves his drug wand promising to make everything ok.

My first indication that putting a baby on antibiotics for basically his entire first year of life is not exactly the best idea came when I took my 2nd child to the dentist, and he told me that he could tell that some of his adult teeth coming in were damaged. I was shocked! When I asked why, he asked me if he’d been on a lot of antibiotics. I said, well…he was that kind of baby…colicky, cranky and always getting sick…so basically he’d been on about 8 rounds of antibiotics in his first year alone! The dentist just nodded his head and said it makes sense.

At the time, I didn’t understand what I do now about how taking too many antibiotics messes up the “good bacteria” balance in the gut, causing all kinds of problems and affecting many delicate processes. (Including serotonin production!)

As I became a little bit more wary regarding antibiotics, I spoke to the doctor and he told me straight up that most ear infections are viral and doctors give antibiotics even when not necessary because it appeases the parents. Also viruses thrive on bacteria so if you wipe out the bacteria the virus is not as potent. What he didn’t say was that when you wipe out the bacteria you’re also wiping out the good stuff. 

A few years later, my doctor moved further away from my home, so going to the doctor became a whole trip. I still loved him and his practice, but I was starting to become more aware. I understood that the doctors were getting kickbacks for the meds they prescribed, and that my kids did not need antibiotics every time they didn’t feel well.

I started to learn why some “crazy” people were taking their kids to the chiropractor for ear infections: The gentle adjustments helped drain the fluid that was causing the pain and infections, in order to avoid antibiotics. Crazy started sounding not-so-crazy.

Eventually I implemented my new "sick rule." If my kids didn’t feel well, we waited 24 hours. If they had a high fever or still seemed unwell after 24 hours we would go to the doctor. And guess what? 99.9 percent of the time we didn’t end up going to the doctor. I also started noticing how often my friends were running to doctors and putting their kids on antibiotics and all kinds of meds, and how much less my kids got sick once I stopped running to doctors and putting them on meds. It was quite eye opening.

1995: The Internist

When my 3rd child was born in 1995, we were in a transition. We were planning on moving out of Lakewood, but our plan fell through and we ended up moving in with my mother-in-law temporarily. It was definitely a low-point in our lives. I was post-partum, 3 kids in, without a home of our own, and literally starting a new business from scratch.

I wish that I knew what I know now: Sometimes plans don't work out in order to give birth to new and better things. But at the time I suffered from terrible anxiety. The kind of anxiety that is really, really frightening. The kind that, I’m assuming is driving a lot of today’s population to believe in something….just something…anything…even if it doesn’t make sense…to save them. Like a mask? Perhaps a vaccine? Believe me, I get it because I've been there.

I went to my internist and the minute he walked in the room I burst out crying. I told him I was hardly functioning and I had awful anxiety. I  told him that I wasn’t sleeping, and I needed to sleep because I had 3 kids, one a baby, and how would I function? I was a wreck. He, unlike my pediatrician, was not empathetic at all. He just looked at me expressionless and told me I have postpartum depression. If felt like he was just slapping a label on me and proceeded to write me a prescription. As he wrote on his pad, I insisted it wasn’t PPD, because my baby was already 8 months old and I wasn’t depressed, I was just anxious and afraid and my life had been turned upside down. He told me I was wrong and prescribed me with anti-depressants and sleeping pills. (He didn't even give me anything for anxiety!) He told me I must take the meds and come back in 3 months for more. 

Looking back, I probably should have gone to a therapist, not an internist. But back then, young mothers hardly went for therapy unless they had REAL problems. Therapy was way more taboo than it is now. Again, without social media, we had very little support or knowledge as to what was normal or considered a real problem. Women struggling as young mothers with anxiety began to gain awareness just a few years later, with the advancement of technology and better access to the communication and information that came out of that.  

So I went home and took my pills.  I don't really know if they worked, or if I just calmed down a little because I was doing something. I was definitely still not 100% ok for a long time, and I realized that I most definitely did NOT want or need to be on meds forever. I also was getting scared of how addicted I had become to the sleeping pills. I would worry about never being able to fall asleep again without popping a pill.

Now let’s keep in mind that the 90’s was the era when the pharmaceutical companies were heavily promoting their amazing, miraculous meds that essentially got a portion of America addicted to pills. And later, some of their kids too, from swiping the bottles out of the medicine cabinets during parties or episodes of drama or depression. I used to get full bottles of the strongest pain killers (aka opioids aka rich man's heroine) after I gave birth. You can google the pharma lawsuits and all that fun stuff if you want, but that's when I started realizing that many doctors were just glorified drug dealers. Not all, but many.  

I have no idea why or how I had the motivation to do what I did, but I decided to get myself off the pills. I would get through the afternoon, and after my kids were sleeping, I’d go into my guest bedroom close the door and lean out the open window and give myself therapy. I would sometimes cry and even scream at myself things like, “I WILL NOT DIE IF I DON’T SLEEP! I WILL NOT DIE FROM ANXIETY. I AM A STRONG FREAKING MOTHER AND WIFE AND I DON’T NEED DRUGS TO FUNCTION.” I was doing verbal affirmations way before they were even a thing. Before bed, I broke my pills in 1/2, then in 1/4’s and then I just touched the bottle as a placebo to sleep. When I could sleep with the bottle touch I knew I was ok.

One day I ran into my internist jogging along the lake, and he stopped and said to me, “Hey, I haven’t seen you back in the office. You need to come in for more meds.” I told him that I was off the meds...that I had gotten myself off.  He looked at me like I was nuts and said, “You can’t do that. No one does that.” I smiled and said, “Well, I did. Bye.”

I never stepped back into his office.


Early 2000’s: THE FLU VACCINE

One day, another doctor friend of ours saw me in the grocery store and came over to tell me I should make sure to come in and get my flu shot. I was like…what shot? 

Now, I was born in 1968. We got the flu. That was part of life. To me, the flu was a bad cold. You got it and got to stay home from school or work. You got to stay in bed and have people bring you chicken soup. There was not a shot for the flu! But lo and behold, suddenly there was. And it was urgent that everyone get it.

It started to get annoying when this doctor friend bothered me about 2 or 3 more times over the next few months to get the flu shot. I was like, no way, I don’t need it. At this point, I was already pretty much against meds in general, unless really necessary. A few months later this particular doctor began to build his dream house down the block from us. Good for him. The pharmaceutical companies making those flu shots were a great sponsor! But, I and my family NEVER ever received the flu shot. And we hardly ever got the flu…hmmm.

This past spring, I found myself in a debate with a doctor, who told me straight to my face that by not taking the flu shot I could be responsible for killing the elderly. This idea of us being called "grandma killers" because we question medical trends or mandates is like being in a toxic relationship where the other person blames you for their problems and manipulates you to do things for them that are unhealthy for you. As a life coach I would say get out of that unhealthy relationship fast. Or at least set clear boundaries. If you are reading this and believe I'm being selfish, then you have been indoctrinated by one of the most unhealthy psychological manipulations of all time. 





2005: MY GREAT AWAKENING

My mother-in-law, also a free thinker and always open to holistic health and wellness, introduced me to the book "Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About" by Kevin Trudeau. This was the book that clinched everything for me and introduced me to the world of holistic wellness. Always looking for more information on how to lose weight and improve my health and well being, and after everything I'd been through, I devoured the book. It also was the first time I was exposed to information about the corruption of the big food and pharma industries, and that's when everything started clicking into place in my brain. Kevin Trudeau actually got in big trouble after he published his books. He was arrested for spreading false information, but if you read his book, you'll see that he talks about basic things like getting enough sleep, filtering your water, reducing exposure to electronics, lowering your stress, and eating organic produce. A lot of people think it's a new thing that we are being censored regarding keeping healthy and well in order to prevent dependency on doctors and drugs, but this has been going on for a long time. I highly recommend his book, and you can still get on Amazon!


2008: THE BACKPAIN

About 12 years ago, my husband started experiencing a “pins and needles” sensation in his arm which eventually led to excruciating back pain. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty details, but suffice it to say, he was told, like so many others who experience unexplainable back pain, that he had several herniated discs and would need to have emergency surgery ASAP. 

UM…no.

We weren’t having it. I had already known several people who experienced a similar scenario and even after a grueling surgery still experienced pain and even worse complications. This was when we began exploring other, more “holistic” options to help my husband. By the way, besides for the doctors telling him he needed emergency surgery they also prescribed him with mega doses of one of the world’s most addictive opioids: Percacet. Lots and lots of fat pills of Percocet. Thank G-d they didn’t help him and he didn’t take them more than once or twice.

One day I was having coffee with a friend and shared with her what was going on, and she mentioned Dr. Sarno’s book on backpain. I was eager for any “out of the box” solution, so I went straight to Barnes and Noble and bought it. My husband read it, and he “got it.” We both did. This was so our vibe: Understanding that our brains are brilliant machines that would rather us feel and deal with physical pain than our emotional issues. And also, that contrary to what most doctors will tell you, herniated discs are in fact very common and not dangerous at all.



He started asking around and talking to people about Sarno, and we were told about a guy in Brooklyn who gave seminars on the Sarno method. We attended a few and ultimately, this was the path that led my husband to his healing. It wasn’t instant relief, like how western medicine hooks us, but once the brain accepts this new way of seeing things, it is the solution for almost every non-life threatening pain you will ever experience. The method was logical and consistent with what we were seeking: Healing and wellness for the long term without dependency on doctors and medications. 

For those of you who have been scared by doctors about your herniated discs, know this: The herniated discs ARE real, just not dangerous like many doctors say they are. My husband still has them, but lives with them without pain. 

2019: THE OB/GYN

Last year when I went for my annual check up and had blood work done, my ob/gyn, the only type of doctor I still maintain on a regular basis, told me my testosterone levels were low and tried to sell me a type of patch they embed…yes…EMBED into your lower back! I was shocked, because this was supposedly a more progressive doctor. I mean it was 2019 in Boca Raton, Florida! 

Thankfully, I got a second and third opinion on my bloodwork, and was told that my testosterone levels were in fact fine. I was actually a little estrogen dominant because of my age, but my hormones were basically good. Imagine if I would have trusted blindly and had hormones I didn’t need embedded in me??? Then what kind of medical problems would I have? 

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Florida In Crisis? My Covid Story

Hey everyone! I hope you've all been well. I'm here to share my Covid story. 

Butterfly mask by @mlwdesignny

I know you've all been hearing about our Covid crisis here in Florida, and the first thing I'd like to say is that we are (mostly) fine! But more on that later. 

I'm not really great at exact dates or anything like that, but let's just say this story starts in that "ok" time around May, when the New York numbers were starting to thankfully come down, and here in Florida, we were starting to open up, and our numbers were just fine. There was this ray of hope in the air. We had all been waiting for the Florida spike for a while and it wasn't really happening, so we were kind of just feeling a bit hopeful that things would get better from here on in.

My eldest daughter and her family had come down to Florida to get away from the frigid and dreary weather in Chicago, especially since her kids were not in school. Of course she didn't come to our house. She rented her own house about 25 minutes away and we tried to be cautious with distancing when she first arrived.

But after a few days we all just chilled and decided to enjoy this little silver lining in all the craziness going on in the world. My kids and grandkids were close by! And this brought immense joy to our lives during a time when we were mourning the loss of our previously very social lives.

The plan was that my daughter and her family would stay in our area for 6 weeks and then go to Orlando for a few more weeks, and then go back to Chicago for the summer. It was truly a blessing. We were able to distract ourselves from the craziness of the world, and hang out with our kids and grandkids. We swam, went on bike rides, and barbecued.

Toward the end of their stay, my husband, who had been spending a lot of time in the pool with the kids, started to develop ear pain. At first, we chalked it up to swimmers ear. He went to his doctor who diagnosed him with an ear infection, and he was put on antibiotics.

It was at that time that the Covid cases in Florida had just started rising. It was about 5 weeks after we opened up. But we didn't even think for one second it was Covid-19. But just to be cautious, he decided to get tested, as he wasn't going to shul in order to be careful.

The interesting part was that when he went to get tested he was already cleared by his doctor as being better and was in fact feeling better. But to our utter surprise his test came back positive. We were shocked. He didn't have any Covid symptoms! Like the good man that he is, he made a commitment to quarantine for two weeks. I was told by my doctor friend that I need not quarantine. That I could still go grocery shopping and bike riding, but I should assume that I could be a silent carrier and to be extra cautious, wear my mask, and keep a distance from people. No biggie. I was already doing that. I made sure to not go to my yoga classes for two weeks and to only go out if necessary.

I did go on a bike ride one day, and I found it a bit difficult. I had to stop several times and my speed was slow, but I chalked it up to the fact that it was 100 degrees that day and I was riding at high noon! The next day I felt a little "funky". I had some stomach issues, which for me are not so uncommon, and my head felt a little woozy. I was also a bit more tired than usual. 

That feeling lasted a couple of days. But I did not have fever, and I kept thinking if I wasn't paranoid about being exposed to Covid I probably wouldn't have noticed anything.

After we finished the 2 week quarantine, we went out to get antibody tests and we both came back positive for antibodies!

So....with great gratitude to Hashem, our Covid experiences were very mild....and quite interesting. It's amazing how each person experiences Covid differently. And that's one of the reasons why it's so difficult to feel secure during this crisis.

I had been posting a lot on Facebook about how mild the symptoms are for most people and that people should stop being afraid. To me, the fear mongering had been the most dangerous part of what had been going on. But, after being told by a friend that my posts were insulting to people who were really suffering with Covid, or people who had lost loved ones, I toned it down and shut my mouth.

Listen...I have my own personal opinions about this whole thing. But this post is not about sharing statistics or getting political, or talking about conspiracy theories. Even though I do believe that we may be overreacting based on the percentage of deaths, and that masks may not be protecting us and others as much as we are being told they are. 

As a matter of fact...if you are in fact interested in seeing a video that shows actual scientific studies about the effectiveness of masks you can click this link HERE

But for those of you who would rather not, that's fine too.

So, I'm not entirely convinced they help as much as we are being told they do, but I am willing to wear them on the chance that they do. And I'm not going to be a Karen about it! (OMG...even being a Sharon is difficult these days. I'll go into Starbucks and give my name, and through the mask they always hear "Karen." I'm like, NO! I'm Sharon, not Karen! But I digress.)

As far as Florida in crisis? Yes, we are now having a crazy spike. And yes, our hospitals are full, but thankfully not overwhelmed. And people seem to be recovering. Thank G-d! But keep in mind that tons of people are running out to get tested now. Everyone that has a sniffle, everyone that thinks they were exposed, and people who are just curious because of the spike itself. 

If I wouldn't know about the numbers? I wouldn't actually feel like we are spiking. Here in Palm Beach County, the stores and restaurants are still open. My favorite gym, Yoga Joint, is still open, although, I just heard that the Yoga Joints in Broward County are requiring people to wear mask in the hot rooms during classes. (Say what??? Talk about elevating the challenge!) People seem to be out and about, on the beaches, walking, biking, shopping. And yes, people are complying and wearing masks indoors, and there are many that are wearing them outdoors too. It seems...we are (mostly) fine. 

Just a regular day walking on the beach.

So here's what I'm going to say: I think for most people, Covid-19 will not be so bad. But for some it will be. And it's for those people that we need to be sensitive...even if you believe your rights are being infringed upon and that the government is overreacting or even trying to control the situation for political reasons. I could definitely go there...believe me! But what I have learned, above all, is to be a little bit more sensitive to others and how they need to deal with all of this. Even though the act of accepting our differences is in itself a bit isolating. It is not easy for anyone right now. Besides for the fear of physical illness, there are huge mental health repurcussions from what's going on. Our world has changed and social distancing, although we can justify it away as acting out of kindness, is extremely difficult for humans.

As I wrote in my latest Instagram post

    "One of the hardest parts about what’s going on these days is this constant feeling of isolation. And I’m not even talking about “quarantine” which most people are out of. First of all we need to acknowledge that there has been a major shift in the way we interact with people and that in and of itself... keeping a physical distance, no hugging, a constant and acute awareness of touching things that others have touched... these are all social changes that can have strong negative affects on the human psyche. Especially now with the knowledge that this is not just a temporary situation... ouch. And another aspect of feeling isolation is realizing that so many people who used to be likeminded, may feel so strongly...and differently... than us. That realization can almost feel like a sense of abandonment. I think it’s really important we acknowledge that this new reality can be extremely painful... and we may be feeling very lonely even if we see our friends from even just a few feet away. It’s just not the same. And those feelings are valid and real. The key is to realize we are all feeling this way TOGETHER. May Hashem heal this world ASAP because we are social beings and we need to connect! So let’s do our best to connect in the ways we can: By offering help to others, reaching out to friends with kind words, and being supportive of other people’s choices even if we don’t agree with them..."

Try this: Make sure you do something that makes you happy every single day, get out of your head (and the news) and do something for another, and know that every day that you're healthy is a blessed gift!

Wishing you all loads of health, peace of mind, and love,

Sharon 


Tuesday, March 24, 2020

How To Calm a Middle of the Night Panic Attack in Under 5 Minutes

Life got real weird, real fast...no?

Just a month ago, even though we already knew about the deadly Caronavirus: Covid-19, we were fine! Weren't we? It was just a bad virus and we would get through it. No need to panic.

Back in the day, (a month ago feels like a lifetime ago!) I wrote a post on Facebook telling people to go about their lives and not to panic, because it's not good for our immune systems, and I got blasted by some that I was doing people a disservice by downplaying the pandemic that was about to hit our shores. Someone actually commented, "This post will not age well."

Unfortunately, it is way worse than I thought it would be. But, I have no regrets for trying to create calm. Especially now, with the entire world shut down, without an end in sight, and so many of our loved ones getting sick, we need more than anything, to create calm. Because the fear of the unknown is its own infectious disease. And it's infecting all of us.

This past Friday night, the 2nd shabbos that shul was cancelled here, I slept fitfully. I woke up several times, once with chills and a rush of fear, worried that I had a fever...only to realize that someone jacked up my AC, and my room was freezing.

Actually, I had been waking up pretty much every night and every morning that entire week with immense fear: What if I was going to die? After all, I'm 51! A month ago I had been jokingly comparing myself to JLo, and now my brain was screaming, "What!? Are you dumb? You're not as young as you think you are!!" (Isn't it lovely how kind our self dialogue can be?)

One night I remember feeling like I couldn't breathe while trying to fall asleep. Of course the fight or flight part of my brain switched on, screaming: "OMG this is it, it's Corona!" Fortunately, the sane part of my brain sent a quick memo saying, "Hey! Yoohoo! Hello!...CALM THE F DOWN! You don't have fever, you feel fine, you're not coughing. This is just your friendly, everyday panic attack...RELAX!"

And, knowledge is power. A panic attack loses a lot of its force when you are aware of what you're dealing with, and you know you can defeat it.  Which is why I decided to write this post and share my own personal tools and steps for getting through it. We have no idea how to defeat COVID-19, but we can definitely win the war against the evil PA! (panic attack)

So what exactly is a panic attack? (Or any anxiety or fear for that matter.) It's when our minds get stuck in a traumatic past or a terrible imagination of the future, and for all intents and purposes, it reacts as if whatever happened in the past or the terrible ways we imagine the future, are actually happening right now.

Once the fight or flight reaction begins, the body secretes a ton of adrenaline and cortisol. Now, this is great if we're ACTUALLY under real attack.  But if it's...say...3 am, and we're safe in our beds, and all of these chemicals are being secreted because we remember what we watched on CNN, or we are making up stories of a terrible future...well, then, it's pretty much the worst feeling in the world.


The good news is, there are things you can do to calm down your parasympathetic nervous system in under 5 minutes. YES. This is a fact.

By now, most people know that taking deep breaths is the best way to calm down your brain and body. The problem with this, is that in a panicked state of mind, even while you're trying to take those breaths, it not only doesn't always feel like it's helping, but to some it may even cause them to feel worse, or hopeless, if the relief is not instant.  Unless we have practiced this with at least some positive result, our brains give us a hard time, especially in a state of fight or flight, believing that nothing will help us at all. That is why panic attacks are so scary.

But you CAN get ahead of them!

Before we get to my how-to's, it's very important to integrate the following idea in a time of relative calm...say, like right now, while you're relaxing and reading this post:

It is scientifically proven that deep breathing...or simply slowing down and focussing on your breath, is the shortcut that will calm down your parasympathetic nervous system, reaching the part of your brain that's in fight or flight, way faster, and less energy-depleting than trying to rationalize away your fears. 

This pre-existing knowledge is what Gedale Fenster, would call "da'as," or "da'at", which loosely means "a learned knowledge of helpful information," that helps us deal with our challenges in a positive way.

OK. So now that we all have integrated that important information, I'm going to go through the steps I personally take to get myself out of panic mode.  These are the things that have helped me. But, everyone is different, so whatever feels right or good for you to try is great, and whatever doesn't, that's OK too. But, I figured if these powerful tools help me so much, why not share them? Right?

Also, I'd like to note that some of the tools I use I learned from the book: The 60 Second Fix by Regalena Melrose, Ph.D. If you guys have never heard of Somatic Experiencing, and suffer from anxiety, PTSD, or any trauma at all, this is an easy book you may want to read.



That being said, this is how I calm a middle of the night panic attack in under 5 minutes:

Step 1: Awareness

Let's say, I wake up, and as soon as my brain becomes aware, I feel it. That horrible flood of adrenaline and cortisol coursing through my body. The "monkey chatter" in my brain begins as if someone undid the floodgates of fearful and upsetting thoughts, and within a few seconds I know I'm at risk of getting washed away with them. At that very moment I simply become AWARE of what is going on and I define it without attaching anything dramatic to it: "This is just anxiety. My body is secreting chemicals that are causing me to feel this way."

Step 2: Deep Inhale

Once I have awareness, I have enough brain space to remind myself to begin taking deep breaths. I do not think, "Will this work?", and I do not worry about the technicalities or the how-tos. I just start inhaling deeply, because I already know this WILL begin to shutter the floodgates of fear.

Step 3: Focus Your Breath

Now I can put my focus on my breath. Inhale for 5, feel the breath go all the way down to the belly, hold for 3-5 seconds, exhale the breath all the way out for 8. Or, find your own pattern that feels calming to you.

Step 4: Somatic Anchoring

I can now control and direct my thoughts a bit more easily. At this point, I will anchor my feet down into my mattress, and/or focus on feeling the support and comfort of my mattress and pillow connecting to my body and head. This is part of Somatic Healing, and it works because it "anchors" you into the current moment with your focus on your current physical comforts.

Step 5: Affirmations

Once your focus is on a current comfort or support, you can start to say silently or out loud, "I am safe in this moment." or "I am healthy in this moment." or "I am grateful for the comfort of my bed." Or whatever other mantra you feel like saying that will continue to anchor you into the present, safe moment.

Step 6: Stay Present with Gratitude

You should be starting to feel a little better now. Continue with the breathing, the mantras and affirmations, and see if you can move your thoughts into gratitude for whatever is good in the current moment. The key is to stay anchored in the present as much as possible. If you get pulled back into "monkey brain" just refocus and start over. It's a practice like anything else, and it does get easier and more instinctive over time..

Step 7: Shift to Recovery

For me, sometimes I'll shift into meditation mode, get tired, and fall asleep. That's the best case scenario. But many times that doesn't work. Sometimes I need to get up and just accept that I'm not going to fall back asleep right away, but at least I'm calm enough to go do something distracting, or I'll talk to G-d and pray. But either way, I'm no longer panicking.

I hope these steps have helped you. If they seem difficult at first, or as if they are not working, just keep trying. It's like learning a new language, and before you know it, you will see that you CAN calm yourself down.

This entire experience is a huge reminder that we really have no control over anything, except how we respond to the craziness going on around us. And as Gedale Fenster says, "There is a great power in powerlessness." Our greatest fears and pain come from the illusion that we have any control at all, or that things "should" be a certain way. Once we give over all of our control to the one and only "Controller," and accept that what is happening, is for a reason that we cannot see, then we can just let it all go.

So keep the faith, keep on breathing, and remember, we're all in this together. Please share your ideas on how you're staying calm during this harrowing time via email, or on my Instagram page.

Sending calming thoughts,

xx

Sharon

Blogger/Certified Life Coach

For a confidential appointment via phone or FaceTime, email me.

Next up...What Are We Supposed To Be Doing Now??



Friday, February 21, 2020

A Chat With A Holistic Nutritionist You Definitely Want to Read

Dear Readers: 

 If you already received this post via email, I apologize for the duplicate. We needed to fix some technical errors and repost. If you haven't yet read the post, I highly recommend you take the time to do so. Not only is it a fun chat with a good friend, it is chock full of really important information regarding holistic health and wellness. Enjoy and thanks for reading!

It was the first Shabbos in my new neighborhood in Boca Raton, and as I walked into shul, I noticed her right way. Tall and thin, with a huge, open smile radiating out to her adorable young daughter, I felt Henya's positive energy immediately and wondered if we'd be friends. And friends indeed we became.


We immediately connected over similar backgrounds, and cultural experiences. Our kids, who went though similar experiences as well, connected too. Over the next two and half years we shared thousands of WhatsApp and re-life conversations, meals together, countless bike rides including riding in Tour de Simcha together, joint creative projects, and some funny drunken 80's karaoke nights.

I often discussed health and nutrition with Henya, a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and ACE certified personal trainer, and would pay attention during our many conversations with our doctor friends. She always presented intelligent, and updated scientific data that made a lot of sense to me. Besides for being a fun friend, I grew to know her as a pretty smart chick when it came to holistic nutrition, wellness and even healthy culinary skills!

After years of trying everything and always struggling, I realized that if anyone could unlock the complex secret of how a woman of my age could possibly get rid of those increasing pounds, inflammation, and an annoying middle-age bloated belly, it was her!

So on this past New Year's Eve, with way too many tequila shots flowing through my veins, I asked her to please help me.

Now don't get me wrong. Up until that point, I had too much pride to "hire" Henya. I had been a self-educated, know-it-all dieter my entire adult life. Before I hit 45 I knew how to diet my way down to the weight I wanted to be, but it was mostly painful and unhealthy, physically, emotionally and mentally. And I was usually far from fit.

But after 45? Well, that was an entirely different story. I began to feel my age. I had less energy and my moods were out of control. And the weight gain wasn't just regular weight; it was a lot of bloat and inflammation. Often my face would be swollen in the morning and my belly would be round and protruding in the evening. And the worst part was that it seemingly had very little to do with how much I exercised (usually a lot), or how much I ate (usually not a lot).

No matter what I tried on my own, nothing worked for long. I just didn't understand how complicated it was to achieve and maintain that fine balance of health and wellness at my age. I had pretty much come to terms with the fact the I would never get even my old, imperfect, but better body back. Which is fine, I guess. Right? We're supposed to accept ourselves as we are.  But, I'm a warrior against decline in aging, and I really didn't like that I wasn't feeling good inside and out. It was time to surrender my pride to the person who I knew would understand the many factors involved in getting, and staying healthy and youthful as I got older.

And those weren't the only things Henya understood. Although it may not be evident by the way she looks today, she has experienced her own journey and struggles the area of health and fitness, which is what led her to her career to begin with, as you will read below in our chat. I have seen for myself that she too has to work hard to stay fit and healthy and is completely empathetic to the various issues that many of us struggle with.

So that New Year's eve, Henya reluctantly agreed to work with me. (Reluctantly, only because she knows how much I loved to drink!)

Being silly New Year's Eve 2020

She warned me it would be a lot of hard work, and I would have to listen to everything she told me. I'd have to cut down on my alcohol to almost none (gasp!), take a whole bunch of vitamins and supplements, and I'd have to take a saliva hormone test.

But, I was ready and I committed!

Since then I have lost more than half my goal weight, but more than that, my inflammation is down and I'm starting to look good in pictures again. (You may even start seeing more of me on social media now ;)

The one month difference!

But mostly, I feel way more energetic, way less sad and lethargic, way more youthful, and I hardly ever get "hangry" or "cravy". And just this morning, I noticed my hair was actually thicker and shinier.

Writing this, I know it all sounds like an ad for some magic weight loss pill. But the truth is, this is far from a shallow post about just weight loss, and it's far from magic. Henya creates extremely fine tuned, custom programs specifically for each individual client's needs and issues, based on real data and the most recent research. And it's all holistic, healthy, and extremely "feel-good."

And yes, I DO have to work hard and be diligent and organized. I do have to avoid many foods and shop organic, non-gmo, and prepare my foods carefully. I have to avoid eating out and drinking too much alcohol. I have to swallow all of my supplements and watch my FitBit, and make sure I burn enough calories everyday.

One of Henya's delicious, easy salads. Photo property of @RealHealthFit

So, no, it's not a magic pill at all. It's science and hard work. But I would have no idea how to do all of that myself, even if I was a know-it-all dieter who had already gone through every diet on the plate. The body is a very complicated machine. I'm glad I'm friends with such a smart chick!

So I give you my dear friend, Henya Lazar!

Photo property of @RealHealthFit

Sharon: OK. Let's start with some fun facts about yourself so my readers can get to know you better!

Tell us a little about your background.

Henya: I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, in the typical Jewish areas of Boro Park and Flatbush back in the 70's and 80's; but moved to Canada when I married my husband who is from Toronto. I lived there for about 20 years until I was pretty much a frozen block of ice and decided to move to Florida to thaw out! I'm obviously being overly dramatic but the cold really got to me.

S. I can totally relate! What do you like to do for fun?

H. I love to cook and bake healthy meals and desserts. The hard part is cleaning up the invariable tornado of a mess I make in the kitchen, but I recently started listening to audio books or podcasts at the same time which helps make the cleanup process easier.

I also love to bike ride outdoors, which I did in Toronto during the warmer months, but you got me on the real deal - a road bike - when you moved here, which I was always terrified to do! By promoting Tour de Simcha, you convinced me that a road bike wasn't as scary or as painful as I though it would be, and you were so right! People often assume it was the other way around, so I love sharing the real story. Anyway, my old hybrid bike is now sitting in my garage if anyone wants it.


TDS 2018

S. Yes! I love that we rode together in TDS! It's really cool that some sort of fitness inspiration came from me to you as opposed to the other way around. That makes me so proud. And you inspired me to get my FitBit and really up my ante when it comes to fitness on a daily basis.

I'm sure people often wonder what a nutritionist eats...what are some of your favorite foods?

H. I genuinely like all healthy food, but my favorites would have to be salmon nigiri or sushi rolls with salmon, avocado and green onion. I am also obsessed with dark chocolate covered almonds. I have such a weakness for dark chocolate covered anything: rice crisps, raisins, it doesn't really matter as long as it's crunchy (and organic of course!). Over the years, many well-meaning friends have misunderstood this chocolate love affair and bought me boxes of dark chocolate truffles as gifts...and I really don't like truffles at all. There is something about the texture, not to mention the additives and unhealthy ingredients. So, if you're reading this and at some point you bought me truffles - umm, I'm sorry? You're still an awesome friend, it's the thought that counts ;)


Henya's delicious, homemade chocolates. Photo property of @RealHealthFit

S. Haha! I really think people will love hearing about your weakness for chocolates! As you know, my chocolate is tequila. So if anyone wants to gift us...it's chocolate covered anything and tequila! No truffles :)

While we're on the subject of no-so-healthy choices, what are some of your favorite foods that you have given up?

H. Pizza and fries, although I wouldn't say I've given them up, just switched them over to healthier versions. I'll eat homemade gluten-free pizza with vegetables on occasion (I'm still trying to find kosher organic mozzarella!) And I'll make organic "fries" in an air fryer. But growing up I at a LOT of pizza and fries. There were a couple of famous pizza places in Flatbush where I would spend way too much of my babysitting money. The other thing I've given up, but at this point would taste really gross to me, are chocolate bars like Twix, KitKat, and believe it or not, Paskesz nougat bars. That one is a little embarrassing but what can I say, I used to have a serious sweet tooth for all kinds of unhealthy stuff.

S. Aaah, pizza and fries! Long lost friends :( I want your recipe for the healthy versions! I'm waiting with bated breath for you to write your cookbook.

H. Thanks for the vote of confidence, hopefully I'll get there someday!

S. What's something unexpected about you that would be surprising to most people?

H. People tend to think I am aloof in social situations, but the truth is I am kind of shy and awkward with people I'm not close with. It's gotten better over the years, but basically if you come over and talk to me I love it. It's much harder for me to make the first move. Although, I think I spoke to you first and introduced myself when I met you in shul! Another thing people find surprising and also hilarious is my terrible sense of direction...I could literally get lost going around the block.

S.  I'm really glad that your came over to me! I remember us connecting right away...we even went to you for impromptu cholent, and I remember thinking, aah these people are so cool. The cholent wars began from the start!

H. Haha, we will let the people decide...but both our cholents are great, and I can say that without bragging because I don't make mine, my husband does! (Although, I did tell him what NOT to put in it!)

S.  So yours is healthier! What else is new ;)

Tell us something that's on your bucket list.

H. Traveling to places like Spain, Italy, Greece, basically anywhere exotic that I haven't been to before, which is a lot of places! For now I am happy to live in Florida and go with my family to different beach destinations within driving distance.

S. Yes! Greece. One day we'll make it there :) And yes, we are so lucky we live in Florida.

H. Are we telling your readers that every Purim and Simchas Torah when you drink one too many tequilas you tell all your friends we are going to Greece and Steven is paying? Haha!



S. Well, I wasn't planning on it! But thanks for sharing ;) 

If you could have lunch with one person dead or alive, who would it be?

H. Oh, this is a tough question. There are a few but the one who comes to mind right now while we are talking about fitness and health is Tony Horton - the creator of P90X. He revolutionized home based fitness programs and he just fascinates me as a person, a trainer and a businessman. I also find him pretty funny, and I'll have lunch with anyone who makes me laugh. Plus I know he would be happy to eat somewhere healthy! I would probably suggest Fuego Mundo in Georgia - we ate there on the way from Toronto to Florida and it was honestly the most incredible kosher healthy restaurant I've ever been to. They have grass fed meats and yucca fries. OK, now I'm hungry just thinking about it. Forget Tony Horton, you and I should go there!

S. I'm down! Did someone say road trip?? When are we leaving? But first...


Tony Horton and Atlanta's Fuego Mundo

...let's get down to business...The Real Health Business. Now that we have a better picture of you as a person, I'm sure everyone wants to hear about what you do professionally, and also learn more about  holistic nutrition and wellness. With so much information out there in the health, nutrition, and wellness fields, it can all get confusing!

H. It definitely is confusing! I have an Honors BA (that's a Canadian distinction meaning a more rigorous undergrad program than a typical BA) in Kinesiology and Health Science. I am an Advanced Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Culinary Nutrition Expert, both of those are from Canada as well. I am also a Certified Personal Trainer, but I've moved a bit away from that these days and focus more on health and wellness.

Essentially my job is to help people live their lives in the most healthful way possible, including food choices and teaching how to cook healthy wholesome food, exercise, lifestyle habits such as quality sleep and getting rid of toxins from skin care and household products and even unnecessary medications.

Obviously there are no guarantees in life. We all know people who smoke and eat garbage and are fine, and also those who obsessively watch what they eat and exercise, but don't feel well. This is where things like genetics, how you deal with stress, and social factors come into play. That being said, I strongly believe that we have to try and do our part to make sure that we are doing things to improve our health as opposed to constantly being exposed to harmful products and habits. And this is a daily practice, moving upwards on what one of my mentors Josh Gitalis calls the "slope of health." Meaning, you aren't either completely healthy or completely unhealthy, but rather, on any given day, what choices are you making to move up or down the slope? This was a powerful lesson to me and one I try to implement with my clients.

S. I love that! It's kind of like the 2 steps forward, 1 step back concept. If we think in those terms we won't be hard on ourselves when we are not perfect.

So just to clarify, how does what you do set you apart from a general nutritionist?

H. That's a good question, because the term Nutritionist here in the U.S. is different than in Canada. For the most part, especially in some states like Florida, it means Registered Dietitian, which I am not, and I'm always very clear about that and the fact that I have no intention of becoming one. Registered Holistic Nutritionist as I mentioned, is a Canadian distinction that is either unknown or misunderstood here. While there is some overlap in both fields, we have a more holistic approach, and rely on quality vitamin and herbal supplements along with organic food wherever possible.

It falls under the category of alternative wellness and functional medicine, as opposed to following the American food guidelines and western medicine approach. You will never see a holistic nutritionist recommending splenda or artificial ingredients of any kind. We cannot wrap our collective heads around serving food dye and sugar filled jello in hospitals to sick patients!

S. I know! That's why what you do resonates so much with me personally. The holistic approach to wellness just makes so much sense. It's not only about "getting skinny" or taking meds. It's about a lifestyle, where being lean and fit is just happy side affect of living healthfully!

So, tell us, what got you interested in this field in the first place?

H. I was sick a lot as a teenager and into my early 20's. I had chronic headaches, debilitating digestive issues, eczema, got colds very frequently, and had severe anxiety as well. I had no intention of getting into this field at all. (I started college as a computer programming major!) At the time, I went from doctor to doctor and after all the tests came back normal, was either told my physical symptoms were "in my head" or that I needed to take different medications depending on what my symptoms of the day were. Nobody ever asked me what I ate or what time I went to sleep at night. If they did, they would have learned I was drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day, eating tons of sugar, maybe a vegetable every other day  and going to sleep around 1:30 am. Let that sink in for a minute...numerous doctors and nobody asked me what I was eating?

It was meeting with several holistic practitioners that changed all of that. My anxiety decreased by 80% simply by cutting out soda and caffeine...seems so obvious now, but back then I simply didn't make the connection. Probiotics and a change in diet drastically helped my gut health - I still get digestive discomfort, but only when I am not careful with what I eat, and for me that is different than it might be for someone else. I wanted to learn more and in turn help other people.

S. Thanks for sharing that! I feel like this is a really important factor in what you do. A lot of people don't realize what you have gone through personally, and I think this information makes you relatable and adds a certain comfort factor for your clients. 

What are the main goals you have for your clients?

H. When a client tells me she feels better, has more energy, better skin, lost weight, whatever the specific issue was, it makes me happy!

S. I know! And it's totally different for every client. I was so excited to use the meal plan you created for me. So many people who want to get healthy and lose weight feel like there's nothing to eat. Tell us about how you come up with your original recipes.

H. I am really good at taking an unhealthy recipe and modifying the ingredients to make it good for you, wholesome and still taste great. I am not a chef, but I learned a tremendous amount about delicious, healthy recipes and cooking from the Academy of Culinary Nutrition.

S. Yes! You recently completed their program and became a Culinary Nutrition Expert and started giving cooking classes too. Which is great for the moms out there who are struggling with coming up with wholesome meal ideas that everyone in their families will love.


Henya sharing her skills at one of her recent cooking classes. Photo property of @RealHealthFit

Can you explain to us why it's so important to understand concepts like GMO and organic food, and why that's just as important to our health and fitness as how much food we eat?

H. The sheer number of pesticides, fungisides and GMOs used in growing food today is staggering. Add that to the toxins in beauty products and household cleaning products and it's no wonder people get sick so often. Our immune systems simply cannot handle it. We also have no clue of the long term effects of GMOs, and if you do the research, like in this article, there really is no benefit to them. While organic food isn't perfect, it does drastically lower the exposure to all of those things while also, in most cases, increasing the nutritional value of our food. For more on that, check out this amazing resource at the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit, no-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. 

S. It's really scary if you think about it! But, what you taught me was instead of getting overwhelmed with all of it, to just start being more aware of the ingredients and information on packages, and slowly replace the unhealthy food and products as they run out. There's no need panic and throw everything out at once. Even small slow changes make a difference.

What is your favorite part about what you do?

H. Listening to people's health challenges and trying to figure out the best way to help.

S. You're really good at that! What is the worst part?

H. Not being able to reach people who are too afraid and/or find it too difficult or overwhelming to make the necessary changes to improve th quality of their life. Watching them go down the slope of health I talked about earlier, and knowing there is nothing I can say to convince them to try an alternative approach. That's hard, but I've learned that not everyone will agree with me or what I do, and that's OK.

S. Sure. I hear that. 

What are some of your dreams and goals for the future of Real Health Fit?

H. I have a few and G-d willing I'll have enough hours in the day to implement them. My priority is and always will be my family, which B"H includes 4 kids, ages 12-19.

So, I'll keep those future goals under wraps for now except for one, which I am excited about us doing  together! You're an exceptional Life Coach and people need to hear more from you, that's why I am happy we are working on an awesome Health and Wellness Retreat together.

S. Thank you! And yes, I am super excited about that. So, dear readers, stay posted for more on that soon, and Henya, thank you so much for being with us today. I hope this conversation will inspire more people to walk down the path of holistic health and nutrition.

TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HENYA, CONTACT HER HERE OR EMAIL HER AT INFO@REALHEALTHFIT.COM

HENYA SEES BOTH LOCAL AND LONG DISTANCE CLIENTS, SO DON'T BE SHY TO REACH OUT!

FOR GREAT NUTRITION TIPS, FOOD IDEAS AND A FURTHER GLIMPSE INTO HER LIFE BEHIND THE SCENES, FOLLOW HENYA ON INSTAGRAM @REALHEALTH FIT.

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