So since last time, I’ve tried some new things – Egyptian food for one – at a place called Pots here in Las Vegas. They have the usual hummus and babaghanoush, but they also offer a tasting menu, and my wife, my mother, and I all tried it. It was excellent. Ive noticed that being Vegan has made me move out of my comfort zone with a lot of foods. Egyptian was never something I would have tried in the past, but I’m glad I did now.

People ask me all the time how they can grow more spiritually. I have learned over the years that becoming a pure channel for spiritual growth comes down to a few simple steps — and then a lot of practice! First, you need to be organized and have some sort of daily routine that suits you. Structure is extremely important, especially when you first start on the path, because it gives you a firm foundation to build on.

Thyme, an herb native to the Mediterranean but now grown over most of the world, has been used for thousands of years as a medicine, an antidote for the Plague and in embalming preparations. And while it’s unlikely that thyme stopped the plague, modern research has proven that thyme does indeed combat infection. One study from 2010 suggests that thymol, the active ingredient in thyme, can reduce bacterial resistance to common drugs, including penicillin. A member of the mint family, thyme has long been used in Mediterranean cuisines for its sharp minty flavor as well as its medicinal properties.

Do you know someone who suffers from dementia? Witnessing a loved one slowly lose their memory and reasoning skills can be a very painful experience. Dementia is a persistent syndrome that tends to get worse over time–affecting memory, thinking, and behavior. It is distinct from Alzheimer’s in that Alzheimer’s is a specific disease, but general dementia can stem from a variety of unrelated brain illnesses.

The following is an extract form a Harmony & Balance report I conducted on a business and their offices to assess the principle of harmony & balance. In the same way that everything is formed in the universe through the primordial aspects of Yin and Yang, which must always be in balance; everything is also formed by the “content and container” aspects.

Problems with eyesight can occur at any age, but in seniors they are more common. For most eye conditions, the risk rate increases for those over 70- or 80-years old. However, many of the eye conditions that arise as a result of age are considered to be normal by many medical professionals, although physiological or biological compensations are possible. Aging does increase the risk for some sight-threatening eye conditions, which is why it is important to be informed and to have regular eye check-ups.

Several weeks ago I caught a doozy of a cold, leaving me with a stuffed head, chronically runny nose, sore throat and a bit of a cough. Bad enough for the first few days, weeks later it seemed like it just wouldn’t go away. I didn’t have the flu or strep throat or bronchitis, but the symptoms lingered. Finally, after weeks of getting more rest and watching my diet, it passed. During that time I ate lightly, (when I wasn’t sleeping,) but found myself throwing handfuls of thyme and garlic into virtually everything – from scrambled eggs to soup. It was a little bizarre, actually.

The following is an excerpt from Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen, by Marc Lesser. Whenever I lead trainings or give talks on using these seven mindfulness practices, I can often feel the room’s energy shift as I describe the seventh practice, “Keep making it simpler.” People experience a sense of relief, as though a weight has been lifted. Their shoulders drop and they relax. Though we yearn for and need practices to support our leadership, mindfulness, and growth, we also have a basic and primal yearning to let go, to let it all go — all our concerns and judgments about our health, well-being, improvement, effort, and struggles over everything, including these practices. What a relief to stop struggling!

Can color really affect your mood? Research says yes; color can absolutely affect your mood, behavior and stress levels, and the study of these effects is known as color psychology. Whether in the clothes you wear, the paint on the walls, or the color of your desk, color is important.