While many of us watch our diet and exercise, we probably have not given much thought to how we breathe. Some of us cannot ignore our noses, especially if we suffer from respiratory or sleep issues such as asthma, snoring, or sleep apnea. Considering the average human takes up to 25,000 breaths per day or an average of 670 million breaths over a lifetime --- breathing is an area of our well-being worth paying attention to. Taking time to explore its potential benefits when done properly and understanding the negative consequences when done incorrectly is important to our health.

This one is for the ladies. Sorry, gents, but we have our unique issues. Recently, at a retreat hosted by BlueWave Medicine, I had the opportunity to meet New York Times bestselling author and speaker, Berkeley resident and physician Sara Gottfried. She recently just published her fifth book, WOMEN, FOOD AND HORMONES: A 4-Week Plan to Achieve Hormonal Balance, Lose Weight and Feel Like Yourself Again. This book is a must-read for any woman wanting to shed those extra pounds, balance hormones, achieve metabolic flexibility, and enjoy greater mental acuity. Just about all of us fit into at least one of those buckets.

Few names in health and wellness have had the staying power of Dr. Dean Ornish. With a litany of accolades too vast to name here and fans including past U.S. presidents, celebrities, and ordinary folks, Ornish pioneered what has become the revolutionary field of lifestyle medicine…