Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald

Tonight you'll meditate. You really will.

Tomorrow, you'll figure out a way to fit in that yoga class, between getting your kids to school and making it to work on time.

This week, you'll start inching toward that elusive "work/life" balance you keep...

It was love at first sight. When I went to my local animal shelter more than six years ago, I thought of it as a first step -- I was planning on researching carefully all of my options, visiting several shelters and rescues, and taking my time to find my...

Winter is officially here. It's the season of long nights and short days, of reflection and looking inward, and of thinking of ways to keep warm: scarves, gloves, fireplaces, cuddling... and soup. Ahh, soup.

When I want to remedy that "cold to the bone" wintertime feeling, a delicious steaming bowl...

Dave deBronkart, "e-Patient Dave," was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in 2007. The median survival time for his condition was 24 weeks. Thanks to the help of an online network for patients with his disease, he quickly learned about treatment options and found support for his recovery. The treatment...

When many of us think of mushrooms, we may think of culinary delights such as Portobello and Shiitake, or we may think of those "magic mushrooms." But the implication of mushrooms is absolutely profound. They have the potential to dramatically improve our health and the...

Nothing says refreshment quite like the summertime smoothie. These blended concoctions are a great way to cool down and power up, especially in the summer heat. The downside? Many commercially available smoothies you might find at your local convenience store contain refined sugars, artificial colorings and flavorings, and other unwanted,...

HuffPost Living's Sleep Challenge 2010 gave us a lot of great insights as to the importance of sleep, tips on how to experience better quality and quantity of sleep, and the challenges and obstacles that we face when trying to improve our sleep. Many commenters revealed how they experience high...

This month HuffPost Living has featured an abundance of great articles on the importance of sleep, with excellent tips on how to enhance your slumber from experts in a variety of fields.

An approach that can also aid in the quest for a good night's sleep is that of Chinese...

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. -- Hippocrates, father of medicine, 431 B.C.

Eat Food. Not Too much. Mostly Plants. -- Michael Pollan, renowned food expert and journalist, 2007 A.D.

The healing properties of food have been reported by cultures worldwide throughout history. However,...

At-risk teens. Animals abandoned at shelters. Two marginalized groups in great need of love, security, and a chance at living a good life. With an alarmingly-high rate of teen suicide (the third leading cause of death among teens) and over three million unwanted dogs and cats euthanized each in year...

Have you noticed that the pace of our society seems to get faster all the time? People report having less in-depth, meaningful conversations, yet have more breadth of connection--more "contacts" in their online Rolodex. Twitter, Facebook and other new media tools have given us the ability to connect at an...

It might not be much of a surprise when we read about how eating broccoli can lower the risk of certain cancers, or how loaded with antioxidants fruits and vegetables are. It seems that virtually every day we see a report of a newly-discovered health benefit of a fruit or...

In last week's blog, Susan Smalley, Ph.D., founder of the Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) at UCLA, shared with us her fascinating journey. After 25 years as a research scientist, she experienced a personal challenge that changed her life and eventually led her to founding MARC.

...

I recently attended a gathering of supporters of the Mindful Awareness Research
Center (MARC) at the University of California, Los Angeles. During this event, I
heard MARC founder (and Huffington Post blogger) Susan Smalley, Ph.D., speak. Dr.
Smalley, a research scientist for 25 years, shared...

No doubt health care reform is a serious and important matter. Politicians on various sides of the issue have been working day and night to hopefully find a way to solve our nation's health care concerns. Looks like they're finally making some headway.

I was fortunate enough to be privy...

When one thinks of the medical oncology unit at a major hospital, the inhalation of uplifting aromas, a feeling of sanctuary, opportunities for centering and relaxation, and guidance through restorative yoga poses are usually not what first comes to mind.

It could be a reality if you were at the...

The riveting documentary Food, Inc. (opening in select cities tomorrow) presents elements of the food industry that can put profit ahead of food safety, workers' rights, animal welfare, the sustainability of the environment, and the livelihood of the family farmer.

How much do we really know about the food...

"It is better to give than to receive" is a phrase that has become so commonplace, it's easy to take the meaning lightly. Many of us have felt that wonderful feeling that accompanies making someone's day a little brighter. Have we really thought about how powerful giving can be --...

As a clinical nutritionist, I spend my days reminding my patients of the virtues of balancing protein and carbohydrates, eating organic when possible, and having a good breakfast. They are often in search of losing a few pounds, lowering cholesterol, and preventing such maladies as heart disease and diabetes.

Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with autism. In a study of select populations around the United States, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that one in 150 children has the condition. According to the Autism Society of America, this is the fastest growing developmental disability with a...