Where have I been?

Boy it has been a while since I blogged!! That is not proper blogging etiquette. Well, here we are in November and the last time I posted was January. Nearly a whole year has passed and I wanted to give an update to the happenings at Holistic Living Now before the year closes out and we are in the throws of 2011.

This year I have been making monthly wellness presentations to the patients at the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention. This has been a wonderful experience for me to share my wisdom with adults healing from various cancers such as breast, prostate and the like. I am more certain than ever before that the human spirit cannot be extinguished! We are resilient and can survive so much. Always keep your hope alive no matter what comes your way!

I have just started to teach cooking and wellness at GEMS - Girls Empowering and Mentoring Services. This is special work. The average age of the girls is 15 and they are working to leave the sex trade. Empowering these girls to feed themselves with nutrient-rich foods and habits can help them get grounded in their body and grow beyond this chapter in their life.

My work at the the Children's Hospital at Montefiore continues. I am part of Dr. Karen Moody's IMPACT team for Pediatric Oncology / Hematology. Integrative Medicine and Palliative Care Team is what we are and my part of that is Holistic Health Education and Cooking Instruction. This December marks my second anniversary as part of this remarkable team! With the help of my intern Keith Machler, I was able to get two generous blender donations this spring. Blendtec and Montel Williams both donated very powerful and useful blenders. Now, I go from room to room on the 9th floor making delicious and healthy smoothies for the kids who are inpatients. My next goal is to set up a table in the day hospital waiting area. This clinic is where kids come to get their chemotherapy and have regular checkups. The Bronx has been deemed the least healthy county in the U.S. so our work there can be overwhelming at times. Education is power. My goal is to share my recipes and guidance with as many as possible.

And finally, I created a Holistic Living Now fan page on Facebook. That is a great spot to view photos and videos of my wellness events. There are contests to compete in and conversations to join.

Thanks for reading and please post a note so I can hear your feedback!

Did you see Michael Pollan on Oprah today? That is what I am talking about! It is simple, as I have been saying since I founded Holistic Living Now back in 2003...eat whole, unprocessed foods and don't deprive yourself of foods you love. I recently watched Food Inc. the documentary. Did you see it too? I am so glad this information regarding the way meat is produced in this country is getting out to the masses. It helps us make better choices. Buying locally is so important so I am always telling people about the benefits of belonging to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Are you confused about how to start, what to cook and how to fit it all into your hectic life? Write to me and tell me your concerns. Let's solve this together. Thanks for reading! Tell your friends and help me get this important message to all who need to hear it. Don't forget to be conscious when you make your 3 "votes" each day. Food suppliers listen to where you put your dollars.

The 12th Month

Here we are in the final month of 2009. How was it for you? I enjoyed it very much! I went to the Grand Canyon in May and hiked/camped my way from the North Rim to the South Rim. I turned 40. I went to Jones Beach for the first time ever and rode my bike on Roosevelt Island. The uncertainty many of us felt for the past 18 months seems to have lessened and I feel stronger having weathered the storm. Connecting back to the simple things in life keeps me grounded. Sharing meals and conversations with friends and family feels good. Spending time in Central Park and walking as much as I can keeps my mind clutter-free. Good music gets me going when I need motivation and relaxing with a good movie is one of my favorite ways to unwind. Being in the kitchen and sharing my wisdom with all of you in the form of workshops, newsletters and classes brings me lots of joy. There is so much to be grateful for and to celebrate as we close out this year. Let me know what keeps you balanced. I want to hear about you! Glad you stopped by, and thank you for your interest :) Happy Holidays to all!

Things have certainly heated up at those town hall meetings!

Well, we have seen how passionate people can get about the status of their healthcare. I am still unsure why some people are so convinced they will have to give up their coverage even if they are satisfied with it. Seems the President has said over and over that if you like what you got, you can keep it. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I tend to believe it is just a reaction to change. Rather than finding out all the facts, some are choosing to ignore the reality that resolving this issue is imperative to our country's economic survival. Taking responsibility for our own health and the health of our family is a part of the new plan that cannot be glossed over. This is a big deal and will require funding to go towards education. If kids are taught good nutrition and healthy habits early, even before grade school, our battle to minimize preventable diseases is half-won. Parents need access to quality information so they can pass it onto their children. It needs to be simple, accessible and motivating. Please share what you think would help?

A Blog is Born!

OK, here I am blogging for the first time!

I am Veronica Winsch and I am passionate about wellness and inspiring others to live vibrant lives so I am pushing forward into cyberspace and social networking sites so that I can reach more and more of you.

My goal for the next chapter of my life is to make Holistic Living Now, my wellness practice, a leader in the New York Metro area when it comes to supporting the health and wellness of my community and humanity at large.

Join me - let me know what you feel our current health care system is lacking. Let's take a cue from our President, Barack Obama, and think outside the box so we can support each other in living disease-free lives and take charge of our country's health. A preventative approach to illness is the best approach, that is where we need to focus our attention and our dollars.

Stick with me, I will help you build immunity and make better choices when eating out and buying groceries and it doesn't have to break the bank! Also, let's not forget the nutrition we cannot find on our plate - love, satisfaction, fulfillment and connection. We can all do our part to stay healthy and inspire others to follow in our footsteps.

Thanks for connecting with me here!