As a 38-year-old, socially minded, mother and health journalist living in Australia, you wouldn’t expect one of my all-time heroes to be a conservative former president of the United States. But Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th US president, is exactly that, so much so, that my first child is named after him. Roosevelt inspires me because despite being plagued by constant health issues, including severe childhood asthma, partial blindness and deafness, multiple bone fractures, tropical fevers, rheumatism, and a gunshot wound in the chest, he still led an extraordinarily active life. In his 60-year lifespan, Roosevelt climbed mountains, became a cattle... Read full article »

I'm writing this letter to you because I know how you feel. You may have just been diagnosed with one or more of the chronic diseases sweeping the world in what has been called an epidemic - heart disease, cancer, diabetes or an autoimmune disease like multiple sclerosis. Maybe you've suffered all your life with asthma, high blood pressure, arthritis, thyroid issues, sinus issues, gut issues, migraines, back pain, chronic fatigue, depression or anxiety.   I’m writing to say I know how you feel. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease ten years ago. I thought I was seeing a... Read full article »

It was 2am and I was lying in bed wide-awake. I couldn’t get comfortable. I couldn’t settle my mind. I felt agitated and restless with thoughts about my ruined day ahead plaguing me. How on earth was I going to function?   Part of my concern was that I couldn’t identify the source of my insomnia. I wasn’t especially worried about anything and I’d performed my usual bedtime ritual – no bright overhead lights after dark (only lamps), meditation, herbal tea… the works. So why couldn’t I sleep? I was confused because while I’ve suffered my fair share of sleepless... Read full article »