While a bright smile in the mirror can boost your self-esteem, taking care of your smile - through proper oral hygiene - extends far beyond your self-confidence.

Unfortunately, dental insurance is something that evades many of us - students and employed. However, making your dental health a priority will pay dividends later. Not only can preventative care and regular upkeep help stave off expensive procedures later on, maintaining your oral health can improve your overall health. Gum disease and poor oral hygiene have can contribute to chronic inflammation throughout your system, and can increase your risk of heart disease.

Do you feel like you're always tired? 

When you're fatigued, everything feels difficult and it's tough to meet your full potential. It's even difficult to do some of the things to fix it - like exercise!

Read on for 5 tips to restore your energy.

As 2019 winds down and resolutions come to mind, consider something different for 2020. Forgo the unrealistic weight loss and gym goals and instead made a resolution to adopt a healthy lifestyle. 

Resolutions are simply goals, but using January 1st to make a drastic change in your life is difficult to maintain. I'd even say that many New Year's resolutions set yourself up for failure. 

Adopting lifestyle changes instead of trying fad diets can be done in incremental steps. Identifying the changes you want to make, and then thinking through how to achieve those changes is the best way to make sure your goals are achievable and, more importantly, that they're the right goal for you. 

The main shift from the 2012 to the 2017 exam was a shift in focus on the Principles of Dietetics from 12% in 2012 to 25% in 2017, and the trickle-down effect reducing percentages of the other three domains. For dietetic students and new graduates, see the RD Handbook from CDR. 

Look at the most up-to-date CDR outline on the website. Be aware of materials published before January 1, 2017 as they will be current with the previous 2012 exam. 

The next exam update will be for 2021.

To learn more about the structure of the exam, see my 2016 post on RD exam pass rates.

If a passion for science and patient care wrapped up in a fast-paced job working in a team sounds like a good fit, then nursing may be a career path you should pursue. 

I write about wellness on this blog, from physical health to mental health, fitness to eating well. Whether you're interested in the wellness side of health, or about the science and care behind disease states, it's not a stretch to think that nursing might be a good fit for you. 

Let's talk about it some more.

Routines can provide us with stability that helps us organize not only our day, but our minds. But if your day-to-day life is bordering on hum-drum and you find yourself daydreaming about something different, you may be in a rut. 

You don't need to make any drastic life decisions to get out of a rut, though that's the solution we often see at the movies or on television. 

​Today I'll share 3 ways to get out of a rut. 

Many of us have hectic schedules, and trying to sleep enough, exercise enough, and eat well feel like another full time job. 

id you miss my post on healthy routines to take care of yourself? Check it out here.

Today I'll talk through some common challenges we encounter at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and talk through some solutions. I'll also share my own challenges with cooking for one and some things I've found to help solve my problems!

Have different challenges? Comment on this post and I'll incorporate it into the next post.

This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase something through my link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links marked with *.

Injuries come in all varieties - from fender benders to runners knee - and not only impact our favorite activities, but every part of your life, like basic self-care and sleeping. Read on to learn about battling the emotional toll, financial hit, and lingering pain that result from accidents and injuries.

Living with diabetes is more than managing blood sugar levels. It also involves adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors, though traditional recommendations might be adapted to suit you better.
 
If you’re having trouble with some of the standard recommendations you hear in the media or read about online, here are a few tips that can help you prioritize and adopt these behaviors. 

I’m sure you’ve heard of diet detoxes. Going on a “cleanse” is a pointless activity, as your body has a built in detoxification device – your liver! In contrast to limiting your diet down to the bare minimum, eating a well-rounded diet, sleeping enough, and moving more will let your body work the way it should.
 
But the idea that you need a break from the toxic things in our everyday world applies to other things in your life, like reliance on digital tech, a messy house or office, or a toxic social life.