By Harriette Kraus

My family and I are self-admitted foodies. While other families go on vacations and bring back glowing descriptions of paintings and churches, we can illustrate every luscious detail of the Paella in Barcelona, the Caprese salad in Florence, or even the amazing carrot cake in Chicago. While watching shows on the Food Network, we love hearing the descriptions of specific flavors and ingredient combinations in the foods they feature. Our restaurant experiences are not just about satisfying hunger, but enjoying the specific flavors in each bite.

It might seem contrary that someone who teaches fitness for a living would advocate the enjoyment of an array of foods and flavors. But an awareness of what we eat, or something called mindful eating, is exactly why the Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL) program at the University of New Mexico Center for Life Integrative Medicine Specialty Clinic was developed by Brian Shelley, MD.

We at StLFamilyLife.com would like to wish you a wonderful, safe Memorial Day. Our normal posting schedule will resume tomorrow.

Thanks so much for reading. It means the world to us. And in the meantime, go hug a veteran!

(By Lisa Bertrand)

It is 8 a.m. As I sit in the breakfast nook answering emails, readying a boy for school and writing this, the hubby has hit the snooze on his alarm clock at least six times. Six times, people!

He’s been doing this for years, setting the alarm at some ungodly early hour and then hitting the snooze button repeatedly. Why doesn’t he just set his alarm to a later time? Because each night as he sets the alarm, he has every intention of getting up early. But then morning comes…

By Lisa Bertrand

You’ve just learned of your friend’s miscarriage. Your heart aches for her. You struggle to convey a message of comfort and support. But if you’ve never been through the experience, you’re probably at a loss as to what to do and say.

The first step is trying to understand how this person might be feeling. No matter how much time has elapsed, a miscarriage is a loss that those who experience never forget.

“I had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy. It was devastating. I felt like you spent so much time…

Punxsuawnie Phil saw his shadow today. You know what that means! Six more weeks of winter. (If you’d like to visit Phil’s official website and become a member of his club, here’s a site you might want to check out this site.)

So if, according to the lore, spring isn’t on the immediate horizon, we’re be spending more time indoors. What to do? Here are a few quick ideas if you’ve got a quiet Saturday or Sunday.

How about ice skating? There are several indoor ice skating rinks in the area. Ice Zone is one. And don’t forget about the Kirkwood skating rink as well as the one in Brentwood.

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. May 2010 bring you (and your families) much joy, peace, happiness and fun!

And p.s. If you’re looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve? Check out the feature column for a very cool idea!

A recent study showed that 61% of the US population is worried about having enough money to deal with the holidays, while 42% is worried about gift giving. Thirty-four percent are stressing over not having enough time to get things done, while an additional 23% are anxious about running up their credit card debt!

Let’s face it, while this is supposed to be a season of joy and socializing, not many people have the extra money to spend or time to nurture themselves.

Nine years ago I was badly injured on Halloween night due to a broken manhole cover, bad lighting and a lack of hazard tape. Talk about scarey! Take a few minutes to read these safety tips. They could save you or your little one a scraped knee or (in my case) a trek to the local emergency room!

Check sidewalks. Look for tripping hazards (created by cracks or uneven pavement) as well as missing chunks of sidewalk. Also, are cars or other objects (utility poles, newspaper racks, etc.) blocking the sidewalk? Gauge the traffic. Does the speed or amount of traffic make this location feel uncomfortable? Do you have personal safety concerns walking in this location?