When I was a kid…heck, when all of us were kids, our mothers had a stack of aphorisms for any occasion. When I was 10 years old, I was convinced that all new moms were given a handbook of Snappy Sayings for All Occasions as they were packing their bag in the maternity ward, because all the moms said all the same things.

I’m always searching for ways to make a healthier version of risotto, one of my favorite winter Italian dishes.

Are you a celebrity watcher? A magazine clipper? A list maker, supplement taker, whole grains baker? No matter what kind of person you are, there’s a new diet cookbook to help lay the foundation for that inevitable New Year’s resolution.

Here’s the thing about decorating for Christmas. It should be fun. It should be an occasion. It should involve delicious food.

Perhaps more than any other holiday, Thanksgiving is associated with big family gatherings. But that doesn’t mean you need a house full of in-laws, uncles and cousins to celebrate in a meaningful way.

Did you know that every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer? Do you think breast cancer affects women only? Think again. Men are not exempt from breast cancer. Many breast cancers are fueled by estrogen, a hormone produced in fat tissue. Although there are numerous reasons why women predominantly experience estrogen dominance (use of birth control, menopause and pregnancy), both men and women are increasingly affected by estrogen dominance.

October marks the beginning of the fall gardening season. Everything in your garden will need some attention, and flower and vegetable gardens will be started.

October marks the beginning of the fall gardening season. Everything in your garden will need some attention, and flower and vegetable gardens will be started.

Autumn arrived Friday, and local gardeners say the West Valley is just days away from the best planting time of the year. “This time of year, people will be adding new plants for landscaping and replacing dead or damaged plants that were harmed during the Valley monsoon,” said Jim Oravetz, a Sun City West Master Gardener,  “Fall is the best time to do it.”

Autumn arrived Friday, and local gardeners say the West Valley is just days away from the best planting time of the year. “This time of year, people will be adding new plants for landscaping and replacing dead or damaged plants that were harmed during the Valley monsoon,” said Jim Oravetz, a Sun City West Master Gardener,  “Fall is the best time to do it.”

Editor's note: This is the conclusion of a two-part series of submitted columns on holistic approaches to breast cancer and lower estrogen dominance. All views are those of the author. The first column appeared in the Oct. 15 AFN.

Editor's note: This is the conclusion of a two-part series of submitted columns on holistic approaches to breast cancer and lower estrogen dominance. All views are those of the author. The first column appeared in the Oct. 15 AFN.

Editor's note: This is the conclusion of a two-part series of submitted columns on holistic approaches to breast cancer and lower estrogen dominance. All views are those of the author. The first column appeared in the Oct. 15 AFN.

Have you ever eaten a cup of soup prior to your meal only to find that you couldn't eat very much of that meal? Obviously the soup had a hand in filling you up before the main course came. The principle behind this is called caloric density and it may be the key to your weight loss.

For everyone out there struggling to lose weight, complaining how hard it is, and raging against the wind at the injustice of it all - I agree with you. That’s right. I agree.

For everyone out there struggling to lose weight, complaining how hard it is, and raging against the wind at the injustice of it all - I agree with you. That’s right. I agree.

For everyone out there struggling to lose weight, complaining how hard it is, and raging against the wind at the injustice of it all - I agree with you. That’s right. I agree.