5 Ways to Help Boost Your Happiness

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Here are five simple ways to help boost your happiness right now. 1. Master the moment with wonderment and enthusiasm. “Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.” — Socrates With mindfulness, relish and enjoy the simple things with wonderment and enthusiasm. Whether it’s laughing with your family and friends, feeling sand on your feet, listening to the rain, running a 5k, walking in the park, cooking your favorite meal, throwing a Frisbee,…
Read More...Social Media: What Consumers Need to Know About Online Health Information
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA It’s an exciting time in health care today. The health care landscape is rapidly changing and digital technology has transformed the way we communicate, interact and search for health information. Social Media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, to name a few, are powerful and phenomenal platforms to educate the public, raise awareness of health issues and collaborate and engage in conversations. Social media platforms gives a voice…
Read More...How to Keep Food Safe

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Do you know how long you can store food in your refrigerator? Do you know what foods can be frozen? “Everyone, everywhere needs safe food, free from microbes, viruses and chemicals. But globalization means the food you are eating today may have come from the other side of the world…we all have a role to make food safe – from farm to plate.”-WHO How to Keep Food Safe Source:…
Read More...Healthy Eating: Smart Recipes for a Healthier You-Barbecue Broccoli Sandwich
Here is a simple, healthy and delicious recipe with broccoli taking center stage. Enjoy! By John La Puma, MD Barbecue Broccoli Sandwich Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes Servings: 4 Calories: 224 per serving Percent from Fat: 21% Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan Course: Lunch Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian Food as Medicine(SM) Ingredient: Broccoli Food as Medicine(SM) Tip An active compound in broccoli called sulforaphane not only helps the detoxifying efforts of your liver and skin cells, but also helps protect and repair sun-damaged skin. Culinary Taste…
Read More...Media-TV Guest Appearance: Healthy Living | Prevention | Empowerment

I’m thrilled to be a guest on WMCN44 TV, Power Your Life with Dr. Jo Anne White. Today, March 17, 2015, tune in at 1:30 p.m. EST to watch a very exciting show with guests Rose Rivera, Judy O’Beirn, and me, Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA. I’ll discuss ways to live a healthier life, focusing on prevention, and empowerment. — – WMCN TV is an independent broadcast television station reaching nearly 3…
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