Stephanie Marie Seferian's Blog, page 9

The Anti-Aging Problem

It can often feel in our culture as though women aren’t allowed to age. If we do? The patriarchy will (gasp!) deem us irrelevant.

Enter countless off-the-shelf products, monthly treatments, and medical procedures that claim to turn back the clock, albeit temporarily. And while hair dyeing, teeth whitening, and more are wildly popular amongst women (and men!) forty-plus, such habits often come with excessive exposure to cancer-causing agents and hormone disruptors.

On today’s show Sophia Ruan Gus...

The Plasticizers In Your Food

By the time you open, say, a container of yogurt, the food has taken a looong journey to reach your spoon. And at each step, there’s the chance that a little something extra has snuck in.

Consumer Reports tested supermarket staples and found high levels of bisphenols and phthalates — also known as plasticizers — within. The bad news? Scientists believe there’s no safe level of plasticizers on human health.

On todays show Dr. James Rogers breaks down everything you need to know about the plastic ...

The Negativity Bias

If you’re like most humans, 70-percent your thoughts each day skew negative.

The good news? You aren’t your thoughts; you’re the observer. On today’s show: Therapist Risa Williams shows us how to break free of the negativity bias that afflicts our species once and for all.

Here’s a preview:

[1:00] No-Spend Reset wrap-up! Here are the biggest takeaways from you, our listeners

[8:30] The real-life and real-time benefits of being the observer

[11:30] How to catch your bias towards negativity *befor...

Enough! 3 Things Our Kids Really Need

Enough with excessive educational toys, extracurriculars, and enrichment activities. It’s time to take a step back, put our wallets away, and realize what our children *actually* need.

On today’s show: recentering our parenting efforts around 3 of the most important childhood needs.

Here’s a preview:

[10:00] Kids need your undivided attention! Make sure you’re giving twice as much positive attention as negative attention

[13:00] What recent research says about the benefits of delighting in our c...

Be Bold! Breaking Food Norms

Reducing food waste doesn’t always jive with societal norms.

That’s because keeping perfectly edible food out of landfills might mean being the weirdo who boxes their wedding entree. Or asking (gasp!) to take home extra pizza from a child’s birthday party.

On today’s show: A conversation with journalist Rachael Jackson about how to value food more than we value fitting in.

 

Here’s a preview:

[7:45] Is composting the solution to food waste? (Answer: No.)

[10:00] 5 ways to shamelessly break socia...

Willful Blindness

When faced with information that challenges our long-held beliefs, we humans do one of two things. Either we think hard about our values and adapt our lifestyles to reflect this new data, or we cling to willful blindness so that we may continue to think and act in the ways we’ve always thought and acted.

In honor of Veganuary I bring you a conversation with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau about changing our beliefs — and our diets! — in the face of new information.

 

Here’s a preview:

[7:30] Unpacking ...

Advice For Living

Wisdom is a cumulation of valuable lessons we pick up along our journeys through this messy thing called life. And pearls of wisdom, then? Such nuggets are guideposts as we navigate the complexities of living in an uncertain world in an uncertain time.

On today’s show: A conversation with author Dr. Elizabeth Kagan Arleo about trusting the wisdom of the experts — both modern and ancient — so as to better overcome life’s challenges and improve overall well-being.

Here’s a preview of the wisdom we...

Is It Time To Quit Amazon Prime?

Over 200 million Americans subscribe to Prime, and estimates suggest that Amazon delivers 3.4 million packages per day in the US alone.

Quitters, unite! I’m quitting Amazon Prime, and perhaps it’s time for you to consider quitting too.

 

Here’s a preview:

[7:30] How on earth is Amazon able to selling items at such low prices? It ain’t pretty …

[12:00] Amazon is only the cheapest option if you’re willing to buy almost everything on Amazon, and I’m going to prove it

[20:00] What does Amazon’s Clim...

The Fast Furniture Trap

Did you know? Ikea beds, Wayfair desks, and other fast furniture items are designed to last about five years.

Fast furniture is mass-produced and relatively inexpensive; it’s easy, then, to obtain and abandon. And fast decor? Low price points essentially render disposable those trendy but cheap pillows, artwork, and trinkets.

There’s a better way, and it always starts with slowing down. Slow Style is Zandra Zuraw‘s framework for creating homes that nurture without breaking the bank, and today sh...

Identifying Your Shopping Triggers

You’ve likely been there. That moment when you look at your credit card statement and your heart sinks. Sometimes logic gives way to desire, and nothing’s worse than realizing you overshopped on impulses. A lot.

It’s time to take a look at what happens in the moments *before* we impulse buy. On today’s show: honing in our 5 shopping triggers so we can insert that crucial pause before buying.

Here’s a preview:

[3:45] Advertisers shape our desires, and the credit industry makes these desires seem ...