Wellness Blog

We feature useful health information from our providers and collaborators to support you in achieving and sustaining your health goals. If there are topics that you would like us to cover, please let us know.

A woman stands inside, looking outside a window where it is snowing. She is holding a mug.

Staying Healthy During a Pandemic

As a nation, we are entering flu season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those of us who live in cooler winter climates, this means that we need to figure out new strategies. How do we stay healthy as the weather turns darker and colder? How do we stay both...

Dr. Aneela Cox stands in front of a rose plant with pink roses blooming. She is smiling towards the camera.

Practicing Mindfulness: Be Present in this Moment

“Mindfulness helps you go home to the present.” – Thich Nhat Hanh While there are formal courses in mindfulness, it is a moment-to-moment practice. Even the awareness of when we are not mindful allows us to come back to the present moment. Practicing mindfulness...

Garden produce is spread out in the sunshine, including kale, cabbage, squash, tomatoes, carrots, and other vegetables.

Start Gardening This Fall

The smell of tomatoes ripening on the vine, the sound of a hummingbird zooming past, and the sight of an early morning summer sky are just a few of the pleasures gardening offers. Add to that list the anti-inflammatory effects of fresh vegetables and the myriad health...

A laptop is open, and turned on. A pink iPhone is placed on the keyboard. A bottle of water, paper coffee cup, reading glasses, and a small potted succulent are to the right of the laptop.

Screens, Sanity, and Stress: Healthy Media Habits During the Pandemic

Screens seem necessary right now. They have become our primary way to connect to loved ones, keep up with the news, manage learning for our children, entertain ourselves, and continue working (for working remotely). Without tech and media, life during the COVID-19...

A woman's left hand rests on an open journal. Her right hand holds a pen and is writing. There is a laptop, reading glasses, coffee cup, books, and tickets spread around the journal.

What is Narrative Healthcare?

On June 11, we will be hosting a virtual class, “The Power of Your Story” with Anthony Layman. Mr. Layman is in the process of getting his Masters through Lenoir Rhyne University in the developing field of Narrative Medicine. As this is a relatively new discipline,...

Resources to Reduce Anxiety and Stress During COVID-19

We all are experiencing varying degrees of stress and worry right now. In response to this collective challenge, Integrative Family Medicine of Asheville’s providers came together to brainstorm resources, strategies, and ideas for how we could all reduce the noise...

A small, clear glass jar is filled with pennies. A small plant sprout is growing from the pennies.

Budgeting for Health and Resilience

An Interview about budgeting for health with OnTrack WNC and IFMA Health Coach, Ariana Figueroa, NBC-HWC. Money, debt, savings, and retirement: these subjects are not usually discussed directly when meeting with a doctor. Yet we carry our finances with us as we...

Health Coach Ariana laughs with a patient whose back is to the camera.

How to Change: A Health Coaching Perspective

Many of us want some aspects of our lives to be different. Are you content? Are you happy with your health, relationships, and work? It can be really challenging to make changes that stick. On the one hand, we would like to be stronger and healthier; on the other...

Fresh green herb cuttings are lined up on a wooden surface.

The Herbs of Summer

By Herbalist Erin Smith It’s the peak of summer. If you are like me, you are probably spending a lot of time outdoors – with the plants, with the water, with a good book, or perhaps all of the above. While summer is a great time for all herbs, here are a few must have...

A botanical illustration in color shows the flowers, leaves, and pods of the Linden tree.

Plant Profile: Linden/Lime

Plant Profile: Linden/Lime (Tilia spp.)From Herbalist Erin Smith This time of year the air is sweet with Linden. These beautiful trees provide luscious green shade and have a sweet, sensuous smell that will stop you in your tracks. If you’ve ever walked down a street...

White elder flowers with green elder leaves in the background.

Plant Profile: Elder

Plant Profile: Elder (Sambucus nigra)From Herbalist Erin Smith As winter gets closer, the cold and flu season is upon us. One of the best herbs for this season is Elder (Sambucus nigra). It offers gentle yet powerful support to promote your supports your body’s...

Plant Profile: Burdock

Plant Profile: Burdock (Arctium lappa) From Herbalist Erin Smith For many, their first experience of Burdock is finding its burs stuck to their clothing or trying to untangle it from dog fur. Besides these Velcro inspiring burs, Burdock is also an ancient medicine in...