Words to live by

The December of issue of Glamour magazine featured an article called "The Secret to Good Health . . . in 100 Words or Less," and there were so many good pieces of advice that I had to share a few:

"Don't try to mold yourself into something you're not. Stop trying to attain this unnatural state where you're skinny and plucked and shaved and waxed and Botoxed and have no hips—it's stressfull for your body and mind, and it's not going to make you happy either. Believe me! I see it all the time these days: Women like that come to my office because none of it is feeding their soul."

—Dr. Julie Holland, a NYC psychiatrist and author of Weekends at Bellevue

"I tell this to my patients and my friends: Your money is much better spent on good food than on a super-expensive face cream."

—Dr. Ellen S. Marnur or Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York

"Eat fewer packaged foods. I see many young women who are all about he grab-and-go. I get the appeal—we're all busy! But you don't want to go home every night to another frozen dinner. Many processed foods are loaded with salt, preservatives, sugar, and unhealthy fat. And it doesn't take longer to make a healthier DIY version. Find recipes online or take a cooking class. Then buy and eat the fresh stuff: fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, lean protein. After that, if half a bag of M&Ms falls into the mix, so what? Enjoy food: don't revile it!"

—Kathy McManus, R.D., director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston

"Know that everything improves when you work out—stress, sex, your skin, even how well you sleep. I've never regretted a workout, but I've regretted skipping plenty."

—Wendy Naugle, Glamour executive editor

As I said, words to live by.