As the entire hospitality industry continues to suffer through the COVID-19 pandemic, a bright spot is emerging in the markets for short-term rentals like Airbnb over traditional hotels. With stay-at-home orders and social distancing suffocating travel, a shift to accommodations requiring less public contact and added kitchen amenities is underway. According to a recent white paper from STR and AirDNA, we see a recovery in the hotel-comparable (HC) rentals at almost twice that of hotels. Also,

There is an everyday word that wields enormous power in our lives. Often we avoid using it because we’re afraid of what others may think of us. This word is often misunderstood and difficult to speak in many circumstances. It’s a word that’s a key to both discipline and freedom. The word is “NO.” Psychologically, we negatively associate with the word “No,” but maybe we’re thinking about it the wrong way. “No” is power. It’s decisive. It affirms your priorities. “No” says, “I’m taking responsibi

We’ve almost made it! If we can just get through the holiday season, this crazy year will be in the rearview mirror. It doesn’t matter if 2020 brought you a little extra around your midsection or the best shape of your life; let’s finish strong! The “most wonderful time of the year” should come with a warning sign. You are about to unwrap a gift packed with anxiety, eat plates full of discomfort, and raise a glass to a hangover. As they say on The Price Is Right, “All this can be yours!” Inste

Should My Oncologist Care More About Nutrition? I was sitting in his office reading The Metabolic Approach to Cancer by Dr. Nasha Winters when my radiation oncologist entered the room. The first week of a scheduled twenty-five radiation treatments was complete, and I was about to receive my progress report. Until this moment, I liked him personally and considered him a good doctor. He noticed the book and asked what I was reading. I proudly showed him the cover and stated that I am doing every

Just when you thought this pandemic couldn’t get any worse, we find out that COVID-19 survivors are experiencing sexual health repercussions. So, not only are we getting crushed socially and financially, but our greatest asset is under attack. According to the conclusion of one study, there is quite enough reason to suspect that sexual and reproductive health could be affected in the survivors of COVID-19, both in the short and long terms. The research outlines three factors contributing to a p

With all of the different kinds of tea and the various ways it can be prepared, it’s hard to know just how much caffeine you’re consuming. If you’re trying to avoid caffeine, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy tea. Or, if you’re looking for a boost of caffeine, there’s a tea that can give you the extra pep, too. The caffeine content in tea boils down to two factors: The kind of tea are you brewing and how long are you steeping it. Caffeine levels range between 10 mg (white tea) to as much

Fasting seems simple. It takes a little will-power, but you could do it if you wanted. Have you tried it? Hunger is one of the most powerful human physiological states. Our nature is to fuel our bodies. But do we feed our bodies too much and too often? In today’s modern world of convenience, food has become readily available at almost every minute of our lives. It’s under certain conditions, such as poverty or tragedy, that most Americans find themselves anything more than a bit peckish. Fastin

To social distance or not, have you considered that you may be making a mistake? On the verge of tears, my wife returned from her now weekly trip to the grocery store. She explained that while in the checkout line, a young man and his girlfriend were violating the Illinois mandate of maintaining a six-foot distance. Just recently all grocery stores were required to put lines on the floor indicating the proper distance. My wife asked politely if they would please step back behind the line. The r

How a simple phrase from the right person can change everything. Scared to death, I watched as the drips of chemotherapy entered my veins. This was my first step in the long road to beating lymphoma. I glanced around the infusion center nervously trying not to stare at the sickly people that were soon to be my tribe. My wife sat next to me and with an assuring grasp of my hand, we fought the urge to let our minds wander to awful places. Like always, I attempted to break the tension with some s

Gone are the days of the weary traveler greeted by the warm smile of an attractive front desk agent. The wake-up call and morning newspaper outside your door are also relics of the past. Guest service is no longer personal; it is on-demand. There's an app for that Today's tech traveler can order an Uber to get to the airport after they have checked-in online for their flight booked the same way. They go through security using a retinal scan as their identification and then pick up a latte orde