Dr. Jill Cole

01/01/2026

✨ Welcome to 2026!! ✨

I think 2025 was pretty rough for all of us! Say Goodbye to hurts & Hello to an invitation to feel better in your body and mind this year - starting now. ~ There is beauty in the challenges ("Life is Beautiful"!), and this year - No pressure. Start now with gentle resets you can do every day.
Prioritize your well being, ESPECIALLY if life gets challenging!!

Here are a few of my favorite (and science-backed - YAY!) things I come back to again and again — personally, and clinically:

🌿 Be present.
Mindfulness doesn’t have to be complicated. 🧘‍♀️ Try actually being fully present while brushing your teeth, drinking your warm drink, or protein shake, or eating dinner. Slow down. “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.” — Eckhart Tolle “Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now.”
If you want to deepen this practice and awareness, and I highly recommend it, "The Power of Now" would be a great gift to yourself or someone you love. (It also really helps with stress...)

🤸 Stand up. Stretch. MOVE your body.
Right now. Seriously! ☺️ Deep breath!! Stand, move something!! ~ A little walk, lifting weights (even 5-10 reps between calls!), stretching between meetings for 10-20 seconds, DANCE for part of a song you love! — movement rapidly changes brain chemistry and improves mood! Your body is built to MOVE. Use it!!

🥬 Eat real meals.
Eat 3 solid meals per day. Prioritize protein, healthy fats, and lots of vegetables! (But no white potatoes.)
Start your morning with water, & splashes of lemon juice, ACVinegar & unsweetened cranberry juice before eating. 🙌
Many people feel calmer, more focused, and more emotionally stable - and less pain - when they cut back on refined carbs and stabilize blood sugar.

😴 Take sleep seriously.
Sleep is foundational for mood, hormones, immunity, and mental clarity, and it's the only time the brain detoxes itself!! And I know how much thinking you do...
Protect your sleep and your sleep routine like you'd protect a loved one. Dim the lights, put away electronics, take care of yourself and go to sleep no later than 10:30. (So basically - treat yourself like you are someone you love. ❤️)

🤍 Connect with people.
Humans need humans. Try to hug someone every day. Have human contact. Go to the store, or a shop, and chat with someone. A conversation, a hug, laughing with someone — this literally regulates your nervous system!

⏸ Pause more often. Breathe.
Step away from screens. Put the phone down. Walk away... Let yourself breathe!! Take slow deep breaths. When in doubt, focus on your breathing. (This ties into Be Present.) You’ll be more productive and calmer.

🌲 Go outside.
Get some sunshine. Even if it's cold - bundle up, go outside, get sunshine in your eyes. Take deep breaths. Put your feet on the ground (if it's not frozen - unless you can tolerate it! It can be invigorating!) Go for a hike!! Go for a walk in nature. Nature lowers stress hormones and brings you back into your body almost instantly.

✨ Try something new.
A new recipe, dancing, making or building something, a new way of moving like pilates, chair yoga, join a choir, find like minded people on MeetUp.com for new adventures— novelty is great medicine for the brain.

Last & DEFINITELY not least ~
🙏 Practice Gratitude.
Even if things are REALLY HARD - TRAIN your brain to notice what’s working, and be grateful for it. Consciously look for things to be grateful for - no matter how small. Commit to writing down one or two things a day you’re grateful for; it can shift mood, hormones, and of course, perspective. 🌟 It can enhance and bring more JOY into your life, too.

PRACTICE small shifts, choose one out two to implement today. Which ones speak to you? If you want to overhaul your life in 2026, you can! But start small. Build habits. Be gentle with yourself, & enjoy your life.
Very small changes, practiced intentionally, will reshape your health, your well-being and your life.

Make 2026 Great!! I hope you have a happy, grounded, healthy and nourishing year ahead!
💛 One moment, one day at a time. ✨

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas ~ Happy (early) Kwanza ~ Happy (very belated!!) Hanukkah and any other celebrations and holy days for all of you!!

🎁 A very *Happy Birthday* to all you DECEMBER babies!! 😉

12/24/2025

I can't stress enough how bad sugar, and sweeteners, are for your body and your brain.
I only listened to a few seconds of this, and wanted to share right away. ❤️
Dementia and Alzheimer's are cruel diseases.
I will continue to employ you to make healthy choices, and stay away from poison as much as possible.
Treat your body like it's someone you love ~ that's the only place you have to live. ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DY7YreLm9/?mibextid=wwXIfr

12/24/2025

My quick 5 things:
Ultraprocessed food.
Mineral-depleted soil.
Insane chemicals that should be banned.
Unhealthy (& scared) animals (feedlots, drugs)
Hybridized food (gluten!)

What are your quick thoughts/reasons?

In the past half-century, nutrition scientists have blamed health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease on many features of the American diet, including sugary beverages and saturated fat. These factors surely contribute to Americans’ uniquely poor health. But Kevin Hall, an investigator at National Institutes of Health, is researching a possible culprit that wasn’t named until the 21st century: ultra-processed food.

The problem, Hall believes, might have less to do with high levels of sodium or cholesterol than with industrial techniques and chemical modifications. From this perspective, homemade jam on fresh bread would be fine; Smucker’s on Wonder Bread would not, even if it contained less sugar and fat. “The thesis is that we’ve been focussing too strongly on the individual nutritional components of food,” Hall told Dhruv Khullar. “We’re starting to learn that processing really matters.”

In recent years, studies have linked ultra-processed fare to health problems that one might not expect: cancer, anxiety, dementia, early death. Read Khullar’s report, one of our most-read pieces of 2025, on why the American diet is so deadly: https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/NBNJDC

12/22/2025

Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year. It has been a ritual marker of turning inward — a time to slow down, quiet the mind, slow the body down, and gently set intentions as the light begins to return.

Traditionally, the 13 days following the solstice were honored as a time of reflection, intention-setting, and gentle recalibration.

✨ Gentle rituals for this evening:
• Light a single candle and sit quietly for a few minutes, acknowledging what this past year has asked of you.
• Write down what you’re ready to release—habits, patterns, or expectations that no longer serve you.
• Choose one word or feeling you want to carry into the next season.

🌙 Simple practices for the next 13 days:
• Each morning or evening, spend 2–5 minutes in stillness or slow breathing.
• Journal one small intention or quality you want to invite (clarity, steadiness, warmth, trust).
• Go to bed a little earlier, honoring rest as medicine.
• Drink warm teas, eat grounding foods, and allow your nervous system to soften.

In nature, nothing rushes right now. Roots lay dormant then strengthen in the dark.
Healing happens quietly.

May this solstice be a gentle reset—one that honors where you’ve been and where you’re slowly heading.

Wishing you warmth, stillness, and a peaceful turning toward the light 🤍

12/20/2025

In real life, some heart attacks are sudden and intense, while others start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. The signs of a heart attack in women can be very different from those in men. (See pic)
The most common warning signs of a heart attack are:

❤️ Chest discomfort: This is the most common symptom, often involving discomfort in the center of the chest that can last for several minutes or come and go. It may feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
❤️ Discomfort in other upper body areas: Pain or discomfort can occur in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
❤️ Shortness of breath: This may happen with or without chest discomfort; also called "air hunger" ("Can you please open the window? I need more air." along with not feeling "right".)
❤️ Other signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Help & prevention:
1. IF you are concerned about cardiovascular disease & heart attack, are on a statin medication, have any heart failure, or - I always recommend CoQ10 to my patients. The best one I have found is CoQ-zyme 100 by Biotics Research, on FullScripts. (Link in the bio) Taking a GOOD CoQ10 helps with energy production, which the heart uses a ton of, and can decrease injury to the heart FROM a heart attack, improving recovery.

2. IF you think you are having a heart attack or heart attack symptoms, chew an aspirin & call 911. Don't play around & take a shower or a nap. Just go.

Quality Side Note:
a lot of new patients recently have told me they are taking Qnol by Costco, CVS, Walgreens, Target. I always recommend taking a clean, good quality supplement, especially when it comes to your heart! Qnol contains DL alpha tocopheryl acetate - a synthetic form of vitamin E that has been shown to increased prostate cancer risk in men. 🤦‍♀️ It contains Sorbitol, polysorbate 80 & hydroxylated soy lecithin. (WHYYYY?!) - All garbage that should not be in your CoQ10 supplement, & can cause digestive issues and allergic reactions.

This holiday season, eat healthy, skip the desserts or only have a bite, limit your alcohol & make sure to get outside and exercise, & hydrate! ❤️ Take care of your heart, and if you take CoQ10, make it a good one.

❤️

Image: myheartsisters.org

12/14/2025

Women's PSA: If you have fatigue, shortness of breath going up stairs, muscle fatigue, feel like you're 'choking' from lack of oxygen during exercise or general exercise intolerance - you may be low in iron.

SO many people - especially women, but men too - have low or imbalance in iron.

Here are the blood labs you should have checked:
Total iron (serum) - should be 100
% iron saturation - should be 30-35%
Ferritin - should be 80-100

Take care of your health, get a proper evaluation & get outside in nature! 💚

12/13/2025

Bringing my mom to one of her "favorites spots" is such a joy, because it makes her SO happy. Hearing her say, repeatedly, "I love it here!" with her beautiful smile makes me happy, too. 💕
Know what else made us happy?
Harissa cauliflower "steak" on the menu!! Not only is it "keto/diabetic friendly" (low carb) ~ it's full of flavor and SO GOOOOD.
(Give me tahini sauce all day long! 🤤)

I haven't tried this recipe personally - I will this weekend!! - but this one looks good. 🤩 ~ & of course, in true "Dr. C fashion" ~ it has to be simple, or I'm probably not going to do it. 🙂

So enjoy!! Remember to keep it simple, focus on your health, do what makes you happy, have love & gratitude *always*, move your body ~ and eat delicious things. ☺️

Cauliflower Harissa Recipe:
https://whisknest.com/flavorful-harissa-roasted-cauliflower-steaks-recipe/

[Pic at her "happy place". My adorable mom took my picture, because she's the cutest, & I'm grateful every day for her love. 💕]

12/03/2025

The Future of Technology in Medicine: The US likely won't do it because it wipes out a multi billion dollar industry.

"Swedish scientists have revealed a remarkable medical breakthrough: nanobots that can clear dangerous arterial plaque in just minutes. These microscopic machines travel through the bloodstream, detect hardened blockages, and break them down with incredible accuracy — restoring healthy blood flow without surgery, stents, or long recovery periods. Early trials show these nanobots can clean arteries far more effectively than current procedures, offering a groundbreaking way to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

The technology uses magnetic fields to precisely guide the nanobots to the exact location of a blockage. Once they arrive, the bots gently dissolve the plaque into tiny particles that the body naturally eliminates, leaving the artery open and smooth. Patients in initial studies experienced rapid improvements in circulation, highlighting the massive potential of this approach.

But the innovation is stirring controversy in the United States, where cardiologists perform millions of repeat procedures each year to manage plaque buildup. Some critics warn that widespread adoption of nanobot therapy could slash the demand for costly surgeries, threatening billions in annual revenue from stents, angioplasty, and other invasive treatments. Supporters argue that patient safety and medical progress should take priority — and that a technology capable of clearing arteries in minutes could redefine heart care.

Regardless of the debate, one thing is certain: Sweden’s nanobots mark the beginning of a new chapter in cardiovascular medicine. A future where clogged arteries can be treated quickly, safely, and without invasive tools is no longer science fiction — it’s already taking shape."

11/18/2025

The Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen 2025 🍎🥬🍑🍓
**POTATOES* made the Dirty list for the first time this year!!!**

SHOPPERS GUIDE to PESTICIDES in PRODUCE
💚 Every year, the Environmental Working Group releases an updated list to make this information clearly and readily available in one place to help people make the best decisions for their family's health when navigating the produce section.

The Shopper’s Guide is designed to help people who are concerned about their pesticide exposure better understand which non-organic, or conventional, produce is least contaminated.

The Shopper’s Guide includes the Dirty Dozen™ and the Clean Fifteen™ – EWG’s lists of the most and least pesticide-contaminated conventional fresh fruits and vegetables, respectively, based on results from the latest tests by the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.

Before testing fruits and vegetables, the USDA washes, scrubs and peels them, like consumers would. So it’s not accurate to say, as some do, that those concerned about ingesting pesticides should just wash their produce thoroughly.

When organic fruit and vegetable options are unavailable or unaffordable, EWG advises shoppers to buy produce from its Clean Fifteen list of produce with low or no traces of pesticides. This year, almost 65 percent of Clean Fifteen samples had no detectable pesticide residues.
- EWG

Print your copy, save it on your phone and do your best in the produce section! 🌱

Nearly all potato samples contain pesticide *not approved for use* in the EU.
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/potatoes.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=202511NovNews7&utm_medium=email&utm_content=default&emci=3bb17b74-09c4-f011-8196-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=42b17b74-09c4-f011-8196-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=4568027

Details on Why the EWG releases this info every year, where they get their information and more information about the chemicals and lack of oversight/regulations:
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/03/why-does-ewg-release-its-shoppers-guide-pesticides-producetm-each-year

11/17/2025

My son & my mom. A moment captured yesterday. Always love. Always laughter. Always gratitude.
We cannot yet change the outcome of dementia or Alzheimer's - but we can influence the journey.
We may have predispositions or family histories to contend with - and that makes prevention and doing what we CAN control that much more urgent, and important.
Treat your body like it's someone you love.
Live with love.
~ and laugh - often!!

Hugs to you & your families. 💜

Take care of yourself, your health, and each other.

11/10/2025

FINALLY!! Hormones for women save lives, and improve quality of life for women across the world - and hopefully, finally, here.
I will add - *bioidentical* hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is the safest, most effective and protective HRT available. Find a great provider you trust, and start feeling better. ❤️

ps - there are other holistic ways to support healthy hormones, without HRT, as well. This is VERY individualized ~ but I'm overjoyed women - and doctors - will start learning the value of this for us.

The Food and Drug Administration will remove the "black box" warning from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products for menopause.