Sheryl Kraft, a freelance writer and breast cancer survivor, was born in Long Beach, New York. She currently lives in Connecticut with her husband Alan and dog Chloe, where her nest is empty of her two sons Jonathan. Sheryl writes articles and essays on breast cancer and contributes to a variety of publications and websites where she writes on general health and wellness issues. She earned her MFA in writing from Sarah Lawrence College in 2005.
Full BioLearn about our editorial policies
One thing I love about what I do is that writing about health and wellness, beauty, spas and healthy aging gives me the opportunity to learn about so many things. Since I embarked on this career in 2005, I've become a sort of wellness junkie. The more I learn, the more I want to know.
Sure, anyone can dig into information about just about anything, anytime; there are countless resources just a click away. But the topics are endless, and time is finite. And, if you tend toward even a tiny bit of ADD, it can be tough to pinpoint just what it is you want to focus on at any given moment.
Another thing? Chances are I wouldn't be researching, say, diabetes or heart disease unless I or someone close to me had it. But, given an assignment, or an invitation to attend an event about it, I'm all over it—with access to knowledgeable and helpful experts and the latest, most up-to-date information.
That's why I am so excited to be attending the 2017 Global Wellness Summit, taking place this year at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida. After submitting my application way back when, I was delighted to get the news in August that I was accepted as one of their limited number of press delegates.
I'll have the opportunity to immerse myself in learning and hear, learn and experience "Living a Well Life" by attending presentations, interactive roundtables and keynote addresses from such luminaries as former surgeon general Dr. Richard Carmona, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Michael Roizen (recognize the names?) and many more esteemed experts in the arena.
It's a jam-packed agenda with information covering just about everything: sleep, wellness communities, chronic disease, DNA testing, telomeres, spas, beauty, happiness, technology and much, much more. It'll be like being a kid in a (healthy) candy store. (Is there such a thing? Maybe I'll find out.)
By the time you're reading this, I'll be well on my way to a very busy schedule of all things wellness, things that affect each of us, every minute of every day. On Wednesday, I'll be part of a roundtable discussion, "Discerning WELLNESS Fact from Fiction in a World of Fake News: The Media Speaks," joining other journalists, editors, TV health producers and wellness advisers and futurists in a lively discussion of what the present and future hold.
In case you're feeling sorry for me—after all, such a busy schedule of learning is tough and can lead to brain overload—I might have time to steal away for one of the Breakers signature treatments, a quartz massage, where I'll get to sink into a bed of warm, alpha-quartz sand and just relax at the hands of a skilled massage therapist.
We all need a chance to disconnect and shut off our brains.
After the three-day summit ends, I'll be a guest for two days at Turnberry Isle in Miami, where I'll get to experience the latest in nutrition, fitness and wellness in a beautiful, peaceful setting. I've always been curious about this destination and am looking forward to the experience.
How will I ever come home?
Alas, I must. Work and family beckon, and life must return to normal. I hope to bring back a renewed and refreshed spirit, a mind full of new information and ideas that I can use to my full advantage, both personally and professionally.
Until then, take good care.
This post originally appeared on mysocalledmidlife.net.
