Each month, we bring our readers tools and information to assist them on their path to personal wellness and healthy living...naturally! We feature articles by national authors as well as from local leaders in the fields of health, nutrition, fitness, organics, personal growth, sustainability and natural pet. Have something you'd like to read about? Contact us directly!
Intermittent Fasting Basics
How to Improve Health by Eating Less Often
Fasting has been part of religious and cultural practices since ancient times, but now it is entering into everyday American eating habits. Intermittent fasting (IF), which involves restraining from eating for periods ranging from hours to days, was the most popular dietary strategy among Americans in 2020, outpacing low-fat...
EASY CONTAINER GARDENING
HOW TO GROW EDIBLES IN POTS AND PLANTERS
Container gardening offers something for everyone, from beginners to seasoned green thumbs. Growing vegetables, flowers and herbs in pots can be cost-effective, inspiring and tailored for any urban balcony or country patio.The perks of planting in pots include a reduced risk of disease spreading from one crop to another, fewer...
Staying Hydrated
It’s not Just About Drinking Water
Maintaining proper hydration is one of the most important measures we can take to benefit our health. “The human body is made up of 55 to 75 percent water, and proper fluid levels are essential for many important body functions, including nutrient and oxygen...
Jeffrey Bland on:
Rejuvenating Our Immune System
Known worldwide as the founder of functional medicine, Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., began his career as a professor of biochemistry at the University of Puget Sound, in Tacoma, Washington. In the 1980s, he was chosen by Nobel laureate Linus Pauling to serve as director of nutritional research at...
DIY Salt Scrub
with Himalayan Salt and Essential Oils
A sea salt scrub is an easy and inexpensive way to maintain a glowing complexion. Salt scrubs work hard to exfoliate and remove dry skin from the surface, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and pores, and improve...
Fending Off Fibroids
Natural Approaches Offer Relief
Optimal reproductive health is key to our vitality, which is why living with uterine fibroids can be debilitating. Studies indicate that as many as 80 percent of American women develop these non-cancerous growths during their childbearing years. Oftentimes, the condition is...
Mothering the World
All that is brought to fruition has someone behind the scenes tending to its innate potential. The quality of nurturing permeates both the human and the natural world and goes much deeper than raising beloved offspring. Whether it be a...
Saving Birds from Cats
Simple Strategies to Protect Feathered Friends
When they’re roaming outdoors, domesticated cats turn into natural-born predators. According to the American Bird Conservancy, domestic felines are the number one human-caused threat to birds in the U.S., killing an estimated 2.4 billion birds every year. Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of...
Why We Need Wild Places
How to Invite Nature Back into Our Lives and Landscapes
On a blustery day, Julian Hoffman stood outdoors and watched wild bison grazing in the restored grassland of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, fewer than 50 miles from downtown Chicago. For him, it was a wild place, affording a glimpse of what North America looked like hundreds of years ago when...
The Bounty of Farmers Markets
Buying Local Boosts Health, the Economy and the Planet
Throughout the nation, an estimated 8,000 farmers markets offer some of the freshest food available anywhere. Often open on weekend mornings or select weeknights, these nutritional meccas allow local farmers to sell their fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and dairy directly to consumers, thereby providing an attractive business channel for...
Buzz-Free Drinking
The Healthy Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beverages
As a former bartender, Katie Cheney enjoys mixing drinks for friends, and one night recently, in her San Francisco apartment, she tried out something new: an alcohol-free “Noquila Sunrise” made with a distilled,...
Eating for the Planet
Diet for sustainability
What we choose to put on our plates influences not only our physical health, but also the health of the environment. While much of the climate conversation focuses on the burning of fossil fuels, commercial food production—particularly livestock—uses large amounts of land, water and energy. Wasted food contributes...
Spirited Strides
Power Walk to Better Fitness
We all know that the more steps we take in a day the better. The Mayo Clinic advocates walking regularly to keep bad cholesterol in check, maintain a heart-healthy weight and keep blood pressure within a normal range. Power walking—going a mile in...
Spring is a State of Mind
Every year, spring lifts us from lethargy, her blossomed enthusiasm nudging us to take down the curtains for an annual wash, clean out the closets, and plot this year’s garden. If we...
Pest Control
Keeping Dogs Safe from Ticks and Fleas
Fleas and ticks are different types of pests; so, when considering how best to protect a dog, it is important to make a distinction—fleas are an annoyance, but ticks can be life-threatening. Many veterinarians recommend...
Nature Speaks
Storytelling Connects Kids to the Natural World
Children are natural storytellers with imaginations that shape their play and learning. In outdoor settings, everything from puddles to pine cones can engage children and draw them closer to the natural world, opening up a...
Expiration Dates
When to Eat or Toss Food
Americans waste about 40 percent of the food supply every year, which translates to billions of pounds of edible food rotting in landfills and generating dangerous greenhouse gases, along with...