Did you know that organic agriculture actually permits pesticide use? It’s true — but we need to clarify exactly what “pesticide use” actually means. The word “pesticide” brings to mind scary, synthetic chemicals that farmers apply while wearing head-to-toe protective gear. And while this is certainly the case at least some of the time, it’s…
With the new year comes a host of health-related resolutions: exercise more frequently, perhaps cut out unhealthy ingredients like artificial sweeteners or maybe even reduce screen time and nomophobia. There’s one resolution, however, that’s often overlooked, can have a direct impact on your health and is easy to do: cook more at home! In fact,…
Vanilla extract is widely used in both commercial and domestic baking, perfume manufacturing and aromatherapy, but many people don't realize the array of health benefits that come from using vanilla oil, even though it is not technically an essential oil. Internally, pure vanilla oil fights inflammation, works as an antidepressant and contains high levels of antioxidants…
Across America, food "scraps" are often trimmings, skins and seeds tossed in the garbage. But as I started investigating these "waste products," I quickly found many of these actually serve as edible food parts with robust nutrition. In fact, many ancient cultures, including Chinese medicine and Native American remedies, tapped the healthy compounds in some of…
The vast majority of adults have been "on a diet" at some point in their lives, usually with the hopes of losing extra weight. One look into the plethora of diet advice and dietary plans available today, and it's easy to feel instantly overwhelmed by information, much of which is contradictory. From diet pills to…
Have you ever heard of lactation cookies? Maybe you've seen them for sale in the baby food aisle and were curious about how a cookie can possibly improve your milk production. It turns out, many women turn to foods and herbs to help increase their milk supply. Fenugreek and blessed thistle are two of the…
If you’ve ever spent an evening overindulging in alcohol, chances are you’ve experienced the group of unpleasant symptoms known as a hangover. Headaches, nausea, vertigo and abdominal pain are just a few of the troublesome symptoms associated with consuming alcohol to excess. When you awaken, your first thoughts may center around how to get rid…
Many of us will recall those itchy, red blisters we suffered as children. Chicken pox is the common name for the varicella-zoster virus, which causes a very itchy, highly-contagious skin rash. The virus most commonly affects children between the ages of 4–10, but chicken pox can also affect adults who have never had the virus…
If you spend time along rivers or lakes in the southern or northeastern parts of the U.S., be sure to watch out for poison sumac. Poison sumac is considered a much rarer plant compared to poison ivy (but it is more poisonous). So depending on where you live, you probably have much less of a…
After a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1976, hundreds of attendees fell ill with pneumonia-like symptoms and fevers reaching 107 degrees. More than 200 fell ill and 34 died. The outbreak caused panic throughout the country; some thought it was domestic terrorism while Congress held hearings to push for answers. It…
