How Dirt Acts as an Anti-Depressant

gardening

Perhaps you’ve had a diagnosis and prescription from a doctor that you thought a bit odd. But if you go in complaining of depression and the doc tells you to take up gardening, hear him out. Research has shown a direct correlation between Mycobacterium vaccae (a bacterium found in soil) and the serotonin levels in [...]

Edible Wild Salads

Wild Salad

Years ago a friend lost his job as an engineer. Rather than seeking employment in the corporate world, he decided to farm. Not growing up on a farm, it took several years of poverty for them to see the fruits of their labor. Why am I telling you this? One day his wife confided in [...]

Health Benefits of Pau d’Arco Tea

Pau d’Arco

Native to South America, pau d’arco (Tabebuia spp.) is found in various parts of the tropical/subtropical world. Its range includes areas of southern Florida and northern Mexico to northern Argentina, including the Caribbean Islands. Also known as tahibo or trumpet tree, the pau d’arco grows from 16 to 160 feet tall, depending on the species. [...]

Making Homemade Dog Food

Bella-Maltipoo

Imagine, if you will, buying a complete meal in a bag. No thawing from the freezer, no chopping or dicing, not even cooking required. Just pop the pieces straight from the bag into your mouth, potato chip style, and you have all your required daily allowances of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Sound great? No, [...]

Why You Might Want to Consider Stevia

Sweet Ice Tea

As a child I remember my grandmother carrying around a bottle of tiny pills she would drop into her coffee or tea. She said it was better for her than sugar. Used as an artificial sweetener since the late 1800s, those little pills (saccharin) would later carry a warning label that they caused cancer. Since [...]

Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy

With spring comes soft rain, daffodils, and a renewed outlook on life. Unfortunately, for some it brings the fear and intimidation of poison ivy. But with a few natural remedies for Poison Ivy, you don’t need to feel sentenced to the indoors while all your friends enjoy the community barbeque. The constituent in poison ivy [...]

Fast Healthy Snacks

Eat an Apple

Snack food. What comes to mind when you hear that? Cookies? Chips? Ice cream? Anything in a bag that rattles or that is covered in chocolate? Surely, you can do better than that. I would like to challenge you to steer clear of those machines loaded with colorful lures that hook you into breaking the [...]