Breakfast Boosters: 14 Foods to Fight Off a Cold

Kiwi Kiwis contain between 90 and 110 milligrams of vitamin C — more than an average orange. They are a good source of potassium, an important mineral for strong muscles and nerves, plus immune-boosting vitamin E. They are also packed with flavonoids and carotenoids — antioxidants that promote respiratory health, heart health and optimum well-being, […]

Organic Trade Association’s New CEO on the Future of Organics

In the midst of the frenzy kicked up by Cheerios’ GMO-free announcement, the organic world has been buzzing with its own important news after the Organic Trade Association named longtime industry veteran Laura Batcha to become the association’s CEO and executive director. Batcha will take the helm of the North American organization at a time […]

Immune-Boosting Pho Recipe

Whether you tend to approach cold and flu season by crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, or by stocking your cupboards with an arsenal of natural immunity-boosters, I’ve got a recipe for you that I think could revolutionize your approach to staying healthy this winter. It’s a delicious version of pho, the traditional […]

Is Sugar Addiction Why So Many January Diets Fail?

 We’ve survived the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, when rich, sweet treats come at us non-stop. Now is the season of reform, when gym memberships, cleanse books and weight-loss plans sell like gangbusters. The cycle has become so predictable, and disheartening, as our collective motivation to change our ways dissolves by February like […]

This Little Weed is one of the Most Useful Medicines on the Planet

You’ve stepped on it, ignored it, and tried to eradicate it from your lawn. However, this innocuous little weed is one of the most useful medicines on the planet, just begging to be harvested. There are two major types of plantain in BC, Canada: Lance and Broadleaf. Generally, all 200-plus varieties of plantain yield the […]

White Asparagus & Blue Potatoes: Veggie Color Variations Explained

What’s going on with that freaky white asparagus and neon-purple cauliflower? Believe it or not, this is creative agriculture at work — and thankfully doesn’t have anything to do with genetic modifications or additives. We investigated the science behind these natural phenomena, examining just how much the various color varieties differ in the way they’re […]

The Best & Worst Kinds of Smoothies For Your Health

For those with a sweet tooth, giving up things like soda and milkshakes can be hard. Thankfully, a smoothie is nature’s answer to that. Loaded with nutrients from fresh fruit and calcium sources, smoothies are a favorite for health nuts and everyone alike. Unfortunately, not all smoothies are created equally. THE WORST KINDS OF SMOOTHIES […]

Maybe your 2014 New Year’s Resolution Should Be Eating Vegan Mayo

Why eat Vegenaise if you aren’t a vegan? Mayo can be enough of a culinary risk of its own (we try not to think about it too much). Well, apparently Vegenaise is AWESOME. So swears Slate writer Katherine Goldstein in the slightly hyperbolically titled “The Most Incredible Condiment You Probably Aren’t Using”: The flavor was […]

Beat the Holiday Blahs With These 5 Mood-Boosting Foods

“You’re such a killjoy!” I chided my friend. Driving back from The Grove, a particular Christmas song came on the radio and she immediately changed stations. I gave her a bewildered how could you hate the holidays? look. “Those songs just trigger unpleasant memories for me,” she replied. “Compound those feelings with the pressure to […]

How to Raise an Earth-Conscious Child

Children these days have many technological distractions that keep them busy and less connected with the environment. Whether it’s a video game, television program or computer screen, children are forgetting how to connect with their natural side. Many parents seem to be forgetting the importance of teaching children about their intrinsic connection to the earth […]

Salt Dough Ornaments

Working with salt dough is a fun and very inexpensive way to make some personalized heirloom ornaments this year. There is something so special about handmade ornaments. They give your home a personal feel and create lifelong memories for you and your children. They also make great gifts for friends and loved ones. Making these […]

Seven Reasons to Eat More Dark Chocolate

More and more health reasons for eating dark chocolate keep coming in. Many will be pointed out here, then explained further in the sources indicated by numbers in parenthesis. But first, understand that organic dark chocolate brought into the market place under fair trade agreements is best. Some of the major cheap chocolate producers use […]