In 1971, my mother, Christie Whaley (then Phillips) was an artist just getting her feet underneath her a few years out of college: a new wife, newly arrived in New York City after a lifetime in the Southern states, newly initiated into hippie counter-culture and anti-war activism. As an artist, she was still experimenting with […]
Reprinted with permission from author, Rebecca Thistelthwaite, and LocalHarvest. I have written about community-supported agriculture (CSAs) before and so haveprevious writers at LocalHarvest. CSA farming is truly at the core of what LocalHarvest does connecting consumers with farmers in a mutual relationship of reciprocity. But times are changing. Consumers have an ever broadening expanse of options to locate […]
Many of us live busy, demanding lives. Sometimes we wonder if we can juggle it all and still keep our high standards without becoming a nervous wreck. It’s important to know how to step back from the grind and just reconnect with ourselves. Self-care isn’t just a luxury for beach vacations; it’s something we should […]
I’ve always been an all-or-nothing kind of person. When I do something, I go ALL in, full throttle. I’ll push myself as hard as I possibly can to finish what I’ve started. This has been a great quality in my life, and I’ve accomplished a lot of difficult goals because of it. However, there’s a problem: the “nothing” in […]
Back in June, I wrote a post to help me answer a question: is starting a garden really worth it? Gardening, I discovered, is no joke! Much more work than I originally thought goes into preparing and planting. Yet despite that, the answer is yes, it really is worth it. Now that the gardening season is […]
Because of the amazing healing capacity of herbs, I’ve been able to regain my health after a serious battle with lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Knowing what I’ve been through, friends and family often come to me with their questions. What herb should my aunt take for her lupus? What herb can I take for […]
Originally published in Nutrition News and Views, Vol. 20, No. 2, March-April 2016, “Whole Versus Parts” will be featured in the third edition of Judith DeCava’s The Real Truth About Vitamins and Antioxidants, available from Selene River Press in 2019. Many supplement makers, food fortifiers, and scientists would like us to believe that our bodies […]
Matthew Walker’s important new book Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams offers readers an in-depth discussion of why we spend a third of our lives in bed. In lively and personable language, he explains all of the latest research about sleep and dreams. Scientists at several top universities have discovered that […]
If there’s one thing I see a great deal of in my chiropractic clinic in Anchorage, Alaska, its chronic pain. Whether it’s joint pain, the pain of arthritis or fibromyalgia, or low back pain, what they all have in common is inflammation. What Is Inflammation? Many people think of inflammation as a bad thing, but in truth it’s a natural response from the immune system that helps protect […]
If you’re interested in health and wellness, there’s a good chance that you’ve been hearing more and more about the benefits of meal planning. Not only does meal planning help you reach your health and wellness goals, but it can also reduce how much you spend on food. That’s because one of the primary goals […]
The first time I ordered a green papaya salad I was out to lunch with some coworkers. It was a hot summer day and a salad sounded good. But when it arrived, I was mystified…where was the papaya? The waitress explained that the white thin strips were the papaya. Hmm. It wasn’t what I was […]
We’re all concerned about our health in one form or another. Whether our goal is to shed a few pounds, build some muscle, or prepare for a triathlon, we want to be sure our bodies can keep up with our ambitions. The thing is, science tells us that weight loss (and, by extension, physical fitness) […]
These days, it feels as though we’re all in the midst of a self-care crisis. “Me time” almost always means looking after other people, focusing on workplace projects, or dealing with issues that aren’t related to our emotional, physical, and mental needs. In fact, we constantly tell ourselves that we don’t have enough time for […]
There seems to be a lot written about “antinutrients” in the diet-blogosphere these days, especially by those who have aligned themselves with ancestral or low carb diets. Usually antinutrients are discussed in terms of why they should be avoided. I mean, really, they’re called antinutrients, aren’t they? If nutrients are good, then it’s obvious that antinutrients […]
Do you schedule your day around your access to coffee? Does your energy crash after your caffeine hit, making you desperate for an afternoon nap? Well, we have five healthy, energy-boosting alternatives that will keep you moving. But first let’s discuss why you might want to make changes to your coffee habit. How Much Is […]
Have you recently heard or read about people losing a ton of weight on a ketogenic diet? If you’re wondering if this is really possible—and if a keto diet may be right for you—today’s article can help. I’ll be covering the basics of a ketogenic diet, the potential health benefits of being in ketosis, and […]
My husband recently enjoyed a three-day weekend with the family. As we pondered what to do with our extra time off, I thought about finally starting our garden. We’ve talked about it for three years now but just haven’t found the motivation to get started. After all, a daunting amount of prep goes into a […]
Our skin is a natural barometer of our overall health. The healthier we are on the inside, the more we shine from the outside—and who doesn’t want glowing, clear skin with no blemishes? However, our skin is important in other ways as well. It acts as an armor to guard our organs from physical harm. […]
The simple answer to this question is yes. In my clinic, I’ve seen time and again that people who regularly skip breakfast are more likely to become overweight or obese. And they’re surprised to learn that not eating, or eating less, can lead to weight gain! Contrary to the belief that skipping breakfast means you […]
I was sitting in my kitchen, eating my post workout snack (Greek yogurt with organic blueberries and strawberries), when a funny question popped in my head. Should I add almonds, even though they’re not my favorite, because food is the fuel for our bodies. Thinking of this instantly brought back a memory from high school. […]