Summer is my favorite season, hands down. That's why I'm always so excited when June 21st rolls around (it means summer is officially here!). It reminds me of days spent with my friends, good laughs, and pool parties. Throughout my childhood, I would be in the pool practically every day in the summer. I lived in an apartment complex (and still do) that had a community pool for residents only. All my friends would always be there and we'd spend hours upon hours swimming, playing pool games, and just goofing off.

Kitchens are supposed to be clean, hygienic and somewhat sunny in health and disposition. Is your kitchen matching up to this lovely picture or is it, in fact, harboring hidden and deadly bacteria and germs?

Milk. It was the beverage of choice growing up as a child in our house. Never skim, sometimes raw, and with any meal of the day. In fact, cow milk is the beverage of choice in most American households.

Join Basmati.com every week for a Q&A session with one of Basmati’s practitioners, Melissa Hill (FDN-P)! We know that there is a lot of confusing information out there, which can make applying health advice overwhelming.  Sometimes, it’s best to ask a practitioner directly, so each week we’ll cover a common health question!

Basmati.com chats with healer Shanta Gabriel of Shantagabriel.com

Arugula is also known as “rocket” and is originally a Eurasian cruciferous plant related to cauliflower, kale, and mustard. It grows wild in Asia and the Mediterranean basin and takes its name from the Latin term “eurca,” meaning caterpillar, because of the plant’s hairy stems.

Growing your own organic vegetables is the best way to ensure they will not be exposed to excessive, harsh chemicals. But what if you have sandy soil? Sandy soils are made up of loose, granular dirt containing small rocks and minerals. A common misconception of gardeners is that you cannot grow anything in this kind of soil. I am excited to tell you that even though a great deal of vegetables cannot thrive in this soil, there are a few that actually can. Check out these 7 vegetables that you can grow in sandy soil!

Urban agrihoods are an innovative creative movement in green city-development and urban agriculture. Agrihoods are neighborhoods that center on and are strongly connected to a working farm and they have previously been found in rural and suburban areas. The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) is changing that by establishing America’s first sustainable urban agrihood in Detroit’s North End.

While you may have heard of “folate” and “folic acid,” you may or may not know what it is, what it is for, or if you should take it. Nowadays, there are so many health trends and supplements that it can be easy to forget some of the most basic and simple nutrients and minerals that are important to have in our diets, and possibly as a supplement when needed.

Here are some basics to get you started about Folate and Folic Acid.

Basmati.com chats with healer Petra Loewen from Healingwithspirits.com