cucumber

Do you want to eat more plants? If so, you have a lot of company. Interest in the topic spiked dramatically last year. Plant-based eating is both timeless and totally new, depending on how you look at it. Throughout time, the overwhelming majority of societies were plant-based, but in the last century unprecedented changes at the societal and agricultural levels began to make plant-based eating worthy of a fresh look.

Remember those endless beauty secrets your grandma was such a proponent of? Well, most of them are true and do have a scientific explanation behind them. Let’s explore a few common kitchen ingredients and the kind of magic you can work with them for a truly glowing visage! The great thing is that you don’t have to make a market trip for these—you can simply raid your kitchen and are good to go.

Looking to add a little excitement to your glass of water? Many of the products used for flavoring your water are unnatural and often contain chemicals you wouldn’t want to put in your body. If you are interested in finding alternatives, check out these 10 neat ways to naturally flavor your water.

Rosemary and Watermelon

Do you want to naturally support your body in staying cool during the hot summer months?  If so, eat more cucumbers.

Many years ago, after a few hours on a sweltering beach, my friend and I gathered ourselves and climbed the dunes to a restaurant. It was on the patio there that we two tired, over-sunned young girls were brought back to life by generous bowls of cool, hearty, earthy gazpacho. Every summer since, when the temperatures soar, I think: soup.  And although I love a good tomato gazpacho, it’s just the beginning.

Nothing beats a nice summer BBQ with fresh, seasonal foods and good company. Even when you're not at a BBQ or special occasion, you can still bring in the bounty of summer with these four recipes. All of them incorporate in-season produce. I highly recommend going to the local farmers market and picking up the ingredients for these recipes from there, as it will enhance your dishes greatly.

What Ayurveda prescribes as summer skin care is not so different from what experts claim today, but it does give you some organic alternatives to skin care that help you keep away from harsh chemicals and more…

Nightshades contain some of the world's most poisonous and beloved plants all at once. Potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers are all related to belladonna (deadly nightshade), jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), and mandrake, yet we love eating them!

Green beans aren’t exactly the “coolest” vegetable of the hour, but there’s more to this crispy legume than meets the eye. 

Also referred to as “snap beans” or “string beans,” green beans have been gracing dinner plates for centuries. Though we don’t usually give green beans as much attention as say, kale or sprouts, they are actually incredibly high in nutrients and even have some “superfood” qualities. 

So let’s begin with what ubtans are.  Long before the soap factories were born, ubtans were used to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize the skin, as well as give it long-term protection from the elements.