natural

Brown rice, the simple ingredient I base most of my home-cooked meals on, is amazing. And we all know about other grains that are trendy in America, like quinoa and couscous. But there are so many other options that can add interest to meals, or work for those who have food allergies to more popular grains. Whether you’ve never heard of some of these or just haven’t tried them yet, here’s the lowdown on different grains you can try this year.

“You are what you eat” may not be the literal truth, but your diet can certainly influence your appearance. Eating different foods (and drinking certain beverages) can help your skin become clear, glowing, and healthy from the inside out. Try a few of these delicious dietary additions to give your skin the boost it needs.

I used to get really bad headaches all the time (I’m talkin’ tons of tears). Thankfully, I only suffer from headaches occasionally now, and I’m convinced the improvement has to do with diet.

Winter can be a beautiful time to connect with nature and watch birds forage for food. Something that has become particularly popular nowadays is using bird feeders to help give birds access to food through the winter. There are studies still being conducted on the effects that personal feeders have on the bird population, so it has not been fully concluded in research whether they are harmful or not. With that being said, the more sustainable route seems to always be the best way to go. This can be accomplished by growing plants that produce bird-food during the cold season.

Want to get your hair dyed at the salon? Before you go, here's something to think about: Most salons use products that contain harmful chemicals that lead to several health problems such as allergies, throat and lung irritation, and even cancer. In fact, according to a European Commission report of 2006, not one hair dye brand was proven to be safe for consumers. This led to the EU Commission banning 22 harmful ingredients.

Many New Year’s resolutions involve eating better. But with such a lofty goal, it can be hard to know where to start. Fortunately, just a few simple changes make stepping in the right direction easy. This list, organized starting with the easiest steps to implement, makes cleaner eating accessible no matter what.

Most of us already know natural solutions are better for the environment. They’re also better for your skin than most commercial products, and much less expensive. However, not all skin is created equal. Depending on your unique skin type, you’ll want to reach for a different natural solution. Here, we break down some common skin issues and the ingredients that help combat them.

Breakouts: Honey

It’s fall—those skinny jeans you have such a love/hate relationship with are just begging to be worn. If you attempt to slip back into them, but find that you just can’t seem to close that button, you could be bloated. Whether the holiday feasts are leaving you too full, or it’s that time of the month, bloat happens. If feeling like a balloon that’s ready to burst isn’t quite your thing, eat these five foods to avoid that unwelcome, uncomfortable belly bloat.

We’d all love to imagine that pantry pests don’t exist. Spotless grocery stores and clean, sterile kitchens in advertisements make it easy to pretend for a while. But at home, no matter how hard we try, things creep in that we’d rather not have there—especially when we’re storing natural foods that aren’t heavily processed and packaged.

Anyone who knows me – or any Vermonter for that matter – understands that I am undyingly loyal to maple syrup. It is indeed a cliché treat of the green mountain state, and for good reason. Maple syrup is delicious in too many forms: over pancakes, ice cream, fruit, in oatmeal, coffee, soups, as hard candy, soft candy, cotton candy, milkshake, you name it! But don’t get me wrong; although maple syrup is sweet, especially as candy, it is by no means the worst sweet treat you could savor.