For those of you who are curious about these food co-ops that you see popping up, you should know that these grocery stores with a twist are called food cooperatives for a good reason—they’re all about cooperation. Food co-ops thrive in communities that are interested in working together for the common good.
Stress. I have yet to meet someone who is not dealing with it. Who of us is not worried about money, our health, or how to juggle all of our time? We all experience stress on a regular basis, and it is unfortunately difficult to avoid in our fast-paced, money-driven Western society. Stress can come in a variety of ways and in different levels of intensity.
Love them or hate them, beets are an incredibly healthy root. Starchy, sweet, and bursting with nature's nutrients, beetroots are an ancient food with many purposes. Belonging to the same family as chard and spinach, they contain as many phytonutrients as well as the addition of long sought after plant pigments. If you find yourself beet curious, read on to satisfy your fascination.
Anything from an unbalanced diet to negative thought patterns can cause someone to feel ungrounded. If you are often stuck in your head or regularly eat a low-calorie diet, getting grounded should be a top priority.
The production of molasses was developed in India in approximately 500 B.C.E. Arab invaders brought the product to Spain, and a century later it came to the West Indies with Christopher Columbus. The British began cultivating sugar cane in Barbados in 1646, and by the end of the century molasses was a commodity. It is not clear when blackstrap molasses was first used for human consumption.
It is said "all diseases begin in the gut," which is why gut health is so important. You see, we all have microbes in our intestines: Trillions of them, to be exact. These microbes metabolize food and make vitamins accessible to us. In other words, they’re essential to our health and immunity. They actually add up to 4 pounds of our body weight and help us fight off “bad” microbes (like the infamous E.coli or tetanus).
The first time I got my own place, I imagined a kitchen stocked full of all the dried herbs and spices I could possibly desire. I wanted to have everything on hand so no dish would go without. Hitting the spice aisle, I quickly realized I had no idea where to begin. Stocking up on spices for a new kitchen can be mind-boggling when you don't know where to begin -- not to mention expensive. Other than salt – which you’re using in nearly every dish – which herbs and spices are the most convenient to have on hand
The tongue may be (relatively speaking) the strongest muscle in the body, but what carries all our weight? Our feet support us all day long. Think about it: it’s a hefty job for a couple dozen square inches to carry around a comparatively large structure. Our feet take us far and fast and up and down. They have their own unique rhythm as they walk…as if to the beat of their own drum, sometimes.
The kidneys are often under-rated organs. They are the great detoxifiers of the body and help the body to release all that could not be used by the cells, which were then disposed of through the body's extensive lymph system. Every cell takes in nutrients from the bloodstream, which comprises around twenty percent of the area touching the cells, and then every cell releases unwanted wastes into the lymph – comprising 80% of the rest of the area around the cells.
Chapped, dry lips? I get it. Winter has a knack for drying skin out, especially lips. Lips are ultra sensitive to everything, so it makes sense that they get hit the hardest by cold, dry weather. That said, your lips can still get dry or chapped in the warmer months too! To keep them in the best condition, I recommend making a lip scrub and lip balm for them. Making your own won’t only be rewarding and fun, but cheaper, too. (Not to mention you’ll know what’s in them.) Most of the things you’ll need to make each one can be bought in any grocery or health food store.