Photo: ruurmo, Flickr

Spring is a season that’s hard not to enjoy. Whether you live in Chicago or New Orleans, Los Angeles or New York, spring is a winner. It’s a time to shake the cold off your bones and breathe in the fresh scents of blooming flowers. And if you’re fortunate enough to have an outdoor area at home, it’s also the best time to enjoy your very own spring garden. Here are just a few of the many reasons to love a great spring garden.

A spring garden is visual evidence that winter is over

Even for those of us who live in moderate climates, the end of winter is a thing to celebrate. But for you poor unfortunate souls who live in cooler climes, the end of winter doesn’t necessarily mean the end of cold weather. Early spring still brings cool to cold weather in a lot of places, especially after dark, and when cool fronts come in it can often be hard to tell when winter ends and spring begins. That’s where your garden comes in. Even when it’s too chilly for comfort outside, the sight of those summer squash, watermelon, and tomato buds sprouting to life is visual proof that spring is well on its way in, and the cold weather is well on its way out. { read more }

About Jeff Jacobson

Socrates understood himself to be the smartest man in Athens because he knew at least enough to know he knew nothing. That's me. I'm an inconsistently successful father, stepfather, husband, and writer. But at least I know it.

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Enjoying a healthy after-school snack doesn’t have to involve a lot of preparation or be time consuming. Think in terms of nutritional value and ease. Kids are usually very hungry when they walk in the door and will grab what is easiest and most appealing. Here are ten tasty snacks that will keep your children nourished and meet your need for ease.

Fresh fruit and nuts

Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on your kitchen counter or table and a container of nuts beside it. Apples are filling foods and nuts have the healthy fats and proteins to help keep your little ones going until dinner. { read more }

About Lisa Gale

"She was an artist and her life was her canvas." (Kobi Yamada) When I grow up, I want to be her! For now, it's fun to pretend.

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We’re all told to eat our fruits and vegetables every day. With food prices on the rise and awareness of organics and pesticides rising as well, it’s difficult to know which foods to buy. While many people agree that the more organics you can incorporate, the better, there is a way to target your buying and maximize your dollar.

The “Dirty Dozen”

The Environmental Working Group publishes an annual list of the dozen fruits and vegetables ranked highest in pesticide. The group analyzes Department of Agriculture data and orders them according to how much pesticide residue they have. EWG has estimated that people can lower their exposure to pesticides by 80% if they switch to just these 12 organic fruits and vegetables. { read more }

About Liz Alfano

I write "Dirty Words," the blog about things you should know, but might not. I'm the mother of two elementary school-aged boys and wife of one adult aged man. When not writing, I can be found reading or staring into space wishing I was either reading or writing. Sometimes I'm seen vacuuming...but not often. www.mydirtywords.com

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Photo: Monet Moutrie

Holiday feasts are fast approaching. Whether hosting or attending a holiday party, you want to make your friends and family feel comfortable and appreciated. Vegan cornbread is a delicious and wholesome bread to serve at your holiday feast or bring to a friend’s Christmas bash. Perfect on any table, the subtle sweetness and the moist crumb of this vegan cornbread makes it a winner.

This vegan variety tastes even better than traditional corn breads with the addition of whole-grain corn meal, fresh corn and soy milk. You won’t even miss the butter! And if you plan on making traditional cornbread stuffing, this vegan cornbread can serve as a great base for that classic American recipe. { read more }

About Monet Moutrie

Monet Moutrie is a writer and baker, who lives in Austin, Texas with her three cats and husband. Between government work, graduate school and her own blog, Anecdotes and Apple Cores, nothing sounds better to Monet than an evening of yoga, a cup of Earl Grey tea and a novel. Knock on her front door and you'll find her pulling out a loaf of bread from the oven while brainstorming ideas for her own work of fiction.

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Photo: whatisinsulin.com

You’ve noticed your normally bouncy little Energizer Bunny being tired, weak, and, disturbingly, with no appetite.  Sounds like the flu.

However, if your child has been unusually thirsty and producing excessive and pale urine, this could be serious.  Type I diabetes is diagnosed annually as the cause of these symptoms in 30,000 children and young adults in the US.  About three million Americans live with this condition.

What is Type I Diabetes?

The body needs the hormone insulin, produced in islet cells in the pancreas, to use glucose (sugar) from the blood as a major energy source. Type I diabetes, or “juvenile” or “early-onset” diabetes, is a life-long medical condition in which these islet cells are destroyed by the body’s immune system (an “autoimmune” disorder), leaving the body insulin-deficient.

{ read more }

About

Dr. Kathy D obtained her PhD in Physiology and did biomedical research for over a decade, specializing in reproductive endocrinology. She is a devoted "earth girl" - non-meat eater, passionate recycler, persistent home remodeler/do-it-yourselfer, always with a focus on environmentally friendly options.

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Photo: Bahay Kalipay

I’m not a 100% raw food practitioner, but I do enjoy incorporating a fair share of them in my regular diet. Once a week in my household, I try to do a “raw food day,” which means that my family and I will eat nothing but raw foods for at least two meals during the day. So far, we’ve managed to maintain Mondays as “raw food day,” considering it’s usually during the weekends when we tend to indulge more on cooked food, or the occasional pizza and beer!

Why eat raw food?

More than just a detox option, a raw food diet composed of whole foods is considered super nutritious. When raw foods are ingested in their raw state, many believe that this immensely adds life force to one’s health. The presence of live enzymes in raw fruits and vegetables helps nourish the body and its cells with “living” vitamins, minerals and enzymes, which are depleted during the cooking process. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Photo: www.healthkicker.com

I’m the only non-meat eater in my household.  With three omnivore kids and a meat-loving husband, I needed to figure out how to conjure up palatable meals that I could serve to everyone without feeling like a short-order cook at the local diner.

I’ve found that this is easily done by starting with non-meat dishes that are “enhanced” with meat to satisfy the carnivores at the table.

Embrace ethnic cuisine

Start with base menu items such as pasta or cooked grains, like brown rice, whole-grain and vegetable-based pasta, bulgur, or quinoa, and cook in vegetable broth or stock.  Couscous is not as healthy, but is a very quickly cooked (3 minute) grain base.  Add sautéed or steamed vegetables that are colorful and in interesting shapes with fun names – broccoli trees, zucchini sticks, green bean branches, carrot circles.  Cook the meat separately and serve it mixed in or on top for individual plates.

{ read more }

About

Dr. Kathy D obtained her PhD in Physiology and did biomedical research for over a decade, specializing in reproductive endocrinology. She is a devoted "earth girl" - non-meat eater, passionate recycler, persistent home remodeler/do-it-yourselfer, always with a focus on environmentally friendly options.

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Photo Credit: Ruthieki

With colder weather and the holidays fast approaching, comfort and ease often trump health when it comes to lunch choices. From convenient frozen meals to calorie-laden casseroles, our diets are often compromised during the months we most need foods packed with nutrition.

These three lunch ideas combine the best of all worlds. They are comforting, easy and good for your body. They’ll help fuel you through long days at work and keep your mind focused during holiday shopping trips. Packed with nutrition, they will also keep your body in its best working order so you can enjoy all the holiday season has to offer.

Apple and brie sandwich

The name of this sandwich alone sounds delicious, but you’ll be singing “Hallelujah” when you take your first crunchy and creamy bite. Apples are better than ever right now, so be sure to pick a variety you love. Take two slices of whole grain bread (preferably with a crunchy crust) and toast slightly. Spread Dijon mustard on one piece, two teaspoons of honey on the other. Place two ounces of brie and several slices of sliced apple on bread. Sandwich together and enjoy (warning: your coworkers will be jealous!) { read more }

About Monet Moutrie

Monet Moutrie is a writer and baker, who lives in Austin, Texas with her three cats and husband. Between government work, graduate school and her own blog, Anecdotes and Apple Cores, nothing sounds better to Monet than an evening of yoga, a cup of Earl Grey tea and a novel. Knock on her front door and you'll find her pulling out a loaf of bread from the oven while brainstorming ideas for her own work of fiction.

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Whether you’re nurturing your fetus’ brain, your child’s or your own, nutritional experts agree there are essential foods to include in a healthy brain diet.  Made of 60% structural fat, the brain requires healthy nutrients to function at optimum levels.  Brain cells, or neurons, are happiest when their job is easy. Fortunately, we can eat our way to a happy brain.  Include these five foods in your diet regularly and you’ll be on the nutritional path of intelligence.

Fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 oils are one of the key nutrients to include in a pregnancy diet.  They have been shown to give babies greater attention spans and healthy nervous systems.  Babies exposed to adequate levels of omega-3′s en utero showed less incidence of development or behavior problems as they grow.  The tricky part is finding a safe, reliable source of these essential fatty acids.  Salmon, mackerel and fish oil supplements have long been considered one of the best sources.  Considering all of the environmental disasters related to our waters, you might prefer some non-fish options. { read more }

About Lisa Gale

"She was an artist and her life was her canvas." (Kobi Yamada) When I grow up, I want to be her! For now, it's fun to pretend.

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Photo by patries71, Flickr

Nature is pretty amazing. She has packaged some awesome little miracle-workers in the form of what we consider pretty normal foods. The list of “super foods” or “healing foods” are large and varied—and with good reason. Not one food should dominate our diet as variety is the key to getting as many important nutrients as possible. But here are three simple foods that are easy to find that should be included in your diet:

Beans

Beans lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and insulin production, promote digestive health, and can protect against cancer. Beans offer fiber, protein, and antioxidants in a small, amazing little package. Best of all, they are one of the most frugal foods around!

How much: Aim for two servings a week
Recipe: Black Bean Soup  { read more }

About Robin Konie

Robin is a dancer, educator, movement therapist, and (most importantly) a nature-lovin'-back-to-basics kind of mom. She has has a passion for play, creativity, and healthy living.

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