Everyday around midday, I rip a shot. No no, I don’t keep a bottle of whiskey in my desk drawer. Nor am I an espresso fan. I take a chia seed energy shot. Chia seeds provide amazing, sustainable energy. Chia seeds were a staple in ancient Aztec and Mayan diets. They actually got their name from the Mayan word for…
Some ideas are brilliant right from the get-go. Others need time to be crafted, coddled, considered. These homemade and healthy “almond joy” bites were definitely the latter. I’ve wanted their existence pretty desperately for a pretty long time now. Their namesake is one of my absolute FAVORITE candy bars, but of course not something I allow myself to have very…
Please forgive me while I very quickly get this out of the way… Every boy, every girl: spice up your life! People of the world: spice up your life! Ahhhhhhh SLAM IT TO THE LEFT if you’re having a good time! OK OK, I’ll stop. Though this 1997 anthem continues to be one of my favorite songs to this very day….
I know, I know… sometimes you just really hate me. Because I’m the one who’s always gotta burst your bubble. I’m the one who told you BPA-free is a load of B(P)S, your favorite chocolate is likely loaded with nasties, your new clothes are covered in chemicals, your tea bags are dangerous, and, now, chewing gum is bad for you. Just like that…
Yummy yummy yummy, get in my tummy! I know, I sound like a 4-year-old. But this chocolate superfood mousse is just that good. So good, in fact, that I’m eating it for breakfast on this fine Saturday morning. I feel naughty and indulgent, like a kid who sneaks a spoonful of ice cream while her mom’s in the bathroom. Of…
Crunch crunch crunch! Oh, that’s just me munching on a carrot as I write this post. It’s really hard to read about all of the wonderful benefits of this sweet veggie and not immediately rush to grab one! So I did. Before we jump to the fun stuff, let’s go over the basics. One medium carrot or ½ cup of…
You know how they say “never say never”? Well I’m saying it and I mean it: tomatoes should never come from a can. Most cans are lined with plastic to prevent them from rusting. Most of these linings contain BPA, a toxic chemical linked to reproductive abnormalities, neurological effects, heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, heart disease and…
Mmm that instantly addictive smell of popcorn… You can always smell it before you hear the first pop! And oh, is it undeniably tempting. It permeates every corner of the house, calling all to enjoy its butter goodness. But don’t be fooled by its charms! Store-bought popcorn is absolutely loaded with nasties. From the bag to the contents, microwave popcorn…
Well if you’re a soda or sports drink drinker, then the answer may very likely be “yes”. Enter brominated vegetable oil (BVO)… BVO is a synthetic chemical, created by binding vegetable oil (likely GMO) with atoms of the element bromine. It is patented as a flame retardant but is used widely by the soft drink industry to keep citrus-flavor oils…
2018 is here! (Even though for the next few weeks I will undoubtedly still be writing “2017” on checks and other memos. Do ya feel me or what?) Have you made a New Year’s resolution yet? Below are 10 simple healthy habits to adopt in the new year that you can actually see through all the way to 2019. 1….
Environmental Working Group Skin Deep mobile app: iPhone and Droid At long last, my absolute favorite website and beauty tool (yes a website is my favorite beauty tool!) has come out with a super-convenient, awesome app for both iPhone and Droid. You can search for personal care products by their name or by scanning their barcodes, which is great when…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: I. HATE. PLASTIC. and really try to avoid it as much as possible. But it should be known that not all plastic is created equally. Some readily leech extremely harmful chemicals while others have slower leaching rates and (comparatively) more innocuous chemical compositions. The recycling codes…
Well chances are that if it’s one of those chocolate brands that can be purchased at the local drug store or gas station minimart, it only contains between 5-10% cocoa. The remaining 90-95% consists of sugar, artificial flavors, additives, fillers, and artificial coloring. These often include soy lecithin (very likely from GMO soy), vanillin (a synthetic vanilla flavor made from a…
Say what? You heard me. Coal tar and petroleum. In your CANDY. Not so tasty anymore, huh? The worst part is, it’s hiding in plain sight. In fact, it’s what we see when we look at candy – the coloring – since artificial food colorings are derived from coal tar and petroleum. Over the past 50 years, chemical dyes used…
Autumn is cinnamon’s time to shine. So I thought it only appropriate to cast a spotlight on the many health benefits of this awesome spice, if not only to make us feel a teensy bit less guilty on Thanksgiving day as we shove more spice-flavored desserts into our faces – Oh they have cinnamon! Yes, I’ll have another, thank you…
One of the easiest ways to shave down your grocery bill is to prioritize which foods you need to buy organic. The following 25 foods should ALWAYS be purchased organic either because they contain a high level of trace pesticides or because they are common GMOs. Highest trace pesticides Every year, the Environmental Working Group updates their Shopper’s Guide to…
A couple of weeks ago, my mom gave me a big bag of those infamous chocolate peanut butter cups for my birthday. I had every intention of bringing the bag to work to let my coworkers devour its contents, but instead… I ripped it open and ate every last gosh darn cup. That’s right. I ATE THEM ALL. Thanks a…
Have you noticed how just about everything is pumpkin-flavored nowadays? I decided I needed to finally jump on the bandwagon and am SO GLAD I did because this autumn pumpkin and sweet potato quiche is amazingly yummy! It is both savory and sweet, and extremely satiating. What you will need: 6 medium-sized organic potatoes (it is recommended to buy organic…
There is A LOT to consider when it comes to cooking oils. Did I emphasize that enough? A LOT. Smoke points (the point at which an oil smokes and becomes carcinogenic), types of fat (saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated), and the manner in which the oils are extracted, just to name a few! What’s more, the facts about fat have changed quite…
The organic trap is easy to fall into. You start learning about the dangers of the modern food system and many of the foods you enjoy, and you see a simple solution: just buy organic! It’s like a magnificent food-fairy waved her sparkly wand over a bag of sour cream and onion chips, giving it a special seal and taking…
There’s no doubt about it: cold are just no fun. Nope, not even worth the sick day. Many over-the-counter cold medicines cover the symptoms of a cold without helping to actually cure the cold, and therefore don’t help you get better any faster. These remedies help cure your cold naturally and quickly. How to cure a cold naturally and…
In honor of my birthday tomorrow… I’ve decided to write about the most delicious new anti-aging product on the market treat in my kitchen: anti-aging chocolate. That’s right. Anti-aging chocolate. It’s certainly the sweetest way to turn back the clock! OK OK, these could otherwise just be called “goji berries covered in homemade-and-healthy chocolate,” but that is far less fun! Plus…
Unhealthy *Gasp!* How could bottled water be unhealthy? It is water after all. Let’s start with the water itself. Bottled water is not nearly as strictly regulated as tap water. Tap water is regulated by the EPA, which requires municipalities to have their water quality tested annually by certified laboratories, and then provide the results to the public. Bottled water, on…
I can’t stand health food trends. Until I realize that, hey, this is pretty great! And then I love them! As with green smoothies, kombucha, and chia seeds, I’m now hooked on goji berries. You have likely heard of these coral-colored antioxidant powerhouses. They’re the new craze, after all. But their use actually goes way back, almost 1,700 years in…