Many moons ago, back at the turn of the century (man, that sounds totally weird!), I spent a few years in Calgary managing a cake shop in a trendy neighborhood. My boss had lots of friends in high places, which opened doors to some interesting connections for me. One opportunity that stands out from the […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
27
Jun
Jun
Garlic. It’s pungent, robust, and even a little sweet when prepared a certain way. It lends itself to every cuisine on the planet and gives recipes that little extra something that makes all the difference in the final product. And on top of its many culinary qualities, garlic offers natural medicinal benefits as well. Garlic […]
21
Jun
Jun
Many years ago, I worked at a small, family-owned bakery since childhood, and I remember a very interesting coworker named Alan. Whenever someone would claim that summer solstice was the first day of summer, Alan would correct them with a theory of his. To this day, I’ve never heard it discussed outside of those bakery […]
20
Jun
Jun
As our world advances, so too do the issues we deal with on a regular basis. Most of us are aware of the health concerns associated with sitting for too long. After so many years of the Standard American Diet (SAD), we know how important it is to get (and keep) our blood sugar levels […]
14
Jun
Jun
I love a nice, fresh ham roast, with its addictive crackling skin and succulent, briny flavor. For some reason, ham seems mostly reserved for holidays and special occasions. Yet I could easily eat them more often. And I would, if the small size of my family could support the sheer size of such a meal […]
13
Jun
Jun
Something about lazy summer days makes me think of attacking my reading list. A few of the titles are fiction, and a few are nonfiction. Some suggested, some self-discovered. Some opened up and partially read, others brand new and inviting me in. They all have two things in common: they’ve been piling up next to […]
07
Jun
Jun
Here in Colorado, we often say that “the weather is made up and the seasons don’t matter.” In practice, that means we can easily go from tank tops and flip flops one day to snow boots and mittens the next. I’d be lying if I said I was used to it by now. But each […]
06
Jun
Jun
There are almost as many excuses for not exercising as there are people who make them. Not enough time, you might say to yourself. Can’t find the perfect activity, you lament. And so on. We all know how it goes. But have you ever considered that it might be easier to throw in the metaphorical […]
31
May
May
Last week, I was given a bag of fragrant, native, yellow stone-ground cornmeal from Anson Mills with the request that I “please make something out of it.” Well, of course the first thing that came to mind was cornbread. But anyone who knows me knows that I like to take the road less traveled and […]
30
May
May
With the passing of Memorial Day comes the swift arrival of swimsuit season (or, for us non-swimmers, short- and tank top-season). Some of us are excited by the promise of showing more skin as the days of summer approach. But others of us feel nothing but unease and dread about what’s hidden under our sleeves […]
24
May
May
Hey there, folks! After a bit of a hiatus, I’m happy to announce that I’m finally getting back to writing. I’ll be tempting your taste buds with new, wholesome, delicious recipes, and also offering lots of tips for nourishing yourself and your loved ones with real food. Along the way, I’ll be sharing the occasional […]
23
May
May
If you’ve been on your self-health adventure for any length of time, you already know that one of the most frustrating conversations you can have with people who simply follow the status quo is about fat. More specifically, the need to avoid it when we’re trying to lose weight. Lately, I’ve given up pointing out […]
16
May
May
When I was looking in the mirror the other day, a few questions popped in my head: Why do we have eyebrows? What exactly is the purpose of those two swaths of hair? And what would happen if we didn’t have them? It was time for a little digging. Hooray! Before we humans evolved to […]
10
May
May
Vitamin D deficient? You are not alone. In 2004, the Scientific American reported that more than 75 percent of Americans were deficient in vitamin D. And in 2005, the Journal of Nutrition reported that vitamin D deficiency “is now recognized as an epidemic in the United States.” Really? Why? How? Taking a vitamin D3 supplement? […]
09
May
May
My mom was diagnosed with Lyme disease a couple of summers ago. I happened to be home for a visit at the time, and seeing how she suffered before she found out the cause stuck in my head and really ticked me off. My parents’ dog ended up with Lyme disease that summer as well. […]
02
May
May
If you’ve been meaning to build more physical activity into your every day life but think it will take up too much time, you’re going about it all wrong. An all or nothing approach is quite foolish when it comes to your health. It simply allows you to put off what you know you need […]
25
Apr
Apr
Being raised on a dairy farm where everyone had to pitch in, it was my birthright to be an early bird. This trait has stuck with me so far in life. If you ask me to stay up late, I’d have to struggle to make it happen— but I rarely miss those early morning events. […]
18
Apr
Apr
At the time of this writing, we’re going on the fourteenth consecutive day of gray skies here in Iowa. The weather folks tell us we’ll hit seventeen before there’s even a chance the sun will rear its gorgeous head. When that day arrives, I envision all of us standing outside with our faces to the […]
11
Apr
Apr
I have great news, folks! According to my Celebrate Everything calendar, April 12 is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. Celebrating this classic sandwich, which doubles as a major comfort food, is some fun I can get behind. While I spent my childhood nibbling on the standard interpretation of the grilled cheese—bread, butter, and cheese—I’ve come […]
04
Apr
Apr
If you’re like me, you go through cycles of squirreling away food like, well, a squirrel. Maybe you buy ingredients for a new recipe you never try. Perhaps you get a great deal on that “super food” that no one liked. Or it could be that you’re just in a rut from cooking the same […]