kbarnes 
Here in the mountains of Western North Carolina, autumn has arrived. There’s a blush of gold across the mountainsides and the reds of the maples flare along the ridge lines. Fall always means apple time with a visit to the sweetly scented farm store and a bite into the freshest, crispest tangy Gala apple, juice … Read more
I’m an avid walker. I mean, I am a really serious walker. I wear an Apple and I aim for 10,000 steps a day. Most days I meet or exceed my goal. Only on rare occasions do I fall short, usually because of weather constraints. I guess you could say I am addicted to walking. … Read more
As you know, I’m not in favor of the “pink” campaign to combat breast cancer. I think the over-commercialization and inclusion if cancer-causing products take away any altruistic motives behind it. But you can eliminate the middleman by eating pink (and green) foods that are proven to prevent and even treat breast cancer. Here’s an … Read more
I’m the first to admit to a certain amount of craziness. I was reminded recently of the time when I lived in Northern New York (their winters put our Southern winters to shame) and how we would walk outside barefoot for a few minutes every morning as part of the yoga practice a group of … Read more
I have been a devotee of yoga since I was in my 20s and I had a 70-year old yoga teacher named Becky Love. I became a certified Kripalu yoga teacher since the mid-1970s and have kept hand and foot into the practice and infrequently teach yoga since then. My regular readers know that I … Read more
The next time a minor summertime skin woe makes you miserable, take a trip to the pantry or refrigerator or the woods behind the house for natural solutions. You may find just what the doctor ordered. Many of these remedies evolved from folk remedies that have been used since the times of our wise grandmothers … Read more
I don’t know about you, but I get pretty tired of apples and oranges and plastic tubs of organic lettuce and plastic tomatoes in the winter. So I couldn’t be happier with the advent of spring and the vastly expanded array of fruits and vegetables now available. Variety is the spice of life, so we … Read more
By now, most of us have happily heard that a daily glass of wine (my favorite!) can be a big health promoter – dozens of studies have shown that the antioxidant compounds in wine (especially reds) can lower heart disease risk. But surveys show that beer is Americans’ favorite adult beverage—with 46% choosing it most … Read more
As summer arrives, just a reminder that it’s always wise to limit your sun exposure. But who among us is always wise? Not me! Now’s the time to sing the praises of the kitchen plant — aloe vera. There’s nothing quite like the gel of this succulent plant to ease pain and speed the healing … Read more
Now that much-anticipated beach vacations, gardening, outdoor sports and other outside summer activities are on our calendars, it’s time to practice ways to protect skin from sun damage. The medical profession has reported loud and clear that too much exposure causes dryness, wrinkling, premature aging and even skin cancer. Yet, many people don’t understand that … Read more