kbarnes 
This is an article written by Kathleen and was originally published in Natural Awakenings magazine in 2014. A whiff of lemon oil can be an instant energizer. A deep breath of sweet lavender oil can lower your blood pressure. A few drops of tea tree oil can stop an infection in its tracks. And try … Read more
I’ve always called it “eating the elephant one bite at a time,” but modern culture has now given it a name: Micro goals (as opposed to macro goals). Of course, it means the same thing: Break any big and daunting task or project into a lot of little achievable or bite-sized pieces. I talked about … Read more
Note from Kathleen: This is an excerpt from an excellent book I recently published, Echinacea: Nature’s Best Kept Secret Against for Stress and Anxiety by Gaetano Morello, N.D. I know it has provided help for several people I know who suffer from anxiety. Hopefully, it will help you and yours, too. About four years ago, … Read more
There is a certain romance to growing your own food. Whether it comes from a solitary basil plant on a window ledge, a potted tomato on an urban balcony, a small plot in a community garden or a well-manicured full-scale spread, we humans take pride in growing our own food, feeding ourselves and relishing the … Read more
Note from Kathleen: I run this article every year about this time because, if you’re anything like me, you forget about important stuff like drinking water. Recently, a friend was taken to the hospital. She had a headache and leg cramps. She felt dizzy, confused and weak. Her husband found her unconscious on the floor … Read more
This article was originally published on this website in 2014. Updated for 2018. One in three of us—58 million Americans – has high blood pressure. In fact, say experts, there’s a 90% chance you’ll develop hypertension in your lifetime. The good news: Dropping a few pounds and exercising are tried-and-true ways to prevent and even … Read more
I’ve been a yoga teacher for more than 30 years. I’ve taught yoga breathing techniques to hundreds of students. I know the importance of the breath for health. But the teacher can always be taught. In this case, Dr. Andrew Weil showed me a new/old breathing technique that is a powerful health enhancer, stress reducer … Read more
In the midst of the coronovirus pandemic, many of us are figuratively living in caves right now. Maybe you’re binge watching TV, daytime sleeping, or reading cheap trashy novels, (my fave). Maybe you’re even a little depressed and anxious. Most likely you haven’t been spending much time outside. In health terms, this duplicates the winter … Read more
Everyone suffers the occasional bout of anxiety, but for about 19 million of us – more women than men – it’s frequent enough to interfere with daily activities. Why are women more prone to anxiety? A study from the American Psychological Association suggests it’s because estrogen lowers the level of an enzyme believed to regulate … Read more
I’ve written several times over the years about these bee-killing chemicals: https://kathleenbarnes.com/neonicotinoids-update/ https://kathleenbarnes.com/epa-issues-moratorium-on-new-neonicotinoid-products/ https://kathleenbarnes.com/monsanto-free-bee-healthy-gardens/ https://kathleenbarnes.com/bayer-monsanto-marriage-made-hell/ https://kathleenbarnes.com/roundup-more-proof-of-poison/ https://kathleenbarnes.com/bee-killing-pesticide-found-in-lowes-home-depot-plants/ Finally, there’s some movement in the right direction. There’s great news on the garden front this spring, especially if you buy plants for your garden or patio: This spring nearly 140 Big Box retailers are phasing out or … Read more