Stress messes with your brain all the time. Science confirms that: 75% of all visits to primary physicians are for complaints that have stress as an underlying cause. Emotional stress, when unrelieved, raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol and adrenaline, elevates hormones and brain chemicals throughout your body and becomes physical as well as … Read more
The holidays are here and it seems they are inevitably accompanied by packing on a few pounds. This doesn’t have to be the case if you follow a few very simple rules. Food should be pleasurable, but for many of us, the “stop” mechanism is broken. What’s wrong with a little cream puff or Swedish … Read more
Are the holidays already getting you down? Are shopping, holiday events and obligations literally giving you a headache? Here are some headache remedies from my book, Food Is Medicine: 101 Prescriptions from the Garden These will get you back on track and in the holiday spirit. MIGRAINE HEADACHE Your Garden RX: garlic, spinach, sunflower seeds, … Read more
This is an excerpt from Kathleen Barnes’ book, Our Toxic World: A Survivor’s Guide What is it about the early parts of the year when I want to clean out clutter, sweep away old papers and cobwebs and get the house good and clean? Whatever it is, any time is a great time to have … Read more
Most of us think of sage as a savory addition to the kitchen spice rack. But now researchers say this herb’s silvery little leaf can help you stay healthy throughout your life by sharpening your memory, preventing heart disease and strengthening your immune system. Sage has been used for centuries to treat everything from snake bites … Read more
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
If you’ve never dry brushed your body, you’re missing out on a sensual delight as well as an opportunity to do your body a big favor. Skin tightening As most of you know, I recently got rid of 100 unwanted pounds of fat with a modified version of the HCG diet. (For more info on … Read more
I planted a couple of elderberry bushes in my yard more than a decade ago, every year I harvest a crop of delicious sweet purple berries that are powerful immune system boosters. I just have to fight off the birds or net the bushes so I get my share to put up for next winter’s … Read more
Life today often moves at a speed that leaves us feeling disconnected and worn out. Our routines revolve around screens, schedules, and deadlines instead of the natural flow of the world around us. But what if the secret to balance has been right outside our window all along? Living with the seasons invites us to … Read more
My mother died of Alzheimer’s disease 12 years ago, although I have to say that the mom I knew died several years earlier when her cognitive function faltered, she was unable to perform the simplest tasks, her personality changed and the light went out in her eyes. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. It is devastating to … Read more